CHRIST HAS RISEN

Matthew 28:1-4 "Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, the women went out to see the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. The angel spoke to the women. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen."

Job 19:25 "I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth."

Revelation 1:17 "I am the First and the Last, I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!"


Things to Ponder

1. Has a new day dawned in my life as a result of the power of the resurrected Christ.

2. Does Jesus really live in my heart?

3. Do those around me know that Jesus in alive and living in my heart?



Celebrate today. Celebrate the Savior. Celebrate the risen King. Celebrate

-jl

MIGHTY TO SAVE

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave


Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus





The last verse in this video should read 2 Chronicles 7:14 the video creator notes on YOU TUBE.

JESUS IN THE TOMB

John 19:41 "At the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new tomb....they laid Jesus there."

I Corinthians 2:2 "For I resolve to know nothing...except Jesus and Him crucified."

Philippians 3:10 "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing His sufferings, becoming like Him in death."

After Jesus died and was placed in the tomb, the Bible tells us that the disciples were all together with the doors locked, afraid. We can only imagine what they discussed during that time. But I think they probably relived the past three years, and particularly the past week they had with Jesus.

They probably remembered the trip to Jerusalem and the fellowship of other pilgrims in route to celebrate Passover. They remembered singing the Psalms of Ascent as they approached the city. They would have remembered His miracles, the teachings, the healings. Thoughts had to reflect the excitement of His entry into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Temple. They would have recalled the betray of Judas, the humility of the Passover Seder when Jesus washed their feel, the agony of Gethsemane, and their own denial at the mock trial of their beloved Friend. They would have been haunted by the cross. They would have been in complete fear, not knowing if they would suffer the same death. All of their hopes and dreams were over--so they thought.

We too must reflect on the week we have had walking with Christ. But we do not need to be afraid as the disciples were, because we know something that they did not know at that time. Jesus has given us hope--He has overcome death!! He rose from the grave. When we think about all He has done just for us, we should have a greater desire to know Him and to love HIm with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

At The Cross

Oh Lord You’ve searched me
You know my way
Even when I fail You
I know You love me

Your holy presence
Surrounding me
In every season
I know You love me
I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There’s no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now

You go before me
You shield my way
Your hand upholds me
I know You love me

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done

And when the earth fades
Falls from my eyes
And You stand before me
I know You love me
I know You love me
(Hillsong)

Things to Ponder

Take time today to think about your walk with Christ this week. Ask Him to give you a desire to know Him in a new and better way. -jl

"Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

JESUS IS CRUCIFIED

John 19:30 "Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit."

AT THE CROSS

At the cross I bow my knee Where Your blood was shed for me There’s no greater love than this (Hillsong) After a night of a mock trial, abandonment of His followers, ridicule and shame, our Lord was nailed to a cross. There for hours, He suffered alone, forsaken by the Father. Why? Because He has now become sin--our sin--and the Holy Father cannot look at sin. We must now come to the cross. We must now face our sin. We want to be like the disciples and watch from a distance, but we MUST come to the foot of the cross. Why? It is there we see His precious blood flow--spilling to the ground. The Bible says without the shedding of His blood, there is no forgiveness of sin--and His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. So we MUST come and face our sins and receive His forgiveness and cleansing. It hurts to see Him there covered with our sin--but He wants us to come--to show us How much He loves us. -jl

JESUS IN GETHSEMANE

Mark 14:32 "And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I pray. My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and watch. He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you, Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet, I want your will, not mine." Then He returned and found the disciples asleep.


The book of John records that on the night that Jesus ate the Passover meal with the disciples, instituted the Lord's Supper, and washed their feet, He prayed for the disciples and for all who would believe in Him. That means, He prayed for you and me! They would leave the room and go to a place called Gethsemane (olive press). There Jesus prayed with such intensity that great drops of blood began to seep from Him, just like olive oil would seep from the weight of the olive press. While His disciples slept--our Savior was bearing the heavy load of what was to come. Laying face down on the ground, He dried to His Abba, His Daddy, "If possible--but not my will, but Thine." When He left the Garden that night, He knew that His disciples would abandon Him, and His Father would have to forsake Him. He knew what was ahead. Yet, He willingly went. Why? Because He loves you and me.

