SmellingCoffee.com

... the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ in every place...

You are here: Home / Archives for Holy Week

Holy Week

People of the Cross & Lent

It’s the season of Lent, the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the Lenten days, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).
 

Being the Baptist girl that I am, I didn’t grow up observing Lent.  In fact, I just learned of this season’s specialness not too many years ago.  Each year I do a little more research on it and gather resources that help me learn to observe the Lenten season.  (If you’re like me and are not too sure about Lent, see toward the bottom of this post for more info and some FREE resources.)

Basically, Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ – His Cross, His suffering and His sacrifice, His life, death, burial and resurrection.

Lent and Easter are all about the Cross… which leads me to deeply ponder

The People of the Cross

It’s been heaviest on my mind and heart lately – the most recent Christian Martyrs – who were killed for being “People of the Cross.”

I just can’t get that phrase out of my mind – especially as we enter this Lenten season.  People of the Cross.  Isn’t that what all of us are if we claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?  Yet how many of us (me included!) complain about or dread or congratulate ourselves on our meager sacrifice during this 40 something day period leading up to Easter??? Oh Lord, forgive us!

I can hardly comprehend it, but this isn’t the first or the last time that God-honoring people will be put to death for being called by His name.  Though our government is failing to call it what it is, these latest souls join with centuries of courageous others who chose to bow the knee to Jesus Christ in this life, trading their very breath for a Martyr’s crown to lay at His feet in Heaven.

And then we (me included!) think we are so pious because we are giving up sugar for 40 days? Or TV? Or Facebook?  Oh Lord, have mercy on our weak souls!

People of the Cross… That’s what we are.  And I don’t doubt for a moment that many of us, when put to the test, would choose to die for our faith.  God would give us the courage to do so if the time came.  Because, after all, we know what blessings lie ahead for us.

But the question burning in my soul right now is this: As People of the Cross who would be willing to die for our Savior, are we just as willing to live for Him too?

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24

 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].” (AMP)

The NLT puts it this way:

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”

And look at the Message’s version of this verse(s)

24-26 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?”

Oh my friends, the question the Lord keeps driving deep inside my heart and mind of late is “Am I really living as a Person of the Cross?”  Not in my outward persona where others might be able to answer that question for me… but in the inward person of my own heart where only the Lord and I see… Am I really living and thinking and loving and trusting and obeying as a Person of the Cross?

This could be the most precious Lenten season of our lives if, during the season where we turn toward the Cross, we would choose to become People of the Cross.  In our everyday lives and choices with our time, money, mouths, bodies, homes, talents, possessions… I believe that the Lord is calling us all – offering us an invitation wherever it is that we live, and in whatever it is that we do – to gladly and gratefully take up the cross to follow Him.

Dearest friends, will you and I choose to live as People of the Cross?
A men – So be it, Lord Jesus!

signature

 

 

 

 

A little bit about Lent.

Being the Baptist girl that I am, I didn’t grow up observing Lent.  In fact, I just learned of this season’s specialness not too many years ago.  Each year I do a little more research on it and gather resources that help one observe the Lenten season.

Last year our family observed Epiphany from December 26 through Mardi Gras.  (See this Smelling Coffee post for a better explanation.) The Epiphany season of seeking and finding Jesus offers a sweet time of fellowship and intimacy with the Lord and a wonderful way to begin the year with hearts and minds focused on Jesus.

But from fellowship and intimacy with our Holy God, inevitably comes the realization of our sins.  And that’s where Ash Wednesday comes in, and where Lent picks up, leading us to the blessed celebration of Easter.

Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).

 

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ – his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.

 
The Bible does not mention the custom of Lent, however, the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes is found in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21.
 
