Erin M Diericx and her mom

Peace be with you!

There is nothing more intimidating than being interrogated by your mother. Somehow mothers always know the truth, even before and in the midst of questioning you.[i] My mother always catches me in my lies right away. For example, when I try to change plans with her so I can go out with friends, she says, “Just tell me you want to go out with your friends instead of coming here for dinner,” or “Fine, just go out with your friends. I have not seen you in two weeks, but go out with them.” Mothers’ sixth sense allows them to know their children’s needs, wants, and behaviors even before they can vocalize them.

Jesus knows his disciples’ needs, wants, and behaviors like a parent does. In John 21:1-19, Jesus appears to seven of his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias for a third and final time after his resurrection. Presumably Peter and the other disciples have gone back to their previous occupation after Jesus dies. One night the seven disciples go fishing and catch no fish (John 21:3). At dawn, the disciples see a man on the shore who tells them to put their net on the other side of the boat, and when they do, they caught so many that they cannot bring the net in (John 21:5-6).

Although the disciples do not recognize the man as Jesus, but curiously, they do as he suggests—casting the net on the right side of the boat (John 21:6). A few scholars suggest the disciples may have been desperate to catch fish, or maybe they just loved fishing. I would like to think that their subconscious realizes the man is Jesus before they can register the thought. The disciples are loyal and obedient to Jesus, even when they do not realize it. Jesus is also loyal to his disciples by coming to them between giving them the Holy Spirit and the pouring out of the Spirit on the whole church at Pentecost. He reassures the disciples that he remembers his promise to enable them to spread the good news. Jesus never leaves the disciples’ side, even after his death and resurrection. Jesus does everything in his power to help the disciples to fulfill his commission to them to spread the good news and to share God’s love with the world.[ii]

Then the beloved disciple realizes the man is the resurrected Lord and tells Peter (John 21:7). Peter is overwhelmingly excited to see Jesus; he jumps overboard, and swims to shore, leaving the other disciples bring the boat and fish to shore (John 21:7-8). When the disciples are on shore, Jesus asks for some fish to put over the fire for breakfast and breaks bread, which might remind them of the feeding of the five thousand and the Last Supper. The fact Jesus already has fish on the fire demonstrates how he always has our backs. Jesus always finds a way to enable us to spread the good news and to share God’s love in the world. Jesus will always give us the tools we need to do God’s work. Yet by asking for some fish the disciples caught, Jesus also demonstrates how he finds ways to use our unique gifts in order to do his work in the world. Jesus uses our gifts for his glory.[iii]

Then the breakfast conversation gets serious: Jesus interrogates Peter, who denied knowing him three times during Jesus’s trial. Jesus knows Peter denied knowing him three times, just as he predicted (John 13:38; 18:17, 25-27). Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. In Greek, there are three different words for love, which are eros (romantic love, a self-serving love), philos (love between friends), and agape (self-giving love). When Jesus questions Peter and Peter replies, the two of them use different words for love.[iv]

The first and second time Jesus asks, “Peter, do you love (agapē) me?” and Peter answers, “Of course, Lord. I love (philos) you, you know that” (see John 21:15-16). Jesus wants to know if Peter deeply loves him. The third time Jesus asks, “Peter, do you love (philos) me?” and Peter answers, “Of course, Lord, I love (philos) you; you know everything” (see John 21:17).[v] In other places of the Gospel of John, agapē is used to describe divine love (John 3:19; 12:43), while philos describes human love.[vi] Jesus understands Peter cannot love him as deeply as he loves him. Jesus knows Peter loves him, even before the interrogation, yet these questions make Peter uncomfortable. He knows the Lord knows his heart, so why does he keep asking? What point is Jesus trying to make? Jesus’s questions reverse Peter’s three denials of knowing Jesus by restoring his relationship with the Triune God. The interrogation demonstrates the power of the resurrection and God’s forgiveness, grace, and love. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ.

Now Jesus gives Peter a commission: “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep” (see John 21:15-17 NRSV). Saying he loves the Lord is not enough; now Jesus calls upon Peter to put his words into action. Instead of going back to his old life, Jesus instructs Peter to go out into the world and share the good news with anyone and everyone who will listen. Jesus is commissioning Peter to go beyond his small fishing village—his comfort zone—and share his testimony with the world. Following Jesus means facing and going to dangerous situations. It means suffering on behalf of others in order to express God’s love to those who do not know him. It means befriending those who may make you feel uncomfortable. It means welcoming the homeless, the poor, the disfigured, the disabled, and others who are less fortunate to God’s table.

