“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” – Luke 9:23
This Spring, our Sunday morning teaching series, Following Jesus, has invited us to consider Jesus’ lifelong invitation to discipleship. Now, as we approach Holy Week, we join followers of Jesus around the globe and across the centuries in an intentional journey through his final week through Jerusalem, toward the cross and ultimately his empty tomb.
From Palm Sunday to Easter morning, each day will include a passage to read, a reflection to sit with, and a way to respond through worship and practice.
Holy Week Activities
Click on the link to see the activity for the day:
SUNDAY (3/29): Palm Sunday
Following Jesus often begins with praise, but it is meant to grow deeper than the excitement of the crowd.
READ
Matthew 21:1–11
REFLECT
Jesus humbly rides into Jerusalem, but he is greeted like the people’s greatest pride. Palm branches wave. Cloaks cover the road. Crowds shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Their words echo the closing hymn of the Passover Hallel, a group of Psalms (113–118) traditionally sung during Passover, revealing something deeper about their hopes. Many are anticipating a political king who will finally free them from Rome’s oppressive rule and restore their national identity. The energy is electric. The city is alive with expectation.
Following Jesus often begins the same way. Enthusiastic. Praise-filled. Hopeful. Bold. Declarative. But what happens when our expectations are met with disappointment?
RESPOND
Our worship song for today is “Better than Good / Great Jehovah / Worthy” by Indiana Bible College. From the green lights in the video’s opening to the exuberance and praise of the college band and their peers, the connection to Palm Sunday is clear.
As you listen, remember the dissonance of this day. The crowds who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem and cried “Hosanna!” were many of the same voices who, by week’s end, would cry out, “Crucify him!”
Who is Jesus to you today?
How has your understanding or expectation of him changed over the years?
2025 Worship Song: Is He Worthy? – Cece Winans
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE (Optional)
Take a walk today and intentionally praise or thank God out loud. Thank Him for who He is, for all He has done, and for all He is doing, not just for what you hope or expect He will provide. If you’re with family or friends, invite each person to share who they believe Jesus is.
MONDAY (3/30): Holy Monday
Following Jesus sometimes means He arrives to overturn what has settled in our hearts.
READ
Mark 11:15–18
REFLECT
How quickly things can change. No less than a full day after his entry through the city gates, Jesus enters the temple, stunning the crowds and taking matters into his own hands. He overturns tables. Coins scatter. Merchants scramble.
If the misunderstandings of the crowds as they welcomed Jesus were not already clear, they become unmistakable now. Jesus confronts their distorted worship, communicating that he has come to restore something greater than their political and national hopes.
Before the cross, Jesus is clearing space for true worship.
Following Jesus is an invitation to his refinement. Our pride. Our distractions. Our fears. The things that have slowly crowded our hearts or settled there complacently are not ignored by him. They are lovingly confronted so that something better can take their place.
Where might Jesus want to clear space in your life and heart?
What has settled in your heart that Jesus may be trying to displace or disrupt?
RESPOND
Our worship song for today is “Refiner” by Maverick City Music. Its lyrics are filled with traditional temple language, from the altar to offerings and sacrifice, but the prayer at the center of the song is simple: that Jesus would do in us what he did in the temple.
Purify. Refine. Make room.
As you listen, consider the words of this song as a prayer.
2025 Worship Song: Since Your Love – United Pursuit
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE (Optional)
Participate in a spring-cleaning session today. Clean a room, declutter a space, pick up trash in your neighborhood, or return grocery carts in a parking lot. As you do, ask God to reveal anything in your life that needs renewal or restoration.
TUESDAY (3/31): Holy Tuesday
Following Jesus can compel us to pour out what otherwise would seem too costly.
