The Last Supper Jesus Ate with His Twelve Disciples

The Last Supper Jesus Ate with His Twelve Disciples Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:3-39; John 13

Jesus takes a basin of water and begins to wash the disciples' feet. TWO DISCIPLES, PETER and John, were hurrying along the road from Bethany to Jerusalem. They were going on an errand for their master. The day had come when the lamb for the Passover Feast should be killed, and Jesus had chosen these two disciples to go to Jerusalem and prepare the feast that the Twelve should eat with him that evening. After they had passed through the city gate, they looked about to find a man carrying a pitcher of water. Men seldom carried water-pitchers in the streets, for such work was usually left for women to do. But Jesus had told them they would see a man carrying a water-pitcher, and they did. Jesus also told them to follow the man to the house where he should go with his pitcher, so they followed. At the house they met the owner, and to him they gave the message that Jesus had sent. This was the message: "Our master sent us to ask your permission for him to use your guest-room in which to eat the Passover supper with his disciples." And the owner of the house led them to a nice room up-stairs which was furnished with a table and couches on which the guests might recline while they ate. No doubt this owner knew Jesus and was glad to give him the use of the guest-room in his home. When evening came, Jesus and the other ten joined Peter and John and together they sat around the table in that quiet room upstairs. A feeling of sadness crept into the hearts of the disciples, for their Master spoke to them so earnestly about going away soon. It was so hard for these men to believe that Jesus would really be taken away from them. They had seen him do such wonderful things that it seemed impossible to think men could ever kill him. And soon they were talking about other matters at the supper-table. Some were wondering who would be the greatest in the kingdom that they expected Jesus to set up soon. Jesus knew their thoughts, and he wished to teach them more about the kind of kingdom he was bringing to mankind. He rose up suddenly from the table, laid aside his outer garment, and tied a towel about his waits. Then he took a basin of water and began to wash the disciples' feet. The disciples looked at each other in silent astonishment. They could not understand why he should be doing this humble act of service, for they had washed the dust from their feet before coming into that upper room. Finally Jesus came to Peter with his basin. But that disciple pulled his feet away, and exclaimed, "Lord, you shall never wash my feet!" "Then," answered Jesus calmly, "you shall never had a part in my kingdom." At this Peter changed his mind suddenly, and he said, "Lord, you may wash my feet, and even my hands and my head." Very desirous was this disciple of having a part in Jesus' kingdom. But by washing their feet, Jesus did not mean in this way to prepare the hearts of his disciples for his work. He said to them,, "You are clean already, but not all." For he knew which one was not a true disciple. When the strange washing was over, Jesus laid aside the towel and took up his garment again. Then he returned to his place at the table, beside John, and began to explain to his disciples what he had just done to them: "You call me Lord, and Master," said he, "and so I am. If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do to each other as I have done to you. The servant is not greater than his master, and if you would be good servants you will obey my words. If you know my commands, you will be happy when you obey them." Jesus also said that one of them should give him into the hands of his enemies, who would take his life. This seemed hard to believe, but the disciples knew Jesus' words of prophecy always came true, so they were amazed. Instead of looking at each other accusingly, each man thought of himself. And each one said, "Lord, is it I?" John, the disciple who liked to be near Jesus, was reclining next to his master at the supper. Peter motioned to John and whispered, ""Ask which one will do this dreadful deed." So John asked Jesus, and Jesus replied in low tones, "The one to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." John watched carefully, and soon he saw Jesus give a piece of bread to Judas Iscariot. After Judas had taken the bread that Jesus gave to him, Jesus said, "That thou doest, do quickly." Then the desire in his heart to get rid of this master became stronger, and Judas hurried out of the room into the gloom of night. None of the disciples understood what Jesus meant, but they supposed because Judas carried the money-bag that he was going to do something for their master. Jesus then, after supper, took bread and blessed it and broke it in pieces, giving parts to each of the disciples, and saying, "Take this bread and eat it, for it is my body which is broken for you." Then he took the cup and when he had given thanks he passed it to them, saying, "Drink this, for it is my blood, which is shed for you, for I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine with you until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." They lingered a while longer in the upper room, and Jesus talked earnestly to them about the time when he should go away and leave them alone. He urged them to remember his commandment to love each other as he had loved them, and he told them that he would prepare a place for them in his Father's house. Peter insisted that he would not leave Jesus, but would go with him wherever he went. Jesus told him that he could not go now, but that he might come later on. He also told Peter that, bold as he believed himself to be, he would prove himself a coward before daylight should return, for he would forsake Jesus and even deny that he had ever know him. Thus the Lord's Supper had been instituted. Then Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn together, and quietly left the upper room, going out of Jerusalem into a garden nearby. Tomorrow: Judas Betrays Jesus, and Peter Denies Him

