Five to Live By: Easter Edition

Linking you to the top 5 Christian blog posts of the week—posts that provide robust, rich, and relevant insights for living. Today’s Five to Live By highlight Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter.

President Obama on Easter

Ed Stetzer quotes from and provides a video highlight of President Obama’s remarks about Holy Week at the National Prayer Breakfast. They include: “But then comes Holy Week. The triumph of Palm Sunday. The humility of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. His slow march up that hill, and the pain and the scorn and the shame of the cross. And we’re reminded that in that moment, he took on the sins of the world—past, present and future—and he extended to us that unfathomable gift of grace and salvation through his death and resurrection.” Read and view more at President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast.

Holy Week Timeline

Stephen Smith at Bible Gateway has created a fascinating Holy Week Timeline Visualization. 

Evidence for the Resurrection

Justin Taylor posts two videos of Dr. William Lane Craig’s presentation Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus?

Jesus’ Resurrection and Yours

Pastor Steve DeWitt makes a great biblical case for the fact that after the resurrection you will still be you. Read about 15 characteristics of Christ’s resurrection body and yours in Resurrection Characteristics.

The Cross and Christ’s Love

Over at Desiring God, Michael Johnson offers an extended series of quotes from J. I. Packer in Packer, the Cross, and Christ’s Love.

Join the Conversation

Which post impacted you the most? Why? What blog posts have you enjoyed this week that you want to share with others?

Tags: Easter, Five to Live By, Good Friday, Justin Taylor, President Obama

Holy Week Timeline 

Stephen Smith at Bible Gateway has put together a fascinating Holy Week Timeline Visualization. As he describes it:

“Here’s a new visualization we created that harmonizes the four Gospel accounts of Holy Week and lets you examine the ‘who,’ ‘what,’ and ‘where’ of events leading up to and through Easter.

Follow the lines in the chart to see at a glance what people were doing, where they were, and whom they were with at any point during the week. The horizontal axis shows time, and the vertical axis shows space. Proximity of the lines shows who interacted with whom. Constructed from a harmony of the Gospels, this chart is an interpretation; the timing of some events in the Holy Week narrative is open to debate.”

Click on the chart/image below to enlarge.

Bible Gateway is releasing the visualization under a Creative Commons license, which means that you should feel free to print copies (they recommend printing the PDF) and share them with people at your church.

Join the Conversation

As you reflect on Holy Week, which person in the narrative are you most like in terms of your response to Jesus?

Tags: Bible Gateway, Easter, Holy Week, Holy Week Timeline, Stephen Smith

It’s Saturday . . . but Sunday’s Coming!

It’s Saturday, the day before Easter.

On the Christian calendar, we often forget this day. Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

On Friday, Jesus is crucified; dies for our sins. His followers mourn.

On Sunday, Jesus is resurrected; He’s risen! He’s risen, indeed! His followers rejoice.

But on Saturday, Jesus lay in the tomb; earth groaned. His followers waited, confused.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Holy Saturday: The Day of Waiting

On the church calendar, Saturday is known as “Holy Saturday.” While there are services on Friday and on Sunday, this day is traditionally a day of waiting.

Holy Saturday is a lot like life this side of heaven. We wait. Our final resurrection is sure. Our victory is certain. But this side of heaven, we face death daily. Saturday—the day-in-between, the day between earth and heaven, hurt and healing, waiting and receiving, faith and sight.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

The Message of Holy Saturday

The message of Holy Saturday is, “Wait. Something is about to happen. But it hasn’t happened yet.”

Holy Saturday lasts so long. It feels like Sunday will never come. The twenty-four hours feel like an eternity.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Death still surrounds us. Sin still tempts us. Sickness still wounds us. Suffering still pervades us. Evil still invades us. Satan still taunts us.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Easter Is Coming Our Direction

In Narnia, under the curse of the White Witch, it was always Winter but never Christmas.

For Christians, we live in the sure hope that Spring is always just around the corner; just around the river bend.

Easter has already arrived, and it’s coming in our direction.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

While we forever remember the crucifixion, thank God we’re moving toward Easter. It’s coming in our direction, closer all the time.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . . and it’s not far away.

All we have to do is hold on for a little while and Sunday will soon be here.

Saturday may seem like a long time, but that’s only as we count time.

Hold on. Keep believing. Never give up. Wait.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . . soon.

Hold on for a little while longer.

The Final Victory

Death will not have the last word.

The tomb will empty.

We will celebrate the resurrection.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming!

Join the Conversation

What is the wait like for you?

Tags: Christ, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Passion Week