Things to Ponder

1. How important is prayer in my life?

2. When others ask me to pray, am I like the disciples and forget--caught up in my own cares and needs?

3. Do I struggle in prayer to know God's will for my life?

4. Am I will to abandon my hopes, my dreams, my plans and say, "I want Your will, not mine"?


OH HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME

O how He loves you and me, O how He loves you and me
He gave His life, what more could He give? O how He loves you,
O how He loves me! O how He loves you and me!

Jesus to Calvary did go, His love for mankind to show
What He did there, brought hope from despair; O how He love you,
O, how he loves me! O how He loves you and me!

JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET

John 13:1 "Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love. He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet. He said, 'I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

John 13: 34 "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."

On the night Judas betrayed Him, and knowing the other disciples would soon deny, reject and abandon Him, Jesus showed them the full extent of His love. He assumed the role of an humble servant and washed His disciple's feet. Jesus knew that there was a competitive spirit in the hearts of His disciples. In fact, within a few minutes, the men were disputing over which of them was the greatest. The world would know them to be disciples of Jesus if they loved each other. But for this to happen, and for them to have a great impact on the lost world, they needed a lesson in humility. By His actions, Jesus rebuked their selfishness and pride.

Things to Ponder

1. Do I need a lesson in humility? Do I consider myself "too good" to be a servant to others?

2. Does the world know that I am an Christian by the love I have for others?

3. Can the Christ-like characteristics of humility, servanthood, and love be seen in me?

Ask the Father to show you someone today who needs to know the love of Jesus. How you can serve that person so they can come to know the Savior? -jl

JESUS IS BETRAYED BY A FRIEND

Isaiah 53:3 "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering."

Psalm 55:12-13 "It was not an enemy insulting me, I could stand that. It was not someone who hated me. But it is you, a person like me, my companion and good friend. We had good friendship and walked together in God's temple."

Luke 22:4 "And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus."

Matthew 26:22 "While they were eating, He said, 'I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.' The disciples were sad and said, 'Surely not I, Lord."

MAN OF SORROWS', WHAT A NAME

'Man of Sorrows' what a name, For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim, Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Betrayed by a friend--betrayed by one who had followed Him, who had seen His miracles, heard Him teach, felt His compassion. Even though we know Judas to be a dishonest greedy man, we ask ourselves, "how in the world could he have betrayed Jesus? Yet when Jesus confronted the disciples telling of the betrayal, they all asked, "Is it I?" We all can betray Him. How? When we choose the world instead of Christ. When we hear His Word, and refuse to believe, we too betray Him. How this must break His heart.

Things to Ponder

1. Do I believe in Jesus, yet live my life as if I didn't? Then I betray Jesus.

2. Do I truly believe Jesus as my Savior? Have I just "joined the church, and been baptized" and have not had real salvation experience? Then I have betrayed Jesus.

3. Do I break the heart of the Savior by willingly choosing to live a life that is not pleasing to Him?

We all have a choice to live a life of faith, or a life of betrayal. -jl

JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE

Matthew 21:12-13 "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He said to them, 'It is written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers."

I Corinthians 3:24 "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

CLEANSE ME

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.

The temple in Jerusalem was the place where God chose to dwell with His people. To the Jews, it was a sign of God's love--a sign of His commitment to be with them at all times. It was a place of prayer and worship. That is why Jesus became so angry with the money changers and merchants. They were selling Passover sacrificial animals there in the very place that was to be called a House of Prayer for everyone. And, they were cheating the people.
They were desecrating the sacred place God Himself had designed for everyone to pray and worship. They were in the area of the temple set aside for the non-Jews to come and worship. What kind of testimony were they making to the world?
I Corinthians tells us that we are now the temple of God. When we allow sin in our lives, we too desecrate the holy place where God has chosen to dwell. What kind of testimony is that to the non-Christian world?

