The Gospel of Mark Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

The Gospel of Mark: a commentary & meditation
"Prepare and make his path straight"

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way; 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight -- " 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Meditation: John the Baptist's life was fueled by one burning passion -- to point others to Jesus Christ and to the coming of his kingdom. Who is John the Baptist and what is the significance of his message for our lives?  Scripture tells us that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15, 41) by Christ himself, whom Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit.  When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth John lept in her womb as they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). The fire of the Spirit dwelt in John and made him the forerunner of the coming Messiah.  John was led by the Spirit into the wilderness prior to his ministry where he was tested and grew in the word of God.  John's clothing was reminiscent of the prophet Elijah (see Kings 1:8).  John broke the prophetic silence of the previous centuries when he began to speak the word of God to the people of Israel.  His message was similar to the message of the Old Testament prophets who chided the people of God for their unfaithfulness and who tried to awaken true repentance in them.  Among a people unconcerned with the things of God, it was his work to awaken their interest, unsettle them from their complacency, and arouse in them enough good will to recognize and receive Christ when he came. Do you point others to Christ in the way you live, work, and speak?

Why did Jesus say that John the Baptist was more than a prophet? (Luke 7:26).  John was the voice of the Consoler who is coming (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:1-3).  He completed the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah (Matt. 11:13-14).  What the prophets had carefully searched for and angels longed to see, now came to completion as John made the way ready for the coming of the Messiah, God's Anointed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  With John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins the restoration to the human race of the "divine likeness", prefiguring what would be achieved with and in the Lord Jesus. John's baptism was for repentance -- turning away from sin and taking on a new way of life according to God's word.  Our baptism in Jesus Christ by water and the Spirit results in a new birth and entry into God's kingdom as his beloved sons and daughters (John 3:5).  Jesus is ready to give us the fire of his Spirit that we may radiate the joy and truth of the gospel to a world in desperate need of God's light and truth.  His word has power to change and transform our lives that we may be lights pointing others to Christ. Like John the Baptist, we too are called to give testimony to the light and truth of Jesus Christ. Are you eager to hear God's word and to be changed by it through the power of the Holy Spirit?

"Lord, let your light burn brightly in my heart that I may know the joy and freedom of your kingdom. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to witness the truth of your gospel and to point others to Jesus Christ."

Creation Nugget #1: Irridescent Light Basics

Define Grace; what is grace?

Define Grace; what is grace?
Specifically, what is God's Grace?
And what's the difference between justice, mercy, and grace?


Grace is much different than Justice and Mercy:
Justice is getting exactly what we deserve. (which in our case is death)
Mercy is not getting the bad that we deserve. (again, death)
Grace is getting the good that we do not deserve. (eternal life, NO death)


But simply put, GRACE can be defined as unearned favor.  Specifically, God's grace is something God does for the benefit of His people just because He loves them, not because of something they have done to earn it.  Grace is a gift and can never be earned.  It's always totally free.  ("Cheap Grace" is a counterfeit of God's amazing free grace.  "Cheap Grace" claims to accept the benefits of God's Grace without accepting the change in the way we behave.  "Cheap Grace" requires no repentance and so there is no need to live like God asks us to live.)

God's justice, mercy and grace can be compared to the pardon that a governor of a state can give to a guilty prisoner who is facing execution (the punishment of death) for something that he or she actually did.  JUSTICE will be served and they will be killed unless the governor has MERCY and pardons (forgives) the prisoner.  But if the governor goes on and gives that prisoner not only a pardon, but also total freedom, a huge mansion to live in, and unlimited resources then he has given that guilty prisoner both MERCY & GRACE.

JUSTICE - If we only received justice from God we all would be dead because all of us have sinned Romans 3:23, and the "wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23, yet we have been given a “stay of execution” for now.

MERCY - During this "stay of execution" God offers us a pardon.  He wants to forgive us and set us free from the results of sin, and He has the legal right to do this because His Son and our Creator, Jesus, willingly came and died so that we would not have to die.  Jesus died for us so that we could live, but His death can only be our salvation if we accept it.  Just like the prisoner above, we can turn it down or we can accept this pardon that God offers; it is our choice.  John 3:16.

