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Isaiah 9:6-7
Zechariah 9:9
Matthew 21:1-11
Luke 19:28-44
John 1:10-14
John 12:12-19
2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Philippians 2:5-11
TRIUMPHAL - in a way that shows success and victory
RIGHTEOUS - having no sin; without blame in God’s sight
DONKEY - a sturdy member of the equine (horse) family
FOAL - a donkey’s offspring
PROPHESY - telling what will happen in the future
DESCENDANT - born in the family line of someone
COINCIDENCE - happened by chance
You have read the story of Christ’s birth. You know He was born in Bethlehem in a stable. You know that it was not on Christmas, but more likely around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. Yes, you already know quite a bit about Christ coming as a baby. But there is another very important coming of Jesus that you may not have heard much about. It was the last time Jesus Christ came into Jerusalem before His crucifixion. It is called the Triumphal Entry.
About a week before Passover, as Jesus was approaching Jerusalem, He sent two of His disciples ahead to a village to find a donkey colt. Jesus asked His disciples to bring the colt back to Him, and even told them what to tell the owner if he asked them what they were doing with the donkey. They were to tell him that the Lord needs it. You’re probably wondering why the donkey had to be a colt. Well, the first of anything was important to God: the firstborn male, the firstfruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the animals. This donkey colt was going to be used for a very important purpose: carrying Jesus into Jerusalem. It was important that the donkey had never been used for anything before.
Zechariah prophesied that Jesus would enter Jerusalem riding a donkey colt: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Why did it have to be a donkey?
You might have thought that Jesus should ride triumphantly into Jerusalem on a prancing, magnificent, black stallion. That would be triumphant, right? Well, that’s not the message that Jesus wanted people to see. The horse was used in war and was proud; the donkey was a peaceful and humble animal. In the same way, Jesus was peaceful, gentle, and humble, not full of pride and ready to start a war. So the donkey better reflected who Jesus Christ was and what He came to do than a horse could have done.
He was telling them loud and clear, without saying any words at all, that He was the Messiah. Zechariah’s prophesy was about the Messiah, and the people who saw Jesus would have known that prophesy and what it meant. Since the royal mount for King David was the mule, Jesus was also telling the people that He was a descendant of King David - another clue that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
The people understood that Jesus was someone very special, for as He rode into Jerusalem on the donkey colt, they spread palm branches and their own coats on the ground in front of Him. They were showing great honor and respect to Jesus by letting Him ride over their coats. At the same time, they were loudly shouting praises to Jesus Christ: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). Oh, the people knew that Jesus was more than someone special; they knew that He was the King.
A strange thing happened – considering that this is a triumphal entry. Luke tells us that as Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept. After all of the prophecies and the miracles and all of His words, people still wouldn’t see that He was really truly the Son of God, the Savior of the world. They couldn’t see that Jesus could bring them peace. Because they didn’t understand who He was, terrible things would happen to Jerusalem. Jesus said it was simply because “you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:44).
What does the story of the triumphal entry mean to you? Do you think it’s just a nice story, or do you believe that it is true and really happened? Do you believe with all your heart that Zechariah prophesied that Jesus would ride the donkey colt, or do you think it was just a coincidence? Most important of all, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is the Savior of everyone including you?
Do you recognize that you are special to Jesus, that He cares about you and is there to help you in your daily life? Jesus is our King and He has come to each of us. Do you recognize Him? Do you believe Him?
Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world for each of us. Help me recognize His work in my life and to give Him thanks and praise for it.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 21:1-11
Monday - Philippians 2:5-11
Tuesday - Luke 19:28-44
Wednesday - Isaiah 9:6-7
Thursday - John 1:10-14
Friday - 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Saturday - John 12:12-19
Ezekiel 44:23-24
Habakkuk 1:13
Matthew 21:12-13
John 2:13-17
1 Corinthians 3:10-17
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
2 Corinthians 7:1
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
1 Peter 1:13-16
CONTAMINATES - makes unclean or dirty
REVERENCE - showing respect and honor to another
PURIFY - to make clean
TOXIC - has the ability to kill; a poison
You’ve heard stories in the news of people who got in trouble for tearing up the United States flag. Sometimes people get into trouble for breaking windows or perhaps for dumping toxic wastes near a creek. All of these actions upset us because we care about our schools, our country, our homes, and our environment.
