Three women returned to the tomb in which Jesus’ body had been laid. Just as women had provided for Jesus’ needs when he was alive, they remained faithful after his death despite the potential danger and the physical challenge of moving the stone from the entrance of the tomb.

When they arrived at the tomb, they saw that the stone had been rolled away and a young man in a white robe. Understandably, they were shocked. They must have thought of the possibility that Jesus’ body had been stolen. The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out, but to announce that Jesus had risen for those who visited the tomb.

The angel tells the women the good news that Jesus was not there because he had risen. If the testimony of the angel was not sufficient in itself, the angel shows the women the place where Jesus had been laid. When we see the place where they laid him is now empty, we see that the Father did not forsake Jesus, death is conquered and that we have a living friend in Jesus.

The angel gives the women a message for the disciples. Even though they had deserted Jesus and Peter had denied him, Jesus demonstrates the forgiveness we all receive in him through the plan to meet them in Galilee. Here, Jesus meets with them and commissions them to continue his mission in the world. All who believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection are reconciled to God and sent out to share the gospel on their frontlines. DR

Questions

Prayer

Almighty Father, we thank you that Jesus’ resurrection shows us that he defeated sin and death. Help us to meet him and be transformed by him, so that we, too, might go out into the world and share the good news of salvation in Jesus. In Jesus name, Amen.

As Jesus endured the physical agony of crucifixion and the spiritual weight of sin, causing darkness to come over the land, he cried out the opening line of Psalm 22. Perhaps, someone misheard him and thought he was calling on Elijah. Some thought that Elijah might come and rescue Jesus, because it was believed that Elijah’s return would signal the coming of the Messiah. But, just as many had misunderstood Jesus’ life and ministry, they misunderstood him here, too.

Jesus died, but this was no ordinary crucifixion and no ordinary death. It should have taken much longer for Jesus to die even accounting for his physical beating leading up to his crucifixion. When Jesus died, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The curtain was a sign of the separation between humanity and God that sin caused. Only the High Priest could enter through the curtain once each year on the Day of Atonement to seek forgiveness for the sins of Israel. The curtain was torn from top to bottom to indicate that this was God at work and only God could deal with the problem of sin once and for all.

The centurion, who witnessed Jesus’ death, had most like seen many people crucified before, yet there was very different about Jesus that he said something he could not say about anyone else. The centurion saw Jesus for who he was and is an example of all who come to Jesus through the cross. The crucifixion appeared to be a terrible defeat, but, on the cross, sin is defeated. DR

Questions

Prayer

Gracious God, we thank you that Jesus became sin for us even though he did not sin. We thank you that Jesus endured the humiliation, shame and agony of the cross. Help us to be truly thankful for the cross and shape our lives by Jesus’ sacrificial love. In his name, Amen

Psalm 22 was written by King David at a time when he felt abandoned by God, and experienced great danger and deprivation. It begins abruptly, with a disturbing scene: someone who knows and trusts God is forsaken, and cries out to God in agony. We may readily imagine a situation in the life of King David where he experienced this. Many times he found himself in seemingly impossible circumstances and wondered why God did not rescue him immediately.

The real significance of this Psalm though is that it points to the Messiah, and the suffering Jesus would endure on the cross for our salvation. Jesus deliberately chose these words to describe his agony on the cross (Matt 27:46). It seems certain that Jesus was meditating on the Old Testament during the hours of his suffering and saw his crucifixion as a fulfilment of this psalm.

On the cross at that moment, a holy transaction took place. God the Father regarded Jesus as if he were a sinner who carried the sin of the whole world. As Paul would later write, God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor 5:21). Martin Luther wrote that this psalm describes the deep and heavy sufferings of Christ when agonising in the midst of the terrors and pangs of divine wrath and death which surpass all human thought and comprehension. Jesus’ agonised cry and the intentional identification of himself with these words are some of the most intense and mysterious descriptions of what Jesus experienced on the cross. DR

Questions

Prayer

Almighty God, we thank you that the Psalms point towards the Messiah and the suffering he would willingly endure for us. Help us to grasp the cost of our forgiveness, the cost of our salvation. May this knowledge help us to be truly thankful and willing to share this on our frontlines. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Before Jesus was sent to be crucified, the Roman soldiers of the Praetorium humiliated him. The crown of thorns, their bending of the knee and the purple robe were evidence they held Jesus’ claim to be King in contempt. The soldiers struck him again and again, and they spat on him again and again. They treated Jesus the same way they would treat any condemned prisoner, even though he was not guilty.

Simon of Cyrene, who happened to be passing by, was forced to carry the cross for Jesus. This was a normal part of crucifixion to further humiliate the prisoner and to make them an example to others. The fact that Jesus could not carry the cross implies that he was physically unable to carry it due to the soldiers’ beating. Jesus was crucified with two other criminals, his charge reading: “the king of the Jews”. As Jesus is on the cross, it becomes crystal clear that Jesus is the true King and Caesar was not. The Roman Empire appeared to be benevolent but it achieved peace with an iron fist. Jesus is a King who saves by laying down his life for us. He is the Prince of Peace.

