With the depravity of humanity on full display, Jesus remains perfect as our substitute. In the face of trial, accusations, and berating He stays quiet and obedient in our place. Replacing Barabbas, the people have chosen wickedness over innocence, but in Christ the wicked are made innocent by His taking of our sin and in giving us His righteousness.

Jesus is arrested, betrayed, and denied, yet He prays pleas, promotes peace, and practices presence. In unwavering love He remains faithful to His Father and to His people. In taking the cup of wrath, Jesus endures the complete sting of death and weight of sin on Himself, in our place. It's not about our strength and ability, but about His.

In some of His last moments with His disciples, Jesus expresses both the status of a humble servant and the posture of prayer. Through His promises, providence, and prayers we have the assurance of Jesus both now and forever. Our Savior is in heaven right now advocating for us before the Father, a powerful and profound thought in our day to day lives.

When we come to the table of the Lord, we're reminded that just as certain as Jesus was about all the details in that upper room, He's just as certain of the details of our salvation.

As Jesus observes people giving in the temple, there are those who give out of their abundance. This isn't true giving, as it required no faith or trust. Yet, Jesus seems encouraged as He observes a widow put in two copper coins. This was all she had, and although the world would claim this to be unwise, Jesus commends her for her remarkable act of generosity and faith. Believers today are to model that same giving, the giving of our Savior.

Jesus treats those who are actively against Him with love, boldness, and truth. We follow Christ knowing that He defeats both His and our enemies, allowing us to not fear man's authority, arguments, or approval. The freedom we have is in the fear of God, the one who took our sin and shame on the cross and gives us newness of life.

Jesus is approached by chief priests and scribes who are trying to trap him, yet Jesus profoundly evades their verbal attempts with a question and parable. Everything the Christian life is built upon is Jesus himself, the Cornerstone, who is rejected, despised, and killed. The vineyard parable shows the terrible lengths to which sin has corrupted the world, but also shows the incredible lengths to which God shows his great love for us.

The temple, a place of worship to the Lord, had become a hope for profit instead of a promise of hope. Jesus righteously drives out those who were there for selfish reasons, while taught those who held onto His words. Today, our awe and wonder of God leads us to true and better worship of the One who gave us resurrection life.

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt; a public display of His lineage to David and of His divine kingship. Jesus comes with peace and sorrow as He weeps for the people He would die for who reject Him. As Christ-followers, we are the exemplify the traits of our Savior, concerned for those who have yet to repent of their sin and turn towards the Prince of Peace.

Jesus teaches about stewardship in a parable of servants entrusted with minas. It's important for Christ followers to invest what God has given them - the good news of the gospel. And Christians are to be faithful in witnessing the gospel because God commands it, He empowers us to do it by His Spirit, and because He promises to come again.