I had some time because of the Palm Sunday Worship Program tomorrow to think about Holy Week. I have been amazed that there is so little out there on any kind of chronology of the days. So, here's my attempt...may it lead you devotionally this week to love Christ more and overflow with gratitude for the love and grace of God...
Sabbath before Palm Sunday
John 12:1-8—worship, teaching, fellowship meal, Mary anoints Jesus
Palm Sunday
Luke 19:28-40--The Triumphal Entry
Luke 19:41-44—Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
Monday (b/c of Matt 21:18-19 and Mark 11:12)
Matt 21:18-19—Jesus curses the fig tree
Luke 19:45-46—Jesus cleanses the Temple; anger at injustice
Mark 11:19—evening they went out of the city
Tuesday
Mark 11:20-26—in the morning—teaches on faith and prayer
Luke 19:47-48—Jesus teaches in the Temple and chief priests plot
(Mt 21:23-22:46)
Luke 20:1-8—chief priests question His authority; John the Baptist
Mt 26:1-2--Olivet Discourse—Late Tuesday Evening
Wednesday
Luke 22:3-5 (called “Dark Wednesday” or “Spy Wednesday”)
Thursday
Luke 22:7-38—Last Supper (lamb slaughtered around noon, then prep)
Luke 22:39-46—Prayer in Garden of Gethsemene
Luke 22:47-53—Judas’ Betrayal
Friday
Luke 22:54-62—Peter’s Denial
Luke 22:63-65—Jesus mocked
Luke 22:66-71—at daybreak, Jesus’ “trial”
Luke 23:1-5—Jesus before Pilate
Mt 27:3-10—Judas hangs himself
Luke 23:6-12—Jesus before Herod
Luke 23:13-25—Jesus scourged and sent to crucifixion (Mt 27:26)
Luke 23:26-32—the walk to Golgotha
Mark 15:25—it was the third hour when they crucified Him
Third hour=9am
Luke 23:44-48—from the 6th hour until 9th hour—darkness
Noon until 3pm
Seven Words of Christ on the Cross
Father, forgive them . . . (Luke 23:34)
This day you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43)
Woman, behold your son . . .(John 19:26-27)
My God, my God . . . (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
I thirst. (John 19:28)
It is finished! (John 19:30)
Father into your hands . . . (Luke 23:46)
Luke 23:46—Jesus breathed His last
John 19:30—It is Finished
Mark 15:42—when evening had come, body taken
Luke 23:50-56—Joseph of Arimathea—tomb
Saturday
Luke 23:56—on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment
Matt 27:62-66—A Roman guard set up to protect the tomb
Sunday
Luke 24:1-12—on the first day of the week, at early dawn
Jn 20:3-8—this happened in the early morning
Mary goes to tomb, stone rolled away, she runs and tells Ptr/Jn
Confusion; believed, but w/o complete understanding
Jn 20:10—peter/john then went back to their homes—stunned
What’s it all mean? But apparently separate for day
Jn 20:11—Mary stays, angels appear to Mary but not Jesus yet
Jn 20:14—now Jesus appears, but again, she doesn’t recognize Him
Doubts can only ultimately dealt w/ by supernatural grace
God can and does use secondary means, but not intell probl ult
Jn 20:18—Mary went and announced…still early morning—Lk 24:9
Only not told in Lk24 that Jesus appeared to Mary after angels
Matt 28:8-9—get more of the same picture here
Mark 16:8—before Jesus appr’d to Mary, only filled w/ fear
No boldness in witness; silence—said nothing to anyone
Lk 24:11-12—it wasn’t just Thomas…ALL the disciples thot idle tale
The women were told by the angels, no one seen Jesus yet
and it STILL isn’t JUST Thomas who doubts
here again we read Peter ran to see, went home marveling
Lk 24:13-24—told story a/b morning, but Him they did not see vv23-24
EVERYONE is foolish and slow to believe—all wrestle w/ doubt
Doubt is not talked a/b enuf in the Church…
It’s talked a/b PLENTY in the Scriptures
Even John the Baptist had his doubts
Lk 24:29—Jesus explains Scripture, getting toward evening
Breaks bread, their eyes are opened—mystery of sacrament!
