It’s Friday of Passion Week. Jesus has been wrongfully arrested, accused, and tried.

Today, the same crowd that shouted, “Hosanna!” is shouting “Crucify!” Though no evil was found in Jesus, he was scourged, mocked, and handed over to be crucified.

The Passion week story continues with Mark 15:22-39 (ESV):

22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. 


33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Jesus’ crucifixion is terrible. His strength is on display as he remained silent in the face of his accusers. 

His captors mocked him, the crowds mocked him, even one next to him on the cross railed at him. 

Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the meek…” and this was a perfect picture of meekness. Jesus could have come down from the cross and ended his suffering and humiliation.

Jesus knew that in order to save his people, he would have to allow their hatred toward him to run its full course.

The very wounds they inflicted would become the wounds that bring healing.

Anger may be a real and honest emotion when reading about our Lord’s crucifixion. 

What we must understand is that it was our sins that put him there.
The cross is not only the story of what they did to Jesus, but what our sin required.

Today as we remember Good Friday, we thank God that the blood of the Lamb cleanses us, and destruction does not fall on those who are covered by it.

Good Friday is a dark day, but take heart because Sunday is coming!

King Jesus,

Thank you for enduring the cross on my behalf.

“Gratitude” is not sufficient to describe what your people feel today. 

You paid the punishment for my sins. You have given me your righteousness so that I may be with you for all eternity.

Lord, help me to not wait until “all eternity” to draw near to you. Thank you that you have allowed us to know you now and commune with you. 

Remind my heart of your sacrifice and to live accordingly; completely surrendered to you.

It’s Thursday of Passion Week. Jesus is hours away from the cross. By the next afternoon, he will be crucified.

In Jesus’ final moments with his disciples, he will show them what the kingdom of God really looks like. 

In a world where kings demand to be served, Jesus takes the place of a servant and washes feet.

And when violence erupts at his arrest, he responds not with revenge, but healing.

Today we see that Jesus is a very different kind of king.

The Passion week story continues with John 13:3-5 and Luke 22:50-51 (ESV):

John 13:3-5

³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 

Luke 22:50-51

⁵⁰ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.

In this time, washing someone’s feet was a job reserved for a lowly servant. Roads and shoes were not like they are today and feet were… gross! It would be incomprehensible for a rabbi, master, or king to take on such a task.

Yet Jesus, the King of kings, stooped low with a towel around his waist and began to wash the feet of his disciples. 

This was not weakness. The Father had given all things into Jesus’ hands. Instead, Jesus, the master, modeled for his disciples what true leadership looks like. If Jesus, their master and king, was willing to wash their feet, what did that say about them? We are, therefore, called to go and serve likewise.

Later that night, when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

Jesus stopped him, however, and healed the man.

Don’t let this miracle get lost on you. Yes, Jesus healed many people. On this occasion, who he healed also matters.

This servant of the high priest (Malchus) had come to wrongfully arrest Jesus. As soon as his ear hit the floor a couple of things likely flooded his mind (other than pain).

Even in the face of betrayal and wrongful arrest, Jesus showed mercy to his enemies.

What kind of king washes feet and heals the very people that plotted against him?

A peculiar one. 

This is exactly who Jesus is. His kingdom is not built on pride or revenge, but humility and sacrificial love.

Today, let us meditate on who King Jesus is, and ask the Lord to reveal the areas in our lives where we’ve praised God for how humble he was, but would never humble ourselves like that. Show us the cognitive dissonance we hold when it comes to admiring the way Jesus loved his enemies, but we’ll continue to hate our own.

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for the life and example we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 

“Our Lord.”

O may you be exactly that in our lives today, to the point that no matter what you lead us to our answer is, “Yes, Lord.” When you call us to wash feet, find us obedient. When you call us to love those who persecute us, give us the strength to love like you do.

It’s Wednesday of Passion Week, and Judas has just agreed to betray Jesus.

Luke’s account of Judas includes the spiritual realm, which sometimes we can be unaware of. 