It is not enough to say that you love (philos) the Lord; you also need to demonstrate your love for the Lord through your actions toward others. Your commission is to go out into the world in order to feed and tend to God’s lost sheep. It requires you to go beyond your community by stepping out of your comfort zone in order to bring others into a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. If you see someone who is hungry, give her food. If you see someone who is homeless, give her shelter. If you see someone who is hurting, tend to his wounds. If you see someone who is lonely, welcome him into your community. By doing so, you will nourish and nurture a community centered around God’s love—a selfless love that breaks the barriers of time and space.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us the power of the resurrection. Push us outside of our comfort zones to nourish and nurture our communities. Make your love burn in our hearts, so we are inspired to share your love, forgiveness, and grace with others. Thank you for forgiving us when we fall. Amen.

[ii] Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, vol. 4 of BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 590-591.

[iii] Ibid., 592.

[iv] Frank L. Crouch, “Commentary on John 21:1-19,” Working Preacher, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=569.

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, 596.

Jesus appears to his disciples.
Copyright: Free Bible Images

Peace be with you!

We are addicted to the ways and ideas of the world. We accept what the world says is possible and reject what is impossible. We accept the half-truths and the lies the world tells us. We try to meet the world’s standards by dressing and appearing certain ways in order to hide the scars and emotional baggage of our past. Addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, or [whatever “it” is], further isolate us from others, relationally and even legally. When individuals are caught with illegal drugs in the United States, they are given a criminal record and are further isolated from society, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

In similar ways, we isolate ourselves from God when we give in to the addictions of world—power, wealth, fame, and [whatever “it” is] that separates us from God. In the United States, we focus on being individuals and standing on our own. We are addicted to thinking that we are okay and not broken, and we even tell God that we can do it on our own because that is what the world tells us. We struggle to build meaningful and lasting relationships. We struggle to create authentic communities that would have people who lift up our strengths and lament with us in our brokenness. We struggle to connect with a seemingly distant and unseen Lord.

We struggle with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The world tells us that death gets the last word—you are born, live, and die: the end. There is nothing beyond the grave, and when you study science, that makes sense. When plants die, we can watch them decompose and disappear, and therefore we believe it to be true.

After Mary Magdalene comes and tells the disciples she has seen the Lord, they barricade themselves in a room (John 20:18-19). In fear of the Jews, the disciples create a sense of security by closing and locking the windows and doors—no one should be able to go in or out. The disciples have legitimate reasons to fear the Jews; the Romans had just killed their Lord. Somehow, the Jewish leaders are now allies with the Roman leaders who will kill anyone who does not pledge their allegiance to the Roman Empire.[i] The disciples have pledged their allegiance to Jesus Christ, the Messiah. They followed him for three years until he was crucified. Now the disciples have to face the aftermath of Jesus dying: it is over, done, finished. There will be no more healings. Jesus will not tell any more parables. Despite Mary Magdalene’s report, the disciples are afraid of the aftermath.

We have all been where the disciples are right now. We have all hidden after something—a breakup, traumatic event, illegal activity, or [whatever “it” is]. Some of us run into our rooms, lock the door, and hide in the bed under the blankets. Others pack a bag and put distance between the situation and themselves. Others turn to drugs or alcohol to escape reality, while others may just deny [whatever “it” is] ever happened. The disciples are hiding until they can figure out their next step.

Then Jesus breaks into the locked-up room, greets the disciples (“Peace be with you”), and shows them his wounds (John 20:19-20). The disciples rejoice when they see the risen Lord (John 20:20). They finally get what Jesus meant when he said he would rise after three days and they rejoice that their dear friend who was dead is now alive. Jesus defeats the ways and ideas of the world and breaks into their and our lives. Jesus breaks the rules of the world in order to give us the opportunity to renew our relationship with God the Father. Jesus redefines what is possible.