How would you feel if you came to church next week and saw people trying to sell puppies, kittens, and parrots on the Sabbath? These people think this is okay because they are trying to make money. But won’t people be distracted when they try to talk to God in prayer? Won’t it be difficult to hear the sermon while dogs are barking, cats are meowing and parrots are squawking? How can you sing songs to praise and worship God with all of this noise going on? We all love our puppies, kittens, and parrots, but they just don’t belong in church.
How did Jesus feel when He came to the Temple and saw the people selling animals and exchanging money? This was God’s house! Those sellers had no business in the Temple of God! Jesus told them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’” (Matthew 21:12-13).
Because Jesus felt so strongly that people should not sell cattle, sheep, and doves or exchange money in the Temple, He did something about it: “He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!’” (John 2:13-16).
There are some things that just don’t belong in God’s house! There are certain behaviors that are not appropriate in God’s house. The Temple is God’s house. But God can live in more than one place. Paul tells us that we are God’s temples, too, if we are Christians! “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). “For we are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). Since your body is a temple of God, what are some things that don’t belong in it?
God tells us to stay away from unclean meat and those things that are not good for us to eat. But we also need to stay away from behaviors or actions that are not right. We should stay away from using bad language and thinking wrong thoughts. We need to avoid the wrong kind of anger. We absolutely want to stay away from drugs. All of these things contaminate our body and our spirits. We certainly don’t want to dirty the Temple of the living God. God doesn’t want to be around anything that is unclean. God’s “eyes are too pure to look on evil; He cannot tolerate wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13).
Jesus wanted His Temple to be a clean place of worship, so He drove out the animals, doves and moneychangers. Those wrong actions in the Temple contaminated it. In the same way, our wrong thoughts and actions contaminate our bodies, and we need to make sure our bodies and hearts are clean. It’s too big a task for us to do on our own, but Jesus will help. He drove the animals and moneychangers from the Temple in Jerusalem. If you will ask Him, He’ll will help you get rid of bad language, the wrong kind of anger and bad behavior.
It’s important that we don’t allow wrong things to stay in our lives. We cannot be the Temple of the living God and continue to let unclean thoughts and actions be a part of our lives. Wrong thoughts and actions are like the toxic wastes we talked about at the beginning of the lesson. God commands His people to be holy because He is holy (I Peter 1:16). So “let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Dear Father,
Thank you for showing me that your Temple needs to be clean. Help me to rely on you to make myself a clean place for you to live.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 21:12-13
Monday - 1 Corinthians 3:10-17
Tuesday - John 2:13-17
Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
Thursday - 1 Peter 1:13-16
Friday - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Saturday - Ezekiel 44:23-24
Psalm 37:3-5
Ecclesiastes 5:1-5
Matthew 26:17-30
Mark 14:12-25
Luke 22:7-38
1 Corinthians 11:26
1 Corinthians 11:23-30
Hebrews 9:15-22
SYMBOLIZES - stands for something else.
REPRESENTS - stands for something else; in this case, the bread represents
Christ’s body.
COVENANT - agreement, deal.
COMMITMENT - a promise to do something.
REMEMBRANCE - to bring back the memories of something.
The Passover was approaching. Jesus’ disciples went to Him and asked: “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?
“He said, ‘Go into the city. Go up to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand: I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.’ And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover” (Matthew 26:18,19 NASB).
After sunset, Jesus and His 12 disciples were sitting around the table. During this Last Supper, He said, “I have something hard to say to you: One of you is going to betray me tonight.” That came as a real shock to these men. All of them considered themselves to be Jesus’ friends. They were very hurt by His statement. They all began to ask if they would be the one who would betray Him. Jesus told them that He would dip his bread in the bowl and give it to the person who would betray Him. He went on to explain that it would have been better had that man never lived. Jesus gave Judas the bread He’d dipped in the bowl. Later that very night Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver to the men who would kill Him. The next day Judas hung himself.
Taking this Passover was extremely important to Jesus. He knew it would be the last Passover He would observe before He died for our sins, was resurrected, went to heaven and returned to set up His Kingdom here on earth. He knew that He would be brutally killed on that very Passover.
Every year during the spring we observe the Passover. It is a very sober, but necessary ceremony. Why? It is because of what the Passover pictures that this lesson will show you.
Jesus continued the Passover observance with His disciples. He took a cup of wine and blessed it. He said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”
So first, what is a covenant? It is an agreement made between two parties. Jesus was one of the parties to this agreement. When we repent of our sins, accept Christ as our Savior and are baptized, we enter into an agreement, or covenant with Jesus. Jesus’ part of the agreement is to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life. Your part of the agreement is to trust and obey Him. You commit to following Him, come what may, for the rest of your life. Why? Because you love Jesus so much and the reward of receiving eternal life is so awesome!
