Palm Sunday to Pentecost by Feed the Hunger

PALM

Sunday to

PENTECOST The weeks that changed the world

An Easter Devotional by

Joseph L. Williams

Copyright ÂŠ 2018 by Feed the Hunger. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in mechanical or electronic form without the express permission of the copyright holder. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International VersionÂŽ Printed in the USA

Table of Contents Day 1: Setting the Stage

Day 2: Isaac: A Foreshadowing

Day 3: The Blood and the Passover

Day 4: Special Days in Spring 13 Day 5: Prophecies of Old

Day 6: Prophecies of New

Day 7: Psalm Sunday 19 Day 8: The Primary Opposition 21 Day 9: The Lamb before the Final Lamb

Day 10: Praying in the Grove

Day 11: Two Epic Failures

Day 12: Mocking Words and Mock Trials

Day 13: Time to Die

Day 14: Defeating Death 33 Day 15: The Woman and the Gardener

Day 16: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Believe the Lie

Day 17: The Road Trip Reappearance

Day 18: Fading Faith 41 Day 19: The Restoration Fire

Day 20: This Isn’t a Choice

Day 21: Going Up 47 Day 22: Tongues of Fire

Day 23: Peter Shows How It’s Done

Day 24: Unprecedented Unity

Day 25: Unschooled and Ordinary

Day 26: Fighting against God = Losing

Day 27: The First Martyr

Day 28: The Next Two Thousand Years

Day 29: Keep an Eye on This Spot

Day 30: Bringing It All Together 65

Setting the Stage “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 There are many verses I could have chosen to start off this month-long devotional. I selected this verse in Mark 10 because it reminds me of two important things: how Jesus lived (and how we should too), and why He came. Jesus came as a servant-leader and He died the Savior. He defeated death so that we could too. This study is meant to be started the Monday 13 days before Easter Sunday. The reason for this is that we often spend so much time just looking at and celebrating the resurrection that we only give a mere glance to the before and after. Still, there is not enough time to fully cover every event and aspect. So, as always, I encourage you to study for yourself. In this study, we will journey through the 50-something-day window of Palm Sunday to Pentecost and beyond. We will start, however, by doing a brief review of some themes in the Old Testament regarding the prophecies and precursors of the coming Messiah who would live, die, and then live again. After we look back at the “BC” days, we will then fast-forward to the final week of Jesus’ earthly life leading up to the most pivotal moment in human history. We’ll focus on key moments shared in the Gospels. Then we’ll look at those fateful days, the turning point that changed the course of human history. We won’t stop with the resurrection, though. There are some crucial events that followed it—namely, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the spread of the Gospel to the Gentile world. As is usual for my writing and teaching style, there will be emphasis on the individuals mentioned and applications for us today. We can identify

with their shortcomings and the lessons they learned. What we call Easter (a word with possible roots in German or Old English) is also referred to as Pascha, which is translated from the Hebrew word for Passover. It has been my observation that it is a much more important day than Christmas to the Body of Christ outside the Western world. There is much less materialism there, and so the focus is rightfully on the primary moment that changed the world: the resurrection. We have the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus to distract the Christian and non-Christian alike and to de-emphasize the Messiah. So I encourage us all this “Easter” season to commit afresh to putting our emphasis where it should be: on living for Christ and serving others, especially the needy. Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many. As Matthew records early on in his book, the reason Christ came into the world was to “save his people from their sins” (1:21b). That’s you and me. We have been adopted into His family. If the Lord has already removed the scales from your eyes and opened your heart to Him, please share this devotional with someone who is still lost and searching. It is available for free on our website as well, along with every other devotional we have produced.

Isaac: A Foreshadowing “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Genesis 22:8a Movies, books, and other stories often contain the element of foreshadowing, providing hints and details of what is to come later in the narrative. This is true of the story of Abraham being asked by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, in Genesis 22:1–19. What God asked of Abraham might seem bizarre and even inhumane on the surface if you don’t understand that God was testing the faith of Abraham. And Abraham responded well through obedience. He took his one and only son to be sacrificed instead of a lamb, as was normally required by God. God asked the father and son to go to a mountainous place called Moriah, so off they went. What they didn’t take with them was the lamb to be sacrificed. Isaac only carried the wood for the fire on his back. Abraham gave his confused son the assurance, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Abraham acted in obedience all the way to the point of raising the knife above his now tied-up son before the Lord intervened with an alternative. Isaac was spared as God provided a ram for the sacrifice, and Abraham named this place “The LORD will provide.” The similarities between Isaac and Jesus are simply amazing and probably go deeper than you might be aware. There are at least 30 parallels, but we’ll just look at some main ones. For example, both males were the result of supernatural births—Isaac to an old woman and Jesus to a virgin. Both were described as the “only son” (Genesis 22:2; John 3:16). The place of the sacrifice was Moriah. This would later be the location

where King David purchased land to make a permanent place for the Lord. It is where Solomon built the First Temple and where the Second Temple was built as well. For many years, lambs would be sacrificed in this place for the sins of the people. On a future day, among these same hills of Moriah, God’s Precious Lamb would be crucified. Just as Isaac carried the wood up to the place of sacrifice, so too would Jesus lug His wooden cross on the way up to the hill of Golgotha. Abraham and Isaac’s journey to Moriah took three days. Likewise, Jesus’ journey of sacrifice would be complete on the third day with His resurrection. Both sons amazingly submitted to the will of their fathers. And God provided a substitute for Isaac’s sacrifice—a ram whose head was caught in a thicket. Two thousand years later, He would provide once and for all through His Incarnate Son, whose head would also be adorned with thorns. Let’s apply this story to our lives today. What is God asking you to lay on the altar this Easter season? What is it that you hold dearer than Him? What habitual sin, relationship, or possession is keeping you from total devotion to the Lord? Will you, like Abraham, be willing to give to God what you hold most precious? Or will you be like the rich young ruler who was unable to give up what he loved to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16–30)? The choice is yours. The Lord promised Abraham blessings for generations to come in response to obedience. He promises you an eternity of glory and unbridled joy if you do the same.

The Blood and the Passover He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26b The Hebrew people were enslaved in Egypt. Pharaoh refused to let them go, so God struck the land of Egypt and its inhabitants with several plagues. He also spoke to and directed the Hebrew people through Moses and Aaron. As this situation reached its climax, God warned the people to prepare for His judgment to be poured out on Egypt. This judgment took the form of God striking down the Egyptian firstborn—both human and animal. The only way for the Hebrews to be spared the same fate was to sacrifice a year-old spotless lamb or goat and put its blood on their doorposts. It was called the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:21). For generations after and even to this day, the Hebrew/Jewish people have celebrated Passover. It takes place on the fourteenth day of the first month on the Jewish religious calendar and is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which we will look at tomorrow (Leviticus 23:4–8). Blood was not only required to spare the Hebrew people from God’s judgment on Egypt, but it was also required on an ongoing basis to atone for, or cover, the sins of the people (Leviticus chapters 4–7). Specifically, it involved the blood of an “innocent” animal. The mere thought of this is foreign to us today—perhaps even brutal in the modern world—because our lives don’t revolve around herding and livestock.

This blood sacrifice would still be required if something hadn’t happened two thousand years ago. The blood of the innocent Son of God had to be shed once and for all. The author of Hebrews echoed the message of Leviticus 17:11 and affirmed that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (9:22). And so it would be shed. When John the Baptist first saw Jesus, he immediately prophesied what was to come: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b). It was a foreordained death, for Jesus was “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Animal sacrifice ended with the destruction of the Second Temple, but the Jewish people have continued to commemorate Passover and look for a Messiah who has actually already come. Most modern-day Jews do not recognize that the ultimate Passover Lamb came once and for all to atone for their sins. As we stand a few days from studying this fateful night in the life and ministry of Jesus, we should think of the Jewish people today who have not recognized the Lamb of God. Join me in praying for the Lord to awaken their hearts and bring the End Times revival to His people.

