Holy Week: The Passion of Christ

Read: John 18-19

Good Friday has always been a bit of an oddity for me. Perhaps it is the word 'good' that I have never quite understood. The story of Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, or "passion" (Latin for suffering), has always been disturbing and powerful, but I have never thought of today as "good." Today is really a terrible and awful day, the day Jesus suffered for us. Sure it is good because in the end we benefit, but without Easter, Good Friday is really the worst day ever.

The story of Jesus' passion has received new interest over the past few years. Mel Gibson's movie has brought new attention to the gruesome details of Jesus' suffering and death. While it is important to understand the story of Jesus in a real way, I struggle with the excessive violence the movie depicts. Is it the violence and suffering that brings redemption? Or is it Jesus unyielding faithfulness to God's will? The question of redemptive violence is complex and important, but an in depth look will have to wait for another day.

Today, I want to focus on one small, yet illuminating, detail in Jesus' passion story in John. The first detail concerns Peter's denial of Jesus. After Jesus is arrested and brought to the high priest, Peter follows and waits in the nearby courtyard. Peter is then asked by a woman if he is a disciple of Jesus:

¹⁸The woman said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing round it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. John 18:17-18

Peter denies being a disciple of Jesus out of fear, as he is worried that he too might be arrested. Yet Peter also wants to remain close to Jesus and the action, presumably to witness what takes place. Peter denies knowing Jesus and then warms himself next to the charcoal fire. I find this detail to be fascinating and important, for denying the Lord is most often neither dramatic nor pronounced, but most often subtle and unnoticed.

Peter warms himself with the charcoal fire after denying Jesus. He is in the dark, and receiving warmth from a charcoal fire which produces very little light. Peter is in the dark, yet he has enough warmth and light to be comfortable. Contrast this with the light of Christ:

"³⁶The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." John 12:35-36

While Peter warms himself in the darkness with a false light, Jesus light shines. Peter's denial is perilous because he is in danger of being overtaken by darkness. What is subtle and seductive, is that Peter hardly notices the absence of light, the true light of Christ. Good Friday poses for Peter, and ultimately for us, the question of light and darkness. We will walk in the light of Christ or be consumed, little by little, by the forces of darkness?

Questions:
-How do the subtle forces of darkness work in your life?
-What can you do to avoid being pulled away from the light of Christ?
-How do you deny Jesus? What can you do to be a light for others?

Prayer: Lord, on this most holy day, let your light shine in the midst of my darkness. Help me Lord to live in the life-giving light of Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Holy Week: Maunday Thursday

Read: John 13:1-20

There are things in life we because we want to, there are things we do because we have to, and there are things we do because we love. If you have ever changed a baby's diaper, cleaned up a child's puke, cared for an aging parent, or cleaned up after your dog, you know what humble service is all about. Love is an action not a feeling, and there is no action which greater defines love than actions of humble service.

As Jesus gathered with his disciples in the first Holy Week, he gathered to share Godly wisdom, examples for living, and love. The footwashing ritual that Jesus performs on the disciples is a powerful example of humble service demonstrating love. Jesus wanted the disciples to remember his act of love, but to set an example for them to follow as well.

³⁴And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. ⁶ John 13:3-5

Imagine how the simple act of footwashing could have been seen as a genuine act of love and service. In their journeys with Jesus, the disciples did a tremendous amount of walking. They walked everywhere they went and never stopped for very long. They traveled on dirty and dusty roads, wearing no more than simple sandals on their feet. As you might imagine, the disciples feet were perpetually filthy. When entering a home, or gathering for a formal occassion, the owner of the house might provide a place to wash your own feet, or if wealthy provide a servant to wash the feet of guests. For Jesus to wash his disciples feet was an act of humbling himself in order to provide service. Jesus' example demonstrates his love, but also sets an example for the disciples to follow.

Like the disciples, if we want to follow the path of Jesus, it must be a path of humility, love, and service. The disciples were not to acquire power and lord it over people, but to use their positions of authority and power to serve and love others.

¹⁵¹⁶So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 13:15-17

The ritual of footwashing is of course about more than feet, it is about living our life as followers of Christ. Being a Christian means loving God and loving one another. Following the example of Jesus, we can best love one another by humbling ourselves and offering generous acts of servant love. Love is an action, an action which requires, at times, for us to get dirty so others might get clean.

Questions:
-What does it mean to you that Jesus humbled himself in an act of servant love?
-In what ways do your actions demonstrate love and humility?
-In what ways do your actions demonstrate lack of time, attention, and love?
-What can you do to show yor love more?

