Podcasts about jews jesus

We've officially hit one year since war broke out in Israel and we need to stand with them now more than ever! In this week's episode of the Alex McFarland show, Alex talks about why we as Christian Americans should stand with and support Israel. Alex also shares five reasons on how we should vote and who we should vote for based on the candidate's view on Israel. Listen as he encourages all Christians to take a stand!5 Reasons Why America Should Stand with Israel:The Bible has instructions to follow. God's word has both promises and warnings for those who betray Israel.The prophetic restoration of Israel is proof of the trustworthiness of the Bible.Every person in the world is indebted to the Jewish people. (John 4:22 - Salvation is of the Jews) Jesus is Jewish!Vote for candidates that stand with Israel and against terrorism.We have a vested political interest in continuing to stand with and for Israel.Scriptures:Genesis 12Isaiah 40:1Book of RevelationJohn 4:22Galatians 4:4Exodus 20Revelation 5:5Ezekiel 36:23-25Psalm 132:8Genesis 15Galatians 6:16Jeremiah 31:2-4Psalm 122:6Links:Alex McFarland WebsiteAsk Alex OnlineVoting with a Biblical WorldviewMy Relationship with God PamphletSpeaking EventsThe CoveBook AlexDonateAlex McFarland MinistriesPO Box 10231 Greensboro, NC 274041-877-937-4631 (1-877-YES-GOD1)Keywords/Hashtags:#podcast #pfcaudiovideo #thealexmcfarlandshow #alexmcfarland #podcastcommunity #Bible #author #apologist #christians #wordofGod #apologetics #religion #prayer #prayerchangesthings #truth #scriptures #alexmcfarlandministries #Vote #Jesuslovesyou #standwithIsrael #Godschosenpeople Send us a text

The book of Galatians in the Bible is known as the Magna Carta of Christianity. Paul's letter to the Galatians, long before Magna Carta in 1215, proclaimed Freedom for all people through faith in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 says: ‘it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.'   Jesus came to liberate everyone from the slavery of sin and condemnation so that each one of us can live lives enjoying the grace of God. He came to free us from guilt and shame, free us from fears, addictions and all forms of oppression. He came to free us in our worship, and to free us from legalism and being bound up with religious rules and regulations.   Spiritual freedom leads to many other kinds of freedoms in society. In the 18th Century revival, those Christians who had experienced personal freedom in Christ were the main supporters of the American Independence movement and who were united on both sides of the Atlantic to abolish slavery and promote movements for social reform.    In the 20th Century, Communist regimes oppressed the church because they knew it stood for freedom. The peace prayer movement in Nicholai Kirche in Leipzig started the chain of events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the freedom of East Germany.  Studying this book of Galatians over the coming weeks will show us just how important it is to understand what freedom in Christ really means and how we can live our lives, not as slaves but as sons and daughters of God. We start by looking at Galatians 1:1-10 where we see 3 things Paul is telling us, and then 3 applications to our lives.   The Apostle Paul says he was: 1. Sent by God (Galatians 5:1-2,11; Acts 13 and 14) 2. Saved by Jesus (Galatians 1:3-5) 3. Shocked by the church (Galatians 1:6-9, 2:11-14, 4:10, 2, 5 & 6) Applications to us – we are saved: 1. By faith in Jesus (Galatians 2:16) 2. Not by observing rules (Galatians 2:21 & 3:1-3) 3. Keep your focus on Jesus (Matthew 23:4 & 11:28–30; Galatians 1:10)  Apply   1. Sent by God (Galatians 5:1-2). It's important that we too as Christians know that we are God-sent. Our mission is not one we've set ourselves but if you are a Christian, you have been called and commissioned by Jesus: by God himself. Paul's commissioning was as an apostle; a church planter, an overseer of churches (Galatians 1:11). Paul tells us he is sent by God to the churches in Galatia, and that's who Paul is writing to: it's a letter to a group of churches and chapter 4 makes it clear these are churches he founded. Galatia is an area where Turkey is nowadays. Paul went there on his first missionary journey starting churches in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (Acts 13 and 14).   2. Saved by Jesus (Galatians 1:3-5). Paul says we are living in an evil age. Bad things are done all around us: there is evil in this world. And the wrong we have all done - our sin - deserves punishment. But Paul says Jesus gave himself for our sins and that Jesus' followers have been rescued from this evil age.  3. Shocked by the church (Galatians 1:6-9). Why was he shocked? What had gone so seriously wrong with the Galatian church? The problem was, over time, they had become legalistic: got into rules. The first Christians had been Jews: Jesus' disciples in fact. Then very soon non-Jews (or Gentiles) had started to become Christians, including the people in Galatia that Paul evangelised and they were full of joy to know God. But some Jewish Christians then came to Galatia and said that as well as believing in Jesus, they also had to follow Jewish religious rules. A look ahead at the coming chapters shows us then: • Rules about food (Galatians 2:11-14) - it says the apostle Peter had led people to follow Jewish food laws and Paul had had to correct him. • Rules about religious festivals (Galatians 4:10) - it says some taught they had to observe special days and months. Paul says we should not be bound by these traditions. • Rules about getting circumcised (Galatians 2, 5 & 6) - it says people were teaching that to be a Christian you had to be circumcised and Paul writes 'no'.   Paul says this is a big issue. Why was he so strongly opposed to these rules? Because the Gospel sets people free from legalism, and that freedom was under threat. Traditional religion laid burdens on people that they couldn't fulfil. Jesus had transformed that with the good news of grace. But now people had come in and pushed the Galatians back to legalistic religion; and Paul said 'no: that's not the gospel' If you add in extra requirements so that the Gospel becomes 'believe in Jesus AND do certain things' then actually in Paul's words this is "a different gospel" or "no gospel at all." So what does all this mean for us?   In Galatians 2:16 Paul writes: "a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ." There are 3 application points.   1. By faith in Jesus: Know that God accepts you, just because you believe in Jesus. Putting your trust in Jesus and telling Him 'I will follow you' is all that is needed.  2. Not by observing rules: Know that you don't have to do things to win God's approval. For thousands of years people tried to keep the laws of the Old Testament, and everyone failed. That's why we needed Jesus (Galatians 2:21). No-one gets right with God by following rules, Jewish customs or other religious laws.   Law - or introducing Rules - has been a big issue not just in the early church but through history. In the Middle Ages there were lots of rules in the church. People were told to earn merits by going on pilgrimages, repeating set prayers and doing other things, like getting merits in school. If you got enough merits, you got to heaven. God brought the Reformation to the church. Luther and others taught 'sola gratia': "by grace alone". It's not by following rules. Today too we need to know it's not by keeping rules. Going to all the right meetings doesn't make someone a Christian, or more of a Christian. Repeating all the right prayers doesn't make God accept you. If we try to do and say all the right things, if we try to be good enough, we will fail. God accepts you not because of your efforts but just because of your faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:1-3). We must not just start, but also stay walking in faith. It's not by observing rules. Know that you don't have to do things to win God's approval. God accepts you: just as you are.  3. Keep your focus on Jesus. Examine ourselves: am I living by grace? It's faith in Jesus that counts: putting our trust in Him. Paul was shocked because the Galatians had changed. We should examine ourselves and make sure we haven't changed or drifted away from grace and aren't imposing rules on ourselves or others. If we're helping other Christians, we want them to do all the right things so it's easy to get legalistic: laying requirements on them: do this, do that, you must read this, pray that. It's easy for rules to creep in about what clothes are acceptable, what music you should listen to, what you should watch. There is wisdom to be had in all these things: but no rules. If you walk by the Spirit, you will have wisdom. But there should be no laying down rules. Even Peter had to be rebuked by Paul for following rules. It's the same rebuke Jesus gave the religious leaders of his day, saying they'd got it wrong by putting heavy burdens on the people (Matthew 23:4) and that “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30) So, we must resist legalism, not lay a burden on ourselves or others - the expectation that you have to do this list of things - because that is to change the Gospel.   If we are trying to please people that can be a pressure. Paul makes it clear (Galatians 1:10): stop trying to please people. Just serve God. Paul wasn't trying to please people when he wrote this letter, he was writing to them because he loved them and wanted them to get back to the heart of the Gospel. Let's keep our focus on Jesus and his grace: not on keeping rules. It's about having a relationship with God who loves and accepts you (Galatians 5:1). Freedom is God's plan for you. Freedom has always been God's plan for His people. The Israelites were set free from slavery in Egypt, the great exodus when oppression ended. Today can be your exodus from an old world of religion into a new life of freedom in Jesus. 

The book of Galatians in the Bible is known as the Magna Carta of Christianity. Paul's letter to the Galatians, long before Magna Carta in 1215, proclaimed Freedom for all people through faith in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 says: ‘it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.'   Jesus came to liberate everyone from the slavery of sin and condemnation so that each one of us can live lives enjoying the grace of God. He came to free us from guilt and shame, free us from fears, addictions and all forms of oppression. He came to free us in our worship, and to free us from legalism and being bound up with religious rules and regulations.   Spiritual freedom leads to many other kinds of freedoms in society. In the 18th Century revival, those Christians who had experienced personal freedom in Christ were the main supporters of the American Independence movement and who were united on both sides of the Atlantic to abolish slavery and promote movements for social reform.    In the 20th Century, Communist regimes oppressed the church because they knew it stood for freedom. The peace prayer movement in Nicholai Kirche in Leipzig started the chain of events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the freedom of East Germany.  Studying this book of Galatians over the coming weeks will show us just how important it is to understand what freedom in Christ really means and how we can live our lives, not as slaves but as sons and daughters of God. We start by looking at Galatians 1:1-10 where we see 3 things Paul is telling us, and then 3 applications to our lives.   The Apostle Paul says he was: 1. Sent by God (Galatians 5:1-2,11; Acts 13 and 14) 2. Saved by Jesus (Galatians 1:3-5) 3. Shocked by the church (Galatians 1:6-9, 2:11-14, 4:10, 2, 5 & 6) Applications to us – we are saved: 1. By faith in Jesus (Galatians 2:16) 2. Not by observing rules (Galatians 2:21 & 3:1-3) 3. Keep your focus on Jesus (Matthew 23:4 & 11:28–30; Galatians 1:10)  Apply   1. Sent by God (Galatians 5:1-2). It's important that we too as Christians know that we are God-sent. Our mission is not one we've set ourselves but if you are a Christian, you have been called and commissioned by Jesus: by God himself. Paul's commissioning was as an apostle; a church planter, an overseer of churches (Galatians 1:11). Paul tells us he is sent by God to the churches in Galatia, and that's who Paul is writing to: it's a letter to a group of churches and chapter 4 makes it clear these are churches he founded. Galatia is an area where Turkey is nowadays. Paul went there on his first missionary journey starting churches in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (Acts 13 and 14).   2. Saved by Jesus (Galatians 1:3-5). Paul says we are living in an evil age. Bad things are done all around us: there is evil in this world. And the wrong we have all done - our sin - deserves punishment. But Paul says Jesus gave himself for our sins and that Jesus' followers have been rescued from this evil age.  3. Shocked by the church (Galatians 1:6-9). Why was he shocked? What had gone so seriously wrong with the Galatian church? The problem was, over time, they had become legalistic: got into rules. The first Christians had been Jews: Jesus' disciples in fact. Then very soon non-Jews (or Gentiles) had started to become Christians, including the people in Galatia that Paul evangelised and they were full of joy to know God. But some Jewish Christians then came to Galatia and said that as well as believing in Jesus, they also had to follow Jewish religious rules. A look ahead at the coming chapters shows us then: • Rules about food (Galatians 2:11-14) - it says the apostle Peter had led people to follow Jewish food laws and Paul had had to correct him. • Rules about religious festivals (Galatians 4:10) - it says some taught they had to observe special days and months. Paul says we should not be bound by these traditions. • Rules about getting circumcised (Galatians 2, 5 & 6) - it says people were teaching that to be a Christian you had to be circumcised and Paul writes 'no'.   Paul says this is a big issue. Why was he so strongly opposed to these rules? Because the Gospel sets people free from legalism, and that freedom was under threat. Traditional religion laid burdens on people that they couldn't fulfil. Jesus had transformed that with the good news of grace. But now people had come in and pushed the Galatians back to legalistic religion; and Paul said 'no: that's not the gospel' If you add in extra requirements so that the Gospel becomes 'believe in Jesus AND do certain things' then actually in Paul's words this is "a different gospel" or "no gospel at all." So what does all this mean for us?   In Galatians 2:16 Paul writes: "a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ." There are 3 application points.   1. By faith in Jesus: Know that God accepts you, just because you believe in Jesus. Putting your trust in Jesus and telling Him 'I will follow you' is all that is needed.  2. Not by observing rules: Know that you don't have to do things to win God's approval. For thousands of years people tried to keep the laws of the Old Testament, and everyone failed. That's why we needed Jesus (Galatians 2:21). No-one gets right with God by following rules, Jewish customs or other religious laws.   Law - or introducing Rules - has been a big issue not just in the early church but through history. In the Middle Ages there were lots of rules in the church. People were told to earn merits by going on pilgrimages, repeating set prayers and doing other things, like getting merits in school. If you got enough merits, you got to heaven. God brought the Reformation to the church. Luther and others taught 'sola gratia': "by grace alone". It's not by following rules. Today too we need to know it's not by keeping rules. Going to all the right meetings doesn't make someone a Christian, or more of a Christian. Repeating all the right prayers doesn't make God accept you. If we try to do and say all the right things, if we try to be good enough, we will fail. God accepts you not because of your efforts but just because of your faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:1-3). We must not just start, but also stay walking in faith. It's not by observing rules. Know that you don't have to do things to win God's approval. God accepts you: just as you are.  3. Keep your focus on Jesus. Examine ourselves: am I living by grace? It's faith in Jesus that counts: putting our trust in Him. Paul was shocked because the Galatians had changed. We should examine ourselves and make sure we haven't changed or drifted away from grace and aren't imposing rules on ourselves or others. If we're helping other Christians, we want them to do all the right things so it's easy to get legalistic: laying requirements on them: do this, do that, you must read this, pray that. It's easy for rules to creep in about what clothes are acceptable, what music you should listen to, what you should watch. There is wisdom to be had in all these things: but no rules. If you walk by the Spirit, you will have wisdom. But there should be no laying down rules. Even Peter had to be rebuked by Paul for following rules. It's the same rebuke Jesus gave the religious leaders of his day, saying they'd got it wrong by putting heavy burdens on the people (Matthew 23:4) and that “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30) So, we must resist legalism, not lay a burden on ourselves or others - the expectation that you have to do this list of things - because that is to change the Gospel.   If we are trying to please people that can be a pressure. Paul makes it clear (Galatians 1:10): stop trying to please people. Just serve God. Paul wasn't trying to please people when he wrote this letter, he was writing to them because he loved them and wanted them to get back to the heart of the Gospel. Let's keep our focus on Jesus and his grace: not on keeping rules. It's about having a relationship with God who loves and accepts you (Galatians 5:1). Freedom is God's plan for you. Freedom has always been God's plan for His people. The Israelites were set free from slavery in Egypt, the great exodus when oppression ended. Today can be your exodus from an old world of religion into a new life of freedom in Jesus. 

