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Introduction .............................................................3

Family Activities ................................................... 5-9

Daily Devotionals ............................................... 11-51

Contributors ...........................................................53

CONTENTS

AN EASTER DEVOTIONAL

CROWDINTHE

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The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a really big deal. We can neither over stress nor over state the importance of what happened in those days surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus and that first Easter morning. We live and die in the shadow of these events. It really happened, and it really matters.

As Matthew writes the account of Christ’s crucifixion he gives this very simple statement concerning the activities of those present that day. “And sitting down they watched him there” (Matthew 27:36). Can you imagine the cold calloused hearts of a group of people who just sat and watched while Jesus suffered? The Bible is specific about who some of them were and hints at who others might have been.

In a very real way those faces in the crowd that day are representative of us. He was dying for us. He was bearing our sins. Paul wrote that Jesus was “made to be sin for us...that we might be made righteous in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). To fully grasp what Jesus did we must personalize the cross and put ourselves among the watchers.

The Dutch painter Rembrandt lived and worked 400 years ago. He sometimes painted himself into the background of his paintings. This was the case when he painted himself as one of the crowd watching Jesus die in his memorable work “The Three Crosses”. He painted himself there and in a spiritual sense we all were there.

The text (Matthew 27:36) and the painting by Rembrandt motivated us to call this Easter devotional “Faces in the Crowd.” We hope to look at a number of named individuals who encountered Christ in that last week of His earthly ministry. Some of those encounters happened in crowded streets and hallways. Other meetings were one-on-one conversations in quiet moments. Each conversation was life changing.

Our hope is that you will see your face in the crowd and your life be changed by this personal encounter with Jesus. This “Passion” week was for you and me. He took our sins, died our death and won our victory. Move in a little closer. Have a seat and watch Him there.

INTRODUCTION

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FamilyACTIVITIES

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PRAYER EGGSMaterials Needed:Plain or colored paper (or card stock)TwineMiniature clothespins

Print out same-size egg shapes and cut them out. If you don’t want to use an egg shape, any shape will work just fine. Print a picture of the faces of your family and friends. Also include pictures of missionaries around the world. If you can’t find or don’t have a picture that can be printed out, just write their name on an egg. Place one face picture on each egg. Make it a point to pray for the many faces in your life or in the life of others this Easter season. The faces of the missionaries may be the only “face of Christ” some people ever see.

THANKFUL BASKETMaterials Needed:BasketSmall pieces of paperPen/marker

Set the basket in a common area of your house. Daily or weekly, have everyone in your family put what they are thankful for that day or week on a piece of paper and place it in the basket. On Easter, read the pieces of paper out loud and have a time of prayer thanking God for everything you have to be thankful for. Doing this on a daily basis really helps everyone to reach beyond the “normal” things to be thankful for and find the little things that truly matter.

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“MY FACE IN THE CROWD”Materials Needed:PaperPen/Pencil – older kids & adultsCrayons/Colored Pencils – younger kids

As you read through the Faces in the Crowd Devotional Book think through all the various faces that were actually there the day Jesus was crucified. Think of their emotions and facial expressions as each one had a different point of view. Now, think about how you would have felt if you had been there on that day. What would your facial expressions have been? What about now? How do you feel about Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection now? What is your personal story, or testimony, about how you found Jesus and your personal relationship with Him? If you don’t have a relationship with Him…keep reading and you’ll find out how you can have one.

Think about “My Face in the Crowd”

• For older children/adults: Write out your “My Face in the Crowd” story or testimony.

• For younger children: Have the child think about the various facial expressions on the faces in the crowd that day of Jesus’ death. Ask them what their faces would have looked like if they had been there that day. Have them draw a picture of their “face in the crowd” showing how they would have felt.

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EASTER VERSE CARDSSpring is a time of new beginnings – a great time to start something new. How about Bible scripture memorization? If memorization is difficult for you, how about having a scripture for the week to meditate on?

Type up and print out scripture verses, or even handwrite the verses on a card. Choose a small frame that can be placed in the bathroom, on the kitchen counter, or someplace you can look at the verse periodically through the day. Each time you read the verse, take some time to memorize or meditate on it and then pray and ask God to teach you something through that specific verse.

If you want to have some fun with your kids – print out a verse for each of your kids, tape it to a toothpick and stick the toothpick into a marshmallow bunny for your kids to see.

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VERSE IDEAS:John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Matthew 28:6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

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DailyDEVOTIONS

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Jesus Christ, Triumphal EntryJohn 12:12-19; Matthew 21:1-16

The tradition of having some kind of large public celebration for a renowned champion has been practiced since the dawn of human civilization. The Romans held victory processions for conquering generals. Here in America, we throw ticker-tape parades for returning war heroes. Most recently, we held one in Kansas City when the Chiefs returned from winning the Super Bowl!

In most victory parades, the victor goes to a city that eagerly awaits his arrival. But Jesus’ victory parade into Jerusalem isn’t what you would expect. When Jesus and the crowd following Him arrive in Jerusalem, Matthew 21 tells us that instead of receiving Him joyfully, the authorities are “indignant.” (v. 15, NLT) Luke 19 tells us that the city’s elites sneer about the cheering of Jesus’ joyful, impoverished followers. But Jesus’ disciples couldn’t care less! They’re unashamed of the happiness they’ve found in following the Son of God. They wave palm branches, lay their cloaks down under the feet of the donkey He’s riding, and shout so loud that “the entire city… was in an uproar.” Can you imagine the scene?

But in a week, Jesus was dead, crucified on a Roman cross.

Was His followers’ celebration premature? How could it end this way?

There’s one more way that Jesus’ victory procession wasn’t what you might expect: He was being celebrated for a victory that was yet to come.

Jesus’ death was not a tragic accident that halted His ministry. From the outside looking in, it certainly appeared to be a horrible anti-climax to the raucous celebration a week before. But in fact, it was the very triumph that His processional had anticipated. He hadn’t come to Jerusalem to be elevated onto a human throne and wear a golden crown. He had come to be elevated onto a cross and wear a crown of thorns.

To the religious and political elites who had opposed Him, they must have thought that Jesus’ death had permanently silenced the hopeful down-and-outers who ushered Him into the city like a conquering champion. But what they didn’t know was that in three short days, He would rise from the dead, having utterly defeated sin, death, and Satan. His resurrection proved that He was the King and champion that His followers believed Him to be.

PRAY:Jesus, thank you for your victory over death, sin, and hell. You are worthy of all my loyalty and worship! Help me to find joy and confidence in what You did for me on the cross and in Your resurrection, and lead me into ways to share that hope with the world around me. Amen

DAY 1

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The Crowd Around the Eastern Gate, The Triumphal EntryLuke 19:37-40; John 12:19-23

Everywhere Jesus went He had to contend with crowds. From the early days of ministry in Galilee to His ascension from the Mt. of Olives people wanted to see Him. His only opportunity for privacy was to slip away in the night to talk to His Father. There would be another night in Gethsemane, but that was yet to come.

He sent His disciples to fetch a donkey. No prophecy is wasted. This was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9, and Jesus was about to fulfill it. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion: shout, O daughter of Jerusalem….” Zion was rejoicing, and Jerusalem was shouting.

The procession made its way down the steep hillside from Olivet, passed through Gethsemane, across the babbling brook of Kidron, and up the slope toward the Eastern entrance to Jerusalem. People thronged the road. Shouts of “Hosanna” rang out as multitudes who had long waited for a Messiah believed that He had finally come.

In that crowd were those who knew Jesus well. Certainly His disciples were there. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived just over the Mt. of Olives in Bethany. Do you think it might have been their donkey he rode? Others in that crowd had experienced His healing touch. Still others had known the freedom of deliverance from demons. This same crowd had marveled at His teaching and His authority. Could this be the one who would rule in Jerusalem and drive out the Roman oppressors?

Jesus moved through the gate and onto the Temple Mount. There before Him was the centerpiece, the beautiful temple. It was about that time that some Greeks approached Philip and Andrew with a simple request. “We would see Jesus.” They were Greeks and probably converts to Judaism but they had a problem. They were Gentiles and the Court of the Gentiles was as far into the Temple as they could go. They were kept out by a wall.

There are no walls surrounding Jesus. He is the Savior for all people. Standing today in Gethsemane is the beautiful Church Of All Nations. It is a symbol that we have a Savior to whom we all have access. That was how He lived and that was how He died. Jew and Gentile, slave and free are all welcome to come to Him.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Is there a wall keeping you from reaching out to Jesus?Have you ever felt like religion kept you away from Jesus?Do you know that you can call out to Jesus at any time?

Give thanks to the Heavenly Father that He has sent the Messiah to you.

DAY 2

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Keep Your Eyes on JesusLuke 22:17-20

PERSONAL STORY: Growing up we always sat around the dinner table together, as a family. There were nine of us, so as you can imagine it was crowded, noisy, and you had to be quick to get your food. My mom tried to control some of the noise with a “no singing allowed” rule. I’m not sure it worked, but she tried. I was number six of seven kids, and my sister Judy was the youngest. The older six had a cruel and unusual habit of staring at our little sister until she cried. Pretty cruel – right? We thought it was funny, but I don’t think she did.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: As I read this passage for today, I thought about that story and I wondered how intently the disciples stared at Judas when Jesus announced, “one of you will betray me” (John 13:21 ESV). Then he said, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it” (John 13: 26). After Jesus gave it to him I’m sure that Judas could feel every eye on him. I’m sure the disciples didn’t understand every thing that was going on, but they must have sensed that there was a betrayer in the room.

Betrayal is the worst. Having a friend stab you in the back and try to get ahead at your expense is the worst possible feeling. One of the 12 disciples betrayed Jesus. Let that truth sink in. The 12 were Jesus’ closest friends and one of them just turned his back on Him. What I find interesting is that there is only one person in the Bible that Jesus calls friend, face to face. It’s Judas. Jesus says, “Friend, do what you came to do” (Matt 26:50). Jesus’ friend betrayed him. One of His closest supporters betrayed Him for 30 silver coins.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: How about you? Have you ever betrayed Jesus? Have you ever failed to share His name when you had the opportunity? Have you ever been unkind to someone and lost your Christian witness? Have you ever worshiped Him half-heartedly when you should have worshiped Him with all your being? This Easter “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). Serve Him, Love Him, Share Him, Worship Him with your whole heart. Keep your eyes on Him!