The Passion week story continues with Luke 22:3-6 (ESV):

³ Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. ⁴ He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. ⁵ And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. ⁶ So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

This is a difficult passage to read. 

It is, however, a reminder of Ephesians 6:12 that says our battle is not against flesh and blood, ”but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

What we know for sure is that Judas was used by Satan to betray Jesus. In Luke 8:26-39, Jesus encountered a man whom “many demons had entered.” Paul warns in Ephesians 4:27 about giving a foothold or opportunity to Satan. Evidently, Judas had.

Later during Passover (which we will read about soon), Judas refers to Jesus as “Rabbi,” meaning teacher. This is not incorrect, for Jesus was certainly the disciples’ teacher. However, in Matthew’s gospel, we find a stark contrast between how Judas refers to Jesus and how the other disciples do.  

For today, the encouragement is to guard your heart and put on the full armor of God so that you can withstand the enemy's schemes. 

Be fortified with truth. God’s word is true. Read it. Do what it says. Commit it to memory. It is difficult to stand for something you do not know yourself.

Protect your heart with righteousness. You can protect your heart by doing what is right. When we allow sin to creep into our lives, we have to find ways to justify it or keep it hidden. It’s always best to simply do what’s right. When we fall, however, know that God is faithful to forgive. Don’t wallow; get up, turn from your sin, and continue pursuing Christ.

Guard against the enemy’s arrows with your faith in Jesus Christ. May your faith rest in the perfect work of Jesus, and not in a prayer you prayed or an aisle you walked. The power is in Jesus, who defeated sin and death!

Finally, rest in the security of the salvation Christ accomplished through the empty cross and tomb. We truly have freedom in Christ now, not to do whatever we want to, but free to serve the Lord and bring honor to him in all that we do.

Heavenly Father, 

I am in awe of your love and your grace. Thank you for strengthening your children to be who you have created us to be. Help us to put on the full armor of God, and not allow Satan any room to work in our lives. We want to be used by you. Move in great power, and help us to be obedient to whatever you call us to.

As the week continues, the tension surrounding the story of Jesus increases.

After clearing the temple the day before, Jesus returns to the temple courts and spends the day teaching. He tells parables (Matthew 21:28–22:14; Mark 12:1–12), answers questions about the resurrection (Mark 12:18–27), warns against the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23; Mark 12:38–40), and speaks about the destruction of the temple and the end times (Matthew 24; Mark 13).

On this Tuesday of Passion week, let’s listen to Mark 12:13-17 (ESV):

¹³ And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. ¹⁴ And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” ¹⁵ But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

Knowing who you are begins with knowing whose you are.
- Andy Swart

This passage of scripture is interesting on several levels. 

First, it is important to remember that Jesus knows us. He knows our intentions and even our thoughts; nothing is hidden from him. Here, the Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus, but he sees it coming from a mile away. 

Are there times we think we can fool the Lord? That sounds silly when we consider his omnipresence, yet our actions sometimes suggest that we try anyway. You can’t hide your sin from God. Rather, trust that the Lord is faithful to cleanse us from our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Secondly, when Jesus inspects the denarius, he asks them whose likeness and inscription is on it. Because the answer is Caesar’s, he tells them to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to give to God what belongs God’s. 

How great would it have been if the Lord’s answer was “No!” to paying taxes?! 

Perhaps if the Pharisees had truer intentions, they might have asked a follow-up question, “And what belongs to God?” Jesus may have replied with a question, “Whose likeness and inscription is on you?” 

Brothers and sisters, don’t forget that you are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and his word has been inscribed on our hearts (Romans 2:15; Hebrews 10:16). Your identity is not defined by what you do, how much money you make, or what others think of you. Rather, you are who God says you are. If Jesus is your Lord, you have received him and believe in his name, you are a child of God (John 1:12-13).

The coin bore Caesar’s image, so it belonged to Caesar. But you bear God’s image. Your life, therefore, belongs to him.

