8-Day Holy week devotional - Easter 2025 : simplebooklet.com

Jesus enters Jerusalem today, the crowd, hoping for freedom from the Roman army,shouts ‘Hosanna’ (save us). As their shouts echo through the city entrance, we seethis calling out for freedom in sharp contrast to the gentle, meek Jesus riding on adonkey, not a military horse ready for battle. Jesus, with the cross before Him, enters the city like a servant, not a king. “Sin is the servant putting itself in the place of the king, therefore salvation is theKing putting Himself in the place of the servant" – Tim Keller The Jewish people imagined Jesus showing up in a certain way in their lives, as amilitary king to free them from Roman oppression, but Jesus had much more in mind:liberation from sin for all people for eternity. DevotionalDAY 1DAY 1As Christians in the modern Westernchurch, we can often find ourselvesworried about how our lives shouldgo, what they should look like, andhow they do not align with the realitywe are living. We often put ourselvesin the place of the king of our ownlives and harbor disappointment andresentment towards Jesus for notshowing up as we want Him to.Today, we are reminded that thevictory is in Jesus and our role is to pick up our cross andfollow Him, even through trials andpain, for the glory of God, just like ourSavior. The question that the scripturesoffer us today is: Where in our lives arewe placing ourselves as king,expecting Jesus to do something for usin a particular way, when perhaps Godhas much more in mind? Today, we askthe Holy Spirit to help us surrender ourwill and give us the strength to pick upour cross. READINGJOHN 12:12-19 READINGJOHN 12:12-19 PALMSUNDAYPALMSUNDAY

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As a family, create a list of "The Victories of Jesus in Our Family." You mightwant to purchase a special notebook for this activity.Perhaps, after dinner, go around the table and ask the children where theythink Jesus has been victorious in your family. For the little ones, you can askthem to draw a picture in the book instead of writing.As a family, you might like to keep this book and, on the first Sunday of eachmonth, update it as a family, giving thanks to God.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost Where has Jesus manifested His triumphant victory in your life?Maybe a financial breakthrough, a healing, or an answered prayer forchildren or a job?Write down four ways.Now, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you share one of thesetestimonies today with someone who doesn’t know the triumphantJesus and needs His victory in their life. Once you have shared withthem, if appropriate, ask if you can pray for them.Jesus, I surrender afresh today all the areas of my life where I haveplaced myself as king and desired them look a certain way. Iacknowledge that Your ways are higher than my ways. Holy Spirit,make me servant-hearted like Jesus. Help me to enter these placeswith meekness towards the Father and with a heart to serve Himfor Your glory. P r a y e rP r a y e r

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Jesus enters Jerusalem and cleanses the temple, driving out those who were usingthe temple courtyard—a place of worship and prayer—for their own gain anddeclaring the holiness of the temple of God: "My house will be a house of prayer.""The only person who has the right to rearrange the furniture in the home is theowner." – Tim Keller. Jesus acted in authority to bring right order to disorderedpriorities within His holy place.In the new covenant, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians6:19), our lives are holy places, and we are given the authority through the victory ofJesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to bring order to our lives, to reorderany ‘disordered loves,’ as Saint Augustine called it.DevotionalThere is no shame or condemnation(Romans 8:1). The reordering of thesethings in our lives is a constantpractice as we swim against the tideof the culture of the world. Ask the Holy Spirit to help youhonestly assess your life and heart.Are there any metaphorical tables thatyou are ‘sitting at’ (e.g.,disappointment, independence, self-promotion) or ‘buying from’ (e.g.,hopelessness, self-preservation, fear)that Jesus would have flipped? Journalthem out and pray with us.READINGMATTHEW 21:12-19 READINGMATTHEW 21:12-19 HOLYMONDAY HOLYMONDAY DAY 2DAY 2