Special Days in Spring The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’ ” Leviticus 23:1–2 New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, and so on . . . our culture has many “holidays.” On the Lord’s calendar, there are several holy days. God ordained certain days on the Jewish religious calendar to commemorate important events in the history of His people. We looked at the first one, Passover, yesterday. These holy days or feasts take place in the spring, and another set occurs in the fall. The spring feasts foreshadowed the First Coming of Christ and the fall feasts foreshadow the Second Coming. I covered this topic in other devotionals (Terminus and The Jewish Jesus) but some details must be mentioned here again. Today, we will only look at the spring feasts laid out in Leviticus 23, since they relate to when Jesus first came. Passover kicked off a period of three feasts in eight days in the Jewish month of Nisan. This would be during our March or April. The day of Passover is when the lambs were slain for the special meal. This was also the same holy day on which Jesus, the Lamb of God, was slain and became the final blood sacrifice. Immediately following Passover is the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was to remind the Hebrews/Jews of their escape from Egypt. They were to remember this by removing all leaven from their houses. This symbolic action represented removing sin from the home. Jesus was in the grave during this feast, fulfilled it as He was without sin, and guides us to remove the leaven from our lives. He is also our Bread of Life (John 6:25–59).

On the day after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jews offered the firstfruits from their barley crops on the Feast of Firstfruits, symbolically indicating that all the harvest was God’s. The Apostle Paul referred to Jesus as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20–23). Paul spoke the truth, as Jesus became the firstfruits on the actual day of this feast when He was raised from the dead. So, we have three feasts that were observed for thousands of years by Jews and continue today. Jesus fulfilled their purposes through His death, burial, and resurrection. But there was one more spring feast ordained, and that was the Feast of Weeks. It took place 50 days after Passover and was a joyous occasion when the people made an offering from the wheat harvest. What was the “modern” fulfillment? It was Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out and a great harvest of souls took place. As we study the Old and New Testaments, we should find great comfort and assurance that God has interwoven a great plan for humanity over thousands of years. It was written before time began and it will go on for eternity. He has ordained the number of our days and adopted us into His family. Aren’t you glad?

Prophecies of Old He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 The Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible—what we refer to as the Old Testament—was written over the span of approximately a thousand years, with the “newest” book written around the 400s BC. Most scholars seem to agree that included in these books are at least 300 prophecies surrounding Jesus. Today, we will only be looking at the prophecies surrounding His death, burial, and resurrection. And on future days, we will obviously be studying the actual fulfillment of these details and events in the last days of Jesus’ earthly life. So many of the 300+ prophecies are worth mentioning, but we only have time to skim the surface. Let’s start with the occasion known as Palm Sunday. Zechariah 9:9 describes this triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The people celebrated His arrival like a king, yet He was riding on a donkey. Psalm 41:9 prophesies Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. It would be a trusted friend and not an enemy who would do the deed. Further, Zechariah foretold that the Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (11:12–13). Isaiah 50:6 goes into detail about Jesus being beaten, mocked, and spit upon. Psalm 22:14–18 not only mentions the pain of the crucifixion, but also how Jesus’ outer garment would be gambled for by others. Isaiah 53 is known as the “Suffering Servant” passage, so I encourage

you to read this chapter today. Among the many prophetic details, it speaks of Jesus being imprisoned, put on trial, being silent in front of His accusers, dying among sinners, put to death for the sins of the people, and buried in a rich man’s grave. We also turn to Psalms to read the good news of what would happen after the Messiah’s death and burial. In chapter 16 verse 10 it mentions that God’s “faithful one” will not stay in the grave. And in 110:1 it foretells that Jesus will sit at the right hand of God until He comes to defeat His enemies. Now, let’s step back and look at these prophecies as a whole. If you have doubts that the Old Testament is a historically accurate collection of books, you must consider the statistical odds that Jesus would fulfill so many prophecies. Just fulfilling a mere fraction of the 300+ prophecies would create a number with so many zeroes that our minds couldn’t wrap around it! If Jesus was truly the Messiah, He would have to fulfill every one of the prophecies, which we Christians believe He undoubtedly did. As a result, take comfort, have faith, and be bold in your witness to others, knowing that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, is indeed the prophesied Savior of the world!

Prophecies of New “They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” Matthew 20:18b–19 As much as prophets in the Old Testament foretold of the Messiah who was to come and who would suffer, die, and be raised to life, the disciples had a hard time grasping this truth. This was because the prophets also spoke of their coming Messiah as a conquering king. I imagine that a king was a much more pleasant thought for the Jewish people to hang their hope on, especially since they had and have been persecuted through the centuries. On several different occasions in different locations, though, Jesus spelled out His fate for the disciples. While the Gospel of John mentions other occasions when Jesus predicted His death, we will look at accounts from Matthew, Mark, and Luke today. A very specific sequence of events was prophesied: the Jews’ own religious leaders would turn Jesus over to the Roman government to be killed, but three days later He would be raised from the dead. In the Matthew and Mark accounts, it is recorded that Peter got pretty adamant that this would never happen, and Jesus rebuked him. A much larger plan with the highest of stakes was in the works. It had to take place. Jesus had to die for our sins. But Peter was caught up in the emotion of a seemingly horrible fate for the Rabbi he had come to love and follow, and he ignored the Scriptures that foretold what was to be. Mark records a brief account of the second prediction of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It adds a significant detail. On this particular occasion, the disciples were very sad to hear what was to take place. Even if they

didn’t really understand, the thought of their precious Teacher being killed was once again a horrible burden. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke is an instance when Jesus predicted His death for a third time. Jesus was headed to Jerusalem and He pulled the Twelve aside to reveal what was about to happen. In these accounts, the extra detail shared is that Jesus would not only be arrested and killed, but also tortured in between the two events. As clear as the prophecy seems, Luke’s account states that the disciples didn’t grasp what Jesus was talking about. Put yourself in their shoes, though. I’m sure every day contained the unbelievable for them. I don’t blame them; I imagine it would be hard to grasp such amazing and horrible prophecies. Let’s close by focusing on the message Jesus shared to His disciples the first time He predicted His death: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The call is simple, but costly. In order to follow Jesus, we must deny all our natural intentions to live for self. We must metaphorically pick up our cross and die to ourselves. Not our will be done, but the Father’s will—just as Jesus did. I encourage you to revisit this calling afresh today.

Psalm Sunday “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:9b (quoting Psalm 118:25–26) The four Gospels all contain virtually the same account of Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem. As Jesus and His band of pilgrims approached the city for Passover, He dispatched two of His disciples to fetch a donkey for Him, which they did. Of the three accounts, Matthew and John make special mention that this was in direct fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, which we looked at a couple days ago. On the tenth of Nisan, the day the lambs were picked for the Passover sacrifice (Exodus 12:3), the Lamb of God would now enter the city. A large crowd of people who had also come for the Passover festival greeted Jesus by spreading their cloaks and cut branches on the ground in front of His path. The people in this makeshift procession shouted “Hosanna!” Today, we treat the word hosanna as an expression of praise and worship, but in Hebrew it means “save us.” The people were acknowledging that the Son of David, the long-awaited Messiah, had finally come to save them. As Psalm 118:25 states, “LORD, save us!” And the very next verse in Psalms is actually the very next line the crowd quoted: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” So, it seems equally appropriate to call this day “Psalm Sunday” since that is the book from which the crowd excitedly quoted and proclaimed as Jesus entered the city. We equate Palm Sunday with waving palm branches. The palm is deeply associated with the Jewish people in general, the Feast of Tabernacles in particular, and is symbolic of victory. I’ve been in Jerusalem

on this special day and been a part of a similar procession with believers from many nations who were waving palm branches to honor the arriving Savior. It was a special moment to be sure. I’d like to close by focusing on the ending of Luke’s account. As Jesus drew close to Jerusalem, the mood seemingly changed to much more somber—at least for Him. He wept for the city and for His people; so many were blind and had rejected Him. “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Most had missed the Savior. There are people in your life and in my life who are lost. We should feel the same way that Jesus does about them. We should be moved deeply because they risk a Christ-less eternity. If only they could see what has been hidden from them till now. Jesus came to save them! Ask God right now to bring to mind the name(s) of someone you know who needs the Lord. Commit to praying for them throughout this Easter season, that the scales would be removed from their eyes. Perhaps God will use your prayers and your relationship with them to lead them to Himself.

