Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

Surprise Encounters

“The instrument of death became a Tree of Life.” Isn’t that beautiful? I copied that sentence from somewhere, so I can’t attribute authorship, but God’s power to bring life from death is beautifully portrayed in those words. And isn’t that what Holy Week reminds us?!

Jesus is Life from death. He conquered the grave…He conquers the grave for all who believe.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

It is beautiful to watch the revelation of Life come into focus for someone. As a friend of mine says, ‘We all have a designer walk of faith.” As we walk through the Scriptures around Holy Week, we see that Truth unveils itself differently for each.

Yesterday we considered how some believers became locked in a prison of grief. Others worked through their grief…such as those who headed to the tomb to care for the body of Jesus. What a surprise awaited them!

“…very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared…” Luke 24:1

There in the shadows, fear, confusion, anger, hope and ultimately joy cascaded through hearts. Inside that sepulcher, angels sat…fully understanding and rejoicing in what had just happened…and probably puzzled at the dullness of the human heart. As the angels reminded the women of words Jesus had spoken…and as the women repeated the words to the disciples…unbelief still ruled hearts. Then, glimmers of understanding began to lighten the darkness.

On the Road to Emmaus, grief and confusion dominated the conversation until ‘a stranger’ expounded on the Scriptures that declared the Truth of the horrifying events. Then, as they sat to eat together, their eyes opened! “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures?” Hope and joy flowed from their conversation as they rushed back to Jerusalem.

The revelation of Jesus is always an act of mercy from the heavenly Father. Jesus taught that when Peter recognized Him:

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven”. Matthew 16:17

Jesus meets each of us when and where we are ready to receive Him. The message He first gave to the disciples as they cowered in the locked room is a message for you and me as well. His first words, were :

“Shalom Aleichem.” (Wholeness, peace, and well-being is His greeting. Then comes our mission… )“As my Father has sent me, even so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” John 20:19-23

That is a powerful mission. It is an impossible mission if we do not receive the Holy Spirit. Human effort accomplishes nothing. It is only the life of Christ, powered by the Spirit of God, that can walk on the hallowed ground of forgiveness. When we accept our part, the divine revelation of Jesus Christ can come to others. That is the high and holy privilege of every believer. Do you remember the prophetic words from Isaiah 53 shared yesterday?

“…when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

Isaiah 53:10b

Receiving our mission gives honor and glory to Jesus…and fulfills the will of the LORD.

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

when you have encountered Jesus and felt your heart burn within you

if you are holding anyone back with unforgiveness or bitterness

how Jesus gives Shalom Aleichem in the midst of your troubles

Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

The Waiting Room of God

Grief blinds and deafens the heart. Scripture does not record many of Jesus’ followers being at the Cross…but some were there. Others perhaps buried under confusion, fear, discouragement and deafening grief fled the scene of horror. Overwhelmed by a situation they could not control, Jesus’ followers found themselves locked in a prison of darkness. The truths they heard, the truths they believed were – for the moment – out of reach. Have you sat in darkness like that?

Take heart. Jesus anticipated that happening. Isaiah 53 speaks so beautifully of Jesus and His understanding of grief:

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not…Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53:3,10

Jesus told them that when He, the Shepherd, was stricken, the sheep would scatter. He is never surprised by our ‘failings.’ He is never discouraged by (or for) us. His faith does not rest upon us. Jesus knows the depths of despair will give way to unshakable hope. He knows the pleasure of the LORD will break forth.

I like to think that that evening, those who had been at the Cross found their friends and shared the passage Jesus spoke from when He was upon the Cross (Psalm 22). Throughout the horror of the Cross, the Living Word drew upon the written Word for comfort – and spoke from the words stored in His heart. We must do the same!

Fulfilling the Word compelled Jesus to His dying moment. The vinegary drink would have helped make His final words audible: IT IS FINISHED!

Jesus didn’t die as a martyr, He died as a victor…and knew it. But some of His loved ones were blinded by grief. The passage He quoted from is an imprecatory Psalm. Those Psalms beg God for justice…they cry out the grief that blinds to the One who heals. Those Psalms confront the evil, the wrongs endured, but ultimately they declare God’s sure victory. They take you to praise. In the dark waiting moments, consider the power of these words:

“But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth note the prisoners. Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein. For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed also of his servants shall inherit: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.”

Psalm 69:29-36

Every disciple finds themselves in the despair of the ‘day after’ – in the darkness of waiting for God’s good plans to come into view. In Jesus, there is Light and Hope. May we be the disciples who speak the words of hope to the deaf and the blind!

