Day by Day through Holy Week

Today, let’s read and ponder Monday of Holy Week…

• Jesus curses the fig tree = Matthew 21:18-19, Mark 11:12-14
• Jesus cleanses the Temple of the moneychangers = Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18,  Luke 19:45-48
• Jesus returns with His disciples to Bethany = Mark 11:19

Let me remind all of us that my intention is to send an email out each day this week for your devotional and reflective reading. Some days will have significantly more readings than others. Today is one of those longer reading days. Wednesday and Saturday will both be significantly shorter.

These emails are not intended to be a chronological, hour-by-hour, daytimer of Jesus’ week. It is to provide all of us with these important accounts, how they were understood by the Biblical writers, and how they can have a spiritual impact upon all of us today.  I pray that all of us will be blessed as we journey with Jesus on this Tuesday.  

Peace, Pastor Jim

• The Lesson from the fig tree = Matthew 21:20-22, Mark 11:20-25 
• Controversies at the Temple in Jerusalem = Matthew 21:23-23:39,          Mark 11:27-12:44,   Luke 20:1-21:4
• The Olivet Discourse and return to Bethany = Matthew 24:1-25:46, Mark 13:1-37,  Luke 21:37-38

Today we will continue our journey with Jesus through Holy Week. There is very little that the Bible records about Wednesday of that first “Holy Week.” Nevertheless what does take place is crucial to how the rest of the week plays out. 

Wednesday of Holy Week has traditionally been referred to as “Spy Wednesday” throughout Church History. The Bible does not mention the phrase “Spy Wednesday” specifically.  However it is believed to be the day in which Judas conspired with local religious authorities to betray Jesus. It is also believed to be the day/evening when Jesus was anointed with a very expensive perfume during a meal.

Let me remind all of us that my intention is to send an email out each day this week for your devotional and reflective reading. Some days will have significantly more readings than others. Today is one of the shorter reading days. 

I pray that all of us will be blessed as we journey with Jesus on this Wednesday.  

Peace,  Pastor Jim

Today, let’s read and ponder Wednesday of Holy Week

• Jesus continues teaching at the Temple = Luke 21:37-38
• The plot against Jesus by the religious leaders = Matthew 26:2-5, Mark 14:1-2
• Jesus anointed with perfume during dinner = Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9
• Judas agrees to betray Jesus = Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:1-6

Today we will continue our journey with Jesus through Holy Week. There is a great deal of activity recorded about Thursday of that first “Holy Week.” You will notice that there are no accounts of Jesus’ arrest noted for Thursday. That is because it is likely that the “arrest” of Jesus took place at or just after midnight. Church tradition and reliable scholarly sources suggest this. Based on that evidence the “arrest” will be included with Friday’s readings.

Thursday of Holy Week things take place and they take place quickly. Today we will journey with Jesus and see what He was doing and saying through the lens of the four Gospel writers.  

These emails are intended to provide all of us with these important accounts, how they were understood by the Biblical writers, and how they can have a spiritual impact upon all of us today.  

Let me remind all of us that my intention is to send an email out each day this week for your devotional and reflective reading. I pray that all of us will be blessed as we journey with Jesus on this Thursday.  

Peace,  Pastor Jim

Today, let’s read and ponder Thursday of Holy Week…

• Instructions and Preparations or the Upper Room and the Passover meal =              Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12-16. Luke 22:7-13
• Jesus eats the Passover meal with the 12 disciples, interacts with them, and institutes the Lord’s Supper = Matthew 26:20-29, Mark 14:17-23, Luke 22:14-30
• During the supper, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples and presents “The Upper Room Discourse” = John 13:1-16:33
• Jesus prays = John 17:1-26
• Jesus and the disciples sing a hymn and depart for the Mount of Olives =      Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26, Luke 22:39
• Jesus predicts Peter’s denials = Matthew 26:31-35, Mark 14:27-31, Luke 22:31-34
• Some final instructions = Luke 22:35-38
• Jesus prays in Gethsemane = Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:40-46 

Today we will continue our journey with Jesus through Holy Week. There is a great deal of activity recorded about what we call “Good Friday.” I mentioned yesterday that there were no passages of Jesus “arrest” on Thursday. This is because Church tradition and numerous scholars through the years believe that Jesus was arrested at or shortly after midnight.  As we can see in our readings the Scriptures themselves seem to suggest that as well.