GRACE - If we accept the pardon that God offers us, not only will we not die, He then gives us a life that will never end.  He continues by giving us an awesome room in His own home to live in, unlimited resources, and total freedom.  That is God's AMAZING GRACE!

God's Grace is "the power of God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves".  And the fact is, we cannot do anything for ourselves.  Jesus says, "...without me ye can do nothing."  John 15:5

The Bible gives us a beautiful example of what grace is and does.  When Moses took the Children of Israel out of Egypt and into the desert the people soon became thirsty, but there wasn't any water to be found, especially not for 2,000,000 people, plus their herds of animals.  God told Moses to strike a specific rock and He (God) would give the people water. (see more on this example)

The water that came out of that rock demonstrates the grace of God flowing out to all who would drink.  It also caused the parched and barren land to blossom which in turn gave the people and animals something to eat.  Without this water, without God's grace supplying the needs of the people, the people would have died.  Christ is the Rock; He is also the Living Water.

Without God's mercy and grace, without the pardon that God gives us and all the blessings we receive every minute, we would die.  Everyday God supplies us with the light of the sun, air to breath, and something to eat and drink. In fact, when you stop to think about it, without the materials that God has provided for us we cannot even create electricity on our own to make light, or create oxygen, or even create food.  God supplies all we need, but we must choose to accept His gifts, or to reject them.  We have the option of refusing to eat or drink.  We have the option of closing ourselves up in an air tight, waterproof and darkened room, but it will kill us.  We need God’s mercy and grace just to live.

And God's grace does not stop with just our physical needs either.  He has supplied what is needed for our spiritual well-being too.  If we will only read and hide it in our hearts, God's Holy Word, the Bible contains all that we need to be happy, gain total freedom and have eternal life.  The Bible tells us who God is and what He is like.

In addition to the Bible, the Father allowed His Son, Jesus, to come and show us who He (the Father) is and what He is like.  Jesus gave His life so that you and I do not have to die.  God's justice, mercy and grace are all wrapped up in Jesus.

God's grace is all around us.  He wants us to live forever and be happy, but we have a choice to make.  We can accept some of His grace during this “stay of execution” period and live here on earth for a few years, or we can accept ALL His grace and live forever with Him!

Accept the grace that God offers through Jesus, and live!

40 DAY JOURNEY WITH DIETRICH BONHOEFFER Day 14

Day 14

Jesus’ followers are called to peace. When Jesus called them, they found their peace. Jesus is their peace. Now they are not only to have peace, but they are to make peace. To do this they renounce violence and strife. Those things never help the cause of Christ. Christ’s kingdom is a realm of peace, and those in Christ’s community greet each other with a greeting of peace. Jesus’ disciples maintain peace by choosing to suffer instead of causing others to suffer. They preserve community when others destroy it. They renounce self-assertion and are silent in the face of hatred and injustice. That is how they overcome evil with good. That is how they are makers of divine peace in a world of hatred and war.

Biblical Wisdom
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9

Questions to Ponder
What impact would it have on our culture of violence if individual Christians and churches were to “renounce violence and strife” as a mark of true discipleship?
How might being “silent in the face of hatred and injustice” be compatible with non-violent resistance to evil?
Why can violence never help the cause of Christ’s kingdom?
Psalm Fragment
Which of you desires life,
   and covets many days to enjoy good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
   and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good;
   seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:12-14

Journal Reflections
Have you ever thought deeply on the fact that your call to follow Jesus is a call to peace? Reflect in your journal on how that realization makes you feel. Any actions suggest themselves?
Think of any people with whom you are in conflict or tension. Reflect on what might happen if the next time you met them you greeted them with a “greeting of peace.”
What experiences of peacemaking have you had? Reflect on what it felt like to be a peacemaker.
Intercessions
Pray for all politicians and government leaders that they might “renounce violence and strife” and embrace peacemaking as a priority at all levels of government.

