How do we keep that fire burning now that Holy week is over?

It starts with community. According to a recent study, people who consider themselves “committed” church attenders are only attending about once a month. Life is not meant to be done alone. Christ-centered community will lift you up, encourage you and plug you into deeper relationships with God's people. True community will get you excited about the way God is working in our city! It starts with plugging in and doing life with other Christ followers. 

We prove the value we attach to things by the amount of time we devote to them. That’s the bottom line. People make time for the things they value most.

Another discipline that can build excitement and connected with God is prayer. In Timothy Keller's book, Prayer he says, “To be in pilgrimage is to have not yet arrived. There is a longing in prayer that is never fulfilled in this life, and sometimes the deep satisfactions we are looking for in prayer feel few and far between. Prayer in a journey.”

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul says, “Pray without ceasing…”

There’s no concrete rules for where you can pray and where you can’t pray. You can pray in your car, you can pray in the kitchen cooking dinner or you can pray while working out at the gym. Prayer is both speaks to your heart and it shares your heart. Regardless of where you pray and what circumstances you’re praying for, the Lord sees you. He hears your worship, your adoration, your confession and everything you give thanks for. 

“Prayer is so great that wherever you look in the Bible, it is there. Why? Everywhere God is, prayer is. Since God is everywhere and infinitely great, prayer must be all-pervasive in our lives.” - Timothy Keller

God will be as close to us as we invite Him to be. Will you let Him in today? Will you open the door? Will you invite Him into all the parts of you life? Open up if you want a breakthrough!

If there was ever a time to pay close attention to what someone is saying and cherish every spoken word, that time is now because these words were the final spoken words by Jesus before He ascended into Heaven.

This date on the calendar marks 40 days after Easter. Today is the day Jesus ascended into Heaven, disappeared from His disciples’ view and sat down at the right hand of God. The book of Acts records the disciples gazing up into the sky in awe of what they just saw when two Angels suddenly appear by their side. Acts 1:11 records the Angel saying, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus’ third appearance after His resurrection is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Jewish culture, before sharing a meal with anyone, reconciliation is made with all parties involved. This was the first meal shared between Jesus and Peter since Jesus’ crucifixion. If you remember, Peter is the same disciple who denied that He even knew Jesus three times just a couple days prior on the day of Jesus’ trial. The act of breaking bread together might not mean a lot to 21^st century American Christians, but in this culture, this would have meant the world to Peter because it represented and showed Peter that Jesus had forgiven him.

After they finish their meal, Jesus pulls Peter aside and asks Him three separate times “do you love me?” This dialogue between Jesus and Peter has much deeper meaning than you may think. Before I go into their dialogue, I think it’s important to note that this section of Scripture was originally written in Greek. The Greek language has several words to denote our one word for love. Agape, Phileo and Eros all mean love in different ways in the ancient Greek language. Agape and Phileo love are the two forms of love Jesus is using in this dialogue.

Each of the first two times Jesus asks this question, He is using the Agape form of love. This kind of love is self-sacrificial, unconditional and only desires good things for the other party. This is the kind of love Jesus has for us. The third time Jesus asks the question, He changes it up. This time He uses Phileo love to convey his question. This kind of love signifies affection or brotherly love. In other words, the third time, Jesus is saying, “are you even my friend?”

What Jesus is getting at here is that it’s one thing to say I love Jesus, but the real test is tangibly showing that love to others and serving Him on a daily basis. Serving Jesus and living your life for Him is probably the toughest job you’ll ever have, but every single one of us has to ask the question, is that a mountain you’re willing to die upon?

Psalm 30:5 says, “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Someday Jesus will return in the same way He left 2,000 years ago, but in the meantime, rest assured knowing that the pain and the suffering you’re enduring will not last. Through it all, He is with you and through it all, He’s never giving up on you and always listening to your pleas for help. While we anxiously await His return, He anxiously awaits us to call upon Him for help.

Come Lord Jesus, come!

Amen!

John 20:1-2

Jesus foretold His death and resurrection several times during His ministry. These predictions were so paramount to the religious leaders that they heavily secured the tomb and even added a Roman seal. 