 
 

 

How Can We Observe Lent?  (This is straight from the BibleGateway.com)

 
There’s no Scriptural requirement to observe Lent—ultimately, it’s just the six week lead-up to Easter Sunday in the church calendar—but many Christians find it helpful and inspirational to observe the Lent season in some way. Generally speaking, when people observe Lent, they commit to a spiritual activity—prayer, Bible reading, reflection, self-denial, service, etc.—that will sharpen their understanding of Jesus Christ’s own sacrifice as described in the Bible’s account of the first Easter.
 
The question of whether or not to observe Lent is a personal one with no “right” or “wrong” answer. But if you’re thinking about participating, here are a few ideas to consider.
 

 

1. Prayer

Prayer is one of the core activities of the Christian life; the Bible commands us to pray continually and assures us of the efficacy of our prayers. Jesus himself took time on the night of his arrest to call out to his Father in prayer. Prayer is thus an understandably popular activity during the Lent season.
 
When committing to pray over an extended period of time, it might help to choose a theme around which to center your prayers. Consider the following possible prayer “projects” to follow over the course of Lent:
 
Pray for each member of your family, asking God to bless, challenge, and protect each individual.
As above, but extend your prayers to include the members of your church, neighborhood, or other community. Find a phone directory or other listing of the members of your community, and each day pray for the next person on the list.
Pray for your “enemies”—the people who confound, frustrate, and oppose you! And pray for yourself as well, that you would show your enemies the same grace that Christ showed to his.
Pray for a different country each day during Lent. A few minutes on Wikipedia can give you a basic overview of the challenges facing any particular country. Pray also for missionaries and Christian communities in each country, whether they live in freedom or face daily persecution for their faith.
With a bit of thinking, and perhaps consultation with your pastor or church leaders, you can probably come up with a long list of people and situations that need prayer, both in your local community and across the globe.
 

 

2. Service

Acts of service, particularly to help the underprivileged and others isolated from mainstream society, have always been at the core of Christian ethics. What acts of service could you perform during Lent?
 
Cook meals, run errands, and offer a helping hand to a person or family in your community that needs assistance with day-to-day tasks. If you can’t think of anyone who needs this kind of help, your pastor or church leadership can almost certainly identify people for whom “small-scale” help like this would be a literal godsend.
 
Donate food, money, or time to a local homeless shelter, battered women’s shelter, children’s hospital, or another organization that ministers directly to the hurting.
 
Go out of your way to (anonymously, if possible) do something nice for a person in your neighborhood or community. Shovel your neighbor’s driveway when it snows; give a financially struggling family you know a gift card for gas and groceries; host dinner for that family you’ve been meaning to meet but haven’t yet.
 
Identify a missionary family ministering abroad and support them with letters, donations, and/or prayer.
 

 

3. Scripture Reading

 
We talk a lot about the value of reading God’s Word here at Bible Gateway. There are few activities you can undertake that will bring you closer to God than to spend time regularly—every day, if possible—reading His Word. God’s hope for His children is that they will “remember my words with your whole being. Write them down and tie them to your hands as a sign; tie them on your foreheads to remind you.”
 
Reading the Bible regularly is important, but like any good habit, it takes a bit of work to realize and is not without a few early obstacles. But Lent is the perfect time to commit to making Scripture reading a daily practice, no matter how many times you may have tried and failed to do so in the past.
 
Because this is a topic close to our hearts, we at Bible Gateway have put together a number of resources you might find helpful in kickstarting a Bible reading habit. Take a look at our collection of Bible reading plans—note particularly the Readings for Lent and Easter and Read the Gospels in 40 Days reading plans, both of which are particularly appropriate for Lent. Each of these reading plans organizes the text of the Bible into manageable daily readings and is a good way to pace yourself as you make Bible reading a part of your daily routine. Note that several of these reading plans are available via email, including the brand-new Readings for Lent and Easter from The Voice.
 
However you go about it, you’ll never regret spending more time in Scripture, and the Lenten season presents an excellent opportunity to finally make it happen.
 