Jesus' Teaching on the Mount of Olives

Jesus' Teaching on the Mount of Olives Matt. 23:37 to 25:46; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-38

In the parable that Jesus told, the foolish young women came after the door had been shut. They had come too late. AS JESUS LEFT the temple for the last time, his disciples spoke to him about the beauty of the Lord's house. Like all other Jews, they took much pride in the temple where God was worshiped. And they were surprized to hear Jesus say, "The time is coming when the stones of these buildings shall be torn apart." On the Mount of Olives, Jesus rested for a while before going on to Bethany. And his disciples gathered around him there to ask when the time should come that the beautiful temple would be destroyed. No one else was near to disturb them, and Jesus talked long and earnestly to his disciples about the things that would happen to Jerusalem, and later to the whole world. He told them that men would come who would claim to be the Christ of God, and what many would believe in them. He said that great wars would be fought among the nations of the earth, and that troubles of different kinds would come upon the people. Then he said that before the end of time the gospel of the kingdom would be preached, not only among the Jews, but to all people in every part of the world. How strange these things must have sounded to the disciples! for they had always believed that salvation belonged to the Jews only. Then Jesus told the disciples the parable of the ten young women, called virgins. Five of these young women were wise and five were foolish. All had been invited to the marriage of a friend, and they started to meet the wedding-party. They took their lamps with them to give light, for the wedding would take place at night and only those carrying lights would be allowed to join the wedding-party. But the wedding-party was slow in coming, and the young women grew tired waiting. So they fell asleep. At midnight a cry was made that the wedding-party was coming, and the young women aroused and began at once to trim their lamps to be ready to join the procession when it came by. Now the five who were wise poured more oil into their lamps; for they saw the light was growing dim, and they had brought an extra supply of oil with them. But the five who were foolish had brought no more oil, and they, too, saw that their lights were growing dim. "What shall we do?" they asked each other. Then they spoke to their wise friends and said, "Please give some of your oil to us, for our lights are going out!" The wise young women did not have enough to give to their friends in distress, so they answered, "You must go to them who sell and buy for yourselves. We do not have enough to share." And while they hurried away to buy more oil, the wedding-party came, and the five wise young women joined the party and went to the home where the marriage festivities would take place. When all the guests had entered, the door was shut, and no other persons could enter. The foolish young women came after the door had been shut, and they knocked; but the bridegroom would not let them in. They had come too late. By this story Jesus wished to teach his disciples to watch and be ready, for they should not know the time when he would call for them to leave this world and go to be with him. If they should not be ready when he should call, they would have no time left in which to make ready, but, like the foolish young women, they would be shut out of heaven. Jesus told the disciples what will happen at the end of the world. He said that then the Son of man will come in his glory, bringing all the angels with him. And he will sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him all nations of the earth shall be gathered, and he will divide the good from the evil. Those who have believed in him he will place on his right, and those who have disobeyed he will place on his left, just as a shepherd in that country divided his sheep from his goats. The disciples no doubt had watched the shepherds come in from the fields and separate the sheep from the goats in their great flocks, and they understood how this separation will be. "Then shall the Son of man be King," said Jesus; "and he will say to them on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed of my Father, and dwell in the kingdom which has been prepared for you. For I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you gave me shelter; I was shivering with cold, and you gave me clothes to keep me warm; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to see me even there.' "And the ones on his right will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you in need and help you thus?' And the King answer, 'whenever you helped one of my needy brothers, even the least of them, you helped me.' "Then the King will turn to those on his left, and will say to them, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, and go away into everlasting fire, which has been made ready for the devil and his evil spirits. "For I was hungry, and you did not feed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me no water; I was a stranger, and you gave me no shelter; without clothes, and you did not give clothes to me; sick, and you did not visit me; in prison, and you did not come to me there.' "And the ones on his left will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or without clothes, or a stranger, or sick, or in prison,, and not help you?' And he will say to them, 'Whenever you refused to help one of my brothers, even the poorest of them, you refused to help me.' "And those on the right," said Jesus, "will go into life eternal in heaven, while those on the left shall be turned away into everlasting torment." Tomorrow: The Last Supper Jesus Ate with His Twelve Disciples