v31—their eyes were opened—takes supernatural power
Lk 24:33—went to find disciples…who are NOW gathered together
As day wore on, realized wild things are happening
Lk 24:34—at some point, while Peter marveling, Jesus appears to him
1 Cor 15—He appeared to Peter
Luke 24:38—Jesus appears, yet doubts arise in their hearts
Luke 24:41—they disbelieved for joy and were marveling
Luke 24:39-43—Xp goes to great lengths to diffuse their doubts
Disbelieved for joy?? Too good to be true?
Lk 24:45—He opened their minds, just as He HAD to do on Emmaus
Lk 24:47—b/c of what we know, must proclaim, manifest Xp thru gospl
Doubt leads to weak witnss; convictn leads to boldness in missn
BUT we need pwr from on high…filling of Holy Spirit
John 20:19—at evening Jesus appeared and showed them His hands and side
He didn’t really give them time to doubt…He addressed them
Thomas only asked for him to experience what the others given by grace
Imagine the gladness, the wonder, the joy...the responsbility...to whom much is given, much is required
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
What time is Worship?
God clearly calls His people to worship Him...and clearly He calls every follower of Christ to unite with a local congregation and to be regularly in attendance...Church Attendance is a means of grace...it's the place where Christ is uniquely Present (1 Corinthians 5:4); it is the place we are told to never avoid but to seek out constantly (Hebrews 10:25)...the Church is where we receive the means of grace of prayer, the anointed teaching of the Scriptures, prayer and the sacraments.
Having said all that, we can ALSO worship anytime, anywhere...not as a SUBSTITUTE for sabbath celebration, but in ADDITION to!
I've joked with people many times that one of the places I have worshiped almost as well as in church has been at U2 concerts...you wouldn't believe the looks I get!
But Bono himself has been known to say in the midst of a concert, not arrogantly, but humbly, sensitively, "God is in the house!"
Join the concert...see if you can worship along...and seek to worship God today...wherever you are!
Having said all that, we can ALSO worship anytime, anywhere...not as a SUBSTITUTE for sabbath celebration, but in ADDITION to!
I've joked with people many times that one of the places I have worshiped almost as well as in church has been at U2 concerts...you wouldn't believe the looks I get!
But Bono himself has been known to say in the midst of a concert, not arrogantly, but humbly, sensitively, "God is in the house!"
Join the concert...see if you can worship along...and seek to worship God today...wherever you are!
Friday, March 5, 2010
I, (State your name), am a recovering orphan, Part IV
The final in my four-part series. If you missed yesterday's post, check it here
If you think about…all of our sin, failure and foolishness can ultimately be traced to "giving in" to an orphan mentality…the thought that we’re all alone in the world and there is no One Above Who loves us, cares for us and Who has a plan for our lives to be part of a Family and to live in a Home in a place of safety and strength.
I find it so amazing, interesting, even intriguing, that Jesus, near the time of going to the cross…near the time when the disciples would enter a season of great confusion, actually said to them, “I will NOT leave you…as ORPHANS” (John 14:18). Hmmmm.
It’s like…He knew.
He does.
We have this Deep Desire to hear the same words Jesus heard at His baptism: “You are My Beloved Son (or Daughter); with you I am well-pleased!” You are loved. You have a home. You are safe. You need not fear. You can be yourself. You don’t need to run. You no longer need to hide.
Come…join the family. Take your seat at the table.
Romans 8:15—You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons (and daughthers), by Whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Orphans tend to be self-consumed; they’ve rarely felt the love, affection, care, acceptance, or the sense of family they long for. Orphans who are adopted, however, eventually begin to be freed from self-absorption, through the process of love and care and a sense of belonging.
We’ll never love others unconditionally, we’ll never enter the risk of love, we’ll never be willing to give up our “rights” or be willing to truly sacrifice for others until we’re secure…and we’ll never truly be secure until we begin to plumb the depths of the reality of our adoption in Christ.
