C HURC H AT THE CROSS
Holy Week Guide 2017
APRIL 9
Palm Sunday
M A T T H E W 2 1 : 1 - 11
1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then
Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately
you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone
says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4
This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt
and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the
road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that
went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the
prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
After three and a half years of public ministry, Jesus’ time on earth is drawing
to a close as we join this passage in Matthew 21. Jesus instructs a couple of His disciples to go ahead of Him and procure a donkey’s colt that He might enter Jerusalem one last time. This act will fulfill yet another Old Testament prophecy of his
identity as Messiah! Zechariah 9:9 (ESV) declares:
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Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
Righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Jesus, the eternal King of Kings, enters Jerusalem on a lowly colt of a donkey.
The mule was the typical royal standard to demonstrate power and prestige. A colt
communicated humility and lowliness. And yet, this King possesses righteousness
and salvation! In reality, His lordship could not be more exalted. In the accompanying passage of the triumphal entry in Luke 19, Jesus says that if His disciples
didn’t cry out, the rocks would! While the means of His entry might be humble,
the eternal nature of His entry could not be more majestic!
As Jesus enters, His followers and those around begin to declare the praises of
this humble King. They break out into chorus by chanting refrains from Psalm
118:25-26, a psalm that declared praises to God for His victories over the Gentile
armies through the Davidic king. This gives us insight into the people’s thoughts
concerning Jesus’ mission. While Jesus was fully cognizant and determined to fulfill His mission of self-sacrifice as eternal Savior, the people of His day were hopeful and determined that He be their military savior and topple the Romans. Considering this, it is no wonder that merely four days later, many in this crowd would
actually endorse Jesus’ crucifixion at the hands of the Romans! If he wasn’t able to
meet their expectations, they had little use for him!
APPLICATION
How do unrealized expectations of God affect our own relationship with Him?
How do those seasons of life when things don’t seem to transpire in the manner
we hoped or planned influence our faith in Jesus? How does the reality of the
Cross affect this?
2
Paul says in Romans 6:4 that we were buried with Christ that we “might walk
in newness of life.” This imagery of burial (death) in Christ and newness of life in
Him should challenge us to realize that our lives are no longer our own. Therefore, we live BY FAITH as those who know that our lives are now united to Christ
and His mission. Consequently, we submit to His sovereign will and rest in the
truth that we are His son or His daughter. This unity with Christ should banish
our need for expectations. We rest in the goodness of our Father and the sacrifice
of our Savior.
PRAYER
Holy, Holy, Holy God…we join with those who sang your praises as you entered into Jerusalem one last time! Oh how we wonder at the reality that you willingly entered the city with full clarity that it would lead to the cross!
And now, Father, we ask that you might so unite us with your Son, Jesus, that
our need for expectation would be banished. Would you empower us by your
Spirit to rest in the security that we are now your son or your daughter and you
are our heavenly Father? Amen.
3
FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Palm Sunday
THINK
Have you ever been to a parade? Crowds of happy people line the streets anxiously waiting to see what colorful float will pass by next. Marching bands play
loud festive music and step in unison as their shiny instruments glisten in the sun.
Big balloons in the shape of cartoon characters float above the heads of the
crowds. And then there are the funny clowns cartwheeling down the street acting
silly and joking with the audience. Men, women, and children wave, applaud, and
cheer with enthusiastic approval of each person as they parade through town.
What a fun and exciting event!
READ Matthew 21:1-11
1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then
Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately
you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone
says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4
This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt
and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the
road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that
went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusa4
lem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the
prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Here we read about another parade. And while this particular parade was very
different than the parades we think about today, one thing is the same: the people.
The crowds of people were excited and happy, waving and cheering with great approval as Jesus rode down the streets of Jerusalem on a donkey. They even laid
down palm branches in the street for the donkey to step on. It was an act to show
honor and to welcome a great leader. It was as if the people were saying, “You are
the king we have been waiting for!” But Jesus is more important than any earthly
king and He wasn’t coming this day to claim His kingdom. And while this day was
special, it was not the best day ever. God’s plan is greater…and the best was yet to
come!
SAY
“Dear God, I praise you for your great plan. Thank you for sending Jesus to be
our King of Kings. Amen.”