The Primary Opposition “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” Mark 11:17 (quoting Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11) According to Mark, on the day after Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem via donkey, Jesus entered the courts of the Jewish temple. He found that it had been turned into a place of business, with money changers and those selling doves. Money changers were there because pilgrims were coming from all over for the Passover and needed the local currency. Doves were one of the primary animals used for sacrifice, especially for the poor, because they were the cheapest. Neither of these activities were bad in themselves. However, it seemed apparent that their presence at this point in time was primarily for financial gain and, thus, an abomination to the Lord. As Jesus drove them out, it further upset the people who had been most against Him during His three and a half years of public ministry: the religious leaders. In Jewish culture, this included the chief priests and teachers of the law known as the Sanhedrin. Not only was Jesus messing with the profitable side of their “ministry” at the temple, but He was also inspiring the people, claiming to be the long-awaited Messiah, and gaining followers. Many of these religious leaders were called Pharisees, who believed they were the true authority on the Scriptures and traditions. Theirs was a legalistic belief system that excluded people who didn’t measure up. For example, after recruiting Matthew as a disciple, Jesus told these leaders, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). As you can imagine, they didn’t receive it well—or His ministry for that matter. They plotted to kill Jesus for most of His public ministry.

In my years of full-time ministry, I have had the privilege of getting to know a lot of great men and women of God who are also in service to Him, both here in America and around the world. They have faced challenges you and I can’t fathom in this blessed and prosperous nation: famine, disease, persecution, you name it. Their faith in God and their focus on eternity have been a huge testimony to me. Here is what has disturbed me greatly. When I’ve asked them what their greatest obstacle or challenge is, they don’t mention the tough stuff I just mentioned. Usually, they tell me their greatest resistance comes from other “Christians.” Maybe it’s because of envy, or perhaps they belong to another denomination. It is sad but true that the same problem Jesus faced still goes on strong today. When I recall this story of Jesus in the temple, it reminds me of two problems in the church today, and how you and I should avoid them. First, as I just shared, we should not be jealous of other Christians doing good work for the Lord. We are on the same team even if we don’t go to the same church or belong to the same network of churches. Second, we need to watch our motives when we’re doing the Lord’s work. It should never be done for personal financial gain, only for God’s glory.

The Lamb before the Final Lamb For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 It’s worth mentioning two other devotionals where I cover the Last Supper. In Digging Deeper, I discuss the fact that at the Passover meal— which is what the Last Supper actually was (Mark 14:12)—there were four cups, not one so-called “Holy Grail.” The four cups represented the four “I will” promises of God to deliver His people out of Egypt (Exodus 6:6–8). In The Jewish Jesus, there is an overview of the meal itself and what it included, besides wine and bread without yeast. It was also composed of meat, bitter herbs, and other items added through the centuries like eggs and vegetables. Today, we will focus on what took place at the Last Supper rather than on the elements of the meal itself. Just as there was an appointed donkey ready to carry Jesus to Jerusalem, so too was there a preordained location for the Passover meal with the disciples—the upper room of a house in Jerusalem. The meal and commemoration of Passover was extensive, and so the disciples wanted to make preparations for this special post-sundown gathering (the Jewish day is from sunset to sunset). They were about to partake of a slain lamb before the shedding of “the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect,” was to take place (1 Peter 1:19). John’s Gospel provides a notable moment at the beginning of this evening gathering. Jesus did the unthinkable and washed the dirty feet of

His disciples as they reclined for the meal (likely at a low, three-sided table called a triclinium). He was demonstrating the humility and servitude they needed to exemplify going forward. Then, Jesus and the disciples partook of the Passover meal, recalled what took place in Egypt so long ago, and sang hymns from the book of Psalms, chapters 113–118, known as “the Hallel.” This means “praise” (you might know the word Hallelujah: “praise Yah,” or “praise the Lord”). The moment also came for Judas to be outed as Jesus’ betrayer. The manner in which this happened is usually missed by the modern reader because it involves a custom of the day. Jesus stated that whoever dipped his bread in the bitter herbs from the bowl was His betrayer. It was (and still is, to a degree) a Middle Eastern custom that sharing a meal creates a bond that prevents the two parties from being enemies in the future. This made what Judas did all the more treacherous. As they were finishing the meal, the focus shifted to what we now call communion. Jesus offered them bread to symbolize His body that was to be broken, and wine to symbolize the blood He was about to shed. Our modern-day commemoration of communion seems a far cry from the depth and breadth of Passover in general and that fateful evening in particular. So let me exhort you afresh before you take communion again. Take this act incredibly seriously. Examine your heart, confess your sins, and thank God for the ultimate sacrifice of sending His Son to take your sins away.

Praying in the Grove “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:36 Did you know that on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives still stands an olive grove? Gethsemane (which means “oil press,” a great place for making olive oil) is still there overlooking the Temple Mount. On a recent visit, our guide shared that it’s quite likely that the root systems of some of the trees are from the time of Jesus. While the trees have no doubt been burned and cut down in the past during times of war and distress, we were told it is basically impossible to kill an olive tree without thoroughly digging up its roots. It is unlikely this took place due to the number of trees and the extensive effort it would have taken. The point is, visiting this place does indeed give a glimpse into where Jesus was when He agonized in prayer before His arrest and death. But an important principle to remember is that what took place is far more significant than where it took place. After the Passover meal, Jesus took His disciples to Gethsemane and had three go farther into the grove with Him to pray, specifically Peter, James, and John. (He didn’t do this to fulfill Matthew 18:20, which says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” Isn’t God there when less than two or three are gathered?! That passage is about dealing with sin in the church.) I believe Jesus didn’t go alone because He didn’t want to be alone; the burden was so great. As a human, He needed His closest friends. Unfortunately, these friends were too sleepy to stay awake. You might think they were still tired from their journeys or sleepy from the Passover

meal. Actually, Luke records that they were “exhausted from sorrow” (22:45). Three times Jesus went a little farther away to pray, and each time He checked on them, they were asleep. After His third check-in, it had come time for His betrayer to show up with the arresting party, which we’ll look at tomorrow. John 17 blesses us by sharing some of the content of Jesus’ prayers. It covered three basic areas: (1) that God would be glorified through Jesus; (2) for God to sanctify, unify, and protect the disciples as they went out into the world; and (3) for all believers going forward. Did that last point sink in? Jesus prayed for YOU that night! I truly believe the omniscient God of the universe had your name on His heart in the olive grove. Let me close this sorrowful occasion with some positive, practical steps to take in regard to prayer: • Involve others with your prayer burdens • Pray in a place where you can focus • Present your requests (for yourself and others) to the Lord • Be both fervent and diligent • Pledge total submission to God’s will

Two Epic Failures “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ” Matthew 26:31 (quoting Zechariah 13:7) How would you like your worst mistake to be known to countless millions of people for centuries to come? I imagine King David can tell you what that feels like. Unfortunately, Judas won’t be able to tell you, but Peter will. Today, we are going to look at the epic failures of these two disciples after the Last Supper. Judas’ failure was not only instigated, but premeditated. Matthew and Luke record that Judas went to the chief priests and elders. They gave him 30 pieces of silver in exchange for turning Jesus over to them. To put this amount in perspective, this was the price for a slave in the Old Testament. That is apparently what Jesus was worth to Judas. And then Judas looked for an opportunity to get Jesus arrested. Most people think Judas only “turned bad” around the Last Supper. However, it was Judas who was upset when Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha (John 11:1), poured expensive perfume on Jesus just a week earlier (12:1–8). John records very clearly that Judas already had the heart of a thief. He was in charge of the disciples’ “money bag” and had a habit of stealing money from it. This was a morally compromised man. Peter, on the other hand, passionately loved and served Jesus. However, he seemed to be impulsive. Like Judas, Peter had been rebuked by Jesus before. Just after Peter proclaimed that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), Peter quickly stuck his foot in his mouth. When Jesus then predicted His own death, Peter swore this would never take place, and Jesus rebuked him harshly for it (verse 23).

