Growing-up, my parents had me go to Sunday school but I didn't really understand what it all meant until I was 27. :) I can't remember more than 2 of those Sunday school lessons but I do recall the people there who really showed me that they cared for me. To me, they showed me the Bible. Especially having endured a painful divorce (my parents). I thank my Grandma for praying for my sis, brother and I b/c her faith and love really helped my heart to know God was there with me all along through those hard times. He has been since. Even when I choose my own way at times, His love doesn't change... It's a life-long journey of learning to trust Him with my whole heart. He's so worthy of that trust but it's against the grain of my old programming. That's what makes His Grace (in the Greek: "Unmerited/unearned favor)."
Here is a lil devotional to help us all think upon this week... What had happend and how those historical events continue on.
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday. I wasn't sure exactly what Palm Sunday was and thus did some research and reading. More than 300 prophecies given by God in the Old Testament were fullfilled by Jesus. Isn't that amazing! All were done to reveal Himself to us and to show significance through each fullfillment. Here are some regarding Palm Sunday through Easter...
Most of the Gospel Books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) , they tell of the Passover and Jesus riding into Jeruselum. Here is one from my favorite Gospel, John 12:12-19:
12 The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13 took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,
“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
15 “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.
Look, your King is coming,
riding on a donkey’s colt.”
16 His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
17 Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others[j] about it. 18 That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”
Here is a verse from the Old Testament:
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you;He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey,Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Some questions I had when preparing a lesson my some kiddos were, "Why Palms?," "Why a donkey?," and "What does 'hosanna' actually mean?"
The Palm branch represented victory, the donkey symbolized peacefuly intentions, and Hosanna means, "Save now." Given the context of history the Israelites and the rule over them by the Romans, this event was deeply important... They wanted freedom from oppression and victory. What God/Jesus had planned was indeed victory and freedom... Yet, it was in a much more profound impact. Freedom and victory over sin/selfishness and a way to have eternal life with Him/Them always.
After Palm Sunday and into the Passover:
Matthew 26:2
" You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man/Jesus is to be handed over for crucifixion." - Jesus
John 19:16-36
The Crucifixion
So they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). 18 There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19 And Pilate posted a sign over him that read, “Jesus of Nazareth,[d] the King of the Jews.” 20 The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.
21 Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”
22 Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice[e] for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.”[f] So that is what they did.
25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
The Death of Jesus
28 Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
31 It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). ***So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus.***
33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they ***didn’t break his legs.*** 34 One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35 (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) 36 These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and “They will look on the one they pierced.”
Matthew 27:35 - ***And when they had crucified Him, (A)they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots.***
Matthew 27:41-43 (New American Standard Bible)
41In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,
42"(A)He saved others; He cannot save Himself (B)He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
43"(C)HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'
Here are the OT verses that were fullfilled by Christ:
***Matthew 26:52-54 (New American Standard Bible)
52Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for (A)all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
53"Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve [a](B)legions of angels?
54"How then will (D)the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"
Psalm 22
14 My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax,
melting within me.
16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dice for my clothing
Isaiah 53:12 (Old Testament/Covenant)
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,And He will divide the booty with the strong;Because He poured out Himself to death,And was numbered with the transgressors;Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,And interceded for the transgressors.
1 Peter 2:24 (New Testament/Covenant)
"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
The Burial of Jesus (Luke 23)
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation,[l] as the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.
The Resurrection (Luke 24)
1 But very early on Sunday morning[m] the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man[n] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
8 Then they remembered that He had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.
41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,[r] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.
49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
The Ascension
50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.[s] 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
***Colossians 1:19-22 (New Living Translation)
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
***Ephesians 2:7-9 (New Living Translation)
7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
***Galatians 5:1
[ Walk by the Spirit ] It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (slavery to our selfishness, old wounds, mistakes, guilt, etc)
I hope that these blessed you as much as they have me... The truth is that we love b/c He first loved us (John 4). It is so easy to miss or dismiss due to the distractions of life or the pain that others have caused us...or we ourselves. Yet, the God I've grown to know is so good and His love isn't what we usually see from those around us. My encouragement is to do what I had done when in huge pits- ask God to show Himself to you...to know Who Jesus is. Ask... as He'll answer you in ways that you'll know are Him. He's good. Research, seek, ask...
Love you all...
Meridith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJpeylRl68o
Luke 22 share the sequence of events in a comprehensive way:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2022&version=ESV
God's love story lived out and still unfolding:
http://www.godonthe.net/evidence/messiah.htm
Pass It On
12 years ago
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