However, Thomas, a disciple, is not present when Jesus breaks into the room and does not believe the others actually saw Jesus (John 20:24-25). Thomas says, “Listen boys, I have to see Jesus and touch his wounds for myself before I will believe this fairy tale you are telling me” (see John 20:25). We have all had friends who have told us crazy stories that we fell for. Maybe Thomas was known as the gullible one who would believe anything, but this time he is not falling for it. Maybe Thomas cannot get his mind wrapped around Jesus rising from the dead. Whatever the reason, Thomas has his doubts and asks the other disciples to prove it. For a week, the disciples try convincing Thomas that they are telling the truth, though he just does not believe them.

A week after Jesus’s first appearance, the disciples, including Thomas, are locked in the room, and just as they said, Jesus enters the room without opening any doors and says, “Peace be with you” (John 20:26). Then Jesus turns to Thomas and says, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Then Thomas says, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28 NRSV). Thomas gets to see Jesus’s hands, feet, and side where he was nailed to the cross and stabbed. He gets up close and personal and sees Jesus’s wounds, and therefore, he believes.

Thomas sees Jesus, his Lord and his God, within the context of the human condition—as a broken individual—and yet he overcomes the grave for our sake. In The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability, Nancy L. Eiesland writes, “The disabled God emerges in the particular situation in which people with disabilities and others who care [for them] find themselves as they try to live out their faith and to fulfill their calling to live ordinary lives of worth and dignity.”[ii] If people with disabilities are able to imagine God as being disabled, then they are able to see themselves in the image of God, which enforces the important truth that they are a part of God’s good creation. Thomas sees his God taking the form of a human, suffering greatly for his sins, and still claiming victory over the grave.

This is what makes the resurrection so powerful. Jesus conquers the grave but still has his scars. The disciples really could see and touch his wounds. When you deal with your own addictions—drugs, alcohol, Facebook games, gambling, shopping, food, or [whatever “it” is], you still have to fight daily urges and impulses. You still have the scars of your past decisions. You still have the memory and the guilt. However, here is the game changer: Jesus knows our pain and suffering and has the scars to prove it, yet he rises from the dead and ascends into heaven to God the Father. God is not trying to pull a fast one over on us; Jesus really did die on the cross. It was not a magic trick; Jesus really was not breathing in the tomb. Jesus did not have a stunt double; Jesus really did die and rise after three days.

In the same way, you fall and rise time after time again. You fall for the world’s lies, but then you realize the hard truth and you turn back to the Lord. You become addicted to drugs, alcohol, Facebook games, gambling, shopping, or [whatever “it” is], but then you realize it is hurting yourself and others and you turn back to the Lord. You submerge yourself in your brokenness—depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, physical limitations or [whatever “it” is], but then you realize God loves you, despite your brokenness, and you turn back to the Lord. The power of the resurrection is that Jesus falls aside us, and he picks us up time after time again!

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for conquering the grave through Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Help us to turn away from the world’s lies and addictions. Lift us up from our brokenness into your loving arms. Reveal the power of the resurrection through our actions. Thank you for coming alongside us and picking us up, time after time. Amen.

[i] Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John: A Commentary, 2 vols. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005), 1200.

[ii] Nancy L. Eiesland, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994), 98.

Jesus is not in the tomb.
Copyright: Free Bible Images

Peace be with you!

After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women go back to the tomb with spices they have prepared to find the stone rolled back (Luke 24:1-2). The women go in the tomb to discover Jesus’s body is missing (Luke 24:3). First, their Lord whom they had followed for three years was brutally killed, and now his body is missing. All of the women saw Joseph place Jesus’s body, wrapped in linen cloth, in the tomb two nights ago before the Sabbath. Where could it have gone? Who would take it? The absence of Jesus’s body perplexes the women. A dead body just does not get up and walk off; it stays wherever you put it.

Then the women are confused when they suddenly see two angels who frighten them (Luke 24:4). However, the angels say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5-7 NRSV). A light bulb went off in the women’s heads, and they remembered what Jesus had said (Luke 24:8). Nothing about Jesus has ever followed the rules of the world—why should his death be any different? Jesus has risen to be with God the Father. Jesus has risen in order to overcome the grave. No longer is death the final say. Now death is the beginning to the end. No longer does the world claim us with our last breath. Now God the Father and God the Son with God the Holy Spirit claim us and give us new life. This is the power of the Easter story.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women race back to tell the eleven disciples about what the angels told them (Luke 24:9-10). However, the disciples do not believe the women (Luke 24:11). Dead bodies stay where they are laid. Dead bodies do not get up and walk away. The rules of the world say it cannot be done.

