Holy Saturday - In the Tomb

At 6:00pm on Saturday...

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.

Mark 16:1 (NIV)

 

Good Friday - Jesus' Trial, Crucifixion, Death and Burial

At 9:00am, listen to "When You Prayed Beneath the Trees" by Lloyd Larson, Hope Publishing.

At 3:00pm, read Mark 15:1-47 using the guide below.

Yesterday we set up a prayer station with seven candles.  We extinguished four of them as we read Mark 14:12-72.  Relight the final three candles.

Scripture Reading:  Mark 15:1-19

Hymn:  "What Wondrous Love Is This"

Text:  Anonymous

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great 'I am';
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

Extinguishing of the Fifth Candle

Scripture Reading:  Mark 15:20-37

Choral Anthem:  "How Great His Love" by Ruth Elaine Schram, Lorenz Corporation

Extinguishing of the Sixth Candle

Scripture Reading:  Mark 15:38-47

Hymn:  "Beneath the Cross of Jesus"

 Text:  Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1868

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land.
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One who suffered there for me.
And from my stricken heart with tears, 

Two wonders I confess, the wonders of redeeming love
And my unworthiness.

 

Extinguishing of the Seventh Candle

At 6pm, listen to "Thy Will Be Done" by Craig Courtney, Beckenhorst Press.

Prayer:  Surely this man was the Son of God!  Amen.

Mark 15:39b (NIV)

 

Holy Thursday - the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus' Arrest

For the next three days, I'm going to share with you the Service of Lessons and Hymns that the worship ministry and church choir at my church presented this past Sunday.  Included will be hymns and choral anthems that were sung.  As you read through the scriptures, really listen to the story.  Pick out key words that jump out from the page.  Read the words of the hymns as they are intended to be, a poem, and listen to the inspiring anthems.  Again put yourself in the shoes of the disciples -- especially Peter and Judas.  What are you feeling?  And put yourself in the shoes of the chief priests and the Sanhedrin that are orchestrating Jesus' arrest, the soldiers who came to arrest Jesus, and the woman who recognized Peter.  Do you hear the rooster crowing?  Are you crying like Peter did because you have denied knowing Jesus?

As you proceed through the next three days, let me suggest that you set up a prayer station with seven candles.  For today's reading, light all seven candles.  Extinguish the first four candles as you read through today's scripture verses.

Scripture Reading:  Mark 14:12–25

"For the Bread Which You Have Broken"

Words by Louis Fitzgerald Benson, 1924

For the bread, which You have broken;

For the wine, which You have poured;

For the words, which You have spoken

Now we give You thanks, O Lord. 

By the promise that You love us,

By Your gift of peace restored,

By Your call to Heaven above us,

Hallow all our lives, O Lord.

Extinguishing of the First Candle  

Scripture Reading:  Mark 14:26-31

Hymn:  This Is the Night

Text:  Peter Abelard, translation by Richard Lyman Sturch

Music by Margaret Tucker

This hymn may be found in "Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal" #206 or can be purchased on hymnary.org.  Use this link to see the music and listen to the tune.  Verses 1 and 2 are applicable to these scripture verses.

Extinguishing of the Second Candle

Scripture Reading:  Mark 14:32-50

 

Choral Anthem:  The Road To Dark Gethsemane by Patti Drennan, Lorenz Corporation

 

Extinguishing of the Third Candle

 

Scripture Reading:  Mark 14:53-72

 

Choral Anthem:  When Jesus Wept, arranged by Linda Spevacek, Lorenz Corporation

"When Jesus Wept"

Words by Perez Morton, 1770

When Jesus wept, the falling tear

in mercy flowed beyond all bound.

When Jesus groaned, a trembling fear

seized all the guilty world around.

Extinguishing of the Fourth Candle

Prayer:  Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.  Amen.

 Mark 14:36 (NIV)

(Extinguish remaining candles.)

Silent Wednesday

There is no scripture to read today.  Mark says nothing about how Jesus and his disciples spent this fourth day of Holy Week.  We know that they returned to Bethany after an exhausting day in Jerusalem on Tuesday.  And they probably, as before, stayed with Mary, Martha, & Lazarus.  We know from the Gospel of Matthew that when Jesus was in Bethany, he visited the home of Simon the Leper, where a woman came with expensive perfume and anointed his feet.  The Gospel of John tells us that the woman was Mary.  Matthew also tells us that on Tuesday, Judas had begun his negotiations with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus.  

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.  From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. 

Matthew 26:14-16 (NIV)

As you spend time today in prayer and silence, consider how Jesus, his disciples and his friends may have spent this last day together before the Passover.  We know the previous story of Mary and Martha -- how Martha kept herself busy preparing a meal for her guests while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to his teaching.  Are Mary and Martha still holding on to these same roles?  Is Martha still too busy working to listen?  We've heard how the disciples still don't understand the enormity of what is about to happen.  And we know that the plans are underway for Jesus to be betrayed, arrested, convicted, and crucified.  What part of these Tuesday characters do you identify with?  Are you too busy like Martha or are you ready to sit at Jesus' feet and listen?  Are you like the disciples and still don't understand the impact of what Jesus has been teaching?  Or are you like Judas ready to betray him?