Once more Jesus is mocked and insulted by passers-by, witnesses, the two criminals and the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They referred to his previous teachings and miracles to challenge Jesus to ‘save’ himself. Jesus chooses the cross and all its pain and humiliation because it was necessary to atone for our sins and enable Jesus to be ‘a merciful High Priest’ who understood the human condition completely, and support us when we are tempted or suffer. DR

Questions

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you that Jesus endured humiliation and physical pain and suffering for us. We acknowledge Jesus not only as the King of the Jews, but as the King of the Universe and our King. We thank-you that Jesus meets us when we are tempted or when we suffer because of all that he endured. Thank you Jesus, Amen.

Jesus has been found guilty of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin and now is brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judaea, because the Jews were not able to execute anyone who had broken their religious laws. Now, the religious leaders bring forward a political crime accusing Jesus of setting himself up as King in opposition to Caesar. Pilate asks Jesus if he is the “King of the Jews”, to which Jesus replies that Pilate had said so. Then Jesus remains silent as the chief priests lay out their accusations against Jesus.

In reply to Pilate’s question, Jesus is really saying that, as King of the Jews, he is not trying to take over as a political leader. Jesus’ silence in the face of these accusations was a fulfilment of Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth”. Jesus was in total control in this situation despite the outward appearances. Jesus could have effectively argued his case against these charges, but remains silent in order to fulfil the Father’s will.

Pilate appears to want to release Jesus because he recognises that Jesus has not committed a crime to warrant the death penalty. But, the crowds are stirred up to demand the release of Barabbas, an insurrectionary and murderer. Pilate hands over Jesus to be crucified because he wants to please the crowd. It is ironic that Pilate authorises Jesus’ death because he doesn’t want to upset the crowd in case news of this travels to Rome, but Pilate is happy to release someone who has actively opposed Roman rule. DR

Questions

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you were obedient to the Father’s will. Help us to recognise you as our true King, not a political leader or military leader. Help us to resist the pressure of others and follow your will for our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Directly after Peter proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus begins to teach his disciples what it means for him and what he will do. Jesus now teaches directly (plainly in the text) about his impending suffering, rejection and execution...and, his resurrection three days later.

Not surprisingly, Peter wants none of this to happen. Remember, he has only just realised who Jesus is. Peter wants him to be around with him and the disciples for longer. Jesus rebukes Peter because of this “human concern”, clearly implying that his suffering and death are part of God’s plan – God’s plan of salvation. Jesus tells them in advance what will happen so that they will know that his death was not a human victory or Satan’s victory, but God’s plan to deal decisively with sin and death.

It is completely understandable that Peter did not want Jesus to leave them and certainly did not want him to suffer and die. Peter and the disciples had heard Jesus’ teachings, witnessed many miracles and come to know the true identity of Jesus. In sporting terms, it would be like losing the team’s star player for the season – it would be devastating to the team’s prospects. Similarly, the disciples felt devastated that Jesus would leave them.

It is God’s will that Jesus saves humanity through his death and resurrection. The will of the Lord will not be accepted by everyone, even many who saw and heard Jesus firsthand walked away from him. We must open our eyes and ask the Lord to open our hearts to know his truth, his will, and his way. DR

Questions

Prayer

Teach us, O God, to know your truth. Open our hearts to follow your will. Don't let Satan blind us to your way, your truth, and your light. In Jesus' name, Amen.

In school, I wasn’t sporty at all but I was moderately good at cricket. My front foot defence was relatively solid and my pull shot was, well, passable. Batting in cricket involves a number of skills but one of the most important is watching the ball. Watch the ball closely. Be on guard, watch it right onto the face of the bat, don’t take your eyes off it. Now today we are told to do something similar but not to watch a ball but to keep watch for Jesus. Not that we will miss him, but so that he will find us faithfully working for him when he returns.

When will he return? No one knows. I don’t know, the angels don’t know, not even Jesus himself knows! Only the Father knows. So it would be a great waste of time and energy for us to go searching through etymology or numerology and try to figure out when Jesus will return because there is no way that we can know. If Jesus doesn’t know, then we won’t be able to know. Therefore, we are told to be alert. He has given us the task of maturing in our relationship with him, serving him, the task of loving him and our neighbours, of making disciples so we should diligently do those things until Jesus comes again. Don’t put the brakes on, work for Jesus until he returns. Don’t let Jesus find us slacking off or taking the mission for granted, but be devoted for him. Note, this doesn’t mean we are to work ourselves into the ground, but that we should be diligent in the work and in our rest in order to be able to work again!