 

4. Self-denial

The concept of self-denial is also central to Christian faith. Christians are called to refrain not just from thoughts and activities that are spiritually harmful, but from anything that is not beneficial to themselves and others; and to focus instead on what is true and praiseworthy.
 
As with other Lent observances, this is something Christians are expected to practice throughout the year, not just during Lent or holiday seasons. But for many Christians, Lent is a good opportunity to re-examine their lives to identify what unhelpful habits ought to be cut off.
 
But beyond refraining from indulging bad habits during Lent, many Christians choose to voluntarily deny themselves a particular activity or habit not because it’s spiritual harmful, but because the practice of self-denial echoes and calls attention to the Christian duty to consider our needs and desires less important than other people’s. The small pain of missing a comfortable daily habit reminds us of the real hardship experienced by Christ and the countless believers throughout history who have faced trials and deprivation on account of their faith.
 
So what sort of things might you consider “giving up” for Lent? For starters, Lent is as good a time as any to get serious about cutting off any spiritually unhealthy practices that have crept into your life. Beyond that, you can give up anything for Lent, big or small—anything from coffee to TV to fast food to internet use—as long as it’s something whose absence you will feel. The daily reminder of sacrifice, however small it may seem, is part of the Lent experience.
 

 

Beyond Lent and Easter

One of the wonderful things about Lent observances is that they have a way of sticking. If you stick to something for six straight weeks, chances are it’s well on its way to becoming a meaningful and healthy habit. You may reach the end of Lent to find that your Lenten acts of kindness have permanently changed your attitude about service; or that you really can live without a habit that had once seemed integral to your life; or that spending time in prayer now feels like such a natural part of your life that your day just wouldn’t feel right without it.
 
However you observe Lent, and even if you don’t, we hope that the journey to Easter is an opportunity for you to consider how your actions and attitudes echo (or don’t echo) those of Jesus Christ. And as Easter approaches, may you find yourself drawn closer and closer to the Savior to whom we are reconciled.
 
 
 

Even though the Lenten Season started on Wednesday, there is still plenty of time to participate and turn our hearts toward the cross!   I’ve gathered a few FREE resources and devotionals to do just that during these days before Easter.

1.  Bible Gateway offers 5 different FREE devotional resources that will be emailed straight to your inbox each day.

An eclectic mix of Scripture passages and reflections to help you think through and apply the message of Easter. Begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18.

Journey to Easter with 22 short, daily inspirational reflections from pastor and author Mel Lawrenz. Begins on March 15.

Discover the true meaning of Easter with this week-long daily devotional written by beloved author Max Lucado. Begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18.

A devotional journey with WW2 pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer that will both challenge and encourage you throughout the Lenten season. Begins as soon as you sign up.

Read a daily Scripture passage chosen to focus your heart and mind on the message of Easter. Visit our reading plans page to sign up.

How easy is that?  You can sign up here.

2.  Journey to the Cross – Daily Readings for Lent, compiled and published in e-book form by The Gospel Coalition.  This download is FREE and can be opened on a variety of readers.  Click here for the book.

3.  The Bible.  There are a ton of wonderful resources that will help turn our hearts toward the cross – but the most vibrant one remains God’s rich Word.  Pray and ponder your way through the book of John or Matthew or Mark or Luke during this season.  Ask the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and get to know your Savior more intimately by following in His footsteps over the next month and a half.  This post will give you a jump start and help in How to Study the Bible. 🙂

 

A blessed season of the Cross to each of you~

signature

Following Jesus’ Footsteps – Resurrection Sunday: The Beautiful Result of Holy Week!

 

esus Lives! SmellingCoffee.com

 

Happy Resurrection Sunday to you!  What did Jesus do on this day?  He arose!  He paid the price and redeemed you and me!  He defeated death!  He is ALIVE!  Jesus Lives!  A men?

Want to read all about it?