DAY 3

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My Face in the CrowdMonte Shinkle Testimony

It comes as a bit of a shock to those of us who have grown up in and around church to realize that religion and a relationship with Christ are not one and the same. Church attendance and church people have always been a big part of my life. I was raised in a Baptist family, attended a Baptist church, and was baptized by immersion as a child.

Some of my school teachers prophesied that I would grow up to be a preacher. I had other plans as I headed off to college, but at that time I was unfamiliar with the old proverb, “Man proposes. God disposes.” My plans would be interrupted by God’s plans.

It is one thing to know about God. It a different thing to actually know Him. I knew about Him. In fact I had much head knowledge, but no heart knowledge. I was a face in the crowd on Sunday morning and at church activities. I certainly had never seen myself as a face in the crowd at His crucifixion. The full weight of the part I played in nailing Jesus to the cross had not settled on me.

I carried on down the pathway of plans I had made. I was alright on the outside. I was all wrong on the inside. I was dead in trespasses and sins and miserable. Privately my prayers centered on asking God for relief. “Give me assurance that if I were to die I will go to heaven!” I am not sure it entered my mind that God would not assure an unsaved man that he was saved. What He did do was clear the clutter and show me that I was religious but lost.

In the instant when I clearly saw my lostness, I turned to Him for salvation. In the same instant, doubt was removed and joy filled my heart. In that instant everything changed. I saw myself in the crowd at the foot of the cross. I was guilty and yet I was free. He died for my sins, in my place, and now I am forgiven.

There is room at the foot of the cross for you. You will find that all are welcome there. The ground is level there.

If I had known Rembrandt I think I would have asked him to include me as a face in the crowd at the foot of the cross.

DAY 4

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Peter in the Upper RoomMatthew 26:30-35; Luke 22:31-38

The Great Shepherd explained to Simon Peter (and the rest of the disciples) that they would scatter (on that same night) on account of Him. They would not cease to be His disciples, but they were about to fail to stand with Jesus in the face of the coming persecution.

Jesus knows what is coming (both the bravado and the denials) and explains to Simon Peter that Satan will shake his faith violently (and the other disciples), like someone sifting wheat from the chaff (Luke 22:31). Jesus assures Peter that although his faith will falter, it would not be destroyed, for Jesus had intervened on Peter’s behalf, praying for his faith, not for the removal of the testing.

Ignoring Jesus’ words, Simon Peter plows ahead, knowing this was not the night for low-key promises, making a gigantic one that, despite his best intentions, he could not keep. He knew talk was cheap, so he vowed that “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33). It would have been better for him to have said, “Lord, when I fail, and I probably will, please forgive me and keep me close to you.” That would have been more honest, though less dramatic. But Simon Peter considered his loyalty to exceed anyone’s, for he declared that suffering and death could not dissuade him.

Peter would learn through the events of this night that God’s forgiveness surpasses the guilt we experience when we fail. If guilt dampens your life, take a hint from Simon Peter. He could have ‘moped’ about that failure his whole life (“I’m such a failure to Jesus!”). Instead, believing that Jesus truly forgave him, he went on to serve God boldly, and serve well. Give up your mistakes and start fresh with God. Learn from Christ’s warnings. Do not make impulsive promises. Realize your tendency to blend in with the other faces in the crowd. Stay tied closely to Christian brothers and sisters. Be ready to stand up for Jesus Christ.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Are we any different? It is easy for us to say we are devoted to Christ, only to find our claims disqualified when they have been tested in the crucible of persecution. Are we ever guilty of giving lip service to the strength of our faith until we are truly tested? What have your trials taught you about your faith, or faithlessness?

Further Readings: 1 Peter (Look for encouragement for believers who are in the midst of trials and difficulties; Peter becomes a source of strength to many who need it).

DAY 5

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Jesus Christ, The GardenMatthew 26:36-39

Jesus, along with Peter and the sons of Zebedee, entered into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus knew that His time had come to do His Father’s will. He knew that He would be pierced for our transgressions and be bruised for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5-10)

Jesus struggled with the path that was before him. “…He began to be sorrowful and troubled.  He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death.” (Matt. 26:37 CSB) Jesus’ very human response to what He must endure touches me in a very real way. The Son of God, who was also very much the Son of Man, was grieved. (Heb. 2:17) He was clothed in a human body. The struggle to rescue mankind was intense and He was battling His flesh. He wished to escape pain and suffering, just as we wish to do. We need to understand that being divine never excused away His desire to avoid being tortured. This was a very human response to the brutality of the cross that lay ahead of Him.

He never wavered once in obeying His Father. It was the only way to redeem a fallen world, which He dearly loved. Jesus drank all that bitter “cup” so that all mankind could be made in right standing with God, redeemed and forgiven. Despite the horrendous pain and suffering He had to endure, He drank the entire “cup” so that you and I might be saved.

He took on himself all of my sin, worry, doubt, fear, anxiety, shame, guilt, and wickedness when He went to Calvary. He carried the weight of all my sin and all my struggles.

No matter what struggle you are facing today, Jesus knows and He cares. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find help in the time of need.” (Heb. 4:15-16 CSB) He promises to give us mercy and help in our time of need. As we abide in Christ we have the confidence to walk boldly as a child of God.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Lord, May I never be afraid to tell the world of Your love. Help me to walk by faith and not by sight, and may I always proclaim the good news that you are the God who delights to rescue us. Help me to walk boldly as I depend upon You.

DAY 6

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SatanIsaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:11-19

When you think of Satan, what do you envision? There’s the ever-popular horned guy in red tights. Gustave Dore famously painted him as a bat-winged angel in Roman armor. More recently, Mel Gibson’s film ‘The Passion of the Christ’ imagined him as an androgynous, creeping figure lurking in the background at the crucifixion.

But the Bible’s most central (and first!) description of Satan is “serpent.” In Genesis 3, the “serpent” entered the perfect, peaceful world of the Garden of Eden and, seeking to separate God from His people, tempted Adam and Eve. The first man and woman sold themselves into spiritual slavery by following Satan in his rebellion against God, and the rest is sad, sordid history.

And since that day in the Garden, Satan enjoyed a long, cruel reign as the “prince of this world” (John 14:30, NIV). Every human who was born after that fell, one by one, to sin and death.

But when Jesus, the Son of God, was born into the world, Satan met his match: here was someone who he could not entice into sin! Try as he might, Satan could not capture the Son of God in his coils. Instead, Jesus spent his ministry dismantling Satan’s forces, casting out demons and bringing light into the hearts of many who were in bondage to sin. So Satan sought to kill Jesus by influencing one of His disciples to betray him (John 14:26-27).

I imagine that Satan was quite self-congratulatory when he saw the Son of God being condemned by the chief priests and the Romans. But he had forgotten his own history. When God came into the Garden of Eden and confronted Adam and Eve for what they had done, he also spoke directly to Satan: “I will put enmity [that is, conflict] between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

Satan had indeed struck Jesus by His death on the cross. But what he did not realize until it was too late was that Jesus - the promised offspring of Eve - had allowed Satan to sink his fangs into His heel only to smash the serpent’s skull under His nail-scarred foot.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Take a moment to read Colossians 1:13-14. What does it mean to you that Jesus has defeated Satan? Does the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection change the way you think about the fight against sin and temptation?

DAY 7

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Judas IscariotLuke 22; Matthew 27:3-10

Have you ever thought about the advantage Judas had over many of his contemporaries? Here was a man who was called by Jesus Himself to follow Him. Judas was there when Jesus preached His great Sermon on the Mount. He would have witnessed Jesus healing the blind, the maimed, the deaf, and the dumb. He saw Jesus cast out demons from the demoniac in Mark chapter five. Judas was on the boat when the storm came up. All the disciples thought they were perishing and cried out to the sleeping Jesus for help. Judas would have heard with his own ears as Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea saying, “peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). Along with the other disciples, Judas also “feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and sea obey Him’” (Mark 4:41 NKJV).

What can we learn from Judas? There are several lessons. One message is that though Judas was so close to Jesus, he was still a long way from Him. He rubbed elbows with Jesus every day for three and one-half years, and yet he didn’t really know Him. He watched Jesus perform miracle after miracle, and it didn’t convince him Jesus was the Messiah. Judas had his own ideas of how Messiah should look. He was looking for a political deliverer, not a spiritual Savior.

There are a lot of people in our day who are close to Jesus, but they are still far away. You may be thinking “I don’t understand what you mean.” Think about the people who have grown up in church. They attended Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and church services, but they have never come to the realization they are sinners in need of a Savior. They may even sing in the choir or teach a Bible class, but they have not repented of their sins and believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. They are so close to Jesus but so far away!

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Do you know Jesus? Has there been a time when you were convicted of your sin? Have you repented, turned from going your own way, and turned to go God’s way? Have you believed in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead and confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord? Come to Jesus this Easter season.

DAY 8

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MalchusLuke 22:49-51; Matthew 26:53; John 18:10-11

Have you ever put someone on a spiritual pedestal? This never ends well. No human being is perfect. As a child, we were neighbors with our pastor. My childish expectations of what the “holy family” should act like were shattered more than a time or two.

I imagine that Malchus experienced similar disillusionments. Malchus served the high priest, Caiaphas. High priest was the most prestigious spiritual position a Levite could attain. He was God’s representative on earth.

No doubt Malchus knew Caiaphas warts. There was the public figure who presented one persona, and then there was the private Caiaphas of whom Malchus would have been privy. Caiaphas was no angel. He opposed the Savior at every opportunity, even scheming His demise. Spiritual authority and power does dreadful things to people not governed by God’s Spirit.

