The Last Days of Jesus

This week is fearful and confusing for Christ-followers, as we seek to walk with Jesus in the last days of his life on earth.  Yes, the resurrection is coming, but we first experience the terrifying, bewildering events in the last days of Jesus’ life on earth.  Unfortunately, most followers take the easy skip from the Palm Sunday parade to the Easter resurrection.  Can’t say I blame them. 

Who wants to see your beloved Teacher arrested on trumped-up charges, betrayed by a friend, and deserted by the rest of the so-called followers?  The trial scenes in the temple or Herod’s place are not easy.  The sight of Jesus’ being beaten is heart-breaking for us helpless followers, at least those of us who dared to watch the whips snapping up the lines of blood on his back.  (This was the R-rated part of The Passion movie.)  Then they put that crown of thorns on his head to mock Him, & one guard actually spit on Him. 

The soldiers forced Him to carry his cross on the road leading outside the city, until He fell down, too weak to get up, when a bystander is drafted to carry it the rest of the way.  Some of us followed the long, winding road to the hill outside Jerusalem where He was nailed to a cross like a rotten criminal left to die a slow, excruciating death.  With the crowd there, we watched the last hours of life slowly drain from his body in agony. 

This week, we’re challenged to deny ourselves and stand up for our beloved Jesus, but like the disciples, we fail, we deny the Master, desert Him when authorities make Him suffer.  But don’t give up; keep walking with and following Him.  This hard, dark path leads to good.  Pray to God for strength and courage.  Ask the Savior to forgive your failures.  Seek the Spirit amidst other followers. 

It’s sad that some churches have no service on Good Friday (which was actually Black Friday or Death Friday) or Maundy Thursday.  How can we have a new life without experiencing the death of our Master or ourselves?  Read Matthew 26:17 – 27:44 or John 18:28 – 19:37.  A short version can be found in Mark 15: 1-39. 

This Thursday is Maundy Thursday - that last night in the upper room, when the Teacher washed his followers’ feet, shared the bread and the cup, and his last words. Maundy Thursday gets its name from the Latin word mandatum, which means "commandment." Near the end of the Last Supper, the Teacher said, "A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another."  (John 13:34)

If you do not attend a church, you’re welcome to come to First Presbyterian Church, Hugo; our Maundy Thursday service will begin at 7 PM.  The service will include communion, chimes music, Scriptures and songs on the path to the Cross. 

Are You Influenced by FEAR or FAITH?

I admit that sometimes I’m influenced more by my fears than by my faith.  My mind tells me that the Master who loves me is in control.  Yet, dread or doubts affect my feelings and thoughts.  Others have shared this dilemma with me.  Our feelings, often because of our afflictions, make us susceptible to fear.  At times we get carried away by fearful thoughts and doubts.  We imagine the worst in our minds rather than the best, and this increases our fears.

According to Hebrews 11:1,“faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Faith is believing without seeing.   Believing that things are going to be OK while not feeling it, trusting that God will make a way for us when we can’t see a way forward – this is faith.  Are you going to believe what you are feeling, what your circumstances are saying?  Or will trust your Lord and Master for the outcome?

One time I sat in a Sunday School class lead by a retired elder.  A young woman shared that she sometimes felt afraid of the end times and God’s judgment that awaits us.  The elder said, I don’t worry about that because Jesus loves me, and He’s in control of everything.

We face a choice everyday. Although we CANNOT control some aspects of our lives, we can believe and trust in the Lord of All Life.  When our fears, doubts and weakness seem strong, let us turn to the One who overcame sin and death, the One who controls the wind and waves of the storm (see Mark 4:39).  We can trust Him even when life is dark with thunder and lightning.

It is not easy to trust the Lord in the midst of difficulties that exceed our strength and resources.  When we rely on ourselves, we tend to mess things up.  Let us admit our sins and inadequacies to Jesus who endured an arrest, ridicule, beatings, fickle friends, and was nailed to a rough wooden cross. 

As Don Moen wrote in his popular song,

God will make a way, Where there seems to be no way. 

He works in ways we cannot see; He will make a way for me. 

He will be my guide; Hold me closely to His side. 

With love and strength, For each new day. 

He will make a way; He will make a way.

For those who may not have access to a Bible, here is the Mark 4 story that's referred to in the 3rd paragraph:   Jesus Calms the Storm - 

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”