Jesus' Last Days in the Temple; The Widow's Mite

Jesus' Last Days in the Temple; The Widow's Mite Matt. 22:1 to 24:1; Mark 12:13 to 13:1; Luke 20:20 to 21:4; John 12:20-36

Jesus teaches the people that God looks at the heart of the giver, for God saw that the poor widow gave her all because she loved him. WHILE JESUS WAS teaching in the temple he told the people by a parable that the kingdom of heaven is like a king who made a feast at the marriage of his son. The king prepared a great feast and invited guests from a city near by. When everything was ready, the guests failed to come. He sent servants to remind them of their invitation to the wedding-feast, still they would not come. They made fun of it, and went on about their own work. Some of them even treated the king's messengers cruelly and killed them. The king heard about the conduct of those people, and he was much displeased. He called out his army and sent his soldiers to destroy them and to burn their city. Then he invited other guests to the marriage feast, and the place was filled; for every one came who was bidden this time. Among these guests were the poor and the rich, and the good and the bad, and the king furnished each one with a garment to wear. He wished to have them appear well in his presence. When all had arrived and put on their clean garments, he came in to see them and give them a welcome to the feast. One man was present who refused to put on the clean garment that the king had provided for him. There he stood among all the others, clothed in his dirty rags. The king saw him and said, "Friend, why did you come in here without putting on the clean garment that I had provided for you to wear?" And the man hung his head, for he had no excuse to offer. The king was displeased with him because he had disobeyed orders, so he commanded his servants to seize the man, bind him hand and foot, and take him away to a dark place where he should be punished. The Pharisees and other enemies of Jesus knew these parables were showing the people how they, the Pharisees and the other enemies, had refused to obey God, and they determined to put a stop to his teaching. They decided to ask questions of him, and prevent him from teaching in this way. So they sent some men who pretended to be good, and told these men to ask him whether it was wrong or right to pay the tribute money, or tax money, which Caesar, the Roman ruler, demanded to them. The Jews disliked to pay this money, and Jesus' enemies knew that if he should say it was right for them to pay the tax then the people would no longer care to make him their king. They would no longer follow him so eagerly and listen to his words, for they hated the Roman government. But if Jesus should say it was wrong to pay this tax money, then his enemies planned to tell the Roman officers that Jesus was unwilling to obey the Roman government, and they knew Jesus would be punished. So the men came to Jesus and said, "Master, we know you are true, and that you teach the way of God in truth without caring whether men will be pleased with your teaching or not." Thus they flattered him, thinking he would be delighted to hear such favorable things said of himself. Then they continued: "Tell us just what you think, Is it right or wrong to pay this tribute money which Caesar demands of us Jews?" They thought Jesus would answer either yes or no. But they were mistaken. Jesus could see the hearts of these evil men who were questioning him. He paid no attention to their flattering words, but said, "Why do you tempt me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute money." And they brought him a penny. Jesus looked at the coin on both sides, then asked of them, "Whose image is this on the one side? and whose name is written her?" On one side of the coin was a picture of Caesar's head, and his name was written above it. The men replied that the image and the name of the coin were both Caesar's. "Then," said Jesus, "give to Caesar the things that belong to him, and give to God the things that belong to God." This answer greatly surprised the men, for they had thought they surely would catch Jesus in a trap where he would need to say yes or no. But he had replied so wisely they could not accuse him to any man. Others came to question Jesus, and among them was a lawyer who asked, "Which is the greatest commandment of the law?" Jesus replied that the greatest commandment of the law was, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second greatest is this: Thou shall love they neighbor as much as thyself. No other commandments are so important as these two." The lawyer answered, "You have well spoken, for to love the Lord God in this way and to love one's neighbor as much as one's own self is surely more pleasing to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices." Jesus was pleased with this reply of the lawyer. He saw that the lawyer understood the meaning of God's Word better than did many who pretended to be teachers of it. And he told the lawyer that he was near to the kingdom of God. While Jesus was in the temple, some men came to Philip, one of the twelve disciples, and asked permission to see Jesus. These men were Gentiles, they were Greeks by birth, and they had come to worship the God of the Jews, so they were called proselytes. Because they were Gentiles they could not enter the part of the temple where Jesus sat teaching the people who thronged him there. They could come no farther than the outside court, called the court of the Gentiles. But they had heard much about this wonderful teacher from Galilee, and they wished to see him. Philip told Andrew, another disciple, and together they hurried to tell Jesus that strangers from Greece, a country far away, were waiting in the court of the Gentiles to catch a glimpse of him. When Jesus heard about the inquirers from distant Greece he said to Philip and Andrew, "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified." He spoke to them about his coming death for the sins of the people, but the disciples could not understand his words. And because Jesus could feel pain just as we do he shrank from the thought of dying on the cross. He felt troubled because the time was drawing so near when he should die. And he said, prayerfully, "Father, save me from this hour." Then he remembered that his life-work would not be finished if he did not die for lost sinners, so he added, "Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." The people standing by heard the voice but could not understand the words that were spoken. Some thought the voice sounded like thunder; others said, "An angel spoke to him." But Jesus said the voice had spoken to prove to them that God had heard him. After teaching, Jesus had sat down near a place in the temple called the treasury. Here were money-boxes in which the people's offerings were received. And Jesus saw the rich pass by the boxes and throw in large offerings. Finally he saw a poor widow come into the treasury and stop beside a box to throw in her small offering of only two little coins. Together these coins were worth less than a penny. But Jesus told his disciples that the poor widow had given more than the rich people, for they had given out of full purses whereas she had emptied the last of her money into the box. He wished to teach them that God looks at the heart of the giver, for God saw that the poor widow gave her all because she loved him, whereas the rich people gave their offerings because it was their duty to give. Then Jesus and his disciples left the temple, and went out to the Mount of Olives. Never again did Jesus walk in the courts of the Lord's house on Mount Moriah; for soon afterwards his enemies took him and did to him all they had wished to do. Tomorrow: Jesus' Teaching on the Mount of Olives

