The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Friday, 3 April 2015 - "The earth, and the Romans, shuddered as Jesus died"

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Friday, 3 April 2015 - "The earth, and the Romans, shuddered as Jesus died"
Daily Scripture: Matthew 27:27 The governor’s soldiers took Yeshua into the headquarters building, and the whole battalion gathered around him. 28 They stripped off his clothes and put on him a scarlet robe, 29 wove thorn-branches into a crown and put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then they kneeled down in front of him and made fun of him: “Hail to the King of the Jews!” 30 They spit on him and used the stick to beat him about the head. 31 When they had finished ridiculing him, they took off the robe, put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be nailed to the execution-stake.

45 From noon until three o’clock in the afternoon, all the Land was covered with darkness. 46 At about three, Yeshua uttered a loud cry, “Eli! Eli! L’mah sh’vaktani? (My God! My God! Why have you deserted me?)”[a] 47 On hearing this, some of the bystanders said, “He’s calling for Eliyahu.” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, soaked it in vinegar, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink.[b] 49 The rest said, “Wait! Let’s see if Eliyahu comes and rescues him.” 50 But Yeshua, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.

51 At that moment the parokhet in the Temple was ripped in two from top to bottom; and there was an earthquake, with rocks splitting apart. 52 Also the graves were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life; 53 and after Yeshua rose, they came out of the graves and went into the holy city, where many people saw them. 54 When the Roman officer and those with him who were keeping watch over Yeshua saw the earthquake and what was happening, they were awestruck and said, “He really was a son of God.”[Footnotes:

Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:2(1)

Matthew 27:48 Psalm 69:22(21)]

Reflection Questions:   Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1—the desolate first words of a psalm of lament. Scholars debate this, but it seems likely that Jesus knew and focused on the reality that, despite its anguished beginning, the psalm ended in victory and vindication. Still, that first “good Friday” was a dark, dark day, not just physically but spiritually. Someone said it was as if the earth itself could not bear to look on the awful scene. The Temple curtain divided the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, the place of God’s presence (Exodus 26:31-33). Only the high priest could ever enter the Most Holy Place, but now it stood open. Meditate in prayer on the torn curtain’s import: there’s no longer any barrier between God and you. What barriers still feel like they cut you off from God? Ask Jesus for the same power that tore the curtain to help you break through your barriers. Jesus asked, as we do, “Why?” Scholar William Barclay said, “We see Jesus plumbing the uttermost depths of the human situation, so that there might be no place we might go where he has not been before.” When have you felt pain that made you cry out “Why?” How can it give you strength to know Jesus has been there before you? Today's Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came to draw the poison out of all the evil and hatred in the world —and your death did that. And you came to offer me forgiveness, newness of life, and a transforming sense of purpose. Keep my heart open, and make that a reality, too. Amen. Insights from Phil Antilla Phil Antilla serves as the program director for Young Adult and College Ministry: www.cor.org/ya If you are like me, sometimes days all mesh together, and before you realize it a whole week has gone by! So today, I am pausing to recognize that it is a Holy Day. It is Good Friday, the day when we remember how Christ suffered and died on a cross for the sins of the whole world. I pause to remember Good Friday because I want to prepare myself for Easter. On Easter, we celebrate that Christ defeated death, and was resurrected from the grave. Even more, we celebrate that since Christ died for us on the cross, we too will be resurrected with Christ. But, we are not there yet. Today is the day that Christ dies. On Good Friday we remember the many ways that Christ continues to die for our sins. In order to receive the fullness of new life we celebrate on Easter Sunday, I must confront the ways that I continually and stubbornly rebel against God. Christ has done nothing but love me, and yet, as the song “Come Thou Fount” says, I am “prone to leave the God I love.” So on this Good Friday, allow yourself to pause for just a moment, and look atthe image of Jesus hanging on the cross. Recognize that on this cross is not just Jesus, but all of your sin, past and present. Look at the cross and see that your infidelity has also been put to death. Look closer and see that your bitterness and cynicism have been crucified with Christ. Remember that all of your doubts and weakness were with Christ in the moment that he too cried out to God, “Why have you forsaken me?” I am always astounded at the amount of chaos that led up to the death of Jesus. Everything happens so quickly. One moment Jesus is having dinner with his friends, and the next moment he is being betrayed, arrested, beaten, mocked, and crucified. It’s as if the sins of the whole world continue to swell — higher and higher, louder and louder, until, with his last breath, Christ cries out “Enough! It is finished!” And in that moment, the sins of the whole world die on the cross with Christ. Maybe some days you too feel like things are swirling out of control, just getting worse and worse, louder and louder. You may feel that some sins in your life still have control, or that things will never change. Today, remember that Christ has already said, “It is finished.” On Good Friday, not only does Christ die, but so do your sins. They are finished, and new life is on the way. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection 13720 Roe Avenue Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States 913.897.0120 ____________________________