Peter runs to the tomb (maybe to prove the women are telling stories, or maybe he believes and has to see for himself), but when he gets there he finds it empty, just as the women had said, and is amazed (Luke 24:12). Peter goes home with faith in knowing the risen Lord.

Having faith is difficult, because it means believing in the impossible—a man can rise after being dead for three days. You want to see it for yourself, like Peter, because it does not happen every day. Sure, Jesus said he would rise again, but that is impossible in our minds. How can it be? God the Father creates a way through Jesus Christ, his only begotten son and our Lord—a true gift.

Having faith is difficult, because it begins with falling back and trusting Jesus will catch you. How many times do we put our trust in someone, only to have them drop us? We have done it countless times. We just cannot trust Jesus’s words when he says he will rise again and we will rise with him. We cannot believe for the single fact that the world says it is impossible. It sounds like a fairy tale—all of our dreams will come true. Having faith is difficult, because we are criticized for believing in the unseen. We are asked (as the women asked the angels) how can it be so? Some people say we believe blindly in something that cannot be.

Yet having faith in the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—gives us such peace. As Christians, we realize God is with us, even during difficult time. We see God working in our lives and recognize the peace and understanding he gives to us. God the Father sent Jesus to die for our sins to give us love, peace, grace, and forgiveness. We cannot earn our way into the kingdom of God on our own merit. We recognize our brokenness, our inability to fix what is broken, and our incapacity to know true forgiveness without the risen Lord. Therefore we recognize our need for Jesus to die on cross, to rise again, and to ascend into heaven to be with God the Father.

This is the truly amazing gift of Easter—the life-giving gift where Jesus overcame death and provides us with a way to enter the kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing us the empty tomb. Help us to grasp the Easter miracle as we go about our day. Remind us that you will catch us when we fall. Give us strength when we are criticized for having faith in the impossible. Raise us up when we take last breath and give us new life. Thank you for your love, peace, grace, and forgiveness. Amen.

Jospeh and the women put Jesus in a tomb.
Copyright: Free Bible Images

Peace be with you!

Not all of the Jewish leaders agreed with the majority decision to get rid of him. After Jesus dies yesterday, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council shows his dissent by going to Pilate and asking for Jesus’s body (Luke 23:50-52). Luke tells us this story because he wants us to fully understand that Jesus is now dead. Because Joseph cares for Jesus’s body, he is in a position to assess and witness to this fact. Only dead bodies are placed in tombs.

Joseph takes great care with Jesus’s body, taking it down from the cross and wrapping it in linen cloth (Luke 23:53). Because the Sabbath is beginning at dusk, Joseph lays the dead Jesus in his own new tomb (Luke 23:53-54). Although Joseph is a Jewish authority figure, he gives Jesus a burial of honor after his unjust execution as a criminal.

Joseph does not hide his actions. The Galilean women (probably Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary mother of James, as noted in Luke 24:10) follow Joseph to the tomb and see where he lays Jesus’s body (Luke 23:55). The women who cared for Jesus during his ministry follow him to the cross and the grave. Their devotion stands in contrast to the fearful betrayals and denials of some of the disciples.

Since it is the Sabbath, Joseph and the women go home to rest according to the commandment (Luke 23:56). They are faithfully following the Ten Commandments and honoring their Lord. Their devotion to Jesus never ceases, even in his death. After the Sabbath, the woman will return with prepared spices and ointments to care for Jesus’ body (23:56). The women’s love for Jesus goes beyond death and the grave; they will keep his love and ministry alive.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Jesus is crucified by Roman soldiers.
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Peace be with you!

Pilate hands Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him (see Luke 23:24-25), despite his own belief in Jesus’s innocence. The Roman soldiers lead Jesus to the Place of the Skull (see Luke 23:26, 33). Weakened by the floggings, Jesus can barely carry his crossbeam, so the soldiers draft Simon of Cyrene to carry it instead (see Luke 23:26). A crowd follows Jesus, and the women wail and beat their breasts in sorrow (see Luke 23:27).