I wonder if Caiaphas ‘ungodly behavior soured Malchus on spiritual matters. Or maybe he secretly wondered about Jesus’ claims. He had heard of the miracles. On another hand, perhaps Malchus had surrendered his right to think for himself, just mechanically believing and doing what Caiaphas said.

Whatever his state of mind and beliefs about Jesus, we find Malchus a key figure in the Garden of Gethsemane that dark night. He was on the front line, right behind Judas and his infamous kiss. At this act of betrayal, the ever-impetuous Peter draws his sword aiming for Malchus’ head and cuts off his ear. Still in shock from his near-death experience, Malchus comes face to face with Jesus. Was He the foe Caiaphas alleged--deceptive and dangerous? Or was this Jesus really whom He professed to be, the Messiah?

Right before his prophetic appointment with death, Jesus’ last miracle was to heal Malchus. Jesus then told Peter to put his sword down. “Do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions of angels? How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way” (Matthew 26:53-54, HCSB)?

This personal encounter had to change Malchus’ life. He witnessed the God-man who loves and heals His enemies. He had first-hand knowledge of a Savior who willingly gave His life in spite of unlimited power at His command.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Have you allowed another’s hypocrisy to stand between you and Jesus? Are you trusting in what someone else has told you to believe? Get to know the God of the Bible for yourself. “Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets . . .   In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son . . .” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

DAY 9

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My Face in the CrowdDavid Bronson Testimony

The story of how I came to Jesus isn’t a very dramatic one. See, I wasn’t a bad kid - at least, not by any human standard! I was polite, respectful, and worked hard. I read my Bible, I prayed, and liked going to church. I had all the right answers.

But when I was by myself, alone with my thoughts, I couldn’t escape the fact that while I was well-behaved on the outside, my heart and mind were full of selfish, ugly thoughts and motivations. Even when I was behaving, I was only doing it to gain something for myself. I was my own little god, worshiping my own whims and sacrificing at the altar of whatever I wanted at the moment. In other words, I was a sinner - a rebel against God.

And that means that you already know the worst thing you could possibly know about me: because of my sin, the Son of God was crucified. In a way, I was there when it happened. My sin hung on Him just like the sins of every man and woman who has ever lived. He gave His life as a ransom so that I could be set free from slavery to my own blind pursuit of sin, pardoned from the punishment of death that I deserved, and adopted into God’s family.

When I realized that this was true - that Jesus’ death for sin and resurrection to eternal life was not just a historical account but an event that was inescapably entwined with my life - it shook my whole world. It shattered the illusion that I was a “good kid.” I couldn’t hide behind my good outward behavior any longer. Jesus had revealed the ugliness of my sin for the world to see.

But He also offered an escape from it, and from the death that it was going to bring me.

Like a doctor giving a hard but necessary diagnosis, Jesus has a way of forcing us to look at ourselves the way we really are. But unlike a doctor, Jesus always has the cure. Even when we’re looking into the depths of just how sinful we really are, He never looks at us with contempt or disgust. His cross proves that His heart beats with unstoppable love for the worst of sinners!

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Take a moment to read and reflect on Titus 2:11-14. What does Jesus’ crucifixion tell you about yourself? What does it tell you about Jesus? Are you hiding from God behind good behavior and right answers?

DAY 10

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Jesus Christ: A Look at Jesus’ TrialMatthew 26:57-68; 27:11-23

The trial of Jesus was not one transaction, but two, brought under different legal codes and litigated under separate jurisdictions. The first charge was religious. Jesus was accused of blasphemy for claiming to be the Messiah. A conviction of blasphemy under Jewish law required the testimony of at least two witnesses, but the witnesses against Jesus couldn’t get their stories straight.

His case collapsing, Caiaphas demanded that Jesus tell them whether He was the Messiah. “You have said so,” Jesus answers. He then made an audacious claim, “But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64 ESV). Caiaphas rends his garments and declares Jesus guilty. Case closed.

Not so fast. Even if the statement was blasphemous it could be a confession. Under Jewish law, a voluntary confession could not be the sole basis of guilt. Judgment reversed. Had Jesus been guilty of blasphemy, He could have been executed, but not by crucifixion. To achieve that end, they needed Rome, which brings us to the second judicial exercise.

Pilate finds no fault, but learning Jesus was a Galilean, he sends Jesus to Herod. Herod wanted a miracle. When Jesus stood mute, he sent Him back to Pilate. The Sanhedrin level a more specifically political charge against Jesus, claiming that as a self-proclaimed “king of the Jews,” He presented a clear and present danger to Caesar’s rule. Pilate held a hearing, asking the defendant if He was the king of the Jews, only to be told, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

Pilate again declares Jesus not guilty, stating, “I find no fault in Him at all.” Judgment reversed again! Temple leaders then threw what we would today call a “Hail Mary” pass, instigating the mob into a frenzy. “They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar’” (John 19:15).

Pilate never changed his verdict but yielded to a lynching. And with that, the last pretense of legality in the entire affair evaporated. There was no earthly justice in the events of Holy Friday. Even a thief executed next to Jesus saw that. But injustice was precisely the point. For out of that bitter cup poured forth God’s inexhaustible mercy.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: Did Jesus have to go through this ridiculous affair? Why did Jesus submit himself to this unfair mockery of the legal system? What does this trial of Jesus mean to you, personally?Edited from: https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2013/08/a-contemporary-review-of-the-trial-of-jesus

DAY 11

23

Annas and CaiaphasJohn 18:13, 24

Annas and Caiaphas were two faces in the crowd when they held a kangaroo court to bring false accusations against the Lord Jesus. Annas had been the high priest several years before. At the time of Jesus’ betrayal, Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas, was serving as high priest. Though Caiaphas held the title, it was Annas who everyone still looked to as the high priest. The Bible says that they led Jesus to Annas first (John 18:13).

These two were open in their hostility toward Jesus. They wanted Him crucified, but only Rome had that authority. However, not even Rome had the power they thought concerning the Savior. Jesus said, “No one takes it, (My life), from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:18 NKJV).

Why did they want Jesus crucified and out of their way? After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead many of the Jews believed in Him (John 11:45). In vv.47-48, “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.’” Jesus was a threat to their religious authority. He was a threat to their way of life.

When Jesus began His public ministry they were confronted with His power and holiness. I am sure they were convicted of their sin, and it made them very uncomfortable. People stopped looking to them and started following Jesus. Their egos couldn’t handle the rejection. When confronted with the gospel how many people today feel exposed of their sin and want to get rid of Jesus? Many will become threatened when one of their loved ones gets saved and changes their lifestyle to follow the Lord. They too seek ways to get rid of Him.

The Scriptures tell us that “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Think about it! Annas and Caiaphas should have recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Ironically, Caiaphas even predicted Jesus would die in the place of many (John 11:51). God’s creation, those set apart through the Abrahamic covenant, pitifully sat in judgment of the Judge. They were the very ones who led the crowd to say, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!”

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Where do you stand today? Are you fully surrendered to Him or are you rejecting Him? I plead with you to fully submit to Him today.

DAY 12

24

The Sanhedrin

In the second half of the Gospel of John, we’re told that the religious ruling council of Jesus’ day, the Sanhedrin, was in a panic. These men had devoted their lives to following the law of God and leading Israel in obedience to that law. But there was a teacher named Jesus who had come along, claiming to be the Son of God and performing a myriad of miracles that proved it. He taught that He was the true King of the Jews, challenging the Sanhedrin with His insistence that God was more interested in the condition of people’s hearts than their outward behavior and appearance.

To the Sanhedrin’s chagrin, the people were beginning to follow Him. As a result, a deep, dark truth emerged about these highly religious, God-following leaders: they valued their power and influence more than they loved the God they claimed to follow. And when it came down to a choice between graciously surrendering their power and committing murder, they chose the latter.

John 11 tells us the sordid account of their plans to kill Jesus and keep their autonomy. In spite of hearing that He had just raised a man from the dead, the Sanhedrin agreed together to have Him murdered rather than submit to Him as God. They gathered false witnesses against Him and persuaded the Romans to have Him crucified.

Mark 15 describes the horrific scene that follows. As Jesus hangs on the cross, the true nature of these so-called ‘men of God’ comes out. They mock him and sneer, “He saved others; He cannot save himself!” What they did not realize was that in that exact moment, when Jesus looked the most defeated and humiliated, He was saving. He was dying for the sins of many—even the betrayers in the Sanhedrin.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Jesus has a way of disrupting our priorities and challenging our deeply-held beliefs about ourselves. I wonder if, as the members of the Sanhedrin gathered to watch Jesus suffer and die, any of them experienced a flicker of sober recognition about who they really were.

Have you surrendered to Jesus, or are you trying to keep your power over your own life?

DAY 13

25

My Face in the CrowdMike Quinn Testimony

Johnny Cash sang a song called “Were You There?” The song asked the question, “were you there when they crucified my Lord?” I was there the day they crucified my Lord. It was my sin that put Him on the cross.

I was not raised in a Christian home. My parents were alcoholics. When I was a small child it was common for me to be with my parents as they frequented neighborhood pubs. One of my parents’ closest friends owned and operated a tavern. When I was little they would stand me up on top of the bar, and I would serve customers their drinks. People thought it was cute. How sick is that?

The only time I went to church was when my best friend’s mother took me to Sunday School and VBS, or when I stayed with my grandparents. I thank God for those few times because it did plant the seeds of the Word of God in my heart that would one day come to fruition.

I started drinking at a very early age. It was a normal way of life for me. When I met and started dating my wife, I was drinking almost every day. We only dated a few months until we were married. She partied with me until we had children. She then rededicated her life and started back to church. At that point our lives were going in two separate directions. She no longer wanted anything to do with my lifestyle, and I certainly didn’t understand hers. Our marriage was in big trouble. Little did I know that she had the pastor, her Sunday School class, and others praying for me.

The pastor came to see me from time to time. I did not want to see him. The Lord was convicting me of my sin, and I was becoming increasingly miserable. Several close friends died within a short period of time, and this got my attention. I began to wonder where I would go after death. Was heaven and hell real? Where would I spend eternity?