Prayer: Lord, help me become humble, help me serve and love others as you have loved me. Lord, let me be generous with my time, energy, and talents and meet the basic needs of those I love, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: Betrayed by a Friend

As Holy Week reaches its midpoint, and we immerse ourselves deeper and deeper into the story of Jesus, we can see how his disciples were such a big part of his life. Jesus spent day after day, year after year, with the disciples. He hand-picked them to be his followers, he taught them, he coached them, he mentored them, he empowered them, he supported them, he loved them. Their relationship was deeply personal, vulnerable, and cherished.

The only connection from my personal experience that even approaches the relationship Jesus had with the disciples, is the relationships I had as being part of numerous sports teams. Most striking were the relationships I had in college as part of the cross country and track teams. All my friends were runners; we ran together, ate together, socialized together, road tripped together, we were all very close and we knew each other in a powerful and formative time in our lives. Now as I look back many years later I realize just how unique and important those relationships were.

When I think of Jesus and the disciples I think of the relationships I had with my running friends. There are of course very important differences. We did not have a leader who lived among us (our coaches were included to a degree), we did not normally concern ourselves with spiritual issues (although you might be surprised), and we did not have the betrayal within the group that Jesus endured. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was not only personally painful for Jesus but also the group. His betrayal was an existential threat to the very core of the way of Jesus.

The story of Judas, and his role in the suffering and death of Jesus is deeply troubling and complex. Did Judas betray Jesus? Was Judas acting on God's plan? Would God's plan be accomplished without Judas' betrayal? If so, is Judas really to be blamed?

The questions about Judas' actions, God's plan, atonement, and betrayal are too complicated to give justice to in this forum. I have personally struggled with Judas a great deal and am still trying to understand. And while the issue of Judas is very important to address, if allow ourselves to become fixated on his betrayal and miss the personal cost of his actions, we miss an important element in the story of Holy Week. Let us shift our focus from Judas to Jesus.

²²After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me." The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking.
John 13:21-22

Jesus went through so much for us and for the world. His arrest, torture, crucifixion, and death were brutal, painful, and prolonged. Jesus did this all for us, and he did so with some inkling beforehand how it was all going to go. Jesus knew God's plan and what it entailed, so in addition to the physical suffering he endured, he also suffered with the knowledge of what was going to take place. I also believe that Jesus' suffering includes the emotional suffering of seeing a friend and disciple betray him. Judas betrays Jesus for money, and in doing so not only betrays his Rabbi, mentor, and Messiah, he also betrays himself. Imagine the pain and suffering Jesus endured watching Judas implode. Judas' betrayal is painful not just for the ensuing harm caused to Jesus, but for the damage caused to his relationship to Jesus, the other disciples, and to God.

Questions:
-What are the physical, spiritual, and emotional consequences of betrayal?
-If you have been betrayed in life, how did you deal with it? If not, how will you?
-If you have betrayed a loved one in life, how did you deal with it?
-How can broken relationships be restored and made whole?

Prayer: Lord, as I contemplate the suffering you endured for me, I ask that you forgive me for all of my betrayals: of you and others. Forgive me and give me the power to restore and renew my relationship with you and with others, and give me the power to forgive myself, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: We must decide

Read John 12:20-36

I love watching movies. In fact I am not even that picky about what movies I will watch, and will sit through mediocre or even bad movies. In my family however, movie watching is a bit more complicated since it is difficult to find a movie everyone will enjoy. So we try to take turns for who will pick the movie out. Inevitably when I pick a movie I really want to watch (think Al Pacino) my experience of the movie is vastly different from everyone else. What is it about watching movies, and living life, that two people experiencing the same thing can have completely different ways of understanding it? (why doesn't everyone love The Godfather or Goodfellas?)

The truth of the matter is that life requires interpretation, we must decide what something means. When it came to Jesus' life, ministry, and mission the disciples and the crowds all had to decide for themselves who Jesus was and what it meant. Is Jesus the Son of God? the Messiah? a prophet? a great teacher? a political threat? a phony? Depending on their perspectives, those in Jesus' day came to different conclusions. As we prepare this Holy Week, we too are faced with the eternal question from Jesus: "who do you say I am" (Mark 8:29) We each must decide this question for ourselves, no one can answer for us.

As Jesus was preparing for his final journey to the cross, during Holy Week, he took extra time to explain to the disciples and crowds God's plan for his death and resurrection. Jesus was reminding and revealing the path he must travel for the sake of all people. He let people know that while his death on the cross would be personally difficult for him, he was fulfilling God's purposes for God's glory.