Then, at the Last Supper, Peter didn’t understand the act of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. Jesus tried to explain things, but Peter still seemed to be stuck in the physical world and missed the spiritual point. So when it came time to stand up for Jesus on the fateful night of His arrest, is it any real surprise that Peter responded emotionally and denied knowing Jesus, even to the point of making oaths and calling down curses? You know what happened to both of these men. They had epic failures. Judas had Jesus arrested. He finally realized—but far too late—that he had made a huge mistake. The deal with the religious leaders was done. He abandoned the money and hanged himself (Matthew 27:1–10). Peter acted rashly and cut off the ear of a man in the arresting party. Every other disciple then abandoned Jesus that night, but Peter followed at a distance and began to really mess up. After his third public denial of Jesus, Peter realized his huge failure and “wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:69–75). Instead of ending his own life, he returned to his old life. We’ll look at Peter’s restoration later in this study, for what took place should give us all hope. For now, we close by looking at our own pasts. Specifically, think of a moment when you had your own epic failure. Perhaps you did something out of anger. Maybe you should have shared the Gospel with someone but didn’t. Chances are good you have a broken relationship in your past that hasn’t been reestablished. It’s time to lay this burden at the feet of the Savior and ask for forgiveness and restoration.

Mocking Words and Mock Trials Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge. Matthew 27:13–14a If you started this devotional on the recommended day (see Day 1), you would expect to be reading about the crucifixion today (often referred to as “Good Friday”). However, since there has been so much ground for us to cover, we will look at it tomorrow. In the hours after His arrest, Jesus was bounced around to several places while “on trial.” First, John records that He was brought before Annas, a former high priest and father-in-law of the current one, Caiaphas. Jesus spent several hours in captivity there being interrogated. This was also the location of Peter’s denials. At daybreak, the religious leaders convened. They asked if Jesus was the Son of God, to which He responded in the affirmative. That’s all they needed to hear, and they decided to take Jesus before the Roman authorities with false additional charges of insurrection and tax evasion. They mocked, spit on, and beat Him before leaving. It was time to take Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. However, since Jesus was from Galilee, this matter was specifically under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, so Pilate wanted Jesus to be Herod’s problem. (Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great and the one who had John the Baptist beheaded.) Herod was actually interested in meeting Jesus because he had heard much about Him. But when Jesus refused to talk or perform a mira-

cle, and with the religious leaders accusing Him, Herod and his soldiers mocked Jesus and sent Him back to Pilate. Matthew 27 records that Pilate had a custom of releasing a prisoner at this time of year, according to the people’s choice. He gave them the option of Jesus or a notorious murderer named Barabbas. Under the influence of the chief priests, they chose the latter. When Pilate asked what to do with Jesus, they demanded crucifixion. Ignoring the pleas of his own wife, Pilate placed the responsibility of this decision on the religious leaders and the crowd. He allowed Jesus to be flogged and sent off to be crucified. So, because of Pilate (out of a desire to satisfy the crowd), the religious leaders (out of jealousy, among other motives), and the people (out of rage), Jesus was now on course for death. Just as the priests had been responsible for sacrificing the lambs for centuries, now they would also be responsible for slaying the one true Lamb. However, despite the appearance of being a result of their actions, this was all foreordained by God. The Son of God had to die for the sins of the world. As I think about practical application from this dark chapter in Jesus’ life, I am reminded of God’s call for us to be of good character. The Old Testament law and Proverbs speak often against sins such as being a false witness, jealousy, anger, and pride. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were guilty of all these and more. Instead of being honest, humble, and content servants of God, their sinful behavior won the day. Lest we be the first to cast stones, we must agree that there are days when we let sin rule over us. The key is repentance and not giving in to a sinful lifestyle. Let us instead dwell on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).

Time to Die When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:54 It was the 14th day (sunset to the following sunset) in the Jewish month of Nisan, also known as “the day of Preparation of the Passover” (John 19:14). This was the day when the lambs were sacrificed. This was also the day when the ultimate Lamb would be slain. It had been foreordained. Jesus’ early morning “trial” and condemnation was complete. He had already been beaten, flogged, spit upon, and mocked. The King of the Jews was stripped of His clothes and forced to wear a gruesome crown of thorns. Can you picture this in your mind, what our Savior went through before His death? Condemned to die by religious and political leaders alike, Jesus was then forced to carry the horizontal beam of His cross up to a place called Golgotha, “the place of the skull.” It was located in the hills of Moriah (remember Isaac?). The path was so difficult and Jesus’ physical condition so pitiful from the torment and abuse that a man named Simon from Cyrene (likely a Passover pilgrim) was forced to carry the beam for Jesus. Jesus was painfully nailed to the cross around 9 a.m. (Mark 15:25), the time the morning lambs were sacrificed, and was shamefully put on public display between two thieves. The mocking continued from the crowd, soldiers, and religious leaders. How could this be their long-awaited Savior? He couldn’t even save Himself ! Their eyes had been blinded to what the Scriptures foretold. From noon until 3 p.m., darkness covered the land as Jesus hung dying.

Only a few of the women in His life and John were near Him to the end. And when He died at 3 p.m. (the time the afternoon lambs were sacrificed), He “gave up his spirit” and a great earthquake occurred, shaking the ground and the rocks and the graves (Matthew 27:50–51). It was so unmistakable that the Roman centurion in charge exclaimed the truth of the matter: “Surely he was the Son of God!” The Israelites of old had been saved from literal slavery by the blood of an unblemished lamb on the doorposts of their homes. Now, Jesus’ blood adorned the beams of a cross, and all the peoples of the world would have an opportunity to be saved from slavery to sin and death forever (Romans 6). “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7b). “You were redeemed . . . with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18–19). As I write today’s devotional, it just so happens to be the one-year anniversary of my father’s death. A year ago today, my dad died the morning after my father-in-law’s funeral. It was an incredibly tough time, especially for our kids, who lost both granddads within one week. But we “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13b). We believe in the risen Savior who defeated death! We have all lost someone we loved. Take heart if they believed in Jesus. And be motivated to share with those who don’t yet believe—while there’s still time.

Defeating Death “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:5b–6a Jesus had been in the grave for two days. Two secret followers, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a wealthy man, and Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee, had prepared the body for burial according to the Jewish customs of the day (John 19:38–42). They purchased 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes and took great care to wrap the body using these aromatic elements among strips of linen. (This burial process wasn’t the first time Jesus had been the recipient of spices. I cover this in the Christmas devotional, The Coming of Christos.) The women closest to Jesus came to the tomb before sunrise on the Feast of Firstfruits with plans to further anoint the decaying body. Since He died within a few hours of the start of the Sabbath, it would have delayed some of the elements of the proper burial process, such as thoroughly anointing the body with spices. Allow me now to retell the events of the resurrection through blending details from the four Gospels. It’s important to remember that the authors had different audiences and so their points of emphasis varied, thus different details are magnified. The ladies went to the tomb, hoping that someone would roll away the stone entrance for them so they could further prepare the body. Little did they know that angels were dispatched to roll away the stone and give the ladies an unforgettable message, the one you see above. Jesus was alive! And they would see Him again once they got back to Galilee. They were “afraid yet filled with joy” (Matthew 28:8). This combination of emotions reminds me in a small way of how my kids feel when they’re riding

a roller coaster. It’s exhilarating, but scary! Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and others were then dispatched to inform the disciples—especially Peter—that what was prophesied had come true. They apparently didn’t get far at all before Jesus appeared to them. They finally saw the risen Savior, and so they worshiped Him. Not only had they seen the empty tomb, they had seen Jesus. And yet, their story was still not believed. The testimony of women was not highly esteemed in that day. We’ll look more at Mary Magdalene’s encounter tomorrow, for she deserves special recognition. The women’s story probably sounded crazy. Even though resurrection had been prophesied, even though Jesus Himself notified His followers what would happen, they just couldn’t seem to grasp what had come to pass. Peter and John even went to see for themselves, but couldn’t figure out why the burial clothes were sitting unused. So here we are today on what we call Easter Sunday, a day of great joy. Just as the firstfruits of the harvest were raised up to God, now Jesus was “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20–23). By faith we believe that our Savior rose from the grave and defeated death and sin’s grip on our eternal destiny. Many people we know have not embraced this truth. Whether from a hardened heart, a confused mind, or a myriad of other reasons, they have not accepted this special gift of grace called salvation. Pray for their souls today. May God open their eyes and hearts to the lifesaving message of the Gospel. And may He use you too as an instrument to wake them up!

