In today's devotional, we concluded harmonisation of all 4 gospels on the crucifixion of Jesus, our discoveries again were remarkable. For one, it was shocking to realize only John actually mentions the final words of Jesus on the cross, Matthew and Mark simply said Jesus gave a loud cry and then gives up his spirit, John told us what that cry was; "it is finished". Jesus cried out

"When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30 NLT.

What did those words mean? What was finished? I would say Jesus was saying his mission was accomplished, he had completed his task.

It is finished could also mean; the price for yours and my sins had been fully paid for, no other payment or sacrifice would be necessary.

It could also mean that the devil, and his hold over us is now broken, we are free. You and I do not owe sin or the devil anything anymore. The Price was paid in full. Thank you Jesus!

Halleluyah!

In today's devotional, having taken the accounts of Matthew and Mark yesterday, we harmonised them with Luke, our discoveries were outstanding. I emphasize three unique events that are only found in Luke; the women mourning and wailing along the way as Jesus is led away to be crucified and what Jesus said to them. Second is Jesus' prayer to God to forgive the people killing him, and lastly his final words. As Jesus is led away to be crucified, Luke tells us that; "A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him."

Luke 23:27 NIV. The one who took care of them, healed their children was being led away like a criminal, naturally the cried. Jesus' words to them was; "Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’

Luke 23:28‭-‬30 NIV. The time was coming when it would be by far better for a childless person than one with children because of difficult times ahead. Next, Jesus forgives the very people that were putting him to death; "Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots."

Luke 23:34 NIV. Jesus recognized they didn't fully realized what they were doing, if anything, they were unwittingly doing the will of God even though they thought they were doing it for their own interests. Lastly, Jesus' final word were, and this agrees with Matthew and Mark who said Jesus simply gave a large cry; "Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Luke 23:46 NIV. He committed himself into the hands of the father as death took him and the grave and hell swallowed him, he trusted that his father would not leave his soul in the grave and that death would not have eternal power over him.

In today's devotional, we read the final words of Jesus on the cross; it was to commit himself to his Father; "And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Mark 15:34 NIV. On the cross, God forsook Jesus, he abandoned him because Jesus was carrying the sins of the whole world. On the cross, he was the atonement for sin. Today we say thank you Jesus for giving up everything to die a shameful death so we can become sons of God.

In today's devotional, we were able to harmonize the account of all 4 authors of the gospel of the trial of Jesus Christ before Pilate and according to Luke, Herod. We saw the determination of Pilate to release Jesus, the indignation of Herod to see Jesus finally and his disappointment when Jesus refused to amuse him by performing miracle. We saw the wickedness of the high priest, the teachers of the law and elders, the soldiers who ridiculed and mocked him and finally the part the crowd played. We emphasized on Jesus' determination to suffer the shame he did and to then die a shameful death for us.

In today's devotional, we see Jesus stand trial before pilate and the accusation that had been levelled against him;

*"Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”*

Luke 23:1‭-‬2 NIV.

The chief priest, teachers of the law and elders knew the charge had to be strong enough for pilate to agree to kill him. Ultimately, it wasn't the charges against him that won their case but their threat to start an uprising.

*"When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”*

Matthew 27:24 NIV.

Lesson, they were willing to subvert justice just to see their competition taken out.

In today's devotional, we read about Peter denying or disowning Jesus. I once asked eveyone participating in the podcast if there were circumstances strong enough to get them to disown Jesus? I ask the question again today; is there anything, any circumstances under which you'd deny Jesus thereby shipwrecking your faith? The answer I would expect to hear will be; never, impossible, etc. But think about Peter this morning, he said never too and even vowed to go to the cross with Jesus. His case was worsened by the fact the crowd was able to put him on the ground as one of the disciples because he was the one the cut off Malchus' ear, Peter likely feared for his life. Lord help us to never disown or deny you. Say Amen

In today's devotional, we see the sanhedrin turn truth on its head and learn a vital lesson on speaking the truth. They arrested Jesus and were then looking for evidences to incriminate him. "The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

Mark 14:55‭-‬56 NIV. Many were willing to tell lies just so they could get their few seconds of fame. Lessons; we must learn to stand with and for the truth. Telling lies will always destroy, it led to the death of Jesus here.

In today's devotional, we harmonised using all 4 gospel authors, the arrest of Jesus. Most of the accounts are exactly the same; Judas together with a crowd came secretly to arrest Jesus. Judas uses a kiss to identify who Jesus was. The disciples tried to resist, Peter with a sword cuts off the ear of one of their attackers. Jesus instructs them to stand down as this was all happening in fulfilment of scriptures. All the disciples deserts him. Matthew 26: 47-56, Mark 14: 43-52, Luke 22: 47-53, John 18: 2-14. Lesson, you cannot resist in the flesh or physically what should happen in the Spirit, the time to resist was at the garden when they were praying with Jesus. They are weak now because they were weak then. There are battles no human strength can win, this was one of them. Secondly, we learn from Jesus' tenacity and courage to drink his cup of suffering; he was about to undertake a task no one had ever succeeded at. "Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

John 18:11 NIV.

In today's devotional, we read about the time Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James and John. We were able to draw out some important lessons from this one encounter. "They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Mark 14:32‭-‬34 NIV. First lesson, we said if you don't want to fall into temptation, you must learn to do both; watching and praying. Secondly, we said there is a dimension to prayer you can't contract out to someone else. Now even though there is this thing called intercession, there are prayer only you can make for yourself. We know from John chapters 14 through 17 that Jesus prayed for his disciples, but here, they needed to prayer for themselves. "Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Mark 14:37‭-‬38 NIV. Lastly we said that there are things that can only be accomplished in and with the Spirit, trying to do it in the flesh guarantees failure.

In today's devotional Jesus prays for three different groups of people; he prays for himself he prays for the disciples, and then prays for everyone we will come to believe in him. My emphasis this morning is on the prayer Jesus pray for us for all believers. In his prayer, he emphasized that believers would be one with one another, and be one with the Father, that we will know the glory that we have now received in Christ, and that we will come to understand his love for us.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17:20‭-‬26 NIV.

Never forget that this prayer was made for you.