The reason we observe the Passover every year is to renew this covenant with Jesus Christ. Before we take the Passover, we think deeply on our sins. We confess that we’ve sinned and ask forgiveness. We purpose in our hearts to be faithful to our covenant with Jesus as our Savior.
So what about the wine that is in the cup that we drink at the Passover. It is used as a symbol of Jesus’ blood that He shed when He was crucified for our sins that Passover. He- brews 9:22 says, “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Sin is so bad that before anyone could be forgiven of his sins, blood had to be shed. Jesus never sinned. He lived a perfect life. So He didn’t deserve to die. But because He was perfect and never sinned, He qualified to die for our sins. He loved the world – the people in it – so much that He willingly shed His blood for our sins so we could be forgiven.
Then Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to His disciples. He told them to eat it: “This is My body.” Just as the wine was a symbol for Jesus’ blood, the unleavened bread was a symbol for Jesus’ body. Why His body? Before Jesus gave the disciples this unleavened bread, He broke it. Why? Jesus knew that before He died, He would be beaten and His body would be broken for us. It wasn’t enough for Jesus to shed His blood and die for our sins.
Isaiah 53:5 says “But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we might have peace; he was lashed – and we were healed!” Jesus took this beating so we can go to Him and ask Him to heal us when we’re sick. So taking the bread as a symbol of Jesus’ broken body is also very important.
Each year in the spring, Christians gather on the Passover night. We break bread and every person who has been baptized takes a little piece. We drink a tiny cup of wine. We read what Christ said to His disciples that night. We remember that the bread represents Christ’s broken body for us. We think about the wine being a symbol of Christ’s blood that was shed so we can have forgiveness for our sins. We renew our covenant with Christ and purpose to live a better life throughout the next year. This is a very serious night. But it is a night with awesome hope. It is the way to eternal life. On the Passover Jesus made it possible through His death for us to live with Him in His Kingdom.
How much do you love Jesus? Do you thank Him each day for being willing to die for your sins? When you’re baptized and begin taking the Passover, remember this lesson as you do. In the meantime, try to live a life that will please Jesus Christ, your Savior.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving us the gift of your Son, and the reminder of what He has done for each of us. Help me to know when I am ready to make the commitment to follow you always.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 26:17-19
Monday - Ecclesiastes 5:1-5
Tuesday - Mark 14:12-25
Wednesday - 1 Corinthians 11:23-30
Thursday - Luke 22:8-21
Friday - Psalm 37:3-5
Saturday - Hebrews 9:15-22
Matthew 26:36-46
Matthew 26:39
Luke 22:39-46
John 18:1-12
Romans 8:16-18
Romans 8:28
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Hebrews 2:14-18
1 Peter 2:21-24
SUFFERING - pain and sorrow
AGONY - another word for pain or sorrow
TORTURE - when other people intentionally hurt you very badly
ENDURE - something that you have to go through, you have to put up with
ANGUISH - extreme pain or sorrow
GETHSEMANE - a garden on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed
Have you ever had to do something that was so hard that you tried everything you could to get out of it? Perhaps you had to apologize for something you did to someone who was not kind. Maybe you had to clean up a mess – that you didn’t even make. Maybe you had to give a class report when you hadn’t done as good a job on it as you should have. Perhaps you have to walk past the bully’s house on your way to school every day.
Jesus knows what things you suffer through. He knows why. And most importantly, He cares. The Bible tells us many times that He cares about us. Part of the reason Jesus cares about the hard things you have to put up with is because of His sufferings when He was killed. Jesus knew He was going to be killed. He also knew how painful His death would be. He knew that He was going to be tortured. He knew that He would have to suffer many things. His Father sent Him to live on this earth so that we would know that Jesus understands what hard things we go through.
Okay! We know that Jesus understands our pain and our troubles. Doesn’t He love us enough to take the pain and trouble away? We may ask this question because we don’t completely understand what God is doing. We do know that Jesus experienced those same feelings of wanting God to take the suffering away. Matthew 26:36-46 tells us about it.
Jesus knew the suffering that was ahead of Him just before He died. He went into the garden of Gethsemane to pray. He told his disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Jesus was so upset that He said it was, “to the point of death!” That’s extreme sorrow!
“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground . . .” We often pray to God when we’re in trouble and need His help. But how many times have we been so in need of God’s help that we would fall on our faces? Jesus actions show us that He knew just what He was going to have to suffer!