On a Thursday evening in August of 1980, the pastor came to see me again. That evening he shared the gospel. He asked me if I were to die, would I go to heaven? I knew that I would not. He said Jesus would save and cleanse me of my sin. I would need to repent and trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior. So I did, and my life has never been the same!

How about you? Have you fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ?

DAY 14

26

NicodemusJohn 3:1-21; 12:42

There was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night. In other words, he came under the cover of darkness. By being a Pharisee he was a very religious man. No doubt he was looked up to by his peers. He certainly wouldn’t have wanted his fellow Sanhedrin members to know that he was visiting this lowly Nazarene. Jesus was causing quite a stir in the community by His teaching and by the miracles He had done.

Nicodemus came to Jesus believing that He was a Rabbi, a good teacher, who had come from God. He said, “for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2 NKJV). Nicodemus had a faulty belief, however, in that he saw Jesus as a teacher only. He didn’t know Jesus for who He really was. So Jesus begins to deal with his spiritual blindness by telling him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Nicodemus was a very religious, moral, and highly educated man. He was the finest specimen of a human being that culture could produce during his day. Yet in all of his accomplishments and his human goodness, he was spiritually bankrupt. He was a sinner in need of a Savior. Jesus told him that in order to enter into the kingdom of God he must be born again. Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was saying. It was confusing to him. He wondered how a man his age could enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born again (John 3:4).

Then Jesus gives him an illustration from the days of Moses. Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). The Israelites had sinned against God by complaining against Him in the wilderness so God sent serpents to bite the people. God instructed Moses to make a brass serpent and put it on a pole. If the people would look at the serpent lifted up they would live. It is a picture for us to look to the cross. When we believe on Jesus who was lifted up on the cross we too shall live.

We learn from Nicodemus that it is not our religion, education, or status in society that will save us. It is only our faith in Christ and Him alone that matters.

DAY 15

27

Herod AntipasMark 6:17-29 and Luke 23:6-12

I really never paid much attention to this face who was in the crowd, named Herod Antipas. He was just an ordinary Jewish ruler that had no special accolades as a ruler per say, until two events happened that placed him in the history books.

Herod married his brother’s wife, Herodias. John the Baptist told them, in no uncertain terms, that it was unlawful for them to marry. Herodias was angry and wanted revenge. Herod knew that John the Baptist was a man of God and protected him. That is, until he was charmed and swayed at his birthday party when the daughter of Herodias, from another man, danced in front of him and all his guests. He was so smitten by her that he lost all his senses. He offered to give her anything she wanted, even half of his kingdom. That young daughter had been coaxed by her mother to ask for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. So Herod had to follow through on his word, and he had John killed. It grieved Herod when he realized just what he had done. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Herod played the fool.

The second history-making event of Herod’s life was when we catch up to him as Pilate, who was trying to rid himself of convicting an innocent man, sends Jesus to him to be tried. “Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time, he had wanted to see him because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by him.” Luke 23:8 (CSB) The passage tells us that Jesus remained silent and it angered Herod. Then Herod, along with his army, treated him with contempt. In mockery, they placed a royal robe on him and then sent him back to Pilate. Herod played the fool once again.

Herod became known as a “shadow of death,” one of those responsible for the death of Jesus. Herod Antipas is known as a man who played a fool.

According to the Scriptures, Herod had respect for John the Baptist. He even desired to meet Jesus because he had desired to see Him perform a miracle. It appears Herod knew of God but he didn’t KNOW God. He came face-to-face with Jesus Christ and never asked the right questions, nor received him as his Savior. Jesus could have given him eternal life and forgiveness. Such a sad thing that he did not recognize the Savior of the world. To be almost persuaded is to be totally lost.

DAY 16

28

Pontius PilateMatthew 27:19-24

Pontius Pilate will forever be remembered as the man responsible for issuing the orders that resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus. There is no indication that he followed the crowds and the cross to the Place of the Skull. He wouldn’t have needed to. Roman soldiers carried out his orders to completion.

He is prominent in the story of Calvary. He only served as prefect in Judea for about 10 years. It was not an easy assignment. Most of what we know about him we have learned from Scripture. Prior to 1961, liberal scholars questioned his very existence. That year a simple marker honoring Caesar was found in Caesarea Maritime and the inscription indicates that it was dedicated by Pontius Pilate. It is authentic and once again silenced skepticism if only for a moment. Pilate was between a rock and a hard place. Pressured by the religious leaders in Jerusalem, his own wife and his conscience, Pilate was in the middle.

He found no fault in Jesus and said so. Jesus would not even speak to Herod, but to Pilate He said, “You have no power except it be given you from above” (John 19:11). Pilate gave in to the religious leaders and gave up Jesus to be crucified. He released a known criminal named Barabbas.

There are two other acts of Pilate that stand out in the story. He placed a sign over Jesus’s head – “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.” The chief priests objected, but Pilate did not yield. Before they led Jesus away to be crucified Pilate washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person, see you to it.” To this day people still try to “wash their hands” of tough decisions.

Tradition holds that Pilate lived out his days and is, in fact, buried near Lucerne, Switzerland. There a mountain, Mt. Pilatus, bears his name. He walked those mountains and cried out as he walked, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man.” Perhaps it is just a legend, but it is certainly true that each of us are faces in the crowd and none of us are innocent of the blood of this just man.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:• What would you have done differently than Pilate knowing what you now

know about Jesus?• What did Jesus mean when He said to Pilate, “You have no power except it

be given you from above?”• Why was Pilate so resolute to place that wording on the sign above Christ’s

head?

DAY 17

29

Pilate’s WifeMatthew 27:19

Most of us have tried to caution someone against making a bad decision. Since we desire God’s best for this person, it is a sinking feeling when the warning goes unheeded. God gives the freedom to choose what we will do in life; but we are not free to choose the consequences.

Pontius Pilate and his wife were in Jerusalem for Passover. As Roman governor over Judea, he was there to keep order. Big crowds typically came to the city, but this Passover the atmosphere was especially electric. The religious leaders’ animosity toward Christ was growing to a fever pitch. Pilate’s ability to keep his political position could very well be determined by how well he managed this celebration.

As the mood forecast, things quickly spiraled out of control for the governor. Jesus was arrested and tried before the Sanhedrin. Under Roman authority the Jews could not impose the death penalty. So at the crack of dawn they brought Jesus to Pilate. Pilate was between the proverbial rock and a hard place. He found no fault with Jesus deserving death; however, he did not want to further provoke the religious leaders. Pilate learned that Galilee’s tetrarch, Herod, was also in town. Since Jesus was Galilean, Pilate sent Him to Herod to hopefully resolve his dilemma. However, after making sport of Jesus, Herod sent Him back to Pilate for judgment.

An eerily timed word of warning came to Pilate as he was sitting on the judge’s seat. Just as the governor was wrestling with his conscience he received a pleading message: “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him” (Matthew 27:19, NASB). We might have expected one of the disciples, or perhaps Nicodemus, to stand in Jesus’ defense. But the desperate plea to Pilate came from an unlikely source, his own wife.

Mrs. Pilate knew of the tentative future of her husband’s political career, yet she was willing to relinquish that power and prestige. She believed the temporary political gain her husband would secure was not worth the consequences. She feared God more. She was so troubled by her dream, and so convinced of the Savior’s innocence that she was willing to give up everything.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Like Pilate’s wife, would we be willing to abandon our earthly treasures to stand for the Savior? Are we willing to follow wise biblical counseling, even if the price tag is our comfort, pleasure, power, prestige, popularity, etc.? Do we desire God’s glory above all? What would it take to compromise our testimony? Jesus gave His all. Let us live for Him no matter the cost.

DAY 18

30

Peter at the CrucifixionMatthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-65; John 18:25-27

Matthew, Mark, and Luke say that Peter’s three denials happened near a fire in the courtyard outside Caiaphas’ palace, and John places the first denial outside of Annas’ house. Understanding that Annas and Caiaphas lived near each other, these denials all occurred in the same vicinity.

Peter was a Galilean with an accent that gave that fact away. Huddled in the light of the fire in the courtyard, his accent had become his liability, something that associated him with Jesus. Peter’s confidence and courage had wilted under pressure. Only hours earlier had he courageously asserted that he would follow Jesus to prison, or even to death. At this point, however, he wanted nothing more than to be an anonymous face that melted into the dimly-lit shadows.

But that was not what happened. He was recognized and began denying any association with Jesus. First, he denied being with Jesus in any way; second, he denied being one of Jesus’ followers; third, he fiercely denied even knowing Jesus. The rooster crowed (as predicted), and Jesus gave him a look that he could not bear. The deep sorrow in Jesus’ eyes made Peter run from the courtyard, and from his Savior and friend. All he could do was to weep bitterly over his sudden failures.

Peter experienced overwhelming guilt and shame. After denying his Lord three times, Peter had to undergo the pain and shame of looking Jesus in the eyes. Imagine the stinging, choking remorse and regret he must have felt. No wonder he went out and wept bitterly. Peter very well may have wished he could die after these denials.

But you know what? The best part of this sad story is that it did not end here. Peter did not have to live the rest of his life with a heavy burden of sorrow and regret. In spite of Peter’s sin and faithlessness, Jesus still loved him and used him greatly. Instead, Jesus reinstated him and asked him to become a leader of the church (John 21:15-21). With genuine sorrow and repentance, Peter learned from his past mistakes and mustered the courage and integrity to take a leadership role in the early church. The same should be true of every believer. Learn from your mistakes and courageously serve Jesus.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Maybe this has happened to you (albeit, not exactly like Peter). Have you found yourself subtly diverting conversations so that you don’t have to talk about Jesus? Why do you think this is? If it is, watch out—you may be on the road to denying Him!

DAY 19

31

Down the Via DolorosaMatthew 27:27-44

There is a street that runs through old Jerusalem from Pilate’s Hall to what is known today as The Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It is a narrow twisting path of a street and would be very unimpressive except for who walked it. Via Dolorosa means Way of Suffering. Jesus carried His cross up that street through Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem today Christian pilgrims from all over the world push and shove their way to stand and pray at one of the traditional 14 stations of the cross. In fact, I witnessed two guides nearly fight over how long one had stood at one of these places. The journey today is chaotic but nothing in comparison with what Jesus would have experienced.

