And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

– Matthew 21:9, ESV

How special this particular day was in the ministry of Christ. As Jesus was riding into Jerusalem, a little-known prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah was being fulfilled at that very moment. Around 500 years before, Zechariah wrote “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9, NIV).

The people did rejoice. Accompanying their shouts of praise was the waving of palm branches. Palm branches, or fronds, held significance for the Jews. From the time the Roman Empire began to oppress the Jewish people, the waving of palm fronds signaled the Jews’ hope of freedom. They waved the fronds reminding themselves and each other that their struggle would not be forever. They longed for the Messiah to appear to overthrow the Roman government, remove all oppression, and establish their independence. They had convinced themselves the Messiah would be a revolutionary conqueror who would rid them of all enemies and give them a better life.

Unbeknownst to them, they were indeed waving their palm branches at the One who would offer the deliverance they needed most. What they did not realize, however, is that Jesus would be offering spiritual deliverance that would give them eternal life.

The Triumphal Entry, as it is known, foreshadows another prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled. It is no coincidence that the Jews were saying, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ One day, a remnant of Jews will say the exact same to Christ as they see Him victoriously appear in His Second Coming (Matthew 23:39).

How are you living your life in a way that reflects you have received the spiritual deliverance that Christ alone offers?

 

What are ways that you incorporate worship of Christ into each day?

 

Father, I praise You that You provided a way for me to know Jesus and be reconciled to You. I’m so thankful for You and long to worship You in new ways each and every day. Help me to honor You and bring You glory. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.'”

– Matthew 21:13, NIV

In the days leading to the annual observance of Passover, there were merchants in the Temple who set up a temporary place of business selling lambs and other animals. These merchants had a personal agenda that was not God honoring.

Knowing that people needed these animals for sacrifice and for the Passover meal, the merchants in the Temple were purposely overcharging and taking advantage of people. These intentionally greedy vendors personally profited from an appointed feast day of the Lord.

This is why Jesus walked into the Temple and became outraged. The contrast between illegal price gouging in a place that was sacred and holy could not be more evident. What these vendors were doing was dishonest and offensive. Stopping all transactions by overturning the Temples drove the point home that Jesus was not happy and that what was happening on holy ground was not holy at all.

Many churches today are just as offensive to God and His Gospel. When false promises of health, wealth, or other material comforts are promised – all of which have no basis in Scripture – our Lord is just as displeased. When Scripture is compromised in any way or taken out of context to support cultural ideas or personal agendas, this is just as reprehensible today to God as the merchants were in the Temple. The Lord is always angered by anyone who would deceive a member of His flock – spiritually, financially, or emotionally.

God’s Word is sufficient and the basis of all truth. As a believer in Christ, we should strive to honor Him in all that we do. Even when nobody else notices, pray that God would give you the boldness and integrity to live in a way that is continually pleasing to Him. By knowing God’s Word well, we can guard ourselves from deception and speak His truth to others so they too can be protected from deceit.

How have you utilized God’s Word in situations to proclaim His truth?

 

How has relying on God’s Word protected you from deception?

 

Lord, I pray You will guard my heart and mind against the many lies that are so pervasive in our world today. Help me to recall Your Word so that I can bring you honor and glory in all circumstances. Help me to point others to You and the unchanging truth and promises found only in the Bible. In the name of Christ I pray, Amen.

“That is why I use these parables, ‘For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.'”

– Matthew 13:13, NLT

There is such a depth of wisdom found in the parables of Christ. Over and over in the Gospels we read of the words Jesus spoke as He taught kingdom concepts to audiences big and small.

For many listening to these short yet powerful stories, there was no desire to understand the deeper meaning beyond the symbols and imagery Christ detailed. But for others in each crowd, these stories pierced their hearts and unlocked a new understanding of spiritual truths. These parables helped to understand salvation, love, compassion, heaven, stewardship, forgiveness, and redemption. But ultimately, above all else, these parables pointed to Jesus Christ alone as being the long-awaited Messiah.

Observant Jews should have recognized this distinct teaching style indicated that Jesus was indeed their Messiah, as they were familiar with the Old Testament. The Jews should have recognized a prophecy that said the Messiah would speak in parables.

Just mere days later, more prophecy would be fulfilled before the Jewish people’s eyes. There were many Jews who would reject Jesus and choose not to receive Him or His message of eternal salvation. Many Jews who had heard the parables of Jesus would be found in the crowd later that very week saying ‘Away with this Man’ and shouting for the release of Barabbas instead of Christ.