READ
John 12:1–8
REFLECT
Jesus’ confrontation of distorted worship in the temple could not be more sharply contrasted than by the worship he receives over dinner in Bethany. In the middle of a crowded space, Mary enters and pours out a jar of expensive perfume onto Jesus’ feet. The fragrance fills the entire house, a visceral reminder of a gift worth nearly a year’s wages. Her act draws marked reactions. Some protest. Others sneer. It feels excessive. Wasteful.
And yet Jesus receives it. Mary recognizes what neither the crowds nor Jesus’ disciples can comprehend: that his days are numbered. Her act is extravagant and vulnerable, but she is willing to pour it out because Jesus is moving toward an even greater sacrifice on the cross. This is more than just symbolic. It is costly and deeply worshipful.
Following Jesus challenges us to pay attention to where, how, and to whom we give our greatest effort.
What might greater devotion to Jesus look like in your life today?
Where have you seen others sacrifice out of devotion to Jesus that was inspiring to you?
RESPOND
Our worship song for today is “What a God” by SEU Worship. “If the highest place I reach is at Your feet, then I’ve done it all.” Let those lyrics shape your thoughts about your life’s aims and ambitions.
2025 Worship Song: Holy Forever – Jenn Johson and CeCe Winans
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE (Optional)
Consider a costly act of devotion today. Give generously, write a note of encouragement to someone who has encouraged you as a follower of Jesus, or set aside extended time during an unconventional portion of your day for prayer, worship, and Scripture.
WEDNESDAY (4/1): Holy Wednesday
Following Jesus is not about perfection, but about continually choosing to return to Him.
READ
Matthew 26:14–16
REFLECT
Chief amongst those who sneered at Mary’s tears and perfume at the feet of Jesus is none other than the one who would covertly agree to betray him. Thus, Wednesday of Holy Week is called Spy Wednesday to emphasize Judas’s secret conspiracy to sell Jesus out. While Judas’ betrayal of Jesus stands alone in its consequences, his story is especially tragic (Matthew 27:3-5). One cannot help but wonder what might have happened if Judas, like Peter and the other disciples, had encountered the risen Jesus.
Perhaps this moment reminds us of something hopeful: although we have each turned away from Jesus in our own way, every day still offers us an opportunity to return to him.
Where might Jesus be inviting you to return?
What is significant about seeing Jesus’ invitation to follow him as ongoing, not just something that happens once?
RESPOND
Our worship song for today is “One More Day” by Sons of Sunday. Let this song remind you that God’s grace meets us again today, extending an invitation to respond with gratitude rather than shame.
2025 Song – Highs and Lows / Eagle’s Wings – Hillsong Worship
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE (Optional)
Choose an act of honest confession. You might write a prayer of confession, speak openly with a trusted friend, or simply pray aloud: “Lord Jesus, I confess that I have betrayed You through ______. I trust in Your mercy and choose to return to You.”
THURSDAY (4/2): Maundy Thursday
Following Jesus means learning to trust the Father the way Jesus does.
READ
The word maundy comes from a Latin word that means “commandment.” On his final evening with the disciples, Jesus both demonstrates true love and gives them a new commandment: to love one another. But the opening words of John 13 reveal something deeper about how Jesus can walk confidently toward what Mary’s anointing foreshadowed: “Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
The remaining chapters, often called the Upper Room Discourse (John 13–17), show that Jesus never commands his disciples to do something he does not first embody. Before breaking bread with them, he assumes the posture of a servant and washes their feet.
Imagine him kneeling before each one. Judas, who has already agreed in secret to betray him. James and John, who will fall asleep alongside Peter in the garden instead of keeping watch. Peter, beyond them, who will deny Jesus three times. The other disciples, who will scatter in fear before the night is over.
Jesus not only washes their feet but also breaks bread and shares wine with them one final time, signs that point toward the greatest expression of his love.
Who and how is Jesus calling you to love right now in a way that feels confusing or counterintuitive?
Where do you feel a lack of peace, and how might that be an invitation to trust the Father the way Jesus does?