Beginning with the scourging by Roman soldiers the path to Calvary was humiliating and merciless. The crowd mocked and ridiculed. Barabbas went free. Pilate washed his hands. The priests and religious leaders smirked and followed along. Gone were the glad Hosannas of a triumphal entry. Just a few yards from where the procession of Palm Sunday ended, the Way of the Cross began.

He was mocked and beaten all along the way. Isaiah had prophesied of His marred body, His affliction, His rejection and sacrifice for us (Isaiah 53). Some faces in the crowd we know about because we are told about them. The youngest disciple, John, followed along. Mary, mother of Jesus, along with a larger group of women was there. Simon of Cyrene would bear His cross. We can be assured that representatives of all mankind were there as the throng made its way through the business district.

Finally they arrived at the place of the skull. The work was nearly done. They crucified Him “and sitting down they watched Him there.” The soldiers gambled for the only earthly possession He had of any value. They played games at the foot of the cross while Jesus suffered. Two thieves hung beside Him. One ridiculed the only man who could save his soul. But the other thief, another face in the crowd, cried out in his dying breath for mercy. Mercy flowed from the center cross as Jesus gave up the ghost!

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Read Isaiah 53 and compare Isaiah’s prophecy with the gospel account of Christ’s crucifixion. How many direct fulfillments of prophecy can you see between Isaiah 53 and Matthew 27? Do you think Nicodemus may have been standing at the foot of the cross? If so, why?

DAY 20

32

Simon of CyreneMatthew 37:32; Luke 23:26

Have you wondered who Simon of Cyrene was? I am guilty of passing him by when I read the story of the crucifixion. John Piper says, “Simon was a real historical person, and he was there at a real historical moment.” Here’s what we do know. He is mentioned by Matthew, Mark, and Luke and was from a foreign land. Cyrene was a city in North Africa, today’s Liberia. We know that his face was a very important face in the crowd for he was called upon to carry the cross. Luke mentions that he carried the cross behind Jesus. We know that he is the father to Alexander and Rufus. Rufus is also mentioned later in Romans 16:13, along with his mother in a letter that Paul writes to the Roman believers, which indicates that they all became believers.

Jesus had been tortured and His physical body was falling under the load of the cross. One has to wonder why the Roman soldiers asked for help from Simon. I seriously doubt it was in sympathy. Maybe it was more the fact of getting the job done, the nails in His hands and feet, and getting Jesus on that cross. Needless to say, it was Simon that was chosen that day to bear the physical weight of the cross after Jesus.

Just imagine carrying the weight of the cross as you listened to the crowd chanting, “Crucify Him.” Imagine the wailing of Jesus’ followers, especially his very own mother. Simon would have felt Jesus’ blood, touched His broken body, and looked into the face of the Savior of the world. The day he picked up that cross and followed Jesus would have changed his life forever.

There comes a time in each believer’s life when we must take up our cross and follow Jesus. It will change our life forever. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24 KJV) Jesus asks of us, if we truly want to follow Him we must lay down our lives and be obedient to Him. This simply means that we die to self. We lay down our desires, wants, wishes, will, and agenda, in favor of His will. How does one do that? Seek to KNOW Him. Why? Because to Know God is to Love God, to Love God Is to Trust God, and to Trust God is to Obey God.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:“For I know the plans I have for you—this is the Lord’s declaration—plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13 CSB)

DAY 21

33

Seven Sayings From the CrossVerses from the Gospels

Had we been faces in the crowd at Christ’s crucifixion we would have seen much suffering. We would have watched the soldiers do their work. It would have been hard to miss the satisfied smugness of the religious leaders. Tears flowed down the faces and sobs racked the bodies of people who loved Jesus. His mother was there. His dearest friends were there.

We could not have missed the fact and the faces of the two criminals crucified with Jesus. There was much to see at Calvary, and we could scarcely have missed the darkness that descended in the middle of the day.

What would we have heard at Calvary? “He saved others but he can’t save himself. If you are who you say you are come down from the cross.” Christ was ridiculed by the religious leaders. Even the thieves reviled him. But then one of them said, “We are receiving justice but he has done nothing wrong. Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:41,42)

The four Gospels tell one story from four viewpoints. Jesus made seven statements from the cross.

• “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)• “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.” My God, My God, Why hast Thou forsaken

me? (Matthew 27:46)• “Today you shall be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) • “Woman behold thy son.” (John 19:26)• “Behold thy mother.” (John 19:27)• “I thirst.” (John 19:28)• “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)• “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

We can be moved as much by what we hear as what we see. In Christ’s dying hour He dealt with all that needed dealt with. He prayed for His executioners. He remembered and cared for His mother. He expressed the agony of physical suffering. He expressed the agony spiritual suffering of being forsaken by God. He reached out with words of assurance to a dying thief. He finished the work and commended His soul to God.

What we see at the cross may move us to pity. What we hear at the cross moves us to victory! Hallelujah! What a Savior!

PERSONAL REFLECTION:• What is the significance of the words, “It is finished?”• What was the meaning of the tearing of the temple veil? (Luke 23:45;

Matthew:27:51)• Express your appreciation to Jesus for what He did at Calvary.

DAY 22

34

Mary, the Mother of JesusLuke 1:46-55; 2:33-35; John 19:25-27

There’s a well-known Christmas song that asks the question, “Mary did you know…?” I love the song. It’s beautiful. But I wonder, do we need the song?

Luke 1 tells the story of Gabriel visiting Zechariah to give the news that in their old age he and his wife Elizabeth would have a baby boy and he was to be named John. It also tells the story of Gabriel visiting Mary to share the news that she would be the mother of Jesus, and it tells the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth. We learn much of what Mary knew in this one chapter.

So, what did Mary know? She knew a lot!

She knew that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, that her Child would be holy, that He would be the Son of God. She knew she was blessed among women, and that she would be the mother of the Lord. She knew that from now on all generations would call her blessed, she knew that He who is mighty has done great things for her, that His name is holy, that His mercy is for those who fear Him, that He has shown strength with His arm, that He scatters the proud, that He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of humble estate. She knew that He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty, that He has helped the servant of Israel in remembrance of His mercy, and that He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his offspring forever. She knew the one in her womb was the Lord, had power, mercy, holiness, and that He was eternal.

Mary had been taught her entire life that one day the Messiah would come. From her experience recorded in Luke 1, she knew that she would be the mother of that longed-for Messiah. She knew. If she listened as Jesus taught, she also knew that one day He would have to die for the sins of His people. She knew.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: How would you have responded to an announcement like the one Mary received? Are you willing to trust God with anything that He calls you to do? Are you willing to trust God and let Him use your children any way that He sees fit? Are you willing to follow God without knowing all of the details?

DAY 23

35

My Face in the CrowdBecky Quinn Testimony ~ Revelation 22:17

Calvary’s crowd thought evil had won, and all hope was lost. It seemed Jesus was not who He claimed, but a failure. However dismal things appeared, the most exciting come-from-behind victory was just three days out.

As a child we lived close to church, and it seemed I was there every time the doors were open. At 10 years old, during a revival meeting, I asked Jesus to save me and was baptized. Something was hindering my growth as a Christian, though. Our preacher had molested me when I was a six-year old child. Ashamed and confused, I never even told my mother. I made sure I was never alone with him again. I did not blame God, but I knew the man leading our church was a phony. My church was not a healthy, God-honoring place.

I was spiritually ill equipped as I started high school. I gained popularity in school as an athlete. Sports and peer recognition were where I found significance, not in relationship with Jesus. I began to live as if there was no God.

At 20 years of age, I met Mike. Both of us were messes, originating from dysfunctional families. His parents were alcoholics; mine continually fought, sometimes physically. After just a few months of dating, Mike asked me to marry him, and I accepted. What could go wrong? Predictably everything started to go downhill. I was miserable, contemplating divorce. He was drowning his sorrows.

In desperation I began attending church, not really expecting much. I anticipated fake platitudes and hypocrisy. What a pleasant surprise I found instead. The young pastor made God’s Word come alive. The messages were interesting and useful for life application. He seemed to believe and live what he was preaching. He was full of joy. I was skeptical at first. Many times I would see the preacher sitting in his car, praying. I wrestled with whether he was for real.

As I began to pray for my husband, things got worse! I could not see the spiritual conflict that was going on internally. The prayers were having an effect. One night the pastor visited our home. He presented Jesus to Mike, and to my surprise he accepted. What a transformation it was! We have been striving to live for Jesus together since that night. What a great adventure it has been so far.

Satan used a wolf in sheep’s clothing to spiritually disable me. God used a faithful servant to validate a relationship with Jesus is real and possible.

My come-from-behind victory was secured for me at Calvary through Jesus. Come to the cross where defeat turns to victory every time!

DAY 24

36

BarabbasLuke 23:19

Luke tells us Pilate could find nothing in Jesus worthy of death (Luke 23:15). It was custom at the time of the feast for Pilate to release a man who was condemned to die. The people could choose Jesus or Barabbas. Barabbas was a criminal who had been thrown in prison for leading a rebellion against Rome that had resulted in murder (Luke 23:19).

Can you imagine Barabbas on death row? He knew his time was short. Every time he heard the footsteps of a guard walking towards his cell his heart probably began to beat faster. His breathing probably became labored as he imagined them approaching to crucify him. He was worthy of death. After all, he had robbed and murdered others. No doubt he strained to hear what was going on in Pilate’s court. Perhaps he overheard Pilate calling out to the people asking who they wanted to release--Barabbas or Jesus? The people shouted “Barabbas!” When Pilate asked what to do with Jesus, the people screamed “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Maybe all he could hear were the loud voices which cried, “Barabbas! Barabbas! Crucify him! Crucify him!” When the soldiers came to release him, can you imagine his shock when they said that he was free to go. Barabbas received mercy at the expense of another.