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With your children, write down the names of people in their world who theywould like to share Jesus with. You might like to stick this on the fridge so that as afamily you can be praying for them each day in the lead-up to Easter. Once youhave written their names down, spend some time as a family praying for them.Discuss as a family how you would like to invite them to church this Easter. You can simply send a text message or get creative by making a little card orEaster egg hamper to go with the invite. Keep praying for the Holy Spirit to revealJesus to them!Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost In the Jewish tradition, the outer court of the temple was known as theCourt of the Gentiles. This was where non-Jews were allowed to enterand observe worship. Not only did the merchants make a holy place aplace of commerce, but they also blocked the passage of the Gentiles tothe presence of God.Where in our lives today are we perhaps blocking others fromexperiencing the presence of God through us by our focus on work,money, or the hustle of life? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any areasthat need adjustment or focus in your life.Ask the Holy Spirit to prompt you as you go throughout your workday,reminding you to keep the outer court of your heart clear for thoseseeking to experience the presence of God, perhaps without evenknowing what they are searching for.Jesus, I desire that You are the center of my life, but often the current ofthe world disorders the loves of my heart. Holy Spirit, show me the tablesI’m sitting at that You would flip. Show me the tables I’m buying from sothat I may step right into the inner courts and experience the fullness ofYour presence in my life. Thank You for Your sacrifice, Jesus, that allowsme to enter into the fullness of the presence of God. Amen.P r a y e rP r a y e r

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Ever gone to your café to get your favourite almond croissant, sandwich, or cake, andthey have run out? The very thing that this shop was made to produce, it doesn'thave! Frustrating, right? There is something inherently wrong with that, and yet, asChristians, sometimes our lives can be similar.It was the season of fruit; the fig tree had leaves, which indicated there should befruit, but there was none. That which the tree was created to do—bear fruit—it wasnot doing. It looked the part, but on closer inspection by Jesus, it was only anappearance.DevotionalDAY 3DAY 3The fig tree often represents Israel inScripture, and we can read thedisappointment and frustration ofJesus with the state of the people ofGod—who were born to be fruitful forthe Kingdom of God—but who wereappearing godly with no real fruit.In the new covenant, through thesacrifice of Jesus, we have beenempowered by the Spirit of God tobear the fruit of the Kingdom. Today'sScriptures offer us the opportunity toassess our own lives soberly, asking ifwe are truly bearing the fruit of faith:love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self-control. With the help of theHoly Spirit, assess honestly how thetree of your life is going in producingthese fruits. Journal what the HolySpirit shares with you, and let’s praytogether. READINGMATTHEW 21:18-22 READINGMATTHEW 21:18-22 HOLYTUESDAYHOLYTUESDAY

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Read together as a family Galatians 5:22-23.As a family, start by drawing a tree or vine on a large sheet of paper or using asmall plant to represent the tree. Write each of the Fruits of the Spirit (Love, Joy,Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control) onseparate cards, then take time as a family to discuss how each fruit applies to yourlives and how you can live them out. Next, everyone decorates their version of eachfruit, using drawings, stickers, or even real fruit. Once completed, glue or hang the fruits on the tree. Afterward, gather as a familyand pray for each fruit, asking God to help you grow in these areas. Finally, displaya "Fruits of the Spirit" chart or reminder in your home, reflecting on one fruit eachday or week.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost In the new covenant, through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have beenempowered by the Spirit of God to bear the fruit of the Kingdom so thatthose who do not know Him can "taste and see" the goodness of Godand experience Him through our lives, revealing Jesus as an invitation tomeet and accept Him as Lord and Savior.Ask the Holy Spirit how today you can show: love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control towardsomeone who doesn't know Him, and in doing so, reveal the characterand nature of Jesus. Be ready to give a reason for your joy, peace,kindness, etc., if asked!Holy Spirit, giver of life, You have created me to be fruitful for theKingdom of God. You have created me to bear the fruit of the Kingdom sothat others may taste of the Kingdom and enter in. I cannot become likeJesus and manifest the fruit of the Kingdom without the empowerment ofthe Spirit of God. Help me, Holy Spirit, develop the fruit You havehighlighted. Be my teacher and lead me so that my life is congruent withwho You are. Amen.P r a y e rP r a y e r