Jesus did exactly what He said He would do through the Cross. Even though we are commanded to “live by faith and not by sight,” more often than not, we do the opposite. Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples said, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” A couple days later Jesus appeared to Thomas and said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Early on Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared on the beach of the Sea of Galilee while the disciples were in the water fishing. Peter was the first to jump out of the boat to swim toward Jesus. If you recall, two days ago at Jesus’ trial, Peter denied Jesus three times. I can imagine Peter still felt ashamed and worthless wondering what kind of welcome he would get from Jesus when reached the shore.

If the Easter story reminds you of anything, allow it to remind you that nothing you ever have done or said can disqualify you from running (or swimming) to Him and being accepted. The only thing He asks for is a willing heart. He’s ready to give His love, but He’ll never force it upon you.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelation 3:20

The Palm Branches that were laid out before Jesus one week ago on Palm Sunday were symbolic of honoring a triumphant, victorious hero. As we celebrate Easter Sunday today, know that no matter what struggles you’re facing, no matter how many lies the enemy is speaking to you, you have a victorious hero by your side fighting your battles for you! Because He lives, you can face tomorrow!

Jesus was dead. Hope was lost. The disciples were scattered for fear of being arrested and killed. Darkness was winning… for now.

The only event the Gospels recorded on Holy Saturday was found in Matthew:

“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’ ‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”

Matthew 27:62-66 (NIV)

The friends of Jesus were not planning nor were they strategizing. They were grieving the loss of their teacher and friend. Peter had denied Jesus three times the day before, for fear that he’d be killed because of his association with Jesus. The rest of the Disciples had similar fears on Saturday. Imagine the doubt. Imagine the lies the enemy spoke to their hearts. Imagine how easy it would have been for them to believe their Messiah, who had come to bring hope to the world, was now gone forever. Imagine the hope lost.

Even though He was silent, God was working. The dawn was coming!

According to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus hung on the cross for six hours and during that time, He said:

• “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
• “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
• “Woman, here is your son…here is your mother.” John 19:26-27
• “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34
• “I am thirsty.” John 19:28
• “It is finished.” John 19:30
• “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46

Each day in the holy city of Jerusalem, animal sacrifices were made in the Temple twice - once at 9 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. Each time, the priests at the Temple would blow a musical instrument called a Shofar which was made from the horn of a ram. If you were living in Jerusalem at this time, you would know to stop whatever it was you were doing and be silent because you knew that the priest was sacrificing a lamb on your behalf to atone for your sins.

Mark 15:25 says that Jesus was nailed to the cross at exactly 9 a.m., the time of the first sacrifice. A few verses later in Mark 15:34-37, it’s recorded that Jesus breathed His last at 3 p.m., the time of the second sacrifice. They failed to realize that by crucifying Jesus, they were offering the ultimate sacrifice to God that would fulfill all the animal sacrifices defined by the Mosaic Law.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul explains, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus’ death on the cross was the atonement for every one of our sins, because on our own, we could never fulfill the law. 

Nothing about Jesus death was deserved. He could have avoided it all, but He chose the nails for us. Only five days earlier when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowd yelled "Hosanna, God save us from our sin," but today the same people yelled “Crucify Him, Crucify Him.”

Jesus voluntarily gave everything for love. He voluntarily went down without a fight. He voluntarily took the penalty for us. He voluntarily paid the price so you and I can be free forever!

Holy Thursday is sometimes called Maundy Thursday. It comes from the Latin word "Mandatum" which means commandment. Jesus told his disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

The events of Maundy Thursday set things in motion for Jesus’ trial and crucifixion the following day. Sometime early Thursday, Jesus and His disciples made their final trip from Bethany back to Jerusalem. When they arrived, Peter and John were sent to make preparations in the Upper Room so Jesus and His disciples could eat the Passover meal.

Passover is a celebration of how God brought the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery. The tenth, and final plague God sent upon the land of Egypt, was to kill all the firstborn of humans and animals alike. God told the Israelites to sacrifice a spotless lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood and, by doing so, the curse would "pass over" each home.