The Woman and the Gardener Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:18 Did you know that Israeli archaeologists recently discovered the ruins of Magdala? This was the hometown of the infamous Mary Magdalene. Among the discoveries, a first-century synagogue has been found on the site, which means it was quite likely that Jesus taught there as He traveled around Galilee (Matthew 4:23). Well, what do we know about this Mary from Magdala? Dr. Luke gives some important details about her in his Gospel (8:1–3). She had been possessed by seven demons, but was delivered from them by Jesus. (This subject may seem foreign to us in the Western world, but demon possession is far more common than you might think.) Mary Magdalene was also among a group of women who helped support Jesus and the disciples. Perhaps you weren’t even aware of this fact, this pivotal role that women played. Others helping in this way were women named Joanna and Susanna. It would be safe to assume that Mary wasn’t afraid to be associated with Jesus throughout His time of ministry and His death. After all, she was one of the women who stayed close during and after the crucifixion (Matthew 27:55–56, 61). On that glorious morning of Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene is singled out in Mark’s (16:9–11) and John’s (20:11–18) Gospels as having a special moment with the newly risen Savior just outside the tomb. Perhaps she was confused or grieved at seeing the empty tomb and the

angelic messengers, or maybe Jesus intentionally blinded her recognition of Him for a minute or two. Sometime after Peter and John returned to the others, Mary turned away from the tomb and saw a man she thought to be the gardener. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” It sounded almost humorous when she assumed that this mysterious gardener had taken the body so she couldn’t get it and preserve it properly. Instead of calling her “woman” again, Jesus then called her by her actual name; her eyes were opened, and she cried out “Rabboni!” which means Teacher. What a special moment for her, but it wouldn’t last, so He gave Mary a special task: “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” She did go back and tell the others, but in their deep sorrow they didn’t believe that Jesus was alive—yet. That is the story of the resurrection. The tomb is empty. Sin has been defeated once and for all. And Jesus is calling you by name. He wants you to see Him for who He is—the risen Savior. If you have already been saved by grace through faith, you know someone who isn’t. Pray for their salvation. Ask God to use you to reach them. Evangelism needs to be at the heart of every Easter celebration!

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Believe the Lie There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. Matthew 28:2 Before looking at the topic for the day, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s review the time from Creation to Jesus. The Triune God had created man, who quickly fell into sin and therefore needed a way to be made right with Him. Our Creator chose the Hebrew people through whom to bestow laws to bring order. He atoned for sin through the sacrifice of innocent blood. Centuries later, God the Father sent His Son in human form to fulfill the law, bring the lifesaving message of the Gospel, die for the sins of the world, and be raised from the dead, so that the blood sacrifice could be made once and for all. As we continue to celebrate the risen Savior today, we will dwell on further details found in Matthew 28:11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15. It is the only place that records what happened to the guards before and after the women came to the tomb. Jesus was alive and had already vacated the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Guards had been assigned to watch over the closed entrance and were frozen in terror as an angel of the Lord came and, with earth-shaking power, rolled back the stone covering the entrance. It is unclear what the guards did when the women came; perhaps they stayed incapacitated with fear. But after the women left, the men headed into the city to report what they had seen to the chief priests. This was a moment that could have changed the Jewish people for centuries to come. If only the religious leaders had believed instead of looked out for their own interests. They bribed the guards to lie. Jesus was once again

betrayed for money. The chief priests concocted a false story that, instead of a resurrection, there was a quiet invasion of body snatchers! The disciples were the guilty party, your honor. They had come in the night while the guards had fallen asleep on the job. They stole the body to make it look like Jesus had risen from the dead. This was the lie reported to the Roman governor and subsequently circulated among the Jews, who unfortunately believed it. The reality then and now is simple: Jesus can only be one of three types of people. He was either liar, lunatic, or Lord. He cannot be a blend of the three choices. He couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t merely be a good man, rabbi, or prophet. He either lied about everything, was out of His mind, or He really was and is who He says He was and is. Let me remind you again of the hundreds of prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. The odds of Him fulfilling them all are simply astronomical. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a number our minds cannot fathom. He is indeed Lord!

The Road Trip Reappearance “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32 On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead, two from the larger group of followers were walking the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). One of the two was named Cleopas. (Keep in mind that there were many other followers of Jesus besides the 12 Disciples.) Presumably, this was a public road they were walking along, and so it was common that others would be traveling by foot as well. There would also likely be many pilgrims leaving Jerusalem after the Passover. Jesus came up alongside them and supernaturally prevented them from recognizing Him, just as He did with Mary Magdalene. He was going to work on them a good bit first. Christ asked the two men what they were talking about. They were so distraught that they stopped in their tracks and recounted the details of Jesus’ life, death, and apparent resurrection. They called Jesus a prophet, as He was (Matthew 21:11). And yet, they didn’t proclaim Him as the long-awaited Messiah, even though they had been told that Jesus was alive. Jesus responded with a rebuke; they had not taken the Word of God to heart. Moses and the Prophets of Old had explained all that the Messiah had to go through, and Jesus Himself even warned them of what was coming. Now, here it was the third day, about which He had prophesied, and seemingly nothing had happened. The moment their faith should have been at its strongest, they were weak.

As their journey to Emmaus was coming to an end, the two men offered Jesus not just a meal, but lodging for the night, as was customary. Then, as Jesus broke the bread at dinner (a task normally delegated to the head of the household, not their visitor) their eyes were supernaturally opened. Jesus was indeed alive! Jesus then disappeared in that moment, but their faith was invigorated. Cleopas and the other follower immediately headed back to Jerusalem to tell the others. We could focus on this story as a metaphor for our lives, how Jesus comes alongside us and leads us along the path of truth through His Word. We could focus on how He brings joy to our hearts when we’re downcast. This is all very true and applicable. However, there is an aspect to this story that serves as a reminder of the importance of believing and knowing God’s Word. So many Western Christians go through life with very little personal knowledge of the Bible. Many are spoon-fed on Sunday mornings and given quick anecdotal lessons from a daily devotional. Very little time is spent in personal and substantive Bible study. How can we live in joy and victory in the present when we don’t know and believe what the Bible says about our future? How can we defend our faith to skeptics if we don’t know His Word? How can we share His love with the lost and hurting if we can’t quote the verses that would minister to them at that moment? Know His Word. Embrace His Word. Share His Word.

Fading Faith “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 Let’s rewind to a previous incident, when Lazarus had just died. Jesus had delayed visiting him in Bethany and even told the disciples twice that Lazarus wasn’t gone for good (John 11:4, 11). Once again, they didn’t seem to grasp what came out of their Teacher’s mouth. Instead they worried about going to Bethany. The last time Jesus was there, the people attempted to stone Him to death (11:8). Now you’re probably wondering, what does this have to do with today’s topic, which happens to be our dearly beloved “Doubting Thomas”? Perhaps you’re not aware that one of two other occasions in the Gospels where Thomas clearly spoke was here, concerning their impending travel to Bethany (the other is in John 14:5–7). After Jesus made it clear that they would still go to Lazarus’ home, Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (11:16). Thomas assumed the people would try to stone them again. What a statement this is about Thomas. His personal courage and devotion to Jesus shone through in this one sentence. What a contrast, then, to revisit Thomas after Jesus was resurrected. John records this key moment in Thomas’ life (20:24–29). For some reason, Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. “Peace be with you,” He said twice to the disciples. The word for peace here is “shalom,” which means not just peace as we know it, but the pronouncement of a blessing on them for well-being and prosperity. Thomas wasn’t there, so he had doubt, not peace. He wanted visual proof. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where

the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (verse 25). There’s the contrast: from brave disciple to doubting dude. Jesus showed up right then—not knocking on the front door, but appearing inside their locked room. He once again pronounced the blessing, “Peace be with you.” Thomas got his wish, getting visual and tactile confirmation. His teacher was alive! Let’s focus on what Jesus said in today’s verse to those present at that moment: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Guess what? He’s talking about you and me! We have not been given the privilege of seeing the risen Savior face to face. “For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). When I think of Thomas—and us in times of weak faith—two separate verses come to mind. Sometimes we are like the dad in Mark 9 who asked Jesus to heal his demon-possessed son. Part of him knew Jesus could heal his son, and yet he struggled. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief !” (verse 24). Sometimes we are like the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:5. A warning is given because their passion had faded. “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” We need to confess our fading faith and press forward with the same vigor we had when Christ first saved us. So keep the faith, saints!

