The week before Easter is the most meaningful week of the year for me. Everything that I believe in as a Christian hinges on the events of this week. The week begins with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Our minister, Jim Miller, painted a compelling visual of the events that surrounded that day.
The Israelites had been anticipating the coming of the Messiah. Jesus by then was very well known because word had spread of his healing the sick and preaching with authority. By the time he got to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, people were very excited to see him. People were expecting to be freed from the Roman rule. Jesus came riding into town on a donkey, not a white horse. You have to be pretty humble to ride a donkey in your own parade.
Jesus was showing the people what kind of King he would be. By the end of the week, the tide had turned and the crowd started to realize that Jesus was not the kind of king they were looking for. I think it is sometimes easy for us to be judgemental about the people who yelled "crucify him", but the fact was, Jesus knew what had to come next so He could do the ultimate act of love for me and you. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we have all had moments in our life when we have denied God, and crucified Jesus with our words or actions.
How sad that Jesus was betrayed by one of his own disciples (could have been me). Jesus' close friend , Peter, denied knowing Jesus three times (I most likely would have done that). The remainder of the disciples fled in fear (definitely me). John was the only disciple at the cross. John writes about how Jesus' last moments were not filled with anger or regret, but love and forgiveness.
When Jesus takes his last breath, the sky grows dark and there was an earthquake. Even the earth was in mourning. I can only imagine how Jesus' followers felt that day. This was not the way it was suppose to happen! All their hopes for the future were gone! What is God doing?
Isaiah 53:5,6 He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes, I was healed.
That is the beauty of this story. God knew exactly what He was doing; and what He does next is so marvelous and powerful, nobody on earth could have scripted it like God.
To Be Continued,
Sandy
