Easter Reading Plan
Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday
Walk through Holy Week in 8 days — from the triumphal entry to the empty tomb. Featuring reflections from Andy Stanley.
“Nobody, nobody, even his closest followers, even the most committed among them, nobody expected no body.”
The King Arrives
Jesus enters Jerusalem to thunderous praise. The crowd lays cloaks and branches on the road, hailing him as king. But within days, the same crowd will call for his death.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.The crowd praised Jesus as King — but some would call for his death days later. What does it look like to follow Jesus when it costs you something?
- 2.Jesus wept over Jerusalem even as the crowd celebrated. What breaks your heart that you might be overlooking?
“The resurrection of Jesus isn't one of many Bible stories. The resurrection of Jesus is the story. In fact, it's not a Bible story. It was a well-documented event that was later included in the Bible.”
Clearing the Temple
Jesus walks into the temple and overturns the tables of the money changers. The religious marketplace is about to get a reality check.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.Jesus was angry about people exploiting worship for profit. What needs to change in the way you approach your faith?
- 2.The fig tree looked healthy but produced no fruit. Where in your life do things look good on the outside but lack substance?
“When you try to systematize and organize the most powerful force in the universe into an institution, you have a tendency to lose the mission. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, not build an institution.”
End Times Teaching
Jesus delivers some of his most powerful teaching about the future — the end of the age, the importance of readiness, and the final judgment. He knows his time is short.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.Jesus says 'stay ready' — not 'be afraid.' How does that reframe the way you think about the future?
- 2.In the parable of the talents, the master rewards faithfulness, not perfection. What has God entrusted to you that you might be neglecting?
The Anointing
A woman pours expensive perfume on Jesus, and the room erupts in criticism. But Jesus says she has done something beautiful — she is preparing him for burial. She saw what even the disciples missed.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.The woman gave her most valuable possession to honor Jesus. What is the most costly thing you could offer him — your time, your comfort, your reputation?
- 2.Judas criticized her generosity. Have you ever let others' opinions stop you from doing something meaningful for God?
The Last Supper
Jesus washes his disciples' feet, shares a final meal with them, and gives them a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you. This is the last ordinary evening they will ever have together.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.Jesus — the King of everything — knelt down and washed dirty feet. Who in your life could you serve in a way that feels beneath you?
- 2.'Do not let your hearts be troubled.' What are you anxious about right now that you could hand over to Jesus?
The Crucifixion
The darkest day. Jesus is arrested, tried, beaten, and crucified. "It is finished" — but it is really just beginning.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.Jesus forgave the people who were killing him — while they were doing it. Is there someone you need to forgive, even if they haven't asked?
- 2.Jesus cried out, 'My God, why have you forsaken me?' Have you ever felt abandoned by God? What did that reveal about what you actually believe?
“Apart from the resurrection, Jesus is just another wannabe messiah executed by Rome.”
The Wait
Silence. The disciples are hiding, grieving, confused. The psalmist wrote, 'Lord, I cry out to you by day; at night I am before you. Let my prayer come before you.' Sometimes faith means sitting in the darkness and waiting for what you cannot yet see.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.The disciples didn't know Sunday was coming. What is a situation in your life where you're stuck in 'Saturday' — waiting and uncertain?
- 2.The disciples had given up everything to follow Jesus — and now he was dead. If the story ended here, would it still have been worth following him?
- 3.What would it look like to trust God in the waiting — even when you can't see what he's doing?
“They expected Jesus to do what all dead people do. Do you know what all dead people do? They stay dead.”
He Is Risen
The tomb is empty. Death could not hold him. This changes everything — for them, and for you.
Reflect & Apply
- 1.Mary didn't recognize Jesus at first — she was looking through tears. What might you be missing because of how you're looking at your situation?
- 2.The resurrection means death does not get the last word. What 'dead' thing in your life needs you to believe it can come back to life?
- 3.Jesus told the disciples to go and tell others. Who is one person you could share this story with today?
“Nobody expected no body. When they visited the tomb and found it empty, they were shocked. But when that tomb was empty and they met their living Lord, their lives were changed and the world began to change.”
Easter Matters, 2023
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