Tag Archives: Holy Week

Monday of Holy Week – Are We Thankful?

Posted on by

0

Holy Week is the week that stretches from Palm Sunday to Easter. There are several “highlights” if that’s the right word to use. Maundy Thursday is the time when we stop, and remember the betrayal of Christ, and remember His giving to us the great gift of Holy Communion.  On Good Friday, we take time to remember the cross, and the penalty that Jesus Christ paid for our sins.

And while are the really significant times of this week, there are other moments that are important. And through this week, we will take time to look at what happens each day of Holy Week, and see what we can learn, as we move towards the cross and the empty grave.

Today we read from John 12:1-8:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.  Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.  For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

6a00d8345254ac69e20133ec49dbda970bThere’s a lot that we can unpack in this passage, but I want to focus on Mary’s devotion to Jesus.  He has raised her brother Lazarus from the dead, and now He has come to their home.  And what is Mary’s response?  Pure thankfulness.

She takes this perfume and anoints Jesus, then she wipes His feet with her hair.  It is an act of pure, humble, devotion and love.  You could argue it’s nearly humiliating to do this.  But she doesn’t care.  She is so thankful to Jesus for what He has done for her, for your family.  Her heart overflows with thanksgiving for the work of Jesus in her life.

And contrast that with the grumbling of the disciples.  Judas speaks here, but the other gospels allude that he is merely speaking up for everyone.  (Though John does give us a little insight in Judas’ character.  His motives weren’t pure.  Neither are ours, all the time.)  They all thought that this was a waste of resources. They could have done something with it.

And Jesus says this – you won’t always have me with you.  Be thankful.  Be thankful.  That’s our first job today.  To be thankful.

Your first job today is to be thankful. Before you go. Before you serve. Your first just to merely be thankful for what God has done for you.

Then, with thankful hearts, go and serve.  But, first, we must give thanks.  We must.  For true service comes from there.  From a thankful heart.

Today, are we thankful?  That’s our first job.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Maundy Thursday 2013

Posted on by

0

Today is a day that is called Maundy Thursday. This is a day set aside to remember the betrayal of Jesus and to remember the night when He gave us the gift of Holy Communion. It begins the darkness that is Good Friday.

Before the dawn and light of Easter Sunday, we must go through the darkness of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

And, if you happen to be in the Petal, MS area tonight, and you’ve never experienced a Maundy Thursday service, I hope you’ll be able to come out and be with us tonight at Asbury.

Before Jesus is betrayed, He left this disciples, and us, with some words to remember. Before He was handed over, He wanted them, and us, to know what was most important.  Listen to what He tells them, and us, in John today:

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 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.’ 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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

They will know you are my disciples not by your theology.  Or by your denomination.  Or by your beliefs.  Or by what you wear.  Or by what you listen to.  Or any of these things.

We try to make Christianity about so many different things that is not about.

Before Jesus was handed over, He told us what was most important.  He told us what mattered the most.  He told us what we must do to prove to the world that we are His disciples.

They will know you are my disciples by your love.

Today, do “they” – your friends, your family, your co workers, your neighbors, the people in your life – do they know you are His disciple?

Are you living a life of love in front of them?

Before He was handed over, he told us what is most important.  He told us what matters most.  Love.

They will know you are my disciples by your love. Today, may all the world know that we are His disciples.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Wednesday of Holy Week 2013

Posted on by

0

The closer we get to Thursday and Friday during Holy Week, the more the reality of what is come starts setting in. We have seen Jesus teaching His disciples, we have seen Him teaching the crowds.

Today, on Wednesday, we see something happen, that isn’t about His teaching.

It’s about what is going to happen.

Listen to what happens in Matthew 26:14-16 today:

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

urlWe see that Judas is moving towards betraying Jesus. We see that the this horrible event (which buys our redemption) is coming closer.

And of all the things that are painful about cross, this may be the one that heart Him the most, that we don’t think about. He was betrayed. By a close friend. One of His disciples. One that He has trusted. One that He has taught.

He knew betrayal. He knew hurt. He knew what it was like to have someone who He loves hurt Him in a painful, painful way.

He knew betrayal.

So, remember, He can sympathize with whatever it is that we are going through. No matter what pain, hurt, or disappointment we are facing, He faced it.

For our sake.

In this Holy Week, let us not forget what Jesus went through.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Tuesday of Holy Week 2013

Posted on by

0

Today on this Tuesday of Holy Week, we draw a day closer to the cross. We also draw a day closer to the joy of Easter. And that, perhaps, is the thing that we can learn in Holy Week. We see that the pain (the cross) is followed by the hope (Easter and resurrection).

As Christians, we are not promised a pain-free experience. There is pain and hurt and suffering. There will be tears and loss. But, we are promised that these tears are not without a purpose and this hurt is not in vain.

