Scripture

The Roman officer and other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God.”

Observation

At noon darkness falls over the land. At three Jesus cries out to God, “Why have you abandoned me?” Then Jesus shouts again and releases His spirit.

The veil in the Temple is torn in two, the earth shakes and dead people come out of their tombs and enter the city.

The Roman soldiers are shaken by all they have seen and declare, “This man truly was the Son of God.”

Joseph of Arimathea goes to Pilate and requests Jesus’ body, which he places in his own new tomb. The tomb is sealed and guards placed in front of it to ensure that there is no fake resurrection.

Application

The Roman soldiers, the people responsible for the death of Jesus, are the first to declare that He is the Son of God.

Jesus’ death was not an accident and it was not a tragedy. It was God’s plan all along from the beginning of creation.

God knew that we needed a saviour so He sent His one and only Son to come and die for the redemption of our sins.

Jesus’ death is the sacrifice that God decreed would be enough to save anyone who will receive it.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus for dying for me. Help me to live for you. Amen.

Scripture

“He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him. For he said, “I am the Son of God.”

Observation

Some of the governor’s soldiers take Jesus away. They beat Him and mock him, placing a crown of thorns on His head and a reed for a sceptre in His hand.

They then lead Jesus to the place called Golgotha where they crucify Him. The soldiers gamble for His clothes. A sign is fastened to the cross that says, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.”

All manner of people come and mock Jesus. They call out, “He saved others; Let us see Him save Himself.”

Application

The mockery of the people is completely undiluted. They have all forgotten the miracles and the hundreds of people healed. Now they only have contempt for Jesus.

The irony of all this is that the mockery and taunts were fulfilled. God did come and rescue Jesus from death, although not the cross. Even these non- prayers were answered by God.

When people rare determined to reject the reign of God, they will reject every attempt of God to save them. This is a very sad reality.

When people seemingly reject us because of our faith, we should remember that they rejected the Saviour first.

Prayer

Father forgive me for the times I may have rejected you and your salvation. I thank you that you rejoice over every sinner who truly repents. Amen.

Scripture

All the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death- we and our children.”

Observation

Pilate sees a way out of having to condemn an innocent man. His annual custom is to release a prisoner to the crowd. This year, he offers the people a choice of Jesus the Messiah or a notorious criminal called Barabbas.

Pilate’s wife send a message to Pilate to leave this innocent man alone as she had a dream about him the previous night.

So Pilate asks the crowd who they want released. Again they call for Barabbas. Pilate then washes his hands of the blood of Jesus.

The people then say they will take responsibility for His death, and their children also.

Application

How terrible it is to claim responsibility for the death of the Messiah. The crowd essentially called down a curse on themselves and subsequent generations when they said, “We will take responsibility for the death of the Messiah, the Son of God.”

This call gave satan and the armies of Rome a spiritual authority to destroy the city of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D.

Everybody who refuses to receive the pardon of Jesus also suffers from this curse. Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. To reverse the curse of sin, we must come to Jesus and ask His forgiveness. Our sins nailed Jesus to the cross, and unless we receive forgiveness for our sins, we too are guilty of killing the Lord.

Prayer

Oh Jesus, what a terrible curse was released by those people on their own heads and the generations to come. Than you for lifting from me the effects of this curse and turning it into blessing. Amen.

Scripture

“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

Observation

The leading priests and elders meet early in the morning to plan Jesus’ death. They tie Him up and take Him to Pilate.

Judas regrets his decision to betray Jesus. He hadn’t realised that they intended to kill him. He tries to return the money and reverse the deal, but the priests will not have it. Judas throws the money down on the floor and then goes and hangs himself.

The priests decide that they cannot put the money back into the Temple treasury as it was payment for murder, so they decide to buy a field to be used as a cemetery.

Application

When Judas realised that he had participated in the death of Jesus, he was struck be remorse. He tried to stop the process, but having no further value to the authorities, he was powerless to change anything.

Judas recognised too late that he had sinned. The consequences of his sin continued relentlessly, as they often do. The only thing left for Judas to do was to kill himself.