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In this scripture, we have the juxtaposition of the lavish love Mary has for Jesus andthe withholding and bitter heart of Judas. What a contrast! Imagine being there—imagine the tension that would have been in the room as Mary poured out thisextravagant love offering, and the smell filled the whole room. Imagine the bitter,prideful, and frustrated voice of Judas cutting through this perfume-soaked air as heprotested this generosity, his heart full of selfish desire to keep something forhimself.Aren’t our hearts though often like that room? So full of love for Jesus, but alsoselfish at times, wanting to hide things from Jesus, keep something for ourselves?DevotionalWorshiping with our whole being on aSunday but ignoring the promptingsof the Holy Spirit to be generous inforgiveness toward a family memberwho hurt you, keeping your self-righteousness.Serving generously at church but nottithing regularly.Giving generously to the offering butholding unforgiveness against family,friends, or leaders who caused uspain. The question the Scriptures offer ustoday is: Where in my walk with Jesusam I like Mary? Where am I generousand lavish toward God? Thank theHoly Spirit for His grace andempowerment to be like Jesus.And where in my walk with Jesus am Ilike Judas? Where am I hiding mymotives from Jesus and being selfish inmy heart?Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them toyou, then let’s pray together. You mayalso like to journal this prayer.READING JOHN 12:1-8,MATTHEW 26:14-16READING JOHN 12:1-8,MATTHEW 26:14-16HOLYWEDNESDAY HOLYWEDNESDAY DAY 4DAY 4

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Take some time to read the scriptures and explain this devotional to your children ina way that is age-appropriate for them. Then, take 10 minutes for each familymember to think about how they can show the lavish love of Jesus to another familymember in the next 24 hours.If your children are in lower primary, you might like to brainstorm this together as afamily to bless someone in your extended family.You can share this with one another as a group or write it down and keep it hidden,sharing it as a family tomorrow once each person has been able to complete whatJesus has placed on their heart. Once each person has decided and written it down,spend 10 minutes praying and asking Jesus to continue to fill us as a family with Hislavish love so that we may share it with the world.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost Mary sacrifices something very costly for Jesus because she loves Him.In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus tells a parable that links our love for Him toour love for one another. Jesus explains that our actions toward oneanother cannot be separated from our acts toward Him, for He lovesmankind, and how we treat each other is fundamentally connected.How we sacrifice for another— in food, comfort, clothing, hospitality,empathy, inclusivity in relationships, etc.— is a demonstration of His love.As lavish as Mary is in her love and sacrifice for Jesus, today ask the HolySpirit to show you how you can show this lavish love to someone whodoesn’t know Jesus, and therefore showing your lavish love to Him.Holy Spirit, thank You for Your loving grace and mercy. Thank You thatYou are our Teacher and empower me to be more like Jesus.Thank You for revealing the areas of my heart that You want to make morelike Jesus. I reject shame and condemnation, and I welcome both Yourconviction and grace that lead to transformation.Thank You for the lavish love the Father has for me. Help me experiencethis to a greater measure, that I may share this in my life to a greatermeasure. Reveal to me anything that is holding me back from receiving thefullness of His extravagant love and make me a Mary.P r a y e rP r a y e r