‘The Olivet Prophecy' as most of today's reading of Matthew 24 is known – is full of challenging language about events future to that time.   Jesus in this chapter gives clarity to his parable that we looked at in Ch.22:1-14. In verse 7 talking of the Jews Jesus said ‘when the king heard he was angry and sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city”. And so the roman armies destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple worship in AD70. Matt.24 is about the destruction of Jerusalem and ultimately the return of Jesus or “his coming'  The key question the disciples asked Jesus was, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” [v.3]  Part of his answer is to say, “if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” [v.22].  The previous verse says, “there will be a time of great tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now” [v.21]  These verses speak of the very difficult times experienced by the faithful leading up to Jerusalem's overthrow and the close of the Jewish “age”.  Jesus said, “the powers of the heavens will be shaken” [v.29].  And so it was that the Jewish  governing powers or heavens were indeed shaken and the people dispersed throughout the then known world. Verse 31 tells us the angels will be sent out to gather the elect!  The prophecy now 2000 years later after the return of Jesus Christ (V30) the angels are sent out to gather the remnant of Israel (elect) (Rom.11:25-28). Consider that Israel is also called God's “elect” (see Isaiah 42 v.1, 45 v.4, 65 v.9,22) and they now exist again after 1900 years in oblivion, we suspect the reference by Jesus to “the elect” is primarily to them – it is for the sake of Israel that “those days will be cut short” – while the the angels are the glorified saints. (1Thess.4:15-17). God will act for “the elect's sake” but there may well be awesome events to occur as “the angels gather his elect” [v.31].  What will Israel's situation be at this time of world crisis?  In Micah 7 v.18,19 are the words, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance … He will again have compassion on us” For ourselves, let us live in a way that will ensure we are among “glorified saints ” spoken of as coming in the clouds of heaven (v30)  because we have established a relationship with him..

Matthew 21:7-9   Hosanna is typically translated as “Please Save Us”.   Timeline of Jesus last week: •   Sunday: •   Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Everyone shouts Hosanna!) •   Monday: •   Jesus cleanses the temple and runs out the money-changers •       Matthew 21:13 “He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers.” •       Matthew 21:15-16 “But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?” •   Tuesday: •   Jesus curses the fig tree. •   Wednesday: •   Sanhedrin plot to kill Jesus •   Wednesday/Thursday: •   Preparations begin for Passover •   Thursday: •   The Last Supper - Jesus with Disciples •   Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane - Jesus sweats blood during prayer   •   Friday (Good Friday) •   Jesus betrayed by Judas •   Jesus arrested •   Jesus put on trial with Jewish leaders: Annas and Caiaphas •       Peter denies Jesus three times •   Jesus put on trial with Roman leaders: Goes before Pilate (Everyone Shouts Crucify Him!) •   Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns, and mocked as Kings of the Jews •   Jesus is crucified on the cross •       Started about 9am •       Jesus died on the cross about 3pm •       This is Day 1 •   Jesus is buried in the tomb in the Evening. •   Saturday: •   This is Day 2 •   Sunday: Easter Sunday •   This is Day 3 •   Mary Magdalene finds the empty tomb. •   Mary tells the disciples and Peter and John go to see for themselves. •   Jesus appears to His disciples. •   (Jesus is not dead, He is Alive!)   How did we go from praising Jesus and yelling “Hosanna” to yelling “Crucify Him” in the span of a week?   The issue is our sin. •   Romans 2:23 “For have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” •   We wanted Jesus to be something He wasn't and do things against His plan. •   We still do this today. •   We still try to get Jesus to do our will instead of accepting the Will of Jesus. •   We still try to get Jesus to bend to our will and do our bidding. •       Jesus is not a genie in a bottle. You don't get your wishes. •   We choose things and people over Jesus all the time! •                                  We choose our own Barabbas…sometimes daily.   We look to Jesus just as the Jewish people did…wanting a mighty King and warrior who is to overthrown the darkness that has taken over.   Lets look at what scripture says… •   John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” •   1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” •   Colossians 2:15 “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”   What are you to yell now church? Hosanna! (Please Save Us) or Crucify Him!?   You want a King that has won the battle? You want a King that was the victory? You want a King who is willing to take your place and raise you up on high? You want a King who would die for you?   You have One…His name is Jesus!

There is no one God is not willing to pursue. The wise men, doing their job as well-off astrologists, followed an unusual star and discovered the true King of the Jews—Jesus. It's worth looking at our own stories to ask, how might God today meet us in our communities and in our passions and interests? By studying the Magi story in Matthew 2, Ren Church member Vicky Griffiths helps us reflect on how we can pursue Jesus in 2024.

Pastors — you have got to start warning your Church that the Jews are The Deceiver's representatives on earth.  Telling people that today's Jews are “God's chosen” is a lie; it is a lie from the Jews, and from their father the devil. The Jews, like their father, come to steal, kill, and deceive. You cannot believe them.  These modern Jews are not even real Jews — Jesus called them liars and the synagogue of Satan (Revelation 3:9).  Christians are the Chosen people of God (Revelation 3:9). Most of modern Jewry are descendants of people who converted to the Talmud — making them twice the sons of hell as the Pharisees were (Matthew 23:15).  Even that old snake, Herod, was from a line of converts (his ancestors were from Esau, who God hated).  Jews are literally antichrist (1 John 2:22). Stop forcing your congregation to worship the antichrist. FACTS: Jews: Murders and liars like their father, the devil. (John 8:44) Jews: Synagogue of Satan (Rev 3:9 and Rev 3:9) Jews: Hostile to all mankind (1 Thes 2:15) Jews: Do NOT believe Moses (John 5:45-46) Judas Iscariot: a true Jew, a traitor, sided with the Jews, from Judea. Apostles: Galileans (Acts 1:11, Acts 2:7) Jesus: Son of God (all Biblical genealogy if patrilineal) God the Father: NOT a Jew. David and Jesus: Acknowledged that “the Lord” is not the Son of David, rather the Son of God (Matthew 22:42-45) Jesus: A Nazarene (Acts 2:22) Jesus: A Galilean Jesus: Hated by the Jews (John 7:19, John 8:40) Jesus: Rejected Jewish tradition (Matthew 15:1-9) John the Baptist: Called Jews a brood of Vipers (Matthew 3:7) Jesus: Called Jews a brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34) Brood of Vipers: See of the Serpent (Genesis 3:15) Moses: Not a Jew Moses: Will accuse the Jews in the Judgement Day (John 5:45) Abraham: Not a Jew Isaac: Not a Jew Jacob (renamed Israel): Not a Jew Jews: Whore, Whore of Babylon (Ezekiel 16 and Revelation 18) Jews: Whore of Babylon, drunk with the blood of Christians (Rev 17:6) Jews: A curse (Isaiah 65:15) Christian: The new name of God's Chosen (Acts 11:26 and Isaiah 65:15) Jews: Murdered the prophets and Jesus Christ (Acts 7:52, Matt 23:31-33) The Jews murder Christians. They have been doing this since they started murdering the Prophets (all who believe in Jesus Christ and saw Jesus Christ — for no man saw the Father). The Jews will continue to murder Christians (Revelation 17:6) who do not convert (as many already have) to a Judeo-Christian religion who call Jews “God's Chosen.”  We are already way deep into this American-made anti-Christ religion (Judeo-Christianity).  Siding with Jews is the Biblical definition of treason against Jesus Christ (see Judas Iscariot).

Thursday, 29 June 2023   When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 18:5   The words of this verse should read, “And when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, fully testifying to the Jews: Jesus is the Christ” (CG). The previous verse noted Paul having reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, persuading both Jews and Greeks. With that stated, Luke now records, “And when both Silas and Timothy came down.”   Paul was in Corinth, living with Aquila and Priscilla. He had gone to the synagogue and reasoned with those who attended each Sabbath. However, with the coming of Silas and Timothy, there is a notable change in the dynamics of what takes place. These two had come down “from Macedonia.” The actual movement of Silas and Timothy is a bit hard to follow. Although unlikely, they may have met Paul and returned to Macedonia or they may have remained in Macedonia the entire time. The last time the two of them were mentioned was in Acts 17:14, 15 while they were in Berea. It is probable that both remained in that area until this point. Once they found that Paul had gone to Corinth, they went there to meet him. It is believed that 1 Thessalonians was probably written around this time and was then carried back to Thessalonica with whoever accompanied Silas and Timothy. The letter would have been spurred on by the report received by Paul from these two. It is of note that there are some similar thoughts presented in 1 Corinthians 15 and in 1 Thessalonians 4 concerning the return of the Lord and the glorification of the saints. Similarities concerning spiritual gifts are also notable between the two epistles.   With the arrival of these two, it next says that “Paul was pressed in the Spirit.” This seems to indicate that the arrival of Silas and Timothy is what urged Paul to a more direct approach concerning his words about Jesus. He had been in the synagogues reasoning from Scripture, but now with his two companions at hand, he became more emboldened than ever to simply proclaim Christ.   It seems that up to this point, he had tried to reason with his audience, but now he felt that they simply needed to hear the proclamation. Enough reasoning from Scripture had taken place and it may have devolved into an academic study rather than a gospel presentation. Their arrival seems to have changed this. This is probably because of the words of Silas and Timothy about the state of the believers in Macedonia.   In other words, those in Macedonia had readily accepted the words of Paul and they had also remained strong in their faith after his departure. Paul was pressed in his spirit to have the same zeal grow within this congregation as well. The word used to describe this is sunechó. It signifies to press together, confine, compel, afflict, etc. The actual meaning will depend on the context. However, it conveys a very strong emotion or feeling.   In this state, it next says he was “fully testifying to the Jews.” The word diamarturomai means more than to testify, but to testify all the way through. Paul bore witness and fully defended his stand on the matter that “Jesus is the Christ.”   Some translations, such as the KJV and others, unfortunately read “Jesus was Christ.” Jesus was, is, and ever will be. Saying “was” completely eradicates the idea of the eternal nature of what is presented. The verb is present tense in the Greek and should be rendered as such. And more, various translations, the KJV included, leave off the article by saying, “Jesus was Christ.”   The definite nature of the proclamation by Paul indicates that Jesus wasn't just a Christ, but the Christ. He is the fulfillment of the messianic expectations and the One who had fulfilled them all. He continued in that position at the time of Paul's words, and He continues in that position to this day.   Life application: The subtleties of the word require careful study. Although most translations get the point across about what is being conveyed, they can easily be twisted if someone really wanted to press a matter. Saying “was” in this verse can lead someone to make a faulty statement about the nature of Christ. This is especially so when it is claimed that the translation is perfect and exactly as God intended (as claimed by KJV adherents).   The thought can be rectified by reading other statements in the Bible, but not everyone is going to be so diligent to study the word. This is why there are so many aberrant cults and sects out there. People trust without verifying. When this happens, anything can be injected into their minds concerning what the word is conveying. Read the word! Study the word! Be willing to spend your time researching things from the word that catch your eye.   Don't implicitly trust. Instead, verify! Show yourself approved. With this, the Lord will be pleased.   Great and awesome God, Your word is so very precious. Help us to seek it out and contemplate it day and night. Even when we are working or on a vacation, we can still think about what Your word told us during our morning study. There is always time to think about what You are telling us. Thank You, O God, for Your precious word. Amen.

