Holy Week Thursday: Watch and Pray
Devotions this week will touch on an event which took place on this day of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday Message: Lead Me to the Cross…Follow the Donkey…Find the Cross!
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t.
Evening service at church as a kid…long conversation after a long day…watching a movie…yep, even praying.
I’ve fallen asleep doing all of these…even as hard as I tried to stay awake. Sometimes you just can’t.
I get why the disciples fell asleep. It was a long day…let alone a long week and it was only Thursday. Long days of teaching in the temple. Seems like little on Wednesday, but then preparing the Passover meal. Filled by conversations about betrayal and denial as well as Jesus speaking of a new covenant in his body and blood. Stomachs full. Stress high. They just couldn’t keep their eyes open.
I get it. I more than likely would have done the same thing…even when Jesus asked me to “Watch and pray” with him.
Matthew 26:36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Jesus knew the weight of what falling into temptation created. He was carrying the sin of every individual who gave into temptation. Jesus knew the power of temptation. He too had been tempted in every way. The difference? He didn’t sin. The writer to the Hebrews says,
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Jesus knew how hard Satan works to pull a soul away from him. He already had Judas, Jesus didn’t want to lose any more. Not just the disciples, but you and me. So he directs us to “Watch and pray.”
Watch out for the things that spiritually wear you out.
Watch out for the temptations Satan uses to lead us away from Jesus.
Watch out for the blind spots in your heart, in your mind, in your ego that Satan exploits.
Pray for God’s Spirit of strength to overcome temptation.
Pray for forgiveness Jesus gives as he gave his body and blood for you.
Pray for God to show you the way out of temptation.
The spirit IS willing, but our flesh is weak.
Apply: What specific temptations does Satan get you with? Watch out to avoid situations that may make these temptations easier. Pray for strength of God’s Spirit to find the way to say “No” to temptation. Watch your Savior give himself for you to forgive you when you fall into temptation.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your gift of forgiveness in your body and blood. Empower me by your Spirit to be always vigilant to “Watch and pray” so I don’t fall into temptation. AMEN.
Holy Week Wednesday: Silence.
Devotions this week will touch on an event which took place on this day of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday Message: Lead Me to the Cross…Follow the Donkey…Find the Cross!
Everyone likes peace and quiet…unless…
You know that eerie realization as a parent when you were conversing with adults and the group of kids that was a dull roar in the background all of a sudden goes quiet. Unfortunately, often an inspection of what caused the silence isn’t good. This kind of silence often ends with punishment or consequences because the kids got into something they shouldn’t have.
This is the silence of Wednesday of Holy Week.
It’s kind of an eerie silence.
Palm Sunday was a joyous procession with a crowd and shouts of “Hosanna!”
Monday righteous anger drives out the money changers from the temple drawing the ire of the religious leaders.
Tuesday was a busy day of teaching on the destruction of Jerusalem and Jesus’ second coming.
Wednesday…Silence.
But the hushed nature of the day was not because there was peace in Jerusalem. There was a plot brewing.
Tuesday ended with this:
Matthew 26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5 “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
What would change their minds?
The “sly way” to arrest Jesus came to them. How could they say, “No”? Judas was the willing accomplice. If the price was right…he was in. The concern for a riot among the people diminished when they had a plan to have Jesus delivered into their hands.
Matthew 26:14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Judas’ actions were brewing for a while. At the root was not a hate of Jesus, it was a stronger love of money. So when did the love of money become stronger than love of Jesus? We don’t know for sure, but perhaps what tipped him over the edge was the anointing of Jesus with very expensive perfume.
John 12:4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Worship of Jesus got in the way of lining the pockets of Judas…so Judas decided to get rid of Jesus to line his pockets with 30 silver coins.
We can be like Judas running along and following Jesus. We can listen to Jesus’ teaching, participate in his ministry, and understand his purpose and impact. Until we don’t. When our heart goes silent on Jesus, greed or other desires move in.
Watch out for the silence. Sometimes it’s a cover for sin.
Apply: What sin is lurking in the silence of your heart? Let the example of Judas warn us to turn from it and back to Jesus. Jesus died for Judas, but Judas never turned back for forgiveness. Jesus is faithful. As we confess to him he will forgive you. He died for you.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for exposing the sin that lurks in the silence of my heart. Lead me to return to you in repentance to receive your forgiveness and strength to overcome. AMEN.
Holy Week Tuesday: Are you Prepared?
Devotions this week will touch on an event which took place on this day of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday Message: Lead Me to the Cross…Follow the Donkey…Find the Cross!
Are you prepared?
John Wooden, a legend coach of the UCLA Bruins, would tell his team, “What opportunity strikes, it’s too late to prepare.” This statement motivated his team to put in the work, hone their skills, and understand the strategy of the game. Why? Because when the opportunity or need for a certain play, a clutch basket, or a defensive stand came to win a game or a championship, it was too late to stop and practice. Preparation had to happen before the reality came.
In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus spends a good part of Tuesday of Holy Week instructing his disciples on how to be ready for his return. While there will be signs that the end is near (ones we see regularly even today), the specific day and hour is unknown. Here’s what Jesus said to watch for:
Matthew 25:4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
We like to procrastinate. It may feel good in the moment to put off something, especially if you don’t want to do it. However, I am learning that you never know what is going to happen, even if you know a deadline, so better to get the project done as soon as possible…and don’t procrastinate.
Jesus teaches on the end of times to remind us to always be ready. He doesn’t want his return to catch us unprepared.
