Easter > Holy Week Devotionals > Intro
LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR
Unprecedented.
In the past few years, that is the word that has seemingly become a staple in our cultural vocabulary. From pandemic to political upheaval and an increasingly polarized society, we enter Holy Week with a mix of emotions. For some, we are concerned over what will be. For others, we are jaded by what has been. Still, for others, there is a mingling of confusion, hope, sadness, and contentment that defines our feelings for the unsettled present. And yet, even though our world has changed, the story in which we live remains the same.
So, for this reason and for a time such as this, we invite you into 1 Corinthians 15 this Holy Week, exploring what the resurrection of Jesus means for us in the story in which we are living. We will ponder what Jesus Himself accomplished in His own resurrection. We will also see the plan He set in motion and the tangible hope we have as believers, both now and forever because of His resurrection.
These are, again, unprecedented times. That’s why we are going to take time to intentionally focus on the ultimate precedent that was set for us in the resurrection of Jesus. We hope this journey through 1 Corinthians 15 during Holy Week will deepen your affections for Jesus and lift your countenance and hope as we consider His, and your own resurrection.
Blessings,
Dr. Gary Singleton
HOW TO USE THIS SCRIPTURE GUIDE
BIBLE READING PLAN
We have provided a Bible Reading Plan that will walk you through the text of 1 Corinthians 15. As you are reading, remember that God’s Spirit uses God’s Word to transform our lives. Though we commit to this Bible Reading Plan, it is not our effort that transforms us, but the Holy Spirit through His Word. To experience this work of God’s Spirit, we encourage you to interact with God’s Word using these three steps together in sequence:
Observe: Ask and answer the question, “What do I see?” Assume the role of a detective and know that no detail in the text is too trivial.
Interpret: Ask and answer the question, “What does it mean?” Prayerfully contemplate what the text means considering the original audience, what you know about their context and what you have learned from other passages of Scripture.
Apply: Ask and answer the question, “How does it work?” Sit with the Lord asking how the passage applies to you personally.
REFLECTIONS ON THE TEXT
You will also find devotional reflections that we have curated to help you better understand the theological and practical themes of 1 Corinthians 15. We encourage you to take time to consider these reflections as an enrichment of your own engagement with Scripture. Some of these reflections offer additional reading if you want to dive even deeper into the text. You can scan the QR code on those pages to access the content.
FAMILY AUDIO STORIES
Every day of Holy Week, our KIDS Team has provided bedtime audio stories that are available on our Church Center App! We highly encourage you to get your little ones involved in this special week of remembrance and listening with them. Our prayer is that this Holy Week, your kids will encounter the Lord in new ways, and we hope that these audio resources create the space for them to do so.