Prayer for Today
God of peace, you give me peace, now teach me to be a peacemaker.

40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.

40 DAY JOURNEY WITH DIETRICH BONHOEFFER Day 13

Day 13

Who is pure in heart? Only those who have completely given their hearts to Jesus, so that he alone rules in them. Only those who do not stain their hearts with their own evil, but also not with their own good. A pure heart is the simple heart of a child, who does not know about good and evil, the heart of Adam before the fall, the heart in which the will of Jesus rules instead of one’s own conscience.… A pure heart is pure of good and evil; it belongs entirely and undivided to Christ; it looks only to him, who goes on ahead. Those alone will see God who in this life have looked only to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Their hearts are free of defiling images; they are not pulled back and forth by the various wishes and intentions of their own. Their hearts are fully absorbed in seeing God. They will see God whose hearts mirror the image of Jesus Christ.

Biblical Wisdom
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8

Questions to Ponder
How is it possible to live in our complex world and still give your heart “completely” to Jesus?
What does it mean to say that people can “stain their hearts…with their own good”?
How would those whose “hearts mirror the image of Jesus Christ” relate to other people, both friends and strangers?
Psalm Fragment
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
   And who shall stand in his holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
   who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
   and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
   and vindication from the God of their salvation. Psalm 24:3-5

Journal Reflections
Bonhoeffer wrote that: “A pure heart is the simple heart of a child…” Think back to when you were a child. How did you see things differently as a child than you do now as an adult?
What, if any, are the “defiling images” that stand between you and the vision of God? How might you begin to cleanse your heart of them?
What, if any, are your various “wishes and intentions” that pull you “back and forth” and prevent you from seeing God? How might you begin to become free of them?
Intercessions
Pray for all the children that you know (and then pray for all children) that they would be protected from the “defiling images” culture tries to entice them with.

Prayer for Today
Lord, help me to will one thing: to belong entirely and undividedly to you.

40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.

40 DAY JOURNEY WITH DIETRICH BONHOEFFER Day 12

Day 12

These people without possessions, these strangers, these powerless, these sinners, these followers of Jesus live with him now also in the renunciation of their own dignity, for they are merciful. As if their own need and lack were not enough, they share in other people’s need, debasement, and guilt. They have an irresistible love for the lowly, the sick, for those who are in misery, for those who are demeaned and abased, for those who suffer injustice and are rejected, for everyone in pain and anxiety. They seek out all those who have fallen into sin and guilt. No need is too great, no sin too dreadful for mercy to reach. The merciful give their own honor to those who have fallen into shame and take that shame unto themselves. They may be found in the company of tax collectors and sinners and willingly bear the shame of their fellowship. Disciples give away anyone’s greatest possession, their own dignity and honor, and show mercy. They know only one dignity and honor, the mercy of their Lord, which is their only source of life.

Biblical Wisdom
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7

Questions to Ponder
Practically speaking, what does mercy look like? How do merciful people act?
Why is “renunciation of their own dignity” necessary if disciples are to be truly merciful?
How might a church renounce its own dignity in order to be merciful?
How is Jesus our model for renouncing dignity in order to be merciful?
Is there anyone beneath the disciples’ mercy? Why, or why not?
Psalm Fragment
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
   they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
   who conduct their affairs with justice. Psalm 112:4-5

Journal Reflections
Write about a time when you extended mercy to someone. How did you feel?
Write about a time when you withheld mercy. How did you feel?
Reflect on the ways in which God is merciful to you.
Intercessions
Think of someone who needs to experience mercy. Pray for them in their need. Ask God what you might do to show them mercy.

Prayer for Today
Lord, may your infinite mercy to me enable me to be truly merciful to all others.

40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.

40 DAY JOURNEY WITH DIETRICH BONHOEFFER Day 7

Day 7

Do not worry! Earthly goods deceive the human heart into believing that they give it security and freedom from worry. But in truth, they are what cause anxiety. The heart which clings to goods receives with them the choking burden of worry. Worry collects treasures, and treasures produce more worries. We desire to secure our lives with earthly goods; we want our worrying to make us worry-free, but the truth is the opposite. The chains which bind us to earthly goods, the clutches which hold the goods tight, are themselves worries.