Part of our calling as image-bearers of the God Who created us is to seek to provide the safe place in our relationships where people have a home. Part of our calling as Christ-followers is to work to make our churches the New Garden, a place of safety and strength…a place others will feel at home…like Annie visiting “Daddy Warbuck’s” place at Christmas. We are to begin working now to re-make this world into the New Jerusalem...
Part of our calling as humans is to be the echo of the Voice of God to one another that says through the finished work of Christ…
“I will not leave you as orphans.”
Good news indeed.
If you think about…all of our sin, failure and foolishness can ultimately be traced to "giving in" to an orphan mentality…the thought that we’re all alone in the world and there is no One Above Who loves us, cares for us and Who has a plan for our lives to be part of a Family and to live in a Home in a place of safety and strength.
I find it so amazing, interesting, even intriguing, that Jesus, near the time of going to the cross…near the time when the disciples would enter a season of great confusion, actually said to them, “I will NOT leave you…as ORPHANS” (John 14:18). Hmmmm.
It’s like…He knew.
He does.
We have this Deep Desire to hear the same words Jesus heard at His baptism: “You are My Beloved Son (or Daughter); with you I am well-pleased!” You are loved. You have a home. You are safe. You need not fear. You can be yourself. You don’t need to run. You no longer need to hide.
Come…join the family. Take your seat at the table.
Romans 8:15—You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons (and daughthers), by Whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Orphans tend to be self-consumed; they’ve rarely felt the love, affection, care, acceptance, or the sense of family they long for. Orphans who are adopted, however, eventually begin to be freed from self-absorption, through the process of love and care and a sense of belonging.
We’ll never love others unconditionally, we’ll never enter the risk of love, we’ll never be willing to give up our “rights” or be willing to truly sacrifice for others until we’re secure…and we’ll never truly be secure until we begin to plumb the depths of the reality of our adoption in Christ.
Part of our calling as image-bearers of the God Who created us is to seek to provide the safe place in our relationships where people have a home. Part of our calling as Christ-followers is to work to make our churches the New Garden, a place of safety and strength…a place others will feel at home…like Annie visiting “Daddy Warbuck’s” place at Christmas. We are to begin working now to re-make this world into the New Jerusalem...
Part of our calling as humans is to be the echo of the Voice of God to one another that says through the finished work of Christ…
“I will not leave you as orphans.”
Good news indeed.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
I, (State your name), am a recovering orphan, Part III
Be sure to check yesterday's post for Part II
I’m reminded of one of my favorite movies…The Martian Child. I’ll never forget the scene when Dennis (the orphan John Cusack’s character, David, is seeking to adopt), accidentally breaks something on Cusack’s desk. Dennis gets REALLY upset and asks “David” if he is going to send him back…”because he was bad.”
Hmmmm, sounds similar to my friend’s story (the story from yesterday's Blog...it's a Blog Mini-series...sorry!)
Actually, sounds similar to a LOT of my friends’ stories…not my “friends that have adopted children” stories…but my FRIENDS’ stories…
Actually, sounds similar to MY story…
One of the tragedies of the Fall of humanity into sin is that we adopted (ironic word I know) an orphan mentality. What’s an orphan mentality? Let me try to explain by referencing yet another movie…
In the movie “Millions” a young boy, Damien, finds lots of cash hidden by thieves. Somehow they discover Damien has the money and they ransack his house. When he and his dad come home one night Damien tells his dad about the money…which the thieves never found. Damien’s dad is planning on keeping the money, especially since his house has been ransacked. Damien tells his dad it’s wrong…Damien’s dad disagrees that it is wrong to keep the money, then delivers a key line as to why he thinks this way:
Damien’s dad says, “There’s no one looking out for us, Damien, so we’re going to look out for ourselves.”
Wow…now THAT is an orphan mentality.
And THAT is often my mentality.
I have a Father in heaven who loves me, cares for me and promises me all I need…but when I refuse to believe that…I act and live as an orphan.