RESPOND
Our worship song for today is “Even Though I Walk” by Hannah McClure and Kari Jobe Carnes. The tone of this song may feel closer to Easter morning than the night before the cross. Yet it captures something powerful about this moment. Jesus moves toward the suffering ahead with confidence in his Father.
At the same time, the song can reflect the perspective the disciples would later have after the resurrection, remembering Jesus’ words from this very night: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
2025 Worship Song: Constant – Jordin Sparks, Anthony Gargiula, Chandler Moore
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE (Optional)
In continuation with our previous years, we invite you to gather with others for a special Maundy Thursday, following Jesus’ lead in his final hours to serve one another and ultimately remember Him. (If you choose to do this with us, know that your worship and tech team will be at the courtyard sharing this special time.)
1. Wash One Another’s Feet (Before the Meal)
Before sharing dinner, begin with footwashing, just as Jesus did in John 13. Every year, participants often name this as one of the most impactful moments of Holy Week.
Read aloud: John 13:1-17
Supplies you’ll need:
– A basin or bowls of water
– Towels or paper towels (2 per person)
How to do it:
– Let people know ahead of time so they can come prepared.
– Wash your hands, prepare the water and towels, and sit in a circle.
– One person begins kneeling in front of someone else with a basin and two towels.
– It can be done simply by dipping one towel into the water, washing the other’s feet, and then drying it with the other towel.
– That person then washes the next person’s feet, continuing around the circle.
2. Share a Meal and Take Communion
After footwashing, share a simple meal together and take communion.
Supplies you’ll need:
– Bread/crackers
– Grape juice/wine
How to do it:
– Read portions of John 14:1-4, 15-21 aloud before you eat.
– During or after the meal, take communion together using bread/crackers and juice/wine.
– As someone offers the elements, they might say: “This is Christ’s body, broken for you. His blood, poured out.”
3. Keeping Watch with Jesus: 7pm–7am Prayer Vigil
After the meal, Jesus went to the garden and asked his disciples to stay awake and pray, but they couldn’t. As we’ve done for several years, our prayer vigil allows us to stay awake with Jesus as he asked. Even if you’re tired. Even if it’s quiet. Even if you don’t feel much—this is the hour Jesus asked for. Will you stay awake with Him?
Our overnight prayer vigil (which you do from the comfort of your home) begins at 7 pm and continues until 7 am Friday morning. Sign up here for an hour to “keep watch” with Jesus.
You’ll receive:
- Scriptures to read
- Worship to listen to
- Prompts to help guide your time
FRIDAY (4/3): Good Friday
Following Jesus is a call to take up our cross, but we do this in response to his.
READ
John 19:16-30
REFLECT
He has been betrayed. Denied. Abandoned. Bound. Taken away through the watches of the night. Rhetorically questioned. Wrongfully accused. Mocked. Beaten. Spat upon. And then forced to carry the instrument of his own public execution.
We began this week with Jesus’ words from Luke 9:23: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” And yet a symbolic cross is no match for his literal suffering. A denial of self is no substitute for his actual death.
Jesus is crucified.
The one the crowds welcomed with triumphant shouts only days earlier, once a boy from Nazareth who grew up a carpenter, is now forsaken on two beams of wood. His mother, who once watched him work with hammer and nail in her own home, now looks up to see his hands and feet pierced.
Though we cannot stand there as Mary and the few remaining followers of Jesus did, following Jesus means learning to stand honestly at his cross, where the gravity of sin is matched only by the depth of God’s love.
What comes to mind as you reflect on what Jesus endured toward and on the cross?
How does the call to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow him impact you in light of this?
RESPOND
Our worship song for today is “Right Response/At the Cross” by Gracie Binion, which connects us first to our communion from Maundy Thursday. While the tone of this song stands distinct from how Mary and the first followers of Jesus would have looked up at him, it reflects the gratitude that followers of Jesus have come to know over time as we look back on the cross.