The Restoration Fire “Simon son of John, do you love me? . . . Feed my sheep.” John 21:17 It was on a seashore where Jesus first called (Simon) Peter to join Him in ministry (Matthew 4:18–20). Peter and his brother, Andrew, were fishermen and were casting nets when Jesus passed them by. It was time for a change in what Peter fished for: “I will send you out to fish for people.” Jesus came to Peter’s shore once again a few years later—after much had taken place and Peter had reverted to his old life. Another interesting recurrence took place in the life of Peter. It was around a fire where Peter first denied the Lord on the night that Jesus was betrayed (John 18:18). Two additional denials followed in the high priest’s courtyard. It was also around a fire where Jesus restored Peter. Let’s look in John chapter 21 when the fishing and the fire come together at a pivotal moment. Peter was back in a boat fishing with five of the other disciples sometime after Jesus’ resurrection. Defeated and ashamed, he had gone back to his old lifestyle. After a futile night of catching nothing, Jesus appeared on shore and told them to cast their net off the right side. You know what happened: they had an incredible catch. There was only one Person who had the power to make this happen. Peter realized it was Jesus and got so excited that he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore, while the others hauled in the fish and came ashore as well. “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread” (21:9). The Lord chose this setting to remind Peter of his sin and to help him move on. Peter needed to honor Jesus’ initial call for him to be a fisher of men. Right by that fire (which no doubt reminded Peter of that fateful night of three failures), Jesus then restored

Peter three times. Sometimes when we stumble, the temptation is to move away from God instead of closer, on our spiritual knees in repentance. Maybe we made a mistake in a moment of weakness. Maybe there is an unconfessed sin that has broken our fellowship with Him. Let me remind you of the truth: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24a). Let me also remind you of the prayer: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Maybe you have repented, but the scar remains or Satan reminds you of your past. You are like David: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3). Remember that you are forgiven! As the saying goes, when Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future. 1 John 1:9 is a shining beacon: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

This Isn’t a Choice “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19–20 It was said that Helen of Troy was so beautiful that her face launched a thousand ships, as her angry husband fought to get her back from the man who had stolen her heart. Some of Jesus’ final words on earth are known as the Great Commission, and it is the command that launched untold millions of missionaries. These words have been the marching orders for believers ever since Jesus spoke them. There are four action verbs for us to focus on in this special directive in Matthew: • Go. How can all the ethnic groups of the world know about Jesus if someone doesn’t go tell them? • Make (disciples). So many Christians live like their work is over after the prayer for salvation. Without spiritual depth (discipleship), it is far too easy to fall away from the faith. • Baptize. Just as Jesus was immersed in the water to demonstrate the Father’s work, so too should we take this symbolic act to show how we have died to ourselves and have emerged alive in Christ. • Teach. The directive is to continuously help new believers learn how to grow spiritually and obey God. We can carry out all of this with confidence because God is with us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This was the promised gift that Jesus mentioned in His final words in Acts 1:5. He also gave the disciples, and subsequently us, some geographic guidelines as to where to spread

His lifesaving message. Specifically, He told them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (1:8). We believe He is also telling us to be His witnesses in our city, state, nation, and world. So, as the Gospels transition to the book of Acts, the Gospel transitions full swing into reaching all people groups. Then, and only then, He will return and establish His kingdom forever (Matthew 24:14). Does this mean that a portion of every ethnic group must know at the same time or just at some time through the ages? We can only contemplate His thoughts and ways. The point is, only God knows when this evangelistic task will be brought to fruition. We can only guess. And so we press on with whatever He puts in front of us to do. God has given an order: we have to be involved in spreading His Word. What has He told you to do that you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t done yet? Has He told you to go somewhere? Who do you have a relationship with that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t saved? Prayerfully take action today.

Going Up After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1:9 Luke was a physician (Colossians 4:14) and wrote with an attention to detail. Details are important when life and death can hang in the balance, so it’s crucial to know the facts. Luke’s goal with his first letter was to write “about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven” (Acts 1:1–2). This final event is popularly referred to as Jesus’ ascension. Did you know to whom Luke wrote the book of Acts (as well as his Gospel account)? It was a man named Theophilus (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Naturally, we are also beneficiaries of the information and wisdom shared therein. I just wanted to share that little fact with you because Luke ties the two books together for Theophilus (and us) in the first 11 verses of Acts. He gives us a few more nuggets of information as it pertains to our study of the incredible window of time from Passover to Pentecost. Just prior to leaving, Jesus spent a period of 40 days after the resurrection appearing to and fellowshipping with the believers (Acts 1:3). We have looked at specific moments from this time period over the last week, so contemplate again how crucial it was for Jesus to establish the fact that He had indeed risen from the dead. Now, Jesus was with them one final time near Bethany. He told them once more that the Holy Spirit would be bestowed after His heaven-going. In His final words, the disciples were given their marching orders to take His message of salvation to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit would give them the power to do so. Instead, what the disciples said demonstrated that they were more in-

terested in Jesus being the literal conqueror of Israel’s foes than the spiritual defeater of death. They were confusing His First Coming with the Second. That day will come, but only the Father knows when. And just like that, Jesus was gone. Luke concludes the story of the ascension in Acts 1:1–11 by mentioning “two men dressed in white” who stood before them and reminded them that Jesus would indeed return one day. We will look at the Second Coming as this devotional journey is finishing up. I want to close today by encouraging you to start one great habit if you aren’t already doing so. Luke’s attention to detail is a great reminder to write down what God has done in your life. A spiritual journal may be the most important record you ever keep. Try to document your requests and answered prayers at least once a week. Then, in times of trouble or blessing, you can look back and be reminded of all that He has done.

Tongues of Fire All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4 Forty days had passed since Jesus’ resurrection. A few more days had passed since Jesus ascended to heaven. And now it was the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost in Greek. It was celebrated 50 days after Passover and was a time to commemorate the Law of God given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Now on that same day many centuries later, the Spirit of God was given. Jewish pilgrims from all over were once again in Jerusalem. The list that Dr. Luke shares in this passage in Acts 2 is impressive: “Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs.” In the interim between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost, the disciples were back in Jerusalem and had gathered in a home on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Old City. The number of believers was 120, but it wasn’t going to stay that small—ever again. They decided to replace Judas among the Twelve and selected a man named Matthias who had been with them from the beginning. When Pentecost arrived, the believers were together again, and then it happened. The prophesied Advocate (John 14:26), or Helper, had arrived. He would be the One to help guide them and us each day until our death or the Lord’s return, whichever comes first. How the Spirit came is described as like a “violent wind” entering their presence and then “tongues of fire” separating and landing on each

person. Can you imagine the powerful manifestation in that moment? This group of believers was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in literal tongues of other languages. This must have taken place near a public setting (such as the temple courts), for others had heard the sound of the wind and now these people speaking in other languages. Galileans such as the disciples had an accent, and so their ability to speak clearly in other languages was hard to believe. The only conclusion the crowd could reach was that this was a drunken gathering, not the arrival of the Holy Spirit. The Christian world today cannot seem to agree whether “speak[ing] in other tongues” is the ability through the Holy Spirit to speak other languages or to also speak a heavenly language. Regardless, it is clearly mentioned as a spiritual gift and discussed in 1 Corinthians chapters 12–14. For today, we are focusing on the bestowed gift of the Holy Spirit Himself—a most precious gift indeed due to the physical absence of our Messiah. Like the “tongues of fire” that descended on each believer present, so too is the Holy Spirit given to each of us. He is there to guide and direct our every decision if we will let Him. This makes it imperative to repent of sin, study God’s Word, and fellowship with other believers. This will clear up our spiritual vision and unclog our spiritual ears. So I encourage you today to commit yourself anew to live by the Spirit and let Him direct your life for God’s glory!