Jesus the Christ Various passages December 11, 2022      Introduction:At the time of Jesus birth, every Jew's hope was wrapped up in the one they called the Messiah, the one who was coming to be a forever king who would reign forever over a forever kingdom.The New Testament translates that Hebrew word into Greek with the word “Christ”  Read John 1:40-41  So simply the Messiah or Christ is synonymous for the King of Israel.  Read Matthew 2:1-4 Show them that “King of the Jews” in v2 is equivalent to “Christ” in v4.  They were waiting and hoping for this Messiah/ Christ/ King because they were under the rule of Rome and they longed for the day when the Christ would come to set them free from Rome and set up God's kingdom here on earth. When we think of the rest of the story of Christmas, we need to understand that Jesus was not just born to die, but he came to present himself as the King over both Israel and the whole world. Their expectations and hopes were shaped by what they knew about him from the Old Testament – summarizeHe would be God himself (Isaiah 5:7; 9:6-7; 24:23; Micah 4:7; Zechariah 14:9,16-17) who would dwell in their midst as a victorious warrior (Zephaniah 3:15-17; Zechariah 2:7-10) judging the nations (Psalm 110:5-6; Isaiah 42:1; 63:1-6; Zechariah 14:1-3,12-15;) and saving Israel so that they dwell in safety forever (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 14:11). One from the line of Judah (Genesis 49:10) and the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-19; Psalm 132:11), who would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and preceded by a messenger who would prepare the way before him (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3;1).   He would enter into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) to be their  king forever ( 2 Samuel 7:16; Daniel 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7),  over God's kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:16; Daniel 2: 44; 7:14 ), ruling over all the world (Psalm 2:4-12; Psalm 110:1-3; Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 7:14;  Zechariah 9:9-10; 14:9-10) from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-3; 24:23) after he enters through the east gate of the temple to set up his throne there (Ezekiel 43:1-7).   He would be anointed by the Spirit of God to be the King (Isaiah 11:1-5), a priest (1 Samuel 2:35; psalm 110:4) and a prophet like Moses in whose mouth God himself would put his words (Deuteronomy 18:15:18).  A prophet who would preach good news to the broken and imprisoned (Isaiah 61:1-2).  He would be the good and faithful shepherd who will care for them (Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-16) and supernaturally heal their infirmities (Isaiah 35:4-6). Therefore, this is what would have been in the mind of a Jew at the coming of Christ based on what they knew from the Old Testament.   Now we need to know that …   Jesus born to be KingBefore he was born Jesus was King– John tells us in John 12:41 that when Isaiah saw that great vision of the glory of God sitting on the throne in Isaiah 6, that is was Jesus whom he saw.    At his birth, the angels announced that Jesus was a king, the Magi affirmed it and King Herod even tried to kill baby Jesus because he knew he was the King of the Jews! The whole book of Matthew was written to prove Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the King of Israel they were all waiting for.       During Jesus' life he claimed to be the Messiah/ Christ/ King In Luke 4 - when Jesus began his ministry, he read in the synagogue a passage of Scripture about the Messiah from Isaiah 61.  Then he said this, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  They understood clearly that Jesus was proclaiming himself to be the Messiah and the people were so angry they threw him out of the city and tried to kill him In John 4 – the Samaritan woman said to Jesus “I know that the Messiah is coming and when he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her “I, who speak to you, am he.” In Matthew 16 when Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus told him that this was a supernatural revelation that the Father opened up to Peter! At the triumphal entryMatthew said that it was to fulfill the prophecy of Israel's king coming to them  The crowds recognized and affirmed him as King as they cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David” and “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” In Matthew 26 - we saw that the high priest asked Jesus directly, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” Paraphrased for us that is, “Are you the coming king, are you God himself?”  When Jesus said he was; the high priest accused him of blasphemy and condemned him to death. In John 18 Pilate asked Jesus directly, “Are you the King of the Jews?” After a little discussion about this, listen to how the conversation closed.  Read John 18:37  So here is the rest of the story of Christmas, Jesus was born to be a king and keeping things in context – that is the truth he came to bear witness of, the truth that he is a king! Finally, when the charges were put above the cross for the reason for his death it said – “the King of the Jews” The Pharisees wanted it to say, “He said he was” the King of the Jews  But Pilate insisted it stay as the King of the Jews  Jesus not only came to present himself as King and we are not only waiting for him to come back to be the king in the millennial kingdom but Jesus always was, is and will be King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords!   So what does that mean for you and me this Christmas Application Simply a king is the one who has the right to rule, he has the right to direct, order, command.  He has the highest rank and superior status over everyone and everything in his kingdom. He is preeminent and has first place over everyone and everything in his kingdom.  It is what we sometimes refer to the lordship of Christ.  While our response to him, as Savior is to trust him, our response to him, as Lord is to obey him.    Luke 6:46  When we think of a king, we think of King Charles!  He is really distant from the details of people's lives and his decisions make an impact but in a very general way.  So when we think of Jesus as King we often think of him reigning from a distance over the world or for some even in the future when he returns. But Jesus is an up-close kind of king, who is reigning right now over with the intimate details of his people's lives!  Turn to Colossians 1.  Read v16-18 All things created through and for him! First place in everything!ESV – preeminent  Web - before all others in importance, having paramount rank MSG – towering far above everything, everyone! Amplified explains this as he will stand supreme and be preeminent in everything! That sounds like a king to me, an up-close king over everyone and every detail of their lives! Implications for you and me this Christmas is that Jesus was not only born to be King over Israel and the whole world in the future but also born to be our King, our Lord who has first place over everything in our lives right now.    So does Jesus have first place in everything in your life?   Is he ruling and directing your life from the throne of your life, or are you sitting on that throne of your life, ruling and directing your own way? Let me do a quick check up like your primary care pastor!  Heart Affections – is Jesus truly the top love and delight of your heart or is some local sports team, political party, or reaching some achievement or position, or certain pleasures I have become addicted to, or certain things you want to get? Motives so as to do everything in life to the glory of God,  Choices you make consistent with the choices Jesus would make if he were in your shoes – by the way he may not be in your shoes but he is in your heart,  HeadThought life so as to focus upon that which is true and pure,  TongueWords you speak to others so as to build them up, encourage them and point them to Jesus,  AssetsPossessions – am I stewarding everything I have as one who is managing what God really owns or do I treat it as my own, doing whatever I want with it? Money – am I honoring God with the first fruits of my money by giving that to him and am I using all my money under his direction for his glory,  Relationships – Am I connecting deeply with other believers to support one another in our walk with Jesus or am I being influenced primarily by those who do not know God so as to forget that bad company corrupts good morals, etc.  Jesus/Christmas - does Jesus have first place this year in your Christmas plans, your family gatherings, your decorations, your gift giving, your music, your conversations with your kids and friends about Christmas?  Let me ask you this – What is that still small voice of the Spirit speaking to your heart this morning? Even more importantly now – what specific thing or things are you going to do in response to what he is speaking to you about? Take a moment to consider those two questions  

About this series: In this 10-part series we look to show how counter-cultural Jesus is, and to give confidence that he will help those who follow him to do likewise. Jesus was God-in-flesh. He was (and is) the purest, most loving and truth-filled human being the world has ever known. And yet what he taught, how he lived and the kingdom he inaugurated directly confronted the human culture in which he spent his years on earth. He was truly counter-cultural. And he is no less counter-cultural in every part of the world today. To follow Jesus is to embark on a lifelong journey of counter-cultural transformation in which we can expect that being a disciple will lead us towards challenge, temptation and costly decisions at every turn. It's to this that he calls every single person who follows him.  It's a lifestyle: - That requires obedience to him above all else. - That will lead us into conflict with the world, the flesh and the devil. - That witnesses to the world of his greatness. The goal of the first series this year - Just Jesus - was to spend time specifically focussed on the person and work of Jesus. And the goal this time is again to look at Jesus - how he was (and is) counter-cultural. So we'll be speaking about Jesus - showing how his teaching and actions were counter-cultural in his day and then applying it to our day. We'll be asking how we submit to his words and live like him in a world where his values are so dramatically opposed to the values of our culture. About this talk: Matthew 6:1-18 Craig Blomberg: ‘The vast majority of Jews in Israel were not aligned with any special group…The special groups probably comprise no more than five percent of the population.' But that five percent - the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes and the Zealots - feature disproportionately in the gospels because it was they who were the religious authorities with whom Jesus clashed. So when he calls out these hypocrites in Matthew 6 he is quite likely referring to the religious elites, especially as it was they who set the religious tone of that day. And what he highlights is their motive for performing these three acts - “to be honoured by others”; “to be seen by others”; and “to show others”. Well, they've chosen their audience and their only reward will be from that audience. It is interesting that rather than dismissing the abused practices of Matthew 6:1-18 he reinforces a right use of them. Jesus says that your Father will reward you when you give, pray and fast without announcement but with humility and faith. In addition, the religious leaders in Judaism invented all manner of minor commands to ensure people didn't come close to breaking the major commands. And here Jesus tackles those who abuse good, God-commanded practices - giving to the needy, prayer and fasting - to promote their self-image and standing in the religious community. This is what hypocrites - those who present a false impression of who they really are - commonly do. And Jesus will have none of it, instead frequently commending those who come to God humbly and who know their need for mercy. While the New Testament uses the term ‘religion' positively, what is meant in this title - Jesus on Religion - are those man-made practices that attempt to control people's way of relating with God that has nothing to do with the heart of his commands. In Jesus' day Many of the Jews Jesus clashed with were, in many ways, pious, God-fearing and seeking to be obedient. But their approach to God descended into a performance-based religion. Obeying laws while missing the intent of them; obeying the minor laws at the expense of the greater ones; maintaining purity while lacking love and compassion for the unclean; being one thing externally but another internally. In our day The instinct to trust our own work rather than Jesus' work is alive and well today in the many religions of the world. Every other belief system is based, one way or another, on reassuring the person that their ‘good works' will bring them favour. And sadly, such thinking is not uncommon in the church too. The counter-cultural way of Jesus, in stark contrast, says that the only way to receive his favour is to humbly admit our poverty, nakedness and utter lack of credentials. The church is at her best and shines most brightly in an instinctively religious world, when she remembers that Jesus offers grace to those who recognise their need of him rather than in their ability to please him. ‘Christianity is the unreligion. It turns all our religious instincts on their head' (Dane Ortlund).

In this lesson, we focus on the Jews' current status and the potential for them and their future, drawing primarily from Romans chapter 11, and discussing the "olive tree" and how God is doing a powerful work in the Messianic Jewish Movement in our days. www.covenanttruthministries.com

In this lesson, we focus on the Jews' current status and the potential for them and their future, drawing primarily from Romans chapter 11, and discussing the "olive tree" and how God is doing a powerful work in the Messianic Jewish Movement in our days. www.covenanttruthministries.com

In this lesson, we focus on the Jews' current status and the potential for them and their future, drawing primarily from Romans chapter 11, and discussing the "olive tree" and how God is doing a powerful work in the Messianic Jewish Movement in our days. www.covenanttruthministries.com

Whoopi is making the news for saying that the Holocaust was not about racism. Of course, the backlash should have been expected. Even by her. Tone-deaf to the hearts and minds of real American citizens leftists are in a bit of a pickle. But meanwhile…