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

if you are stuck in a time of darkness and waiting.

how Jesus is the Light you need in the midst of your despair and confusion.

someone you can encourage with Words of Life and light

Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

Helpless in the Face of Horror

Have you ever experienced a time of helplessness in your life? You saw a horror unfolding, but had no power to stop it. You witnessed injustices, but could not make them right. Or maybe you longed to remove another’s pain and suffering but could not.

At some point in life, we all have to face the reality that some things are beyond our control. We can’t fix everything. We can’t orchestrate the right outcome. For we control freaks, it is an awful feeling, a maddening, disconcerting, depressing fact of life! But let’s reframe that idea. What if reaching the end of our ability is where we meet God? What if helplessness is really the most powerful and purposeful revelation God gives us? The truth is that God uses difficult times to patiently lead us (often kicking and screaming) to humility.

And God never despises a humble heart!

Sin often catches us unaware…even though we launch it on its way. By the time we notice, it’s too late. When Judas kissed Jesus in Gethsemane, the power of sin rolled forward at break-neck speed. At the meal earlier in the night, Jesus had declared that He was about to be handed over for execution. He plainly stated that one of his trusted disciples would be the betrayer. Every disciple, including Judas, had asked, “I’m not the one am I, Rabbi?” Later, Jesus even told the disciples, “You will all fall away from me.” His words were inconceivable to them. We don’t comprehend our weakness until it stares us in the face.

Jesus understands it. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” While Jesus wrestled before the Father in sorrow, Peter, James and John slept. At His point of greatest need, His closest friends were powerless to help. Only the Father above could give Jesus the help He needed. He poured out His heart with passion…and total trust in His heavenly Father.

While flesh fails in the face of grief and horror, surrender to the Father produces eternal victory. “Thy will be done,” are words of faith and power. Jesus was not helpless in the face of horror…He was fixed on the Father’s will.

In fact, Jesus declared that He could ask the Father at any point to save Him…to send Him legions of angels. But love kept Him on course. Love strengthened Him to walk through horror confident of the Father’s plan. Hebrews tells us ‘for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.’ Because of Jesus, that same focus can be ours.

After the Passover meal, Jesus had poured out His heart to the disciples seeking to prepare them for what was to come. He spoke of the future, of the coming Holy Spirit…of disciples doing greater works than Jesus Himself…of receiving ‘anything that is asked in His name.’ “Don’t let your hearts be troubled,” He encouraged. ‘Abide in my love, obey me.’ Then He said, ‘I tell you all these things, so you can love one another.’

Love is the power that removes the helplessness. We see what Love looks like as we watch Jesus in the trial and on the cross. We see His Love most clearly when we are most helpless.

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

When sin has taken you by surprise and left you helpless.

What makes love rooted in God’s will more powerful than any other force?

How do times of helplessness increase our understanding of agape love?

Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

A Legacy of Love

The Disciples thought they understood Passover. It was a tradition they knew well. During that final meal with Jesus, though, the fullness of their understanding expanded exponentially. What had been a commemoration became a celebration of God’s sacrificial love. The Scriptures eloquently say, “Having loved his own who were in the world, He loved them until the end.”

Nothing – not Jesus’ foreknowledge of the horror to come, nor the actual events – deterred the expression of His love.

This entire evening provides another feast for our souls. The Word declares that Jesus was agitated in spirit. But He remained on His mission as a servant of the Father above. During the meal, Jesus brought the symbolism of the bread and wine to a shocking reality: the breaking of His own body and the shedding of His blood to cover sin. He didn’t replace tradition. In fact, Jesus said as you do this in the future, remember Me. The revelations of Jesus build line upon line!

Before Jesus knelt to wash the disciples’ feet, we glimpse the heart that chooses surrendered service. Knowing His authority, where He came from and where He was going, the Master chose the lowliest of work for Himself. He could have delegated it. He could have demanded it. Instead, He performed it. That’s what secure love looks like!

That same evening, the disciples argued about who is greatest. They mumbled amongst themselves. Peter even debated with Jesus his need for washing and over-estimated the depths of his loyalty. Judas, possibly even deceived in his own heart, betrayed Jesus. Those are the actions of those not yet matured in love. Those are the actions of you and me.

Yet, as Judas departs, Jesus declares, “Now the Son of Man is glorified.” Jesus sees what is to come and declares it in the present moment. That often left the disciples puzzled…and we as well! But Jesus never faltered in His mission. He kept feeding and teaching:

‘A new command I give you. Love others as I have loved you.’

One of the most beautiful passages of Scripture rests here…John 17, Christ’s prayer for his disciples…for you and me. His love poured out even as He faced the darkest night.

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

What flows from you when you are faced with burdens and anxieties?

How Jesus has helped you find His Light when you were surrounded by dark.

How dark times have purified and deepened your love.

Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

Bringing purity to your faith

Jesus didn’t spend His last week waiting to die! He spent the week delivering powerful teachings we need to devote time to studying! Here’s a brief scan to make you hungry for more!