The Teachings of Jesus in the Temple; The Moneychangers

The Teachings of Jesus in the Temple; The Moneychangers Matt. 21:12-46; Mark 11:12 to 12:12; Luke 19:41 to 20:19

Jesus teaches in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes are there also, not willing that he should teach the people. EARLY IN THE morning Jesus and his disciples started away from Bethany to go again to the temple in Jerusalem. As they went, Jesus became hungry, and seeing a fig-tree by the roadside he stopped to eat of its fruit. But there were no figs on the tree, only leaves, and Jesus turned away disappointed. As he walked away he said, "Never again shall man eat fruit from this tree." When Jesus came to the temple he saw men in there who were buying and selling animals for sacrifice-offerings, and others who were called money-changers. Once before he had driven such men out of the temple, and now he drove them out the second time, saying, "In the Scriptures it is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of thieves." For these men demanded more money for their sacrifice-offerings than they should have asked. The wave of excitement was still running high in the city, and every one was eager to see Jesus. The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them there. And little children came singing, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" No doubt they had heard the glad songs of the grown people who had come with Jesus from the Mount of Olives, and they, too, wished to praise this great man, who took little ones in his arms and blessed them. The chief priests and scribes in the temple saw Jesus heal the blind and the lame, and they heard the children sing his praises. They were angered by these things, for they saw that every day the multitudes were becoming more excited about this Jesus. They came to him and asked, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" And in the Scriptures, 'Out of the mouths of little children thou has perfected praise?" In the evening Jesus returned again with his disciples to Bethany, to be with his dear friends, and in the morning he went back to teach the eager people who gathered early to hear him. As they passed along the road by the fig-tree that he had found only leaves on, the disciples saw that the tree had withered and now stood dry and dead. They were surprised that it should have changed so soon, and they spoke about it. Then Jesus taught them a lesson from the fig-tree. He said, "Have you faith in God. If you have faith to believe that God hears you when you pray you shall do greater things than I have done by my words to this fig-tree. For if you ask anything of God in prayer, and believe in your hearts that he hears you, the thing for which you ask shall be given." When they came to the temple many people had already gathered to hear Jesus teach. The chief priests and the scribes were there also, ready to ask him a question; for they were not willing that he should teach the people. They demanded of him, "By what authority do you teach and work miracles? Who gave you this authority?" Jesus knew how to answer them by asking a question of them. He said, "Was the baptism of John from heaven or of men? Tell me this and I will answer your question." Now the enemies of Jesus did not know how to answer. They had not received John's baptism as of God, and they feared to tell Jesus because many people were listening, and the people all claimed that surely John was a prophet of God. If they should not own John as a prophet they feared that the people would turn bitterly against them. Yet if they should say that John's baptism was of God they knew Jesus would ask why they had not believed him. So they said, "We can not tell whether John's baptism was from heaven or of men." Then Jesus answered, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things, or who gave this authority to me." Again Jesus began to teach by story-sermons, called parables. He told them about a man who had two sons. This man called his elder son to him and said, "Son, go and work today in my vineyard." The boy answered his father roughly, saying, "I will not go!" But afterwards he became sorry, and repented of his unwillingness to obey his father's command. Then he went to the vineyard and worked. To the second son the father spoke the same words of command, and this boy replied politely, "I go, sir." But he did not. "Now," asked Jesus, "which of the two boys obeyed his father?" The people answered, "The first." Jesus said the two boys were like the two classes--the people whom the Pharisees and such called sinners, and the Pharisees and other leaders themselves. All these leaders claimed to be obedient, and yet they were not doing the things God had commanded, while the other people whom they called sinners had listened gladly to John's words and had been baptized by him. Another story which Jesus told was about a man who planted a vineyard, and built a hedge about it, digged a winepress in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he hired some men to care for it, and went away to another country. When the time came that