RESET in 2017: April (Passion Week)


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QUEEN LIONESS!!!
Hello everyone.

It's April, and we've made it to the 9th day of the month; we certainly give thanks to God for allowing us these days.

For this month, I've decided to do something a little different. Today marks the first day of Passion Week, where many Christians/Believers will focus and emphasize the final hours of Jesus leading to His Crucifixion and Resurrection. For each day this week, I'll share some more in-depth things we all should think about as we head into Resurrection Sunday.

First up: the Betrayal
 
Passion Week Day One: "The Betrayal"

Many people, Believers and un-Believers, are familiar with the betrayal of Jesus Christ by His disciple Judas Iscariot. We often emphasize that Judas betrayed the Lord with a kiss that took place in Gethsemane. This, while true, is not the initiate point of the Judas’ betrayal, as he betrayed Jesus before the prayer in Gethsemane. In the Gospel according to Matthew (c.26), Judas went to the chief scribes and asked, “What will ye give me and I will deliver Him unto you? (v.15 KJV)” After the 30 pieces of silver were counted out and given to him, “from then on, Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Him (Jesus) over” (NIV). This series of events is also recorded in the Gospel of Luke (c.22)

All this happened BEFORE Jesus had the Last Supper with His disciples; according to the gospel of John, this was BEFORE Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. All this happened BEFORE Gethsemane.

We often talk about the beatings and scourging Jesus took for us. We talk about the spikes pounded into His hands and the spike pounded into His feet, and the crown of thorns pressed down upon His head. Each of these is significant to the Christian/Believer, and is to be remembered and emphasized as we profess the Good News of Jesus Christ. But Jesus’ pain wasn’t just physical. We all need to stop and imagine what He felt upon learning that one of His own disciples would perform the ultimate betrayal. As recorded in the gospel of Mark, Jesus ordained His disciples and gave them power to heal sickness and cast out devils. He took on human form and temporarily left Heaven for them, He taught them, supped with them, and loved them. Can you imagine how He felt after spending over 3 years with them pouring into them, preparing them for what’s to come, only to be betrayed by one of them at the price of 30 pieces of silver(*)? Oh, and by the way, a common laborer's yearly salary was about 300 pieces of silver; Jesus was betrayed for less than 10 times that amount and was completely innocent!

Think about this: While the Crucifixion of Jesus is about redemption and Salvation, it is also about forgiveness. Judas wasn’t the only who betrayed Jesus; we all have, at some point betrayed the Lord, therefore we all have a little Judas in us. We betray Him whenever we manipulate a situation to work in our advantage, or when we manipulate another person to get what we want. But let us never forget, that while He hung and endured the shame of the Cross, Jesus forgave us……….and still forgives today.


The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.

Reference:
J. Lee Grady. "Fire in my Bones". Charisma Media (http://charismamedia.com)
The Holy Bible (King James and New International Versions)
*It is unclear as to whether the 30 pieces of silver were Tyrian tetradrachma, or Antiochan stater coins, or Roman denarii (currency)
 
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Passion Week: Day 2 “The Denial and the Abandonment”


Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve Disciples chosen by Jesus Christ. For over 3 years, Judas followed the Lord, learned His teachings, and witnessed His miracles. He also betrayed the Christ for a few pieces of silver. Before allowing God to bestow the opportunity of restoration, mercy, and forgiveness, Judas hanged himself, knowing what he had done was the ultimate betrayal.

Jesus had foretold Peter that he (Peter) would deny Him (Jesus) before the rooster had a chance to crow. It’s no secret that Peter loved the Lord very much. While he was chosen of the Lord, he was also a man, subject to the same fears, mistakes, anger, and weakness we all are. During his moment of weakness, Peter disowned the Lord. The same Lord that called him blessed for his declaration that Jesus is the Christ, son of the Father. The same Lord that allowed him to witness His transfiguration. The same Lord that allowed him the privilege to be in the room with Him as He brought a young child back to life. The same Lord that proved his faith could allow him to walk on water, and the same Lord that saved him when his faith wavered. This was the same Lord that Peter denied.