IntroductionLet's begin this morning with an egg.What can you tell me about this egg by looking at its shell? You can tell me its size: medium. You can tell me its color: white. But there are all kinds of invisible things just beneath that shell that are super significant and really, really matter.For example, it could be a freshly laid egg, ready to eat.It could be a six month old rotten egg filled with salmonella.It could be hard boiled. You can't tell.Now I'm going to claim that this is actually a fertilized egg. And because it is fertilized, this egg will grow into a chicken. What this egg will become is determined but not yet known.The present exterior gives you no clue about the inside. But the inside is what determines the future exterior. And there are lots of possibilities of what this future exterior could look like.Even though none of us can tell by looking at the shell, this egg will turn into one and only one of these very specific chickens. 100 times out of 100 this egg will turn into that exact same, very specific chicken. Why? Because the parents of that chicken gave that chicken a DNA sequence that positively, undoubtedly, inevitably, inescapably, assuredly results in one and only one variety. The second that egg is fertilized, its destiny is determined.What is the only thing required for that future destiny to be known? Time. Time simply reveals what is inside.Now all of you came in this morning with a shell. I look at all of you right now and you know what I see, I see a bunch of beautiful shells. I can tell your size and your color and that's about it. Our eyes can't penetrate the exterior to know what is going on inside. But there is something inside. And just like the chicken, that something will come out in time. Your external behavior is determined by what is inside.Now in today's passage, Jesus is going to make a point about the spiritual DNA that exists inside our hearts. Jesus makes this point: not only is it true that physical traits are handed down from parents to children, it's spiritually true as well. We have spiritual genetics at work in our hearts. By virtue of the fact that we are children of Adam, we have sin woven into that spiritual double helix. There are certain guaranteed behaviors that will surface. There are absolute outcomes.And Jesus has one point he wants to make in this passage: you need new DNA.You might think that what you need is new behavior (a little less jealousy, hatred and lust. A little more patience).You might think you need new circumstances. If I was just out of this stressful situation…You might think the problem is the person you are married to or the kids you've been given.Jesus says none of that will change anything. You're doing exactly what you are programmed to do. What you really need is far more radical than that. What you really need is new DNA from a new father. You want to change? Well, you need to be BORN AGAIN.Jesus is actually going to explain how that spiritual transformation happens. Now let's connect it to last week.ReviewLast week Jesus said that freedom is a result of abiding in Jesus. Why? Because when we abide, we know the truth. What truth? The truth that Jesus loves us and when we know the truth that Jesus loves us, THAT truth will set us free from slavery and bondage of performance based righteousness.What we discovered last week was that God wants for you to relate with him not as a slave to a master but as a son to a father. But the Jews he is talking to refuse to go there. They insist, “We already have a father.” We don't need to follow you. We are followers of Abraham. Our spiritual father is Abraham.And so Jesus says, you want to talk spiritual genetics? Let's do that. I don't think your father is who you think he is. A person can't be a descendant simply by claiming it. You have to have proof. There has to be a likeness. You have to possess the TRAITS. If you do not possess the traits of the person you claim is your father, then he is not your father.Now it's pretty humorous on one level what is going on here. Jesus says, I know you are claiming to be spiritual descendants of Abraham. But claiming it does not make it the case. Let's just settle this and run a spiritual DNA test. Let's look for the spiritual traits. After all:The behaviors and values of the father must be passed on to the sons.The conduct, actions, and lifestyle of the father must be passed on to the sons.The things that the father loves and desires must be present in the son.So who is your father? Now biologically speaking, the options are in the billions, but spiritually speaking, there are only two options. You are part of one of two families. You either are the son of the devil or the son of God. So Jesus says, let's compare the traits of God vs the traits of the devil.God is kind, the devil is cruel.God is full of love and the devil is full of hate.God is open-hearted, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. The devil is closed-hearted, quick to anger and abounding in bitterness and retribution.Now let's see here? Who do you resemble most? You want to kill me. You want to take a rock and crush in my head. Just sayin…Jesus says, I'm not buying it. There's a bit of a smokin gun here. The evidence is pretty convincing. The proof is in the pudding. Which, by the way, I discovered this week where that phrase comes from. The phrase is very old. It actually started out, the proof is in the eating. Which makes a lot more sense. It means that you have to taste the food in order to know whether it is good or not.Centuries ago in England, pudding referred to something different than we understand it today. Pudding was a kind of sausage, filling the intestines of some animal with minced meat and other things - something you probably want to try out carefully since that kind of food could be rather treacherous.So to put Jesus' words in terms of that phrase, you claim to be this delicious sausage. On the outside you look great. But the proof is in the pudding. What's inside that sausage? Inside you are dead men's bones. You are filled with giardia and salmonella. Your very nature kills, your very constitution kills people. Your problem is your essence.Jesus is making the very strong point that there are only two possible families. Your actions come from your insides and your insides come from the devil.Race and CultureNow, I want to interrupt this sermon for a very special mid-message application. This is a very, very significant point in our cultural moment as a nation.Our country is horribly confused and divided over racial issues right now. There is all sorts of hatred, shame, guilt, embarrassment and misunderstanding. Who is your father? What genes did you inherit? What race are you? Currently there is tremendous debate and discussion right now over how racism is experienced.Now there are two basic ways in which racial differences have expressed themselves in societies. One is through dominance. My race is better than your race. So because we are superior, there will be one of three outcomes:The dominant race will either oppress the less dominant races (slavery)The dominant race will marginalize the less dominant (class structure)The dominant race will destroy the less dominant (genocide)So racial differences are worked out through brute strength. So the solution in this model is dominance.The second way it's worked out in societies is through multiculturalism. Multiculturalism says all cultures are equally valid and therefore no one culture has the right to extend dominance over any other culture. Now the most recent expression of this is critical race theory which suggests that the most important thing about a person is their race. And at the heart of all power struggles in the world, if you boil it down to it's fundamental elements, you will find that race is really what it's all about. So in this model, the solution is to destroy the power structures of whatever race is currently dominant.What Jesus is doing here is completely different. It's actually quite radical because it ignores both of these approaches. Jesus isn't going to approve CRT and say that all cultures are equally valid nor does he say some cultures are superior. Instead he says there is a fundamental standard deeper than all cultures, a supreme standard that actually judges all cultures.Why is this so helpful and significant? Because what it does is it puts race in its proper place. Yes, it's real. Yes it matters. But what matters infinitely more is your spiritual race. Your relationship to Jesus Christ.It makes what seems supremely important, superficial by comparison. Do people make judgments about one another based on the shell? Yes, of course they do.But these differences on the outside make almost no difference when compared to the difference on the inside. All other differences are superficial by comparison - you could almost say insignificant by comparison. The ultimate difference between people, the greatest difference, the difference that truly divides is a theological one.How we relate to God is so significant, so fundamental to who we are as a human race, that the stuff on the inside will eventually grow and become too large for that shell and it will crack that shell and the shell will fall away and all that will remain is the life that was growing beneath.This is why I can go across the world and have deep, deep fellowship with my brothers and sisters in India or Mexico and even though we have totally different cultures, even though we look completely different, we have a connection that binds us together like family. The gospel makes the shell fall away.It's also why I can find someone who looks like me, has grown up in the same town, has all the same hobbies, likes the same music but he's not a follower of Jesus Christ; I feel like I'm connecting with a stranger. The shell is not what I'm ultimately interested in.It's why Christians are allowed to marry interracially but not allowed to marry unbelievers. It's not about the shell.Because this is the ultimate dividing line, the only dividing line that truly matters. Who is your father?Listen to this quote from A.W. Tozer,Our mental conception of God has more impact on the way we live, the way we relate to one another, the way we treat one another than any other thing about us. It is the great unifier and the great divider of all people. Who is Jesus Christ?If you believe Jesus is God, the 2nd person of the trinity, and you follow him as Lord, you abide in his love, you receive his forgiveness, then you are given new DNA and you become an heir of the kingdom of heaven and exhibit the traits of a child of God.If you don't believe Jesus is God, and you deny that he is Lord, then you are left with your current DNA which means you're a member of the kingdom of darkness and you will exhibit the traits of darkness.Again, according to the Bible, there are only two options. This is why Jesus' message is so devise, so upsetting. You are either a follower of a real person named Jesus Christ or a follower of a real person named the devil. You are either a child of God or a child of the devil. Educated people just want to gag over this. Why are these the only two options? Child of the devil? Come on.Listen, if Jesus was a real person then so is Satan because Jesus speaks of Satan as a real person with a personality and an agenda. He refers to him as the god of this world. The devil is said to have followers.So what will it be? You see the very fact that offense is the reaction is evidence of it's truthfulness. The very fact that people so violently, instinctively oppose it, is evidence that there is something that they insist must not be true.Many of us have the same reaction the Jews have. That's my reaction. What do you mean I am a child of the devil. That's absurd. I'm a good person. That's absurd. How can you say that? The reaction is always the same. It's hate.So we are going to see 3 traits of hate.When we don't like someone, when we take offense at something said against us, without a moment's thought, we attack the character. We launch a smear campaign. And the idea is that if we can attack the credibility of the person, then their words will lose power. The more respected a person is, the more serious it is when they point out flaws and folly in us. But if they are disrespected then their words have little impact.And this is exactly what happens. When Jesus suggests that they are children of the devil, they begin a smear campaign.Almost certainly this is a reference to the rather strange circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth. In other words, the Jews say to Jesus, Oh, you want to talk about pedigree. You want to talk about genealogies and lineage.You've got some considerable nerve to talk about paternity: at least we are not born of fornication (wink, wink). At least we aren't born of sexual immorality. Jesus, who are you to talk? You are an illegitimate child. There's a word for that.You've got some considerable cheek to bring this up, my friend. I believe we've got the high ground here.Jesus isn't phased by their attack. He redirects the conversation. He says, no, I'm not talking about a physical father. I'm talking about spiritual.You are slaves of sin. And because you are slaves of sin, that is evidence that your father is the devil.That was not how they viewed themselves. That was not their conception of reality.He says, the reason you must deny my words, is because my words are too painful for you. The truth is too difficult for you to swallow. You have too much pride. Your entire identity is built upon what I am challenging. And so you can't let this be true. You must deny it.You cannot bear to hear my word. The implications are too severe.Remember last week we talked about the difference between the slave and the son. What happens when a slave drops the vase? Be sure your sin will find you out. He must hide, he must deny, he must shift the blame. Why? Because his status in the house is conditional upon performance.The Jews Jesus is addressing are slaves to their performance. They cannot handle the accusation that they are sinners. Everything they've built their lives upon tells them they are not sinners. They believe their righteousness, their acceptance in the house was a function of their performance. And so their only option is denial. They ‘cannot bear to hear Jesus' word.'Contrast that with the security of being loved as a son. You drop the vase. But because you are a son it allows you to confess, to hear the truth without being threatened by it or destroyed by it. It provides the space and security to ACTUALLY listen, to ACTUALLY appreciate the feedback, to ACTUALLY grow and change because you are able to hear it.Think of the people in your life you respect. They have this trait.They have nothing to proveThey ask for nothing in returnThey never need to force their opinions on you.But most of all they are honest with their failures. When their mistakes are pointed out they both laugh at it but deeply receive it. They are genuinely thankful when their failures are revealed because it creates opportunity for growth.Contrast that with people who, when failure is revealed they feel the need to attack.What you'll find is someone with lots of insecuritySomeone who is carrying a lot of anger or jealousyYou'll find someone who feels the need to force their opinions on others for approval or validation.Jesus says, you are attacking me because you are angry, jealous and insecure. You can't bear to hear my words. I want to help you and I am able to help you but you have to be born again. You need new DNA. You need a new father.The truth by itself is powerful. And so if you don't like, it has to be covered up in some way. Attacking character is one way. Denying it is another. Here's a third way.When we speak lies, we present information as if it were truth. And the reason we lie is to change people's evaluation of us. The truth as presented makes us look really bad. The lie counters the judgment of the truth. If what we presented was true, then the attacker's judgments would be incorrect and we'd be exonerated. But of course the huge problem is, it's not true. It's a lie.And Jesus points this out.Jesus says, the very nature of God is truth and the very nature of the devil is lies. God speaks truth because it comes out of the very character of who he is. The devil speaks lies because he is speaking out of his very character.Jesus is trying to get them to self evaluate. The person who lies convinces himself that what he is saying is true. He has to sell it to himself first so that he can be convincing when he sells it to others. If he doesn't believe it, it will be obvious.And after selling it to yourself long enough this transformation happens.At first you,re confronted by your conscience that it's a lie,You know it's a lie. You seer that conscience for a while, you can get periods of rest from that thought.Then you remember it's a lie,Then you have to force yourself to recall that it's a lie andYou forget that it's a lie,Then you believe that it's the truth.You know the biggest lie that we tell ourselves. I'm a pretty good person. That's the biggest lie we tell ourselves. All of us do this comparison game, “We look around and we say, at least I'm not like that. At least I'm not Hitler or Pol Pot.” People who falsely believe that the criteria for entrance into heaven is goodness, 99 times out of a hundred say to themselves, Phew, well I guess that means I'm in. I'm a pretty good person.Jesus says to the Jews and he says to all of us, “No you are not. You are a slave to sin. You are a child of the devil.”That truth is too terrible for many of us. We can't handle the truth.ConclusionYou want to know what the Bible calls the sum total of these traits of hate: spiritual blindness. Someone who is a slave of sin, who recoils at the suggestion that there are problems within that need addressing, someone who denies the truth, who is willing to speak lies, a person in this state is unable to see reality. They are truly blind.This last week, I had an interaction with one of my sons (I've got four of them so his name will be mysteriously anonymous). There was a certain way that he was putting dishes into the sink that both Lisa and I had repeatedly asked him not to do. And he did it again and it kind of triggered me. So I sat down next to him on the step and started confronting him on it. And he claimed that he never remembered us telling him to do that. And so of course we go back and forth a few times. Yes, I did. No, you didn't. Yes I did. No, you didn't. Super productive conversation.And then he said, “Dad, I remember everything you tell me.” And then I said, “Of course it feels like you remember everything we tell you. But isn't that the very nature of the problem? You won't be aware of the things you've forgotten.” And we both kind of smiled at each other.It's kind of a silly discussion to say, “Can't you remember this thing you have completely forgotten?”That's the type of problem Jesus is addressing. Can't you see this thing your eyes won't let you see?Jesus says, “you are under the power of sin. You are being controlled by sin. You are a slave of sin.” You're so deeply in it's clutches you can't see it. But you aren't aware of it. Spiritual blindness won't let you see that.You are enslaved because you can't confess. There's been a lot of study on the psychology of enslavement in the last 20 years. People can be enslaved to all sorts of things. We can be enslaved to social media, to pornography, to alcohol, to another person's opinion us, to our jobs.How is that thing enslaving? Where does its power come from? A massive part of that power over a person is their denial that they're under it. A big part of being out of control is denying you're out of control. So the first step to being back in control is to admit you're not under control.In spiritual terms, the admission, the confession is I am not righteous. I am out of control in my sin.We feel in control when we believe that our performance is the reason we have value.We feel in control when we believe that the things we are doing contribute to our righteousness. That keeps us enslaved to sin.It's hard for most of us to admit that everything we've built our life upon is filthy rags.If we cannot admit; we cannot see. So what's the solution? We need spiritual sight. Spiritual sight = admission. When a person can't admit, all they are left with is character assassination, denial and lies. When a person can admit, they confess. But how do we get it?I'm partially color blind but that's all I've ever known. I don't feel like I'm missing out at all. My world rocks. My wife tells me otherwise.In my case, my colorblindness is a genetic problem. To fix the problem, I'd need to be born again with new genetics.And that's exactly Jesus' point here. Your inability to hear truth is because your soul isn't tuned to the proper spectrum. There's a wavelength of the heart that is inaccessible.The problem is so radical, so pervasive, so fundamental, so intrinsic to the essence of who we are that we actually need to be born again. We need a new nature. And how do we get that?Do you remember back with Nicodemus? Do you remember the egg?Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can I be born again? How do I get new DNA so I can be born of God?” The answer is belief. BELIEF IS WHAT GIVES YOU NEW DNA. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.The only way you can actually admit you are a sinner is to realize that all your sin has already been paid for and that you are loved. That's the gospel. That's what God is asking you to believe.Let me quote Tozer again.If you believe that God is a slavemaster who will accept you only if you perform, you will never be able to admit that you're a sinner. Do you see how this mental conception of who God is can set the whole entire course of your life? Is God a slavemaster?No. God wants to relate to you as a father does to a son. Do you believe that Jesus loves you? Do you believe that he knows all your sin? Do you believe that he sent his son to die for that sin?If you believe that truth IT SETS YOU FREE. Free to what? Free to admit failure. Free to admit weakness.If this is your mental conception of God, then it sets the whole entire course of your life in a different direction.Because you are a son, you can admit it. You won't be cast away. Yes, my condition is very bad. Yes, I was a child of the devil and a slave of sin.But can you believe that in that ugly condition, Jesus did not cast me away?What is the TRUTH? The truth is that Jesus loved me and died in my place. Do you see the gospel?When you believe, that is when the new DNA is given.The new DNA is given when you receive a righteousness that is not your own. When that righteousness is IMPLANTED in your heart.That's when spiritual sight is given.That implanted RIGHTEOUSNESS will change everything about you.