Peter Shows How It’s Done “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 It’s only nine o’clock in the morning. Surely these people speaking in various tongues weren’t drunk on a holy day, of all days. And yet, the crowd did deserve and need an explanation. Who better to do it than Peter, our dearly beloved disciple who seemingly put his foot in his mouth often. Jesus restored him, and now, going forward, he would use his mouth boldly and passionately. Read what Peter said to the crowd in Acts 2:14–41 and use it as a model for sharing about Jesus with those God puts in your path. There are some practical, but important, steps to take each time an opportunity arises: • Be bold. This wasn’t a group gathered at church. These were Jews in town to commemorate the Feast of Weeks. Peter himself said that some present played a part in crucifying Jesus. So you can imagine this wasn’t necessarily the friendliest of settings. We, too, need to have courage and speak up even if others don’t seem receptive. Sometimes the greatest fruit comes in the midst of the greatest resistance. • Properly quote Scripture. You can’t go wrong knowing which Scripture to share at the right time—in its proper context, of course. Peter quoted from Joel 2:28–32, which foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit, and Psalm 16:8–11 to prove the resurrection. When

God directs you to share the Gospel with a particular person or group, ask Him through the Holy Spirit to lead you to share the appropriate Bible verses. • Know your target audience. Peter knew who was in the crowd, so he focused on Jesus’ heritage; specifically, being a descendant of David. Jews knew that the Messiah would come from this king’s lineage, so Peter sought to prove the long-awaited Heir had arrived. The Jews should “be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” • Extend the invitation. The response to knowing the truth was to repent and be baptized, as Peter clearly conveyed. The Holy Spirit will then go forward with the believer and future generations. It is a promise for all people. • Warn of the consequences. Peter warned, pleaded, and begged them: “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” This needs to be done carefully. Far too many Christians try to scare people into salvation. What truly makes hell an unspeakable horror is eternal separation from God. It’s important to emphasize the fact that only God can move a heart. We can only move our mouths. On Pentecost, God chose to “cut to the heart” of many present so that they would respond positively—3,000 souls in fact! He can use you to reach one or millions if you just make yourself available.

Unprecedented Unity All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32 The early chapters of Acts present a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit-driven Church. Specifically, read 2:42–47 and 4:32–37. The unity sounds almost too good to be true. There was strong devotion to biblical teaching, fellowship, sharing meals, and selling possessions for the sake of the needy. As a result, the number of those who were saved grew, and grew daily. Wow, what an inspirational picture! Evangelism and discipleship did not just take place in the local community, but word of and belief in the resurrected Messiah spread farther and farther. The geographically diverse Jewish believers who were present at Pentecost now spread the Gospel in their respective locations. And fellowship spread with it. Interestingly, these two passages emphasize selling property and donating the profit. An example is given in Acts 4 of a Levite from Cyprus named Barnabas (the future ministering companion of Paul) who sold land and brought the proceeds to the apostles. All wasn’t completely rosy, though, as an opposing example is immediately given in Acts 5:1–11 of a married couple who lied about their property sale. They kept some of the money to themselves, but claimed they didn’t. This exposed a troubling heart issue that was met with harsh consequences. God struck them dead for lying to Him. This was a stark reminder that the newly arrived Holy Spirit knew their (and knows our) every thought. Now back to the more positive topic. Doesn’t the sound of the early

churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unity create a longing in you to experience the same? Does such a situation even exist in America today? With our dividing lines (denominations), selfishness, greed, and laziness abounding in all directions, it would take a major earth-shaking revival to create such a scenario. But it is possible. It has been my experience that authentic fellowship exists more often in poorer countries. The poorer a group of believers are, the more generous they seem to be. One could argue Jesus made this case in sharing about the widow who gave sacrificially versus others who only gave a meager portion out of their abundance. This should be enough to make most believers feel rightfully guilty. It is for me! It takes a daily reminder to self that every possession we hold so dear still stays here when we die. The only things we can take with us are what we did for the Lord and relationships with other believers. We need to let go more and share what we have. What would it look like if you devoted yourself to the teachings in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word? What if you or your family picked a possession to sell and gave all the proceeds to the needy? What if you invited someone who could use the fellowship over for a meal? How different would our communities, nation, and world be if we were doing what we should have been doing all along? You can start now with a simple act of kindness toward another believer.

Unschooled and Ordinary When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished. Acts 4:13 Over the next two days and as we begin to wind down this study, we’re going to look at Peter and John’s early run-ins with the Sanhedrin on two occasions (Acts 4 and 5). Both of these episodes contain key truths for us as believers as we carry on the task of fulfilling the Great Commission. So it’s worth studying them separately. The number of believers had grown to around five thousand due to the word spreading about Jesus’ resurrection and the testimonies of the disciples. This, of course, made the religious leaders “greatly disturbed” (4:2). Peter had also just healed a well-known crippled beggar. So the temple guard arrested them to be brought before the Sanhedrin the next day. Through the power of the Holy Spirit (this is important), Peter gave an impassioned and courageous speech before them. He proclaimed that the Messiah they had rejected had the power to conquer death and also bring healing to the lame and sick. The leaders were in a conundrum. Living proof that a miracle had taken place stood before them; the crippled man was “walking and jumping, and praising God” (3:8). And this took place at the hands of “unschooled, ordinary men” who could heal and speak with clear conviction. All they could do without looking bad was warn Peter and John not to share about Jesus, and wait for another opportunity to bring an end to this interference into their religious status quo. We’ll look at this occasion in Acts 5 tomorrow. For today, we can find great comfort and encouragement in the fact that God uses unschooled, ordinary men and women to do great things

for Him. Unfortunately, our society and religious institutions are often like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They seem to value official education over a passionate conviction coupled with a bold witness. Certainly there are many benefits to formal biblical training, such as what takes place in a seminary, for example. The Apostle Paul is a great example of having a firm foot in both worlds, since he was a member of the religious establishment, a Pharisee, in fact (Acts 23:6). But, as we’ve seen today, the disciples were unschooled, ordinary men, and yet God used them to lay the foundations for the spread of the Gospel to the world. Their strength was not in their ability, but their availability. The same is true for us. God desires to use every believer for His glory. And yet, to a certain degree, we all hold back a large or small piece of ourselves for our own pursuits. Today, I encourage you to look at your own life and lay it down afresh. You will not get to heaven one day and wish you’d done more for yourself and less for Him!

Fighting against God = Losing “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38b–39 As we’ve seen, not everyone was on board with the rapidly spreading message of the Gospel. Specifically, the religious establishment took issue with what the apostles were saying. At the core, they were jealous. They were losing their hold as the spiritual gatekeepers of the masses. In the second recorded instance of religious resistance (Acts 5:17–42), the Sanhedrin had the apostles arrested and put in jail. God had a jailbreak planned that didn’t even leave evidence of their departure. When the religious leaders sent for the prisoners, their guarded but empty and locked cells were all that remained. The apostles were back in the temple courts teaching the people. So, once again, the apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin and scolded not to share about Jesus. I love how Peter replied, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” They then proceeded to proclaim who Jesus is, much to the anger of this religious assembly. An interesting turn of events took place, though. One of the highly respected religious leaders there was named Gamaliel. You may have never heard of him, but perhaps you know one of his star pupils, the one we call the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:3). The apostles were temporarily escorted out, and Gamaliel gave an insight that is our encouragement for today. Gamaliel gave examples of previous false prophets like Theudas and

Judas who had led the people astray, but were killed, and so their followers were scattered. The same would be true if Jesus fit this mold. However, if He didn’t, the Sanhedrin would “only find [them]selves fighting against God.” Gamaliel’s wise advice worked, and the believers were released with a verbal warning accompanied by a good flogging. Their backs were shredded just like Jesus’ was before being crucified. Amazingly, they left “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” The persecution didn’t stop them, it only emboldened them. It has been my experience in traveling to countries where followers of Christ are persecuted that resistance and physical harm do not stop them. It usually grows their faith and their love for the lost—even for their persecutors. Persecution is only for a season. The Kingdom of God is forever. We will look at this more tomorrow as we consider the death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Let’s go back to Gamaliel’s reasoning and take heart that he was actually right. Here we stand two thousand years later. Jesus was killed (but He rose again), and His believers were persecuted and scattered, but it was for the purpose of sharing the message of salvation to the world. The movement/rebellion was not quelled. The enemies of the Gospel only have defeat in their future. This message will not be stopped until it has come to fruition, and then Jesus will return to rule forever. Take heart, fellow believer, that we follow the One True God!