Sunday
The Resurrection: Matthew 28: Mark 16: Luke 24: John 20

As you read these passages, pay special attention to the individuals, to what they were thinking, to how they responded to Jesus, and to how the resurrection message could apply to each life and bring about victorious change.  Then apply that resurrection message to your own life!

This is what we celebrate!  This is NEW LIFE!  This is what we see when flowers bloom, trees bud, and grass greens.  This is what we are reminded of when we hold a newborn baby or watch a chick hatch from its egg.  This is what can be ours simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing.  This is the true meaning of EASTER!

My soul… is bowed down within me.

 But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation:

It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed,

because His [tender] compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self);

therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.

The Lord is good to those who wait hope fully and expectantly for Him,

to those who seek Him

[inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word].

It is good that one should hope in and wait quietly

for the salvation (the safety and ease) of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:20-26 (Amp)

What Easter Means To Me. An original poem by SmellingCoffee.comHappy happy Easter, dear friends~  May the Resurrection of Jesus bring Newness into every lifeless place~

signature

Following Jesus’ Footsteps – Saturday of Holy Week

Following Jesus' footsteps on Holy Week. SmellingCoffee.com

Saturday of Holy Week is often known as “Silent Saturday” – because we have NOTHING written about this day in the Scriptures.  The Sabbath would have started at sundown on “Good Friday” and everyone would be taking their sabbaths in their homes.  For the followers of Jesus, this must have been a most difficult day!  No one knew anything about what was going on… Jesus had been hastily taken off the cross and put into a borrowed tomb.  The closure stone was rolled over its entrance and a 24-hour posting of guards were placed in front of the stone.

Those who loved Jesus had returned to their homes, grieving deeply.  His bloody body still a vivid image in their minds… the kind of image that popped back into view every time they closed their eyes or quit thinking about anything else.  No one was remembering the words Jesus had spoken earlier about rising on the third day.  To them, this was a private mourning day.  A silent Saturday.

But we know the rest of the story, don’t we?  Praise the Lord!  On this Silent Saturday, God was working!!!  He wasn’t silent at all!

So on this Silent Saturday, I offer you something God gave me two years ago.  Still unedited.  Just as He gave it to me.  For His use and glory alone.

Thoughts on this Silent Saturday  (A repost from 2012)

The Lord awoke me with these thoughts today, and I typed them because I can type faster than I can write. I thought these were meant for my prayer journal only, but as He often does, God’s plans trumped mine. So I offer them here. Raw. Unedited. Straight from my heart to the Lord, and to you. May God be glorified and may each of us be strengthened as we wait upon Him on this Silent Saturday.

Saturday, April 07, 2012

If ever there was a day that represented trusting-God-no-matter-what… this would be the day. Silent Saturday. I can only imagine the thoughts and feelings of those who followed Jesus for three years, seeing Him do one miracle after another… hearing Him teach about His Kingdom that is not of this earth… even the one who owned the donkey He rode into Jerusalem on, and the homeowner of the upper room where Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples… Mary, John, Peter, Jesus’ brothers and sisters in the literal sense… What were they thinking on this Silent Saturday?

All had heard Him proclaim that He was the King. All knew the Old Testament prophesies that His life and coming fulfilled. All were watching and waiting for the time that He would rise victoriously and overthrow the yoke of oppression that had gripped the necks of His people for too long. All that knew and believed in Jesus had hoped in Him.

And He died on the cross.

And He was buried hastily in a tomb because the Sabbath was near.

I can imagine that the people returned to their homes on Friday afternoon discouraged, disappointed, and disillusioned. The One they had put their hopes in had not done what they thought He would or should. Instead, He had just hung there and died. No different from every other person who was hung on a cross.

How did they go about making preparations for the Sabbath? Did they have downcast spirits and sorrowful hearts? Sorrowful that Jesus hadn’t done what they thought He said He would. And just simply sorrowful that one of their own was crucified on the eve of this holy celebration.

