A JOURNEY WITH JESUS THROUGH PASSION WEEK

 (Mark 15:1-47; 1 Peter 2:13-25)

On this day, Jesus was publicly humiliated as He stood trial for crimes He never committed. He endured accusations, ridicule, insults and torture. Jesus, being innocent of all charges against Him, was condemned to a horrific death on this dark day. But Jesus was no ordinary man. He was the Son of God, who took our place on the cross, so that our fellowship with God would be restored. The blood that Jesus shed cleansed us and set us free from all our sins… past, present and future. The sacrifice He made gave us freedom from eternal damnation. He died for our good. As a result, we can live in righteousness, healed by the wounds He bore for us.

• All of us deserve the penalty of death “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) But we were spared from this penalty because Jesus took our place on the cross. Reflect on what He has done for you. Give thanks for His unconditional and sacrificial love.
• The passage in 1 Peter reminds us that what Christ suffered for us was to be our example, so that we might die to sin and follow in His footsteps. He submitted to the will of the Father. Are you submissive, even when you are treated unfairly? Are you willing to sacrifice, even if it means you need to deny yourself so that others might benefit?

A JOURNEY WITH JESUS THROUGH PASSION WEEK

(Mark 14:12-72; Hebrews 5:7-10)

On this day, Jesus and His disciples shared the Passover meal together. It was the first communion. After dinner, they went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray, but the disciples could not stay awake. Once Jesus’ time of prayer was over, Judas Iscariot carried out the betrayal. Jesus was arrested. Standing before His accusers and the high priest, Jesus endured false testimonies of wrongdoing, but He said nothing to defend Himself. Jesus understood the fate that God had prepared for Him, and He was obedient to the Father’s will. Sadly, all of his supporters and followers had scattered. None stood by to defend him. Even Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, just as Jesus prophesied.

• Peter loved Jesus and yet, Peter failed. He denied knowing Jesus, denied being one of His followers. Peter said he would never deny knowing Jesus. It must have shocked Peter himself when he heard the rooster crow after the third denial. Imagine the shame Peter felt, the guilt that overwhelmed him. He had betrayed his Lord, his Friend. Often, our actions speak louder than our words. We say we want to live for Jesus, and yet there are things we do that cause us to “blend in” with the world rather than distinguish ourselves as followers of Christ. Are there things you have done that you regret? Have your actions shamed Jesus in any way? Confess before Him now. He will forgive you, just as He forgave Peter.
• The passage in Hebrews 5 tells us that when Jesus prayed, He asked God to deliver Him from death. The amazing thing is that in v. 8, we discover that Jesus “learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” Jesus had to learn to obey and submit to the Father’s will in order for Him to die on the cross for all of us. Obedience is not always easy. It may require suffering. It may mean enduring hardship. What challenges are you facing at this time? Talk to God about it. Ask Him for strength to endure. Learn obedience in the circumstances you are in.

A JOURNEY WITH JESUS THROUGH PASSION WEEK

(Mark 14:1-11; Philippians 2:5-13)

On this day, Jesus spent time with friends in Bethany. The night before, at a dinner gathering hosted by these friends, a woman brought an alabaster vial of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head. Those who saw this thought it was a waste and scolded her. But Jesus, knowing that He would be facing death on the cross just a few days later, praised the woman for this generous act of love and devotion. At this same gathering, Judas Iscariot made the decision to betray Jesus. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, yet He did nothing to stop this betrayal. For it was His ultimate fate to die on the cross for the sins of the world, an unselfish act of love for all of us.

• The woman who broke the alabaster vial for Jesus was bold in declaring her love for the Lord. She lavished Him with worship using this jar of perfume. How lavish is your worship of Jesus? What is holding you back from freely worshiping Him? Spend some time worshiping Him now.
• Jesus was determined to be obedient to the will of His father, even if it meant death. Is there something that God wants you to do that you have not followed through with? Confess this to Him now. Ask for His help. He is faithful and will give you the courage to do what you need to do.

A JOURNEY WITH JESUS THROUGH PASSION WEEK

(Mark 11:20-24; Mark 13:1-13)

On this day, Jesus spoke with His disciples about faith. The fig tree that He cursed the day before was withered at the roots, no longer able to produce fruit, thus fulfilling what Jesus had pronounced upon it. He used this incident to teach the disciples to have faith in God… to believe that God can answer any request they asked of Him. Later that day, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus spoke of the things to come… a time of war and strife, a time when many would rise to speak false things in the name of Jesus, a time when believers would be persecuted for their faith. Jesus encouraged the disciples to be faithful to endure to the end, trusting God to give them what they needed to persevere.

• Do you believe that God answers your prayers? It may not always be the way that you want Him to, but He does answer with what He thinks is best for the circumstances and situations you pray for. Ask God to give you more faith as you pray to Him.
• The passage in Mark 13 speaks of what is happening in our world today. Wars and heinous acts of violence are occurring in many places. Christians are increasingly being persecuted, even martyred for their faith. The level of persecution is rising even here in the United States. What will you do if you are asked to suppress, or even renounce your faith in God? Will you be faithful to Him?