This year the great theologian Jim Packer passed away at the age of 94. Just a few years ago he wrote a book ‘Finishing Our Course with Joy’ and he wrote that the last lap of our Christian life should be done flat out for Jesus. My hope and prayer is that when we are on our last lap, or when Jesus comes again, he will find us watching and running for him. MC

Questions

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you that you are coming back again. As we wait, help us to work faithfully and diligently for your glory. Keep us watchful for Jesus and may the labour of our hands be fruitful for the growth of the Kingdom. Amen.

If someone comes claiming to be Jesus or the Messiah, don’t believe them! That is the too long didn’t read version of today’s passage. Jesus continues to teach that the pain and suffering that we saw yesterday, mercifully, will be cut short. It won’t continue forever. But in the midst of and on the back of all this pain and suffering, there may have been people who thought it would be opportunistic to take advantage of people’s nervousness and gain a following of their own by claiming to be Jesus. Jesus says that they may even perform signs of their own but the disciples and us aren’t to take any notice of them. Don’t be distracted by them but be on your guard for them.

Now, Jesus shifts to talking about his return and again his language is metaphorical and apocalyptic. He describes that when he returns there will be darkness, the moon will not shine, and the stars will be blackened. But in the midst of this, he will come in power and glory and whatever that looks like, it will be magnificent. He will call his people, the elect, to himself and from all the earth, from generations to generations, and they will be gathered together. But when exactly are these things going to happen? We aren’t told. But we are told that it is near and that it will come. This means that we should continually be alert and we’ll look more at what that means tomorrow.

For now, we are urged to not be distracted by false messiahs or saviours. We may not know anyone explicitly claiming to be Jesus, but there are people who claim to be the best thing that ever happened to the world! But our trust shouldn’t be in them or anything of this world, but only in Christ alone. MC

Questions

Prayer

Loving Lord, thank you that you will come again and put an end to pain and suffering and bring in your new creation. Help us to look to you and your eternal salvation always. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Yesterday, we flew through the opening verses of Jesus words of warning and encouragement to the disciples and today we slow down a bit. Jesus is still talking about the destruction of the temple, but also about his coming again. These two times and ideas are being taught as one unit.

Jesus tells his disciples that when they see the abomination that causes desolation in the temple, they should run away. What exactly is this? Well, two centuries before Jesus, the Greek king Antiochus took Jerusalem and desecrated the temple. He set up his own gods in the temple and performed pagan sacrifices on the altars meant for the worship of God. Centuries before this, the prophet Daniel described a vision of this and labelled this occurrence as the abomination that causes desolation. It was a horrible, sinful act that ruined the worship at the temple.

Fast forward to 70AD and then we would see the Romans surrounding Jerusalem, letting the population starve, letting famine and sickness go through everyone, and then they entered the city. They killed people who were so frail they couldn’t stand. Blood flowed down the temple steps. The temple burned.

This is what Jesus is referring to in these verses. When the disciples saw these things, they were to get out! Run away! Leave everything behind and flee. Don’t look behind at the temple and the suffering but in their distress, look to Jesus. Those days were terrible for the population but in the midst of all of this, Jesus is still Lord. Jesus knows what is going to happen and so he lovingly warns his disciples about all that is ahead for them. MC

Questions

Prayer

Loving Lord, thank you that you are in control and King over all. In our distress and in our times of need, help us to cry out to you, to pour out our hearts to you, that we may have our eyes and lives fixed on you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

There is something quite awe-inspiring about great architecture. At the beginning of the year I was in Sydney, and even though I had lived there for most of my childhood, I still found myself taken aback at how big the buildings were and also how impressive the Opera House was. If you lived in early first-century Jerusalem, the building that you couldn’t miss was the temple. It was large and would have shone brilliantly with its white stones. So seemingly appropriately, one of the disciples is still blown away at how awesome the temple is. However, Jesus replies by saying that it will all be destroyed. Now, he isn’t being a kill-joy here but he is simply saying that there will be a time when the temple will be brought down because it won’t be needed anymore. The temple won’t be the centre of worship anymore but, unbeknownst to the disciples at the time, Jesus will become the centre.

When they had left the temple, some of the disciples enquire as to when all these things will happen. Jesus responds with warnings and encouragements. Firstly, he warns them to not be deceived by anyone claiming to be Christ, and don’t be alarmed about wars because these things must happen. There will be hard times ahead. The disciples will soon be put on trial, flogged, and put to death but Jesus encourages them in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit will be with them. Finally, he says that families will be broken apart and people will hate those who follow Jesus. But, whoever stands firm, whoever puts their trust in Jesus will be saved. They will be saved for eternal life with him.

Eventually in 70AD, the temple was raised to the ground, and people slaughtered in most horrific ways by the Romans. The early church was persecuted and put on trial, but the disciples stood firm. The gospel was proclaimed and many more came to know and worship Jesus, including us here 2000 years later today. MC

Questions

Prayer

Lord God, please help us to stand firm in Jesus and to proclaim your good news to the world even through hardship and persecution. In Jesus’ name, Amen