Soli Deo Gloria

April 20, 2019

Easter 2019: SATURDAY

Events: Religious Leaders Secure Roman Guards and a Seal for the Tomb – Disciples Celebrate Sabbath – Christ’s Body in the Tomb

Saturday is described as the “dark night of the soul” for the disciples. While the Sabbath was traditionally a festive family day, this Sabbath would have fallen like a stone on the hearts of the disciples.

Nothing could have been more tragic to them than to have their Lord, Master and friend brutally put to death. This stunning loss was only compounded by the bleak future that lay before them as all Messianic hopes had been dashed by the three nails that pierced Him. The 11 remaining disciples had secured themselves in a home, fearing that they would be next on the Sanhedrin’s hit list. The women on the other hand, seemed to think of nothing else than to properly prepare the body of Jesus for burial. They had purchased all the necessary items, and now their hearts chafed against the minutes that were keeping them from getting to the tomb to attend to the One they loved. What they didn’t know was that the dark night of their soul was soon to be met with the glorious light of His resurrection.

Today, consider the deep valleys that God has lifted you from. Remember the low points, the hard times, the insurmountable obstacles that He has overcome through His resurrection and give Him all the praise.

Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56.

April 19, 2019

Easter 2019: FRIDAY

Events: Jesus Led to Annas and Caiaphas – Jesus Mocked by the Religious Leaders – Jesus Denied by Peter – Jesus Led to Pilate – Jesus Taken to Herod – Pilate Offers Barabbas – Religious Leaders Demand Crucifixion – Jesus Scourged – The Robe, the Reed, and the Crown of Thorns – Simon the Cyrene Carries the Cross – Christ Crucified with Two Thieves – The Seven Sayings of the Cross – Jesus Commits His Spirit to the Father – The Earthquake, the Eclipse, the Torn Veil – Jesus Taken from the Cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – Buried in the Tomb as the Women Watch

There were many times when the religious leaders attempted to kill Jesus, but He said in those moments, “My hour has not yet come.” The hour, had now come for Christ to suffer for the sins of not only Israel, but of the world (1 John 2:2). This day for Him, was filled with mockery and violence. Jesus was falsely accused before the Sanhedrin and beaten by the religious leaders.

The Roman government had stripped the Jews of the right to exercise capital punishment, so Jesus was led to Pilate where the religious leaders demanded that He be crucified. Ultimately, Pilate caved to the request and Jesus, after being scourged, was sent to Calvary where He would suffer the most excruciating form of death, crucifixion.

The Bible says in Romans 8:32, “God did not spare His own Son, but He delivered Him up for us all.” This is God’s love, that He gave His own Son to suffer in our place. All we like sheep have gone astray, each to his own way, but the Lord laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. It was the chastisement for our sins that was put upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53). Free and forgiven! No longer slaves of fear, but children of the Living God! All because of Jesus!

Meditate prayerfully on all that He endured for you, and all because of His great love for you. Nothing can separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus!

Friday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:57-75; 27:1-62, Mark 14:53-72; 15:1-47, Luke 22:54-23:56, and John 18:12-19:37.

April 18, 2019

Easter 2019: THURSDAY

Events: Disciples Prepare for the Passover – Jesus Washes His Disciples Feet – Passover Feast – Judas Departs to Betray Jesus - Holy Communion Instituted – Promise of the Holy Spirit - High Priestly Prayer – Jesus Takes His Disciples to Gethsemane to Pray – Jesus Betrayed by Judas and Led to Annas/Caiaphas (late Thursday night or early Friday morning)

All of Jerusalem was focused now on the celebration of the Passover feast, commemorating God’s faithful deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Jesus had directed Peter and John to secure a room in the Upper City, not only to celebrate the Passover, but to declare that it was fulfilled in Him. Three years earlier, John the Baptist had alluded to this when he, by the Spirit, declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

On this somber and reflective evening before the crucifixion, Jesus once again served others, taking up the lowest position of a servant and washing the feet of His disciples. Halfway through the meal, Jesus broke the bread and declared, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19) And then He took the cup of redemption and proclaimed to His disciples, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:20). John reflecting on this evening declared of Jesus, “Having loved His disciples, He loved them to the end.”