Why do you think the people chose Barabbas over Jesus? The answer seems to be that they were disappointed with Jesus. Just a few days earlier, this crowd had praised Him and welcomed Him into Jerusalem. The city was filled with those whom Jesus had healed. The blind could see. The deaf could hear. The lame could walk again. Why did they turn on Him so quickly? They wanted the Messiah who would set them free from the yoke of bondage that Rome had placed on them. When they saw Jesus standing before Pilate physically beaten, seemingly helpless to deliver Himself let alone free them from their oppression, they lost all hope that Jesus was the one they had been looking for. So they cry out, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him” (Luke 23:21).

Barabbas represents every person who has ever been born. We all are guilty of crimes against God that are worthy of death. Jesus took our place. He died for my sin! He died for your sin! I wonder if Barabbas ever fell on his knees, repented of his sin, and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior? I don’t know if he did, but I urge you to do so. Call upon His name and be saved today.

DAY 25

37

My Face in the CrowdChris Thomson Testimony

My childhood was probably like many others. I had parents that loved me (and each other), and had siblings that were annoying, but tolerable. I enjoyed the best that a young boy of the 70’s could have: family, friends, sports, and a 10-speed bike. I was a pretty good kid, or so I thought. But down deep, there was a nagging that somehow I was missing something.

When I was about 10 years old, I came to the realization that I was not really that good of a kid, and I began asking questions about sin, and ultimately, asking why Jesus had to die for sins. I had a kind, sweet-hearted pastor who came to help explain the missing pieces of this mystery of salvation. In a very real way, he helped lead me to understand my desperate condition as a sinner, but also God’s beautiful gift of salvation through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (Romans 6:23). That night, I placed my faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, accomplishing what I could never do. Jesus became the Savior that I needed and the security I was longing for.

But I was young and did not have a real method or model for becoming stronger in my Christian walk (discipleship). I began to walk in the ways of the world and by the time I was 21, I had found myself mirroring the story of the prodigal son. I was involved in a fraternity at Truman State University, and living life for myself. I had tasted and enjoyed what the world had to offer, but inside I was empty and miserable, and desperately longed for something more.

At my deepest point of my life, broken and restless, I repented and called out to Jesus to restore me, and to trade my heart of stone for a heart of flesh that beats for Him alone. Not only did He restore me, but he gave me joy and a new affection for Him. With this affection and deeper living came a call to abandon what I wanted for my life and to surrender to follow Jesus wherever He would lead.

This total surrender was difficult. I had to give up my friends, my college, and the future I thought I wanted. But the reward of following Him was a joyous journey into what God had planned for me, and for the people I would come in contact with.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Like me, did you sense a time in your childhood when you knew that there was something missing? Or maybe you had an experience like mine where you wanted a Savior to save you, but you didn’t surrender to making Him the Lord of your life? It doesn’t matter how old you are, God is calling you to Himself. What is holding you back from surrendering today?

DAY 26

38

The CenturionMark 15:39

Have you ever thought someone was too hard, too far gone for God’s grace? Once I thought that, perfunctorily praying, never expecting my friend’s hard heart to change.

Examining the atrocities of WWII, it is hard to imagine human beings so cruel. Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom was speaking on forgiveness. A man approached her afterwards, and she recognized him as one of the merciless guards from the concentration camp. Corrie’s beloved sister had died there. He told her he had become a Christian after the war. Now he stood before her seeking forgiveness. A coldness welled up inside her. She mechanically held out her hand while praying silently for God to make it heart-felt. As she did so, God’s love overwhelmed her and tears filled her eyes. She was able to say, “I forgive you, brother, with all of my heart.” Forgiveness is a powerful, supernatural force. It is not normal for human beings to forgive like that. Without God’s presence in our lives, it is impossible.

Before Jesus’ death, there had been over 30,000 Roman crucifixions. It was a slow, excruciating way to die. The Roman soldiers responsible for hammering spikes into men would have been unbelievably calloused. Such brutality was surely out of the reach of God’s forgiveness. Yet the centurion overseeing the execution of Jesus was touched somehow. He had witnessed many deaths, but nothing compared to this. No, Jesus was no ordinary man. What brought the centurion to believe and proclaim, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39b NKJV)?

There were several occurrences during Jesus’ death that should have revealed His deity to all who were watching. A black sky in the middle of the day or a violent earthquake at Christ’s last breath would be sure to get any man’s attention. However, I believe Jesus’ words of forgiveness are what tenderly broke through and eventually spoke to this rough character.

Philip Ryken says it well: “The Savior’s words demonstrated his redemptive purpose in dying on the cross. If Jesus was willing for the Father to forgive the very men who murdered him, then what sinner is beyond the reach of his mercy? Surely anyone who repents will be saved. When his enemies said, ‘Crucify!’ Jesus said, ‘Forgive,’ and a man who says that is willing to forgive anyone—even people like us, no matter what we have done, as long as we come to him in faith.”

PERSONAL REFLECTION:My hard-hearted friend? Surprising to me then, he is now a believer. Read Ezekiel 36:26 and keep praying. Someone you need to forgive? Bitterness hinders like nothing else. Forgiveness will free the Holy Spirit to powerfully work through us.

DAY 27

39

The Two CriminalsLuke 23:39-43

Think for just a moment about these questions and their accompanying answers. Who was the guy that built the ark? Noah. Who was the guy that held up his staff and parted the Red Sea? Moses. Who was the guy that put a stone in his sling and hurled it at Goliath the Giant and killed him? David. Who was the guy who started more churches in the ancient world than any other person? Paul. Who preached to millions over the better part of the 20th Century and had crusades in more major cities throughout the world than I have fingers and toes to count? Billy Graham.

The common thread running through all of those people is that no matter who they were, no matter how much they accomplished for the Lord, each one of them falls into the category Romans 3:23 and 6:23 calls sinners. They fell short. Their sentence was death. Yet God made a way for each of them in the same way He made a way for you and for me.

Luke records a scene from the crucifixion of Christ in Luke 23 where two thieves, one on either side of Jesus are having a conversation. These two men had not lived perfect lives. Contrast their situation with the reality that they were hanging on either side of a man who did live a perfect life.

One cursed at Jesus spewing forth hatred and anger because of his life choices. Maybe you have felt like that? Take note that Jesus never rebukes him. Jesus can take anything we can throw at Him.

The other thief may have started out that day filled with hatred as well, but by the time he realized he was hanging next to Jesus, he knew there was only one thing left for him in this life. He turned to Jesus and trustingly said, “Remember me…”

Jesus spoke to the second man simply saying, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” The Scriptures were originally and principally written in Hebrew and Greek, but the word translated “paradise” is generally of Persian origin, referring often to a garden. It was not just any garden though. It refers to a very special garden like that of a king. No one ever got into the garden without an invitation from the king. The response from Jesus was an invitation.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: Remember you and I are faces in the crowd just like those two thieves. We’ve all fallen short. We’ve all been handed death sentences. Ask the Lord for humility, for forgiveness, and to help you turn your whole self over to Him. Jesus is faithful to forgive us, inviting us to the garden to spend eternity with Him.

DAY 28

40

His Obedience, Our RighteousnessPhilippians 3:9

As Jesus lay in the tomb, there must have been great grief among His followers at what they had just witnessed. As darkness fell across the land that day we now refer to as Good Friday, it would have seemed anything but good to them.

Why call it Good Friday? It’s not about our goodness—certainly we are not good. We have no claim to God’s mercy. We have nothing to show, no leverage, and no control. We often think about it as not even being good for Jesus—He was, after all, beaten, abused and ultimately killed on a cross. What’s so good about that? What we have to stop and realize is that in the darkness of that Friday, light began to shine in our lives because His Obedience became Our Righteousness.

Philippians 3:9 reminds us it is not by our own righteousness we have been saved. It is through the righteousness of the One who became sin and who took on the pain of death for us that we are now justified—God now sees us as righteous. We do not deserve it, but that is the amazing thing about grace. We experience what we do not deserve—forgiveness. We are still individuals who have committed sin—the penalty is death. We are, however, saved by grace and therefore the acts of sin which we have committed are “erased from our record.”

The penalty has been paid through the obedience of Jesus Christ. His obedience provided the righteousness we needed to be justified in God’s court. The pinnacle of Christ’s obedience was His death and suffering (Philippians 2:8) and allows us to be seen as righteous (Romans 5:19).

Things are always darkest just before they go pitch black. In the black realization our own power or our intelligence is never enough. We finally discover we need to rely solely on the promise of God’s grace. Where Christ’s righteousness is put on us, He then becomes our righteousness.

Personal Reflection: Consider the incredible price Jesus paid for your life. What are your thoughts about His obedience through the sacrifice Christ made for you? Thank God for the gift of salvation and for the joy we know through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.Inset from the hymn At the Cross by Isaac Watts (1707)

DAY 29Alas! and did my Savior bleedAnd did my Sovereign die?Would He devote that sacred headFor sinners such as I?

Was it for crimes that I had doneHe groaned upon the tree?Amazing pity! grace unknown!And love beyond degree!

But drops of grief can ne’er repayThe debt of love I owe:Here, Lord, I give myself away’Tis all that I can do.

41

My Face in the CrowdBrad Newbold Testimony Luke 22:42, John 15:13, Romans 5:8

One year for Easter we had a service each night of Holy Week. We started on Wednesday and had services each night culminating with Sunday morning, Easter Day, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The services during the week followed the events of Jesus’ life leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection. We called it, “Incredible Moments with the Savior.”

Each night we had music followed by a drama depicting the events of the day and concluded with a small group prayer time led by our deacons. On Wednesday we had Jesus teaching from the Sermon on the Mount (because we weren’t sure of the events of that day). On Thursday we observed the Last Supper.

The day I’d like to talk about is Friday. The day of the crucifixion. I played the part of the Apostle John each night. On Friday night my character had the responsibility of taking Jesus off the cross. As a side note, you need to know that our director and the man playing Jesus had been a professional, off-Broadway actor. He was particular about the details and attempted to create as much realism as possible. The cross was positioned front, center stage. There was a lot of stage blood used to show the brutality of the cross. I will never forget the first dress rehearsal. As we took Jesus off the cross and handed him off to those who were going to prepare him for burial I looked down at my hands. I get emotional thinking about it now. I looked down at my hands and they were covered in blood. Jesus’ blood. The blood of Jesus was on my hands. Jesus. The perfect Lamb of God. The sinless sacrifice. The God-Man. Immanuel. Savior. Lover of my soul.