“So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.” ‭‭John‬ ‭18:33-40‬ ‭ESV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/bible/59/jhn.18.33-40.esv. “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:11, 21‬ ‭ESV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/bible/59/act.17.11,21.esv

The Riotous Adoption Matthew 27-11-26-11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, -Are you the King of the Jews-- Jesus said, -You have said so.- 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, -Do you not hear how many things they testify against you-- 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, -Whom do you want me to release for you- Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ-- 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, -Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.- 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, -Which of the two do you want me to release for you-- And they said, -Barabbas.- 22 Pilate said to them, -Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ-- They all said, -Let him be crucified-- 23 And he said, -Why- What evil has he done-- But they shouted all the more, -Let him be crucified-- 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, -I am innocent of this man's blood- see to it yourselves.- 25 And all the people answered, -His blood be on us and on o

Mark- The Power of a Question Read Mark 15:1-15 We often want God to give us answers to whatever we are struggling with. They wanted that from Jesus too. We have to remember that when God took on flesh in Jesus he didn’t give many answers. When asked hard questions he usually responded with non-answers that confused his audience, stories, or another question. Jesus isn’t trying to solve the mystery but draw us further in. In this story his silence provokes so many questions. To leave a question unanswered is hard because it allows others to fill up the space with their own assumptions about us. Jesus continues to amaze in this story with his silence as he does in others with his questions. And here we are left asking the questions so we are drawn into the mystery of Christ. Pilate asks, “Are you the king of the Jews?” What is behind this question? Is it a serious inquiry? Mockery to “king in chains?” What do you think Pilates intent is in this situation? Where is he coming from? When Pilate asks Jesus if he is the king of the Jews Jesus simply responds, “σὺ λέγεις” which means “you say” or “say you.” How did Pilate “Say so?” What could Jesus mean? There is no “one thing” they can accuse Jesus of so they accuse him of many things. They figure if they pile on the accusations something will stand out and get him in trouble with the Roman authority who has the job of keeping the “Peace of Rome.” Pilate then expects Jesus to defend himself... to prove himself. Jesus refuses to participate. He won’t play their game. We just finished several stories in a row where Jesus gave answers that amazed those listening. Now he shocks them with his silence as Pilate asks, “Aren’t you going to answer?” Why has Jesus decided the silence will have more impact than words here? It’s hard for us to not respond when people accuse us or make assumptions about us. We don’t want others to fill in the story with their own narratives and interpretations about us. We want to make our point, make ourselves look better, make others like us, make others understand where we are coming from. We feel we have to play the game when it’s our name, reputation, image, or worthiness that’s on the line. What is the invitation and challenge of Jesus to us in this passage?

Dr Trevan Hatch explains how Jesus' experience compared to Jewish messianic expectations in the centuries immediately preceding and succeeding his birth? Did Jesus' “lukewarm” followers see him as the “anointed one”? Did his closest disciples uniformly recognize him as the messiah? If so, did they refer to him as such? These questions are difficult to answer because the primary sources about Jesus were written forty to seventy years after his death. While the Gospels retain some authentic material about the Jesus of history, they also present a “CliffsNotes” version of his ministry—a brief, carefully crafted, idealized presentation of Jesus' deeds and sayings. By the time the Gospels' writers were putting pen to paper, so to speak, they had already established in their minds that Jesus was, indeed, the messiah, and their written accounts were an attempt to demonstrate his messiahship to others. What we do not have are firsthand accounts from Jews who witnessed some of Jesus' ministrations and heard at least a few of his sermons. Nevertheless, the Gospels do provide useful material to help situate Jesus within the tumultuous messianic milieu of the first century CE. For more depth on this topic, see Trevan Hatch's book, A Stranger in Jerusalem: Seeing Jesus as a Jew at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WGQJ6JM/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1  To get this episode with visuals on YouTube see:  https://youtu.be/zKfLppeJuI4

One of Jesus’ most profound teachings is found in today’s reading in John 8 – “the truth will set you free” (v.32). What do you think that means? Free from what? And what is the truth? It’s maybe easy to have a simplistic view that the truth Jesus is talking about is referring to having sound doctrine – assenting to a list of fundamental Bible teachings we call “The Truth”, is what will set us free. While sound doctrine is important, Jesus’ words go deeper than that. The people he was talking to were the equivalent of Christadelphians – people who would have claimed to “have the truth”, Bible students who had separated themselves from mainstream religion. But Jesus told them “you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you” (v.37). Seeking to kill the Son of God isn’t really the sort of healthy outcome you’d expect from having an intellectually sound understanding of Bible doctrine. The Jews Jesus talked to were still slaves to sin (v.34) and were about to manifest that slavery by crucifying him despite all the time spent deeply studying God’s law.

View the Bulletin for Good Friday - Friday April 10, 2020Service Time: 7:00 p.m.All are welcomeThe Good Friday. service will streamed live — and available to view on YouTube anytime thereafter.Visit our YouTube Channel at: www.YouTube.comCLICK to Sign up for participant-limited servicesYou can donate online at:http://www.zlcb.org/donateReadings of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the Holy Gospel according to St. John 18:1-19:36 First Reading – John 18:1-11 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, ”I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” Second Reading – John 18:12-27 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. Third Reading – John 18:28-32 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you. ”Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. Fourth Reading – John 18:33-40 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. Fifth Reading – John 19:1-16 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. Sixth Reading – John 19:17-27 So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. Seventh Reading – John 19:28-42 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Psalm 146 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! 2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD! A Prayer:Almighty and everlasting God, You willed that Your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross, that You might remove from us the power of the adversary: Help us to remember and give thanks for our Lord’s Passion that we may obtain remission of sin and redemption from everlasting death; through the same, our Lord Jesus Christ. AmenMatthew 27:11-54 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so." 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream." 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." 22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" 23 And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." 25 And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. 32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah." 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.   51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Romans 5:1-11 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. And now, may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

John 18:1-19:37 (note: this recording was extracted from the live stream)    Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go." This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, "I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me." Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?" So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people. Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said." When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" Jesus answered, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?" Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, "You are not also one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not." One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed. Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" They answered, "If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law." The Jews replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death." (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" They shouted in reply, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a bandit. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God." Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, "Here is your King!" They cried out, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but the emperor." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it." This was to fulfill what the scripture says, "They divided my clothes among themselves,and for my clothing they cast lots." And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, "None of his bones shall be broken." And again another passage of scripture says, "They will look on the one whom they have pierced."

Palm Sunday of the Lord's PassionLectionary: 37/38 Reading 1MT 21:1-11 At the procession with palms - Gospel 35 Year A When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalemand came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,“Go into the village opposite you,and immediately you will find an ass tethered,and a colt with her.Untie them and bring them here to me.And if anyone should say anything to you, reply,‘The master has need of them.’Then he will send them at once.”This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophetmight be fulfilled:Say to daughter Zion,“Behold, your king comes to you,meek and riding on an ass,and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them.They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them,and he sat upon them.The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,while others cut branches from the treesand strewed them on the road.The crowds preceding him and those followingkept crying out and saying:“Hosanna to the Son of David;blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord;hosanna in the highest.”And when he entered Jerusalemthe whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?”And the crowds replied,“This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” At The Mass  IS 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given mea well-trained tongue,that I might know how to speak to the wearya word that will rouse them.Morning after morninghe opens my ear that I may hear;and I have not rebelled,have not turned back.I gave my back to those who beat me,my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;my face I did not shieldfrom buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help,therefore I am not disgraced;I have set my face like flint,knowing that I shall not be put to shame. Responsorial Psalm PS 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24. R. (2a)  My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?All who see me scoff at me;they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:"He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,let him rescue him, if he loves him."R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?Indeed, many dogs surround me,a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;They have pierced my hands and my feet;I can count all my bones.R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?They divide my garments among them,and for my vesture they cast lots.But you, O LORD, be not far from me;O my help, hasten to aid me.R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?I will proclaim your name to my brethren;in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:"You who fear the LORD, praise him;all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Reading 2 PHIL 2:6-11 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with Godsomething to be grasped.Rather, he emptied himself,taking the form of a slave,coming in human likeness;and found human in appearance,he humbled himself,becoming obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross.Because of this, God greatly exalted himand bestowed on him the namewhich is above every name,that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bend,of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess thatJesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.Verse Before The Gospel PHIL 2:8-9 Christ became obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross.because of this, God greatly exalted himand bestowed on him the name which is above every name. Gospel MT 26:14—27:66 OR 27:11-54 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,went to the chief priests and said,“What are you willing to give meif I hand him over to you?”They paid him thirty pieces of silver,and from that time on he looked for an opportunityto hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,the disciples approached Jesus and said,“Where do you want us to preparefor you to eat the Passover?”He said,“Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near;in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’”The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,and prepared the Passover. When it was evening,he reclined at table with the Twelve.And while they were eating, he said,“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”Deeply distressed at this,they began to say to him one after another,“Surely it is not I, Lord?”He said in reply,“He who has dipped his hand into the dish with meis the one who will betray me.The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”He answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating,Jesus took bread, said the blessing,broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,“Take and eat; this is my body.”Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,“Drink from it, all of you,for this is my blood of the covenant,which will be shed on behalf of manyfor the forgiveness of sins.I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vineuntil the day when I drink it with you newin the kingdom of my Father.”Then, after singing a hymn,they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them,“This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken,for it is written:I will strike the shepherd,and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed;but after I have been raised up,I shall go before you to Galilee.”Peter said to him in reply,“Though all may have their faith in you shaken,mine will never be.”Jesus said to him,“Amen, I say to you,this very night before the cock crows,you will deny me three times.”Peter said to him,“Even though I should have to die with you,I will not deny you.”And all the disciples spoke likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,and he said to his disciples,“Sit here while I go over there and pray.”He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,and began to feel sorrow and distress.Then he said to them,“My soul is sorrowful even to death.Remain here and keep watch with me.”He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying,“My Father, if it is possible,let this cup pass from me;yet, not as I will, but as you will.”When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep.He said to Peter,“So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,“My Father, if it is not possible that this cup passwithout my drinking it, your will be done!”Then he returned once more and found them asleep,for they could not keep their eyes open.He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time,saying the same thing again.Then he returned to his disciples and said to them,“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?Behold, the hour is at handwhen the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.Get up, let us go.Look, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking,Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs,who had come from the chief priests and the eldersof the people.His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying,“The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.”Immediately he went over to Jesus and said,“Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him.Jesus answered him,“Friend, do what you have come for.”Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesusput his hand to his sword, drew it,and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.Then Jesus said to him,“Put your sword back into its sheath,for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.Do you think that I cannot call upon my Fatherand he will not provide me at this momentwith more than twelve legions of angels?But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilledwhich say that it must come to pass in this way?”At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,“Have you come out as against a robber,with swords and clubs to seize me?Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area,yet you did not arrest me.But all this has come to passthat the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.”Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him awayto Caiaphas the high priest,where the scribes and the elders were assembled.Peter was following him at a distanceas far as the high priest’s courtyard,and going inside he sat down with the servantsto see the outcome.The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrinkept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesusin order to put him to death,but they found none,though many false witnesses came forward.Finally two came forward who stated,“This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of Godand within three days rebuild it.’”The high priest rose and addressed him,“Have you no answer?What are these men testifying against you?”But Jesus was silent.Then the high priest said to him,“I order you to tell us under oath before the living Godwhether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”Jesus said to him in reply,“You have said so.But I tell you:From now on you will see ‘the Son of Manseated at the right hand of the Power’and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”Then the high priest tore his robes and said,“He has blasphemed!What further need have we of witnesses?You have now heard the blasphemy;what is your opinion?”They said in reply,“He deserves to die!”Then they spat in his face and struck him,while some slapped him, saying,“Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?”Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.One of the maids came over to him and said,“You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”But he denied it in front of everyone, saying,“I do not know what you are talking about!”As he went out to the gate, another girl saw himand said to those who were there,“This man was with Jesus the Nazorean.”Again he denied it with an oath,“I do not know the man!”A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter,“Surely you too are one of them;even your speech gives you away.”At that he began to curse and to swear,“I do not know the man.”And immediately a cock crowed.Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken:“Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.”He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning,all the chief priests and the elders of the peopletook counsel against Jesus to put him to death.They bound him, led him away,and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned,deeply regretted what he had done.He returned the thirty pieces of silverto the chief priests and elders, saying,“I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.”They said,“What is that to us?Look to it yourself.”Flinging the money into the temple,he departed and went off and hanged himself.The chief priests gathered up the money, but said,“It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury,for it is the price of blood.”After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s fieldas a burial place for foreigners.That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiahthe prophet,And they took the thirty pieces of silver,the value of a man with a price on his head,a price set by some of the Israelites,and they paid it out for the potter’s fieldjust as the Lord had commanded me. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him,“Are you the king of the Jews?”Jesus said, “You say so.”And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,he made no answer.Then Pilate said to him,“Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”But he did not answer him one word,so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feastthe governor was accustomed to release to the crowdone prisoner whom they wished.And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,“Which one do you want me to release to you,Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?”For he knew that it was out of envythat they had handed him over.While he was still seated on the bench,his wife sent him a message,“Have nothing to do with that righteous man.I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowdsto ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.The governor said to them in reply,“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”They answered, "Barabbas!”Pilate said to them,“Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”They all said,“Let him be crucified!”But he said,“Why? What evil has he done?”They only shouted the louder,“Let him be crucified!”When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,but that a riot was breaking out instead,he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.Look to it yourselves.”And the whole people said in reply,“His blood be upon us and upon our children.”Then he released Barabbas to them,but after he had Jesus scourged,he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetoriumand gathered the whole cohort around him.They stripped off his clothesand threw a scarlet military cloak about him.Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,and a reed in his right hand.And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,“Hail, King of the Jews!”They spat upon him and took the reedand kept striking him on the head.And when they had mocked him,they stripped him of the cloak,dressed him in his own clothes,and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;this man they pressed into serviceto carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha—which means Place of the Skull —,they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.After they had crucified him,they divided his garments by casting lots;then they sat down and kept watch over him there.And they placed over his head the written charge against him:This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,one on his right and the other on his left.Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,save yourself, if you are the Son of God,and come down from the cross!”Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,“He saved others; he cannot save himself.So he is the king of Israel!Let him come down from the cross now,and we will believe in him.He trusted in God;let him deliver him now if he wants him.For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”The revolutionaries who were crucified with himalso kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole landuntil three in the afternoon.And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Some of the bystanders who heard it said,“This one is calling for Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,gave it to him to drink.But the rest said,“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuarywas torn in two from top to bottom.The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,they entered the holy city and appeared to many.The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesusfeared greatly when they saw the earthquakeand all that was happening, and they said,“Truly, this was the Son of God!”There were many women there, looking on from a distance,who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph,and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening,there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph,who was himself a disciple of Jesus.He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus;then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linenand laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock.Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomband departed.But Mary Magdalene and the other Maryremained sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation,the chief priests and the Phariseesgathered before Pilate and said,“Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said,‘After three days I will be raised up.’Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day,lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people,‘He has been raised from the dead.’This last imposture would be worse than the first.”Pilate said to them,“The guard is yours;go, secure it as best you can.”So they went and secured the tombby fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard. or Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him,“Are you the king of the Jews?”Jesus said, “You say so.”And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,he made no answer.Then Pilate said to him,“Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”But he did not answer him one word,so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feastthe governor was accustomed to release to the crowdone prisoner whom they wished.And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,“Which one do you want me to release to you,Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?”For he knew that it was out of envythat they had handed him over.While he was still seated on the bench,his wife sent him a message,“Have nothing to do with that righteous man.I suffered much in a dream today because of him.”The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowdsto ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.The governor said to them in reply,“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”They answered, "Barabbas!”Pilate said to them,“Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”They all said,“Let him be crucified!”But he said,“Why? What evil has he done?”They only shouted the louder,“Let him be crucified!”When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,but that a riot was breaking out instead,he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.Look to it yourselves.”And the whole people said in reply,“His blood be upon us and upon our children.”Then he released Barabbas to them,but after he had Jesus scourged,he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetoriumand gathered the whole cohort around him.They stripped off his clothesand threw a scarlet military cloak about him.Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,and a reed in his right hand.And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,“Hail, King of the Jews!”They spat upon him and took the reedand kept striking him on the head.And when they had mocked him,they stripped him of the cloak,dressed him in his own clothes,and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;this man they pressed into serviceto carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha— which means Place of the Skull —,they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.After they had crucified him,they divided his garments by casting lots;then they sat down and kept watch over him there.And they placed over his head the written charge against him:This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,one on his right and the other on his left.Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,save yourself, if you are the Son of God,and come down from the cross!”Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,“He saved others; he cannot save himself.So he is the king of Israel!Let him come down from the cross now,and we will believe in him.He trusted in God;let him deliver him now if he wants him.For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”The revolutionaries who were crucified with himalso kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole landuntil three in the afternoon.And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Some of the bystanders who heard it said,“This one is calling for Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,gave it to him to drink.But the rest said,‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuarywas torn in two from top to bottom.The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,they entered the holy city and appeared to many.The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesusfeared greatly when they saw the earthquakeand all that was happening, and they said,“Truly, this was the Son of God!”