Every word Jesus ever spoke came from the Father, and these final instructions were the Father’s plea for people to have a right view of the Kingdom of God. Jesus began by casting a vision for the power of faith. The fig tree – a Biblical picture of Israel (of religion) – was revealed to be fruitless. Real faith casts mountains into the sea and sustains those in need. ‘All things are possible to those who believe!’ There is nothing we will face that faith in Jesus cannot overcome.

Throughout the week, Jesus used parables to sow seeds of faith…and reveal errors. Parables pierce hearts that are ready for Truth – but protect the un-surrendered from hardness of heart. The Song of Solomon oft repeats the phrase, ‘Awaken not love before its time.’ Jesus gave truth in parables so that only those whose hearts were ready would receive it.

Jesus shared stories of people who missed the mark with God. A son who promised to do what Dad asked, but did not; tenants who disrespected the Master’s messengers; and invited guests who had better things to do than go to the King’s celebration. The message was consistent and clear in all three, yet it bounced off the hard hearts of the Pharisees who resisted the painful truth Jesus delivered.

Finally, Jesus directly said, “You’ve gone astray. You don’t understand the Scriptures of the power of God.” And He began to detail the woes created by hard hearts. Jesus unveiled the coming end times still pleading in parables for true believers to be watchful (fig tree), prepared (ten virgins), invested (talents), and looking toward the final judgment (sheep & goats).

The Savior’s teachings are to us as well. Let your heart hear His plea and don’t respond like a Pharisee. Allow the wound to make room for the Truth…for the Healer…for Jesus.

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

Which parable do you need to dig into?

When or where you’ve lost of Jesus – even as you searched the Scriptures.

Ways your vision of Jesus has improved through hard times.

Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

Bringing purity to your faith

Jesus had cleared out the temple once before. At the start of His ministry three years before, He exploded on the scene with great zeal for His Father’s house. At the close of His ministry, following the Triumphal Entry, Jesus again went straight to the Temple. He was – and is – always about the Father’s business.

In the first cleansing, the Jews challenged Jesus to present a sign to justify his actions. They scoffed at His response of destroying ‘the temple and rebuilding it in three days.’ But in the following three years, God had validated Jesus’ ministry with signs and wonders, and this time, the religious leaders made no immediate response.

But Jesus knew their response would come, and He prepared His disciples by instructing them in the power of real faith as they walked toward the Temple. There, the religious leaders confronted Jesus with a challenge to His authority to disrupt religious activities. He responded with a question of his own. ‘Where did John the Baptist’s authority come from?’

The Pharisees hedging response revealed that maintaining the status quo mattered more to them than finding the truth, so, Jesus, said, ‘Neither will I tell you.’ Jesus never wastes time with hearts unwilling to submit to the Lord, unready to step into real faith. The power of God is open to sincere seekers.

It often takes dark times to inspire us to seek the Light of the World. When our lives shake with uncertainty, Truth that will stand the test of time becomes a treasure.

Dark times initiate heart cleansing – which is the temple of this age. Repentance – turning from our pride and preferences – renovates our heart so it can be a holy temple: a place to meet with the King!

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

Where you are tempted to choose the comfort of religion over the challenge of faith.

How difficulties have deepened and purified your faith.

Truths that will hold you fast in hard times.

Following Jesus in His Last Week

Difficult times are the perfect backdrop for Holy Week. The first Holy Week followed a series of horrific plagues and began with God’s people fleeing in haste. As we enter into this holy time with hearts made vulnerable by the heartaches we feel, what a joy to remember we are on a journey to the Promised Land!

The Last Week Begins

Jesus headed for Jerusalem from Bethany. There, he had spent time with close friends who knew Him best: His disciples and Martha, Mary and Lazarus. The Friday before, in an act of love and possibly unconscious prophecy, Mary had ‘prepared His body for burial.’

In contrast to Mary’s loving act of devotion, the condemnation of Judas, declaring her worship as “waste,” cuts like a knife. Jesus felt both the warmth of shared love and the pain of betrayal. Neither determined His actions, they simply revealed the hearts of those who walked with Him.

As he descended the Mount of Olives, he paused and wept over the city below. He wept for the blindness that prevented true peace for the precious people below. Jesus descended the hill to crowds singing His praises, hailing Him as a King and welcoming Him.

The crowds thought they were worshipping Jesus – but really, there were celebrating their hope that Jesus would freedom from Roman rule. When He failed to deliver what they wanted, their worship switched to cries of ‘crucify Him.’

As you journey toward Resurrection Life, ask Holy Spirit to reveal:

Good things you desire that you might mistake for worship of Jesus.

Anything you prefer to the presence of God.

How unmet expectations and unfair trials bring eternal blessings.