One disciple betrayed Jesus, and another denied Him. So, that now leaves ten (10) Disciples. Again, in the gospel of Mark, we read that Jesus ordained His disciples and gave them the power to heal sickness and cast out demons. Like Judas and Peter, these remaining 10 disciples learned at the feet of the Lord and witnessed His many miracles. But when the opportunity came to stand with the Lord and endure sufferings with Him, the disciples “left Him and fled” after He was arrested (c.14).

Think about it: the Bible tells us that each morning God’s mercies for us are brand new. The Crucifixion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus is about love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. As Jesus endured torture, beatings, and humiliation, the very men He’d spent 3 ½ years vesting in were in hiding. But soon after His Resurrection, the Lord sent for them. Jesus’ love for them was so obvious, so apparent, and so great, no words needed to be spoken by Him or His disciples. He had just proven to them how much He loved them, and on that new morning, reminded them that brand new mercy had been given to them by God the Father.

We, too, have denied Jesus in some way or the other. When we credit good things that happen in our lives to luck, we deny Him. When we credit our successes to ourselves, we deny Him. But when we go through our own humiliation and crucifixion, we cry out to Him. And just as the Lord immediately saved Peter on the sea of Galilee, He’s always right there to save us. After all Jesus has done and continues to do for us today, don’t let your lifestyle, behavior, actions, speech, and attitude reflect denial of Him.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
Passion Week Day 3: The Hematidrosis


Have you ever been under such emotional and mental stress that it made you sweat excessively? Stop and think for a moment: what was it that had your soul in such distress and your mind in such anxiety that it made the sweat fall from your face and body as if it were blood? Was there ever anything so agonizing you had to take head-on, face-to-face, that just the very fact that you’d have to do it overwhelm you to a point of physiological dysfunction?

Hematidrosis (hē’mat-i-dr-ō’sis, hē’mă-tid-rō’sis) Excretion of blood or blood pigment in the sweat; an extremely rare disorder (Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012; Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012)

An extremely rare condition characterized by the sweating of blood, which is said to occur when a person is facing death or other highly stressful events. It has been seen in prisoners before execution and occurred during the London Blitz. (Segen’s Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved).

Before Calvary, Jesus had his moment of great agony. It occurred before the arrest, before the interrogation, before the torture, beatings, and humiliation. In the quiet, tranquil garden of Gethsemane, the Lord went a few paces away from His disciples to pray. Knowing what was about to happen, the flesh side of Him became weak, as He prayed for the removal of His burden. Even while in prayer to the Father, He needed strength, which came to Him, as an angel was sent to strengthen Him. Continuing in prayer, His soul travailed. The extremity of the agony He was in brought Him to the point of physiological distress that the sweat fell from Him as if it were blood.

Think about it: In the book of Romans, we read that while we were sinners, God displayed His love to and for us by sending us His Son Jesus. We are the ones who were in sin, not Jesus. Love brought Him to us. Love was the factor that inspired Him to do what He did. Love is why our sin was transferred to His account. Love is why He bore the punishment we deserved. And God is love.


The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
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Passion Week Day 4: The Kangaroo Court and the False Accusations


for that which is conceived in her (Mary) is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins”-Matthew 1: 20-21 (KJV)


Betrayal. Denial. These are probably 2 of the most hurtful things we could ever experience, especially from we’re closest to and love dearly. They’re devastating enough to make us not curb our emotions and sympathies, and stop caring. But how do you feel when you’ve been betrayed, denied, AND had your heart broken?


Kan●ga●roo court (kaNGgƏ’rōō kôrt/) noun- an unofficial court held by a group of people in order to try someone regarded, especially without good evidence, as guilty of a crime or misdemeanor (Google)

(n.)- a court where the outcome is pre-determined by the reputation of the defendant, and the trial shall not be fair (www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kangaroo%20cour)


Jesus was taken to Caiaphas, where he and the “self-righteous” and “pious” chief priests and elders accused Him of being an enemy of the temple of God by misconstruing His declaration of raising the temple in 3 days if it were destroyed. When no evidence was provided, He was accused of blasphemy by (justly) declaring the truth, that He is the Son of God, and will ascend back to His heavenly throne, but would return to earth. No crime had been committed and Jesus remained innocent, but this wasn’t satisfactory to the Jewish leaders. They brought Him before Pilate and accused Him of

  • “perverting the nation”-in other words, Jesus was accused of causing rebellion among the people in a time of great complaint against Caesar. This was an opportunity for the Jewish leaders to capture the attention of Pilate, governor of Rome. Pilate also had the authority to execute criminals.

