Passion Week: the most important week in Christian faith. In remembrance of Jesus Christ and His ultimate sacrifice, Holiness Tabernacle celebrated Christ’s Week of Passion – from Palm Sunday through the Resurrection. The Lord was truly in the midst inside these walls and His Spirit showed up at every opportunity. The hand clapping, foot stomping and songs of praise were just the beginning to this glorious time of true worship to the true and living God – for He has done great things and we are glad. This year was particularly exciting because HTC observed all three ordinances of the Church Of God In Christ: communion, feet washing and baptism.
On Palm Sunday, Holiness Tabernacle was a tabernacle of worship and reverence. The spirit of the Lord truly met us there. Praise and worship included, “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” and “Draw Me Close to You.” The Lord did just that as His sweet anointing filled the temple as it erupted with cries of gratitude and as the congregation lifted their hands in homage. Our pastor brought a word, one the people would not soon forget: “The Lord Has Need of You,” coming from the book of Mark 11:1-11. Usually on Palm Sunday, one would expect a message on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, with Jesus, the people, and even the obedience of the disciples being the focal point. Taking a different approach, however, Pastor Pruitte focused solely on the colt. He talked about how God has need of each us and that no two of us are alike. The Lord has put something in you and I that He wants to use, and that is only the beginning. The gloves came off, spiritual warfare was on the horizon and no prisoner would be taken! The saints tarried until there were results. There was healing, deliverance and revival in the midst of this down pour of the spirit and demons could only flee in the name of Jesus.
The climax of Christ’s life began as He triumphantly rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. For the next few days, Jesus did miracles for the people and perplexed the Sadducees and Pharisees to even more anger.
On Maundy (Holy) Thursday, we observed the Lord’s Supper (or communion) and feet washing in remembrance of Christ. Pastor Pruitte shared with HTC about the importance of observing these ordinances of the Church of God In Christ, as they did on Holy Thursday over 2000 years ago. We took communion, which symbolizes the broken body and shed blood of Christ. These sacraments are not transformed into the body and blood as others may believe; they are merely symbols. After communion, the men and women went to their separate locations for feet washing, as Jesus did with the disciples. The familiar song, “Not Only My Feet,” rang through the atmosphere. The saints humbled themselves to wash one another’s feet, and the Lord honored that.
On this day centuries before, we find Christ supping with the disciples for the scriptures record, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me (1 Cor. 11:23b-24). After this manner, He gird himself with a towel, as the lowest house servant would, and washed the disciples feet. He commanded that they do this also after He was gone. After he washed the disciples’ feet, He went to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. Judas, knowing Jesus’ ways, brought Roman soldiers to the garden, and marked Jesus with a kiss to acknowledge He was the person they came to arrest.
While most Good Friday services deal with the seven last words of Jesus Christ from the cross, our pastor had a vision to baptize the saints earlier this year and it came to pass on this night. Thirty-one HTC saints were baptized in water, fully submerged in a pool. This marked a large milestone for HTC, as it was the church’s first baptism service. It was an amazing experience. Baptism represents death to the old man and the resurrection of a new person, cleansed from sin and ready to face the world anew. This observance will be etched into the minds and hearts of the HTC family and the history of our church.
From court to court, judge to judge, ruler to ruler Jesus was led to horrendous beatings, humiliations and taunts. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). His fate was in the hands of the people. The people chose Barabbas, a murderer, to live instead of the innocent Jesus Christ; he was sentence to death by crucifixion. While on the cross, Christ profoundly declares, “It is finished.” The ultimate plan of love, set into play by the Father since Adam and Eve, (it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15) was complete. Salvation for all mankind was now available. Jesus declared, “Father into my hands I commend my spirit” …and He gave up the ghost (Luke 23:46).
During the Sunday sunrise service, the laymen presented the seven last words of Christ on the cross and shed a different perspective on the familiar scriptures that we have read for years. You were on the edge of their seat wondering how the next brother would focus Jesus’ words. This was only the beginning of Resurrection Sunday service.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). And that is just what happened. The Spirit of God used willing vessels to stir up the service and set the Church on fire with the rain of His presence. Praise songs, “Lord, How I Love You” and “Lion of Judah,” added fuel to the fire. Then came an anointed word from God through our Pastor, “It’s in Those Nails!” coming from John 20:25. The nails held Jesus to the cross; they represent all the things that we have done that was out of the will of God, whether being disobedient to our parents, our bad attitudes or even the little white lies. Know that Jesus took the nails into the tomb and left them there! The price has been paid in full and we don’t have to be subject to the nails. Jesus has taken care of the nails and left them in the tomb never to resurface again.
THANK YOU LORD that's not how the story ends. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. (Matthew 28:1,2). The women looked to anoint Jesus, but was not there. He had risen as He said He would on the third day.
The Lord truly blessed, delivered and made a way for so many. Christ shed His blood and life that we might live life more abundantly. Through His death and resurrection we are redeemed back to the Father and have a choice: eternal life or eternal damnation. Holiness Tabernacle was truly blessed throughout Passion Week, from reading about what Jesus did throughout the week, observing the three ordinances of the Church, and worshiping every time we entered the doors, realizing that the Lord truly chooses to dwell in this place with His people and wants to build a closer relationship with each of us. Oh the sacrifice, Jesus Christ made for you and me. He loves us so much that He laid down His life that we might be redeemed. I am so glad that I am a part of the HTC family, and look forward to so many more services like these.