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The word “Maundy” comes from a Latin word that means "covenant," and today wemeet Jesus in the Scriptures as He shares a final meal with the disciples,establishing the act of communion and instituting a new covenant.From the beginning of Jesus' ministry, we hear Him teaching on the Kingdom ofHeaven and perceive His intention to tear down the current religious order andestablish a new Kingdom.DevotionalDAY 5DAY 5Just as bread cannot be eaten until it’sbroken and wine cannot be drunkunless it’s poured, a covenant cannotbe made without blood being pouredout. On this day, Jesus promises thatHe will bear the cost for our covenantof freedom and grace. Today, we getto remember Jesus' sacrifice so thatwe may live in this new covenant andreceive it as a source of grace.Take a moment with the Holy Spirit toreflect on areas of your life where youmay still be bound by religious thinkingor bondage. These can be smallattitudes or habits.Journal with the Holy Spirit and let’spray together as we apply the grace ofJesus and the freedom He paid for usto receive in this new covenant tothese areas.READING MATTHEW 26:26-29 READING MATTHEW 26:26-29 MAUNDYTHURSDAYMAUNDYTHURSDAY

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Read the scripture out loud to the children. Share that tomorrow, being Good Friday,we are going to thank God for the sacrifice of Jesus, and as a family, tomorrow, youwill take communion together. Together with the children, prepare some elementsfor communion as a family (some bread or a cracker and some juice), and set themapart to take together as a family on Friday.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost Take some time to reflect on the magnitude of His love and humility, notjust for us but for the whole world to know Him. Reflect on the magnitudeof grace released in this new covenant by His blood and His broken body.How can you be a funnel of this grace to a world that deeply needs ittoday? What act of grace can you release today toward someone whodoesn't yet know Jesus, so that they can experience Him?Jesus, thank You for Your body broken and for Your blood shed that hasenabled me to live under the covenant of grace and receive completefreedom. Thank You for the cost You paid, and I ask You to forgive me forthe times and ways I have taken that for granted.Today, I just want to thank You, and Holy Spirit, help teach me to receiveand apply this grace to areas where I am holding myself in bondage orholding others in judgment. Help me receive new measures of grace that Ican also extend to others. Amen.P r a y e rP r a y e r

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This scripture records for us Jesus' intense pain and suffering as He is crucified forour sin, and how He, as the innocent party receiving the just punishment for our sin,continued to demonstrate His overwhelming love for humanity. His prayer is not oneof condemnation, but rather, one of absolution for the sins of those who crucifiedHim. The truth is, we too are the ones who crucified Jesus because it was our sin thatHe absolved through the cross on that day. Therefore, through that moment in time,some 2,000 years ago, we continue to receive the absolution of sin through Jesus'act and receive the grace found in repenting and turning toward the cross again. It isbeyond our cognitive limit to comprehend such an absolute and divine love, and yet,it is ours in and through Christ.DevotionalIgnatius of Loyola, who lived in the1500s, turned this moment into animaginative prayer where he picturedJesus on the cross and imagined hewas standing at the foot of the cross,offering up all the sin in his life. To hissurprise, he found that Jesus was notdeterred by the enormity of his sinand continued to offer His life as asacrifice to ensure humanity couldenjoy eternal life with God today.After that imaginative encounter withChrist, Ignatius saw sin as anybehavior that turned him away fromthe love of God. What a way to framethe love of Christ and His offer ofredemption that He continues to offerus throughout the ages.READING LUKE 23:32-34 READING LUKE 23:32-34 GOOD FRIDAYGOOD FRIDAYDAY 6DAY 6

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Watch this teaching from the Bible Project together (5 mins):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_unHmAf7INk.Discuss with your children the impact of the sacrifice of Jesus for them today andwhat this means for their friends. Ask them how they think they can show thislove to their friends this Good Friday.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost Some Christian traditions fast on this day or abstain from eating meat as asign of mourning as we meditate on the death of Jesus. You may like toabstain from a meal or food you enjoy and donate the money that wouldhave been spent on it in your weekly budget to those in your communitywho will struggle to eat this Easter.Jesus, I thank You for the cross and Your overwhelming love for me thatwas demonstrated on Good Friday. I repent of the sin that nailed You tothat cross, and I turn toward Your love afresh today.May I receive the grace of Your salvation afresh as I continue to betransformed by the work of Your Holy Spirit.Show me any areas where I am turning away from Your love, that I mayreturn to the fullness that is found in You.P r a y e rP r a y e r

