Although often overlooked, Mary Magdalene was a faithful and true disciple of Jesus Christ. She and the other women supported Jesus’ ministry financially. She was at the crucifixion and burial. After God raised him from the dead, Jesus appeared to her first, making her the chief eyewitness of the resurrection.

Luke 8:1-3 Mary Magdalene and other women accompanied Jesus during his ministry, providing for him financially. After Jesus changed Mary’s life, casting out seven demons, she followed him.

Mark 15:40-41 Mary had seen Jesus cure the sick, teach in parables, and preach the gospel of the Kingdom from town to town. When the Roman government crucified him, she was there. She heard him utter his final words from the cross.

Mark 15:46-47 Mary was there when Joseph took him down from the cross and buried him in his tomb. It is because of her that the disciples knew where Jesus was buried.

Luke 23:54-24:1 Mary insisted on anointing his body. Apparently, she didn’t think it had been done properly. She approached the tomb early in the morning on Sunday.

Mark 16:1-7 Mary first discovered the empty tomb and heard the message that Jesus had been raised.

John 20:1-10 She ran and got Peter. He and another disciple confirmed the empty tomb but didn’t fully understand the situation. Mary remained behind when they left.

John 20:11-18 Jesus first appeared to Mary in his resurrected state. In a world when women’s testimonies were dismissed, Jesus picked a woman as his first eyewitness. She went off to proclaim to the apostles, “I have seen the Lord!

Through the triumphal entry and the cleansing of the temple, Jesus publicly announced his claim to be the Messiah. The leaders of Jerusalem responded with a campaign to discredit him publicly that failed miserably. Knowing what would come, Jesus stayed the course until that fateful moment in Gethsemane when they took him into custody. Join us to relive the

Mark 11:1-2, 7 When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, he enacted an ancient prophecy (Zech 9:9-10) and simulated the coronation of a king (2 Kgs 9:11-13). Even the palm branches were politically charged (1 Macc 13:51-52).

Mark 11:9-10 Even more striking was the proclamation of the crowd, associating Jesus with the coming Kingdom of David. Coming into Jerusalem this way crossed the line.

Mark 11:15-19 Cleansing the temple got everyone’s attention. Jesus interfered with the sacrificial system and the flow of money. The leaders of Jerusalem responded with a campaign to discredit Jesus publicly through stumper questions. Jesus answered them all and countered by confronting them with seven woes (Mat 23:13-16).

Mark 14:1-9 Allowing a woman to pour out an ointment that cost 300 denarii on his head provoked criticism from onlookers. Jesus defended the woman for her ostentatious display of generosity.

Mark 14:10-11 Judas went to the priests to betray Jesus. They needed an opportunity when Jesus was away from the crowds so a riot didn’t break out. Judas could tell them where Jesus was at night, so they could arrest him secretly.

Mark 14:32-36 At Gethsemane, Jesus knew his time was short. He had to stay the course, even if that meant he would face ridicule, torture, and death on a cross. He prayed and prayed and prayed, asking for a way out. The answer was, “No”. Jesus resigned himself to his Father’s will and pushed through courageously to face his betrayer and those sent to arrest him.

John 11:3 Phileo is a word that expresses deep friendship, affection, and warmth, love between close companions.

5, 11 They were more than disciples; they were friends.

8 Stone you – 10:31-32 Jesus, undaunted, knew that God would guide and protect him.

9 Look fellows, I am doing God’s will. Everything is going to be all right. I am not afraid, nor should you be. You are with me.

14 Sleep – focus your attention on the living and not the dead.

16 Thomas’ reaction could be interpreted as confidence or sarcasm and fear.

17 Four days

Yes, in the time of Jesus, the custom in Jewish culture was to bury the dead on the day of death, just as it is today.

One of the clearest prophetic signs comes from Jonah’s experience:

“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17 KJV)

Jesus himself referenced this as a prophecy of his own death and resurrection:

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so shall the Son of

Jesus said he wanted us to make disciples. Inviting friends and acquaintances to come to church is a great way to get in the game. After all, Christianity is really helpful with major problems people are struggling with today.

Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commissioned the church to make disciples of all nations. This is the “game”. Are you in it or on the bench?

Five Problems that Christianity Helps With

1. Plunging Birthrates (Gen 1:28; Prov 17:6; Mark 10:13-14)

Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program: “A considerable body of research has suggested that religious service attendance powerfully affects health and also affects other aspects of flourishing such as meaning in life, character, and close social relationships. Specifically, research has indicated that those who attend religious services at least weekly are about 30% less likely to die over a 10- to 20- year follow-up, are about 30% less likely to become depressed, and are over five times less likely to commit suicide …. Other evidence suggests that religious service attendance is associated with subsequently greater meaning in life, greater social connection and social support, and a 30% to 50% reduction in divorce. See https://hfh.fas.harvard.edu/how-to-flourish.

Isaiah 35:5-6 and 42:6-7; Luke 4:16-20 Jesus understood from the Scriptures that he was to heal the blind. However, there was no specific instruction given on how to do it. So how did he know what to do?

Matthew 12:22-23 With the possessed blind and mute man, he cast out the demon.

Matthew 20:29-34 Two blind men cried out to him. Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes.

Mark 8:22-26 Jesus took the blind man from Bethsaida by the hand and led him out spitting on his eyes and laying hands on him. The man was not instantly healed.

