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Dear Church Family,

A favorite song in the Bunce household is the evergreen "This is the day" song which says simply, "this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." (With the appropriate echoes sung happily). This song is from Psalm 118:24.

And as this Sunday is Palm Sunday, or maybe we should call it "Psalm Sunday" we find some incredible realities regarding the person and work of Christ anticipated in this Psalm that contains both the eager celebration and the weighty cost that permeates our celebration of Easter each year. Let us take a moment to look at a few:

1. The salvation Jesus brings is rejected by some and marvelous to others.

   When we read Psalm 118, we see that the salvation of the Lord is coming! This is the reason for the day being a wonderful day, it is a day when the gates of righteousness are opened, when the Lord becomes our salvation and the righteous follow him through it (19-20). But as this stone would build a house of salvation, the builders would reject him (21-22). Even as Jesus entered Jerusalem, some shouted with joy while others rejected his salvation.

2. The prayer of God's people is a plea for redemption.
   What does Hosannah mean? Often, we simply think of it as a praise to the Lord, but it is the same plea from Psalm 118:25, "Save us, we pray, O Lord!" This is literally what Hosannah means, the people are not just praising, they are begging God for divine deliverance.

3. Jesus is the Lord God who makes his light shine on his people.

   Contrary to the way that many imagined the Messiah bringing about deliverance, Christ didn't come with a sword or an army; he came on the colt of a donkey, to be bound as a festal sacrifice, to redeem his people and demonstrate the sacrificial, steadfast love of the Lord (27).

When you read the story of Jesus's Triumphal Entry this week, also keep your Bible open to Psalm 118 and see how wonderful it is that God planned every aspect of the life and ministry of Christ for our good and his glory. When we reflect on God's work of redemption, we truly say I will rejoice in this day and recognize that "this is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. (23)"

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor David

Easter 2026

Join us on Palm Sunday, March 29th at 10AM, Good Friday on Friday, April 3rd at 6PM and Easter Sunday on April 5th!

Remember to invite others to come celebrate the Risen Christ at GCC this year.

New Book for Men's Study

Please pick up your free copy of "The Redeemed Man" this Sunday!
We'll be discussing Part 1: chapters 1-4 of the book at our next Men's Breakfast on April 18th, as well as announcing the winner of our men's basketball challenge.

This Week's Verse

Isaiah 53:11

"Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities."

This Week's Prayer Guide

Week 4 - He Was Innocent

Prayer Prompts - Matt 27:11-26

• Thank Jesus that he did not defend his own innocence, but entrusted himself to the One who Judges Justly (1 Pet 2:23).

• Thank Jesus that he took our guilty place and allowed us to go free from our sins as Barabbas did.

• Confess any envy that has led you to speak evil of someone else or even be happy when bad things happen to them.

• Pray that you would always be quick to vindicate Jesus/God's righteousness and condemn your unrighteousness.

• Confess any ways in which you've tried to simply ignore your sin or wish it away as Pilate did.

How Can We Serve You This Week?

If you have a need, a prayer request, or if there is any other way we can serve you this week, please send an email to any of our elders: David, Dustin, or Matt, and we will be happy to minister to you.