Prayer
Awesome God, through Your son, Jesus, You overcame death and opened the door of everlasting life for me. As I celebrate this day of The Lord’s Resurrection, give my life fresh meaning, give me hope, give me joy, and give me purpose! It’s by Your Resurrection power that I live today and forevermore. Amen.

Devotional
When I was a high school student, our youth group traveled a full day from my hometown in south Arkansas to Eureka Springs to attend “The Great Passion Play,” an inspiring hillside drama that depicts the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. As I watched the local “bathrobe” actors dramatically “tell the story,” I quickly became intrigued by a gentleman sitting in the row just behind me with his church group. He was on the edge of his seat and expressed verbal excitement during the entire program! During the finale and dramatic Resurrection scene (complete with smoke, earthquake sounds and a rolling rock), I wondered if there might well be a personal resurrection on the row just behind me as this elderly pastor began to shout loudly at the top of his lungs! He stood up and unashamedly began to shout (as if his promptings were really encouraging the actor playing Jesus out of the tomb), “Step out dat grave! Step out dat grave, Jesus! I knows Youz can do it…. Come on, Jesus! Step on out o’ dat grave!” Although just distracting entertainment for many seated around me, I was, instead, deeply moved by the personal passion and reckless abandonment this man had regarding the powerful depiction of this scene … the Resurrection. I will never forget it. There was no doubt, this man understood the deep personal significance of this final dramatic scene being portrayed and it was obvious to me that his personal faith was dependent on whether or not Jesus would make it out “dat” tomb.

I wonder if we truly understand the complete dependence we have on what took place that first Easter morning in a borrowed tomb just on the outside of the city of Jerusalem? Think about it like this:

Without the Resurrection of Jesus …

• The Gospel would be MEANINGLESS. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
• Forgiveness of sin would be HOPELESS. “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).
• Our present life would be JOYLESS. “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hope in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:18–19).
• Living for Christ would be FRUITLESS. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12).
• Our future would be WORTHLESS. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1–2).

Practice
What brought that precious pastor up and out of his seat in that hillside amphitheater in Arkansas more than 35 years ago should still make us shout HALLELUJAH to the top of our lungs on this blessed Resurrection Day and each and every day hereafter! Bottom line: If there is no Resurrection, there is no Gospel; if there is no Gospel, there is no forgiveness of sin; if there is no forgiveness of sin, there is no present joy; if there is no present joy, there is no future hope.

Easter Worship Services

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

Prayer
Lord Jesus, may we who love You, trust You. And may we who trust You, depend upon You for our every need. Help us, Lord, to take our eyes off of the material things of this earth and to trust the eternal promise of Your Word. May we who live victoriously under Your great sacrifice be willing to make sacrifices as we wholly depend on You this Passion Week. Amen.

Devotional

Not too long ago, our Pastor reminded the North Campus congregation of a simple principle from John 6, “Less is more when God is involved in the equation.” This principle, though foolish to the carnal mind, proves true throughout Christian history, as followers of Christ have emptied themselves of their trust in earthly pleasures only to find themselves filled with the joy of heavenly treasures.

Quite frankly, fasting fits perfectly into this spiritual principle. For when we empty ourselves of the sustenance of this earth, we then truly find ourselves filled with the Bread of Heaven.

I wonder how much we really trust Christ this Easter season. Do we love and trust Him enough to give up some of the pleasures of this earth that we so enjoy? Do we believe that He will fully sustain us when we sever our dependence on our supply and step toward the promise of His provision? Are we willing to do what Christ did with His life some 2,000 years ago—when He gave up something He loved for something He loved more?

Studying Matthew 27:57–66, we find the narrative of the burial of Jesus. I am amazed that, though His critics doubted Him while He was alive, Jesus lived in such a way that they feared Him when He was dead. In these Scriptures, the Pharisees call Jesus an impostor; yet, they are quick to gain permission from Pilate to have His tomb sealed and guarded. As much as they may have despised His message, they trusted His word, as He had promised, “After three days I will rise.”