This intentional rejection of Jesus was foretold by the prophet Isaiah in specific detail hundreds of years in advance. “He was despised and forsaken of men, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him… He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our peace fell upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3,5, LSB).

What is your response when reflecting on Christ being rejected and ultimately crucified for your sins?

 

Some parables are familiar, and many are not. Take some time to peruse the Gospels reading parables. Which one(s) resonates with you? Why?

 

Father, I’m thankful You help me understand Your ways by the instruction and wisdom found in parables. The words and actions of Christ have transformed my life and my eternity. I will worship You forever because of the gospel message of Christ. In His name I pray, Amen.

“Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council meeting, and they were saying, “What are we doing in regard to the fact that this man is performing many signs? So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.”

– John 11:47 & 53, NASB

Jesus had never done one thing wrong. Because He preached a message of love and salvation that was completely different from what the religious authorities espoused, Jesus was considered a radical. The Jewish power structure who claimed to be religious was threatened by Christ. His offer of spiritual healing while captivating thousands in crowds was something they could not do despite their piousness and extensive religious learning.

The specific plot to kill Jesus transpired after the miraculous event of Lazarus being raised from the dead. For the Jewish religious leaders – these self-proclaimed experts in the law of God – this event was the final straw. Something had to be done about this Man who claimed to be God. Their hard hearts – overflowing with the desire for power, reverence, and unchallenged authority – were closed off from seeing the ultimate fulfillment of Bible prophecy standing right before them.

Although Jesus would soon be put to death, the satisfaction the religious leaders must have surely felt would not last. It never entered their minds that Jesus would not stay in the grave. His resurrected body would soon be seen by over 500 witnesses – completely destroying their ability to discredit the miraculous resurrection.

What these religious scholars and leaders did not realize was that Jesus dying for the sins of man was always God’s plan. From the very beginning, the temporary sacrifices in the Old Testament were a foreshadowing of the permanent sacrifice Jesus would make and offer humanity. Regardless of any decision anyone chooses to make, nothing will ever thwart any plan of God. And just as was stated in Psalm 2, God laughs at the plans of man, which should bring comfort to every believer in Christ.

How can reminding yourself that nothing can stop God’s plans bring you comfort?

 

When have you seen God’s plan succeed, and man’s plans fail?

 

Lord, I sometimes forget just how sovereign and powerful You are. When doubts creep in or my thoughts get anxious, help me to remember You are in complete control and nothing will ever change that. I’m so thankful You are so powerful yet gentle. In the name of Christ I pray, Amen.

“And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

– Mark 14:36, NASB

Christ knew the time of His death was quickly approaching. He modeled what every Christian should do in every circumstance – He went to His Father in prayer.

In this brief glimpse of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, His prayer is filled with emotion. He asked His Father if there was any other way besides His imminent brutal death for God’s purposes to come to pass. Christ’s anguish was so extreme that He was actually sweating drops of blood as He was pleading with God in prayer. Even so, the conclusion of His prayer should bring us all conviction: not what I will, but what You will.

How authentically can you say you pray with this same sentiment? Submitting to God’s will and His authority does not always come easy. But because He can see the end from the beginning in all circumstances, and He knows details of every situation that we could never fully know or understand, we must trust that His ways are always better than our ways. When we do not understand His plan or the situations we find ourselves in, we serve a God who does.

Take comfort in the fact that He wants you to talk to Him about everything. He desires to help you, guide you, provide for you, and comfort you. Submitting to Him in prayer all things will mature your relationship with Him and deepen your faith in ways you could have never expected.

Regardless of what your prayer life has been in the past, today is a new day. Start committing to regular time in prayer. Watch how He sustains you. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NASB).

Are you honestly praying to the Lord ‘not my will, but yours’? Why or why not?

 

How can you make prayer a regular part of your day?

 

Father, I desire to have a better prayer life with You. In moments where I am overwhelmed or feel the need to take control, remind me that it is You who guides me and has a plan for my life that is better than I could have planned for myself. Help me to trust You more. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

“And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.”

– John 19:35, NASB

It was the disciple John who recorded the verse above. John had a unique relationship with Jesus, which is made evident in the gospel he wrote. With this special relationship came special privileges. As a result, John was an eyewitness to some of the most amazing events in the work and ministry of Christ.

John had a front row seat to countless miracles, sermons from Jesus, and even the Transfiguration. He had watched Christ defy physics and logic by walking on water and miraculously multiplying food for thousands in an instant. But what John had just witnessed was unlike anything he had seen before.