Then Jesus prayed to His Father and asked Him to please find another way so that He wouldn’t have to suffer this way. Jesus was praying so hard that He sweat great drops of blood. Only a person feeling extreme anguish and strain would sweat great drops of blood. Jesus knew He was going to die, but He really didn’t want to have to suffer in that way.
Even though Jesus asked His Father not to make Him go through the suffering, Jesus prayed that not His own will, but God’s will be done. That’s the key. If there had been any other way for our sins to be forgiven, God would never have sent His only begotten Son to go through such terrible torture and to die such a horrible death. But it was the only way.
This teaches us several things. First, we know that Jesus understands when we are suffering. Secondly, we know that we can always go to God, our Heavenly Father, and ask Him to take away the suffering and pain if we don’t have to go through it. And finally, if He doesn’t take the hard things from us, there is some reason why it has to be just that way. If you love God, if you try to please Him by doing what He asks you can believe that God will not make you go through anything that you don’t need to go through. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Being a Christian doesn’t protect you from all pain. Being a child of God will give you the peace of knowing that God is in control of your life. You have to believe that God never gives you more than you can bear. God truly wants the best for you. Because you know that your Heavenly Father loves you, you can pray, “Thy will be done.”
Dear Father,
Thank you for sending your Son to experience the suffering and death that He did. Thank you for knowing and caring about the pain that we all go through. Help us to bring all of our sorrows and pains to you, because you really do care.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 26:36-41
Monday - 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Tuesday - Romans 8:16-18
Wednesday - Luke 22:39-46
Thursday - 1 Peter 2:21-24
Friday - Hebrews 2:14-18
Saturday - John 18:1-12
Proverbs 17:26
Isaiah 53:7
Matthew 27:11-25
Romans 2:1-3
Romans 3:21-26
Romans 6:15-23
1 Peter 2:13-20
PUNISHMENT - negative consequences to an action
PENALTY- suffering decided on by the law because of a crime
INNOCENT - not guilty
ACCUSE - to say someone did something wrong
NOTORIOUS - someone famous, usually unfavorably
FLOGGED - beaten very badly
CRUCIFY - to put to death by nailing the hands and feet to a cross or stake
Denise was four years old and loved riding her tricycle! She’d spend hours pretending she was driving her car to the grocery store. If she parked her tricycle at the doghouse, she would pretend she was at K-mart.
Kirsti was a year younger than Denise, but she was still great fun to play with. The two sisters spent many afternoons running errands on their tricycles and visiting each other. When the girls were done playing, they knew that Mom and Dad had one rule: The tricycles had to be out of the way.
One day Denise and Kirsti decided to switch tricycles. When it was time to go inside, they put the trikes in the garage. When Dad came home, Denise was in big trouble. Her tricycle was right in the middle of the back garage doorway! Dad was mad! Denise took one look at his face and knew better than to say anything. She was spanked soundly and sent out to put the tricycle where it would be out of the way.
Oh, it was so unfair! She’d just been punished for something that she hadn’t even done!
Have you ever been punished unfairly? Have you ever taken the rap for something that someone else had done?
That’s what Jesus Christ did. “Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor” (Matthew 27:11).
The chief priests and elders were accusing Jesus of things He had not done to find a way to justify killing Him. To the amazement of Pilate, the governor, Jesus didn’t try to defend Himself. He stayed silent. Can you imagine being in a situation where you wouldn’t say anything when someone was accusing you falsely? The situation Jesus was in got worse after that.
“Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message, Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him’” (Matthew 27:15-19).
Pilate, the governor, knew that Jesus really hadn’t done anything wrong. Pilate’s wife was telling him that she also believed that Jesus was innocent. So Pilate gave the people a choice. He gave the crowd a chance to release an innocent man. Let’s look at the choices. Barabbas was a murderer! Jesus Christ was not guilty of anything! Look at what happened.
“But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?,’ asked the governor. ‘Barabbas,’ they answered. ‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?’ Pilate asked. They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’ ‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him.’ ” (Matthew 27:20-23).
Here was Jesus Christ’s chance to be released from prison. Pilate knew He wasn’t guilty. But the people asked that a murderer be released instead. Can you imagine what Pilate must have been thinking? Can you imagine how Jesus felt?
Then, because the crowd was getting out of control, Pilate washed his hands of the whole thing. Pilate said to the people, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility!” Then he released Barabbas. He had Jesus flogged, and then sent Him to be crucified.