Practice: Fasting
If we love Christ and truly trust Him and desire to live obediently, let’s take some time this Passion Week and intentionally set aside something or some things we love for the One we love more. As we fast, let’s allow the Spirit of God to fill us and to prepare us to, yet again, celebrate the victory we have in Jesus at Easter and throughout the year.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

Prayer
Father, I love You! Throughout the day, prompt me to “set my mind on things above; not on earthly things.” Today is a day to process Your steadfast love. Prompt me to boast only in Your mercy, only in Your grace and only in Your forgiveness. Jesus, thank You, thank You, thank You for Your sacrifice that allows me to live without condemnation today. In Your name I pray, amen.

Devotional
Jesus knew what the day held: complete rejection, massive pain and ultimately, death. Isaiah 52:14 foretold that Christ’s “appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance” that He was almost unrecognizable. Before He died, He would utter some of the most haunting words in the Bible, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

And yet, we refer to today as “good.”

Hanging on the Cross, many in the gawking crowd mocked Him, shouting, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.” While intended to insult, the words really were true. Jesus could not save himself and save me simultaneously. Jesus chose to die; He chose to become a sacrifice in order that I might have salvation. Intentionally. Freely. Eternally.

And that is so much better than “good”!

Practice: Study
Spend a few extra minutes today processing the following passages and the significance of each as it relates to the Cross.

2 Corinthians 5:18–21
Romans 5:6–11
Isaiah 53: 1–12
Mark 10:45
Hebrews 9:28
1 Peter 2:24–25; 3:18

Good Friday Service with Baptism and Lord’s Supper

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment and demonstrated it. Listen as Pastor Jack Graham shares a short devotional for the whole family about the lesson Jesus taught all of His followers about loving one another.

Good Friday Service with Baptism and Lord’s Supper

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

Prayer
Almighty God, Your Son suffered pain and endured the Cross before entering glory. Help us to walk in the way of the Cross and find life and peace there, through Christ who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Devotional
More than 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied to the Israelites that they would be in need of redemption. He pleaded with them through his 66-chapter tome to see their sins for what they were, repent and be ready for the One who was coming to restore purity and holiness to their lives. This Savior would be unlike their previous kings by being an ultimate servant. He would die for their sin and bring justice to the world.

We find later that Paul sees Christ in a similar way. In Philippians 2, Paul describes our king as someone who humbly steps out of heaven, takes on the form of man, makes himself relatable to our every circumstance and then, after living a sinless life of service and holiness, dies for the sins of the world. Our king was then lifted up above all others and His act of service became the model of a life completely devoted to God.

Jesus Christ is the best picture of what a servant is. He spoke with sinners when the “godly” opposed; He cared for the needs of children over entertaining the academia; and He washed the feet of the disciples even though He knew they would scatter when He needed them most. Jesus was willing not only to meet others who were different from Him, but to serve them with His entire being. How easy is this for us today? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the greatest German theologians, once wrote, “God loves human beings. God loves the world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find repulsive in their opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility, namely, real human beings, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer (A Year with Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Daily Meditations from His Letters, Writings, and Sermons)

Practice: Service
Take time today and look for someone you need to serve. Maybe it starts with those God has placed around you in your family, extended family, work environment or an old friendship. Ask the Lord to show you a need you can fill with the tangible love of Christ. The greatest way we can demonstrate our faith is to follow in obedience to Christ’s model for life.

Good Friday Service with Baptism and Lord’s Supper

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

Prayer
Father, forgive me of my sin. Create in me a clean heart. May Your perfect will be done in my life today. This is the day that You have made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. Help me to seek Your face and Your guidance all the day long. Amen.

Devotional
Moments prior to Jesus’ being arrested, just before He was to be crucified, we find Him seeking God with all His heart.

Jesus was seeking oneness with His Father. How else could He face “The Day”—the day He would be humiliated, spat upon, beaten, and crucified?

It is through prayer that we seek union with God. Yes, we tell God about ourselves, our needs and others’ needs. We share our adoration and praise. But it is through prayer that we become in tune with the Lord God Almighty. It is the only way to face “The Day.” What day is that, you ask? … What could possibly be before me today? … Only God knows. Seek Him with all your heart each day.