Rest today knowing your identity is not tethered to temporal structures that change day to day, but in the unchanging God of the universe. Let’s not live to please man, but live to please God.

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for making us your children through your Son. Remind my heart that I belong to you, and do not have to earn your love. You have given us every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus our Lord, and we are grateful. I pray that you will be with your children, who may be struggling with their identity. Help us stand securely on your word today.

Thank you for joining us for day two as we follow Jesus’ path to the cross.

We continue asking the Lord to reveal his purpose in coming to earth, and to give us a clearer picture of who he is.

On this Monday of Passion week, we follow Jesus to the temple in Mark 11:15-19 (ESV):

¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. ¹⁶ And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. ¹⁷ And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” ¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. ¹⁹ And when evening came they went out of the city. 

Why did Jesus come?  

“To seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)” is a pretty good answer. 

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) is another.

In today’s passage we see a side of Jesus we don’t often emphasize: Jesus came to purify.

He begins with the temple because the corruption in his Father’s house was glaring and needed correction first. 

Sometimes we imagine Jesus as someone who only came to bring peace—someone who was always “nice” and never offended anyone. But that is not the whole picture. Certainly Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), but his words and actions offended many.

The religious leaders were offended.
The merchants selling animals were likely offended. 
Anyone benefiting from the system was offended.

Why?

Because Jesus confronted the people’s distortion of God’s commands. He called them to change. 

In fact, everyone who encountered Jesus faced a decision: continue as they were, or change. 

To come to Jesus is to change. He doesn’t leave us where we are– he calls us to come closer. 

Consider today how Jesus wants to change you from the inside out. 

Are there things in your life you have assumed are acceptable to God, like the chief priests and scribes allowed the temple to become a “den of robbers”? Perhaps we even excuse certain things by saying, “That’s just what church is nowadays.”

The cleansing of the temple was important, but it points to something greater. Jesus came not only to cleanse a building, but to purify a people through his life, death, and resurrection.

Open your Bible today and ask the Lord to meet with you. Ask him to reveal areas of your life that need to be surrendered so you might walk in his ways.

Lord, thank you that you are the God who changes us from the inside out. 

Thank you for not leaving me where I was, but for showing me what is true, right and good. 

Purify me, Lord. Radically cut out the things in my life that are not of you, so that I may look more like your Son.

Thank you for joining us on this week-long journey, following Jesus’ path to the cross.

Our hope is that you will draw closer to the Lord in this season, while we examine the Passion of our Christ.

Today is Palm Sunday, so we will pick up in John 12:12-19 (ESV):

¹² The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” ¹⁴ And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

  ¹⁵       “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
          behold, your king is coming,
                 sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. ¹⁷ The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. ¹⁸ The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus had just spent time in Bethany where he raised his friend, Lazarus, from the dead. It was at this point that the chief priests began to plot to kill Lazarus because, “on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.” 

It is interesting to note that the religious leaders of the day who knew the scriptures better than anyone, did not recognize the one whom all scripture points to. Instead of perceiving Jesus as Lord, they saw him as a liability to their own following. 

When Jesus enters the story of your life, he requires every part of us. Luke 14:25-33 details the high cost of following Jesus, culminating in the final verse which says, “33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” 

For the Pharisees, “all that he has” was too high a price. The Pharisees said in frustration, “Look, the world has gone after him.”
The question we must ask ourselves is: Who are we going after? The “correct answer” is supposed to be “I’m going after JESUS!” Is that true in your life? Is it the desire of your heart to know him and make him known, or are there other things that we have gone after?

This Palm Sunday, may we celebrate not only with the laying down of palm branches, but of all the things we have placed more value in than God. May we rightly see who Jesus is; The Messiah, The Anointed One, God in flesh, and the one who laid down his life for his people.

Lord, in view of who you are and what you have done, help me love you more. More than being liked by others, more than having my way, more than the sin that I have allowed to entangle me. You are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. Forgive me when I give myself over to the things you hate. Help me to surrender fully to you today.