This Sunday, April, 12, 2020, is Easter, during what is known as Passion Week.
Passion Week in 2020 is especially noteworthy. Due to the influence of COVID-19, many churches can't resume onsite gatherings, and believers can only spend this week in their homes. During this week, how do we prepare our hearts to meditate on the redeeming love of Jesus Christ?
Here are three suggestions: First, read the Bible. This will enable us to have a knowledge of the events that happened during Passion Week, remember the history of that time and imprint what Jesus went through on our minds. The events that happened during the Passion Week are very important, and the identity and mission of Jesus Christ has been fully revealed during this week. These include Jesus entering the holy city of Jerusalem, cursing a fig tree, cleansing the temple, exhorting his disciples, rebuking the Pharisees, eating the Passover with his disciples, being arrested, being placed on trial, crucified, buried and resurrected. It is best to read all four Gospels to understand the suffering that Jesus experienced.
Second, listen to Bible teachings, meditate, and pray so we may understand the meaning of the crucifixion. Although onsite gatherings have been suspended, many churches offer online pastoral support and hold online activities such as worship, meditation, and prayer. The Lord, during his suffering, resisted the temptation of worldly power, endured the loneliness of not being understood, the sorrow of being betrayed by the disciples, and the pain on the cross of being rejected by the Father, God. The Lord, in Matthew 11, mentioned his frustration at not being understood: "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to others: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn'." We Christians should be those who understand the feelings of the Lord. During this period, we should try to meditate on the pain the Lord experienced, grieve with the Lord, weep with the Lord, and understand his deep love for us.
Third, serve people, practice the commandments of love, and demonstrate your understanding of the cross of the Lord through your actions. The Lord humbled himself at the last supper by washing his disciples' feet, setting an example of service for us and telling us to follow suit. The cross is love and love is action. When we serve others, we can fully understand how difficult it is for the Lord to bear the cross. During Passion Week, we can follow the Lord by serving our family, caring for our fellow pastors and brothers and sisters whom we have not seen during this time. During this special period, we can also pray for those suffering under the epidemic, pray for all the people fighting the epidemic, and pray for the epidemic to end as soon as possible.
- Translated by Sophia Chen
受难周：基督徒当怎样默想主的受苦
4月12日(本周日)是2020年的复活节，这周被称为受难周。
2020年的受难周来的有点特殊，因着新冠疫情的影响，很多教会还没有恢复实地聚会，弟兄姐妹只能自己在家度过。在这一周里，我们应该怎样预备自己的心，默想耶稣基督的救赎大爱呢？
下面是三个小建议:
第一，读经，了解受难周所发生的事件，通过神的话语还原当时的历史，让耶稣所经受的一切印在我们脑海里。这一周发生的事情非常重要，耶稣基督的身份，使命在这周完全表现出来：从耶稣荣入圣城耶路撒冷开始，到咒诅无花果树，洁净圣殿，需要再来，劝勉门徒，责备法利赛人，与门徒吃逾越节的筵席，被捕，受审，被钉十字架，埋葬，复活等，一个个去读，最好是四部福音书里每部受难周的经文都读一遍。
第二，听道，默想，祷告，明白耶稣受难的意义。虽然不能实地聚会，很多教会开通了网络牧养，举办网络敬拜，默想，祷告等信仰活动，信徒可以参加自己所在教会举办的活动。主在受难周期间，抵挡了世间权位的试探，忍受了不被理解的孤单，忍受了被门徒出卖的伤心，经受了在十字架上被父神，被世人弃绝的痛苦等，这些心情的世界很难用言语表达。主在马太福音11章提到不被理解的沉闷心情：“我可用甚么比这世代呢。好像孩童坐在街市上，招呼同伴，说，我们向你们吹笛，你们不跳舞。我们向你们举哀，你们不捶胸。”基督徒应该成为明白主的心情的人，在这个期间，我们要努力默想主里面痛苦，与主一起伤心，难过，哭泣，明白主对我们的深爱。
第三，服侍，实践爱的诫命，用行动理解主的十字架。主在最后的晚餐上卑微自己为门徒洗脚，为我们做了服侍的榜样，并且告诉我们也应该照着去行。十字架是爱，爱是行动，当我们去服侍别人的时候，才能切身体会主背负十字架是多么不容易。在受难周，我们可以效法主去服侍我们的家人，关心这段时间没有见面的牧者同工和弟兄姐妹。在这个特殊的时期，也为新冠疫情下受痛苦的人祷告，为所有的抗疫人员祷告，为疫情尽快结束祷告。
This Sunday, April, 12, 2020, is Easter, during what is known as Passion Week.
Passion Week in 2020 is especially noteworthy. Due to the influence of COVID-19, many churches can't resume onsite gatherings, and believers can only spend this week in their homes. During this week, how do we prepare our hearts to meditate on the redeeming love of Jesus Christ?
Here are three suggestions: First, read the Bible. This will enable us to have a knowledge of the events that happened during Passion Week, remember the history of that time and imprint what Jesus went through on our minds. The events that happened during the Passion Week are very important, and the identity and mission of Jesus Christ has been fully revealed during this week. These include Jesus entering the holy city of Jerusalem, cursing a fig tree, cleansing the temple, exhorting his disciples, rebuking the Pharisees, eating the Passover with his disciples, being arrested, being placed on trial, crucified, buried and resurrected. It is best to read all four Gospels to understand the suffering that Jesus experienced.
Second, listen to Bible teachings, meditate, and pray so we may understand the meaning of the crucifixion. Although onsite gatherings have been suspended, many churches offer online pastoral support and hold online activities such as worship, meditation, and prayer. The Lord, during his suffering, resisted the temptation of worldly power, endured the loneliness of not being understood, the sorrow of being betrayed by the disciples, and the pain on the cross of being rejected by the Father, God. The Lord, in Matthew 11, mentioned his frustration at not being understood: "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to others: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn'." We Christians should be those who understand the feelings of the Lord. During this period, we should try to meditate on the pain the Lord experienced, grieve with the Lord, weep with the Lord, and understand his deep love for us.
Third, serve people, practice the commandments of love, and demonstrate your understanding of the cross of the Lord through your actions. The Lord humbled himself at the last supper by washing his disciples' feet, setting an example of service for us and telling us to follow suit. The cross is love and love is action. When we serve others, we can fully understand how difficult it is for the Lord to bear the cross. During Passion Week, we can follow the Lord by serving our family, caring for our fellow pastors and brothers and sisters whom we have not seen during this time. During this special period, we can also pray for those suffering under the epidemic, pray for all the people fighting the epidemic, and pray for the epidemic to end as soon as possible.
- Translated by Sophia Chen
Passion Week: How Do Christians Meditate on Suffering of the Lord?