DO
Write down three ways you are going to honor Jesus this week and share it with
your family.
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A P R I L 10
Monday
M A T T H E W 21 : 12 - 2 0
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to
them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But
when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to
him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” 17 And leaving
them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. 18 In the morning, as he was returning
to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig
tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree
wither at once?”
Upon entering the city of Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple only to find it a
place of commerce rather than worship. He immediately condemned the actions
of those who had defiled His Father’s house and put an end to their wicked ways.
Jesus overturned the money-changers’ tables and the seats of those who made the
temple just one more venue to make a profit. Echoing the words of Old Testament
prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, Jesus said, “My house shall be called a house of
prayer” and “you have made it a den of robbers.” (v. 13) While his actions on the
surface were angry in nature, this was an act of love. He didn’t merely condemn
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their practice and leave. We see in the very next verse how he remained in the
temple and healed those in need. Jesus aimed to reform the people’s reverence for
our holy God. Without the proper attitude of reverence and worship, the people
would never be able to relate to their God.
As Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem the next morning, they came
across a fig tree. In a manner that truly baffled those with him, Jesus cursed the
tree without any apparent provocation. However, on the heels of his visit to the
temple the day before, we can gain insight into Jesus’ motivation. Just as the
scribes and chief priests had withered the temple and its effectiveness in worshipping the Father, Jesus withered this tree to demonstrate this reality. What God had
intended to produce fruit in the lives of his people, men had profaned and consequently produced fruitlessness.
APPLICATION
A passage like this calls us into question – have we perhaps profaned the worship of God? Are we so different from the scribes and chief priests? After all, our
own heart is a breeding ground for idolatry, substituting the one mediator – Jesus
for a lesser good, a lesser object. The cleansing of the temple is a reminder that Jesus is our temple, that we come to God through no other means than him, and
that we must, in faith, expect him to supply our every need.
Expectancy has everything to do with faith. John Calvin said, “To have faith in
God means, to expect, and to be fully assured of obtaining from God whatever we
need.” If we are to worship God truly, we must go through our temple, through
our mediator, Jesus. And when we’ve come to God through Jesus, we must ask and
expect his good reply.
PRAYER
Father God, I confess my propensity to act as the scribes and chief priests did,
and I repent of profaning your temple, your Son Jesus Christ by clinging to lesser
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things. Fill my heart with love for my neighbor and make me love you more.
Amen.
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Monday
THINK
Has your room ever been so messy that you can’t see the floor? Think about a
time when your room was the messiest it has ever been. Your toys, books, clothes,
and other things were everywhere! In fact, it may have been so messy that you
couldn’t even find your bed! You probably began to feel frustrated and maybe
even a little angry because you couldn’t find your favorite toy, or something you
needed because of the mess. Finally, the stinky smell and probably some strong encouragement from your mom or dad, provided the motivation you needed to get
busy cleaning it up.
READ Matthew 21:12-20
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to
them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But
when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to
him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” 17 And leaving
them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. 18 In the morning, as he was returning
to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig
tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree
wither at once?”
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SAY
“Dear God, thank you for creating me to be your temple. Please help me to
make choices that are true and right. Amen.”
DO
Help your mom or dad clean up the house this week. As you clean, think
about sin in your life. Tell God that you’re sorry and ask for His forgiveness.
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A P R I L 11
Tuesday
M AT T H E W 2 2 : 15 - 2 2
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their
disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach
the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by
appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18
But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the
coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness
and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to
Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard
it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.
On this day of Holy Week, Jesus was teaching in the temple and a group of
Jewish leaders approached him to continue their attempts to “entangle him in his
words” and end his impact among “their” people. They asked, “Is it lawful to pay
taxes to Caesar…?” A precisely calculated question and one that the leaders were
sure was going to finally rid them of this “blasphemous” menace. In those days
the Pharisees had vilified the ruling authority and taught the people, through oral
tradition, that it was “sinful” to give them any respect at all, even paying taxes.
These leaders didn’t really care how Jesus answered. If he said yes, he would lose
favor among the people and his influence would be shattered. If he said no, then
he would be arrested by the Roman’s for inciting sedition. The Jewish leaders were
sure they were about to see the end of Jesus as a cultural force.
