Following Jesus

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

The Road to JERUSALEM

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.

“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

SUNDAY: Who is This?

The great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (John 12:12-13)

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 20:10-11)

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40)

MONDAY: House of Prayer

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:12-13)

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

TUESDAY: Faith & Figs

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:18-22)

The Plot THICKENS

Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him 30 silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” (Matthew 26:14-16)

1.What on earth is going on here? Why did Judas and the religious leaders want to kill “humble” and “gentle” Jesus? 2.What lessons can we learn from this?

Tomorrow: LAST SUPPER

(1)you had all the power in the universe; (2)your betrayer was sitting right there at the table with you; (3)he would turn you in for 30 measly silver coins to the religious leaders who would falsely convict you in a mockery of a travesty of a sham of a trial; and (4)you would be tortured, spat on, publicly humiliated and then crucified by the Romans... What would YOU do? Here’s what Jesus did...

4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

Why did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet?

Friday: THE CROSS

 Forgiveness. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)  Salvation. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43)  Compassion. "Dear woman, here is your son," and to John, "Here is your mother." (John 19:26-27)

 Forsaken. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:45-46)  Thirst. "I am thirsty." (John 19:28)  Finished. “It is finished." (John 19:30)  Surrender. "Father into your hands I commit my spirit“ (Luke 23:46)

Saturday: Surely he was the SON OF GOD!

 "Darkness came over all the land" from approximately noon until 3:00 p.m. as Jesus hung on the cross (Matthew 27:45)  At the exact moment of Jesus' death, a huge curtain in the temple measuring approximately 60 feet high and 4 inches thick was "torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51)  There were also reports of earthquakes and rocks splitting at the exact moment of Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51)  Stranger yet, witnesses reported that "the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life" and "came out of the tombs" (Matthew 27:52-53)  Even Jesus' executioners appeared to be affected by the strange events. One centurion reportedly exclaimed: "Surely he was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:54)

Sunday: JESUS IS ALIVE!

What difference does the resurrection make in YOUR life?