Reading 1 MT 21:1-11 At the procession with palms When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” Evangelio Mt 21, 1-11 Cuando se aproximaban ya a Jerusalén, al llegar a Betfagé, junto al monte de los Olivos, envió Jesús a dos de sus discípulos, diciéndoles: “Vayan al pueblo que ven allí enfrente; al entrar, encontrarán amarrada una burra y un burrito con ella; desátenlos y tráiganmelos. Si alguien les pregunta algo, díganle que el Señor los necesita y enseguida los devolverá”. Esto sucedió para que se cumplieran las palabras del profeta: Díganle a la hija de Sión: He aquí que tu rey viene a ti, apacible y montado en un burro, en un burrito, hijo de animal de yugo. Fueron, pues, los discípulos e hicieron lo que Jesús les había encargado y trajeron consigo la burra y el burrito. Luego pusieron sobre ellos sus mantos y Jesús se sentó encima. La gente, muy numerosa, extendía sus mantos por el camino; algunos cortaban ramas de los árboles y las tendían a su paso. Los que iban delante de él y los que lo seguían gritaban: “¡Hosanna! ¡Viva el Hijo de David! ¡Bendito el que viene en nombre del Señor! ¡Hosanna en el cielo!” Al entrar Jesús en Jerusalén, toda la ciudad se conmovió. Unos decían: “¿Quién es éste?” Y la gente respondía: “Éste es el profeta Jesús, de Nazaret de Galilea”. At The Mass IS 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. La Misa Is 50, 4-7 En aquel entonces, dijo Isaías: “El Señor me ha dado una lengua experta, para que pueda confortar al abatido con palabras de aliento. Mañana tras mañana, el Señor despierta mi oído, para que escuche yo, como discípulo. El Señor Dios me ha hecho oír sus palabras y yo no he opuesto resistencia ni me he echado para atrás. Ofrecí la espalda a los que me golpeaban, la mejilla a los que me tiraban de la barba. No aparté mi rostro de los insultos y salivazos. Pero el Señor me ayuda, por eso no quedaré confundido, por eso endurecí mi rostro como roca y sé que no quedaré avergonzado”. Reading 2 PHIL 2:6-11 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Segunda Lectura Flp 2, 6-11 Cristo, siendo Dios, no consideró que debía aferrarse a las prerrogativas de su condición divina, sino que, por el contrario, se anonadó a sí mismo, tomando la condición de siervo, y se hizo semejante a los hombres. Así, hecho uno de ellos, se humilló a sí mismo y por obediencia aceptó incluso la muerte, y una muerte de cruz. Por eso Dios lo exaltó sobre todas las cosas y le otorgó el nombre que está sobre todo nombre, para que, al nombre de Jesús, todos doblen la rodilla en el cielo, en la tierra y en los abismos, y todos reconozcan públicamente que Jesucristo es el Señor, para gloria de Dios Padre. Gospel MT 26:14-27:66 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’” The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him in reply, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.” Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples spoke likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!” Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people. His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.” Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and he kissed him. Jesus answered him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward who stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.’” The high priest rose and addressed him, “Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?” But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “You have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?” They said in reply, “He deserves to die!” Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?” Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about!” As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazorean.” Again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man!” A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away.” At that he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, “It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.” After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had commanded me. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, "Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha —which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This last imposture would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “The guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can.” So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard. Evangelio Mt 26, 14–27, 66 En aquel tiempo, uno de los Doce, llamado Judas Iscariote, fue a ver a los sumos sacerdotes y les dijo: “¿Cuánto me dan si les entrego a Jesús?” Ellos quedaron en darle treinta monedas de plata. Y desde ese momento andaba buscando una oportunidad para entregárselo. El primer día de la fiesta de los panes Ázimos, los discípulos se acercaron a Jesús y le preguntaron: “¿Dónde quieres que te preparemos la cena de Pascua?” Él respondió: “Vayan a la ciudad, a casa de fulano y díganle: ‘El Maestro dice: Mi hora está ya cerca. Voy a celebrar la Pascua con mis discípulos en tu casa’ ”. Ellos hicieron lo que Jesús les había ordenado y prepararon la cena de Pascua. Al atardecer, se sentó a la mesa con los Doce, y mientras cenaban, les dijo: “Yo les aseguro que uno de ustedes va a entregarme”. Ellos se pusieron muy tristes y comenzaron a preguntarle uno por uno: “¿Acaso soy yo, Señor?” Él respondió: “El que moja su pan en el mismo plato que yo, ése va a entregarme. Porque el Hijo del hombre va a morir, como está escrito de él; pero ¡ay de aquel por quien el Hijo del hombre va a ser entregado! Más le valiera a ese hombre no haber nacido”. Entonces preguntó Judas, el que lo iba a entregar: “¿Acaso soy yo, Maestro?” Jesús le respondió: “Tú lo has dicho”. Durante la cena, Jesús tomó un pan y, pronunciada la bendición, lo partió y lo dio a sus discípulos, diciendo: “Tomen y coman. Éste es mi Cuerpo”. Luego tomó en sus manos una copa de vino y, pronunciada la acción de gracias, la pasó a sus discípulos, diciendo: “Beban todos de ella, porque ésta es mi Sangre, Sangre de la nueva alianza, que será derramada por todos, para el perdón de los pecados. Les digo que ya no beberé más del fruto de la vid, hasta el día en que beba con ustedes el vino nuevo en el Reino de mi Padre”. Después de haber cantado el himno, salieron hacia el monte de los Olivos. Entonces Jesús les dijo: “Todos ustedes se van a escandalizar de mí esta noche, porque está escrito: Heriré al pastor y se dispersarán las ovejas del rebaño. Pero después de que yo resucite, iré delante de ustedes a Galilea”. Entonces Pedro le replicó: “Aunque todos se escandalicen de ti, yo nunca me escandalizaré”. Jesús le dijo: “Yo te aseguro que esta misma noche, antes de que el gallo cante, me habrás negado tres veces”. Pedro le replicó: “Aunque tenga que morir contigo, no te negaré”. Y lo mismo dijeron todos los discípulos. Entonces Jesús fue con ellos a un lugar llamado Getsemaní y dijo a los discípulos: “Quédense aquí mientras yo voy a orar más allá”. Se llevó consigo a Pedro y a los dos hijos de Zebedeo y comenzó a sentir tristeza y angustia. Entonces les dijo: “Mi alma está llena de una tristeza mortal. Quédense aquí y velen conmigo”. Avanzó unos pasos más, se postró rostro en tierra y comenzó a orar, diciendo: “Padre mío, si es posible, que pase de mí este cáliz; pero que no se haga como yo quiero, sino como quieres tú”. Volvió entonces a donde estaban los discípulos y los encontró dormidos. Dijo a Pedro: “¿No han podido velar conmigo ni una hora? Velen y oren, para no caer en la tentación, porque el espíritu está pronto, pero la carne es débil”. Y alejándose de nuevo, se puso a orar, diciendo: “Padre mío, si este cáliz no puede pasar sin que yo lo beba, hágase tu voluntad”. Después volvió y encontró a sus discípulos otra vez dormidos, porque tenían los ojos cargados de sueño. Los dejó y se fue a orar de nuevo, por tercera vez, repitiendo las mismas palabras. Después de esto, volvió a donde estaban los discípulos y les dijo: “Duerman ya y descansen. He aquí que llega la hora y el Hijo del hombre va a ser entregado en manos de los pecadores. ¡Levántense! ¡Vamos! Ya está aquí el que me va a entregar”. Todavía estaba hablando Jesús, cuando llegó Judas, uno de los Doce, seguido de una chusma numerosa con espadas y palos, enviada por los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos del pueblo. El que lo iba a entregar les había dado esta señal: “Aquel a quien yo le dé un beso, ése es. Aprehéndanlo”. Al instante se acercó a Jesús y le dijo: “¡Buenas noches, Maestro!” Y lo besó. Jesús le dijo: “Amigo, ¿es esto a lo que has venido?” Entonces se acercaron a Jesús, le echaron mano y lo apresaron. Uno de los que estaban con Jesús, sacó la espada, hirió a un criado del sumo sacerdote y le cortó una oreja. Le dijo entonces Jesús: “Vuelve la espada a su lugar, pues quien usa la espada, a espada morirá. ¿No crees que si yo se lo pidiera a mi Padre, él pondría ahora mismo a mi disposición más de doce legiones de ángeles? Pero, ¿cómo se cumplirían entonces las Escrituras, que dicen que así debe suceder?” Enseguida dijo Jesús a aquella chusma: “¿Han salido ustedes a apresarme como a un bandido, con espadas y palos? Todos los días yo enseñaba, sentado en el templo, y no me aprehendieron. Pero todo esto ha sucedido para que se cumplieran las predicciones de los profetas”. Entonces todos los discípulos lo abandonaron y huyeron. Los que aprehendieron a Jesús lo llevaron a la casa del sumo sacerdote Caifás, donde los escribas y los ancianos estaban reunidos. Pedro los fue siguiendo de lejos hasta el palacio del sumo sacerdote. Entró y se sentó con los criados para ver en qué paraba aquello. Los sumos sacerdotes y todo el sanedrín andaban buscando un falso testimonio contra Jesús, con ánimo de darle muerte; pero no lo encontraron, aunque se presentaron muchos testigos falsos. Al fin llegaron dos, que dijeron: “Éste dijo: ‘Puedo derribar el templo de Dios y reconstruirlo en tres días’ ”. Entonces el sumo sacerdote se levantó y le dijo: “¿No respondes nada a lo que éstos atestiguan en contra tuya?” Como Jesús callaba, el sumo sacerdote le dijo: “Te conjuro por el Dios vivo a que nos digas si tú eres el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios”. Jesús le respondió: “Tú lo has dicho. Además, yo les declaro que pronto verán al Hijo del hombre, sentado a la derecha de Dios, venir sobre las nubes del cielo”. Entonces el sumo sacerdote rasgó sus vestiduras y exclamó: “¡Ha blasfemado! ¿Qué necesidad tenemos ya de testigos? Ustedes mismos han oído la blasfemia. ¿Qué les parece?” Ellos respondieron: “Es reo de muerte”. Luego comenzaron a escupirle en la cara y a darle de bofetadas. Otros lo golpeaban, diciendo: “Adivina quién es el que te ha pegado”. Entretanto, Pedro estaba fuera, sentado en el patio. Una criada se le acercó y le dijo: “Tú también estabas con Jesús, el galileo”. Pero él lo negó ante todos, diciendo: “No sé de qué me estás hablando”. Ya se iba hacia el zaguán, cuando lo vio otra criada y dijo a los que estaban ahí: “También ése andaba con Jesús, el nazareno”. Él de nuevo lo negó con juramento: “No conozco a ese hombre”. Poco después se acercaron a Pedro los que estaban ahí y le dijeron: “No cabe duda de que tú también eres de ellos, pues hasta tu modo de hablar te delata”. Entonces él comenzó a echar maldiciones y a jurar que no conocía a aquel hombre. Y en aquel momento cantó el gallo. Entonces se acordó Pedro de que Jesús había dicho: ‘Antes de que cante el gallo, me habrás negado tres veces’. Y saliendo de ahí se soltó a llorar amargamente. Llegada la mañana, todos los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos del pueblo celebraron consejo contra Jesús para darle muerte. Después de atarlo, lo llevaron ante el procurador, Poncio Pilato, y se lo entregaron. Entonces Judas, el que lo había entregado, viendo que Jesús había sido condenado a muerte, devolvió arrepentido las treinta monedas de plata a los sumos sacerdotes y a los ancianos, diciendo: “Pequé, entregando la sangre de un inocente”. Ellos dijeron: “¿Y a nosotros qué nos importa? Allá tú”. Entonces Judas arrojó las monedas de plata en el templo, se fue y se ahorcó. Los sumos sacerdotes tomaron las monedas de plata y dijeron: “No es lícito juntarlas con el dinero de las limosnas, porque son precio de sangre”. Después de deliberar, compraron con ellas el Campo del alfarero, para sepultar ahí a los extranjeros. Por eso aquel campo se llama hasta el día de hoy “Campo de sangre”. Así se cumplió lo que dijo el profeta Jeremías: Tomaron las treinta monedas de plata en que fue tasado aquel a quien pusieron precio algunos hijos de Israel, y las dieron por el Campo del alfarero, según lo que me ordenó el Señor. Jesús compareció ante el procurador, Poncio Pilato, quien le preguntó: “¿Eres tú el rey de los judíos?” Jesús respondió: “Tú lo has dicho”. Pero nada respondió a las acusaciones que le hacían los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos. Entonces le dijo Pilato: “¿No oyes todo lo que dicen contra ti?” Pero él nada respondió, hasta el punto de que el procurador se quedó muy extrañado. Con ocasión de la fiesta de la Pascua, el procurador solía conceder a la multitud la libertad del preso que quisieran. Tenían entonces un preso famoso, llamado Barrabás. Dijo, pues, Pilato a los ahí reunidos: “¿A quién quieren que les deje en libertad: a Barrabás o a Jesús, que se dice el Mesías?” Pilato sabía que se lo habían entregado por envidia. Estando él sentado en el tribunal, su mujer mandó decirle: “No te metas con ese hombre justo, porque hoy he sufrido mucho en sueños por su causa”. Mientras tanto, los sumos sacerdotes y los ancianos convencieron a la muchedumbre de que pidieran la libertad de Barrabás y la muerte de Jesús. Así, cuando el procurador les preguntó: “¿A cuál de los dos quieren que les suelte?” Ellos respondieron: “A Barrabás”. Pilato les dijo: “¿Y qué voy a hacer con Jesús, que se dice el Mesías?” Respondieron todos: “Crucifícalo”. Pilato preguntó: “Pero, ¿qué mal ha hecho?” Mas ellos seguían gritando cada vez con más fuerza: “¡Crucifícalo!” Entonces Pilato, viendo que nada conseguía y que crecía el tumulto, pidió agua y se lavó las manos ante el pueblo, diciendo: “Yo no me hago responsable de la muerte de este hombre justo. Allá ustedes”. Todo el pueblo respondió: “¡Que su sangre caiga sobre nosotros y sobre nuestros hijos!” Entonces Pilato puso en libertad a Barrabás. En cambio a Jesús lo hizo azotar y lo entregó para que lo crucificaran. Los soldados del procurador llevaron a Jesús al pretorio y reunieron alrededor de él a todo el batallón. Lo desnudaron, le echaron encima un manto de púrpura, trenzaron una corona de espinas y se la pusieron en la cabeza; le pusieron una caña en su mano derecha y, arrodillándose ante él, se burlaban diciendo: “¡Viva el rey de los judíos!”, y le escupían. Luego, quitándole la caña, lo golpeaban con ella en la cabeza. Después de que se burlaron de él, le quitaron el manto, le pusieron sus ropas y lo llevaron a crucificar. Al salir, encontraron a un hombre de Cirene, llamado Simón, y lo obligaron a llevar la cruz. Al llegar a un lugar llamado Gólgota, es decir, “Lugar de la Calavera”, le dieron a beber a Jesús vino mezclado con hiel; él lo probó, pero no lo quiso beber. Los que lo crucificaron se repartieron sus vestidos, echando suertes, y se quedaron sentados ahí para custodiarlo. Sobre su cabeza pusieron por escrito la causa de su condena: ‘Éste es Jesús, el rey de los judíos’. Juntamente con él, crucificaron a dos ladrones, uno a su derecha y el otro a su izquierda. Los que pasaban por ahí lo insultaban moviendo la cabeza y gritándole: “Tú, que destruyes el templo y en tres días lo reedificas, sálvate a ti mismo; si eres el Hijo de Dios, baja de la cruz”. También se burlaban de él los sumos sacerdotes, los escribas y los ancianos, diciendo: “Ha salvado a otros y no puede salvarse a sí mismo. Si es el rey de Israel, que baje de la cruz y creeremos en él. Ha puesto su confianza en Dios, que Dios lo salve ahora, si es que de verdad lo ama, pues él ha dicho: ‘Soy el Hijo de Dios’ ”. Hasta los ladrones que estaban crucificados a su lado lo injuriaban. Desde el mediodía hasta las tres de la tarde, se oscureció toda aquella tierra. Y alrededor de las tres, Jesús exclamó con fuerte voz: “Elí, Elí, ¿lemá sabactaní?”, que quiere decir: “Dios mío, Dios mío, ¿por qué me has abandonado?” Algunos de los presentes, al oírlo, decían: “Está llamando a Elías”. Enseguida uno de ellos fue corriendo a tomar una esponja, la empapó en vinagre y sujetándola a una caña, le ofreció de beber. Pero los otros le dijeron: “Déjalo. Vamos a ver si viene Elías a salvarlo”. Entonces Jesús, dando de nuevo un fuerte grito, expiró. Aquí todos se arrodillan y guardan silencio por unos instantes. Entonces el velo del templo se rasgó en dos partes, de arriba a abajo, la tierra tembló y las rocas se partieron. Se abrieron los sepulcros y resucitaron muchos justos que habían muerto, y después de la resurrección de Jesús, entraron en la ciudad santa y se aparecieron a mucha gente. Por su parte, el oficial y los que estaban con él custodiando a Jesús, al ver el terremoto y las cosas que ocurrían, se llenaron de un gran temor y dijeron: “Verdaderamente éste era Hijo de Dios”. Estaban también allí, mirando desde lejos, muchas de las mujeres que habían seguido a Jesús desde Galilea para servirlo. Entre ellas estaban María Magdalena, María, la madre de Santiago y de José, y la madre de los hijos de Zebedeo. Al atardecer, vino un hombre rico de Arimatea, llamado José, que se había hecho también discípulo de Jesús. Se presentó a Pilato y le pidió el cuerpo de Jesús, y Pilato dio orden de que se lo entregaran. José tomó el cuerpo, lo envolvió en una sábana limpia y lo depositó en un sepulcro nuevo, que había hecho excavar en la roca para sí mismo. Hizo rodar una gran piedra hasta la entrada del sepulcro y se retiró. Estaban ahí María Magdalena y la otra María, sentadas frente al sepulcro. Al otro día, el siguiente de la preparación de la Pascua, los sumos sacerdotes y los fariseos se reunieron ante Pilato y le dijeron: “Señor, nos hemos acordado de que ese impostor, estando aún en vida, dijo: ‘A los tres días resucitaré’. Manda, pues, asegurar el sepulcro hasta el tercer día; no sea que vengan sus discípulos, lo roben y digan luego al pueblo: ‘Resucitó de entre los muertos’, porque esta última impostura sería peor que la primera”. Pilato les dijo: “Tomen un pelotón de soldados, vayan y aseguren el sepulcro como ustedes quieran”. Ellos fueron y aseguraron el sepulcro, poniendo un sello sobre la puerta y dejaron ahí la guardia.

