Holy Week Guide Central Baptist Church North Little Rock, Arkansas April 5-12, 2020 “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” (Matthew 28:6) Dear Central Family, This is a Holy Week like none other. We will be observing it while practicing what is being called “social” or “physical distancing.” That is, we will not be together in the sanctuary during these services as we have been in years past. This is, seen from a certain perspective, frustrating and saddening. We love Holy Week at Central Baptist and these yearly observances never fail to encourage and inspire. Seen from another perspective, however, there is something exhilarating about this, something fitting even. By which we mean this: the season of Easter is the season in which we remember that no matter how dark the night, no matter how bleak the forecast, no matter how dire the news, God finds a way! The light still shines in the darkness. And guess what? The tomb is still empty! What we have lost in physical proximity, we gain in hope and anticipation. Distance is not defeat and “pandemic” is not the word that wins. “Jesus” is. So take heart, Central Baptist! Come and worship! The Son rises. Wyman Richardson Kasey Earl Pastor Minister of Music & Worship Palm Sunday, April 5 10:15 a.m. Monday, April 6 Holy Monday - 12:10–12:50 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 Holy Tuesday - 12:10–12:50 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 Holy Wednesday - 6:00 p.m. Thursday, April 9 Maundy Thursday - 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 10 Good Friday - 6:00 p.m. Easter Sunday, April 12 10:15 (Worship) Palm Sunday Sunday, April 5 10:15 a.m. Morning Worship In this year’s Holy Week guide, we will be providing you with a number of images of ancient Christian symbols. We begin with the symbol of “the staurogram,” pictured above. Historian Larry Hurtado wrote the following in Biblical Archaeological Review: In Greek, the language of the early church, the capital tau, or T, looks pretty much like our T. The capital rho, or R, however, is written like our P. If you superimpose the two letters, it looks something like this: . The earliest Christian uses of this tau-rho combination make it what is called a staurogram. In Greek the verb to “crucify” is stauroō; a “cross” is a stauros. In scholarly terms a combination of letters like this is called a compendium, a monogram-like device, in this case (in the earliest Christian uses) producing a pictographic representation of a crucified figure hanging on a cross—used in the Greek words for “crucify” and “cross.” Welcome and Prayer Wyman Richardson Worship Songs “Come to the Water” “Our God Saves” Holy Week Congregational Reading of 1 Corinthians 15 The leader will read the light print and the congregation will respond in unison with the bold print. 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. Worship Songs “We Believe” “All I Have is Christ” Message “Lowly, but Then with Strength” Mark 13:32-37 (Two examples staurograms in early Christian manuscripts.) Holy Monday Prayer Service Monday, April 6 12:10 p.m. In some Christian art we find a surprising symbol: the pelican! Why? Because, as The Durham World Heritage Site explains: The pelican was believed to pierce its own breast with its beak and feed its young of its blood. It became a symbol of Christ sacrificing himself for man – and because of this was frequently represented in Christian art. The belief probably came about because of the pelican’s red-tipped beak and very white feathers, and because long-beaked birds…are often to be found standing with their beaks resting on their breasts. In addition, the Dalmatian pelican's pouch turns red during the breeding season. Video “No Other King” Welcome Laurie Milholland Holy Week Congregational Reading of 1 Corinthians 15 The leader will read the light print and the congregation will respond in unison with the bold print. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. Worship in Song “Open the Eyes of My Heart” Silent Prayer Before the Holiness of God Read the Passage from Isaiah 6 & the comments of R.C. Sproul. Take some time in silent prayer and thank God for His holiness. 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” R.C. Sproul writes (in his book The Holiness of God): Only once in sacred Scripture is an attribute of God elevated to the third degree. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory. The Naming of Requests and Prayer Wherever you are right now, take a moment and name your prayer requests aloud. If you are at work, perhaps speak them softly. Name as many as you would like. Then Pastor Wyman will lead us in reading Psalm 142 (below) and prayer. 1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. 3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! 7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me. Worship in Song “God of Angel Armies” Directed Prayer Pastor Wyman will lead in a time of directed prayer. Closing Chorus “This is Amazing Grace” Silent Prayer Concerning God Our Refuge Read Psalm 32 and give thanks to God, our hiding place. 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.