Practice: Guidance
Do you start the day with the Lord, asking for His guidance, or do you wait until you are in crisis to ask for His guidance? Try seeking God’s guidance first thing in the morning and see where He leads you. By spending time with Jesus, we become more like Him.

Read these passages on prayer:
Hebrews 4:14–16
Matthew 11:28
Matthew 26:40–41

Good Friday Service with Baptism and Lord’s Supper

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

Prayer
Lord God, Your Son gave His body to be whipped and His face to be spit upon. Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of today, confident of His glory to come. Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Devotional
One of the most amazing aspects to me of Jesus’ new commandment to love one another is the timing of it. Of all the times when Jesus had a reason to be angry and hurt and bitter, it was at that exact time when He gave this new commandment. Judas had just walked out of the room and headed to betray Jesus. While the disciples may not have realized what had just happened, Jesus knew exactly what the result of Judas’s leaving would be—His brutal beating and ultimate death.

The command to love one another is a command that is easily embraced, easily accepted, and often taught. It is the socially and morally acceptable thing to do. However, Jesus taught this new commandment at a time and place where He surely was least motivated to do it. He showed that this command is a distinctively Christian one because Jesus calls us to go beyond loving others—to love those who are not loveable and even those who wrong us. Jesus models His love, birthed out of a higher calling and higher motivation, which is not based upon the worthiness of the receipt to receive love, but rather based upon the love that God has shown us that we did not deserve.

Practice: Personal Examination
Spend some time thinking about how much you have been loved by God. Think about how often you are unlovable and unworthy of receiving God’s love, and contrast that with the incredible love you have received. In light of this, think about whether there are people in your life whom you need to call, to write a note to, to have lunch or coffee with, to whom you have not shown God’s love. Ask them for their forgiveness and begin to treat them the way God has treated you.

Good Friday Service with Baptism and Lord’s Supper

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

Prayer
Almighty God, in Your tender love for the human race, You sent Your Son, Jesus, to take on our humanity, and to suffer death upon the Cross, giving us the example of humility. Grant that we may walk in the way of His suffering, and also share in His Resurrection, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Devotional
His last week began in celebration. Palm Sunday, the first day of Passion Week, is so named because of the celebration that took place as Jesus entered Jerusalem the final week of his earthly life. The crowd cannot contain its emotions, waving palm branches toward Jesus as He walks through the city. The long awaited, promised Messiah has come to deliver His people from the hands of the Roman Empire—or so they believe.

On no less than six occasions, Jesus warned His disciples that He would face suffering and death in Jerusalem. But those conversations are long forgotten now that Jesus is met with what compares to the coronation of a king, rather than the persecution of a criminal.

However, not everyone was celebrating Jesus’ arrival into the city. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to rebuke the crowd, but He certainly wouldn’t do that. He was the prophesied Messiah, and He was worthy of their praise, even if they misunderstood the true nature of His mission.

We celebrate Christ this Sunday because of the final steps He took, walking into Jerusalem as a king and criminal. He was fully aware that He would be handed over to the authorities and sentenced to death later that week by the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” And yet, He still came to Jerusalem.

He is worthy of our praise. As we think about the last few days of Christ’s life, we have reason to rejoice. We celebrate His life. We celebrate His death. We celebrate His glorious resurrection. He is “Hosanna in the Highest”—the God who saves.

Practice: Personal Worship
The people worshipped Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. And if they hadn’t, the rocks would’ve cried out. Spend some time praising God for His specific work in your life—giving salvation, answering prayers, or meeting physical needs. Also praise Him for who He is and His unchanging character.

Good Friday Service with Baptism and Lord’s Supper

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Easter Worship Services

Saturday, April 23
6:00 p.m.*

Sunday, April 24
8:00 a.m.*, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
En Español: 1:30 p.m.*

*Central Campus only

prestonwood.org/easter

You can click here to watch live on C-SPAN at noon (EST).

Meantime, you can hear my interview here from the morning program on KCBI (90.9 FM) yesterday.

I’m also in the D.C. area (along with PowerPoint Executive Director Scott Seal and PowerPoint Director of Operations Josh Graham), for a listener rally with WAVA-FM on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at Fair Oaks Church in Fairfax, Va. If you live in the area, stop by and say hello.