"Easter: Day 5" for Thursday, 29 March 2018 - goTandem
"Easter: Day 5 - Passover"Passover. It's a feast held yearly to commemorate the time that God spared his people. It's a celebration, but a somber one. And the sign that caused God to save his people was the blood of a spotless lamb on their door post. And here we sit, with Jesus sitting at the table with his disciples, whose feet he just washed, ready to celebrate the Passover. The spotless lamb, preparing to spill his blood so that we who accept it may be passed over by God's judgment.
After the meal, Jesus takes his disciples up to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and prepare himself for what's to come. And his prayers are unique. They're human and heartfelt. They sound a lot like prayers we would offer. Well, mostly like prayers we would offer. Jesus was not excited about the cross, and I don't think it was because of the excruciating pain he was about to endure. I think it had more to do with the separation from God the Father. This was something that God himself wanted to avoid, yet it's something for which he remained faithful.
And then we go to his disciples who are there to support him, but so human and weak that they can't stay awake and pray with him. Jesus comes back time after time asking them to stay vigilant. To be there for him, but they can offer nothing.
Nothing until Judas shows up. And he comes boldly with armed guards at his back. Judas has made his choice. He can't turn back. The betrayal is happening now. And his betrayal comes in perhaps the worst way possible. It comes by way of kiss. Judas arranges for the authorities to arrest the man whom he greets with a kiss. And that man is Jesus.
This is the turning point in our story. This is where everything comes to a head. Jesus, the one who was paraded through the city just days before is going to go through humiliation and in less than 24 hours will be dead by the decree of Rome. And by that time he will have been abandoned by his friends, beat until unrecognizable, humiliated, and forsaken by God. These are the things we will explore tomorrow.
The Holy Holidays - goTandemEvery time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again. (1 Corinthians 11:26)Why is this needed?
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"Patiently Waiting"
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. (Romans 15:4)
Why does learning from the Scriptures encourage us?
We usually have to wait on what we hope for. How does waiting affect hope?
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Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. (Romans 15:4)
Why does learning from the Scriptures encourage us?
We usually have to wait on what we hope for. How does waiting affect hope?
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