◼︎Journey Stations of the Cross: Sunday, March 21 – Sunday, April 4 ◼︎

Our Stations of the Cross experience will take us on a journey following the footsteps of Christ, immersing us in the biblical account of the last hours and days of Jesus' life. Take a few minutes each day to watch a short video and to respond and reflect. Connect with Jesus and prepare your heart as we head into Good Friday and Easter.

The following is the script from the video. You may also follow along using the downloadable reflection booklet.

◼︎ Station 4: Denial ◼︎
Jesus is Denied by Peter
Matthew 26:69–75

Supplies: Piece of paper and pen or pencil

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before all of them, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment the rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

We can imagine Peter’s denial of Jesus breaks Jesus’ heart—we know it breaks Peter’s, too.

But it’s not the whole story.

Here, Peter says “no.” No, I don’t know him. No, he’s not my friend. No, I’m not part of what’s happening here. Peter denies Jesus, and when he does, he also denies himself.

Because before this, Peter has been saying “yes” to Jesus.

He’s been saying yes to the call to discipleship, yes to this journey toward the unknown, yes to trusting in the promises of God and the hope of God’s kingdom here on earth.

These “yeses” mean he’s also been saying “no” in other ways: no to despair, no to injustice, no to a community where not all are recognized as beloved.

Here, Peter’s fear gets the best of him. It convinces him to say no to what he’s been saying yes to for so long. It convinces him to deny what he trusts and who he is.

Think of a “yes” you’ve said that is central to your identity. Write it down. Fold up the paper, small enough to carry in your pocket.

When this video ends, carry it with you.

Whenever your fear threatens, unfold this paper. Let your rereading and remembering of this “yes” give you the courage to know who you are, even in the face of your fear.

◼︎Journey Stations of the Cross: Sunday, March 21 – Sunday, April 4 ◼︎

Our Stations of the Cross experience will take you on a journey following the footsteps of Christ, and will immerse us as a community in the biblical account of the last hours and days of Jesus' life. Take a few minutes each day to watch a short video and to respond and reflect. Connect with Jesus and prepare your heart as we head into Good Friday and Easter.

The following is the script from the video. You may also follow along using the downloadable reflection booklet.

◼︎ Station 3: Condemnation ◼︎
Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin
Luke 22:66–71

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”

As you remember the condemnation in this story—which is really a confession, really a promise—that Jesus is the Son of God, take a moment to remember and reflect on the promise that you, too, are God’s child.

Whatever any other voice (your own or someone else’s) might tell you, this identity remains the deepest truth about you and about everyone else you will ever meet.

We’ll pray with our bodies now as a way of remembering this truth.

Breathe in deeply. Breathe out slowly. Place your hands on your lips. Say aloud: “With these lips, I will speak God’s truth.”

Breathe in deeply. Breathe out slowly. Fold your hands together. Say aloud: “With these hands, I will serve God’s world.”

Breathe in deeply. Breathe out slowly. Place your hands on your heart. Say aloud: “With all I am, I will share God’s love.”

Breathe in deeply. Breathe out slowly. Place your hands on your head. Say aloud: “I will remember I am God’s own.”

Amen.

◼︎Journey Stations of the Cross: Sunday, March 21 – Sunday, April 4 ◼︎

Our Stations of the Cross experience will take you on a journey following the footsteps of Christ, and will immerse us as a community in the biblical account of the last hours and days of Jesus' life. Take a few minutes each day to watch a short video and to respond and reflect. Connect with Jesus and prepare your heart as we head into Good Friday and Easter.

The following is the script from the video. You may also follow along using the downloadable reflection booklet.

◼︎ Station 2: Betrayal ◼︎
Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested
Mark 14:43–46

Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him.

As you remember the story of Judas, a faithful friend who turned Jesus over to the authorities, consider the ways you have sometimes rejected what matters most to you. Join me in a time of prayer. I’ll speak the prompt, leave some silence for you to call to mind your own confession, and then together we’ll say, “Loving God, I confess, and I call on your grace.” Let’s pray:

God, this story is difficult. It asks us to remember a heartbreaking time in Jesus’ life and confront times in our own lives where we have betrayed what matters most. Hear us now, in these silences, as we offer our confessions to you.

For the ways I have betrayed the call to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you…

Loving God, I confess, and I call on your grace.
For the ways I have betrayed my call to embrace all your children…

Loving God, I confess, and I call on your grace.
For the ways I have betrayed my own identity as your beloved child…

Loving God, I confess, and I call on your grace.
Loving God, for all of this, we confess, and we call on your grace. Amen.