Jesus turns to the women and says, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:28-31 NRSV). Jesus is saying that the Jewish nation along with Jerusalem is going to have difficult times ahead. Family members will fight among themselves in his name. The women are weeping for the wrong reason; Jesus calls them to weep for themselves for there will be more trouble in the future.

Jesus, along with two criminals, is led to the Place of the Skull to be crucified. One criminal is crucified on Jesus’s left and the other one on his right (see Luke 23:33). “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing,” Jesus calls out as the soldiers cast lots for his clothing (see Luke 23:34). Even as Jesus is dying, he calls for God the Father to forgive the ones who crucified him. Jesus seeks forgiveness for the Jewish authorities, because they do not understand what they are doing; after all, the crucifixion fits mysteriously into God’s plan of salvation.

The soldiers continue to mock Jesus by offering him sour wine (see Luke 23:36) even as he hangs dying on the cross. They call out, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself” (Luke 23:37 NRSV). The soldiers even hang an inscription over him: “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38 NRSV). The soldiers taunt Jesus; they have finally stopped him. He who saved others cannot save himself.

The two criminals even join in the mocking and wailing:

“One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:39-43 NRSV).

The first criminal, like the soldiers, mocks Jesus for being the King of the Jews, telling Jesus to save both himself and the criminals. The first criminal sees Jesus as defeated and mocks him for not saving himself or the two criminals. The first criminal’s request is selfish and is meant to taunt Jesus. The second criminal accepts Jesus as the Messiah and asks him to remember him when Jesus is heaven. By asking Jesus to remember him, the second criminal echoes the cries of individuals facing danger and death in the Old Testament, like when Joseph asked his fellow prisoner to remember him when he was released (see Genesis 40:14) or when Hannah prayed for God to remember her (see 1 Samuel 1:11). Even close to death, Jesus offers the second criminal forgiveness and promises to see him in Paradise.

Darkness covers the land from noon until three in the afternoon, and the temple’s curtain is torn in two pieces (see Luke 23:44-45). The darkness symbolizes that the Lord’s work is not fulfilled, for Jesus’s death is only part of God’s plan. The curtain torn in two symbolizes God being for all people, not just for the Jews. There is no longer a barrier between humanity and God. The Gentiles are now invited into the kingdom of God.

With his last breath, Jesus cries out, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46 NRSV). Even in death, Jesus gives himself to God the Father. Jesus never wavers in his love for God the Father.

The Centurion, a Gentile, makes the final statement on Jesus’s death: “Certainly this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47 NRSV). The Roman government never sees Jesus as guilty; he is innocent. The crowd goes home wailing and weeping (see Luke 23:48), but Jesus’s followers stay, watching from a distance (see Luke 23:49).

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Remember us and grant us entrance into your Paradise. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.
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Peace be with you! 

Yesterday Pilate sends Jesus, a  Galilean, to see Herod since Galilee is his jurisdiction (see Luke 23:6-7). Herod is glad to finally meet Jesus; he has heard a lot about him and wants to see Jesus perform a miracle (see Luke 23:8). However, Herod likely wants see “famous” Jesus perform a sign as a spectacular—not as a believer. Early in Jesus’s ministry, Herod expressed intent to cause harm to Jesus out of jealousy (see Luke 9:9; 13:31). King Herod is jealous of his popularity and feels threatened by Jesus’s claim to kingship, though it means something different to Jesus than it does to Herod. His interest in Jesus performing signs is likely Herod’s way of trying to find a reason to cause harm to him, not to see his glory.

Herod questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus did not answer any of his questions (see Luke 23:9) or perform any signs, and therefore, Herod has no reason to cause him harm. The chief priests continue to argue that Jesus is causing a ruckus throughout Judea and Galilee (see Luke 23:10).

The scene with Herod is a power play as the chief priests and the scribes try to convince him to crucify Jesus, even when they have no evidence for their accusations. As stated yesterday, Jesus is not challenging the Roman government, did not tell his followers not to pay their taxes, nor did he claimed to be the Messiah. Although both parties have a common goal of causing harm to Jesus, without evidence there can be no death penalty. With the help of his soldiers, Herod treats Jesus with contempt and mocks him by dressing him in an elegant robe (see Luke 23:11). This mockery points to Herod’s disregard of Jesus causing a ruckus throughout Judea and Galilee. Herod just wants one reason to have Jesus crucified and is coming up empty handed.

