When a person dies, there is a sudden and unsettling stillness that settles into their body. It feels and looks unnatural because there is an utter stillness. Unlike sleep, where the rhythm of breathing usually conveys a peaceful and restorative rest, the stillness of death seems harsh. Jesus died on the cross. His brutalized body …
||40days|| week seven: Jesus Died
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 …
||40days|| week seven: Jesus Was Accused
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, …
||40days|| week seven: Jesus Prayed
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 …
||40days|| week seven: Jesus Knew
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. …
Matthew Erickson 