Matthew 25:42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
So how do we prepare? We stay close and regularly connected to Jesus. Take to heart the words of Jesus. And put into practice the work of Jesus.
Like a student who regularly does his homework and reads the material assigned, there is no anxiety when the teacher decides to give a surprise quiz, so the believer who trusts in Jesus as Savior, regularly reads the words God has given to us, and puts into practice the love of Jesus…he/she has nothing to fear when Jesus returns. In fact that day will be one we anticipate and look forward to rather than dread and worry about.
Luke 21:25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Apply: Take time to read Matthew 24 & 25. What do you see happening today? Is it possible Jesus could return today? Are you ready? What commitments can you make to yourself and Jesus to be better prepared for the day of his return?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for encouraging us and teaching us about what it means to be prepared for your return. Help us to stay close to you, regularly take in your Word, and be about your work while we wait. AMEN.
Holy Week Devotions: Monday
Devotions this week will touch on an event which took place on this day of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday Message: Lead Me to the Cross…Follow the Donkey…Find the Cross!
Imagine if you came home from a vacation and found a number of people you didn’t know had moved in and were selling drugs out of your home. You’d be furious. Perhaps today you would call the police, but no one would blame you for being angry and upset and forcibly making the squatters leave. Your house was not a drug house. Period.
Monday of Holy Week, we find Jesus returning to the temple area where he had briefly looked around after his triumphal entry the day before. What he saw in the temple disturbed him greatly. Crooks had moved into his house.
Mark 11:15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written:
“ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’?
But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Selling and buying doves or other animals for sacrifice wasn’t necessarily the issue. This practice of greeting temple visitors with an opportunity to exchange their money into the local currency or to purchase what they needed for the temple sacrifice was not abnormal. The issue was it was being done IN the temple and a symptom of the reality people had lost perspective on the purpose of the temple.
For those Jesus directly addressed they had turned the temple into a business not a place of prayer. For those that were coming the money changers and sellers of sacrificial animals made it easy for individuals to “check the box” of their temple obligation.
The temple wasn’t established simply to go through the motions of ritual, it was a place where God desired to connect with his people. The purpose of the rituals of the temple were to develop a relationship with the Lord. The Lord didn’t want the motions, he wanted the heart.
Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
The fact that the temple area had been turned simply into a place of commerce indicated that people’s heart connection with the Lord had been replaced by either empty ritual or greedy gain.
Jesus clearing of the temple is a strong reminder of how much Jesus is and always has been interested in a relationship with people not just ritual from people. He desires the places where we come to worship to be about worship of the Lord, not serving of self.
Jesus came to Jerusalem to carry out his work to win the hearts of the people and fill them with faith, hope and forgiveness. The overturning of the money changers tables got the attention of the people so he might capture the hearts of people.
Apply: What “tables” does Jesus need to turn over in our heart that are creating a barrier to our relationship with the Lord? What rituals are getting in the way of your relationship with the Lord that if changed or removed would free up your heart to connect with the Lord?
Prayer: Lord, always remind us that our heart matters more than our ritual. Let all our rituals of worship be tools to connect our hearts with you. AMEN.
Lead Me to the Cross…The Glory of the Seed is in what it produces (part 2)
Daily Devotions based the Sermon on John 12:20-32 from March 21, 2021
THIS WEEK: Lead Me to the Cross…Plant a Seed…Find the Cross!
Jesus is excited about what his work produces in us.
Yesterday we considered the fruit that happens when we die to this world and live in view of eternity. Jesus’ work changes our mind and perspective on the things of this world and makes them secondary to the things that matter for eternal life.
Today, the second fruit Jesus loves to see:
John 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Remember this response was predicated on the request of the Greek followers to see Jesus. In essence, Jesus is letting them know they will see him when they see his followers serving him. Jesus is seen when his heart of service is exhibited in his followers.
But this doesn’t grow naturally in us. In fact, what grows naturally in the “weeds” of our heart is the desire to serve self. We are naturally “what’s in it for me” type of people. We have a hard time giving of our time and energy for another person unless there is some “win” in it for me.
So how do we get rid of this self-centered weed and produce the fruit Jesus desires of serving him and serving others?
We have to die to ourselves so we can live for Jesus.
The Apostle Peter understood this change as he wrote: 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Jesus died with our sins attached to him. This act on our behalf is like a spiritual “Round-up” chemical that kills sin “down to the root.” Jesus work doesn’t just change the outward behavior, but it changes the interior root. We can now die to sin and live for righteousness, live in the way that pleases the Lord and serves Jesus and others.
The Apostle Paul’s heart was changed by his encounter with Jesus. He realized his zealous persecution of the followers of Jesus in his first life as Saul was really a self-centered pride grab to augment his standing among his Pharisee peers. Jesus helped him see life completely differently. No longer was his life compelled by what he wanted for himself, but by what Jesus had done for him. When he realized the depth of Jesus’ love for him, he had no other choice but to dedicate his life to serving the one who gave his life for him.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Jesus loves to see the Spirit of God change the hearts of mankind. Jesus loves it when his work for you shows up in a compelling life lived in honor of Jesus and in service of others. Jesus loves it when the fruit he desires shows up in the lives of his followers. Jesus loves it when others see him in the lives transformed by him.
The glory of the Seed (our Savior Jesus) is truly in the fruit it produces (our lives changed by him!)!
Apply: What areas of your life are you living for yourself? What does it look like when your thinking and activity shift to serving the Lord rather than self? Ask the Lord for strength to overcome selfishness and replace it with a heart of service.
PRAYER: Lord, may my life always reflect the love and service you have shown to me. AMEN.