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But Jesus turned the question on its head and left them astonished yet again.
He said, “Bring me a denarius...” Jesus looked and said, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They all knew the coin had a picture of Tiberius Caesar, Emperor of Rome. It was his coin, made by his people, used as he allowed and meant
to further his kingdom. Then Jesus said, “…render to Caesar the things that are
Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” A pretty clear cut answer with a
profound meaning. The text goes on to say they marveled at this. Why?
Jesus just avoided an inescapable trap while at the same time weaving in a religious lesson.
Jesus just redefined their understanding of their relationship to the Romans.
But most importantly, Jesus just told them that because Caesar’s image was on
the coin it was rightfully his, therefore they should give it to him. But Jesus took
the answer to a whole new level when he tacked on, “..and to God the things that
are God's”. You see, Jesus was at the temple and was surrounded by faithful Jews
who had sat under the teaching of the religious leaders and knew all too well the
Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the bible and the central concept in the
religious Jewish tradition. By linking image bearing with ownership, Jesus conjured
up thoughts of Genesis 1:26, where God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…”
APPLICATION
Jesus’ teaching here was not simply a political one, but was also a reminder that
God’s image is reflected in the very essence of our being. Do you believe this to be
true? If so, does your life reflect that belief ? We were created by him, we belong
to him and are accountable to him, therefore, we should render unto God what is
rightfully his, nothing less than our whole self.
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PRAYER
Lord, make us a people that fully understand this truth. Through the Spirit’s
leading, show us what you would have us do with the life that you have given us
and how we may reflect your image in a way that brings you honor and glory.
Lord make it so! Amen.
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Tuesday
THINK
Have you ever been to a museum and seen a beautiful portrait of a person?
The artist has skillfully painted an image that represents what that particular person was like. The painting may have the same color of hair, skin, and eyes. The
artist may have painted the same glasses, jewelry or clothing that the man or
woman wore. But it is not actually that person --- the painting is not living and
cannot speak, think, or breathe. It is just an image that reflects the likeness of a
real person.
READ Matthew 22:15-22
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their
disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach
the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by
appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18
But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the
coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness
and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to
Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard
it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.
Here we read about a time when Jesus wanted people to understand an important truth. The coin that Jesus showed the Pharisees had the image of Caesar, the
king, on it. It wasn’t actually Caesar, it was just a reflection of what he was like.
Jesus was saying that, because the coin had Caesar’s image on it, then it belonged
to Caesar. The Bible says that God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27).
We are not God but we reflect what He is like. Since He created us and we bear
His image, then we belong to Him. Jesus said that we should give to God what belongs to Him --- our lives.
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SAY
“Dear God, thank you for creating me to bear your image and that I belong to
You. Please help me to reflect your love, goodness, and beauty. Amen.”
DO
Cut a heart shape from paper. Write on the heart “I belong to God.” Tape the
heart on your mirror. Each day as you look in the mirror and read the sentence
on the heart, commit to reflecting God’s image to others that day.
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A P R I L 12
Wednesday
MATTHEW 26:1-5
1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two
days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 Then
the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name
was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they
said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
Jesus’ life is swiftly moving to its climax. The time of the Passover feast is a couple of days away. The significance of the timing could not be greater. The Passover was an annual Jewish feast which commemorated their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The original Passover involved the sacrifice of a lamb without spot
or blemish. The blood of the lamb was placed on the door posts and lintels of the
house so that the angel of death (the final plague sent by God on the firstborn of
Egypt) would “pass over” the house. It is at this current feast of Passover that Matthew tells us of the chief priests and scribes seeking to kill Jesus, the Lamb of God.
These were the men who formed the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jewish
people. They were men of education in the Law, respected and revered by the
people. Yet this is the very body plotting to kill Jesus. From near the beginning of
Jesus’ ministry, they had determined He must be done away with. Their plotting
was done in stealth the Scriptures tell us. Evil always seeks to operate behind the
scenes, in the darkness. These men were fearful of how the people would respond
since the crowds flocked to Jesus. Jerusalem was filled with crowds during Passover, almost five times its normal population. No, this had to be accomplished in secret. It must be done after the festival.
