The Last 7 Days of Jesus, And Then Came Sunday!
Mark 11 - Mark16
As we are in “Holy Week,” I want us to pause and consider the last 7 days of the life of Jesus and an event that took place on day 8 that would change everything!
I. SUNDAY (Mark 11)
This is the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, a symbol of peace, not war.The people spread their coats and palm leaves as a symbol of their acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah (thus Palm Sunday). They were excited, enthused and expectant. Luke tells us that Jesus wept over the city.They were shouting:Mark 11:9 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!”Hosanna means “save.”
II. MONDAY (Mark 11-12)
Jesus displays a righteous anger. There is a time for righteous anger when God’s name, will, character are being maligned. For a second time Jesus clears the Temple of the money changers; those who had turned God’s House onto a profit-making enterprise.Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple which indeed happened in AD 70 along with Jerusalem.From the Mount of Olives, Jesus shares about His second coming, His return to Earth.Then He shares the Great Commandment in Mark 12:29-31.
III. WEDNESDAY (Mark 14)
This has been called “Spy Wednesday,” because that’s the day Judas conspired with the religious leaders to hand Jesus over for 30 pieces of silver.
IV. THURSDAY (Mark 14)
From 6 PM to 11:30 Jesus has the Passover Meal , the Last Supper with His disciples in the Upper Room. This has been called Maundy Thursday. Maundy means “commandment.”
V. FRIDAY (Mark 15)
We call it Good Friday, not because what happened was good, but because of the result of what happened was Good News.Today Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to agonize over the decision that He knew would abandon Him from God the Father.There are 6 Trials of Jesus:In trial 6, from 7:30 to 8:30 AM, Pilate repeatedly tried to release Jesus but the Jewish leaders objected violently.Pilate tortured and beat Jesus beyond recognition, but that wasn’t enough for the Jews. They demanded Jesus be crucified. Pilate hesitated, but finally gave in because of political expedience.From 9:00 AM to 12 Noon, Jesus was forced to carry His own cross. Simon of Cyrene was chosen to help him.The people demanded that Barabbas be freed, a known murderer, and Jesus be crucified. Pilate the politician refused to take a stand.From 12:00 Noon until 3:00 PM, Jesus Christ , the King of Glory, the perfect Lamb of God, was nailed to the cross. Your name, your sin, was nailed to Him. On the cross Jesus makes 7 statements.At 3:00 PM on that April afternoon, Jesus died. If you had put His heart on a monitor, Jesus flat-lined.For those who want to know, “Where was God when that tragedy they went through happened?” This is the answer. God personally experienced every pain, every tragedy, every heartache, every hurt, every wound, every sickness, every evil that could be experienced. So where is God? He is with us! Jesus proves that.
VI. SATURDAY
There is deafening silence. The grave of Jesus is still occupied. It’s not Good Friday anymore, so the pain of that moment has subsided a little, but neither is it Easter. It’s that between times when there are no answers other than simply hanging onto a word from God.There is the waiting, the silence, the wondering, what will tomorrow bring? Everything Jesus ever said, every prophesy ever given, hinged on what happened the next day—Sunday.In a sense, we are living on Saturday. Jesus has risen from the dead and ascended back to heaven, however, He has not yet returned. We are living in Saturday where all we have are the promises of God.
VII. SUNDAY (Mark 16:1-6)
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!The stone of the tomb had been moved and the grave of Jesus is absolutely empty! Jesus had 11 distinct appearances to His followers. In one of those appearances 500 eyewitnesses saw Him.The central and most essential belief of Christianity, in fact the cornerstone of our faith, is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection is mentioned in the Bible no less than 108 times.No one has ever been able to disprove the resurrection.Wingman, your job and mine is to now share with our families, our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors, and those with whom we have contact the Good News of Jesus Christ! Happy Easter!