Prayer: My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.

Psalm 131 (NIV)

Holy Tuesday - Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives

Read Mark 11:20 - 13:37

Today on this Holy Tuesday, our scripture reading contains some of the most iconic parables and lessons of Jesus.  It also continues the Parable of the Fig Tree (from yesterday's reading) in which Peter declares to Jesus that the fig tree that Jesus had cursed the day before has now withered.   Mark 11:20 through Mark 13:37 focuses on Jesus teaching in the temple and predicting the future and includes the Parable of the Tenants, the Great Commission, and the Widow's Offering.  And as this passage comes to an end, Jesus is seated with Peter, James, John and Andrew on the Mount of Olives which was directly across from the Temple when they ask him to tell them how the destruction of the Temple and the End Times will happen.

The central themes of this passage are for three different purposes -- one for Jesus' disciples, one for those he was teaching in the temple, and one for the priests and Pharisees.  Jesus' message for his disciples is faith in God.  Jesus' message to those he was teaching was a warning about false teachings.  And his declaration to the priests and Pharisees was his authority.

There are many important messages in this passage, but perhaps the most imperative point that Jesus makes is this, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."  (Mark 13:32-33 NIV)  So today as you read this passage of scripture, meditate on the preparation that you have made during Lent to prepare for this week and these circumstances.  And as you continue to read the Passion narrative throughout this week, identify the times that Jesus' disciples were not being alert, not understanding that Jesus' time on earth was drawing to an end.  How about you?  Is your house in order?  Are you prepared for Jesus to come again?  Or are you restless?  Is there some thing or situation in your life that is preventing you from being ready?

Prayer:  O Loving God, who guards the door to our hearts, help us to prepare for your coming so that we may be ready to receive your salvation promise, through Jesus Christ, the Guardian of our lives.  Amen.




 

Holy Monday - Jesus Clears the Temple

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 

The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.  When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

 Mark 11:15-19 (NIV)

 ...for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations.

Isaiah 56:7c (NIV)

The final verse of our Palm/Passion Sunday scripture from Mark states, "Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve."  (Mark 11:11 NIV)  Because it was late, Jesus and his disciples went back to Bethany.  Most biblical scholars agree that they probably went back to the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  

Our Holy Monday story starts with Jesus reaching Jerusalem -- about a 2 mile journey from Bethany -- probably a half an hour walk.  So why is this story important to how we should begin experiencing the events of Holy Week?  Jesus went into the Temple. And he experienced people that were defiling the Temple. He became angry and cleared the Temple of the money changers and merchants saying to them, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”  So the message for us may be that we must allow Jesus to cleanse our own lives by allowing his cleansing presence into our lives.  And that may mean that he has to overturn some tables in our lives in order for us to be cleansed and set free from our sins.  

Listen to this arrangement of "Search Me, O God" arranged by James Koerts (Soudforth Music), words by J. Edwin Orr, as your prayer today as we travel with Jesus and his disciples on this Passover journey.

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.

Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill up my heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, I now surrender, 

Lord in me abide.

Join me tomorrow as we look at Mark 11:20 through Mark 13:37 and hear about the continued confrontations that Jesus had in Jerusalem and how he brought his disciples to the Mount of Olives and warned them about the future.

Holy Week - Palm Sunday

Palm/Passion Sunday

  

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
 

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.  When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.  Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.  Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,“Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
 

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Mark 11:1-11 (NIV)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9 (NIV) 

As we begin Holy Week, we rejoice as the crowds did as we wave our palm branches and shout "Hosanna!"  The command from Zechariah to Jerusalem to not be afraid, but instead rejoice, is how we should be entering into this Holy Week.  So many of the sights and sounds of this week will not be pleasant to read about.  We will be tempted to skip over them to the joyous cries of Easter morning.  But in order to understand the joy of Easter morning - the Resurrection -- we must first walk with Jesus and his disciples through the week leading up to his crucifixion.  We must shout "Hosanna."  We must deny that we are the one that betrays Jesus.  We must fall asleep in the garden.  We must deny that we know Jesus.  We must shout "Crucify him!"  We must carry his cross down the Via Dolorosa.  And we must witness his crucifixion, his last words, and his last breath.  For without these experiences, there is no way for us to journey from Hosanna to the Cross.

Prayer:  King of Zion, you sat upon the colt as you journeyed from Bethany to Jerusalem and heard the crowd shout, "Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."  Help us to not be afraid of the events that are about to happen, but to listen to Your story and understand the impact of Holy Week, so that we might be a witness to the light that you brought to this world.  Amen.

Join me tomorrow as we look at Mark 11:15-19 and how Jesus clears the Temple.