I don’t have to tell you that I’m a sinner. I know that. If you know me – then you know that. But this night I physically saw the blood of Jesus on my hands. It was my sin that put Him there, and yet He said, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42 ESV) He went to the cross willingly.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: I believe that Jesus’ primary motivation for dying on the cross was to glorify the Father. I believe that’s why Jesus did everything that He did. But, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Reflect on the love that Jesus has for you. Remember, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

DAY 30

42

Mary MagdaleneMark 16:1,9; Luke 8:1-2; 24:10; John 20:1,11-18

Mary Magdalene was named so because she was from Magdala, a city on the western shore of Galilee, identified with the modern-day city of Migdal. From the Scriptures, it was apparent that Mary Magdalene had lived a very sorry existence, as there were seven demons that were cast out from her, indicating the severity of the possession from which Jesus freed her.

Because of this incredible encounter with Jesus, and her miraculous healing, she traveled with the other women to help support Jesus’s ministry. Mary was one of several women who had followed Jesus to the cross, watched his crucifixion, and then remained to see where he was buried (Matthew 27:61).

Because of the short interim between Jesus’ death and the coming of the Sabbath on Friday evening, the women who had stood by the cross did not have time to properly anoint Jesus’ body for burial. But early on the first day of the week (Sunday), the women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and possibly other women) went to finish the anointing of Jesus’ body.

And as they were on their way to the tomb, they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away for us from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3). The question was answered when they arrived, for the stone had already been moved away. They immediately went to the disciples and told them the news. According to John’s Gospel, not only had John outran Peter to the tomb, but Mary apparently returned as well.

After John and Peter examined the tomb and returned home, Mary lingered. Through crying eyes, she peered into the tomb again, and to her astonishment, two angels were seated where Jesus’ body was placed. They asked only a simple question: ”Why are you crying?” For the angels, this was a joyous moment. Little did Mary know that this was also the moment when her tears of anguish would become tears of joy!

At that moment, Mary turned around to a see what she thought was a gardener behind her. But with the mere mentioning of her name, she immediately recognized Him as her Savior. Imagine the love that flooded Mary’s heart when she heard her Savior speak her name! Her tears of grief and despair instantly vanished and replaced with His love and comfort and joy.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Mary did not meet the risen Christ until she had discovered the empty tomb. Her tears of pain were replaced with tears of joy. We cannot meet Christ until we discover that He is indeed alive, that His tomb is empty. Are you filled with the joy of this good news?

DAY 31

43

My Face in the CrowdCarrie Shindorf Testimony

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25

Where would your face have been in the crowd that day? In my Bible, I have this sentence written above this verse… “now there stood by the cross of Jesus, Carrie.” When I read the crucifixion story, I place myself standing near the cross with the women. I want to believe that I would have been standing with them with undeniable faith. Even when it looked like all hope was lost, I still believed.

As a child of five years of age, someone came and put me on a church bus and began taking me to church. The moment I walked into that little brick church in St. Joseph, MO I felt the peace of God. I never really felt peace before that and especially at home. My father lived a life battling addiction and it seems I was born into a life of fear and anxiety, the very opposite of peace. That little church loved me and welcomed me in. I wanted to live there forever and I did spend 43 years of my life at my home church. BUT God, He changed everything. He saved me and all of my household.

No one had to tell me what sin was. I had that figured out early on in life. However, I struggled to grasp that the Heavenly Father could be trusted to save “me” from my sin. My picture of trust had been shattered. It wasn’t until I went away to Bible college and away from family and friends that God began a life-long transformation in my life. Alone at the alter with my Bible, at the age of 18 in 1984, I finally understood that Jesus loved me and that I could trust Him to be the Lord and Savior of my life.

This has been the best decision I have ever made. That day changed my life forever. He rescued me and stepped into my life to rewrite my story. I am no longer fearful, but rather a child of the King. “I called, you answered me and made me bold and stouthearted.” (Psalms 138:3 NIV 1984)

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Have you ever received Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life? Jesus loves you. Jesus has the power to save and rescue you. Jesus has the power to transform your life. He longs to rewrite your story.

DAY 32

44

Mary the mother of James, Joseph, Joanna and SalomeMark 15:40-41

We read in Luke 8:1-3 that Jesus went through cities and villages teaching, preaching, and bringing glad tidings of the kingdom of heaven. Along with Jesus were the twelve disciples and many women. I like this a lot. These women were not merely supporting cast members but also disciples too. Just like the men, they had decided to follow Jesus and were also supporting the ministry with their financial means.

One such woman was Mary, the mother of James, Joseph, Joanna, and Salome. She is often called the second Mary or the other Mary. She was a woman most likely with wealth. She had been taught by Jesus and witnessed His ministry and miracles on many occasions. She was a follower of Jesus.

When Jesus was arrested things escalated rather quickly. It was a fateful week in Jerusalem for those who loved Jesus. The disciples responded in different ways. Some disciples ran (including Peter), some watched from a distance, and some stood near the cross, like the disciple whom Jesus loved, John.

However, we know from the Scriptures that the women stayed near Jesus during His death, burial, and resurrection. Others ran away when it looked like all hope was gone. What caused these women to stay? Many of the details we have about the death, burial, and resurrection are because these women had the courage to stay near the cross. They must have had questions, but somewhere their faith conquered their doubt and fears because they stayed.

In Matthew 28 we read that this very Mary was one of the first to return to the tomb after Jesus rose from the grave. She was greeted by the angel of the Lord, and upon going to tell the good news she runs face-to-face with the risen Savior. Mary became one of the first witnesses to tell the good news that Jesus the Son of God had risen from the dead. Maybe it was her great faith that allowed her to be one of the first people to see the risen Jesus. Can you imagine the joy in her heart as she fell down and worshipped at Jesus’ feet?

We who follow in the steps of those who have gone before us have the choice to make. Will you stay near the cross?

PERSONAL REFLECTION:

DAY 33

Jesus keep me near the cross,there’s a precious fountain;free to all a healing stream,flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Near the cross I watch and wait,hoping and trusting ever;‘til I reach that golden strand,it’s just beyond the river.

– Frances Crosby

45

Joseph of ArimatheaLuke 23:53; Matthew 27:59-60; John 19:38-42

Have you been or have you ever known a “secret” Christian? When my husband became a believer there was no doubt a radical transformation had taken place. He was also an outspoken verbal witness. He had a coworker approach him clandestinely and quietly say that he was a Christian too. No one had any idea!

Nicodemus and Joseph were members of the Sanhedrin, and they were both secret believers in Jesus Christ. “. . . Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus . . . And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came . . .” (John 19: 38-39, NKJV).

After Jesus’ death the men got the courage to do what they were unwilling to do during Jesus’ life and ministry. They were finally willing to pay the price to reveal they were believers in Jesus. I give them credit for coming out before the resurrection. Even the disciples were unwilling to take that risk.

To properly be a Christ follower, it takes grit. To be a Christian who has influence and impact, there must be a stoic refusal to succumb to a world that wants to mold you into its image (Romans 12:2). A powerful, Spirit-filled life requires a fearless resolve to face whatever the enemy throws your way, whether it be temptation or heartache. If you have a price to compromise, be sure Satan will offer it to you.

Recently a dear friend made a hard decision to keep on living for Jesus in spite of hardship that ensued. She has already impacted many lives for God’s kingdom, and she is facing the onslaught from an enemy trying to stop her. With the Holy Spirit’s power within her she chose to keep walking with Jesus. Satan tempted her to go back to what was familiar in dealing with her problems. He threatened a relationship with someone she dearly loves. The right choice was also going to cost her embarrassment. Wrestling with what to do, she chose Jesus! She testified an unexplainable peace and joy came to her when she set her face toward Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). Zach Williams has a song entitled “Walk with You.” The chorus says: “In this running with the devil world, I’m gonna walk with You.”

It is past time we come out of hiding and impact our world. Do not sell out to whatever tempts you. Do not allow circumstances in life to beat you down. We are in a war. Souls hang in the balance. Suit up!

DAY 34

46

My Face in the CrowdJohn Forsythe Testimony

I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of six in the living room of my parent’s home. Most of my church attendance to that point in my life had been due to the efforts of my mother, so it seemed pretty natural to ask her the questions of a spiritual nature which had been bothering me. Easter had come and gone. Christ and the cross were fresh on my mind. I was ready for a spiritual conversation. On Saturday afternoon, May 8, 1982, I committed my life to Jesus Christ, to make Him the Lord of my life.

Looking back at this specific moment in my life, I am convinced that is when I came to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel I came to believe then, and believe to this day, begins with a word whereby God created the heavens and the earth. When God created man in His own image, He breathed life into the man, Adam; and from the man God created Eve. He gave them all they would need and a relationship with Him. He told them they could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed God. Sin came to all mankind at that point, and man now had two significant problems—sin and death. God made a way for the redemption of man and the restoration of relationship through His Son, Jesus Christ. In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s wrath was satisfied and man was saved from sin and death. Those who believe in Him will have everlasting life. This “good news” is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16); who repent of their sins, confess Christ as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead.

I shared that decision with a deacon—my maternal grandfather—and another deacon, and they prayed with me. Afterward, we shared this significant decision with the church. I was baptized the following Sunday. I stood in the waters to testify of the new life I had come to receive by faith in Christ alone. I bear that testimony to this day, of the Son of God who died a sinless death for the sins of mankind, who was buried and rose again on the third day, who ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and who is coming again. I am living now and have peace with God through Christ, standing by faith in His grace, exulting in the glory of God (Romans 5:1, 2). I am a face in the crowd, a sinner saved by God’s grace.

DAY 35

47

Jesus Christ, The ResurrectionMatthew 28:20

Have you ever wondered what Tiberius Caesar was doing on the day Jesus rose from the dead?

