What is the Church Year?

John 20

Every year the church goes through the life of Jesus and the Church he builds. The reason for this is that Jesus life has become the foundation of our life as Christians. (1 Corinthians 2) We are being built up as the temple of God. (1 Corinthians 2) Really this means we are connected to Jesus, because He is the true temple of God. (John 2) We are now part of the body of Christ. We gather for worship so that we may be united to Him through the message of His birth, life, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection and ascension. We receive those gifts He established in His life: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These activities shape the life of the church now on earth. This means that the life of Christ is the life of the church and we follow Him each year as we celebrate our life in Him. These are the major points of the church year and the life of Christ:

• Advent is when the church looks forward to Jesus coming again to bring us to our heavenly home.
• Christmas celebrates Jesus birth. (Dec. 25)
• Epiphany celebrates Jesus revelation as God, as the wise men come to worship Jesus.
• Lent is always 40 days before Easter, showing the 40 days of Jesus temptation.
• Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday as Jesus rides into Jerusalem. Jesus has the last Supper on Maundy Thursday, He is crucified on Good Friday and is in the Tomb on Saturday.
• Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on the third day. This season is celebrated until the ascension.
• Pentecost is the time of the Church when Jesus promises to be with His people through the Word of the Gospel, Baptism and the Lord’s supper and Christian life that comes from the Holy Spirit that dwells in us through these gifts.

If you read any of the Gospels and the book of Acts, you will see this life of Christ and how the Church follows His life each year. We remember that Jesus is the source of our life in the Church and He will keep us in the faith until He brings us home to heaven.