²⁸²⁹³⁰Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. John 12:27-30

As Jesus reminds and reveals God's plan for Jesus' death, God's voice speaks from heaven for the sake of the crowd to affirm the words Jesus is speaking. Some of those who heard God's voice thought it was an angel, or from God, while others wrote it off as thunder. They had a choice, like we have a choice, to interpret life from a perspective of faith or not. If we are looking for how God is working in our lives we will see God's hand in most everything. If we decide that God is uninvolved we will miss the everyday presence of a God who loves us. The choice is yours, you must decide.

Questions:
-Do you see God at work in your daily life? Are you looking for God's presence?
-If yes, how is God working in your life?
-If no, what is keeping you from believing that God is active in your life?
-How can you help others see God in their life?

Prayer: Lord help me see and feel your presence in my life today. Open my eyes, my ears, and my heart so that I might know your love and care for me today and everyday, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: Preparations

Read: Mark 14:1-9

Many people are now preparing for family gatherings on Easter, and there is much work to do: hams to buy, rolls to bake, house to clean. Big gatherings and big events mean big time work getting ready. Holy Week, then and now, is really no different. In our day, churches prepare through a well trained altar guild which does all the behind the scenes work for smooth and meaningful worship services on Thursday, Friday, Saturday (for some), and Sunday, with each service requiring special arrangements. It was not too dissimilar in the first Holy Week as Jesus prepared for his journey to the cross, grave, and resurrection glory.

The anointing at Bethany is a truly beautiful and remarkable story. An unnamed woman, presumably part of the disciple group, pours expensive ointment on Jesus' head. The ointment was so expensive it cost 300 denarii or almost a year's worth of wages. The disciples are shocked and appalled by this extravagant "waste" of money, and go so far as to scold the woman. Jesus rebukes the disciples saying:

⁷⁸⁹"But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news^* is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." Mark 14:6-9

Jesus reminds the disciples that while caring for the poor and meeting people's basic needs are vitally important, his primary mission is the cross. The unnamed woman provides care for Jesus and helps prepare his body "beforehand for its burial" (spices were used to anoint a body for burial). So what seemed like wasteful exuberance is affirmed as an important act of service which recognized the primary importance of Jesus' journey to the cross. sidenote: ironically Jesus commands that she always be remembered for what she did and yet no one bothered to remember her name.

So what do we take from this story? For me, it speaks to the importance of preparation for important events. Jesus was being prepared for his journey to the cross, burial, and resurrection. There was nothing more important to Jesus, the disciples, and the world than Jesus' mission. The woman spent time and considerable resources in an act of loving service to prepare Jesus.

Questions to consider
-What are you doing to prepare for Jesus' journey to the cross?
-Have you taken time in prayer to make this week Holy? Have you prepared your heart and mind?
-At what price does your preparation come? (time, sleep, energy) What does the cost we willing to pay in preparation, say about our commitment and priorities?

Prayer: Lord, prepare me today and in the days to come to receive the gift of your love and grace. Help me to take the time to spend in prayer and devotion this week, so that this week might be more meaningful and holy, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Holy Week: Palm Sunday

When Jesus enters Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, he enters with a horde of people with massive expectations. Jesus had been traveling throughout the entire region sharing the Good News about God, healing many, and performing miraculous signs. Everywhere Jesus went the crowds went with him, and they kept getting bigger and bigger. By the time Jesus comes to Jerusalem during Holy Week people had begun to figure out the Jesus was the Son of God, and the long awaited and promised Messiah. Jesus reinforces this belief by riding into town on a colt that had never been ridden to fulfill an ancient prophesy about the Messiah:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he,humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9)

Jesus rides into town and is received as a king and as a son of David, with all the expectations of the messiah: political, social, and military liberation. The people were excited, enthused, and ready for their lives to change. It won’t take long however for those Palm Sunday expectations to be dashed as Jesus travels to the cross in a matter of days. The people expected libration from the Roman invaders, and the renewal of the reign of King David. What they got instead was spiritual liberation and renewal from the Kingdom of God. Many of the same people who hailed Jesus on Palm Sunday as their Messiah and king, called for his crucifixion and death on Good Friday. Jesus didn’t come to be popular and fulfill the expectations of the people, he came to fulfill God’s mission.

Questions
-As you consider the popularity, praise, and projected expectations heaped upon Jesus, what expectations do you have for God? Are they realistic or unrealistic?
-How do your expectations of God either prepare you or hinder you from fulfilling God’s expectations of you?
-What does it mean to have Jesus as our king and messiah? How can we balance our healthy expectations of God’s role in our lives, with being obedient to God’s will?

Prayer: Lord, help me rejoice and give thanks for Jesus being the king of my life. Lord, help me submit my will to you so that I might begin asking your expectations of me, rather than demanding my expectations of you, in Jesus’ name, AMEN.