Mark 10:46-52 In Jericho, Jesus said, “Go, your faith has made you whole.”

John 9:1-41 He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and applied the clay to his eyes. Go wash in the pool of Siloam.

Each incident required its own unique application, so how did he know?

Proverbs 1:20-23 Wisdom calls out everywhere.

Proverbs 8:1-12 Wisdom is readily available all the time.

Proverbs 9:1-6 Jesus understood the availability of wisdom

James 1:5-8 God gives it generously and without reproach.

Proverbs 4:1-12 Accurate knowledge is essential, but by itself it is not enough. We need wisdom, just like Jesus needed it.

Proverbs 15:2; 18:2; 26:11; 13:20

We have a deficiency−the lack of wisdom. However, this can be our greatest asset for it forces dependency and communication with God.

Luke 2:40, 52 Jesus grew in wisdom. Solomon and David lost their wisdom

Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:9 Pray for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

John 8:32

1 Kings 22:13-18. Ahab wanted to know the truth, but when Micaiah told him the truth, it wasn’t received well.

Galatians 4:12-20. Paul’s concern for the Galatians was grounded in speaking the truth about the good news of Christ. But he was also concerned that they then might make him their enemy because they didn’t want to hear it.

Ephesians 4:11-16. The truth is important for our growth, but how we speak it is just as important as the need for us to speak it.

Ephesians 4:29. When we tell the truth, we must do so with a heart toward building up and strengthening others, not tearing them down.

Proverbs 20:30; 27:6. No one wants their pride/ego to be hurt, but sometimes the truth hurts. But real friends are willing to tell you the truth. And most often, they do it because they care about you. Sometimes we need “tough love” to help us become more mature, more disciplined, and more Christ-like in our lives.

Self-control is the ability to tell yourself “no” when you’re tempted to do something wrong and “yes” when you don’t feel like doing something right. Jesus provides us with sterling examples of what godly self-control looks like in the real world. Rather than fleeing pain and pursuing pleasure, we should develop our self-control muscle so that we can live like Jesus.

Proverbs 25:28 Self-control is limiting your spirit—your impulses. It is exercising dominance over your desires. It is telling yourself “no” when you’re tempted to do something wrong and “yes” when you don’t feel like doing something right.

Proverbs 16:32 Anger is an area where self-control is extremely important. Uncontrolled anger is one of the most self-destructive forces in the world.

1 Corinthians 7:5, 9 Lust is another area where you must exercise self- control. This applies both to those who are married as well as singles.

John 6:11-15 Jesus resisted the temptation of fame and power when he fed the 5,000. Although his PR agent might have had disagreed, Jesus knew that the mob was fickle and untrustworthy.

Mark 14:55-61; Isaiah 53:7 When facing the false accusations about destroying the temple, Jesus remained silent before the high priest.

Mark 15:29-32; Matthew 26:51-54 On the cross, suffering in agony, Jesus was continually mocked and falsely accused by his opponents. They dared him to come down and prove he was the Messiah. Jesus had to control himself the whole time.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Like with athletes in training, self-control requires persistence and intensity. It’s like a muscle strengthened through use.

Some translations render the eighth fruit of the spirit as “gentleness”, while others as “meekness”.  With Jesus, we see both manifested, with meekness as the most outstanding. Meekness is receptivity to God and the things of God. His words in the garden, “Not my will, but Yours be done”, are the bravest words ever spoken, the most loving human act ever performed, the ultimate expression of meekness.

The Greek word prautes encompasses two distinct meanings and can be translated as either “gentleness” or “meekness”.

Mark 14:32-34 He was very distressed, troubled, and deeply grieved to the point of death.

Matthew 26:39 “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Isaiah 50:4-9 God will help him endure the physical abuse, the suffering, and humiliation.

Isaiah 52:13-15

ESV Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonished at you–his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind–

REV Isaiah 52:14 Just as many were appalled at you (his appearance was marred beyond human resemblance, and his form beyond that of human beings).

Isaiah 53:1-12 Jesus knew what the “cup” meant.

Psalm 22:7-8, 16-19; 69:20-21

John 5:19 and 30 Jesus was always meek to the Father’s will.

Philippians 2:5-8 Be humble and meek like Jesus.

James 1:21; 3:13

Ephesians 4:1-3 Meek to others with boundaries

Galatians 6:1-11 Help others with gentleness

2 Timothy 2:22-26

1 Peter 3:15

How do humans define kindness?

How does humanism define kindness?

What is kindness in Hinduism?

What is kindness in Islam?

How does the Bible define kindness?

Kindness in the scriptures is acting in benevolence with no obligation to do so.

God does not define kindness as just being nice.

The kindness of Christ culminated on the cross.

In the Bible, “good/goodness” is more than just describing someone or something as being helpful, nice, or pleasant. Rather, being “good” (i.e., having “goodness”) deals with having moral excellence, righteousness, and integrity.

“Goodness” is a quality that we are to seek to exhibit in our lives in abundance.

Jesus was said to be heavily invested in doing “good”.

So then why did Jesus deny being “good”?

God is the only one who is truly good. All goodness points to God and reflects His character.

Moses wanted to see God’s glory, and so God said He would have all His goodness pass in front of Him.

What does it mean for us to be “good”?