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Today we look at the in-between of our lives, the places that seemingly look deadand closed in the tomb. Today we look at the places where Jesus has seemingly leftus, the places of unfulfilled promises of God, and the prophetic words that have notyet come to pass. Today we place ourselves in the shoes of the disciples.The disciples of Jesus had left all they had to follow Him. For 3 years, they hadwatched as Jesus fulfilled the messianic promises and performed miracles of allkinds. Finally, after centuries of waiting, the Jewish people had received theirliberator, but now, in front of them, all that was present was not freedom fromRoman oppression. The power of Jesus that seemed so accessible on the boat in thestorm, now seemed vacant at the tomb sealed by the enormous stone, with aRoman soldier standing guard no less.DevotionalDAY 7DAY 7We all have these ‘Saturday’ places inour lives. They are often the tenderestparts of our hearts that we like tokeep hidden, even from Jesus. Theyare: the healing we are still waitingfor, the pregnancy that never seemsto happen, our beautiful child who isstill estranged, the financialbreakthrough that just never comes,no matter how well we steward ourfinances... it goes on. And our heart'scry is just the same as that of thedisciples more than two thousandyears ago—Jesus, where are You?Today, on this Holy Saturday, allowyourself to bring these things to Jesus.He is waiting for you. It is a tender andholy place to offer Him the ‘in-between’places of our lives—be real with Him. Iftears roll, let them. If anger rises, give itover to Him. If hopelessness is foundunder the thin veil of faith, present it toHim. Today, because of the sacrificeJesus made, we get something in our‘in-betweens’ that the disciples neverhad, and that is—Jesus. We get to sitwith Jesus Himself in them and receiveHis comfort and sustaining love,knowing that we have hope becausewe have Him, and that there is atomorrow that awaits us with no moretears, mourning, or pain (Rev 21:4). READINGMATTHEW 27:62-66 READINGMATTHEW 27:62-66 HOLYSATURDAYHOLYSATURDAY

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A Family Prayer Journal can be a great place to carry the prophetic promisesspoken over the family, children, or individuals within the family. You might liketo purchase a notebook where, as a family, you record—or ask the children towrite—any unfulfilled promises or prophetic words that you are waiting to seefulfilled. For example, it could be a prophetic word about God providing ahome, or a promise from the Word of God about providing healing to all thosewho come to Jesus, or standing in the gap for Auntie Jane to be healed fromdiabetes, etc. If your children are too young to write, they can draw the prayerrequest instead. When you pray during family devotions, you can pull this bookout and pray for each of these promises regularly.There is no prayer or promise too small, and it is a great way to show God’sfaithfulness to our children as we see Him answer these prayers.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost A big question for many unbelievers, which can often be a hurdle to faith, is: ‘IfGod is so good, why do so many bad things happen?’Have you ever been asked that?When someone is asking this question, they are often not looking for atheological answer, like ‘we live in a broken world’ or ‘man still has free choice.’If we look beyond the question itself into the heart of the person asking, weoften find pain—real and often valid pain—that is looking for a place to receivecomfort. The kind of pain that can only be comforted by the Comforter Himself.Let’s take some time now to pray for those in our lives who need Jesus tocomfort them. Let’s pray for every wall in their heart to be broken down thisEaster as they encounter the ‘Great Comforter,’ as the Holy Spirit was called inthe Azusa Street revival.Jesus, I come to You honestly with all the unfulfilled promises, dashedhopes, and doubts. I present to You every place in my life that feels like atombstone has sealed it shut, knowing that somehow, Your blood speaksa better word. I bring You all my unanswered questions, knowing that Youwelcome me with all my honest emotions and long to sit with me in them.Holy Spirit, help comfort me in the mysteries of God that bring pain.Father, You are abounding in steadfast love to all those who call uponYou. Jesus, hold me in the brokenness of this world and speak words ofhope to my heart as You love me back to life.P r a y e rP r a y e r

