Trial before Pilate
Read: John 18:28-40 Are you the King of the Jews? (v. 33) What kind of king do we actually want? Do we want a ruler like Pilate, or are we willing to follow a king like Jesus? Jesus, the King of kings, stood before Pilate, the governor. Pilate was like many rulers before and after him—he […]
Peter’s Denial
Read: Luke 22:54-62 Woman, I do not know him. (v. 57) Jesus stood before the high priest and religious leaders. They questioned him about his identity and brought false witnesses (Matt. 26:59-60). Jesus knew where this would lead, and he calmly refused to engage. The result—they condemned him, as they had planned (vv. 66-71). While Jesus sat […]
Betrayal
Read: Mark 14:43-52 The one I will kiss is the man. (v. 44) Those you love the most can also hurt you the most. When a friend decides not to spend time with you anymore, it hurts more than when you never see a stranger again. The closeness you used to have makes the loss all […]
Gethsemane
Read: Matthew 26:36-56 Remain here, and stay awake with me. (v. 38 NRSV) A lot of time as a parent involves being with your kids—making lunches, cleaning clothes, stopping fights, helping with homework. All of that is good and even a joy in many ways. But there’s also something beautiful about getting toward the end of […]
Whole and Holy
Read: John 17:6-17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (v. 17) What is Jesus’s desire for the church? On his last night, he took time to pray for his band of disciples—the future fledgling church—that they’d be whole and holy. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be whole, not broken and scattered. He […]
Glorify Your Name
Read: John 17:1-5 Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. (v. 1) If you knew this was your last day on earth, what would you do? You might try to accomplish everything that you have put off for years. Or maybe you would choose to abandon your responsibilities! On his last night, Jesus chose […]
Blood Poured Out
Read: Matthew 26:26-29 . . . poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (v. 28) Centuries before that Last Supper, God’s people had lived under oppressive slavery in Egypt. God sent Moses and did mighty wonders to break the power of Pharaoh (Exodus 7-12). After nine plagues, God told every Israelite to choose a spotless lamb […]
Body Broken for You
Read: Mark 14:17-25 Take; this is my body. (v. 22) Growing up I always wanted to be like one of the disciples—until I started to read the Gospels more. The disciples were a mess most of the time. They squabbled and missed the point. But Jesus didn’t give up on them. They were weak misfits, and […]
I Am the Vine
Read: John 15:1-11 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (v. 5) A windstorm left tree branches strewn across my yard. What would happen if I took one of those broken branches […]