And that God will use, even that, for something amazing.

Listen to what Jesus teaches on Tuesday of Holy Week, in John 12:23-26:

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

urlJesus tells them that the time for Him to be glorified has come. The moment when He would receive His greatest glory and honor was here. And, for us, to think of glory and honor, we think of a great award or some time of prize.

For Jesus, His greatest glory was the cross. And that doesn’t seem right. But, as He tells us, in the cross, many lives are changed, and freedom is gained for those that believe.

A grain of wheel falls, and it bear much fruit.

He goes to the to cross, and many lives are freed.

To love our lives means in this world we hate it, to gain eternal life. By the way “hate” doesn’t mean “hate” like we think of. It means to not see it as the primary thing. To know that there is something greater. And that is the truth. As great as our lives are, there is something greater.

God. To hate our live doesn’t mean that we “hate” it. It means that we choose Him first.

And, like the cross, at first that doesn’t seem right or like something we’d want to do. But, we find, that in laying down our lives, and placing His life first, we find what we are really looking for in our lives.

In laying it down, we find something greater. Today, may we know true greatness. May we find the great life that God has for us. May we lay down our lives, and take us His.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Monday of Holy Week 2013

Posted on by

0

Today is Monday, and we are in the midst of Holy Week. This is the last week of Jesus earthly ministry, and each day we see Him do, say, and teach something important.
Of His life, all of His ministry was important. But, these last few days. He really focused in on what truly matters.

What it was all about. What truly counts. What truly is important.

Today, on this Monday, we read from John 12: 3-8. Listen to what happens:

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

6a00e5512b13618833011278de233128a4-800wiWe see Mary anoint Jesus expensive perfume. Some will tell you that this anointing is a foreshadowing of what is to come at the end of the week, as a way of getting His body prepared for burial.

That is a good way to look at what’s happening, as it keeps our focus on cross that is coming. But, there is something else that’s really important, at least to me, in my reading of this text.

We see Judas get upset that the perfume is not sold. The bible says it’s not because he was concerned about the poor, but he was really a thief. And then Jesus says this – you’ll always have the poor with you. But He would not always be there.

What is He trying to tell us in that? What is important in that for us?

Here’s what I think.

I think Jesus is telling us to keep our eyes focused on what really matters. Him. To make Him the focus. To make Him the point. To make Him what it’s all about.

The stuff that we do, the good things, the acts of service, all of this, it’s done for His glory. It’s done for His purpose. It’s done for Him.

And we’ve got to keep things in perspective as to why we do them. And what it’s all about. It’s for Him. Every act of service. Ever good thing. Every smile. Word of encouragement. Everything. It’s for Him.

So, today, in this Holy Week. Let’s focus on Him. Let’s make Him the main thing. And let’s find our life in Him.

Because that’s where life is found.

Today, let’s keep Him the main thing.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Maundy Thursday 2012

Posted on by

0

Today is a day that is called Maundy Thursday. This is a day set aside to remember the betrayal of Jesus and to remember the night when He gave us the gift of Holy Communion. It begins the darkness that is Good Friday.

Before the dawn and light of Easter Sunday, we must go through the darkness of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

And, if you happen to be in the Petal, MS area tonight, and you’ve never experienced a Maundy Thursday service, I hope you’ll be able to come out and be with us tonight at Asbury.

Before Jesus is betrayed, He left this disciples, and us, with some words to remember. Before He was handed over, He wanted them, and us, to know what was most important.  Listen to what He tells them, and us, in John today:

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 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.’ 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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

They will know you are my disciples not by your theology.  Or by your denomination.  Or by your beliefs.  Or by what you wear.  Or by what you listen to.  Or any of these things.

We try to make Christianity about so many different things that is not about.

Before Jesus was handed over, He told us what was most important.  He told us what mattered the most.  He told us what we must do to prove to the world that we are His disciples.

They will know you are my disciples by your love.

Today, do “they” – your friends, your family, your co workers, your neighbors, the people in your life – do they know you are His disciple?

Are you living a life of love in front of them?

Before He was handed over, he told us what is most important.  He told us what matters most.  Love.

They will know you are my disciples by your love. Today, may all the world know that we are His disciples.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Wednesday of Holy Week 2012

Posted on by

0

Somethings in life are bigger than us. Somethings in life are beyond us. Somethings are bigger than our ability to understand or our ability to plan.

God’s plan of salvation is one of them. When we think about the cross and Jesus dying upon it, there are so many things that we can focus on.

Who’s fault was it?

Why did it happen?

What about Judas? What about the devil? Where was God? Did Jesus have a choice? Why did it have to happen this way?

Lot’s of questions. Lots of things that we wonder about. Lots of things that we don’t know.