Feeling defensive, Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate (see Luke 23:11). Both Herod and Pilate find no reason to crucify Jesus, yet they both make sport of Jesus and of the chief priests whom they despise. Herod is theatrical in his treatment of Jesus, having him in an elegant robe and agonizing the chief priests with his long questioning of Jesus. Herod and Pilate both perform power plays when they have Jesus on trial.

Pilate calls the chief priests, scribes, leaders, and the people back together and says, “You have brought me this man who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him” (Luke 23:13-16 NRSV). Pilate upholds his verdict from when he first he questioned Jesus. The chief priests, scribes, leaders, and the people have not provided any new evidence to change Pilate’s mind.

However, the chief priests, scribes, leaders, and the people will not allow Pilate to release Jesus. The whole crowd keeps yelling, “Away with Jesus! Release Barabbas for us!” (Luke 23:18 NRSV). Now, Barabbas has caused protests in the city and has even killed a few people (see Luke 23:19). Pilate cannot understand why the crowd wants Barabbas released instead of Jesus. Pilate asks the crowd what he should do with Jesus, and the people say, “Crucify, crucify him!” (see Luke 23:20-21). Pilate appeals to the crowd one last time: “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” (Luke 23:22 NRSV).

The crowd continues to yell, “Crucify, crucify him!” No amount of pleading with the crowd will change their minds. The more Pilate pleads to have Jesus flogged and released, the more the crowd yells, “Crucify, crucify him!” (see Luke 23:23). Finally, Pilate gives into the crowd’s demands and orders his soldiers to crucify Jesus and releases Barabbas (see Luke 23:24-25). Pilate succumbed to the pressures of the Jewish leadership by releasing the criminal and having the innocent man crucified. Jesus takes the place of the criminal and is sent to his death, despite being found innocent by both Herod and Pilate. Jesus takes on the sin of the world, so we may have the forgiveness and have a relationship with God the Father.

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Grant us the courage and the strength to follow Jesus to the cross. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen

The high priest questioning Jesus.
Copyright: Free Bible Images

Peace be with you!

The fate of Jesus is in the hands of the high priest, chief priests, scribes, and the Jewish council. Men are restraining Jesus as they mock and beat him (Luke 22:63). The guards blindfold Jesus and play the sick game of making Jesus guess who is beating him (Luke 22:64). They insult Jesus (Luke 22:65), and yet he does not fight back.

The chief priests have gathered the high priest, scribes, and the assembly of elders to question Jesus (Luke 22:66). The chief priests ask Jesus, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:67-69 NRSV). Then the chief priests ask if he is the Son of God, and he replies, “You say I am.” (Luke 22:70).

The high priest, scribes, and the assembly of elders are convinced Jesus is committing blasphemy and take him to see Pilate (Luke 22:71-23:1). Nothing Jesus would have said could have changed their minds. The chief priests have been waiting for their chance to get their hands on Jesus and stop him from being “disturbance.” The chief priests bring three charges against Jesus: that he 1) misleads the Jewish nation, 2) forbids his followers from paying the emperor’s taxes, and 3) calls himself the Messiah, the King of the Jews (Luke 23:2). The first charge demonstrates the chief priests’ ignorance to Jesus’s message. The chief priests want nothing to do with the good news, because it would disrupt their way of life—their entitlement over the other Jews. The second charge is a lie, for Jesus endorsed paying taxes by saying, give to Caesar what he is owed (Luke 20:25). Jesus does not disrespect the political system, though he asks the tax collectors to only take what is owed. The third charge paints Jesus as a revolutionary trying to overthrow the Roman government. Although Jesus claims to be the Anointed One—a king, Jesus is not trying to lead a revolution; rather Jesus is trying to spread the good news and bring people into a relationship with God the Father. The chief priests have twisted Jesus’s words and actions to bring charges against him to evoke the death penalty.

Pilate asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews, and Jesus answers, “You say so” (Luke 23:3). Pilate finds no basis to hold Jesus and finds the crowd annoying for bringing charges against an innocent man (Luke 23:4). There is no evidence to back the accusations the chief priests bring against Jesus. Pilate has no right to hold Jesus any longer.