Abuse of earthly goods consists of using them as a security for the next day. Worry is always directed toward tomorrow. But the goods are intended only for today in the strictest sense. It is our securing things for tomorrow which makes us so insecure today. It is enough that each day should have its own troubles. Only those who put tomorrow completely into God’s hand and receive fully today what they need for their lives are really secure. Receiving daily liberates me from tomorrow.

Biblical Wisdom
“But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:33-34

Questions to Ponder
If “worry collects treasures, and treasures produce more worries,” how might one stop worrying?
How can we tell the difference between what we really “need” for our lives and what we think we need but really only want? Can we be content with what we really need?
Practically speaking, what would it mean to stop our “abuse of earthly goods” and “put tomorrow completely into God’s hand”?
Psalm Fragment
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
   All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
   and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
   in your light we see light. Psalm 36:7-9

Journal Reflections
Write down your worries of today.
Reflect on why you have these worries.
How many of them have to do with things you have or want to have?
Explore ways in which trusting God for today and tomorrow might relieve your worry and fear.
Intercessions
Pray for the people you know who are worried or afraid. Ask God to deliver them from their worries by increasing their trust in God’s providential care.

Prayer for Today
Lord, I place my worries in your gracious hand and live this day trusting that you are with me and that what I have is more than I need.

40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.

“What is Good Friday?”

“What is Good Friday?”

Good Friday is the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day on which Jesus was crucified. If you are interested in a study of the issue, please see our article that discusses the various views on which day Jesus was crucified. Assuming that Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday, should Christians remember Jesus’ death by celebrating Good Friday?
The Bible does not instruct Christians to remember Christ’s death by honoring a certain day. The Bible does give us freedom in these matters, however. Romans 14:5 tells us, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” Rather than remembering Christ’s death on a certain day, once a year, the Bible instructs us to remember Christ’s death by observing the Lord’s Supper. First Corinthians 11:24-26 declares, “…do this in remembrance of me…for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good (see Matthew chapters 26-27). However, the results of Christ’s death are very good! Romans 5:8; “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Peter 3:18 tells us, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”
Many Christian churches celebrate Good Friday with a subdued service, usually in the evening, in which Christ’s death is remembered with solemn hymns, prayers of thanksgiving, a message centered on Christ suffering for our sakes, and observance of the Lord’s Supper. Whether or not Christians choose to “celebrate” Good Friday, the events of that day should be ever on our minds because the death of Christ on the cross is the paramount event of the Christian faith.
If you would like to learn more about why Jesus’ death on the cross was so “good,” please read the following article: What does it mean to accept Jesus as your personal Savior?
Good Friday Calendar: 2012 = April 6 2013 = March 29 2014 = April 18 2015 = April 3
Recommended Resource: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas.

Leviticus 15

Discharges Causing Uncleanness

15 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any man has an unusual bodily discharge, such a discharge is unclean. 3 Whether it continues flowing from his body or is blocked, it will make him unclean. This is how his discharge will bring about uncleanness:

4 “‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and anything he sits on will be unclean. 5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 6 Whoever sits on anything that the man with a discharge sat on must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

7 “‘Whoever touches the man who has a discharge must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

8 “‘If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

9 “‘Everything the man sits on when riding will be unclean, 10 and whoever touches any of the things that were under him will be unclean till evening; whoever picks up those things must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

11 “‘Anyone the man with a discharge touches without rinsing his hands with water must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

12 “‘A clay pot that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden article is to be rinsed with water.

13 “‘When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean. 14 On the eighth day he must take two doves or two young pigeons and come before the Lord to the entrance to the tent of meeting and give them to the priest. 15 The priest is to sacrifice them, the one for a sin offering[a] and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement before the Lord for the man because of his discharge.

16 “‘When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 17 Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening. 18 When a man has sexual relations with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both of them must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

19 “‘When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.