Several times during Jesus’ ministry, He foretold His purpose on Earth. When Jesus broke the bread and shared the cup, He was explaining how His body and blood would be shed for the sins of all who call Jesus Lord.

"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26)

During the Last Supper, Jesus calls out Judas Iscariot for what he is about to do. He leaves the Upper Room shortly thereafter. After the meal is finished, Jesus and His disciples make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane...

Jesus knew his destiny. He knew His mission. He knew why He was sent into this world. He knew the magnitude of what was to come. He knew you. He knew me.

The Sanhedrin and the other religious leaders of Jerusalem had been conspiring to arrest Jesus for a while now. You could imagine how excited and prideful they were on this Holy Wednesday when Judas approached them with a strategy of how to capture Jesus.

For Jesus, today is a Day of Silence. He doesn’t return to Jerusalem like He had been doing every day this week, instead, He chooses to stay in Bethany. Jesus regularly went off alone to pray and to be silent with His Father, and this is likely what He did today.

Use this time to invest in your relationship with God and take time to be still in His presence. We were never meant to face the challenges of life by our own strength and will. The act of quieting our hearts and minds could very well be the key to hearing God's gentle voice in our spirit. 

Jesus recognized the importance of being still...prioritizing God and simply basking in the presence of the Almighty. SOS artist Hillary Scott released a song a couple years ago called “Still.” These words are a great thing to soak in today:

You're parting waters
Making a way for me
You're moving mountains that I don't even see
You've answered my prayer before I even speak
All You need for me to be is still
Be still

Jesus and His disciples once again spent the night in Bethany and returned to Jerusalem Tuesday morning. Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, notice that same fig tree from yesterday. Mark 11:21 records him saying, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

There’s a couple elements, I think, we need to understand when it relates to this fig tree story. The fig tree is actually a metaphor that represents the nation of Israel. By Jesus cursing this tree to die, He is foretelling the Second Temples' destruction.

The events of Holy Tuesday involve many parables. Just to clarify, parables are stories told by Jesus to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Parables are usually brief and the settings in the story are taken from ordinary life. Jesus’ parables included elements of surprise and exaggeration so that Jesus had the listeners’ attention. Jesus’ intent was for people to make judgement calls on the events in the story and apply those same judgements to their own lives.

Modern-day Bibles have titled these parables to avoid any confusion and to make reading the Bible more clear. On this Holy Tuesday, Jesus tells the following parables.

The Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)

The Parable of the Evil Farmers (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19)

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14)

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13)

The Parable of the Loaned Money (Matthew 25:14-30)

The Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of Ancient Israel, repeatedly tried to trap Jesus into saying something He could get in trouble for. Jesus used parables as a way of answering their questions in a way as to avoid getting into trouble, but at the same time, calling the religious leaders out on their refusal to accept God’s truth. Usually, Jesus’ parables did not cast the religious leaders in the best light. This conflict will only grow more intense as the events of Holy Week continue to unfold.

Jesus’ time on Earth is quickly coming to an end. However, with the very last breath He has, He will continue to teach to all who are willing to listen. As we remember the events of this Holy Tuesday, I encourage you to find some time today to read the parables Jesus taught and to try and identify what He’s trying to teach us. Long after His physical body has left Earth, His Spirit still remains.

Jesus said, “There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants…” - Matthew 21:33 (NIV)   

The tenants in the parable took advantage of the landowner's servants. They let their agenda cloud their judgement and they gave into greed. There are six key elements in this parable: 1) the landowner – God, 2) the vineyard - Israel, 3) the tenants – the Jewish religious leadership, 4) the landowner’s servants – the prophets who remained obedient and preached God’s word to the people of Israel, 5) the son – Jesus, and 6) the other tenants – the Gentiles.

Parables give us a spiritual insight into how God see's our hearts.  As Jesus continues to tell the story, he explains how the landowner finally sent his own son to the tenants, hoping they would respect and honor him instead.

“Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes?' Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” - Matthew 21:42 (NIV)

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants gives us an unprecedented look inside the heart of God. It invites us to feel His heart for saving the lost while continually offering mercy, grace and forgiveness. I think this truth is reinforced by the fact that this parable is found in Matthew, Mark and Luke's gospel. When the Bible repeats something multiple times, I believe God is trying to communicate something special.

As Holy Week continues to unfold before us, remember the truth that Jesus' mercy, grace and forgiveness are truly transformational!

Fig trees typically produce fruit twice a year – once in late spring and again in early fall. What's interesting about fig trees is that the fruit blossoms appear before the leaves do, but this specific tree had leaves, but no fruit. Regardless, as Jesus passed by, it was too early in the Spring for this tree to have any fruit or leaves. Jesus says to the fig tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” 

Jesus is basically acting out a parable here. Religion without substance is what Jesus was angry with. The temple in Jerusalem looked impressive and beautiful from a distance, but the activities performed on the inside were not being carried out with the right motives. 

Jesus isn’t merely looking for readers of the Word, but doers of the Word as well. If you claim to have faith in Jesus, your life will show evidence of this. The Bible calls this evidence fruit. In Paul's letter to the Galatians, Paul defines this "fruit." He says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Living out this fruit of the Spirit today in the season we’re all walking through has never been more important. John 13:35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Don’t just claim to be a Christ follower, live it out!

Before Jesus' death on the Cross, the Holy Spirit did not reside in human hearts. Hebrew people from all over the civilized world had to physically travel to the Temple to be in the presence of God. It's here that the Israelites prayed and worshiped. It's here that they sacrificed animals to atone for their sins, and it's here that these merchants were setting up their booths to do business. Greedy merchants were selling animals used for sacrificial purposes at high prices. Jesus witnessed people deceiving and taking advantage of one another in God's holy sanctuary.  

When Jesus arrived at the temple, not only did He drive out the money changers, but He also drove out the animals. Now, this begs the question as to why the animals? Could this be a foreshadowing of how Jesus sacrifice would fulfill the Old Testament system of sacrifice? 

As the narrative of Holy Week unfolds before us, reflect on the truth of the Holy Spirit residing inside us giving us strength and wisdom. Commit to living out the fruit of the Spirit today and tell people about why you have the hope you have! This world is ready to hear it!

The next day, Jesus traveled from Bethany through Bethpage and into Jerusalem. Crowds gathered and  threw down palm branches before the feet of Jesus as he entered the city. In the Roman empire, people would throw palm branches before the feet of a victorious hero as a sign of respect. This signifies so much to the heart of what Israelites hoped for, as Jesus rode into the city. In the eyes of the Israelites, Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem meant good news them; for the outcasts, the blind, the women, the oppressed and the poor. 

The Gospel of Mark tells the whole story. The crowd shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! God save us! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!"

During this particular weekend, thousands of pilgrims were coming into Jerusalem from all over the region for the Passover celebration. Most traveled by foot. The fact that Jesus is riding a donkey is the only recorded instance in the Gospels that He wasn't walking. Every other time Jesus traveled anywhere, He was on foot. This is significant because this moment marks the fulfillment of another prophecy. Zechariah wrote about this welcome into Jerusalem 520 years before Jesus was born:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Don’t miss the importance of this! By Jesus riding into Jerusalem, He was proclaiming himself to be the shepherd king predicted by Zechariah hundreds of years prior!

The Israelites responded very warmly to Jesus’ entry. They respected Him, honored Him and adored Him. Many of them even witnessed His miracles just days before. They had expectations that Jesus would be the leader who would finally free them from Roman oppression, but Jesus was a different kind of king.

Five days changed a lot of hearts.

As we reflect on the significance of Palm Sunday, we remember our coming Savior and the fact that He is worthy of us laying down our palm branches and burdens at His feet. Let this truth bring joy to your heart today because no matter what happens in this broken, fallen world of ours, no matter what calamity befalls us or what virus threatens us, we serve a victorious King who is very much still alive!

Happy Palm Sunday!