his coming Lord’s Day begins our week-long celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, culminating in our worship on Easter Sunday morning April 16. This year we will be tracing our Lord’s journey to the cross and empty tomb through the lens of Mark’s Gospel. As you know, the Second Gospel is the shortest, and moves in rapid fashion as it recounts the story of our Savior’s life and earthly ministry. Mark’s passion narrative begins with chapter 11 and our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and concludes in chapter 16 with the record of the bodily resurrection of Jesus and the commissioning of the Disciples.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and our sermon will come from Mark 11:1-11. Then, next Thursday April 13 we will gather at 6:00 PM for our celebration of Maundy Thursday—the service that commemorates our Lord’s command to love and serve one another (John 13:14), and the establishment of the Lord’s Supper (Mark 14:12-26). Our sermon text will be taken from Mark 14:53-65. Then, on Friday April 14 we will gather again at 6:00 PM for our celebration of Good Friday. Our message that night will come from Mark 15:33-39. Then, on Sunday morning April 16 we will be preaching from Mark 16:1-8 where we discover Mark’s succinct and stirring account of the resurrection of Jesus.