For followers of Jesus, there is a week that stands above all the others. It’s the week that makes the running point in the human story and in OUR story! Passion Week or Holy Week leads up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God. We will take two weeks leading up to our Good Friday service and Easter Weekend to look at The Week and to prepare our hearts. In addition, we’ll have daily devotions through the Journey app and website that will walk us through virtual Stations of the Cross.

▫️▪️▫️▪️
If you call Journey home, you can give here as an act of worship. If you’d like to invest in Journey’s mission to reach those in our community and around the world then join us by giving in the Journey app or on our website at https://journeycommunitychurch.com/giving

◼︎Journey Stations of the Cross: Sunday, March 21 – Sunday, April 4 ◼︎

Our Stations of the Cross experience will take you on a journey following the footsteps of Christ, and will immerse us as a community in the biblical account of the last hours and days of Jesus' life. Take a few minutes each day to watch a short video and to respond and reflect. Connect with Jesus and prepare your heart as we head into Good Friday and Easter.

The following is the script from the video. You may also follow along using the downloadable reflection booklet.

◼︎ Station 1: Sorrow ◼︎
Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Matthew 26:36–41

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

As you begin this journey through the Stations of the Cross and remember the disciples who came with Jesus to the garden, remember also those people who have accompanied you during your hardest times.

Maybe, like the disciples who were present with Jesus, the people you’ll remember were also struggling.

Maybe, like the disciples, they faced their own sorrow, or couldn’t completely enter into yours, but still came alongside you.

To begin, call to mind the face of one person who has been present with you in difficulty or sorrow. Picture that face before you, hold your focus there for a moment, and say...

...thank you.

This “thank you” is a prayer of gratitude, not for this person’s perfection, but for their accompaniment, for their willing spirit.

Trust that as you journey through these stations, and as you journey through your life, you are held carefully, prayerfully, by your community.

We could all use some joy up in here! If you look at the Bible you’ll see that happiness is serious business, and God is all about it — He actually commands it. So let’s get busy! Join us as we take a look at Philippians — a short book of the Bible that uses the words “joy” and “rejoice” seventeen times in just four pages.

▫️▪️▫️▪️
If you call Journey home, you can give here as an act of worship. If you’d like to invest in Journey’s mission to reach those in our community and around the world then join us by giving in the Journey app or on our website at https://journeycommunitychurch.com/giving

We could all use some joy up in here! If you look at the Bible you’ll see that happiness is serious business, and God is all about it — He actually commands it. So let’s get busy! Join us as we take a look at Philippians — a short book of the Bible that uses the words “joy” and “rejoice” seventeen times in just four pages.

▫️▪️▫️▪️
If you call Journey home, you can give here as an act of worship. If you’d like to invest in Journey’s mission to reach those in our community and around the world then join us by giving in the Journey app or on our website at https://journeycommunitychurch.com/giving

We could all use some joy up in here! If you look at the Bible you’ll see that happiness is serious business, and God is all about it — He actually commands it. So let’s get busy! Join us as we take a look at Philippians — a short book of the Bible that uses the words “joy” and “rejoice” seventeen times in just four pages.

▫️▪️▫️▪️
If you call Journey home, you can give here as an act of worship. If you’d like to invest in Journey’s mission to reach those in our community and around the world then join us by giving in the Journey app or on our website at https://journeycommunitychurch.com/giving

It’s pretty safe to say that we feel like we’ve lost a lot in the past year. Lost connections, moments, money, relationships, experiences and more. And maybe in a lot of ways we feel like we’ve lost ourselves, our soul, the “us” and the “me” that we used to be. But there is hope! With God’s help we can get our lives back, we can live life — as He intended — with Him.

What would it look like to fight for the life that God has for us? How can we reconnect with God’s power? We’ll look at these questions and see what the Bible says about “getting our lives back.”

▫️▪️▫️▪️
If you call Journey home, you can give here as an act of worship. If you’d like to invest in Journey’s mission to reach those in our community and around the world then join us by giving in the Journey app or on our website at https://journeycommunitychurch.com/giving

It’s pretty safe to say that we feel like we’ve lost a lot in the past year. Lost connections, moments, money, relationships, experiences and more. And maybe in a lot of ways we feel like we’ve lost ourselves, our soul, the “us” and the “me” that we used to be. But there is hope! With God’s help we can get our lives back, we can live life — as He intended — with Him.

What would it look like to fight for the life that God has for us? How can we reconnect with God’s power? We’ll look at these questions and see what the Bible says about “getting our lives back.”

▫️▪️▫️▪️
If you call Journey home, you can give here as an act of worship. If you’d like to invest in Journey’s mission to reach those in our community and around the world then join us by giving in the Journey app or on our website at https://journeycommunitychurch.com/giving