This is a week before Palm Sunday. It is a great time to prepare our hearts and minds for Holy Week, its solemnity, and the joy that comes with Christ’s Resurrection. As a pre-Holy Week theme, this study uses the imagery of tuning a musical instrument to get our “spiritual instrument” ready for the week ahead. When was the last time you felt truly prepared for a big event (a holiday, an important meeting, etc.)? What did you do to prepare? Preparation matters because Holy Week is not just a historical event; it is a spiritual performance in which our hearts are instruments. If we rush into it untuned, we may miss the profound meaning entirely.
Tuning Peg 1: Jesus Prepares to Enter Jerusalem
(John 13:1-5)1NIV New International Version Translations – “It was just before the Passover Festival. 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 evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Let this be your invitation: Humble yourself before God. Lay aside pride, unforgiveness, and self-sufficiency—those hidden barriers that keep you from truly kneeling at the feet of Jesus. Before you celebrate the victory of the resurrection, pause and recognize your need for cleansing. Seek forgiveness, not just from God, but from those you may have wronged. Pray with a heart ready to be washed clean, remembering that Jesus Himself knelt in humility to serve others. Proper preparation for Holy Week—and for a life transformed—begins on your knees, in honest surrender and prayer.
Tuning Peg 2: Intentionality (The Jericho Stop)
(Luke 19:1-10) – “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. “Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus’ stop in Jericho was intentional. He came to seek and save the lost. We must intentionally seek an encounter with Jesus in the week leading up to Palm Sunday. This is not a week of passive observance, but active seeking. While Jesus comes to you, you must step forward and reach for Him! If Jesus were passing by our town today, what “tree” would you climb to get a better look at Him? We live in a world filled with distractions. What are you willing to overcome to see Jesus?
Tuning Peg 3: Reverence (The Temple Cleansing Heart)
(Matthew 21:12-13) – “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.’”
Jesus cleared the money changers and dove sellers from the temple, symbolizing the importance of eliminating distractions and misplaced priorities that can diminish the sacredness of worship. Our world offers many distractions that can intrude on the sacred space of our hearts. By clearing out this clutter, we make room for proper reverence for Christ. What has become a “noisy distraction“ or a “barrier to prayer” in your life recently?
Tuning Peg 4: Hope (The Bethany Anointing)
(John 12:1-8) – “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here, a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’”
Mary’s act was extravagant, sacrificial, and entirely focused on Jesus. Preparing for Holy Week encourages us to transition from ordinary stewardship to a deeper, more generous approach in our worship and time. As families come together, this is a time to celebrate something greater than symbolism. Once we were separated from our Creator, but now we can enjoy eternal fellowship, knowing that death no longer has a hold on us. What is your “most expensive perfume,” your most valuable resource, whether it be time, talent, or treasure? Please be generous!
Play your Symphony
Just as a well-tuned instrument produces beautiful music, a heart tuned with humility, intentionality, reverence, and hope is ready to experience the full depth and joy of Holy Week. This journey is not passive—it calls for active preparation and reflection. As you approach Holy Week, let your life become a symphony that honors both the sorrow of the cross and the triumphant joy of the Resurrection.
Take time this week to intentionally practice humility, seek meaningful encounters with Christ, clear away distractions, and offer your best in worship. Let your actions, prayers, and relationships reflect a heart prepared for transformation. Step forward and play your part in the spiritual symphony—so that when Holy Week arrives, you are ready to embrace its meaning and celebrate the hope it brings fully.
Contemplations
- What barriers—such as pride, unforgiveness, or self-sufficiency—might keep you from truly experiencing the meaning of Holy Week?
- Ideas to Explore: Reflect on recent situations where these barriers may have influenced your actions or relationships. Consider practical steps to seek forgiveness, let go of pride, or ask for help, following the example of Jesus’ humility in serving others.
- What distractions or misplaced priorities have crept into my life, and how can I clear them up to create space for reverence and prayer?
- Ideas to Explore: Identify specific habits, routines, or digital distractions that compete for your attention during times of worship or reflection. Make a plan to limit or remove these distractions, dedicating intentional time and space for prayer and spiritual focus.
- 1NIV New International Version Translations