The Thursday Update

MARCH 27, 2025

Lakeshore Friends,

With Good Friday and Easter just over 3 weeks away, our attentions turn to all that Jesus did on that weekend with an increased intensity and focus. That’s the hope.

Jesus' sacrifice began on Thursday night, by our timekeeping standards. His arrest, trials, and scourging occurred throughout the evening, and when the morning came, he was forced to carry His own cross beam (the horizontal beam where he would have His wrists nailed) to Golgotha, or Calvary. And at 9:00am, He was crucified and suffered six hours of incredible agony.

The cross had a whole different meaning to people then in comparison to today.

I really believe that most people have a very shallow comprehension of the cross. The reason is simple: While we see the cross displayed everywhere, we see it lived out so rarely anywhere. It has become a very common display as a fashionable piece of jewelry, a decorative item in our homes, or a religious symbol in cemeteries.

I wish our comprehension of the true meaning of the cross matched our frequent exposure to these many symbols. Maybe if we did understand it more fully, we’d have a world that is much more in touch with God’s love and Christ’s redemption.

On Sunday, we’re beginning a new series on The Cross of Christ. I want all of us to appreciate the significance, the power, and the calling of the cross on our lives. I think it will help us spiritually prepare for the greatest weekend in human history.

Hope you’ll be here on Sunday as we kick off this important new series.

Warmly,
Vince