The First Martyr While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:59–60a As the early church grew post-Pentecost, there became a need for trusted men to oversee the distribution of food to widows. Seven men were chosen, and Stephen was singled out among them as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” and “a man full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:5, 8). God even did great signs and wonders through Stephen. It was this man who would become the first martyr for the cause of Christ. Just like Jesus, Stephen would be the victim of false witnesses. These liars claimed that Stephen had blasphemed against God and Moses. You can imagine the outrage this would create among religious Jews and their extremely religious leaders, the Sanhedrin. When given the chance to speak, Stephen did what Peter did and went back in Hebrew/Jewish history. It really is one of the most impressive speeches in the Bible, showing both Stephen’s biblical and historical knowledge, and his anointing by the Holy Spirit. Even the Sanhedrin were amazed that “his face was like the face of an angel.” Stephen started all the way back with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, summarized the highlights of Joseph’s and Moses’ times in Egypt, and culminated in the establishment of the First Temple under Kings David and Solomon. In particular, Stephen highlighted the people’s resistance to the plans of God. And here they were again, resisting the Most High by ignoring the fact that Jesus was the “Righteous One” (7:52). Some of his final words to the religious leaders were rather harsh. He called them stiff-

necked, traitors, and murderers, and so they rushed him out of the city and stoned him (see Leviticus 24:16 for their basis). Stephen became the first martyr that day, and no doubt died a painful death, but he gained a pain-free eternity. Saul, the future Apostle Paul, was there approving of what was taking place. He then went on a hellbent mission to persecute Christians everywhere. We all know how his story turns out, though. God turned Saul completely around. What Stephen did before he died has been a blueprint for millions of Christian martyrs since. First, he did not reciprocate the violence. This is hard for us, because in our emotions, we want justice. Thankfully, we serve a righteous Judge. Every single person will have to individually answer for their actions one day. Second, Stephen prayed for his persecutors. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t angry. He had pity and wanted Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mercy on this crazed mob. He knew his rescue would come in this life or the next. It is important that we look at Stephen (whose martyrdom took place after the Palm Sunday-to-Pentecost window) because his death was a key event as the Gospel spread in the months that followed. Wherever the Gospel spreads, there will be persecution sooner or later. Whether or not we ever see real persecution in America, we need to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

The Next Two Thousand Years On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. . . . Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Acts 8:1, 4 Stephen was martyred. This apparently set off a tidal wave of persecution with a man named Saul leading the way. But this pursuit would have the opposite effect than what was desired. Instead of ending this upstart movement of Jesus-followers, it only emboldened them. Gamaliel’s warning turned out to be true. Unlike false movements of the past that had fallen apart after the leader died, the message of Christ would only gain steam. The Gospel would go forth. The bold witness of the Body of Christ would take the message of salvation available for all people, both Jew and Gentile, both near and far. There was wonderful fellowship among the believers, but the persecution had also started and led to their scattering. Saul/Paul could be credited as both the main persecutor of Christians before his conversion and the preeminent evangelist of the Gospel after being saved. Pre-conversion, he worked to “destroy the church” and “dragged off both men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). After conversion, Luke described Paul’s witness at the end of Acts as one that “proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance” (28:31). The effective witness of Paul and other men like Peter, John, Philip, Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy took the Gospel throughout the Mediter-

ranean and beyond. Women of God were also mentioned in Acts, such as Dorcas, Lydia, and Priscilla. For two thousand years since, the truth of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word has been spread to the ends of the earth. It has been a long road, and it has taken much time to get the Bible into the hands of the common man. Barriers such as illiteracy, bad theology, geography, lack of translation, opposition from other religions, war, famine, disease, and so on have held back the advance. But faith coupled with modern technology has accelerated the spread of the Gospel like never before. Persecution continues in many regions, but so does evangelism and discipleship. I can personally attest to this truth in the countries where I have traveled that are resistant to the Gospel. Persecution breeds strong faith and boldness. Even when persecution wins for a season, those who flee just plant the seeds of Christ in the areas where they settle next. Today, the majority of the people groups in existence have a Christian witness. We can only speculate if the remaining ethnic groups have to all hear at the same point in time. And so, we press on until Jesus returns. We need to be found faithfully carrying out Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will for our lives until our heaven-going or His Second Coming.

Keep an Eye on This Spot “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11b Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 For the last 3,000 years—since the First Temple Period in Jerusalem—Jews have been buried on the Mount of Olives. Today, an estimated 150,000 graves are there, overlooking the Old City and the Temple Mount. Why? The Bible states that the Messiah will come to this location in might and power and establish His kingdom forever. Zechariah 14:4 specifically speaks of the Messiah’s arrival on the Mount of Olives. This is why so many have been buried here. They believe He will then head to the Temple Mount, so all their feet are facing the Temple Mount. This is so they will rise up and walk in the right direction with Him! In this study, we can’t just look at Jesus’ First Coming without also looking at His Second Coming. Jesus ascended to heaven on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12). Just after this departure took place, two angels instructed the disciples that the Lord would one day return to that spot. Herein lies the problem with the Jewish people. They were and are expecting a conquering Messiah. Prophets such as Zechariah, Amos, Jeremiah, and Joel foretold of such a leader. As a result, the Jews were expecting Jesus to immediately conquer the governmental powers of their

day (Luke 19:11). When this didn’t happen, it made it hard for them to believe in Him. After all, how could this poor, humble son of a carpenter from a nowhere town like little Nazareth be the long-awaited, victorious Messiah? The clues were there in the Old Testament, but so many eyes have been unable to recognize the various Messianic descriptions as referencing two different events. They ignored the Suffering Servant and focused on the Conquering King. The reality is, Jesus didn’t come the first time to conquer a physical enemy; He conquered death. He came to bring salvation. He will come a second time to establish the Kingdom of God forever. We know from God’s Word that Jesus will not come back, though, until something very important happens. The world could be “going to hell in a hand basket,” as the saying goes, but a specific task must be completed first: “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” (Matthew 24:14). Jesus will not come back until this mission is completed. This is what every church and mission organization has been striving for. However, when the task is done, then and only then will the Second Coming of Christ take place. It will be stunning and unmistakable: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). The dead will be raised first from the Mount of Olives and the world over, and then those who are alive will ascend to meet Him as well. Then, we will finally “be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17b). Hallelujah!

Bringing It All Together Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25 While this is ultimately a devotional about Easter, we wanted to be thorough in this study. It is important with any topical reading in Scripture to investigate and meditate on as much of the surrounding and supporting books, chapters, and verses as possible. This is a sound biblical practice that we should incorporate whenever we study God’s Word. So, we spent a week looking in the Old Testament for precursors and prophecies about the First Coming, what Jesus would have to endure, and what He would accomplish. Then, we fast-forwarded to an approximately 50- to 55-day window involving the final weeks of Jesus’ earthly life. This started with what we call “Palm Sunday” and the “Passion Week,” which included the Jewish festival of Passover. The Last Supper was actually the special Passover meal. Jesus was then arrested, tortured, sentenced to death, crucified, buried, and resurrected over that weekend. He then appeared to His disciples and others over a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3). This period ended with Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This word, Pentecost, means 50, as it was this length of time between Passover and the coming of the Holy Spirit. (Palm Sunday was a few days before Passover, thus the “50-something” days total.) Jesus did fulfill feasts on their actual days of commemoration. But there is ongoing debate in some circles about what days of the week certain events happened, such as on what day of the Passion Week was Jesus actually crucified. I don’t believe it is necessary that we get legalistic

on needing to know exactly which event happened on what exact day in history. People far smarter than us can’t agree either. What is far more important to me—as is true of the ministry of Jesus—is what happened and why. Jesus’ life was incredible. John closed his Gospel with the words above, appropriately summarizing the greatness of our God and the vastness of Jesus’ ministry. We can look forward with anticipation to learning the full story that Scripture did not have room to tell. The Messiah came, was born of a virgin, preached the good news of the Gospel, was sacrificed as an atonement for our sins once and for all, and was raised from the dead, so that death would not be our end either. It was all prophesied over many centuries before He came. The odds of Him fulfilling even a fraction of them were astronomical. So take heart that the message is true. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world! He was and is the final Lamb! I implore you again to use this Easter season to reach out to those around you who are lost. God has given you favor with some who do not know Him. He wants to use your relationships to draw men and women to Himself. Follow the guidance of His Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit, and commit yourself afresh to knowing Him and making Him known. Amen!