However, the chief priests are insistent that Jesus has been disrupting in Galilee for years, and now he is disrupting the peace throughout Judea (Luke 23:5). When Pilate finds out Jesus is a Galilean, he sends him to see Herod since that is his jurisdiction (Luke 23:6-7).

The Jewish authorities and the Roman government are having a power struggle. Jesus is a problem for the Jewish authorities, but they cannot crucify him without the assistance of the Roman government. There is not enough evidence for the Roman government to kill Jesus. Yet the Lord finds a way to fulfill his scriptures.

Dear Jesus, thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Be with us as we fight against the temptations in the world. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus Christ with a kiss.
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Peace be with you!

Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives to pray with his disciples. He urges his disciples to pray that they will not fall when things gets tough (Luke 22:40) and then goes off alone to pray a very solemn prayer as he faces the cross: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but your will be done” (Luke 22:42 NRSV). Jesus acknowledges God the Father is in control of everything, even the journey to the cross and the hardship Jesus faces. No one, not even Jesus, would face crucifixion with a light heart and joy. The weight of the world is on Jesus’s shoulders, and it is a bit intimating.

An angel appears to Jesus and gives him strength (Luke 22:43). God the Father understands that he has given Jesus a heavy load and sends an angel to give him strength. As he prays, Jesus sweats huge drops like blood (Luke 22:44) as he turns to the cross.

Jesus goes back and finds his disciples sleeping; he awakens them and urges them to pray for strength and courage as they watch him go to the cross (Luke 22:46-47). Just then, Judas and the Pharisees approach Jesus. Jesus sees them coming and asks, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” (Luke 22:48 NRSV). Jesus knows what Judas is doing even before he does it.

The disciples ask Jesus if they should get their swords out and, before he can answer, one of the disciples cuts off the high priest’s slave’s ear (Luke 22:49-50). Jesus quickly turns around and scolds his disciples; then he turns to the slave and heals him (Luke 22:51). Although Jesus is about to face more pain than anyone thought possible, he does not wish harm on anyone else—he even heals someone who means to cause him harm. The world may wish harm to Jesus, but he still loves his Father’s creation.

Then Jesus turns to the chief priests and the crowds and asks, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!” (Luke 22:52-53 NRSV). This is Jesus’s last statement of length that provides any clue as to what is going on. Jesus only speaks a few words while on trial. The chief priests take Jesus to the high priest’s house, and Peter follows at a distance (Luke 22:52).

Peter falls into trouble in the high priest’s courtyard. He has just seen the chief priests take Jesus off as a bandit. People are looking at him as if they recognize him from somewhere. One servant girl recognizes Peter as one of the men who was with Jesus, but he denies knowing him (Luke 22:56-57). Another man confirms the
servant girl’s proclamation and says, “Surely, you were one of the men with Jesus.” Still Peter denies it (Luke 22:58). Yet another man insists Peter was with Jesus since he is a Galilean (Luke 22:59). Peter exclaims, “Man, I do not know what you are taking about.” (Luke 22:60 NRSV). Just as Jesus predicted, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times before the cock crows. The realization causes Peter to hide and weep. He has denied the one person who loved him for who he was. How could he do such a selfish thing?

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for having Jesus fulfill your will. Help us to continue to follow Jesus to the cross this week. Remind us that you will always raise us back up, even when we fall. Guide us back into the light from the darkness. Thank you for understanding our faults and loving us despite them. Amen.

Jesus with his disciples at the Last Supper.
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Peace be with you!

The Festival of Unleavened Bread is under way in the Jewish community. Jewish families are making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The temple is starting to get busy with preparations for the annual sacrifice ceremonies.

Even Jesus has the Passover meal with his disciples in an upstairs room of a Jerusalem home. Jesus pauses to spend one last night with his disciples before the events of the passion unravel. During the meal, Jesus says,

“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:15-20 NRSV).

These words are so familiar to us that it is easy for us to gloss over them since we hear them every time we take communion. We forget this is not just another meal; Jesus was looking forward to this Passover meal for a while. He must have run through the speech he would deliver to the disciples a million times.

Can you imagine being the disciples hearing these words for the first time? “This is my body … This is my blood poured out for you … This is the new covenant. Do this in remembrance of me.” These words have power and glory in them. Not only that, but Jesus commissioned his disciples to share this experience and these words with the world. It was not a one-time event; it is an ongoing event to remember Jesus came down into the world to rescue us from Satan and his temptations.