But Jesus… He was supposed to be the one to rescue them. To save them. To save all. Mary knew this. Mary knew Who Jesus was. Why had God let Him die? He WAS the Promised Messiah, born of a virgin, and the fulfillment of the words prophesied about Him for over 1500 years. Yet He hung there and died. He had given Mary to John and John to Mary as mother and son, indicating that He would no longer be around. What was it all for? Why, God, did it have to end up this way?

Grief over the loss of a son and friend and teacher pilled on top of an even deeper grief over the loss of hope in God.

Disappointment in God causes the greatest sorrow. When we can look at our difficulties and retain our hope in God, then nothing is actually lost. But when God doesn’t come through the way we “hoped” He would, we are faced with the grief of the reality of the difficult circumstance as well as the reality that God either abandoned us or just didn’t plain come through for us… or worse yet, that we had misunderstood Him the whole time.

What were those closest to Jesus thinking on this silent Saturday? Were they mundanely going about their Sabbath rest with no rest in their minds and hearts? Jesus – the ONE they had hoped in had not done what they hoped He would.

Of all days… this Silent Saturday is an exercise in trusting the Lord – No matter what! According to what was seen with the eyes, and even felt with the heart, hope was lost. But we know the rest of the story…

The day wasn’t dead just because it was silent.

We don’t know exactly what Jesus was doing in His death on this day. Many speculate, but the Scriptures don’t exactly say… but what we DO know is that this Silent Saturday wasn’t the end of God’s plan. It was part of the fulfillment! It was the 11th hour, so to speak. An exercise in trusting God – believing that even though it doesn’t look like God is still working – He was. He is.

Today is an exercise in believing that even though what we hoped would happen didn’t – it still could and would because God said so.

This Silent Saturday is an exercise in believing God. In looking away from what is seen to what is unseen. For what is seen is temporal, and what is unseen is eternal. PTL!

Oh Jesus – on this silent Saturday, as we continue to cling to Your Promises that You will NEVER leave us nor forsake us, You will provide for all of our needs according to Your riches and glory, that You Who have called us will be faithful to complete Your call in our lives… as we cling to these promises that seem yet fulfilled… may we go about this day not in disillusionment, discouragement, disappointment, and despair, but in the JOY of knowing that You are alive, active, and always true to Your Word. You will do what You say You will do… even when you are working underground… in the silence… when all above ground seems dead and still.

On this Silent Saturday, may we exercise our muscles of faith in trusting You for those things that you have not yet brought into being.

Because…

We know the rest of the story. You did EXACTLY as you said you would. You defeated death! You arose from that grave! You rebuilt the temple in three days… rebuilt it in every human heart that would surrender to You as Lord and Savior. You ARE the KING! You victoriously overthrew the yoke of oppression that weighted down your people back then… and now. Oh, how I praise You!

Oh Jesus, on this Silent Saturday, may I bless You by clinging to You in “trust”, no matter what is happening around me? This is my desire. This is my prayer. For me, and for my family, and for every single believer who desperately needs you to work on behalf of their lives.

Thank You for Your Grace as we wait and watch for resurrection… on this Silent Saturday. May we never again sit in hopeless grief because You seem to be silent. Have your way with us, oh Jesus… Thank you for this Silent Saturday, and for what You are teaching us as we wait upon You. Oh, how I love you!

“He is not here, but has risen! Remember how He told you…” Luke 24:6

One more thing: a requested re-post of something the Lord gave me three years ago…

‘Twas the Night Before Easter ~ An original poem

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Yesterday, Abigail was randomly quoting “The Night before Christmas”… and all of a sudden, this poem started swirling around in my mind. It was a sweet gift from The Lord to me, and I wanted to pass it along. 🙂   On this silent Saturday, may we rejoice in Jesus, The Truth, Life, and Way!

‘Twas the night before Easter, and all through the land
There was mourning and grieving for Jesus, the man.