  • “forbidding tribute to Caesar”-another lie created to fall upon the mind of Pilate. The Jewish leaders were still “in their feelings” over the response Jesus gave them regarding taxes, to which they felt they were above doing. Jesus didn’t fall for their trap, and simply said to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give God what belongs to God.

  • “saying that He Himself is Christ a King”-the chief priest knew this would really get to Pilate. Jesus came to the earth as a lowly servant. He did not live the life of a king, did not dress as a king, did not require fanfare wherever He went, but He was a king. His life reflected His royalty, as well as His words. It wasn’t His miracles as it was the very large crowds He attracted that would make Him a rival to Caesar, and this is what the Jewish leaders wanted Pilate to see

When Pilate could not find fault with the Lord, Jesus was sent before Herod, who only wanted to see if all he’d heard about Jesus was true. Herod threw questions at Jesus, but the Lord was silent. So, again with no evidence to prove guilt, Jesus was sent back to Pilate………. but not in the same manner as before.

Think about it: Imagine you’re driving along and come upon an accident. A person is slumped unconscious in a wrecked vehicle and you see fuel leaking from it. You’re able to get the door open, pull the victim out of the car to safety, and are rocked by the sound of the explosion. You call for an ambulance and stay until the victim is taken away for medical treatment. And months later, you get a legal notice from the victim. You saved this person, but are facing a lawsuit because you inadvertently caused paralysis while being a Good Samaritan. In court, you’d probably plead your case and try to prove your innocence and deny any wrong-doing.

Now, think about Jesus and how He’d left His kingdom temporarily to come to us and save us. Think about all the good He performed and all the good that He was. The very people He was sent to save from sin conspired against Him and have Him killed. When He was falsely accused, He didn’t speak a word to defend Himself. Now, think about how loudly He argues your case and declares you not guilty when Satan accuses you.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
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Passion Week Day 5: The Scourging, the Beatings, and the Humiliation

Prior to every Roman execution, flogging of the victim took place. The victim was stripped and hit with a short whip, a flagrum or flagellum, that either small metal or iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones tied within the braided leather thongs. After being stripped of clothing, the victim’s hands were tied together in an upright position to a post. The scourging was done usually by two soldiers, one standing on each side of the victim, and repeatedly struck the victim’s back, buttocks, and legs. At full force, the little metal/iron balls would cause deep contusions, while the leather from the flagrum or flagellum would cut into the skin. As the torture continued, lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Circulatory shock would set in from the pain and blood. Usually during, but most often after, the victim is mocked and/or taunted by his torturers.

Since Jesus (justly) claimed the honor and authority of a king, it amused the Roman soldiers to cowardly reduce Him to a state of weakness. The scourging produced great amounts of blood from the Lord, but that wasn’t enough. Again, (justly) claiming to be a king, the Roman soldiers made a crown of thorns for Him and pressed it down upon His head. They laughed as the spit on Him, and took the wooden stick they’d given Him as a scepter (further mocking Him for claiming to be a king) and beat Him on the head. More blood that was shed.

Think about it: After His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. It was after Jesus fasted forty days and nights that the devil came, tempting Him to turn stones into bread. Jesus, being who He was, could have easily done so, but the law of God was stronger in Him than His desire to eat. In the presence of the Roman soldiers, Jesus could have easily summoned angels to stop His torture, but again, His obedience to God the Father was stronger than His pain. He took the pain for us. The next time we’re put into tempting situation or an uncomfortable circumstance or a painful time, let our faith and trust in God and our remembrance of what Christ endured for us be stronger than our flesh.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
Passion Week Day 6: From Gethsemane to Golgotha