If only he had turned to the Lord and asked for forgiveness. Even this sin would have been forgiven.

Instead, Judas allowed his feelings of guilt to be the final word.

God’s word of grace is always greater than our sin.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the awesome power of your grace. There is no sin that you will not forgive if only we will come to you in humility and repentance. Amen.

Scripture

Suddenly Jesus’ words flashed through his mind, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

Observation

While Jesus is undergoing a travesty of a trial in the high priest’s house, Peter is sitting outside. Some servant girls identify Peter as a follower of Jesus. Peter denies knowing Him.

Later some other bystanders come over to Peter and say they can tell by his Galilean accent that he must be a disciple of Jesus. He again denies it. Then the rooster crows, and Peter remembers the words of Jesus that he would deny knowing Jesus three times.

Application

The prophecy of the Lord about Peter’s three- fold denial of Him brings a terrible burden of guilt to Peter. He weeps bitterly.

We may wonder if this prophecy was a help or a hindrance to Peter. Would he have been better off if Jesus had not warned him of his impending sin?

The Lord only does things that will bring about our greatest good. In warning Peter about this sin, Jesus was not just wanting to burden him with guilt. His intention was to prompt him to repent.

And repent he did! Peter fell for a moment, but he went on to follow Jesus faithfully for the rest of his life.

Judas was also warned about his sin, but he failed to repent, preferring to kill himself rather than facing the mercy of the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, when you convict me of my sin, either before or after the event, please give me grace to turn back to you. Amen.

Scripture

Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”

Observation

Judas comes with a mob of men to arrest Jesus. They grab Him, but one of the disciples pulls out a sword and slashes off the ear of the High Priest’s slave.

Jesus says, “Those who use the sword will die by the sword.” He could call up thousands of angels to rescue Him, but then He would not die in order to fulfil the Scriptures.

Jesus is taken to Caiaphas the High Priest. They try to find a reason to have Jesus crucified, but even the false witnesses cannot agree on their lies.

They accuse Jesus of blasphemy and beat Him and spit on him.

Application

How awful it is that people should so seriously abuse the Son of God.

As I read this passage again just now, I am struck by the vile hatred in the hearts of these people. It is as if they are possessed by the devil, and this outpouring of hatred is satan working through them.

It is interesting (and sad) that they, the so-called Holy Men jeer at Jesus. They mock His ability to prophesy, but He knew beforehand who would slap Him.

They jeered at His role as the long- awaited Messiah, the Holy One of God who was to rescue God’s people. When the Messiah is before them, He wasn’t what they wanted or expected.

They mocked him, knowing that there really was something different about this man; something different about the miracles, the healings, the authority with which He taught.

So they spat in the face on the Son of God.

Prayer

Lord, I confess that there are times in my life when, in my sin and unbelief, I spit in your face. Please forgive me for my arrogance and anger towards you. Amen.

Scripture

“After I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Observation

Jesus tells them that evening they will all desert Him, the Shepherd will be struck, and the flock scattered. At the end of this, God will raise Him from the dead. Peter says that even if everyone else abandons him, he will stay. Jesus says that Peter will deny even knowing Him.

Jesus takes the disciples to Gethsemane, where He asks them to keep watch with Him while He prays. He goes on a little farther and prays to the Father.

He returns to the disciples three times, finding them asleep each time. Finally, He tells them to get up as the betrayer has arrived.

Application

Even at this time of His impending death, Jesus is trying to point his disciples to His resurrection.

This is the Good News for each of us. Every follower of Jesus shares in His resurrection. Death is not the end of the story, but a new beginning, a portal into the new eternal life.

We still have to go through death to get to life, but we will get there.

Jesus endured the cross for the sole purpose of bringing us into right relationship with the Father. He paid the price, and we receive the gift of restoration.

Life on earth is messy, tainted at every level with sin and its consequences. Death is all around us, but it does not have the final word.

We have seen how the story ends. It is life not death, love not war, health not sickness. The victory is His. Hallelujah!