Forsaken by God, abandoned by friends,
Jesus was punished for all of our sins.

“Crucify Him!” the angry crowds cheered.
“Save Yourself!” the bitter ones jeered.

His followers’ hopes were dashed in His death
As they watched their Leader take His last breath.

They didn’t remember or couldn’t understand
All Jesus said about God’s ultimate plan.

What they thought in this silence seemed the end.
They’d lost a Master, a Teacher, a Friend.

But Praise be to God – things aren’t as they seem!
A battle was raging behind death’s last scene.

Sin could not win, death could not hold
Messiah, Our Savior, as prophets foretold.

When on the third day, women were a-chatter,
Disciples ran to the tomb to see what was the matter.

The tomb – it was empty, just like they said.
Jesus had risen – He’s no longer dead!

Sin, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?
It was finished! Sin’s curse destroyed by Jesus, The King!

Now we hear Jesus exclaim from His Word every day,
“Come unto me, I’m the Life, Truth, and Way!”

‘Twas the morning of Easter, and all through the land,
We rejoice in Salvation, through Jesus, for man!

Jennifer Crawford Walker
4-22-11

signature

Following the Footsteps of Jesus – Friday of Holy Week

Following Jesus' footsteps on Holy Week. SmellingCoffee.com

It’s “Good Friday” – yet we wouldn’t have known to call it “good” if we were one of the disciples of Jesus on that day… A most gruesome day when it seemed that all hope was gone.  In fact, as a child, I never understood why we called it “Good” Friday, when it was about death and nothing “good” happening to Jesus.  But now, with a grateful heart, I understand that the “good” was for me… and for all of us.  Without the death of Jesus and the punishment He took instead of me, I would not have forgiveness for my sins.  I deserve the cross, but instead, Jesus died in my place, and I am made “good” with God through the blood shed by my Savior. Oh what a “Good” Friday it is, indeed!

You know, if the disciples had  just listened to Jesus… He warned them about the events of this day and the days to come.  Several times.  Once early on in ministry, and several times as they were heading into Jerusalem.  Even during the last Supper, Jesus talked about the cup and His blood that would be shed (Mt. 26:28):

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”  Matthew 16:21

and again:

“And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside along the way and said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes; and they will sentence Him to death And deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and whipped and crucified, and He will be raised [to life] on the third day.”  Matthew 20:17-19

and early in His ministry as He spoke in front of the disciples and addressed the mean-spirited religious leaders:

“Jesus answered them, Destroy (undo) this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.  Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?  But He had spoken of the temple which was His body.

When therefore He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this. And so they believed and trusted andrelied on the Scripture and the word (message) Jesus had spoken.”  John 2:19-22

But they didn’t get it.  They weren’t focused on the big picture of Jesus’ purpose on this earth.  Instead, they were looking at the here and now, and how the events of the day(s) would affect them.  Oh, but aren’t we just like the disciples?  Who of us has not at some important time focused on the immediate instead of the eternal?  Who of us has not heard Jesus’ Words of wisdom, comfort, and instruction only to ignore them because we can’t rationalize them?  I can not say one word against this band of faithful followers of Christ, who often got it wrong.  Because, in the midst of the worst period of their lives, Jesus understood their frailty, redeemed their faithlessness, and made out of them a band of brothers willing to stand and die for the love of their Lord.

After the Resurrection, Jesus reminded the disciples of what He had been teaching them earlier, and they got it.

“I’ve been telling you this all along, that everything written about Me in the Hebrew Scriptures must be fulfilled—everything from the law of Moses to the prophets to the psalms.

Then He opens their minds so they can comprehend the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures.

This is what the Scriptures said: that the promised Anointed One should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, that in His name a radical change of thought and life should be preached, and that in His name the forgiveness of sins should be preached, beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all nations. You have witnessed the fulfillment of these things.”  Luke 24:44-48

The key that made the difference for them?  Jesus opened their minds so that they could comprehend the meaning of the Scriptures.