Remember Denise? She calmly took the punishment that wasn’t hers. Jesus Christ calmly took the punishment that wasn’t His because He knew that it was God’s will. That was the only way to pay the penalty for all of the sins for each of us. Jesus knew exactly what He would have to suffer before the trial ever began. He willingly did it anyway. For you– and me. He didn’t say a word.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for the sins of everyone who believes and trusts in Him.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 27:11-14
Monday - Matthew 27:15-25
Tuesday - Proverbs 17:26
Wednesday - 1 Peter 2:13-20
Thursday - Romans 2:1-3
Friday - Romans 3:21-26
Saturday - Romans 6:15-23
Isaiah 53:4-7
Matthew 27:27-51
Mark 15:15-41
Mark 15:39
Romans 5:6-10
CRUCIFY - to lift up a person on a cross or stake, to nail the hands and feet to the cross, and leave until dead.
CENTURION - Roman military officer.
GOLGOTHA - the Place of the Skull, where Jesus was crucified.
AGONY - extreme pain or suffering.
SACRIFICE - giving up or suffering something, in this case, Jesus’s life.
Bob was waiting for the afternoon service to start at the Feast of Tabernacles. A stranger walked up to him and asked if he could tell him the time. Bob turned to him and said, “No, I’m sorry. I don’t have a watch.” Then the stranger did something amazing. He gave Bob a brand-new, expensive watch. What a wonderful thing to do!
What was the most wonderful thing that someone has ever done for you?
Jesus Christ dying for our sins is the most wonderful thing that anyone ever did for us. He died so that we wouldn’t have to die. To make it even more incredible, Jesus Christ died a horrible death. It was not easy or fun. Christ died for each person who believes and trusts in Him. Let’s look at the story.
After the trial, Pilate handed Jesus over to the soldiers to be crucified, but they didn’t crucify Jesus right away. First they made fun of Him. “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him” (Matthew 27:28-30, NIV). Do you see that they not only made fun of Him, they also spit on Him and beat a crown of thorns into His head? This was all part of Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
Next they led Jesus away to crucify Him. Jesus had to carry His own stake to Golgotha, which was where He would be crucified. He had been beaten so badly that He couldn’t carry His stake. A man named Simon, from a city called Cyrene, in North Africa, carried the stake for Jesus.
When they got to Golgotha, they offered Jesus wine mixed with gall to drink. Tradition says that the women of Jerusalem would give this pain-killing drink to the prisoners who were about to be crucified. Jesus refused to drink it. As He suffered, the soldiers who crucified Jesus gambled to see who would get His seamless robe.
A sign was nailed to Jesus’ stake that said, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” As people walked by the stake, they shouted insults at Jesus. These people included the Chief Priests, teachers of the law, and the elders. They said, “Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the robbers, who were crucified on either side of Jesus, made fun of Him. Breathing was difficult for a prisoner with his feet nailed to the stake and his hands nailed above his head. Imagine the pain! Now imagine how you would feel if you were the prisoner and people all around you are making fun of you. Jesus did it all for you – so your sins can be forgiven. But you must believe and trust in Him.
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ – which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” Then after He had cried out once more, He died. “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split” (Matthew 27: 46, 50, 51). “And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39).
The men who were crucified on either side of Jesus were robbers. But Jesus had done nothing wrong. He lived a perfect life, yet He died a horrible and painful death. But, that’s not the end of the story!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving your Son to die for the sins of those who believe and trust in you.
In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 27:27-33
Monday - Matthew 27:34-44
Tuesday - Matthew 27:45-50
Wednesday - Isaiah 53:4-7
Thursday - Mark 15:15-23
Friday - Mark 15:24-31
Saturday - Romans 5:6-10
Matthew 12:40
Mark 8:31-32
Mark 10:32-34
Luke 24:1-8
John 2:19-22
John 20:1-16
Acts 13:33-35
Romans 6:5-9
RESURRECTION - coming back to life after being truly dead.
REBUKE- to criticize, to strongly disapprove of an action or speech.
Have you ever noticed what happens when someone important or famous dies? When England’s Princess Di was in a terrible car wreck the world waited anxiously to see if she would live. Then the sad news came that she was dead. For days, television stations showed pictures of her royal wedding to Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and told about her many good works.
What happens when someone you know really well dies? All of a sudden, you are the one who is crying and looking for a hug to try to help you feel better. Death is some- thing that we all have to experience at one time or another. That’s just life.
Let’s imagine that you became a good friend of someone who told you that he was going to die a horrible death.