In these final moments, it was the love of Jesus that poured through each and every act. Jesus wasn’t an unwilling participant in the events that would follow. It was the ultimate demonstration of His love for people, His love for you. Choose to see His love through each and every thing He has done for you. Spend a moment today, reflecting on the many ways He has loved you, the greatest of all being the sacrifice He made on Friday. Receive His love, and rejoice in it. Be specific as you thank Him for all that He has done for you.

Thursday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13-18:1-23

April 17, 2019

Easter 2019: WEDNESDAY

No Recorded Events

There are no recorded events in the life of Christ, on this Wednesday before Passover. While this doesn’t mean that there weren’t things that Jesus and His disciples did, the Scripture is silent for a reason. Most commentators and Bible scholars call this, Jesus’ sabbath before His sacrifice. In other words, it was His day of rest and preparation for the coming Passover and sacrifice He would make. Ultimately, for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus declared that He always did those things that pleased the Father. He spent time daily with the Father, often early in the morning before any of the disciples were awake. We can only imagine that this was some of the deepest time of intimacy between Him and the Father during His earthly ministry.

Take this day to pursue a time of solitude with your Heavenly Father. Be intentional about turning off the daily distractions, setting your mind on Jesus and all that He did for you on the cross. May God enlarge our hearts so that they can be filled with more of His love.

John 15:13,

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Mark 1:35,

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

April 16, 2019

Easter 2019: TUESDAY

Events: Olivet Discourse - Withered Fig Tree - Teaching and Healing on the Temple Mount - Judas Negotiates His Betrayal

Tuesday of Passion Week began with a journey from Bethany to Jerusalem. As the disciples passed by the fig tree that Jesus had cursed on Monday, they were amazed to see it had withered from its roots. Jesus spent most of the day teaching and healing people on the Temple Mount. It was there that the Herodians, Pharisees, and the Sadducees did their best to undercut His authority. They interrogated and questioned Him, but Christ’s response was so strong, the Bible says, that they dared not question Him anymore.

As Jesus sat across from the treasury, He watched people give their tithes and offerings. Some made great fanfare when they gave, but there was a widow who gave from her need, both humbly and simply. Jesus remarked to His disciples that she had given more than all who had gone before her. As the day wrapped up, the disciples declared the glory of the Temple, which represented God’s permanent presence and favor to the Jewish people. But Jesus astonished them by indicating that the Temple would be completely destroyed.

He then took His disciples across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives, giving them a discourse on events that would happen before His Second Coming. The Jewish people had placed their hope in a religious system symbolized by their glorious Temple. Jesus offered a new way to God, through faith in His cross and resurrection. Just as He had said to the Samaritan woman, that how a person worships is more important than where they worship, He was now teaching His disciples that systems of religion don’t save.

Trust in Jesus alone today! Ask Him to lead you to a deeper dependence upon Him, and to rid you of any reliance on religious systems or personal works.

Tuesday’s events are recorded in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

April 15, 2019

Easter 2019: MONDAY

Events: The Cleansing of the Temple – The Cursing of the Fig Tree

According to Exodus 12 the Passover Lamb was selected on the first day of the week (Sunday) by the father of each household. According to Moses’s instruction, the blood would be sprinkled on the doorpost and lintel, and the angel of destruction would see the blood of the sacrifice and judgement would pass over that home. In preparation for that event, each household would be purged of leaven, leaven being a symbol of sin. The hearts of God’s people needed to be spiritually aligned with what God was going to do.

Over 1300 years later, on the Sunday of Passion Week, at the Triumphal Entry, God the Father affirmed Jesus His Son as His Lamb that would be sacrificed for the sins of the world. On Monday, the following day, Jesus cleansed the house of God from the leaven of the religious leaders and He cursed the fig tree symbolically judging the false fruits of their religiosity and lack of real relationship with God.

As we begin to lean into this Passion Week, let’s reaffirm our faith and dependence upon God’s Lamb that was slain for us. Let’s begin that journey with sincere repentance asking God to cleanse us from our sin (known and unknown) and lead us into a deeper experience of the cross of Christ and His resurrection.

Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48.

December 5, 2018

Three Reasons Strong Partnerships Make Flourishing Ministries

In my last article, I discussed two key components for successful church planting: prioritizing and preparing. By prioritizing, I meant establishing “church planting” in the DNA of your church’s mission. By preparing, I meant sending out church planters and team members that are fully equipped. In this article, I want to address the third component of pastoring a church that plants churches. That third component is partnerships.

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Soli Deo Gloria

All the glory to God alone