Matthew 26-27 English Standard Version (ESV)The Plot to Kill Jesus26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” Jesus Anointed at Bethany6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Judas to Betray Jesus14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. The Passover with the Disciples17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” Institution of the Lord's Supper26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. Jesus Prays in Gethsemane36 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.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” Peter Denies Jesus69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. Jesus Delivered to Pilate27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Judas Hangs Himself3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” Jesus Before Pilate11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. The Crowd Chooses Barabbas15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. Jesus Is Mocked27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. The Crucifixion32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. The Death of Jesus45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Jesus Is Buried57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The Guard at the Tomb62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

View the Bulletin for Wednesday April 1, 2020Service Time: 7:00 p.m.Bible Study on hold during the pandemicTonight’s service will be LIVE STEAMED on Zion’s YouTube ChannelSubscribe to our Channel and click on the bell to receive Live Stream NotificationsFirst Reading -- Isaiah 13:9–11Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it.For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light;the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity;I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.Second Reading -- 1 John 2:15–17Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.Holy Gospel – John 18:33–38aSo Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

NUMBERS 17-18:Yesterday we heard another dramatic chapter in Israel's history: The rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. They must have been included in those who refused to go to the Promised Land, but then they had the gall to find fault with Moses that he didn't lead them to that land. It is also incredible that God would prove Moses' authority so dramatically (resulting in the death of the three conspirators and their families), yet the people would the next day without fear accuse Moses of killing the Lord's people (further resulting in a plague). PSALM 37a:This is an acrostic poem,and a great Psalm for giving us the right perspective in our fallen world. LUKE 23b:In the first half of this chapter, Jesus was tried by Pilatos (the phonetic pronunciation I will use in the podcasts) and Herod, before finally Pilatos caved into pressure and sentenced Jesus to death. Let’s repeat a few verses, starting at verse 36. For today’s prayer, I read the hymn “How deep the Father’s love for us.” This was composed by Stuart Townend, and here is the link to his story about writing it:http://www.stuarttownend.co.uk/song/how-deep-the-fathers-love-for-us/ GNT Translation notes:Num. 18:1 The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons, and the Levites must suffer the consequences of any guilt connected with serving in the Tent of my presence; but only you and your sons will suffer the consequences [of any guilt connected with your serving//of service] in the priesthood.15 “Every first-born [male] child or animal that the Israelites present to me belongs to you. But you must accept payment to buy back every first-born [son//child], and must also accept payment for every first-born animal that is ritually unclean. 16 [First born sons//Children] shall be bought back at the age of one month for the fixed price of five pieces of silver, according to the official standard.====Luk. 23:47 The army officer saw what had happened, and he praised God, saying, “Certainly he was [an innocent//a good] man!”[The Greek can mean either ‘innocent’ or ‘righteous’, but I prefer not to simply say ‘good’, although it is an acceptable translation.] NLT Translation notes:3 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”Jesus replied, “[You are the one who says it.//You have said it.]”34 Jesus said [about the ones crucifying him//0], “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was [one of those//0] waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.  

