Dear BPCWAians, Over the past few weeks,  the  media  had  our  eyes  and attention largely directed towards the global COVID-19 crisis. Understandably, we too have had to expand resources in responding to the restrictions as they are announced. Thankfully, we have had no significant announcement over the past week that has required us to react to, though improvements in the livestreaming and audio-visual processes continue. I, for one, was greatly disappointed when our hope of even a smaller gathering during our regular outdoor Easter Sunrise could not go ahead because our booking was cancelled by Melville Council due to the new measures. While understandable, yet it is still inevitably sad.

And I also began to wonder, if amidst the hive of activity, did we realise that Good Friday and Easter is actually this week? This week, I want us to turn our eyes back to Calvary as we prepare for this important Christian occasion.

Passion Week devotions. Passion week is the typical name for the week beginning from the Sunday before Easter. Effectively, this was the final week of Christ’s life on earth before His crucifixion and resurrection.

It is a good time every year, and even more so this year, to interrupt our usual quiet time and family devotion passages to focus on Christ’s passion leading up to His great sacrifice for our sins.

What I have listed below are some possible Bible passages that you, individually, can do for your quiet time this week. Fathers can also use these passages to conduct family worship for their families as well. There are many more passages that may be useful that capture our Saviour’s final week on earth, but I have suggested only a few that you can use.

Day 1 Sunday, 5 April: Christ’s lament over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44) The heart of our Saviour contrasted with the hardened hearts of the Jews, the people He had chosen to show forth His glory to. Christ weeps for the coming judgement that will befall them. What passionate love Christ has even to those who refuse and abuse Him. What merciful thoughts He has toward us. Yet, God’s love and God’s justice are not contrary one to another. He is longsuffering, but repent now if you are not a believer or a false believer, because there is a coming judgment! We have forgiveness of sin only because of Christ’s sacrifice at the end of the passion week.

Day 2 Monday, 6 April: Cleansing of the Temple (Luke 19:45-48, Isaiah 56:7) Christ is filled with zeal for His house, and cleanses the temple a second time. It is not only a house of prayer for the Jews, but for all people (Isaiah 56:7). What a privilege that God’s grace should extend even to us Gentiles. Christ sacrifice on the cross made it possible for us to approach God through His Blood which cleanses us of all sins. He willingly went to the cross so that we can come before God’s Throne. Are our hearts filled with anticipation and joy as we gather to the house of prayer each week (though online for now) for our prayer meetings? Let us renew our zeal especially at times such as these that we are in! We have free access to the house of prayer only because of Christ’s sacrifice at the end of the passion week.

Day 3 Tuesday, 7 April: Olivet Discourse (Luke 21:5-38) Before the rest and hope that we yearn for as Christians, Christ reminds  us that a time of falling away, trouble and persecution will first come. We are thankful that we are not undergoing severe persecution for being a Christian right now. But let us not be “fair weather” Christians. Even as our church theme for this year reminds us, let us build strong solid convictions now that will stand in our hearts and lives, regardless of what external circumstances will come into our lives. Things will get more difficult before the end comes! Christ’s reminder before He went to the cross was to take heed and be ready, not to be overtaken by the pleasures of this world (21:34), but to be watchful and prayerful always (21:36).

Day 4 Wednesday, 8 April: Judas’ Betrayal (Luke 22:3-6) This account should certainly send a shiver down our spines. That one of the twelve that ate, walked and served with Him could betray Him. To think that the one that was entrusted with the money bag should betray his master for money! While yet unknown to the other eleven then, this account is given by divine inspiration of what transpired in secret. We don’t know, but God knows, and He watches. Despite man’s evil, His plan can never be thwarted. Are you a true believer? The Lord knew Judas would betray Him, yet He gave Judas ample opportunities to repent.

Day 5 Thursday, 9 April: Final Passover & the Institution of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:7-20) How has your attitude been each time the Holy Communion was conducted each Sunday? Did you treasure the opportunity to remember our Saviour’s sacrifice on our behalf each time? Or were you careless in your sin each time the bread and cup was passed around? Though we cannot have Holy Communion together during Good Friday this year and as long as the gathering restrictions last, let us be reminded once again to forsake our sins and return to Him in thankfulness for His body which was broken, and His blood which was shed for us.

Day 6 Good Friday, 10 April: Betrayal, Arrest, and Denied (Luke 22:39-62) What a picture of lonely agony in lonely prayer! His prayer was to do His Father’s will right to the very end so that we can be saved eternally. The hour has come that the Son of God should be delivered into the hands of the wicked. How can our minds fathom the love that God the Father has for us that He should permit this to be? Christ willingly allowed Himself to be captured and crucified so that He could complete salvation’s plan to save you. He forgives Peter who so cowardly denied Him. It is love that surpasses all understanding. It is infinite love that calls for our highest praise and gratefulness. It seems to the human eye that the power of darkness will have the victory. But we know that it is not so. Though man may think it for evil, yet God means it for good, to save His people through His Son’s sacrifice at the close of the passion week.

Day 7 Saturday, 11April: Trial, Crucifixion, and Burial (Luke23:1-56;Isaiah 58:13) What a mockery of a trial. What uncalled for beatings. Yet Christ endured them meekly. The very people for whom He endured all these were the ones calling for Him to be crucified. Oh, to see the King of glory abused and then crucified by sinful creatures must break us down in shame. It must remind us at the passion week to love Him more and more. On the surface, things didn’t look good for the early Christians. Their Lord and Saviour  had just been crucified by the Jews. They were alone, and certainly they would now be the scorn of the people around them. But because of what culminated at the end of Christ’s passion week, we, like them, have life eternal! Oh, how we must worship and adore our Lord Jesus for His passion for His Father’s will to finish salvation’s work that we may be saved.

Yours in our Lord’s service,

Pastor