Today, we see in this passage for this Wednesday of Holy Week, something bigger is playing out.  Listen to what happens in Luke 22:1-6:

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

God’s plan of salvation was bigger than one person, bigger than one choice, bigger than one betrayal. It was His plain to bring us to Himself.

He knew that we could earn it or work our way to salvation. He knew that we weren’t good enough or faithful enough. He knew that we could never do it on our own.

So He did it for us. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

And so, yes, the devil entered into Judas. And Judas made a choice. And earlier Jesus made the choice to come to Jerusalem. And yes it was bad and messy and ugly. Yes it was painful. Yes it awful.

And God did that for us. For our sin. For our redemption. For our forgiveness and salvation.

Yes, there are things about all this that I don’t understand. But I do understand this. Jesus loved you, and me, enough that He willing did it.

And it was God’s plan of salvation all along. I am thankful that God loved us enough that He went to this length for us.

May each of us, in our lives, be faithful to God today, as He was faithful to us.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Tuesday of Holy Week 2012

Posted on by

0

On Tuesday of Holy Week, we see Jesus do a lot of teaching. On this day, Jesus spends time teaching.

He teaches the disciples. He teaches the crowd. He teaches even the scribes and the teachers of the law. He knew that His time was drawing short. He knew what awaited Him. And He knew that in these last few days He needed to leave the people with core and the truth of His teaching.

So, on this Tuesday, He teaches on a variety of things. But listen to He really stresses today in Mark 12:28-31:

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Someone asks Him what is the most important of all the commandments. That’s a big question, there are a lot of commandments. But this is what He says in response.

Love. Love of God. Love of neighbor. That’s what the Christian life is supposed to look like. Love.

We are to love God with all that we are. Chase after Him. Seek to know Him better through study, through prayer, though worship. We are to seek to love God with every fiber of our being.

And then we are to take that love that we feel from God, and love each other in the same manner. Love each other, serve each other, forgive each other.

Love of God. Love of neighbor. That sums of the Christian life. The sums up the 10 Commandments. That sums it all up.

Today, may we take this teaching and apply it to our lives. May we love. May we love God. May we love our neighbor. And in doing that we find life, and may we live the way that our Lord intends!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Monday of Holy Week 2012

Posted on by

0

One of the conversations I was having last night with my Disciple Bible study was the conversation about the death of Jesus on Good Friday.

Did Judas have any choice in what was happening? (My answer, yes, all humans have free will). What if he’d have not done it? We were talking all the questions that so many have about the cross, the suffering of Jesus, and all that happened to our Lord.

On this Monday of Holy Week, listen to what happened on this day, according to John 12:1-8:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

We see Him being anointed as for burial. We see Him say that He would not be there much longer. He knew what this week would hold for me.

And in reading it, the point struck me, that struck me last night in our conversation. In regards to his crucifixion, Jesus knew what He was doing. He chose to go to the cross. He chose to go to Jerusalem. He knew what was going to happen.

He knew that the cross awaited Him on Good Friday. He knew what was to happen. He willing chose it. Judas had a part to play, yes, but remember.

Jesus choose to lay His life down.

For you, and for me. He went to cross, suffered its pain an anguish. For us. For me. For you. For our forgiveness. For our salvation. For our hope.

Jesus knew what was happening. And He chose it. For us.

But, one other thing I stressed last night. No one killed Jesus. He’s not dead! He’s alive. He rose from the dead, He’s alive forever more.

On this Monday of Holy Week, let us remember that our Lord willing chose what was to happen, for my sake, and for your. And let us remember that even the pain, and agony of the cross could not defeat our Lord!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

How They Know We Are His

Posted on by

0

Today is a day that is called Maundy Thursday. This is a day set aside to remember the betrayal of Jesus and to remember the night when He gave us the gift of Holy Communion. It begins the darkness that is Good Friday.

Before the dawn and light of Easter Sunday, we must go through the darkness of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

And, if you happen to be in the Petal, MS area tonight, and you’ve never experienced a Maundy Thursday service, I hope you’ll be able to come out and be with us tonight at Asbury.

Before Jesus is betrayed, He left this disciples, and us, with some words to remember. Before He was handed over, He wanted them, and us, to know what was most important.  Listen to what He tells them, and us, in John today:

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

They will know you are my disciples not by your theology.  Or by your denomination.  Or by your beliefs.  Or by what you wear.  Or by what you listen to.  Or any of these things.

We try to make Christianity about so many different things that is not about.

Before Jesus was handed over, He told us what was most important.  He told us what mattered the most.  He told us what we must do to prove to the world that we are His disciples.

They will know you are my disciples by your love.

Today, do “they” – your friends, your family, your co workers, your neighbors, the people in your life – do they know you are His disciple?

Are you living a life of love in front of them?

Before He was handed over, he told us what is most important.  He told us what matters most.  Love.

They will know you are my disciples by your love. Today, may all the world know that we are His disciples.