20 “‘Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 21 Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 22 Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 23 Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening.

24 “‘If a man has sexual relations with her and her monthly flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean.

25 “‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. 27 Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

28 “‘When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. 29 On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the Lord for the uncleanness of her discharge.

31 “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place,[b] which is among them.’”

32 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, 33 for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.

Easter Bible Study

Jesus Suffering and Resurrection

Thoughts and questions for your consideration this Easter season!

Do you know what Easter is all about? Do you realize what Jesus did for you?

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25)

There are two things in the human experience and condition we just cannot stand, and that we fear most of all, suffering and death. In my observation, very few people crave suffering or look forward to death, because we desire to live and be pain free. There may be those who take their own lives or cause unnecessary suffering to themselves and everyone around them for various psychological reasons, but none the less we dread it, we hate it, and it is the great unknown filled with fear and qualm. Yet, our Lord has cut down this foremost mortifying obstacle and barrier. He has liberated us from the terror of fatality, so we need not fear or be filled with misgivings and trepidations.

Then why are we still filled with such anxiety about our own death even as a Christian? Even on Easter Sunday where death should be celebrated, you will find few churches in America who actually will be proclaiming the death of our Lord. Instead, the wonder of what Christ has done will be replaced with tales of bunnies and lilies, family and community. Few will go where their own fears have taken over. They are unable to lead where they cannot see.

In the passage about Lazarus in John 11, Jesus Himself said He was glad to hear of Lazarus death (John 11:14-15)! While the Disciples were horrified as their young friend dies, and, Thomas feared that he might die too! The Disciples had to learn that death was not the final frontier of fear, but the truth of life to come. Martha was the only one who seemed to trust in Jesus, expecting a miracle. Therefore, a great, unprecedented miracle literally arises; Lazarus, after being dead for three days, beyond rigor mortis as his body decays with a stench, suddenly rises to life. Death was conquered!

Death is the last and ultimate barrier that Christ conquered on our behalf, giving us the ultimate liberation! He removed the apprehensions and terror and gave us a glimpse of the wonder of eternity and joy with Him. Death is no longer the subject of horror, but is our hope and reward to come. At the same time, we are not to dwell on it, neglecting our purpose on this earth, so He only gives us a peek. He shows us enough to erase our fears so we can concentrate on making ourselves His disciples, if we allow His words to dig their way into our hearts and minds. So, allow Him to conquer your fears, and barriers to spiritual growth. Jesus tells us not to let our heart be troubled; so, let us erase those fears for which we have no need (John 14:1-4)! Our comfort and reassurance is in what our Lord did on our behalf, what He did in our place. He took our suffering and our death, and literally took it on Himself, so we need not fear what is to come.

His suffering and death was not the end of the story, but only the beginning, as it will be for us. Christ gave us a victory that we did not earn or deserve; yet, it is ours to have. Let us rejoice and be glad in Him!

A Listing of the Many Sufferings of Our Lord, Borne On Your Behalf!

Jesus was rejected on your behalf!
By His country and culture (John 1:11)
By His hometown (Luke 4:28-29)
By His friends (Mark 3:21)
By His own family (John 7:5)
By the religious Leaders (John 7:1; 9:22)
Jesus was tempted by Satan on your behalf! (Luke 4: 1- 28)

Jesus was ridiculed on your behalf!
Because of His hometown (John 1:46; 7:52)
Because of His background (John 8:41; 9: 24 - 29)
By the Roman soldiers (Luke 23: 36 - 37; Mark 15:16 - 20)
By the crowd (Luke.23: 35)
By the chief priests (Mark 15: 31)
By the two thieves (Mark 15: 32; Matt. 27: 44)
Jesus was threatened on your behalf!
By Herod (Matt. 2: 16)
By his hometown (Luke 4: 29)
Because of His claims (John 8:58 - 59; 10: 30 - 33)
Because He healed on the Sabbath (John 5: 16; Luke 6: 10)
Because of His teachings (John 8: 40; Luke 11: 53 - 54; Mark 12,12; Matt. 26: 1 - 4)
Because of His miracles (John 11: 53; 12: 10)
By the Devil (Matt: 26:37- 38; Mark 14: 33--34; Luke 22: 44)
Jesus was homeless on your behalf! (Matthew 8:20)