Wouldn’t you be really sad and hope and pray that it wouldn’t happen? But what if he told you he was going to live again after three days? Would you think he was just talking or dreaming? After all, when someone dies, they are dead. We don’t get to talk to them again in just three days.
Jesus told His disciples that He was going to die a horrible death. His death would be like we’ve talked about in the last three lessons. Jesus also told them that He would remain in the grave for three days and three nights. Jesus didn’t just tell them once. We read in the Gospels that He told them several times.
One day Jesus was talking with His disciples and, “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him” (Mark 8:31-32).
Another time Jesus and the disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. He told them what was going to happen to Him when they got to Jerusalem. He said that He would be arrested and tried before the chief priests and Jewish leaders. These religious people would sentence Him to die at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Before the Romans would kill Him, they would mock Him, spit on Him, and flog Him with a whip. But after all of this bad news, Jesus gave them some good news. He said that He would only be dead for three days and then He would come back to life.
During Jesus’ trial He also told the religious leaders that He would come back to life in three days. The way Jesus put it was, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They didn’t understand what He was saying. (They thought He was talking about the Temple rather than His own body.) So they replied back to Him, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
In Matthew 12:40 Jesus told the Pharisees and teachers of the law, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Why is this so important? It is important because Jesus said the length of time He was in the grave was proof that He was the Messiah, or the Savior of the world. He was dead for three days and three nights. It was not any more or any less! That’s very important!
Since Jesus said we would know that He was the Messiah by the length of time that He was in the grave, was He really there for three days and three nights? For us to know if He was, we have to know what happened those three days. Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, which was the Passover. After He was pronounced dead, a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Joseph had to rush to get the body ready for burial, because a Holy Day would begin at sunset and he couldn’t work (John 19:31, 42). That Holy Day was Thursday, the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Holy Days are also called High Days or Sabbaths in the Bible.
It’s wrong to work or buy things on a Holy Day. Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary, the mother of James, rested on the Holy Day. After sunset on Thursday they went to buy spices to embalm Jesus’ body (Mark16:1). It must have taken a lot of time to prepare the spices for embalming. They spent Friday doing this. By the time they had finished, the sun was setting. The Sabbath began at sunset, and they rested that day (Luke 23:56).
Very early Sunday morning these same ladies took the spices, which they had bought and prepared, to the tomb where Jesus had been buried. When they walked up, they were surprised. The stone had been rolled away! An angel was sitting inside the tomb. All of the linen cloths that Joseph had wrapped Jesus in were there as well. But Jesus wasn’t. The angel said, “Jesus, which was crucified, is not here, He is risen. Go tell the disciples that He is risen. Go, and you will see Him.”
It was unbelievable! They knew Jesus was dead. But they saw inside the tomb and He wasn’t there. Jesus was alive! Not only that, Jesus Christ lives today! That’s the wonderful truth for you and me!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for raising your Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead after three days and three nights, just like you had planned. Help me to live my life knowing that Jesus still lives today.
In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Sunday - Mark 10:32-34
Monday - Acts 13:33-35
Tuesday - Luke 24:1-8
Wednesday - John 2:19-22
Thursday - John 20:1-10
Friday - John 20:11-16
Saturday - Romans 6:5-9
Psalm 27:1-5
Matthew 28:1-10
Mark 16:1-14
Luke 24:8-11
John 20:29
John 20:29-31
Galatians 2:20
Hebrews 11:1-2
CONFIRMATION - the act of showing that something is true.
MIRACULOUS - being a miracle.
EYEWITNESS - the person who saw the event with their own eyes; they were there.
Imagine that three days ago you watched someone you love die. You know he is dead. You were there. And yet, today people are telling you that the person who died is actually alive. Would you believe them?
Maybe Jesus knew that His followers would doubt His resurrection from the dead. Could that be the reason why Jesus showed Himself to so many people after He was resurrected?
It was early Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to Jesus’ tomb. There was an earthquake and the earth beneath their feet shook. An angel from heaven rolled aside the stone that was in front of the tomb. The angel’s clothes were brilliant white and his face shone like lightning. This scared the guards so much that they fainted.
As the women walked up, they saw the angel sitting on that stone. This also frightened the ladies. But the angel spoke to them and said, “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, but he isn’t here! For he has come back to life again, just as he said he would. Come in and see where his body was lying. . .” The angel gave instructions to the ladies to go tell the disciples that Jesus was alive, and that they would see Him in Galilee.
