You Can't Miss This Part // M-Note 4.1.23

My youngest is an emerging movie lover, so in the evenings we often settle in to watch the latest on his list. I have found that the older I get, the longer movies seem to be, so it is easy for me to get distracted while watching. My son will regularly get annoyed by this, and warn me at key moments, “Dad, you have to watch this part. If you miss it, you won’t understand the movie.” We know what that is like. There are key parts to any story that help us make sense of all the rest. If you miss or misunderstand those parts, you really will never understand the whole.
 
We know that Easter is only a week away, and it is going to be an incredible morning of worship and celebration. But, there are two other opportunities to worship that are easy to overlook. Tomorrow begins Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Easter, and includes several events which commemorates the last week of Jesus’ life. 

On Maundy Thursday, we will remember the events of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples where he gives them a new law and even washes their feet. Maundy Thursday worship is on April 6 and is open house style. Come anytime between 5:30-7:30 and experience the events of the last supper at our Clayton Site.

On Good Friday, we gather to worship and commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross. Good Friday worship is at 7pm on April 7th at the McCausland Site. 
 
These are not easy parts of the story, and it is tempting to just skip over them and get to Easter. But if you read the gospels, you find that as much as 40% of the story is about this last week of Jesus’ life. As much as we may want to get to Easter, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are key parts of the story that make our experience of the resurrection all the more meaningful. If this were a show, then this would be when someone says, “you have to see this part. If you miss it, you won’t understand the movie.”
 
Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday. You don’t want to miss this part!
 
Peace,
Matt

P.S. Don’t forget -- Easter is one service together at Stifel Theatre in downtown St. Louis. Doors will open at 9:45am with worship beginning at 10:30. I hope you will invite someone. You can find the details here!