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Today, we walk through the experience of the resurrection of Jesus for the disciplesand the two Marys. Imagine for a minute being in this moment. How significant itwas that two women, because of their experience of Jesus, wanted to go and seeHis tomb. Yet the experience the Lord had in mind was more than they couldpossibly have imagined.The two Marys made their way to the tomb, and upon their arrival, they discoveredan empty tomb. I imagine all different thoughts started running through their minds,and then the angel of the Lord appeared.The instruction from the angel was, “Go and tell” the disciples. As they were on theirway, they encountered Jesus. He appeared to them in His resurrected form, and thegood news of Jesus' resurrection was experienced. It was no longer just goodtheology or a religious observance; it was an experience. Did you catch that? Jesusshowed up on the way to proclaim and share this good news. Jesus' intent was thatthe world would experience, know, hear, and see the good news. DevotionalAren't you glad someone shared thegood news with you, that it was morethan words—it was an 'experience' ofbeing raised to life with Him? ThisResurrection Sunday, take a momentto imagine the people in your world,those you want to hear the goodnews of Jesus this Easter.Now picture yourself on the way toshare this. Imagine Jesus turning upright there with you, with your friendsand family in mind. The instruction isso simple yet so profound: “Go and tellthem.” Jesus wants to show up sopeople can see Him. You are the key tosomeone's 'experience' this Easter. Themessage remains the same: Jesus isalive.READING MATTHEW 28:1-10READING MATTHEW 28:1-10EASTERSUNDAYEASTERSUNDAYDAY 8DAY 8

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God, thank You for Jesus, His life, death, and glorious resurrection. Today,as we reflect on the experience of the two Marys and the disciples, weare reminded that the resurrection is not just a story—it is an encounter, alife-changing experience that transforms hearts and lives.Jesus, just as the women went to the tomb expecting one thing, yetencountered something far greater than they could have imagined, maywe too walk in expectation of Your presence in our lives.Open our eyes to see You at work, to recognize Your voice, and to be boldin proclaiming the good news of Jesus. Jesus, You met them on the way—as they were going to share, You turned up.We ask that, as we step out in faith to share Your love with those aroundus, You would show up on the way. Go before us, walk beside us, andprepare the hearts of those who need to hear of Your resurrection power.Today, we pray for our friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues whohave yet to experience Your love and salvation. We pray that this Easter,their hearts would be stirred, their eyes opened, and their spiritsawakened to the truth of Your resurrection.Use us, Lord, as Your messengers. Give us the boldness to go and tell,knowing that You are with us, empowering us every step of the way. Werejoice today, because the grave is empty, death is defeated, and we havebeen raised to life with You!Jesus is alive!P r a y e rP r a y e r

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Gather together as a family and take the communion elements you prepared onThursday. Put away all distractions, and you might like to play some instrumentalworship music as well.Choose one family member to read the following scripture aloud: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.Select another family member to pray, thanking Jesus for His sacrifice.Go around the circle and share one thing that you are grateful to Jesus for in your life.Take some time to share any areas where the resurrection power of Jesus is stillneeded (e.g., a family member needs healing, a relationship that needs reviving, etc.).Pray for these situations today, declaring the resurrection power of Jesus over them.Activity for the FamilyActivity for the FamilyShare His Love with the Lost Share His Love with the Lost Easter is more than a religious observance; it's an ‘experience’ to be trulylived. There is no time like the present. This Easter, who can you ‘go andtell’? Take the time to sit with the Lord and ask Him, Who am I to sharethe good news of Jesus with this Easter? Then, be intentional aboutfollowing through and watch Jesus turn up on the way.

8-Day Holy week devotional - Easter 2025

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