The ladies hurried away from the tomb. They were very excited and filled with joy. Suddenly, Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
An angel gave these ladies this wonderful news. Jesus also gave the message to them. The first thing He said was, “Do not be afraid.” He must have known that people would not believe that He was actually alive. The women were filled with joy. They had trusted the angel. But now they had real proof! When Mary Magdalene found the disciples their eyes had tears in them. They were still grieving over Jesus’ death. But Mary Magdalene’s grief was over. She said with great joy that she had seen Jesus, and He was alive! But they didn’t believe her!
The women were the first eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! Because it was such a remarkable event, the disciples didn’t believe it. In fact, Mark tells us, “Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.”
Why was it so difficult to believe that Jesus was alive again? Jesus thought His disciples should have believed. Before His death He told them He would be raised on the third day. After the resurrection He showed Himself to the women and two others. “Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen”(Mark 16:14).
Thomas was a twin. He was also one of Jesus’ disciples, but he wasn’t there when the other disciples first saw Jesus alive. They kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord.” Doubting Thomas refused to believe the disciples when they said Jesus was alive. He said that he wouldn’t believe it until he put his fingers into the nail prints in Jesus’ hands. He even wanted more proof. He also wanted to put his own hand in Jesus’ side where the sword was thrust.
A little over a week passed and the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus suddenly appeared in the room and greeted them. No, He didn’t have to open the door to get in. After Jesus’ resurrection He was able to go anywhere He wanted to.
Jesus knew that Thomas doubted. So He said, “Put your fingers into my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
Today we are where Thomas was before he saw Jesus alive. We have not seen Jesus Christ alive, in human form, in front of our eyes. But we do believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We believe that He died for us, and was raised from the dead on the third day. Why do we believe these things? One reason is because Jesus had eye-witnesses to these events. These people were very moved and changed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. These events made them willing to suffer many things, even death, to tell the story of Jesus to the whole world.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the disciples, who were eye witnesses. They help us believe in you. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ.
In His name we pray.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 28:1-6
Monday - Galatians 2:20
Tuesday - Mark 16:9-13
Wednesday - Hebrews 11:1-2
Thursday - Luke 24:8-11
Friday - Psalm 27:1-5
Saturday - John 20:29-31
Mark 16:19
Luke 24:44-53
Acts 1:6-11
Romans 5:1-3
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 7:23-27
1 Timothy 2:3-6
Hebrews 12:2
INTERCEDE - to come between two people to try to resolve the conflict
MERCY - kindness and forgiveness when a penalty is due
INTERCESSOR - someone who intercedes for another
REPENT - to feel sorry for your actions and to make a change
SYMPATHIZE - to understand and share the feelings of someone else
CONFIDENCE - free from fear of disapproval or failure
Stacy’s little brother, Matt, had broken the huge living room window of a neighbor’s house with a foul ball. Yep, Matt was going to be in big trouble, Stacy thought regretfully. Stacy often thought that Matt was a pest, but she really liked her little brother. She really hated to see him get into trouble.
Stacy decided to see what she could do to help ease the situation with her parents. She walked into the kitchen and started setting the table for dinner. Her mom asked how her day at school had been and Stacy told her about the big pep rally. It didn’t take long before her mother was excited about the next game. Stacy knew this was the best time to tell her mom about Matt breaking the picture window. Stacy’s mother didn’t like what she was hearing, but she understood what had happened. Matt ended up getting grounded. He had to promise to turn over his allowance until he had paid for the picture window. Matt felt that he had gotten off pretty lightly – everything considered. That’s why he knocked on Stacy’s bedroom door later that evening. He wanted to thank her for interceding with his parents for him. She was really the best sister a guy could have!
Have you ever wondered what happened to Jesus after He was resurrected from the tomb? What does He do now? Did you wonder whether His work with us was finished after He died for those who believe in Him? We will talk about what His job is now in a minute. First, let’s look at what happened after Jesus was seen by so many people.
“He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: That Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:44-49). Jesus spent more time teaching His disciples, opening their minds to understand what was written in the Bible, and getting them ready for what He wanted them to do next.
Acts 1:8 records that Jesus told them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We’ll talk more about this in Lesson Ten.
What did Christ do after He had said all of these things to His disciples? “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (Acts 1:9). Was Jesus just somewhere up in the clouds? You know from your memory verse, Mark 16:19, that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.”