The key that makes the difference for us?  Jesus must open our minds so that we, too, can comprehend the meaning of His Words. So, when we are seeing things from the temporal, lets ask Him to open our minds so that we can view our situations with eternal lens. 

Then, like the disciples, we will be able to take the message of “Good Friday” and “Resurrection Sunday” into every area of life where hope seems to have disappeared.  For those who love and belong to Jesus Christ… it is a most “Good Friday” for us all.

Friday

Crucifixion, Death, and Burial: Matthew 27:32-66; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:16-42

(As you read, place yourself in the midst of the crowd… or as a close disciple of Jesus.  Ask Jesus to open your eyes to behold wonderful things from His Word (Psalm 119:18) and to speak to YOU about this “Good” Friday.)

And for a little more information on what happened on this Good day, read about the Seven Miracles that occurred during this most gruesome and blessed event here from last year’s SmellingCoffee Good Friday post.

(And forgive me, but one more thing: If you’re wondering about the history behind some of our Easter traditions and how to keep Easter fully focused on Jesus, this episode of Smelling Coffee TV might be of use.  It had to be chopped at the beginning and end because we (I) talked too long.  Imagine that!)

Keeping Easter ALL about Jesus  (click here if you can’t see the video)

A blessed Good and wonder-filled Friday to you all~

signature

Following Jesus’ Footsteps – Thursday of Holy Week

Following Jesus' footsteps on Holy Week. SmellingCoffee.com

Today is known as “Maundy Thursday,” or “Holy Thursday,” or “Great Thursday.”  The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “commandment,” and refers to the commands Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper: to love with humility by serving one another and to remember his sacrifice.

On this Maundy Thursday, Jesus shared the last supper with His disciples, and before they ate, He washed their feet… one of the lowliest tasks the lowliest of servants were assigned to do.  Yet the Bible tells us that The Master, Teacher, Creator of this World took off His robes, and put on a servants towel and did what by rights should have been done to Him.  He washed the terribly dirty and rough feet of His disciples, even the feet of the one who had already betrayed Him.

As John 13:1 tells us, “He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and to the highest degree.”

Jesus did this lowly act of service to teach His disciples and us the principle of true love and what it means to be truly great…

From John 13:3, we learn that Jesus COULD do this lowly act of service because of His assurance of three things:
1.  knowing fully aware that the Father had put everything into His hands,
2. and that He had come from God
3. and was now returning to God.

And we, too, are assured of these same three things, which should free us up to genuinely love and serve others:

1.  We know full well that the Father has us and our lives and positions in His hands
2.  We know that we belong to God and what HE says and thinks about us is far more important than anything else in this world
3.  We know that we will be returning to God, because this earthly life is just a breath compared to eternity with Him in Heaven

Therefore, we should follow Jesus’ example and take off our “robes” of position and take up the servant’s towel and wash the feet of others.

That’s the command that this Maundy Thursday focuses upon.  That, and the Truth that Jesus even loved His betrayer… and aren’t we so grateful?

As we read what Jesus said and did on this Holy Thursday, may the Lord speak a fresh Word to us about how His acts of love and service are to be emulated by us… His grateful, but betraying, yet forgiven and redeemed followers.

Thursday


Jesus is Anointed: Matthew 26:6-13

The Lord’s Supper: Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-20; John 13:1-38

Jesus Comforts His Disciples: John 14

Jesus Teaches about The Vine and Branches: John 15

Jesus Speaks of the Future: John 16

Jesus’ Prayer for Himself, His Disciples, and All Believers: John 17

Gethsemane: Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46

Arrest and Trial: Matthew 26:47-27:31; Mark 14:43-15:20; Luke 22:47-23:25; John 18:1-19:16

Healing of Malchus’ Ear: Luke 22:50-51; John 18:3-11

signature