”The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”“ John 12:12-13 NKJV
Palm Sunday was last Sunday, March 25, to recognize the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem in preparation for Passover, and also to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.“ Zechariah 9:9 NKJV. This was prophesied around 538BC.
Now, we are in Holy Week. Passover began on that Thursday as the Jewish people prepared to celebrate an event when the death angel passed over their homes during the final of ten plagues on the Egyptians before they let the Jewish population be released from their slavery and allowed to leave Egypt. That plague was to kill the first born of every Egyptian household that did not have the blood of a perfect, sacrificial lamb on their doorposts. So it is a celebration of life and freedom for the Jewish people provided by a forgiving, gracious, and just God.
Jesus and his disciples gather in a borrowed meeting place for their celebration. So much happens here during their time together, including when Jesus teaches His apostles of His desire that they be servants to others by washing their feet . . . even the feet of His betrayer, Judas. ”And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.“ John 13:2-5, 12-17 NKJV.
Jesus also gave instructions which were very confusing to his disciples about remembering Him. Paul, the apostle, writes: For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.“ I Corinthians 11:23-26 NKJV. The institution of communion. . . When we remember His sacrifice.
After supper the disciples and Jesus went to a garden to pray. Even though Jesus asked them to watch and pray with Him, as He prayed, they fell asleep still unaware of what was about to happen. It was shortly after this that the betrayal of Judas occurred.
Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers and guards of the Pharisees who bound and arrested Him. He was taken to Annas, the Roman appointed high priest of the temple, who questioned Him about his disciples and His teaching. ”Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.” And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the Jewish high priest.” John 18:20-24 NKJV.
Caiaphas, held him in prison through the night and the next morning, Friday, sent him on to Pontious Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea. There he was called “King of the Jews”, and found not guilty of any crime worthy of death or imprisonment. ”Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.“ John 18:37-38 , NKJV.
But the Jewish people, who had praised Jesus upon his arrival to Jerusalem were now turned against Him. He had not done what they expected the Messiah to do, which was to free them from the Romans. The Jews also could not condemn. They demanded that Jesus be held. ”“But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.” John 18:39-40 NKJV.
The Book of John, Chapter 19, then gives the account of Jesus being handed over to the Romans for scourging, a hideous and painful method of whipping on a bare back, having a crown of very vicious thorns pushed into his skull, his beard plucked out and being forced to carry a heavy cross to the hill called Golgotha where He and two robbers are crucified. Jesus commends his mother, Mary, to His disciple, John, for care and provision. And He finally declares, “It is finished.” And breathes His last. It is then around 3:00 in the afternoon.
There is thunders and lightning, the veil of the Jewish temple is torn from top to bottom, a veil that was about 60 feet high and four inches thick and designed to hide the holy of holies from anyone but the high priest. Once this veil tore, it was clear that God’s presence had left the temple and would never return. The time of animal sacrifices for the atonement of sins was done. They would never be done again. Jesus’s death on the cross was the final sacrifice . . . A spotless lamb. ”And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering..“ Genesis 22:8a NKJV.
His body was taken from the cross, placed in a tomb, and a rock rolled in front to seal it. That was Friday.
Then came Sunday!
”Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.“ John 20:1-9, 11-18 NKJV
Jesus is ALIVE sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Hallelujah! He has defeated death and sin. Repent of your sin, receive Him and you will have eternal life with Him. Amen!
Whatever things are TRUE! Happy Resurrection Sunday!