How to Prepare for Easter Sunday (April 17, 2022)

Mark 11-16 record the final week of our Lord’s earthly life. Mark devotes more than one-third of his Gospel to “Passion Week.”

Daniel L. Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Mark, p. 242

The Lord’s sovereignty never ceases to amaze me even in the seemingly small details of life. Akin’s quote above shows us that the last six chapters of Mark’s Gospel provides details of Jesus’ final week. Readers of these chapters will see that Mark 11 begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem while Mark 16 ends with Jesus’ victorious resurrection. This year the people of God will be gathering together to reflect upon, remember, and celebrate our Risen Savior on April 17, 2022–i.e., Easter Sunday.

How can you or your family prepare for Easter Sunday 2022? Notice how the calendar corresponds with the last six chapters of Mark’s Gospel. To be clear, this is not some mystical explanation of the end-times nor some God speaking extra-biblically through the days of April 2022. However, just like we see in Esther, there are no coincidences with God. Charles Spurgeon once said–and I paraphrase–that although God’s name is never mentioned in Esther; his finger is guiding the course of history. Yet, the question remains, “How can we prepare for this Easter Sunday?”

Here is one way to remember and reflect upon Christ’s resurrection before our Sunday services. You can read each chapter of Mark’s Gospel on the corresponding day of the week. For example, you and/or your family could read Mark 12 on April 12, 2022. Yes, you are going to read about the resurrection on the day before Easter Sunday, but what a great way to prepare your heart before you gather with the people of God to celebrate our Risen Savior. Journey with Jesus his final week, and get ready to celebrate what his work accomplished for all those who call upon his name Sunday, April 17, 2022.

Some may read this post and question, “But aren’t we supposed to celebrate our resurrected Savior every day and every Sunday?” Of course! As Christians, we should constantly be in a posture of praise to our Risen King. Just as Paul reminds us, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor. 15:14). Therefore, all we have to preach and proclaim is a crucified and risen Messiah (cf. 1 Cor. 15:15-19).

While Easter Sunday should not be the only day that we sing about, speak about, and celebrate Jesus’ victory over sin and death, it is a day that Christians set aside each year to be reminded of this truth. We need to be honest that we all need reminding at times because we are prone to forget or become complacent as finite beings. In fact, we see the people of God throughout Scripture celebrating feasts and days to remind them of the mighty works of God in their lives. God’s greatest work on behalf of broken humanity was the perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. While we are not commanded to keep an “Easter Sunday,” we should be thankful that each year we mark a day on our calendar to be reminded of and celebrate our Resurrected King.

Therefore, prepare your heart for this Easter Sunday by reading one chapter of Mark–starting in Mark 11–on the corresponding day in April of 2022.