March 14th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
THURSDAY – The Trial
The sins of us himself carried up in the body of himself to the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; of whom by the scars of him you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24, The Emphatic Diaglott
Action: During the...
March 13th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
THURSDAY – Gethsemane
Having entered a state of severe mental and emotional struggle to the point of agony, He was praying more earnestly. And his perspiration became like great drops of blood continually falling to the ground.
Luke 22:44, An Expanded...
March 10th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
THURSDAY – Stooping Grace
“You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” John 13:8, Holman Christian Standard Bible
Action: Surprisingly, Jesus never used the word ‘grace’ but he taught...
March 9th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
WEDNESDAY – The Plot Thickens
They planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” Matthew 26:4-5, The NET Bible
Action: Jesus moved into the final days of his...
March 8th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
TUESDAY – Temple Controversies (d)
Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming
Matthew 24:42, Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Action...
March 7th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
TUESDAY – Temple Controversies (c)
How often I have wanted to gather your people together, as a mother hen gathers her little ones under her wings. But you would not come! I tell you this. You will not see me again until the time when you say, "God bless him...
March 6th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
TUESDAY – Temple Controversies (b)
Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
Matthew 23:24, New Living Translation
Action: The eight “woes” of Matthew 23 are best understood and interpreted...
March 5th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
TUESDAY – Temple Controversies (a)
The very stone which the builders despised - has now itself become the corner-stone; this corner-stone has come from the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes.
Matthew 21:42, Twentieth Century New Testament
Action: On...
March 4th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
MONDAY – Cleansing the Temple
Then he taught the people and said, "The Scriptures say, 'My house should be called a place of worship for all nations.' But you have made it a place where robbers hide!"
Mark 11:17, Contemporary English Version
Action...
March 3rd
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
MONDAY – Cursing the Fig Free
"If you have faith, without doubting, you will not only [be able to] do what was done to this fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the ocean,' it will happen.”
Matthew 21:21, An...
March 2nd
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
SUNDAY – Triumphal Entry
Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion! Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and
riding on a donkey--on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9, Good...
March 1st
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
Walk with Christ
For to this were ye called: for also Christ suffered for you,
leaving behind to you an underwriting, that ye should follow upon his footsteps.
1 Peter 2:21, Julia Smith Translation
Jesus final week – why is it called Passion week...
February 28th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
SAUL – His Conversion
But I am whatever I am because of God's unearned favor, and the favor He showed me was not for nothing [i.e., Paul made the most of his conversion by being extra diligent in his service to God]. But I worked harder than all the other...
February 27th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
THOMAS – Benefit of the Doubt
Jesus said to him. “Happy are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!” … But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and that in that faith you may have life as his...
February 26th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
CLEOPAS – Eyes opened!
They said to one another, ‘Did we not feel our hearts on fire
as he talked with us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
Luke 24:32, New English Bible
Profile: It was Sunday, resurrection day, Cleopas and his...
February 25th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
THE DYING THIEF – Saved by Grace
Jesus said to him, 'Verily I say to thee, To-day with me thou shalt be in the paradise.'
Luke 23:43, Young's Literal Translation
Profile: Both condemned criminals along with the watching elders, priests...
February 24th
PEOPLE JESUS MET
PILATE – The Compromiser
After that Pilate began to seek to release him, but the Jews shouted out. "If you release this man you are no friend of the Emperor.
Any man who makes himself out to be king is a rebel against the Emperor." John 19:12, Montgomery...
February 23rd
PEOPLE JESUS MET
CAIAPHAS – A Religious Mis-leader
You have no idea what you are talking about; what you don’t understand is that it’s better
for you that one man should die for the people so the whole nation won’t perish.
John 11:49-50, The Voice
Profile...
February 22nd
PEOPLE JESUS MET
JUDAS – The Masquerader
Then a diabolical plan came into the mind of Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve.
Luke 22:3, J.B. Phillips New Testament
Profile: He was the only one of the 12 that was a non-Galilean - from the same royal tribe from...
February 21st
PEOPLE JESUS MET
THE WIDOW AT THE TREASURY – Exploitation?
But in their greed they rob widows of their houses …
A widow, obviously poor, came up and dropped two copper coins in one of the boxes.
Luke 20:46-21:5, The Voice
Profile: Jesus had just referred to...