As you listen, consider how gratitude for what Jesus has done can shape your daily call to follow him.
2025 Worship Song: Son of Suffering – David Funk and Matt Redman
EXTENDED RESPONSE: INVITATIONS FOR GOOD FRIDAY OBSERVANCE
At Sunridge, our Good Friday observance is designed to make room for remembering Jesus in and through his suffering.
1) View our unique Stations of the Cross experience on Friday (4/3) at 6:00 PM, a reflective prayer and art walk that traces the final events leading up to Jesus’ death. Artists from our congregation have submitted pieces accompanied by corresponding passages of Scripture that chart Jesus’ journey from the Garden of Gethsemane onward. While it is most traditional to do the Stations of the Cross between noon and 3 pm (the hours that Jesus was on the cross before he died), our visuals will be available before and after our Good Friday service.
2) Join us for our Good Friday service, which will take place at 6:30 pm inside the worship center. Our service will follow the Tenebrae-inspired format we’ve utilized since 2020: an interweaving of Scripture and worship, marked by a progressive extinguishing of lights. Our online service can be viewed here.
3) After the conclusion of our service, we will continue to recognize the loss of Christ, the Light of the World, by existing in darkness and silence. To further engage our senses with these reminders until Sunday morning, we encourage you to fast from all sweets (including fruit and artificial sweeteners) and all forms of man-made light between Friday night and our Sunday morning services. While incredibly challenging, the latter options provide us with the final opportunities to intensify our sense and experience of loss and lack.
SATURDAY (4/4): Silent Saturday
Following Jesus means remaining faithful when God seems silent.
READ:
REFLECT
Jesus has been crucified. His body, lifeless, is placed in the tomb by two unexpected figures: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Nicodemus, who once visited Jesus in secret by night, now steps forward publicly. With quiet reverence, they prepare his body and lay him in a garden tomb.
Then… silence.
The disciples who followed Jesus for three years are scattered and afraid. The women who stood near the cross are grieving. The hope they believed would change everything seems gone.
Silent Saturday reminds us that there are moments in life when God’s work feels hidden, perhaps even over.
Where in your life are you waiting for God to move, but it feels quiet or unclear?
What do you do with silence from God? Can you remain faithful even there?
RESPOND
In alignment with Silent Saturday, there is no worship song today.
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE (Optional)
If you began a fast from sweets or artificial light after Good Friday, continue it today. Let the absence remind you of what Jesus’ followers experienced on that first Saturday: grief, confusion, and unanswered questions. Look for moments to sit still. To remain faithful. To wait.
SUNDAY (4/5): Easter Sunday
Following Jesus ultimately leads into resurrection life.
READ
REFLECT
The empty tomb. That moment in the garden.
We often think of Resurrection or Easter Sunday as loud music and joyous shouts, but first, there is a carryover from the silence of Saturday and the quiet scene we just read in John. Like the rising sun, the resurrection unfolds slowly and deliberately, away from the attention of the crowds. This is not Palm Sunday, but the kingdom has come.
Mary comes to the tomb in grief, only to encounter the risen Jesus. In that moment, everything changes. Perhaps this is also how discipleship unfolds: a life marked by encountering Jesus again and again as each new day begins.
RESPOND
Our song for today is “After All These Years” by Brian and Jenn Johnson. As you listen, imagine the sunrise of that first morning and Mary’s encounter with Jesus. Let it be an invitation to praise him for the years he has carried you through, and for the new life he still invites you into.
Finally, after a week of readings, worship music, and opportunities to follow, we invite you to:
1) Invite a friend, family member, neighbor, or co-worker to an Easter servicewith you.
2) Break your fast(s) with joy. Worship in stillness as you watch the sunrise, and let something sweet awaken your body to the reality of Christ risen.
3) Join us today (Sunday, April 5) at our 8:30 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. service as we celebrate what the disciples only began to grasp: Jesus is alive! Online services can be viewed here.