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It is interesting to note that at the same time these men were plotting to take
His life, Jesus was telling His disciples that He would be handed over for crucifixion. This reveals the sovereign control of God. Jesus’ life would not be taken. He
would willingly lay it down. It WOULD be during the Passover. Jesus, the Lamb
of God, would be dying in our place just as the Passover lamb would be sacrificed.
Despite the plans and intentions of man, God moves all things according to the
counsel of His will. Matthew also tells us that the means to accomplish this would
be made possible by Judas, one of Jesus’ own disciples.
APPLICATION
What does this mean for us? We are given reassurance that God is in control
of all circumstances – even when what we see indicates the contrary. Even more,
it should give us pause to examine ourselves. How often are we, like these men, reacting based on our selfishness and our preconceived ideas and expectations? How
often are we sure that our understanding and our plans are better? How often do
we reject and oppose what we fear or do not understand? How often do our attitudes blind us to what God wants to do in us and through us? Although we are
quick to point a finger at these men, we are often pointing at ourselves.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we give thanks that You are sovereign and that Jesus willingly
gave His life for us. May we never grow complacent or apathetic to His sacrifice,
forgetting how great the cost was to You. Help us examine ourselves and surrender our preconceived ideas of You and how You will work, relinquishing all of our
very selves to You. Amen.
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Wednesday
THINK
Jesus was God’s perfect Son. He never did anything wrong. He never disobeyed His mom or dad. He never told a lie. He never said mean words or acted
unkind to His friends. When He grew to be a man, Jesus did things only God
could do. He made blind people to see again. He healed sick and crippled people. Jesus cared for all men, women, and children, and He spent His days teaching them about God’s love. Why then, would Jesus, a perfect man, have enemies?
READ Matthew 26:1-5
1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two
days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 Then
the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name
was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they
said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
Here we read that the priests and temple leaders were making plans to have Jesus arrested and killed. The more that people listened to Jesus teaching God’s
words, the more the priests became afraid. They feared that if people began to follow Jesus and His teachings more, then they wouldn’t be following the laws that
the priests were teaching. Regardless of their wicked plans, God’s plan was
greater. His plan included Jesus loving His enemies enough to die for them.
That’s a lot of love!
SAY
“Dear God, thank you for sending your perfect Son to die for all people. Help
me to love others as you love them. Amen”
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DO
With your family, make a list of things to say and do when someone is unkind
to you.
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A P R I L 13
Thursday
MATTHEW 26:26-30
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks
he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit
of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” 30 And when
they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Bread and wine were two common items at Jewish dinner. But this was no ordinary dinner. This was the Passover meal and Jesus was sharing it with his disciples,
his betrayer at the table. This was a meal rich with imagery of a past salvation and
yet pointed to a newer and deeper one. The Passover meal commemorated the
Exodus, God’s miraculous rescue of his people from Egypt. He delivered them out
of slavery and into life and freedom. The Passover lamb was the spotless lamb
which was sacrificed. This sacrificial blood “covered” the trusting and spared them
from the judgment that God was unleashing on Egypt. By trusting in God’s provision and applying the blood over the door post of their homes, God’s judgment
“passed over” them. The Hebrew people were spared and brought safely into
God’s new reality for them.
Jesus tells his disciples that this history was prophetic, pointing to a greater salvation, a new covenant. Jesus is the Lamb of God who would offer his body and
blood to provide a covering for all who would trust Him. He would give his life to
purchase our deliverance from the penalty and power of sin. This is so that we
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might no longer be condemned by it or controlled by it. When the Kingdom of
God comes in its fullness, we will finally be free from all of its corruption.
APPLICATION
This meal was a way for Jesus’ disciples to “taste and see that the Lord is
good,” and to savor the salvation that Christ would win for them. This was the
Last Supper, yet one we reenact each time we receive communion as followers of
Jesus, remembering the salvation He won for us and will complete in us when He
returns. At each mealtime today, take time to consider Jesus dying in your place,
rescuing you from sin, and securing precious promises for you for today and for
eternity.
