April 8, 2023

Holy Week Israel Reflections: Four Silent Saturday Lessons in Waiting Well as Leaders

The Silent Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday seems to be skipped over. We want to skip over the agony and pain of Friday to quicken the miracle and joy of Jesus’ Resurrection, the event that defines us as Christians.

Now is the time to talk about it, talk about how to wait well in the silence.  Each of us is waiting on something or someone. 

Jesus was still and silent, after His agonizing crucifixion the afternoon before, with

Darkness falling over the whole earth;

the curtain of the temple tearing in half from top to bottom;

the earth shaking;

rocks splitting;

tombs opening;

dead bodies of the saints waking up and coming out of their tombs. (Matthew 27: 51-53)

The whole world was shaken. Sound familiar?

Jesus’ bloody body had been taken off the cross, wrapped in a clean linen shroud and embalmed with spices, “as is the burial custom of the Jews.” (John 19:40) Jesus’ body was laid in the new tomb of the rich man Joseph of Arimathea, which was positioned in a garden. (John 19: 40-42)

Even the minor detail of Jesus being laid in a rich man’s tomb in a garden fulfilled a 700-year-old+ prophecy:

“And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” –Isaiah 53:9

Matthew is the only Gospel to mention much activity on the day after crucifixion.

“The next day, that is after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember how that imposter said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise. Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead, and the last fraud will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” –Matthew 28:62-66 ESV

What lessons can we learn from Jesus and the activities around His silence on Holy, Silent Saturday?

  1. When you are in God’s Will, there will always be nay-sayers. It’s not surprising that the chief Priests and Pharisees weren’t silent and continued to bash Jesus, even calling Him an “imposter.” I love that Pilate said make it as secure “as you can.” Deep down he knew no big stone or guard of soldiers could keep Jesus from rising on the third day.
  2. When Jesus seems silent and we wait, Jesus is still at work. Waiting is hard. Jesus is working as we wait. Keep persevering. “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:13-14 ESV.
  3. Experience peace and rest after the agony and before the miracle. I heard once the night is darkest right before the sunrise. Darkness and stillness precedes the miracle. The Gospel of Luke mentions rest after the crucifixion and right before the Resurrection passage that “On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandments.” –Luke 23:56
  4. Prevent analysis paralysis. In the silence we can be tempted to question and doubt God and ourselves. Is God mad at me? What did I do wrong? Why doesn’t God do something about this? In the silence and waiting is where trust in God is strengthened. Faith is stretched. Miracles are coming. Wait well, friend.

I’m thankful God saw fit to insert a Saturday between our Easter Fridays and Sundays. May we enjoy the silence. The miracle of Resurrection is upon us.

 

Reflection:

–How do we respond to the waiting in our lives?

–Are we waiting well?

Renew:

–“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” –Isaiah 40:31

April 5, 2023

Holy Week Israel Reflections: Upper Room, Garden of Gethsemane, Denials, We are Barabbas

It’s much easier to focus on Palm Sunday. The crowd celebrated Jesus as Messiah, waving palm branches and singing “Hosanna.”

Then came Thursday night. Jesus wanted to celebrate Passover with His disciples in the Upper Room. During His ministry, including the last days before His horrible death and glorious Resurrection,  Jesus optimized every moment trying to teach, train and empower his dense, yet teachable disciples. What a Leader, the best Leader of all time. Jesus wanted to ensure He conveyed all He could. In His mind and heart, he knew it was the Last Supper.

In our minds and hearts, it was the First Communion, the first Lord’s Supper. He taught His disciples in that Upper Room that the bread is

“My body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19b) That the wine is His “blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28).

How do you feel when you take communion?   If you’re like me, I admit I sometimes take it for granted.  May we prayerfully savor the bread and cup with deep gratitude each time we are blessed to take communion.

God’s presence is in the Upper Room and each time we take communion. Here is a video our group with Aliyah Foundation and The Heights Church singing “Spirit of the Living God” in the Upper Room on March 27th.

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That same night, in a poignant scene in John 13 of unconditional love and humility, Jesus stooped down low to wash His disciples’ feet. They didn’t want Him to, mind you. Feet are gross. He was teaching them, sweetly, softly, tenderly, what it means to be a servant leader. To stoop down low to raise others high.  The upside-down leadership pyramid.

“I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:16 NIV)

Jesus then took his three closest disciples–Peter, James and John–with him to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. It is so hard to read the deep suffering and Jesus’ total transparency when He says, almost begs,

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38, NIV).  Sadly, His three best friend disciples all fell asleep, not praying on Jesus’ behalf.  Jesus prayed three different times asking for the cup to be taken away if possible, for God’s will to be done. While Jesus sweat blood in His deepest distress, His closest friends snored, not able to stay away. When they were faithless, Jesus was still faithful.

Jesus said,“Rise and let us be going.” Matthew 26:46. Keep persevering, friend.