the fruit of the vineyard should be ripened, he sent servants to get some of the fruit and bring it back to him. But the keepers of the vineyard treated the servants roughly. The first one who came they beat, and sent him away without any fruit. The second one they threw stones at and wounded him in the head. The third one they killed. Later other servants were sent; but the wicked keepers of the vineyard treated them all shamefully. The owner of the vineyard was very sad, and he decided at last to send his own son. "They will know he is my son," he reasoned, "and they will respect him." But when the keepers looked out from the watch-tower and saw the son coming, they said to each other, "The owner has sent his son. This vineyard will belong to him, because he is the heir, let us kill him, and take the vineyard for our own possession." So they caught him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard. "When the owner of that vineyard comes what will he do to those men?" asked Jesus. And the people answered, "He will cause them to be miserably destroyed, and he will give his vineyard into the care of better men who will give him some of its fruits. Then Jesus looked boldly upon his enemies standing near and said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to another nation, which will bring forth fruit." The chief priests and scribes knew he had spoken the parables against them, and they were angry. But they were afraid to seize him because they knew all the people standing round believed that Jesus was a great prophet. Tomorrow: Jesus' Last Days in the Temple; The Widow's Mite

Palm Sunday - Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem as a King

Palm Sunday - Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem as a King Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19

Hearing those who follow Jesus shout praises to him, others rejoice, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!" A TIME OF great excitement was on. People were flocking out of the city gate and hurrying along the road that led down the valley and up the slope of Mount Olivet, just outside of Jerusalem. They were rushing out to meet Jesus, of whom they had heard such great things. Many of these people were strangers in Jerusalem. They had just come to attend the Feast of the Passover, and they had heard about the wonderful miracles Jesus performed. Others lived in Jerusalem and they had heard how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, so they, too, were eager to see him again. As they went they took branches of palm-trees with which to wave in a welcome when they should meet him. On the morning of that same day Jesus had sent two of his disciples to a village near Bethany to loose a colt which they should find tied. He had told them to bring this colt to him, and if the owners should question why they untied the colt they should answer, "The Lord has need of this colt today." And the disciples had gone and found the colt tied by the roadside, and they had told the owners the message which Jesus sent. And the owners had let them take the colt and bring it to Jesus. Then the disciples had spread their garments on the colt's back and had set Jesus on it, while others threw their clothes along the road for Jesus to ride over. And as the crowd from Jerusalem came near to the Mount of Olives, the company which followed from Bethany began to shout, "Blessed is the King who is coming in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!" The people who came out of Jerusalem met Jesus and his disciples on the slope of the Mount of Olives. They heard those who followed Jesus shout praises to him, and they too waved their palms and rejoiced, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!" Some threw their palms in the road for him to ride over, and all along the highway they stood, rejoicing greatly and praising God. In the crowd were some Pharisees who had not come to rejoice but to find fault. When they heard the people shouting they came to Jesus and said, "Master, cause these to cease shouting." Jesus answered, "If these should be still the stones by the roadside would immediately cry out." Jesus knew the time had come when the prophecy of Zechariah should be fulfilled, for Zechariah had said concerning this very time: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, your King comes unto you: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon a colt." So the crowd passed on through the gate into the city, and Jesus rode up Mount Moriah, where the temple stood. And as he went, the people before and behind cried out aloud, "Hosanna to the Son of David." The people in the city were stirred with the excitement. They came hurrying into the streets to ask, "What is the meaning of all of this? "Who is this king you are bringing?" And the multitude answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee." Then Jesus entered the temple and looked about upon the things there. Taking his disciples, he returned to Bethany to spend the night in the house of his friends. Tomorrow: The Teachings of Jesus in the Temple; The Moneychangers