PRAYER
God, on this Thursday of Holy Week, we remember that “there is therefore
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, ESV). Because of Jesus, we are forgiven and we are free. Just as the disciples went out and
sang a hymn, we lift our voices this day in song and in praise to Christ, our Savior.
Grant this day that we would taste and see that the Lord is good. Banish all doubt
from our hearts. Help us hold fast to the one who loved us and gave himself for us.
Amen.
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Thursday
THINK
Have you ever had a special friend or family member move away? When that
happens, it can make us feel very sad. But his/her friendship and love can still
grow even though that person doesn’t live close by anymore. What are some things
that you could do to remember that person? Photographs, letters/emails, and special gifts are all things that would help you remember that person and the fun and
important things you did together.
READ Matthew 26:26-30
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks
he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit
of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” 30 And when
they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
John 13: 33-34
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the
Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I
give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
In today’s scripture, we read that Jesus and His friends had a special meal together. Jesus wanted His friends to know that he would be going away, but the
meal they shared together would be a reminder of His love for them. Jesus wanted
His followers to know that when they ate bread, they should remember that His
body would be broken for all sins. When they drank wine, Jesus said to remember
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that He would give up His own blood for them. Jesus would have to die as a part
of God’s plan for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus wanted people to know that He was
willing to do this because of His great love for them. He was able to do this because He was God’s perfect Son. Before leaving, Jesus gave some important instructions. He said that we should love one another. When we remember Jesus’ great
love and sacrifice for us, we should willingly share His love with others.
SAY
“Dear God, help me to always remember your great love for us and the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross to forgive my sins. Amen.”
DO
Think of someone you know that needs to know about Jesus’ love. Invite them
to come to church with you on Sunday.
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A P R I L 14
Good Friday
M A T T H E W 2 7: 2 7 - 5 0
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered
the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and
twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And
kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on
him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they
stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to
carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a
Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not
drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting
lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the
charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers
were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided
him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in
three days, save yourself ! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the
chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot
save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe
in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the
Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And
about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that
is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it,
said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it
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with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait,
let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice
and yielded up his spirit.
Jesus was arrested in the wee hours of Good Friday. He endured a series of
harsh and unlawful trials that would extend until dawn. The sleeplessness and agony of the garden had weakened his body. His fatigue was exasperated in anguish
throughout the long day to come. Caiaphas and Annas, the former and current
high priests, prompted false testimony and pronounced their judgment. The Sanhedrin pressured the Pseudo-Jewish King, Herod, and the Roman Governor, Pilate, to crucify the Lord of glory. Throughout the evening and early morning, he
was mocked and beaten both by temple guards and Pilate’s soldiers.
Scourged and exhausted, Jesus struggled to bear his cross. The path outside the
northern gates was very rough. Our Lord passed old quarries formed to build the
city’s walls. The uneven ground led to the top of an ignoble hill resembling a skull.
There, at about 9am, Jesus was nailed to a cross. In stark contrast to the insolence
spewed at the creator, our Lord spoke forgiveness, provision, and encouragement.
He cared for even the lowliest of sinners hanging next to him.
Then something incomprehensible shook the Trinity. The Father, willing our
iniquity to be cast away, laid the multitude of our sins upon the Son and forsook
him. Though Jesus’ words were few, his creation gave testimony to the cosmic calamity. We see how with a weary and supernatural darkness cloaked Jerusalem
from noon until 3pm. In the verses that follow our passage, the ground trembled,
the soldiers cowered, the temple curtain split in two, and graves gave up their dead
as Jesus gave up his spirit. The calls of hosanna that began the week, turned now
to an earthly groan.
APPLICATION
We call this “Good Friday,” and so it is: bitter and good. How desperate were
our circumstances that he could make atonement for us only in this manner? We
have sinned, failed at every standard of righteousness, and railed against our
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Maker. Yet, he took on flesh and yielded himself to redeem us. By his stripes we
are healed. To apply the lessons of Good Friday is to recognize our relatedness to
Peter. He, one of Jesus’ closest friends and followers, denied Christ three times in
the fearful hours of that morning, was later restored, and then dedicated the remainder of his life to God’s service. We have all betrayed our Lord, yet he gently
restores and calls us to take up our cross and follow him. Will you live for the one
who, without contest, has earned the name that is above all other names? In the
light of his sacrifice, our living must be given to his purpose. He must be our all in
all.
