Sojourner #097: That Holy Week So Long Ago
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house…” (Deuteronomy 6:7, ESV)
For many Christians, the words “Great Commission” immediately stir images of missionaries crossing oceans, church planters laboring in hostile places, or believers carrying the gospel into spiritually dark regions of the world. And rightly so.
The church has always been called to go to the nations with the good news of Jesus Christ. Yet in our excitement about global missions, it can sometimes be easy to overlook one of the most strategic mission fields God has already placed directly in front of us: our homes.
Long before a missionary ever steps onto a plane, discipleship is often taking place around a dinner table, beside a child’s bed at night, or during quiet moments when parents open God’s Word with their children. Raising children in the fear and admonition of the Lord is not secondary to the Great Commission, it is one of the most foundational ways we participate in it, by faith.
That reality makes Matthew Boswell’s That Holy Week So Long Ago: The Seven Days That Led to Easter such a timely and meaningful resource for Christian families, one that those of us at Sojourner Magazine look forward to using with our families. Published by Crossway and beautifully illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia, this book does far more than retell the Easter story for children. It equips parents to disciple their children through the most important week in human history and to place the hope of the gospel deep within young hearts.
One of the greatest strengths of this book is that it refuses to rush through Holy Week. Many children’s Easter books quickly move from Palm Sunday to Good Friday and then immediately to the empty tomb. While those moments are certainly central, Boswell understands that every day leading to the resurrection carries profound significance.
By slowing down and walking through these events day by day, Boswell helps children see that Jesus was not swept helplessly toward the cross. Christ moved intentionally toward Calvary, fulfilling the promises of God and accomplishing redemption exactly as the Father had ordained. Children are introduced to the Savior who taught in the temple, prayed in anguish, shared the Last Supper with His disciples, and willingly gave Himself for sinners.
The poetic structure of the book makes these truths especially memorable. Boswell, well known for his hymn writing, demonstrates a remarkable ability to communicate deep theological realities in language children can understand. The rhymes are engaging and accessible without becoming shallow or overly sentimental. Parents reading aloud will find that the cadence naturally invites conversation and reflection.
And perhaps that is where the true value of this book shines brightest, not merely in the reading itself, but in the discipleship opportunities it creates for families around the world.
Every Christian parent understands the tension of wanting to faithfully teach their children while navigating the noise and distractions of modern life. Resources that genuinely help families open conversations about Christ are invaluable. That Holy Week So Long Ago functions almost like a family devotional, creating intentional moments for parents to explain sin, sacrifice, redemption, and resurrection hope in ways children can grasp.
The illustrations by Helena Perez Garcia beautifully complement that purpose. Warm, expressive, and reverent, the artwork helps children enter the story visually while maintaining the book’s Christ-centered focus. Each page feels inviting without diminishing the seriousness and glory of the events being portrayed.
What makes this especially important is the larger kingdom perspective it encourages. The church often celebrates missionaries sent to the nations—and we should. But we must also remember that future missionaries, pastors, faithful church members, and gospel witnesses are being formed right now in Christian homes. Before Isaiah heard, “Whom shall I send?” he first encountered the holiness of God. Before Timothy became Paul’s faithful companion in ministry, he learned the Scriptures from childhood through the influence of his mother and grandmother.
The Great Commission is sustained generation after generation through faithful discipleship.
In many ways, parents engaged in intentional gospel-centered parenting are participating in frontline missions work. They are shaping hearts, forming affections, and planting seeds of truth that may one day bear fruit across neighborhoods, churches, and nations. Family discipleship is not glamorous by the world’s standards. It often looks ordinary, like reading Scripture before bed, praying together, answering children’s questions, and patiently teaching biblical truth again and again. Yet eternity itself is shaped through these quiet acts of faithfulness.
That is why books like That Holy Week So Long Ago matter. They help families slow down and behold Christ together. They remind parents that teaching children the gospel is not simply an Easter tradition or a parenting strategy, it is kingdom work.
At Sojourner Magazine, we care deeply about stories from the front lines of the greatest fight in the world. Sometimes those stories come from remote villages or difficult mission fields. But sometimes the front lines are found in living rooms where exhausted parents faithfully open God’s Word and tell their children about the risen King.
The Great Commission is not only fulfilled by those who go. It is also fulfilled by those who faithfully raise the next generation to know, treasure, and proclaim Jesus Christ. And in that mission, That Holy Week So Long Ago is a wonderful companion for Christian families seeking to pass the hope of the gospel to their children.
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