Friday of Holy Week features many things which take place and they take place quickly. Today we will journey with Jesus as He arrives at Golgotha and dies for the sins of the world. The Gospel writers have much to say about that first Friday of Holy Week.

These emails are intended to provide all of us with these important accounts, how they were understood by the Biblical writers, and how they can have a spiritual impact upon all of us today.  

Let me remind all of us that my intention is to send an email out each day this week for your devotional and reflective reading. I pray that all of us will be blessed as we journey with Jesus on this Friday.  

Peace,  Pastor Jim

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Today, let’s read and ponder Friday of Holy Week…

• Jesus is arrested = Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:2-12
• Jesus’ informal hearing before Annas =       Matthew 26:57, 59-68, Mark 14:53, 55-65, Luke 22:63-71
• Peter denies Jesus and the rooster crows = Matthew 26:58, 69-75, Mark 14:54, 66-72, Luke 22:54b-62,  John 18:15-18, 25-27
• Sanhedrin condemns Jesus to death and sends Him to Pilate =  Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1
• Judas changes his mind, returns the silver = Matthew 27:3-10
• Pilate questions Jesus and sends him to Herod Antipas = Matthew 27:11-14, Mark 15:2-5, Luke 23:1-7,  John 18:28-38
• Herod questions Jesus and sends him back to Pilate = Luke 23:8-12
• Jesus appears before Pilate a second time and is condemned to die = Matthew 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15,  Luke 23:13-25, John 18:38b-19:16
• Jesus is mocked and taken to Golgotha = Matthew 27:27-34, Mark 15:16-23, Luke 23:26-49, John 19:17
• Jesus is crucified between two thieves = Matthew 27:35-44, Mark 15:24-32, Luke 23:33-43, John 19:18-27
• Jesus dies on the cross = Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37
• Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus in a tomb = Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56,  John 19:38-42

Today we will continue our journey with Jesus through Holy Week. There is very little recorded in Scripture about Saturday of Holy Week, also know as “Silent Saturday.” After carefully examining the Scriptures one will see that only Matthew has any comment or information about Saturday. 

There are many thoughts which have been shared throughout Church History showing how they arrived at the name of “Silent Saturday.” We won’t take the time to discuss them today. Still is is reasonable and air to conclude that the followers of Jesus were still mourning, believing that He was dead. 

Let’s ponder these words today and consider what the disciples felt like on that “Silent Saturday” long ago.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday is coming!

Peace,  Pastor Jim +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• Chief Priests and Pharisees meet with Pilate who determines to place guards at the tomb = Matthew 27:62-66

Christ is Risen!….., Christ is Risen indeed!

Below are the readings for Easter Sunday.  I truly hope that you all have been blessed and that journeying with Jesus through the Scriptures this week has been a good spiritual discipline for everyone.  There will be one more coming, next Sunday.

Easter blessings!! 

Pastor Jim

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Sunday morning…

• Some women discover the empty tomb and are instructed by angels = Matthew 28:1-7, Mark 16:1-7,  Luke 24:1-7, John 20:1
• The women full of joy and fear, leave the garden and report to the disciples = Mathew 28:8-10, Luke 24:8-11, John 20:2
• Peter and John rush to the tomb and discover it empty = Luke 24:12, John 20:3-10
• Mary returns to the tomb and meets Jesus = John 20:11-18

Sunday afternoon…

• Jesus appears to the two followers on the road to Emmaus = Luke 24:13-35

Sunday evening…

• Jesus appears to the disciple with Thomas not present = Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-23