The Journey of Lent

There are many ways for a congregation to mark the journey of Lent. Of course, beginning with a service of worship for Ash Wednesday is always appropriate (see Ash Wednesday: A Service of Worship). During Lent, one of the most effective visual reminders of the season that can be expanded in many variations is to use a rough wooden cross as a focal point in the sanctuary. The type of cross and how it is constructed will depend on exactly how it will be used. The cross is usually erected in the Sanctuary on Ash Wednesday as a visible symbol of the beginning of Lent. It is usually draped in black on Good Friday. The same cross can also become a part of the congregation's Easter celebration as it is then draped in white or gold, or covered with flowers (see The Flowering Cross).
One effective way to make use of the cross is to use it as a Prayer Cross during Lent. A hammer, square nails, and small pieces of paper are made available near the cross. At a designated time of prayer during the Sundays in Lent, or beginning with Ash Wednesday, people are invited to write their prayer requests on the paper, and then nail them to the cross. The quiet time of prayer with only the sounds of the hammer striking the nails can be a moving time for reflection on the meaning of Lent, and a powerful call to prayer. The prayer requests can be removed and burned as part of a Tenebrae or Stations of the Cross service during Holy Week to symbolize releasing the needs to God.
Some churches have a special time of prayer or meditation one night of each week during Lent. Often Catholic and high church traditions pray the Stations of the Cross (see The Fourteen Stations of the Cross). Some Protestant churches have a special series of weekly Bible studies followed by a time of meditation and prayer. Often, in both Catholic and Protestant traditions, the prayer time is followed by a simple meal of soup and bread to symbolize the penitence of the Season.

Reflections on Lent

We enjoy celebrating Palm Sunday. The children get to make paper palm branches and for many it is one of the few times they get to take an active role in "big church." We wave the palm branches and celebrate. And we all love Easter Sunday! It is a happy time, with flowers, new clothes, and the expectation of Spring in the air.
Yet there is something significant missing if we only concentrate on celebration for these two Sundays. It is too easy and promotes much too cheap a grace to focus only on the high points of Palm Sunday and Easter without walking with Jesus through the gathering shadows of Maundy Thursday and the darkness of Good Friday. For us, that journey begins on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a way to recall a larger story than just celebration. It is a way to face the reality of the consequences of sin and the terrible toll it takes on the world. Lent calls us to examine our own lives with the prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me (Psa 139:23-24).
The journey through Lent is a way to places ourselves before God humbled, bringing in our hands no price whereby we can ourselves purchase our salvation. It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before God, to strip ourselves bare of all pretenses to righteousness, to come before God in dust and ashes. It is a way to empty ourselves of our false pride, of our rationalizations that prevent us from seeing ourselves as needy creatures, of our external piety that blinds us to the beam in our own eyes.
Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, our very lives in God’s hands, again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with a fresh victory and hope that goes beyond the new clothes, the Spring flowers, the happy music.
Yet, that celebration begins in ashes. And it journeys though darkness. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that I am convinced we must all make, one way or the other, for genuine spiritual renewal to come.
I have heard the passage in 2 Chronicles 7:14 quoted a lot: ". . .if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." This usually is quoted in the context of wanting revival or renewal in the church. The prayer is usually interpreted as intercessory prayer for others, since we too easily assume that any problem lies with someone else. Yet a careful reading of the passage will reveal that the prayer that is called for here is not intercessory prayer for others; it is penitential prayer for the faith community, for us. It is not to call for others to repent; it is a call for us, God’s people, to repent. It is our land that needs healed, it is our wicked ways from which we need to turn, we are the ones who need to seek God’s face.
Perhaps during the Lenten season we should stop praying for others as if we were virtuous enough to do so. Perhaps we should take off our righteous robes just long enough during these 40 days to put ashes on our own heads, to come before God with a new humility that is willing to confess, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." Maybe we should be willing to prostrate ourselves before God and plead, "Lord, in my hand no price I bring; simply to the cross I cling." That might put us in a position to hear God in ways that we have not heard Him in a long time. And it may be the beginning of that healing for which we have so longed.
O Lord, begin with me. Here. Now.