And it affects EVERYTHING.
How I feel. How I react to circumstances. How I respond to others…EVERYTHING.
Some of us get easily defensive…it is our orphan mentality fearing exposure, rejection.
Some of us are very demanding…it is our orphan mentality fearing scarcity…there’s not enough to go around, there’s no one looking out for me, so I need to look out for myself…after all, it’s a dog-eat-dog world.
Some of us are filled with coping mechanisms of self-protection…it is our orphan mentality telling us, “leave them before they leave you…don’t allow yourself to get into a situation where you might experience loss.”
Some of us are afraid to risk…it is our orphan mentality leading us to fear losing the love and respect of our “family.”
Some of us are performers…it is our orphan mentality telling us the only reason we’re accepted and have a “family” is because we are coming through for others…if we fail, we’ll be rejected and alone. Show no weakness, or else…
Some of us are control freaks…it is our orphan mentality telling us that there is no one we can trust but ourselves.
Some of us are approval-addicts or people-pleasers…we are virtual chameleons, adapting to our environment, becoming whatever and whomever we sense the people around us want us to be…it is our orphan mentality telling us that if we want to belong, we can’t be ourselves, we can’t be real, we can’t be transparent.
Again...this "orphan mentality" is clearly a result of our brokenness, fallenness...and it's such an issue that God addresses it continually in the New Testament through all the Biblical teaching on "adoption." Do a word study, word search...you'll be amazed...but just for today...Read Ephesians 1 and Romans 8.
...One more thing...try to live as a beloved son/daughter IN Christ today.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I, (State your name), am a recovering orphan, Part II
Yesterday I began a short blog-series on being a recovering orphan. Make sure to click here and read part I, or search in the label list to the right for "recovering orphan."
Because of the brokenness of life, unfortunately, just like with Annie, the “memory” of Miss Hannigan is never far away.
Amazingly, however, we have a “Daddy Warbucks.” In Christ, we have a Father in Heaven who pursues us and has fought the Enemy on our behalf and has adopted us by grace through faith into His own family.
Even still, there is this haunting, “old voice” of Miss Hannigan ringing in our ears.
I have a close friend who, along with his wife and other children, made a family decision to adopt a young girl from China. It’s been a beautiful thing to see. A couple weeks ago the family decided to take their “new” daughter to a Chinese parade celebrating the Chinese New Year. The thought was it might make her feel good to see some “familiar” faces after being brought into a brand new world of Caucasians…somehow, it didn’t work as planned…Their little girl became unexpectedly agitated after what had been a season of absolute peace and calm since entering our country and living in my friend’s home.
The only explanation that makes any sense is she panicked, thinking that perhaps she was going to be “rejected” or “given back” to the place she had lived for all her life, a place where she had no father or mother or brothers or sisters…I mean look at it from her perspective…seeing people that looked like her just reminded her of her “old life” as an orphan. What was she thinking? Did I do something wrong? Am I not really loved by these people? Will I ever be truly accepted?
We run into circumstances like that as well…even as adults, we face situations that seem to bring the fears of being all alone, rejected and uncared for to the front of our minds. We will battle slipping back into an orphan mentality all our days...and that's why God tells us often in the New Testament about our adoption in Christ.
Because of the brokenness of life, unfortunately, just like with Annie, the “memory” of Miss Hannigan is never far away.
Amazingly, however, we have a “Daddy Warbucks.” In Christ, we have a Father in Heaven who pursues us and has fought the Enemy on our behalf and has adopted us by grace through faith into His own family.
Even still, there is this haunting, “old voice” of Miss Hannigan ringing in our ears.
I have a close friend who, along with his wife and other children, made a family decision to adopt a young girl from China. It’s been a beautiful thing to see. A couple weeks ago the family decided to take their “new” daughter to a Chinese parade celebrating the Chinese New Year. The thought was it might make her feel good to see some “familiar” faces after being brought into a brand new world of Caucasians…somehow, it didn’t work as planned…Their little girl became unexpectedly agitated after what had been a season of absolute peace and calm since entering our country and living in my friend’s home.