What is Jesus doing now? One thing that Jesus is doing is interceding for us with the Father. It’s kind of like the story of Stacy and Matt. Stacy loves and understands her little brother. She doesn’t want him to get into big trouble. Jesus is like our Older Brother who loves us and doesn’t want us to get into trouble either. Jesus saves us from getting into trouble because He died for us. Now He sits beside our Father in heaven and, “He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
Do you understand how important it is to have Jesus interceding for us? Without Jesus we would be in really big trouble. Everybody sins, and the penalty for sin is death. Jesus’ death pays the penalty for our sins, but it is not automatic. We must go before God to say we’re sorry for what we’ve done, and that we never intend to do it again. That means we repent. When we do repent, Jesus is there to understand and to intercede. He knows what it means to be human. Because he knows, Jesus can sit beside God the Father to intercede for us when we repent for having done something wrong. Praise God that we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the incredible gift of Your Son, Jesus, who lives to intercede for us when we repent before you!
In His name we pray.
Amen.
Sunday - Luke 24:44-53
Monday - Acts 1:6-11
Tuesday - Hebrews 12:2
Wednesday - Romans 5:1-3
Thursday - Hebrews 4:14-16
Friday - Hebrews 7:23-27
Saturday - 1 Timothy 2:3-6
Ecclesiastes 5:15
Matthew 6:19-21
Matthew 28:16-20
Matthew 28:19-20
John 1:35-42
John 3:16
John 14:6
Romans 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 1:17-24
Ephesians 3:16-4:1
Colossians 2:1-6
1 Peter 2:12
1 Peter 3:13-17
OPPORTUNITY - a chance to do something
TREASURE - something that is worth a lot
On January 24,1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California. That started one of the largest movements of people across the country in our history. People were attracted to the idea of finding gold and becoming rich overnight simply by digging. Today we call those early prospectors “forty-niners.” News of the gold strike made its way back east. People traveled west in search of their fortune.
When the gold was gone in California, more gold was discovered in Idaho, Alaska, and later in Cripple Creek, Colorado. So much silver was mined in Nevada that today Nevada’s nickname is “The Silver State.” Much later, “black gold” was found in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and other states. You probably know “black gold” as oil.
The miners hoped to get rich quick through these discoveries. They wanted the money to buy whatever their hearts desired. Even today, many people hope to make enough money (by gambling, lottery, luck, inheritance, and occasionally by hard work) that they won’t have to work anymore.
There is a problem with gold, silver, oil, money, diamonds, or whatever material treasure you desire. The world does not contain enough of these things for everyone to be rich. If everyone could have as much gold as he or she wanted, gold wouldn’t be worth very much anymore. Some people fight over gold and money. Some try to save it, but most spend more of it than they have.
The really crazy thing about money and valuables is they don’t last. Money is only good as long as you have it. When you eventually die, what good are those riches? King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 5:15, “Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.”
You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t take it with you.” Money does you no good after you’re dead, so what’s the use of chasing after any treasure? Well, there is one treasure that is very much worth looking for! This treasure is not hard to find, but many people don’t recognize it. This treasure can be shared with everyone, but not many know how much it is truly worth. This treasure is something that you already know a lot about. Are you willing to share this treasure with others? It means the difference between life and death for everyone. Do you know what the treasure is?
This incredible treasure means life for those who find it. This treasure is Jesus Christ. Really! Paul says in Colossians 2:3, that in Jesus “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” But more than wisdom and knowledge, Jesus Christ is life for each of us. Jesus told us, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). The only way to eternal life is to believe in Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Do you truly believe that this is the greatest treasure? Are you willing to share this treasure with others?
Some of Jesus’ last words are a command to tell others about Himself. We must tell others about Jesus’ life, His death, His resurrection, and His work in us today. Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
How do you tell others about Jesus Christ? One of the best ways to get people to listen is by living your life as a Christian. If you are loving, kind, generous, and helpful, many people will be attracted by the love of God that shines through you. By allowing God to work in your life to do good deeds to others, you will have opportunities to talk to people about Jesus Christ. “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). In this case, actions speak a lot louder than words!
You have an opportunity to share a treasure that is worth far more than gold and silver. God may give you the opportunity to share Jesus Christ with someone who is ready to listen to the story of Jesus’ life and what Jesus has done for those who believe in Him. If you are willing to be used by God, who knows how many people could be in God’s kingdom?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me know when to tell others about Jesus Christ. Help me to live my life so that people will want to know about your Son.
In His name we pray.
Amen.
Sunday - Matthew 28:16-20
Monday - Colossians 2:1-6
Tuesday - 1 Corinthians 1:17-24
Wednesday - 1 Peter 3:13-17
Thursday - Ephesians 3:16-4:1
Friday - Romans 12:1-2
Saturday - John 1:35-42
