WALK WITH ME!  

Week Eleven (Mar 12-18) 

Matt 26:1-46; Mark 14:1-42; Luke 21:37-22:46; John 13:1-18:1

We are in the Passion Week - betrayal, arrest, Gethsemane prayer and more!

Jesus at the Seder (Matt 26)

The Seder is the traditional dinner that Jews partake of as part of Passover. The annual Passover commemoration is celebrated by nearly the entire Jewish community, bonding families and communities to their Jewish roots. Each year Jewish people, religious and nonreligious, celebrate the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by gathering and experiencing the Passover Seder.

The Hebrew word Seder means “order.” The Passover meal has a specific order in which food is eaten, prayers are recited, and songs are sung. Each item on the Passover plate has a specific historical meaning related to the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and their freedom from slavery. 1 Corinthians 5:7 identifies Jesus Christ as our Passover; so the Seder carries a New Testament meaning related to Jesus the Messiah.

Make sure you come to our Seder Tasting April 6th or 7th - you will get the whole lesson!

Peter’s denial foretold (Mark 14)

The phrase "fall away" is taken from the Greek root word skandalizo. The word describes the disciples as being frightened to distrust the Lord and even be offended by Jesus. They will flee and stumble and ultimately sin. This is the same term used to describe the rocky ground in the parable of the sower: "And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away" (Mark 4:16–17). The disciples have heard Jesus' words and agree with them, but their roots are still too shallow.

At this point in the unfolding of the Gospels, the disciples are on a high. They have watched Jesus assert authority in the temple (Mark 11:15–19), humiliate the religious leaders with His wisdom (Mark 11:27—12:40), and even find them an empty room for Passover in a city with over a hundred thousand visitors (Mark 14:12–16). They still think Jesus is about to reveal His identity as Messiah and rescue the Jews from Roman rule. Abandoning Him in His moment of triumph is the last thought on their minds.  Peter especially embarrasses himself with his bold and baseless assertion - they have not yet been tested - but they are about to be!

Jesus the Vine (John 15)

“I am the True Vine” (John 15:1) is the last of seven “I am” declarations of Jesus recorded only in John’s Gospel. These “I am” proclamations point to His unique divine identity and purpose. Jesus said, “I am the True Vine” to closest friends gathered around Him. It was only a short time before Judas would betray Him; in fact, Judas had already left to do his infamous deed (John 13:30). Jesus was preparing the eleven men left for His pending crucifixion, His resurrection, and His subsequent departure for heaven. He had just told them that He would be leaving them (John 14:2). Knowing how disturbed they would feel, He gave them this wonderful metaphor of Him as the True Vine as one of His encouragements.

Jesus wanted His friends, not only those eleven, but all of us for all time, to know that He was not going to desert us, even though the Disciples would no longer enjoy His actual presence. His life and power would continue to nourish and sustain them just as the roots and vine of grapes produce the energy that nourishes and sustains its branches while they develop their fruit. Jesus wanted us to know that, even though we cannot see Him, we are as closely connected to Him as the branches of a vine are connected to its stem. This is ‘abiding’ in Christ!

Rock of Agony (Luke 22)

The garden at Gethsemane, a place whose name literally means “oil press,” is located on an eastern slope of the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. A garden of ancient olive trees stands there to this day. Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray (John 18:2). The most famous events at Gethsemane occurred on the night before His crucifixion when Jesus was betrayed. Each of the Gospel writers describes the events of that night with slight variations, so reading the four accounts (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:40-53 and John 18:1-11) will give an accurate picture of that momentous night in its entirety. 

Devotionally you have to wonder that in spite of what faced Jesus (He knew quite well) his thoughts were for building up the Disciples instead of the dread of himself.   As the evening began, after Jesus and His disciples had celebrated the Passover, they came to the garden. At some point, Jesus took three of them—Peter, James and John— to a place separated from the rest. Here Jesus asked them to watch with Him and pray so they would not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41), but they fell asleep. Twice, Jesus had to wake them and remind them to pray so that they would not fall into temptation.  That place of prayer for Jesus is known as the Rock of Agony - now the east end of the Church of All Nations.

PRAYER & ARREST - TRIALS & CRUCIFY

Arrest and Trials of Jesus

Start in the Upper Room

Move to Gethsemane

Arrested & taken to Caiaphas

Jews take Jesus to Pilate

Jews take Jesus to Herod

Herod returns him to Pilate

Pilate consents to Jews

Romans crucify Jesus

I believe the Alt. Golgotha