Just one day before, John and the other disciples had shared a Passover meal with Christ. The disciples had been caught off guard when the Son of God had washed each of their feet before the meal. Afterward, Jesus was arrested and put through a series of trials. Three trials were held in religious courts, where Jesus was accused of blasphemy since He claimed to be the Son of God. Four other trials swiftly occurred in civil court where Jesus was accused of violating the Roman law. He had said He was a King and was viewed as a threat to the Roman power structure.

Although these trials would prove to be illegal – all violating the standard rules and protocols of the legal process– it no longer mattered. Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The death sentence was carried out so quickly that it violated Roman law itself. No death penalty could legally be enforced so quickly, but with Jesus, an exception was made.

So John watched as his mentor, friend, and Savior was brutally killed. Jesus was beaten, mocked, and scourged, and all hope seemed lost. John must have recalled the past several years with Jesus searching for answers. What were John, the rest of the disciples, and countless followers of Christ to do now?

When have circumstances in your life not made sense until you saw how God worked in the situation?

 

When you feel discouraged, how can you respond in a God honoring way?

 

Lord, I don’t always understand Your plan. When circumstances feel hopeless, help me to turn to You, knowing nothing is out of Your control. In the darkness, the light shines brightest, so help me rely on the Light of the world. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb which had been cut out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.”

– Mark 15:46, NASB

How diverse the reactions to the death of Jesus were. Joseph of Arimithea’s reaction was to lovingly wrap the body of Christ in linen and place Him in a new tomb. Women who had followed Christ and His ministry, including Mary Magdelene and His own mother, gathered at the tomb to mourn and anoint His body with spices before being buried.

A sense of relief from Roman authorities is evident in Scripture. This threat to the nation was dead. Not willing to take any chances, the Jewish religious leaders went to Pilate to petition him to station a guard outside of the sealed tomb of Christ. These enemies of Christ had heard Him proclaim that He would rise from the dead.

The disciples reacted much differently. Seeing firsthand what the authorities were capable of, the disciples feared they could soon meet the same fate. Their association with Christ was well known, and they felt certain their days were numbered. Scripture tells us that they gathered together behind a locked door to hide and protect their lives.

Although His followers had heard Him teach that He would rise again after three days, they did not understand what that truly meant. For now, they were devastated. Hope was lost. Their Messiah gone. All the dreams they held about being liberated from Rome and living in peace were now just memories.

This day of silence fell on a Sabbath Day. A day set apart so that they could do no work or distract themselves from the immeasurable grief they felt. Left to wrestle with their thoughts all day, all felt hopeless. Had they wasted the last several years? They had been so sure that Jesus was the Son of God. What were they to do with the faith they had placed in a man who was now lifeless in a grave?

Has there been a time you have lost hope? How did you see God work in that situation?

 

What is your response to Christ’s death?

 

God, I pray You humble my heart and help me to fully grasp what it was like to see Jesus die. Knowing He willingly paid the price for my sin is something I do not ever want to take for granted. Help me to live for Him because He died for me. In His name I pray, Amen.

“And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.”

– Mark 16:6, NASB

Resurrection Sunday is the most important day in our Christian faith. This one single day changed the course of not just history, but all of eternity.

Up until this morning, the disciples and followers of Christ had been in hopeless grief questioning their next steps and all they had believed. Satan thought he had been successful in silencing the Messiah and thwarting God’s plan for mankind’s redemption. Roman authorities had placed guards at the tomb to ensure Christ’s body would not be stolen leading to a grand conspiracy. Despite all the plans of man and plans of Satan, God had something planned that was so big it would be the most shocking event in human history.

The resurrection of Christ was the culmination of the earthly ministry of Jesus. This was the very purpose for which He came to earth as a baby, lived a sinless life, and willingly laid down His life to pay the penalty for our sins. God’s plan from the foundation of the world was to provide a way for man to be reconciled to Himself. By raising from the dead, Jesus conquered sin and death once and for all and offered a complete pardon to anyone who places their belief in Him.

In Christ, there is a newness of life. He died so that you can live eternally with Him. When you place your trust in Him, He washes away your sin. Because of Christ, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus. This means as a believer you are now seen as righteous in the eyes of God.

This eternal gift is yours fully and freely if you believe in Jesus. If you have never trusted in Christ before, what is keeping you from living forgiven?

Describe when you placed your trust in Christ. Record any details you remember.

 

Who needs to hear the message of Christ? How can you share what Christ has done for them?

 

God, I thank You that You made a way for me to be forgiven. I cannot fathom that You see me as righteous, but I am so thankful for the shed blood of Christ who took the punishment for my sins. Help me to share His gospel message with others. With a heart full of gratitude I pray in Christ’s name, Amen.