PRAYER
God of heaven, for the glory of your Son, strengthen us to live our whole lives
in dedication to your gospel. Help us to remember and declare that Jesus took our
sins upon himself and provided for our reconciliation. To him be the glory forever
and ever! Amen.
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Good Friday
THINK
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word
CROWN? King, Queen, Princess, gold, jewels, kingdom, and royalty are all words
that immediately pop into my mind. A crown is a beautiful object that a person of
royalty wears that represents his/her power or reign over a kingdom. Now, think
of the word THORNS. I thought about words like ugly and sharp. Did you? Now
put those words together – CROWN OF THORNS. It’s hard to think of something beautiful like a crown and ugly like thorns going together isn’t it? But that is
exactly the type of crown that Jesus, the King of Kings, wore for us.
READ Matthew 27:27-31
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered
the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and
twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And
kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on
him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they
stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
Today’s scripture is sad to read and may be hard to think about. But it’s important that we know the details of this story so that we can truly understand how
much Jesus loves us. He was beaten, spit on, made fun of, and endured great physical pain and death so that our sins could be forgiven for all time. We are all guilty
and deserve punishment for our sins. But God’s love for us is so great that He allowed His perfect Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for our sins so that we don’t
have to be guilty anymore. As the King of Kings, Jesus’ death is the greatest example of love the world will ever know.
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SAY
“Dear God, thank you for enduring pain and suffering for my sins and for making a way for me to know you as the King of Kings. Amen.”
DO
Using chalk, write a list of sins on the sidewalk. Then as you spray the list with
water from a hose, be reminded of how Jesus washed away our sins.
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A P R I L 15
Saturday
M A T T H E W 2 7: 5 7 - 61
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a
disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to
be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid
it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance
of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite
the tomb.
The dream was dead. The One whom they hoped would usher in the Kingdom of God and set them free from their enemies had breathed his last. The text
wants us to feel the dramatic reality of Jesus’ death. He really died. Pilate confirmed it. Then he handed over “the body” to Joseph of Arimathea who wrapped
Jesus’ body in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb. Furthermore, he lays him in
his OWN tomb. Both Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw the location of this tomb. These are eyewitness accounts, claims written at a time when
other eyewitnesses were still alive who could corroborate them. We are reading
verifiable history. Jesus of Nazareth died and was buried and with Him the hopes
of this world.
We have to feel the weight of this fact if we hope for Easter Sunday to thrill us.
Jesus told his disciples in John 16:20 (ESV), “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will
weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow
will turn into joy.” 29
Jesus followers would go through this time of lament and anguish, but joy was
on the other side. Jesus told them that resurrection was coming, but it’s easy to
doubt when you are sitting in the darkness of death. Isn’t this what the life of faith
is like? It is often sitting in pain and in a darkness that feels like death, yet trusting
in the God of Resurrection. Trusting that light will dawn. Trusting that God gets
the last word, not death and not darkness.
APPLICATION
On this sacred Saturday, are you sitting in the shadow of death? Are you in a
season of sorrow? Are you experiencing the death of a dream? Are you losing
heart? Hear the Psalmist, “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy
comes in the morning,” (Psalm 30:5 NASB). God is the God of resurrection. Wait
on Him. Trust in Him.
PRAYER
O God, you are the God of light and life. Just as you did not abandon Your
Son to suffer corruption in the grave, you will not abandon us. You will work all
things together for our good. You have only good in your heart for your children.
Even as we sit in our darkest days, we can feel the warmth of your light dawning.
Sorrow will turn to joy. That is the kind of God you are. We will not fear. Amen.
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Saturday
THINK
Death is hard to understand and always leaves a painful sting in your heart.
Have you ever lost someone that you love – a friend, a grandparent, or even a family pet? If so, then you’ve probably felt deep sadness and hurt that seemed like it
would never go away. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, when you lose
someone you love, it hurts. But God’s love helps to ease the pain when our hearts
are sad.
READ Matthew 27:57-61
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a
disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to
be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid
it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance
of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite
the tomb.