Prayer

Lord God, the victory belongs to you. Thank you for the promise of eternity. I put my trust in you today, knowing that at the last day you will raise me to eternal life. Amen.

Scripture

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take this and eat, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many”

Observation

Jesus and His disciples celebrate the Passover. While they are eating the Passover meal, Jesus tells them one of them will betray Him. Each one asks if it is them, but Jesus indicates it will be Judas.

As they are eating, Jesus takes the bread and says, “This is my Body.” Then He takes the cup of wine and says, “This is my Blood.”

At the end of the meal, they sing a hymn and go to the Mount of Olives.

Application

Jesus takes the centuries old Passover celebration and applies it to Himself. He is the Passover Lamb, the one who takes away the sins of the world. He is the one who sets His people free from the bondage of sin and into the freedom of God- centred life.

Every week, our church celebrates Communion. We pause for a few minutes and put Jesus’ death on the cross right at the forefront of our thinking. Whatever we do in the rest of he service, and whatever happens in the rest of the week, it all revolves around the death of Jesus on the cross.

Prayer

Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for me and paying the price for my sins. As you gave your life for me, I give my life to you. Amen.

Scripture

“You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”

Observation

Jesus warns His disciples that He will shortly be handed over to be crucified. At the same time, the leading priests and elders are meeting together to plot how they will capture Jesus and kill Him.

While Jesus is at the home of a man called Simon in Bethany, a woman comes in carrying an alabaster jar of perfume. She pours it over Jesus’ head. The disciples grumble about how the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

Jesus asks them why they are criticising her for doing a good thing for Him. The poor will always be with them, but she has poured out love for Jesus.

After this, Judas goes to the priests and agrees on a price to betray Jesus.

Application

In this short passage, we see some divergent attitudes to money and wealth.

Judas seems to have been interested in money for its own sake, as are many in the world today.

The unnamed woman used her wealth to pour out love and adoration on Jesus.

The disciples think that this money should have been used for something practical rather than “wasted” on Jesus.

The important thing underlying these reactions is the heart attitude towards Jesus. Sometimes we get lost in the need to keep the money coming in for our own needs or for our ministry, or we may forget that our primary mission os to honour Jesus, not to feed the hungry.

Christians can be critical of others for spending money on projects that they do not approve of. Why “waster” money on a building or a basketball court, when it could be used for what I think its important?

If somebody chooses to give money for a building project or a new car for their pastor, if they are doing it from a genuine love for the Lord, who am I to criticise?

Prayer

Lord, please give me grace to rejoice in every expression of worship and adoration of you. Amen.

Scripture

“And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it for one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, then you were doing it for me!”

Observation

Jesus will sit on His throne in glory, and all the people of the earth will stand before Him. He will separate the people into two groups like a shepherd sorts his sheep from his goats.

Those on His right, the sheep, He will commend for their good works, for the deeds of service and kindness done to Jesus. They will profess ignorance of how they did this, but Jesus says that whatever they did for the least of His brothers and sisters they did for Him.

Similarly, the goats will be condemned for their negligence towards Jesus. They are also told that when they neglected the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters they neglected Him.

Those who are declared unrighteous will go to eternal punishment, but those who are righteous will enter eternal life.

Application

Our attitude towards Jesus is shown by our attitude to the least of His brothers and sisters.

Some people say that for this reason we must serve everybody in order to serve Christ. This is not what is being described here. The brothers and sisters of Christ are His disciples. Together we are the Body of Christ, and so when a part is suffering, the true disciples will seek to reduce the pain of even the least important member.

If I claim to be a christian and remain indifferent to the suffering of the brothers and sisters of Christ, then my actions show that my words are incorrect.

Different people have different God-directed ways of expressing this. Some are passionate about orphans in Africa; some are directed toward prison ministry; still others to helping church members who are sick or permanently disabled.

Faith must be expressed in service, for servanthood is the pathway to greatness in the Kingdom of God.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to always be sensitive to the needs of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.