However, with any large gathering, there always seems to be a black sheep in the room. Knowing what will transpire in the next few hours, Jesus predicts his betrayal (see Luke 22:21-22), yet he acknowledges it must happen in order to fulfill the scriptures (see Luke 22:37). The disciples are appalled that one of them could do such a thing. Who could be bold to do such a thing?

Then the disciples begin to argue as to which one of them is the greatest (see Luke 22:24). Jesus stops the argument and says, “No one is greater. The leader must be like the one who serves. Who is greater: the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? Yet I am among you as the one who serves” (see Luke 22:25-27). These words are powerful: no one is greater. Each of us must be like the One who serves. We should follow Jesus’s example and respect and help each other.

Jesus goes on to say, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:28-30 NRSV). Jesus treats his disciples as God the Father has treated him. He is honored that his disciples had stood by him through all of his trials.

Jesus turns to Peter and says, “You will deny me before the crow sounds three times” (see Luke 22:32, 34). Peter says, “I would never deny you. I would follow you to prison and death if I had to” (see Luke 22:33). Jesus understands that everyone will fall away, but he says that when Peter turns back he will strengthen his brothers (see Luke 22:32). Peter will not stay lost for very long, and when he finds his way back, he will be stronger. Jesus reminds his disciples that when he sent them out with nothing, they never lacked a thing (see Luke 22:35). Even when they fall away, Jesus will find and take care of them.

As if to set things in motion by giving Judas permission to go to the Sanhedrin, Jesus says, “But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me is being fulfilled” (Luke 22:36-37 NRSV emphasis mine).

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us continue to share the Last Supper with Jesus. Help us to understand the wisdom Jesus shared with his disciple. Remind us no one is greater than the one who is a servant. Guide us to help, serve, and respect one another. And when we fall away, come and find us in the darkness. Thank you for fulfilling the scriptures. Amen.

Jesus riding into Jerusalem.
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Peace be with you!

Early in the morning, two men claiming to be Jesus’s disciples approach a man in a village outside of Bethany and tell him the Lord needs his colt to ride into Jerusalem (Luke 19:29, 34). The man claims the colt has never been ridden, but the two men persist; Jesus needed it (Luke 19:30, 34). Jesus is seen later riding the colt though the Mount of Olives and the mountains and coming into Jerusalem. As Jesus and the colt go through the streets of Jerusalem, people throw their cloaks down on the road, shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven” (Luke 19:38 NRSV). The people are excited to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. These people have seen Jesus perform miracles and heard him speak with authority. A few of them have also shared a meal with Jesus and have had conversations with him.

However, the Pharisees are beside themselves. The people are shouting, “Blessed is the king!” and that makes the Pharisees anxious. The religious leaders may have been nervous because of fear of a backlash from Rome. Jesus did claim to be God—particularly in the book of John—the one who will save us from our sins through forgiveness and grace. No one should be called “king who comes in the name of the Lord.” That is blasphemy according to the Pharisees. How dare these people claim this man Jesus comes in the name of the Lord!

The Pharisees approach Jesus and demand his disciples to stop the commotion (Luke 19:39). The people are disturbing the peace with all of their shouting, “Blessed is the king.” The Pharisees must be thinking, Do his disciples and his followers not know the seriousness of their statement? What are they thinking, calling Jesus the king? This man Jesus does not come in the name of the Lord. How dare these people make such a bold blasphemy? What will the Roman government think of this outcry of foolishness? The Pharisees have religious and political concerns, which cause them to take action. What will King Herod think of all of this commotion? These people are acting as though this Jesus man is a king, which he is not.

Jesus answers the Pharisees, “No, and if I did, the stones would shout” (Luke 19:40). Somehow, God the Father will find a way for Jesus, the one he has sent, to be worshipped and glorified. It is impossible for Jesus to not be glorified on this day. Jesus is to be glorified, because he is the Son of Man and the Son of God and was sent by the Lord to redeem all the people in the world.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us glorify your Son, Jesus, as he enters Jerusalem. Help us to recall the excitement of Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem as we follow him to the cross. Grant us the emotional strength to follow Jesus to the cross. Thank you for sending Jesus to the cross so that we might be saved. Amen.