I thought today I would share with you how Holy Week played out. So much can happen in a week.
𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌:
𝑃𝑎𝑙𝑚 𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦: Jesus entered Jerusalem being praised.
𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑀𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦: Jesus freed the sacrificial animals and cleansed the temple.
𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑇𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑑𝑎𝑦: Jesus taught at the temple.
𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑊𝑒𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑑𝑎𝑦: Judas Betrays Jesus
𝑀𝑎𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑑𝑎𝑦: The Last Supper with Jesus and Jesus washes their feet.
𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐹𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑦: Jesus Was crucified and darkness covered the Earth.
𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑆𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑑𝑎𝑦: Jesus rested in the tomb.
𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦: Jesus is Risen! The Stone is rolled away!
“𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝑰 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑴𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒆.“
Luke 23:43
For just a second I’m going to focus on Friday. Jesus hung between two thieves. One who mocked and ridiculed him right along with the crowd. All while “knowing” he was going to die. But he did it anyway. Maybe to fit it with the crowd? Maybe his pride? All while hearing Jesus praying for him. Praying for the crowd. Crying out to the Father. After all his torture. All he had been through, he never stopped thinking of the lost.
Then there was the second Thief. He heard the same words the first thief heard. He heard Jesus’ prayers, His cries, His love for the lost. It caused the thief to ask Jesus to “PLEASE remember me when you enter your Kingdom.”
The thief recognized two things we all need in our lives:
- He came to Christ with humility and a repentant heart (“Please remember me…”)
- He recognized Jesus’ authority in his life (“…when You enter YOUR Kingdom”)
This thief had hope. He longed for something more! He was remorseful and knew he was going to die and saw everything Jesus had done for him and knowing if someone would go through all of that, for him, he wanted more!
Jesus replied, “𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝑰 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑴𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒆.“… Oh, those words. How precious were those on his suffering ears! This is the peace and Love I want and need. To know that someone who is suffering far more than I ever have, is willing to give HIS all…. 𝐹𝑂𝑅 𝑀𝐸!!!
Here’s the thing… It gets BETTER! Sunday is coming! That same Jesus, the Jesus who gave it all, He is RISEN!! The stone was rolled away, and He paid a debt for our sins and gives ALL who believe in Him the same eternal life!