Today we read about what happened to Jesus after He died. A man named Joseph asked permission from Pilate to take Jesus’ body from the cross. Joseph took
great care in wrapping Jesus’ body with cloths and laid Him in a tomb. Then the
Bible says that a huge stone was placed in front of the entrance to the tomb so that
no one could enter. We can only imagine the pain and sadness that Jesus’ friends
and family felt. They didn’t understand why Jesus had to die. They didn’t know
about God’s great plan. The best was yet to come, and it was only three days
away!
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SAY
“Dear God, thank you for healing our hearts with your love. Amen.”
DO
Write a letter to or draw a picture for someone you love.
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A P R I L 16
Easter Sunday
The Resurrection
MATTHEW 28:1-6
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and
the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of
the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know
that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the
place where he lay.
For three days, darkness was over the land. Two of Jesus’ closest followers,
“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary,” returned to his tomb in order to anoint
the body of their beloved. The disciples were in hiding trying to make sense of the
chaos, their hopes crushed by the cry, “It is finished.” But then we see the stone
rolled away, an empty tomb, and hear that life was again thrust into the body of
Christ.
RC Sproul put it this way in his book Who is Jesus?:
Jesus’ heart began to beat, pumping glorified blood through glorified arteries, sending glorified
power to muscles atrophied by death. The grave clothes could not bind him as he rose to his
feet and quit the crypt. In an instant, the mortal became immortal and death was swallowed
up by victory. In a moment of history, Job’s question was answered once and for all: “If a
man die, shall he live again?” Here is the watershed moment of human history, where the
misery of the race is transformed into grandeur. Here the preaching of the early church was
born with the cry, “He is risen.”
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The resurrection touches Christianity’s very core. It marks the decisive defeat
of our greatest enemy and the unwinding of the consequences of human rebellion
against God. Sin, Satan, and death were defeated when Jesus rose from the dead.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul provides the most comprehensive treatment of the
benefits of the resurrection. There we see what would be lost if Jesus had not risen
from the dead and are given reason for hope in the truth of the resurrection, because “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead...” (v. 20). Because he rose
from the dead: the sins of those who rely on him are forgiven (v. 7), the apostolic
preaching is true (v. 15), faith in Christ is true, he can be fully trusted (v. 14), those
who follow Christ are to be emulated, their preaching is of great value (v. 19), and
those who die in Christ will be raised (v. 18)!
APPLICATION
The resurrection gives the Christian great hope that generates confidence in all
circumstances. The resurrection is not merely a doctrine to be affirmed intellectually. It is the resounding affirmation that Jesus reigns over all, and that the power
which raised him from the dead is the Christian’s power for living the Christian
life on earth and the assurance of eternal life in heaven.
Today, find power, comfort, peace and mission in these words “He has risen; he
is not here...” With those words, we know that death is no longer. The Christian
cries out:
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain”
PRAYER
Thank you God! I can walk in your ways because of the price that was paid
and the victory that was won when Jesus was raised! Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! Amen
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FA M I LY D E VOT I O N A L
Easter Sunday - The Resurrection
THINK
Think about your best day ever. Maybe it was your birthday and you got the
most awesome gift. Maybe it was a surprise visit from one of your most favorite
friends. Maybe it was a trip to a really fun place. What made it so special? Do you
remember the excitement you felt? Do you remember how long it took you to stop
smiling? The joy and happiness you felt was probably overwhelming!
READ Matthew 28:1-6
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and
the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of
the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know
that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the
place where he lay.
Today we read about THE BEST DAY EVER in all of history! Just when Jesus’ followers thought their sorrow would never end, they arrived at the tomb to
find that Jesus was not there. He is alive! Jesus has risen from the dead! This was
all a part of God’s great plan. There is no greater story of God’s power and His
love for people than this! And because Jesus was victorious over death, He made a
way for all people who believe to live with Him in heaven. Hallelujah!
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SAY
“Dear God, we thank you for the great gift of life we have through Jesus, our
risen Savior! Amen.”
DO
As you enjoy all the surprises this day holds – candy, baskets, and egg hunts,
don’t forget that real joy comes from knowing our risen Savior! Happy Easter!
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