Journey to the Cross

The Passover (Mark 14:12-31)

The passover lamb was being sacrificed and the disciples were looking for a place to eat the meal.

A large upper room furnished was prepared for them.

Jesus revealed there was a betrayer in the room and they all became grieved to think it might be them.

Luke lends a bit more detail concerning a discussion Jesus addressed about who was the greatest and John describes how Jesus took the time to wash the Disciples feet to explain how to love one another. But Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell how Jesus lifted up the bread, blessed it and said eat, this is my body, and then He lifted up the cup and said drink this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

The Garden

After this intimate dinner with His disciples Jesus brings them to the place named Gethsemane, an olive grove just below the mount of olives, the name meaning “Oil Press” and this is where Jesus would be pressed where humanity would struggle with the reality of His own suffering and death.

There to pray, as was His life with the Father while his disciples slept.

Submitting to the will of the Father that would bring redemption through suffering He woke the disciples to meet His betrayer.

The Betrayal

Judas finally arrives to betray Jesus with a Kiss.

The mob that accompanied Judas arrested Jesus and one disciple attempted to fight back by cutting the ear off of one of the slaves of the high priest.

Jesus restores the man’s ear and reveals to everyone their doing the will of the world that they could have taken Him at anytime while he taught in the temple but this arrest was taking place to “fulfill the scriptures”

Accused and Condemned

all evening and into the wee hours of the morning Jesus is shuffled from high priest, to pilate, to Herod and back to the High priests.

He was mocked, spit on, beard was lucked out, slapped and punched in the face, beaten on the head with staffs, and a crown of thorns placed on His head.

Here while being questioned he uttered no threats but entrusted Himself to the one who judges justly. He did however when asked, “are you the Son of God?” He said “I AM”.

Here he was condemned and Pilate eventually gave the religious council what they desired, one man sacrificed for many.

Jesus would die so that a murderer could go free.

Jesus would go through the most horrific death so that you and I might be set free from our sin.

Are you free? If not He died so that you might die to sin and live unto righteousness. These next few days maybe the thought that could linger in our minds is that God suffered and gave His life so that you and I might die to our sin and selfish desires to truly experience what it means to live. The darkness of that night