NUMBERS 16:In Numbers 15, we found out that there were sacrifices that could be made for unintentional sins— whether done by the whole community or by an individual. But there was no sacrifice to cover an intentional sin— such as working on the Sabbath, as was so clearly illustrated by the man who gathered wood on the Sabbath. Then at the very end of chapter 15, we heard the instruction about the tassels with a blue cord that were to hang on the four corners of the Israelites’ garments. Those are the tassels that Tevia in Fiddler on the Roof doesn't know the meaning of. PSALM 36:While this is a song praising God’s unfailing love, notice how some parts of this poem are so appropriate to what we just read about Dathan, Abiram, and Korah. LUKE 23a:Chapter 22 ended with Peter's denial of being a follower of Jesus, and we heard of the council's decision against Jesus. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 36:1 Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; they rejectGod and do not have reverence for him. 2 Because they think so highly of themselves,they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it. 10 [O Lord,] Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous.====3 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “[It is right, as you say.//So you say,]” answered Jesus. NLT Translation notes:Luk. 23:3 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”Jesus replied, “[You are the one who says it.//You have said it.]”34 Jesus said [about the ones crucifying him//0], “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was [one of those//0] waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.

GENESIS 40: In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top. JOB 24: Job continues his response to Eliphaz. MARK 15a: At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus. GNT Translation notes: Mrk. 15:2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.]” (NLT) [Jesus says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning. I also am not completely happy with the GNT. When we say, ‘So you say,’ in English, we are implying that we are skeptical of the previous speaker’s statement. In this case, Pilate has asked a question, and the response ‘So you say’ seems inappropriate.] 18 Then they began to [mockingly] salute him: “Long live the King of the Jews!” 26 The notice of the accusation against him [read//said]: “The King of the Jews.” 30 [Come down now//Now come down] from the cross and save yourself!” NLT Translation notes: 2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.}” [Jesus says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning.] 3 [The//Then the] leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe [in/0] him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

GENESIS 40:Were you shocked by yesterday’s reading in Genesis?! We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top. JOB 24:In Job 24 today, Job continues his response to Eliphaz. MARK 15a:At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus. Mark. 15:2 GNT Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “[Phil’s translation: Yes, as you said.//GNT So you say.//NLT You have said it.]” Jesus literally says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. I also am not happy with the GNT. When we say, ‘So you say,’ in English, we are implying that we are skeptical of the previous speaker’s statement. In this case, Pilate has asked a question, and the response ‘So you say’ seems inappropriate. Probably the best way to translate in the affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning.

Matthew 2:11 ESV And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”Ever had difficulty finding the perfect gift? But when you find it, you know it…The Magi brought specific gifts for their recipient…Gold, The Gift For A King Magi recognized Jesus as a king - Matthew 2:2 (ESV) saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”Magi brought Jesus gold, the customary a gift from one Kingdom’s King to another.Queen of Sheba visited king Solomon and brought him gifts, including 120 talents of gold, or 7936lbs or $186,273,792How much gold would the wise men have brought Jesus? Gold is currently $1467 oz. An iPhone 5 size would be $47,000.John 18:33, 36–37 (ESV) So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”Revelation 19:11–16 (ESV) Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. The gift of gold was the perfect gift for our King, Jesus!Frankincense, The Gift For A PriestFrankincense is an aromatic gum resin. Produced by scraping the bark of certain. When burned as incense, it creates a strong and beautiful aroma. The cost of frankincense precluded it from being common. It was burned to worship God.Exodus 30:34–37 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord.Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV) Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.The gift of frankincense was the perfect gift for our Priest, Jesus!Myrrh, The Gift For A SacrificeMyrrh is a fragrant spice derived from the sap of a tree native to the Near East.Like frankincense, it can be used as incense,It also had wider usage as a perfume, anointing oil, balmJohn 19:38–39 (ESV) After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.Myrrh, the perfect gift for our sacrifice, Jesus, Jesus, the Perfect Gift For UsNo other gift is so uniquely fashioned for each and every one of us!John 3:16–17 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.Matthew 26:26–28 (ESV) Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 99 - The Advent of Our King: vv. 1-3 - John 18: 33-37: Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” - Devotion - Prayer #1, p. 147 - Hymn 99 - The Advent of Our King: vv. 4-6 - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Prof. Tom Rank (Preacher), Laura Matzke (Organist)

Prof. Tom Rank was preacher for this service. John 18: 33-37: Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Matthew 27:11–26[11] Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” [12] But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. [13] Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” [14] But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.[15] Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. [16] And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. [17] So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” [18] For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. [19] Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” [20] Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. [21] The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” [22] Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” [23] And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”[24] So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” [25] And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” [26] Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (ESV)

John 18:33-38 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

[11] Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” [12] But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. [13] Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” [14] But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.[15] Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. [16] And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. [17] So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” [18] For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. [19] Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” [20] Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. [21] The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” [22] Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” [23] And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”[24] So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” [25] And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” [26] Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (ESV)

30 June 2019 | Pastor Evan Curry Matthew 27:11-44 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

Brad is back from his road trip Snow in Chicago Endgame While we try not to criticize people we will call out what is not Biblical Your own version of the truth Where do you get your theology? SWAT radio will be in the Norfolk area of Virginia on The Lighthouse 100.1 fm or 1010 am starting Wednesday, May 1st. SWAT Bible studies How am I dealing with my sin? ------------------ Matthew 27:1-26 Jesus Delivered to Pilate ​1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Judas Hangs Himself 3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” Jesus Before Pilate 11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. The Crowd Chooses Barabbas 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” ------------------ https://swatradio.com/ SWAT - Spiritual Warriors Advancing Truth Call us Toll-Free at: +1-844-777-7928 Email Us a Question: ask@swatradio.com FIND A SWAT MEETING Woody’s Bar-B-Que 226 Solano Rd Ponte Vedra, FL 10611 Wed. 6:30-7:30 am Eastside Community Church 13301 Beach Blvd Jacksonville, FL Wed. Night 7-8 pm Salem Centre 7235 Bonneval Rd Jacksonville, FL Wed. 12:00-1:00 pm Jumping Jax House of Food 10131 San Jose Blvd #12 Jacksonville, FL Thursday 6:30-7:30 am The Village Inn 900 Ponce De Leon Blvd St. Augustine, FL Friday 9:00-10:30 am Woodmen Valley Chapel - Woodmen Heights Campus 8292 Woodman Valley View Colorado Springs CO 80908 Thursdays 8-9:15 pm

Hope Fellowship Church Apr 14 – 20, 2019 ========== Resurrection Part 1: What is Truth? God has made a way, He has pushed back the darkness, dealt the death blow to sin, and overcame the grave. The Resurrection! ========== John 18:1-11 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go." This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one." Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?" John 18:12-18 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. John 18:19-27 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said." When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?" Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, "You also are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not." One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. John 18:28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 1. Truth is… self-righteousness hates level ground and loves ladders. Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 18:29-32 So Pilate went outside to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death." This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 2. Truth is… this narrative is the painful plan of a loving and good God. Isaiah 53:5-10 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. John 18:33-40 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber. 3. Truth is… Jesus loves Pilate more than He loves His own life. a. Are you the king of the Jews? (John 8:33,34) Jesus is the Compassionate King. Matthew 18:23-35 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Life is a learning laboratory for developing compassion. b. What have you done? (John 8:35,36) Jesus is the Ruling King and not just a possessor of territory. c. So, you are a king? (John 18:37) Jesus is the King of Kings not merely a king. Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. d. What is truth? (John 18:38) Jesus is the King that reveals the truth. James 1:16-18 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. John 19:1-16 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!" When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin." From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar." So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, “Behold your King!” Generosity You can give online by clicking the link below. We thank you so much for all of your generosity! http://www.hopeinanderson.com/generosity [Image] Stay up to date on Hope events! https://imageproxy-cdn.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/27448925-1538745271068.jpg Thanks for Joining Us! Thanks for being with us this week. To find out more about Hope, check out our website. http://www.hopeinanderson.com

Jesus Before Pilate Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. -Matthew 27:11-14

We're marking Christ the King Sunday and asking; what does it mean that Christ is our Lord?   READING John 18:33-37 Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”   MUSIC The King of Love My shepherd Is, IKON Wade in the Water, Ike Ndolo Kumbaya, Mil Marie Mougeno

Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them ldquo Peace be with you rdquo When He had said this He showed them His hands and His side Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord So Jesus said to them again ldquo Peace to you As the Father has sent Me I also send you rdquo And when He had said this He breathed on them and said to them ldquo Receive the Holy Spirit If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them if you retain the sins of any they are retained

10:19-26 for division among Jews Jesus settled by declaring them reprobates.

10:19-26 for division among Jews Jesus settled by declaring them reprobates.

We believe that we are called of God to teach the Bible line upon line and to equip the members of our church to love God and serve Him in a way that demonstrates His love to people.

Click here to get this episode on iTunes, or you can find it on Stitcher, Podcast Addict and more   Tel Aviv is known for many things. It’s the artsy Euro-esque enclave amidst Israel’s raw desert machismo, the gay capital of the Middle East, and a firm mix of modern yuppie chutzpah, old time goodness, and laid back … Continue reading "E03 – Jews, Jesus, and the hipster hotspot of the Middle East…"

Click here to get this episode on iTunes, or you can find it on Stitcher, Podcast Addict and more   Tel Aviv is known for many things. It’s the artsy Euro-esque enclave amidst Israel’s raw desert machismo, the gay capital of the Middle East, and a firm mix of modern yuppie chutzpah, old time goodness, and laid back … Continue reading "E03 – Jews, Jesus, and the hipster hotspot of the Middle East…"

Is Jesus King of kings and Lord of lords? Were his disciples right to praise him and celebrate his entry into Jerusalem as royalty entering into his home city? Or were some of the Pharisees who were there too correct in telling Jesus to stop his disciples from treating him like he was the King of the Jews? Jesus responded to his opponents by saying: “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:40, NLT) Jesus' view was that while some people didn't recognise him as King of kings and Lord of lords, the creation itself recognised him as such. Metaphorically speaking, creation would have praised him, if people didn't. (See also Romans 8:19-25) While it is easy to praise Jesus entering Jerusalem, it is possible that some of his disciples were not true believers, and were among those who called for him to be crucified not very long afterwards. Public opinion can be fickle, joining in with celebration Jesus on the one hand, then turning against him later. But true discipleship, true worship, includes obeying Jesus. For example, he two disciples who were given a job to do (to fetch the donkey) and who did it without complaint, without asking why he needed it, and without delay. Another example in this passage is the owners of the donkey, who readily allow the Lord Jesus to have it. They could have asked “which lord”, because the word could have referred to 'master' or 'lord' in a variety of ways. But they knew of only one lord that mattered, Jesus. It is good to sing praises to Jesus, but better to obey him. (See 1 Samuel 15:22) “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”” (1 Peter 1:14–16, NLT) If we reject him, we will be rejected by him on the last day, just like he told those in Jerusalem that because of their rejection of him, that they would suffer destruction in years to come. “God ... commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30–31, NLT) “Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” (Isaiah 55:6–7, NLT) If we do not accept Jesus as Saviour and King of kings and Lord of lords in our lives today, we will have to acknowledge him one day in the futureas the Lord over all, when we no longer have a chance to accept him as our Saviour. “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11, NLT) Today, make Jesus King and Lord in your life, if you haven't already done so: Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30, NLT)

Is Jesus King of kings and Lord of lords? Were his disciples right to praise him and celebrate his entry into Jerusalem as royalty entering into his home city? Or were some of the Pharisees who were there too correct in telling Jesus to stop his disciples from treating him like he was the King of the Jews? Jesus responded to his opponents by saying: “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:40, NLT) Jesus' view was that while some people didn't recognise him as King of kings and Lord of lords, the creation itself recognised him as such. Metaphorically speaking, creation would have praised him, if people didn't. (See also Romans 8:19-25) While it is easy to praise Jesus entering Jerusalem, it is possible that some of his disciples were not true believers, and were among those who called for him to be crucified not very long afterwards. Public opinion can be fickle, joining in with celebration Jesus on the one hand, then turning against him later. But true discipleship, true worship, includes obeying Jesus. For example, he two disciples who were given a job to do (to fetch the donkey) and who did it without complaint, without asking why he needed it, and without delay. Another example in this passage is the owners of the donkey, who readily allow the Lord Jesus to have it. They could have asked “which lord”, because the word could have referred to 'master' or 'lord' in a variety of ways. But they knew of only one lord that mattered, Jesus. It is good to sing praises to Jesus, but better to obey him. (See 1 Samuel 15:22) “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”” (1 Peter 1:14–16, NLT) If we reject him, we will be rejected by him on the last day, just like he told those in Jerusalem that because of their rejection of him, that they would suffer destruction in years to come. “God ... commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30–31, NLT) “Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” (Isaiah 55:6–7, NLT) If we do not accept Jesus as Saviour and King of kings and Lord of lords in our lives today, we will have to acknowledge him one day in the futureas the Lord over all, when we no longer have a chance to accept him as our Saviour. “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11, NLT) Today, make Jesus King and Lord in your life, if you haven't already done so: Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30, NLT)