Jesus was betrayed on your behalf! (John 13:21; 22: 47--53)

Jesus was denied on your behalf! (Matthew 26:58, 69-75; Mark 14: 54; 66-72; Luke 22: 54 - 62; John 18,15 -18; 25-27)

Jesus was misunderstood on your behalf! (Matthew 15: 16; 16: 6--11; Mark 6: 52; John 10: 6; 12:16)

Jesus was abandoned on your behalf! (Luke 22: 54 -62)

Jesus was misquoted on your behalf! (Matthew 26: 61)

Jesus was indicted on false charges on your behalf! (Luke 23:1 - 2)

Jesus was Illegally tried seven times on your behalf!!
Before Annas (John 18:12-14,19-24).
Before Caiaphas (Matt. 26: 57-58; Mark 14: 53 - 65)
Before the Sanhedrin (Matt. 27: 1-2; Mark 15:1; Luke 22: 66-23:1)
Before Pilate (John 18: 28-38; Matt. 27: 1-26; Mark 15 1-5; Luke 23 1-6)
Before Herod (Luke 23: 7-12)
Before Pilate again (John 18: 39--19:16; Matt. 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25)
Before the Roman soldiers (Matt. 27: 27-31; Mark 15: 16-20)
Jesus was tortured, and died on your behalf!
Slapped (John 18:22)
Blindfolded (Luke 22:64)
Spit upon (Matt. 26:67)
Beaten (Matt. 26:67)
Scourged (Matt. 27:26)
Beaten on His head (Matt. 27:30)
Pierced with thorns (Matt. 27:29)
Crucified (Matt. 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19)
Jesus is risen to redeem you! (Matthew 28:10; Mark 16:1-13; Luke 24: 1-12; John 20:24-29)

The Creator of the universe lowered Himself like the created beings He made who were filled will flaws and sin, and who needed redemption. A journey was made filled with countless sufferings and an eventual death, on behalf of a humanity that neither asked for it nor could do it for themselves. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was the supreme act of proving whom He is and what He can do for us (Acts 2:24; 17:31; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11,20; 54-57)! It was the raising to life of a man who was dead and buried, a man who was fully human and fully God (Acts 1:3). The fact that so many people saw Him after His resurrection and the impact of the fatal wounds He received was the proof text for many to come to faith and devote themselves to Christianity over the centuries (Luke 24:31; 36; Philippians 3:21; Hebrews 7:16-24). Christ paved the way for us to live in eternity and conquer the fatality of death (Acts 2:24-35; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54). The resurrection provided us not only with eternity and ultimate hope and meaning for life, but immediate relief from our sin, and the barriers to God. Through what Christ did, we are justified and can go directly to God without sacrificing the family pet or needing the mediation of a priest. We are able to have our prayers heard, our journey of life known, and be assured we have a God who truly loves us and cares for us beyond our comprehension. (John 11:25-26; Romans 4:25, 6; 1 Corinthians 15:17; Ephesians 1:18--2:10; Colossians 2:9-15; 3:1-4)!

Questions
1. What does your family do on Easter?

2. How does Easter Sunday at your church reflect what Christ did for you?

3. Has the fear or denial of death been a big barrier for you?

4. What do you think the wonder of Heaven will be like?

5. Do you see death as the doorway to the beginning of what God has made you for?

6. Have you considered all that Christ did on your behalf?

7. Imagine you are there with Christ and have the opportunity to take His place on any of these listing of the many sufferings. How would you have handled each of them? Consider your reactions both to God and others in your emotions, the physical exertions, and your relationships, because your family and friends would be there too.

8. How do you feel now about all that Christ went through for you?

9. How can you make Easter more real and meaningful?

10. What do you need to do to make what Christ did more real and impacting in your daily life?