Opening Prayer

Loving Father, as we reflect on what You’ve done for us, we bow before You. We humbly acknowledge Your Son’s Sacrifice and the forgiveness it brings. May we, like the woman with the alabaster jar, offer all our hearts and lives to You. Help us remember that amidst the world’s troubles, our greatest need is reconciliation with You. Renew our spirits as we journey through this Holy Week, and inspire us to worship and live by Your Grace. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen!

Scripture

Devotion

As the days counted down to the Passover, Jesus again spoke of His imminent death: “As you know, the Passover is two days away – and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified” (v.2). Lifting the cup of Passover, He said that His Blood is poured out “for the forgiveness of sins” (v.28).

The woman with the alabaster jar recognized the weight of Jesus’ Sacrifice. Pouring precious perfume upon Him, she anointed Him from head to toe. Jesus acknowledged her act as preparation for His Burial (v.13). In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says her love for Him is rooted in the forgiveness of her great sins (Luke 12:47). The disciples’, especially of Judas Iscariot, couldn’t be more different. They complained that the perfume could have been sold to benefit the poor (v.8-9, John 12:4). In fact, he just wanted to enrich himself. He sells Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

What do we want most from Jesus? We often want Jesus to heal us, get our children admitted to the best schools and jobs. We want Him to give us a good life. If He has time, maybe He could do something about poverty, war, injustice, sickness, and racism.

But Jesus came primarily to address the problem most fundamental to the world: our sins. He came to die for us, so that we might be forgiven, cleansed and reunited with Him.

During this Holy Week, let’s not lose sight of the magnitude of the sin problem. Jesus alone could offer forgiveness of sins to the world. Jesus’ Body was broken, and Blood shed. This week, let’s pour out our heart and devotion to Him.

Intercessory Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, in this Holy Week we pray for our personal walk with the Lord. Help us to draw near to Christ as we walk through His Betrayal, Death and Resurrection. Help us to experience the torment, the pain of His Separation from You, Father. May we not get so engrossed by our personal busyness or even church programmes that we lose the intimacy of our relationship with Him. Holy Spirit, we pray You will fill us afresh, that Easter 2024 would not just be another holiday on the calendar, but a time for deep communion with our God. As we reflect on the Last Supper, Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ Arrest, Trial and Execution, Time in the grave and Glorious Resurrection, may we journey with Jesus the Messiah as our Saviour and Lord. Give us a fresh understanding of everything You suffered, that we may share in Jesus’ Death so as to share in His Glorious Resurrection. As we draw near to You, draw near to us, Our Lord and Our God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!