The only explanation that makes any sense is she panicked, thinking that perhaps she was going to be “rejected” or “given back” to the place she had lived for all her life, a place where she had no father or mother or brothers or sisters…I mean look at it from her perspective…seeing people that looked like her just reminded her of her “old life” as an orphan. What was she thinking? Did I do something wrong? Am I not really loved by these people? Will I ever be truly accepted?
We run into circumstances like that as well…even as adults, we face situations that seem to bring the fears of being all alone, rejected and uncared for to the front of our minds. We will battle slipping back into an orphan mentality all our days...and that's why God tells us often in the New Testament about our adoption in Christ.
A List of Some Favorite Reads
People ask me all the time about some of my favorite books...usually meaning, books that helped me understand, process and internalize the Doctrines of Grace.
So....here SOME of them are....(not listed in any particular order)
1. The Institutes of the Christian Religion (ed by McNeill) by John Calvin
2. True Spirituality by Francis Schaeffer
3. Renewal as a Way of Life by Richard Lovelace
4. The Enemy Within by Kris Lungaard
5. Engaging God's World by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
6. The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall.
7. The God Who is There by Francis Schaeffer
8. The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink
9. Sin and Temptation by John Owen
10. Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
11. The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher (notes by Thomas Boston)
12. The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen
13. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
14. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp
15. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
16. The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
17. Knowing God by J.I. Packer
18. Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell
19. The Key to Holiness by Charles Spurgeon
20. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(Of course, one way to cheat would be to read my Doctoral Dissertation: Gospel-Centered Mentoring, 2001 Covenant Theological Seminary, where I have an entire section summarizing and analyzing most of these works!)
So....here SOME of them are....(not listed in any particular order)
1. The Institutes of the Christian Religion (ed by McNeill) by John Calvin
2. True Spirituality by Francis Schaeffer
3. Renewal as a Way of Life by Richard Lovelace
4. The Enemy Within by Kris Lungaard
5. Engaging God's World by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
6. The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall.
7. The God Who is There by Francis Schaeffer
8. The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink
9. Sin and Temptation by John Owen
10. Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
11. The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher (notes by Thomas Boston)
12. The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen
13. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
14. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp
15. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
16. The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
17. Knowing God by J.I. Packer
18. Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell
19. The Key to Holiness by Charles Spurgeon
20. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(Of course, one way to cheat would be to read my Doctoral Dissertation: Gospel-Centered Mentoring, 2001 Covenant Theological Seminary, where I have an entire section summarizing and analyzing most of these works!)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
I, (State your name), am a recovering orphan, part I
Our school is putting on the play, “Annie,” later this month. You know the story…in the midst of the Great Depression an young orphaned girl with personality and determination is forced to live in an orphanage run by a mean, overbearing, drunk; a woman named Miss Hannigan. But Annie’s seemingly hopeless situation all changes when she’s invited to spend some time during Christmas at the home of a very wealthy businessman…Oliver Warbucks.
Eventually Warbuck’s heart is warmed by this little girl and he offers a reward to find her parents…which opens up a whole can of worms as people pretend to be Annie’s parents to get the money (We ultimately learn that Annie’s parents have died). As I’m sure you know, there’s a beautifully redemptive ending to the story as “Daddy” Warbucks adopts Annie himself.
This may come as a surprise…or not…
Annie’s story is EVERYONE’S story…in one way or another.
In Genesis 3, through the moral and spiritual failure of our common ancestors, we all inherited the spirit of “runaways.” When Adam and Eve sinned, they ran away from God and hid…they became “street children”…in a word, they, and we, became orphans.
…and this orphan mentality is hard-wired into our Operating System…we’re all looking for love and acceptance; we all have a deep desire for a home, a place to belong, a safe place where we no longer fear rejection. Whether we’re willing to admit it or not, we want to get back into the Garden where we can be honest, naked (real, transparent, authentic), unashamed and safe.
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