Peter, also known as the “Rock,” denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had prophesied to Peter.  Peter wept bitterly and repented.  This original stone walkway at Caiaphas’s house is where Peter denied Jesus and Jesus looked back at Peter.

The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself…The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching…Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest…Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”  Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.” –John 18: 17-19, 24-27 ESV. 

Judas betrayed Jesus and had Him falsely arrested, in exchange for 30 pieces of silver, just a day’s slave wages.  Jesus was in total control and knew this was God’s will. Jesus was taken before the Sanhedrin. Even with false witnesses, they couldn’t find evidence to convict Him.Judas said he had betrayed an innocent man. Notice he didn’t call Him the Messiah or Son of God. Judas still didn’t recognize Jesus’ sovereignty. He threw the silver into the temple, left and sadly hanged himself.  There would have always been an opportunity for him to repent, but Judas didn’t.

Jesus was then brought to Pilate, whose wife knew Jesus was innocent.

“‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘No, not him! Give us Barabbas!’ Not Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.” –John 18:38-40

Pilate thought Jesus would go free. The crowd wanted Barabbas released and yelled “Crucify!” to Jesus.

Guess what Barabbas means in Aramaic? “Son of Abba.” Barabbas means “Son of the Father.”

Friend, each of us is a son (or daughter) of the Father. That means all of us. We are Barabbas. Like Barabbas, Jesus was our substitute. He died for you. He died for me.

From the waved palms of the crowd singing “Hosanna!” to the peer pressured crowd crying “Crucify!” on Good Friday morning, resulting in the pierced palms of Jesus’ hands, may we deeply feel the matchless love and sacrifice God has for us, His children.

 Reflect:

–What influence does a crowd make on decisions? Is the majority always right?

–How are we like Barabbas?

–Have you considered symbolically washing others’ feet? Are you a servant leader?

Renew:

–“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” –John 3:!6 KJV

–-“All the people answered, ‘Let his blood be on us and on our children!'” –Matthew 27:25 NIV

Recharge:

–How may we live more deeply for Jesus and show love to others?

April 2, 2023

Holy Week Israel Reflections: Pouring Perfume and Waving Palms

As we prepare for Easter next week, my heart is tuned to the vignettes leading up to the most significant event in human history–the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. Having just returned from Israel last Thursday, this experiential journey of the sights, sounds, smells of Jesus’ journey to the cross and tomb are fresh. Throughout this Holy Week, I’ll bring some of my reflections on the events of Easter.

What a week. What a Holy Week. Isn’t it amazing that the first half of the Gospel of John covers the first 33 years of Jesus’ life, and the last half covers one week?

Just six days before the Passover and Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was invited to attend a dinner in Bethany in His honor, hosted by  Mary, Martha, and their resurrected brother Lazarus. Can you only imagine what a fun party that would be? For Jesus to have supper with Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead,  AND his two sisters?

“Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:3 NIV.

What a beautiful, selfless, sacrificial gift Mary gave Jesus. Of course it was disciple Judas who complained that her gift to Jesus at the party was wasteful and too expensive. Judas was the treasurer and thief-disciple who would betray Jesus in just a few days.

When we give sacrificially some people don’t understand. Like Mary, we may looked at as “over the top” or “too much.” Jesus understood Mary and her heart.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended, that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.” –John 12:7-8 NIV

Mary got it. She understood the message. Jesus had been trying to tell the disciples that He would die and be raised. (John  10:15-18).

Mary gave Jesus the most valuable possession she had. As we prepare for these weeks leading up to Easter, what valuable possession of yours are you willing to pour out for Jesus and His Kingdom? Whatever we give to Him, He gives much more back to us.

The breeze picked up as we began our descent walking down the Mount of Olives to the gates of Jerusalem. The same road Jesus took. I can only imagine the excited cheering of the great crowd surrounding Jesus on that day of His Triumphal Entry  2000 years ago.

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the King of Israel.’

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written;
‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.'”–John 12:13-15.

People had heard of all of Jesus’ miracles. Crowds followed Him. They were ready to greet Jesus as a celebrity. On that famous Palm Sunday,  Jesus was welcomed like a rockstar into Jerusalem with people waving lush green palm fronds.

Palm Sunday was and still is a joyful, respectful celebration of  Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a military stallion as the world and its paparazzi may have thought, but on a lowly donkey colt, perfect for the humble, servant Savior He was, is and is to come. Only days later the fickle crowd would turn on Him…

Stay tuned for Holy Week: Reflections From Israel, Part 2.

 Reflect:

–With whom can you relate the most in these two stories–Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Judas or the Palm Sunday crowd?  Please comment.

–What are you willing to sacrifice as a beautiful love offering for Jesus for Easter and for your whole life?

Renew:

–“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘ Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'” –Luke 19:39-20 NIV

Recharge:

–How may we live more deeply for Jesus and show love to others?

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