“Holy” Week

Gal 4:9-11
9 But now that you know God — or rather are known by God — how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
NIV

There are many Christians of various denominations who are celebrating what we call “holy week” this week.  Even in evangelical, or bible based churches, most of the messages from the pulpit (including mine) were centered on what was being celebrated, or remembered, on that Sunday.  Last Sunday was known as “palm Sunday” commemorating the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem and when He was met by people waving palms.  Next Sunday is commonly known as “Resurrection Sunday”, commemorating the resurrection of our Lord on the third day after He died.  The days in between those two Sundays – Thursday and Friday, are the more serious ones.  “Maundy Thursday” is known for when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, and “Good Friday” for the time that Jesus died on the cross.  They all are made for good sermons and reminders of what our Lord Jesus went through for the forgiveness of our sins, all by His grace and love.

It is important to note that it is a “traditional” celebration.  In other words these are days that have been set aside, or set apart, as “special” because of tradition, and not because of any command of our Lord to observe these days as special.  This is important for us to understand, for as human as each one of us are it is so easy for us to make traditional celebrations “holy” in the sense that they actually add something special to our spirituality.  We have the tendency to relate our spirituality to certain practices or rituals, when in actuality it is not the ritual that brings a “blessing” or “anointing”, but our faith in the Lord.

Take child dedications as an example.  Many couples still relate child dedications to baptism, and make sure that a child is “dedicated” to the Lord so that the child will be “blessed”.  But, if parents do not raise up a child in the way he should go, in the biblical way and not the worldly way, a dedication means nothing.  If parents will not stand as examples to their children, and remain worldly, the dedication ceremony has done nothing for the child.  It’s all about our faith and obedience.  This is why many children who have been “dedicated” to the Lord turn out to be non-believers when they grow up.  It is not the ritual, but the heart of faith and obedience that counts to the Lord.

Let’s go back to this “holy” week.  Many will be making this week special.  They will do something extra spiritually because it is holy week.  They will listen to messages about the passion of Christ, about His suffering, His dying on the cross this week because it is “holy” week.  There will be skits on Jesus washing the apostles feet, and of the seven last words.  For some there will be special diets, abstaining from meat on Friday.  Christians will make sure that they pray, read the Bible this week.  Why?  Because it is “holy” week.

But what happens after this week?  Will we go back to our usual daily, worldly, self-centered, God-forgetting, hectic and busy lives?  Many think that by making an extra effort to be “holy” this week it will make up for the rest of the 41 weeks that we have not been holy!  Many Christians who have been absent from many Sunday services will all of a sudden pop up during Resurrection Sunday.  Why?  Because it’s “holy” week.  Sad.

This is why Christians must always be wary and careful about making certain days as special or holy.  Just like Sunday.  Many Christians consider Sunday holy that they make sure they go to their Sunday services, wear their Sundays best, serve the Lord in ministry, and smile when they shake hands.  But from Monday to Saturday they’re back to their old carnal and worldly ways.  What happened?  Did Sunday’s “holiness” make up for our worldliness during the six days of the week?  It’s not that Sunday isn’t an important day for a Christian – it is.  But we don’t go to our services just because it’s Sunday, but because we are devoted to that which God uses to ensure our growth and encouragement as believers in Christ.  As a matter of fact, the early believers didn’t just meet on Sundays, but every day.

Acts 2:42-47

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
NIV

Paul warned the Christians in Galatia about not observing the Jewish special days and thinking that it made them any special to the Lord. 

9 But now that you know God — or rather are known by God — how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 

The problem with making certain days, weeks or months special is that they now define our Christianity or spirituality.  We are “Christian” because we observe these special days, and as long as we’re observing them it does not matter whether or not we are walking in righteousness.  If we eat certain food on a certain day it brings us closer to God.  But Paul makes it clear in his letter to the Corinthians: 

1 Cor 8:8
8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
NIV

It’s the same thing with days.  Is it wrong to use this week as a time to remember the death of our Lord on the cross which brought forgiveness for our sins, and victory over sin?  No.  But should it be limited only to this week?  Should we not be remembering the cross day by day, week by week?  Should we consider this week as special, to the point that we think that by doing something extra special it makes us extra special also before God?  No, we shouldn’t.  This week should simply be seen as an opportunity to focus on a certain message, a certain act that we deem important, essential even, to the Christian walk – the death of Christ.  But every day, every moment, a Christian is to be walking with God, remembering what He has done for us, and allowing that grace and love of our Lord to affect our daily lives, wherever we are.

We must be careful not to make days, weeks or activities take the place of our personal faith, walk and love for the Lord.  Every day, every week, must be a “holy” week, setting apart our hearts, our lives, for He who suffered and died to set us free from the punishment and hold of sin!