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Tag Archives: Lent

||40days|| week seven: Jesus Died

29 Mar

Jesus walked into Jerusalem hailed as a king. Within a few days, the crowd was calling for His execution: “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” (John 19:15).

A thorny crown fiercely adorned His kingly head (19:2). Purple robes signaled His royalty as soldiers spit on Him, slapped Him and mocked Him (19:3). But the only throne given to this King was a rough and brutal wooden cross (19:18). They raised Him up on it for all the world to see. A sign saying “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” displayed His identity in mocking irony (19:19).

Weak and pitiful, naked and bloody, thirsty and Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on March 29, 2013 in Discipleship

 

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||40days|| week seven: Jesus Was Accused

28 Mar

Even though He taught God’s truth and healed many people, Jesus was arrested. Clearly, He said some revolutionary things and acted in some startling ways – like pushing things around in the Temple – but His arrest was part of a plot concocted by religious leaders.

He was shuffled from Annas, the former high priest, to Caiphas, the current high priest, to Pilate, the Roman governor, and pushed around in between (John 18:19, 24, 28). Religious authorities tried to reign Him in. Political authorities tried to wield power over Him. Like a common criminal, the King of the nations was mistreated.

Then Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on March 28, 2013 in Discipleship

 

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||40days|| week seven: Jesus Prayed

27 Mar

Before His arrest, Jesus gathered with His closest followers. After teaching them, He knew what was to come and so He prayed (John 17).

He prayed that God would be glorified through Him.

He thanked His Father for the privilege of unfolding the Father’s will in showing Himself to these closest followers. He prayed that they would have the full measure of His joy. He prayed that these followers would not be removed from the troubles of this world, but that they would be protected from the evil one. He prayed that they would be sanctified as He sent them into the world.

He prayed for those who would become followers of Him through these first followers’ proclamation. He prayed for unity within His followers, just as He and the Father experienced perfect unity. He prayed that the world would believe through the unity of the followers to come. He prayed that the love of God would fill them. Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on March 27, 2013 in Discipleship

 

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||40days|| week seven: Jesus Knew

26 Mar

When Jesus came into Jerusalem, He knew what was to come. He was under no illusions about the hopes of the crowd that greeted Him with shouts of “Hosanna!” and “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13). He knew they would turn on Him when He failed to bring the kingdom they so desired.

He knew that His journey into Jerusalem would lead to some sort of painful end for Him. He was aware that the religious leaders had secretly gathered in order to plot His death. While He may not have known the exact words, He could have guessed at the desires expressed by Caiaphas the high priest: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (11:50).

He predicted with unveiled words that “the hour” had come for Him and that it would be like “a kernel of wheat Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on March 26, 2013 in Discipleship

 

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||40days|| week seven: Jesus

25 Mar

This ||40days|| journey culminates this week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The journey brings us completely into focus on Jesus: His entry into Jerusalem, His preparations, His arrest, His death, and His resurrection.

And so, we enter into the pathways Jesus took this week. We come again with wonder and awe to what is often called Holy Week to experience once again evil’s impact and God’s grace.

We are walking with Jesus this week. We are seeing what He sees. We are listening to what He hears. We are experiencing again the horror of the cross, the finality of the grave, and the wonder of resurrection.

Ask God to help you to encounter Christ’s journey to the cross and resurrection with power this.

 
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Posted by on March 25, 2013 in Discipleship

 

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