Week of 3/29/26, Good Friday and Easter

Dear Church Family,
I will keep this week's email simple and brief - I am looking forward to being together this coming weekend to praise and give thanks to Jesus for his death and resurrection. He is so worth it, just consider for a moment how his actions have shaped your life and the whole of this world and eternity! We are right to celebrate it every day, but I think it is right also to take a particular time to do so and share it with one another and the world!
"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Good Friday Communion Service - Friday evening 7pm at the church.
Sunday Services
Sunrise Service - 6:45am at the Warner's (7031 River Ranch Road, Montague)
Easter Brunch - 9am, please bring a dish with enough to share. Please do your best to be prompt as we will want to enjoy the meal before we clean up and get ready for the main service.
Easter Service - 10:15am in the main auditorium, followed by baptism. Please let me know if you are interested in being baptized!

Home Enjoyment
Read Psalm 118:17-29.
Do you recognize any of the phrases or verses as being quoted in the New Testament?
We are looking at David's Psalm, but also seeing that the Holy Spirit inspired it to be prophetic in pointing in many ways to Jesus, THE Messiah. Let's take a look at what these things meant concerning David and then Jesus.
When you think of David giving thanks as he entered into Jerusalem(either with the ark of the covenant or more likely when he finally became king), what are some of the 'deeds of the Lord' he might have recited? What are some of the things that the Lord disciplined him through?
What about Jesus' deeds being recited? Could the people even adequately praise him for all his works? (Luke 19:37-40)
What are some examples of Jesus disciplining himself throughout his ministry in order to perfectly obey the Father? (Luke 4:1-13, 5:16, John 6:15, Matt 26:36-46)

David was coming into Jerusalem celebrating the promises of God and there is a connection with the righteousness he is declaring and having faith in God's promises. What promise(s) is David celebrating here?
What righteousness is Jesus celebrating? Who is it being offered to?
What promises of God are being fulfilled and celebrated by Jesus coming?

How had David been rejected and then given prominence? What about Jesus?

In verse 23-25 does David celebrate his great achievements? How do Jesus' achievements in the midst of his rejection give us cause to rejoice?

Verse 26 could have to do with David, but it seems more likely it is purely prophetic like Psalm 110:1, where David speaks of One, a Lord, who is greater than him and yet to be revealed.
I shared on Sunday how Jesus is the One who comes in the name of the Lord and who speaks well of us through his sacrifice for us, but consider for a moment who spoke well of Jesus besides David or us. Read Matthew 3:13-17 and 17:5.

In verse 27, David still needed the Lord's 'light to shine upon him' and for sacrifice to be made for his own sin as he entered into Jerusalem. What does the light do? How does that lead to seeing our need for a sacrifice? How do you see Jesus doing both of those things?

What is David's response(Vs 28-29) to all these things the Holy Spirit showed him in his own life and in what was to come?
What is your response?

How does this Psalm change the way we remember what 'deeds of the Lord' have been done for us? How does it change our view of his disciplining us? (Hebrews 12:3-11)

What does it look like in a daily situation to give thanks and remind yourself the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever?

I am truly looking forward to being together to celebrate 'the day that the Lord has made' in order to save us and unite us with himself!

In Christ,
Pastor Phillip