Mary Anoints Jesus and Shows Her Love for Him

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Mary Anoints Jesus and Shows Her Love for Him Matt. 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11; John 12:1-11

While the guests are eating Mary goes to the couch where Jesus is reclining, she breaks the box and pours its contents of expensive perfume upon Jesus' head and feet. SIMON THE LEPER was a friend of Jesus. He lived in the village of Bethany, not far from the home of Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus. But "Simon the leper" was no longer a leper, for Jesus had made him well of that disease. And once more he could live in his own home with his family, in Bethany. No wonder Simon was a friend of Jesus! News reached the village folk of Bethany that Jesus and his disciples were coming over the road from Jericho and would soon arrive. Glad news this was to the friends who loved him so dearly, and they began to plan at once how they might give him a welcome. "Simon the leper" arranged to make a supper at his home for the tired guests, and Martha, the sister of Lazarus, went to help prepare and serve the evening meal. Simon invited Lazarus to eat with the other guests at the table; for since he had risen from the grave, Lazarus was looked upon with much wonder by the people. Mary also knew about the supper. At last the guests arrived, and they were welcomed at the home of Simon. Then the food was placed on the table and the guests were brought into the dining-hall to eat. Curious onlookers crowded in, for news of this supper had quickly spread through the village, and even as far as Jerusalem. And uninvited folk had come, not only to see Jesus, but to see Lazarus also, whom Jesus had called out of the grave after he had been dead four days. While the guests were eating, presently Mary arrived with a box in her hand. Going directly to the couch where Jesus was reclining, she broke the box and poured its contents upon Jesus' head and feet. Now this box had contained some very rare perfume, which had cost much money, and Mary had poured it all upon the body of Jesus to show her love for him. Then she bend low and wiped the feet of Jesus with her long hair. Just as soon as the box was broken the odor of the sweet perfume filled the room. And every one present knew this perfume had cost much money, for it was of the very best kind. At once the disciples began to whisper among themselves about what Mary had done. One of them, Judas Iscariot,who carried the money-bag for Jesus and the other disciples, became angry and said, "What a waste of money this foolish woman has made! Instead of pouring it all upon Jesus she might have given that money to buy food for the poor." Jesus knew the thoughts and whisperings of his disciples. He saw them question Mary about her deed, and speak unkindly to her. So he spoke to them all and said, "Let this woman alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work, for she has come before my death to anoint my body with sweet perfume. The poor you have with you always, but I shall not be with you much longer. And by this deed Mary has shown her love for me." And Jesus said also that wherever the gospel should be preached in the whole world this deed which Mary had done to show her love should be told in memory of her. Perhaps Mary understood what the disciples were unable to believe--that Jesus soon must die--for she had sat at his feet and listened to his words while he visited in her home. She had heard him tell about many things, and she had believed them. And now she had poured out the costliest gift her money could buy, to anoint Jesus before he should have to lie cold in death. She had done all she could to show how great was her love. Judas Iscariot was even more displeased when he heard Jesus' words. He was no longer a true disciple, for he had allowed Satan to plant wrong desires in his heart. And sometimes he took money from the bag to keep for himself, for he loved riches and he had hoped some day to be a rich ruler in the kingdom he expected Jesus to set up. Now a wicked thought crept into his heart, and he planned to go as soon as possible to the enemies of Jesus in Jerusalem and promise them to give Jesus into their power if they would give him money for his work. So after the supper was ended he left Bethany and went to see the chief priests and scribes who lived in Jerusalem. For many days the enemies of Jesus had been talking together about how they might capture Jesus. After Lazarus had been raised from the dead they were stirred more than ever, because many other people had begun to believe in Jesus, too. When Judas Iscariot came to them they were glad, and they promised to give him thirty pieces of silver money if he would bring them to Jesus when the multitude of believing friends were not near. Tomorrow: Palm Sunday - Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem as a King