One of the earliest forms of capital punishment was crucifixion. It was the most disgraceful and cruelest methods of execution, reserved for the vilest of criminals. While crucifixion was not founded by the Romans, they perfected it to a form of torture, designed to produce a slow, painful, and suffering death. The victim was forced to carry his patibulum (crossbar) to the site of the crucifixion (while naked), where wooden stipes were located; here the crossbar would be secured. The victim was thrown to the ground on his back; his arms were outstretched along both sides of the crossbar. Just below each hand (wrist, carpus), an iron spike (5-7 inches long) was nailed to the crossbar. The victim’s feet were stacked on top of each other and another spike was nailed to the wooden stipe (bottom of the cross). It was a law that the victim be given a bitter drink (a mild analgesic) as he hung. To quicken the onset of death, the victim’s legs were broken. Crucifixion was a death in which no one was intended to survive.

After being scourged, beaten, and humiliated, Jesus now had to carry His cross to Golgotha (skull), the site of His Crucifixion, but He was so weak He could only carry it a few miles. He made His way to Calvary, and it was there He endured the shame of the Cross. Mocked and ridiculed by the very ones He was sent to save, Jesus innocently hung there between two condemned thieves. After yielding to the Holy Ghost, He died. He was not left, as was custom, to hang on the Cross after death, but was instead taken, at the request of Joseph of Arimathea, and placed in his tomb.

Think about it: Jesus was falsely accused, wrongfully convicted, and unjustifiably put to death. An innocent man, put to death in one of the most humiliating methods, hung between two other men who rightfully should have been there. Yet, even while He hung on the Cross, He still showed His love and compassion and forgiveness to us by praying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. Jesus switched places with us; He took our place on death row.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
Passion Week Day 7: Adam’s side and Jesus’ side

After His death, a Roman soldier pierced Jesus in His side. It is recorded in the gospel of John “one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (19:34). While John does not give a definite location (right or left side) of the piercing, Biblical scholars, as well as physicians, have concluded that was perhaps the right, thus interpreting the “water” to be that of either ascites or pleural (lung) fluid from the thoracic cavity, since the spear came at angle. Again, more blood was shed, as the spear pushed up the heart, spilling out pericardial fluid as well.

Think about it: God opened Adam’s side to bring forth the first woman. Jesus’ side was open to bring forth sight of His heart and how much love it holds for us. His is a love so strong that not even death itself could stop.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
Passion Week Day 8: 3 Days After

A lot of us sometimes forget that while Jesus was here on earth with us He was in human form. Yes, He was Holy, but He took on human flesh. He experienced felt and experienced the same joys and sorrows as us, He felt & experienced the same anger as we do, and He felt and experienced the same physical and emotional pain we do. And just as humans do, He died. He didn’t die metaphorically or symbolically but He did literally. Jesus the Christ, Holy enough to redeem us, yet human enough to relate to us, died. His breath stopped, His heart stopped, and His spirit left Him. He was buried as humans are when they die; laid to rest in a borrowed tomb.

Earlier, Jesus had told the chief scribes and Jewish leaders, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”. Because the Jews had no understanding of who He truly was, they could take His words as a literal meaning, rather than figuratively. Jesus foretells of their malice (“Destroy this temple”) and reminds them that He has the authority to purge what they defile, and the power to raise what they destroy “I will raise it up”). He accomplished His purpose in Resurrecting 3 days (with all power entrusted to Him) after His Crucifixion and death, as He had told them.

Think about it: The power that rose Jesus from the grave lives within us. As Christians and Believers, we will suffer unjust things at the hands of those who hate us because of our faith. We will even have to endure our own spiritual crucifixion during our times of trouble and conflict. But remember that Jesus’ death was temporary, and our sufferings (while many) are only temporary. When Jesus conquered death, He was given all power in Heaven and in earth. Still proving His love to us, He gave us that very same power to rise from our pain, troubles, heartaches, and the sorrows of life. We rejoice because He lives, and we rejoice because knowing that when we’re down, we won’t stay down forever. And because He tasted death for all of us, we rejoice knowing that we have been given eternal life in Him, and no longer condemned to “die”.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
 
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