A strange question, I know. But consider: Caesar was the most powerful man in the world. He ruled an empire of millions, commanded the strongest army in the known world, and called himself a son of the gods. Jesus, on the other hand, was a carpenter and traveling preacher, condemned to die because He claimed to be the Son of God, too. Jesus’ claim to be God and Caesar’s claim to be God couldn’t co-exist. One of them was right, and one was wrong.

At first glance, the crucifixion seemed to settle that question. Caesar’s appointed governor, Pilate, issued the death sentence, and Jesus, this King of the Jews, was executed under the authority of Caesar, the ruler of all Rome.

And yet - in just a few short years, Tiberius died, and he was the one who stood before the judgment seat of Christ.

When Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed. Nothing about the way the world worked was certain any longer. After all, He had just defeated death itself. And if death’s power was broken, what was there to be afraid of for followers of Jesus? His disciples realized that truth, and their lives proved it: they preached and taught and planted churches in the face of vicious persecution and eventually, execution. But not one of them flinched. They knew that because Jesus lived again, they would live again, too.

The disciples stood on a mountain in Galilee with the resurrected Jesus and heard Him say, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20, ESV) They saw those words fall from the lips of a man that they had seen dead on a cross just a few days before! Anything was possible. A life free of sin, true joy in God, even resurrection from the dead. The good news of Jesus had changed everything.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:As true as that was for the disciples, it’s still true for us: Jesus is alive, crushing death with its own power. And because He is alive, we have an iron-clad guarantee that everyone who repents of sin, trusts Him for the forgiveness of sin, and follows Him as their King, will also be resurrected and live with Him forever. Have you trusted Jesus to save you from sin and death?

DAY 36

48

ThomasJohn 20:19-31

A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:

“Is anyone up there?” “I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?” “Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer.” “That’s all right. If you really believe, you have nothing to worry about.

I will save you. Just let go of the branch.” The man paused and said, “Is anyone else up there?”

We are prone to doubt our faith and in John’s account of the life of Jesus, we see one of His followers, Thomas, who is in such a place. Thomas was grieving, a normal emotion after someone you loved and cared about was killed. He may have moved from denial to anger and then from sadness to finally accepting the reality Jesus had died. Thomas certainly seems deeply moved by the loss of his friend Jesus Christ. What stands out is the doubt Thomas projects when he encounters the risen Christ. It is as though he set his own conditions for believing in the resurrection of Jesus (John 20:25).

His feelings were natural, but the only remedy for the doubt in his life was to simply open his eyes to Jesus. Many of us have been in this same spot before. Perhaps something has happened in your life that has caused you to doubt.

When Thomas came face-to-face with Jesus, his doubts were eliminated and his sadness melted away. This is a great description of the movement of our hearts when we finally are able to place our faith is Christ. The language here makes a strong distinction between those who are “faithless,” without faith, and those who find their belief, their faith in Christ. Jesus said, “Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.”

Jesus has never stopped transforming lives. John writes (20:30-31) that Jesus performed other miracles not written down. We know He is still working in the lives of people even today. John extends to us the reminder that faith is believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and experiencing a transformed life. Life that is abundant. Life that is free. Life that is fruitful. Life that is meaningful. Life that is eternal. What a blessing!

PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you have doubts? Have you turned them over to Jesus? Have you believed in Him and through faith been saved by Him? Take a moment to write down your fears, doubts, or the things in life that you are hung up on. Now take a moment and ask the Lord to transform those things in your life into hope, joy, and peace.

DAY 37

49

JohnJohn 20:3-10

John, the younger brother of James (and one of the ‘sons of thunder’), had a unique relationship with Jesus. John had earlier in Jesus’ ministry been forceful, angry, and quite self-centered (Mark 19:35-44). One might expect that someone with that personality would eventually self-destruct, seen as someone who was self-seeking or power-hungry.

Yet Jesus saw potential in John and made him one of three disciples who were part of His inner circle. Together with Peter and his brother James, John witnessed the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37) and the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–9). He was also present in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36–37) during Jesus’ agonizing, prayer-filled night before the crucifixion. But maybe the moment that was most transformational was when he reached the tomb where Jesus had been placed, early on that Sunday morning, and found that it was empty - even the grave cloths were empty (John 20:3-10). It was at this very moment that John believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, not from the reasoning of how the Scriptures foretold it (vs. 9-10). He believed and was transformed into someone who was strong, but gentle, straightforward but loving, courageous but humble.

So overwhelmed was John (by the life Jesus) that when he assembled the Gospel that bears his name, he refused to mention himself by name in the Gospel. Instead, he refers to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved!” What a humble change for one who, at first, had wanted power and recognition. John stands as a great example of Christ’s power to transform lives. Christ can change anyone – no one is beyond hope. Jesus accepted John as he was, a son of thunder, and changed him into what he would become – the apostle of love.

John provides a powerful example of a lifetime of service to Jesus. As a young man, John left his fishing nets to follow the Savior. For three intense years he watched Jesus love and listened to him preach and teach. John saw Jesus crucified, saw the empty tomb, and the resurrected Savior. Through it all, John remained faithful so that at the end of his life he would be remembered as a strong witness to the truth and power of the gospel.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:How strong is your commitment to Christ? Will it last through the years? The true test of an athlete is not in the start but the finish. So, too, with faithfulness to Christ – how will you finish that race?

DAY 38

50

Peter, After the ResurrectionJohn 21:15-23

Pre-resurrection Peter: Peter was indeed a man’s man. He was a fisherman, a tough guy. He was impetuous. He usually acted before he thought. If Jesus was walking on water, then Peter wanted to be right there with Him. If God told him to take the gospel to the “unclean” Gentiles, then that’s what he was going to do. If a soldier was coming after Jesus, then Peter was going to be the one to cut the guys ear off in his effort to protect his Savior.

But the night before Jesus died, Peter, while standing by a fire of coals, couldn’t be man enough to claim allegiance to Jesus. In fact, he didn’t just deny him once or twice; Peter denied Jesus three times! That’s the last we hear of the pre-resurrection Peter. He basically drops out of the story until we find him in a boat failing to catch fish.

Post-resurrection Peter: Peter and the other disciples had spent the night fishing and caught nothing. At daybreak, the disciple John told Peter that Jesus was standing on the shore. So, Peter, being Peter, jumped out of the boat and swam to shore to see Jesus. After a miracle catch of fish and breakfast, Jesus had some questions for Peter. In fact, He had three questions for Peter – well, really, He had one question, but He asked it three times. This is a fascinating scenario. A fire of coals, Jesus, and three questions.

Jesus Questions Peter: “Peter, do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?” The Bible says that after the third time, “Peter was grieved.” He had to have experienced something like Isaiah (Isa 6:5) when Isaiah declares, “Woe is me, I am lost!” As Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, in Peter’s brain, he had to be hearing, “Do you deny me?” Jesus challenges Peter to feed, tend, and feed His sheep. He then goes on to predict that Peter will die a death of crucifixion.

What did Peter (and what can we) learn from this? It is quite clear that the post-resurrection Peter was eventually a changed man. Peter challenges the elders to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.“ (I Peter 5:2-3)

It seems that Peter took to heart what Jesus had to say to him. Peter went from denying Jesus to shepherding the flock of God. Peter’s failure was not the end for him. God never wastes anything in your life. He wants to use you with all your faults to bless others and give glory to Him.

DAY 39

51

A Witness for Jesus ChristLuke 24:35-49

A Sunday School teacher asked her class about Easter and why it was important.

One little girl said, “Easter is when the whole family gets together, eats turkey, and sings about the pilgrims.”

“No, that’s not it,” said the teacher.

A second student responded, “Easter is when you get a tree, decorate it, give gifts to everybody and sing lots of songs.”

“Nope, that’s not it either,” replied the teacher.

Finally a third student said, “Easter is when Jesus was killed, put in a tomb, and left for three days.”

“Thank goodness someone knows” the teacher thought.

The student continued, “Then everybody gathers at the tomb and waits to see if Jesus comes out, and if he sees his shadow he has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter.”

Hopefully our understanding of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection is deeper than that. Jesus appeared to many people after the resurrection and opened their eyes to the reality that He did exactly what He said He would do. That forty day period after the resurrection saw Jesus continuing to teach His followers and to point them to the mission of God.

Jesus opened up the minds of His followers to understand the Scripture (v. 45). They were able to understand in great depth the Old Testament passages concerning the Christ, and Jesus “connected the dots” such that they understood the context of the crucifixion and the resurrection. All of it became real to them as they considered the great blessing of meeting Jesus, the One who had died for the sins of mankind and through whom we all have eternal life.

Jesus challenged them beyond head knowledge. He called them “witnesses” (v. 48), a daunting task if witnessing was something entirely powered by human action. Witnessing, though, is a Holy Spirit-empowered act whereby we personally carry the good news and open it up to a world in need which seeks answers to great problems. When witnesses live out, through word and deed, what has been opened up to them by the grace of God, they open up for others life now and an eternity with Jesus Christ. Live out the blessing (v. 50) of life in Christ and of joining God in His mission.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:Are you the witness Jesus has called you to be? How are you living out your faith in front of your family, your community and your world?

DAY 40

52

53

CONTRIBUTORSDr. Monte Shinkle, Senior Pastor

Introduction, Days 2, 4, 17, 20, and 22

John Forsythe, Senior Associate Pastor

Days 28, 29, 35, 37, and 40

Brad Newbold, Worship Pastor

Days 3, 11, 23, 30, and 39

Chris Thomson, Director of Discipleship

Days 5, 19, 26, 31, and 38

David Bronson, Director of Student Ministry

Days 1, 7, 10, 13, and 36

Becky Quinn, Director of Preschool & Children’s Ministry

Days 9, 18, 24, 27, and 34

Carrie Shindorf, Women’s Ministry Director

Days 6, 16, 21, 32, and 33

Mike Quinn, Staff Evangelist

Days 8, 12, 14, 15, and 25

Nichole Bethards

Family Activities