THINGS TO PONDER

1. Will I allow God to search me and show me areas of sin in my "temple" that need to be
cleansed?
2. Will I allow Him to cleanse me--even if He chooses a drastic method to do so?
3. Is prayer a very important part of my life?

After cleansing the temple, Matthew 21:14 says that Jesus focused His attention to the blind, sick and lame. When we allow Him to cleanse us, we too can concentrate on the needs of others. And, as the hymn says, we are set free.
-jl

JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM

John 23:12-13 "The crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord' 'Blessed is the King of Israel."

TELL ME THE STORIES OF JESUS
Tell me the stories of Jesus, I love to hear;
Things I would ask Him to tell me, if He were here
Scenes by the way-side, tales of the seas
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

Into the city I'd follow, there take my stand,
Waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand
One of His heralds, Yes, I would sing
Loudest hosannas, "Jesus is King."
(W.H. Parker)

I stood on the streets of Jerusalem that Sunday, waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna, "Save us, Save us!" "Freedom, Freedom!" Our king, our Messiah--the Promised One is coming--the one who can free us from these hated Romans is here!! Hosanna!!
I had heard about Him. I had heard that He could heal the sick, that He could feed thousands with very little food. Everyone was talking about His miracles. Some said that He could raise the dead. Oh! The Wonder! And here He is--we can now see Him.
The crowds are all wild with excitement. People put their coats on the ground for Him, but, He doesn't seem to notice. He seems....sad.
He enters the city and comes straight to me. I am in awe--of all the people there, He came to me. He just stands there looking at me. He doesn't say a word. Then He turned around and left me. Why??
Because He was looking at the REAL me. I was caught up with the excitement of the crowd--shouting praises that were selfish. I was thinking about myself--what He was going to do for me.
Those songs of praise were not for Him. I wasn't worshipping Him, and He knew it. So, he Just stood there looking at me, and I was exposed for what I had done. And He left me without saying a word. I am so ashamed. I will never forget how he looked at me--those eyes.
Jesus, please forgive me. Yes, I thought you came to free us from the Romans. I didn't realize you came to free us from sin--from myself. Please come back. Please cleanse me.


The crowds waved palm branches and shouted "Hosanna" that day, and before the week was over, crowds would be yelling, "Crucify Him". They wanted Jesus to be their King and free them from Roman Oppression. But that wasn't His mission. He came to free them, not from the Romans, but from the bondage of their sins. Because He didn't meet their demands and fulfill their desires and dreams, they crucified Him.

THINGS TO PONDER:

1. Have I allowed Jesus to free me from sin, and is he my King of Kings?

2. Do I worship and sing praises to Jesus on Sunday, and betray Him the rest of the week?

3. Is my worship as fickle as the crowd's on the streets of Jerusalem?

4. Are my interests so selfish that I am blind to the interests of God?

5. Do I understand the mission of Jesus and my part in that mission?
-jl

The Journey

As we journey with Jesus the last week He lived, we want to feel His passion, hurt when He hurt, experience His emotions and suffer His pain.

We have traveled the road to Jerusalem with Him to celebrate the Passover. We didn't realize that this road would lead us to the Cross. We all must face the cross. We must force ourselves to hear Jesus cry out in pain. We must stay there and watch the horror of His death. We must stand at the foot of the Cross and watch His blood drop to the ground.

Why? Because the Bible says that we are all sinners, and without the shedding of His blood, there can be no cleansing and forgiveness for our sins.

Also, without the cross there would be no Resurrection. Without the Resurrection, there would be no hope of eternal life.

As we walk in the footprints of our Savior these last days of His life, we will get a glimpse of ourselves. Will we find ourselves in the fickle crowd waving palm branches, shouting praises to Him--only to betray Him and deny Him before the week is over? Will we feel shame as He reveals the dirty things He sees in or lives and allow Him to cleanse us as He cleansed the temple? Will we grieve as He prays for us in the Garden? Will we know the fellowship of sharing His sufferings? -jl