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Palm Sunday Reading 1. Read Luke 19:28-40

28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[a]

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

The Palm Sunday passage is the culmination of what is known as Jesus’ “travel narrative.” It begins all the way back in Luke 9:51, when Jesus, “sets His face toward Jerusalem.” From here until His entry into the Holy City, Jesus goes about His journey preaching about the coming of His Father’s Kingdom through parables and instruction. Throughout the entire journey however, His disciples, who are with Him never seem to quite understand why they’re headed to Jerusalem, or what’s going to happen when they get there. It’s easy for us to look at the apostles in light of all of Jesus’ Gospel references to His passion and think, “Come on guys, you’ve been traveling with Jesus all this time and you still don’t have a clue do you?” But do we really understand why the passion had to take place the way it did?

2. Read Luke 9:51-56.

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

Here, Jesus “sets His face” to travel to Jerusalem. Before He goes however, He sends messengers before Him to prepare His way in every town He will visit along the way. Why do you think He does this? This is an interesting question. One thought is that a king would always send messengers before him to prepare his way. This is one of many ways Jesus is showing His Kingship. It is also an insight into the ways God actively calls us to action in the coming about of His Kingdom. This theme will play out through the Holy Week.

3. Read Luke 9:52-56.

52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village. In what ways does Jesus call us to be His messengers? How can the witness of our faith plant a seed in the soul of someone else? There are so many ways that we can be examples in the lives of others. As Christians, whether we realize it or not, people are watching us. Many people around us every day who have never heard the Good News of the Gospel are dying to hear it. Jesus calls us to bring His Good News to the world.

4. Do you think that Christ sends messengers before us to prepare our way?

Have you ever felt like someone was looking out for you, or preparing your way?As Christians, we believe that in salvation, Christ, through the working of the Holy Spirit takes up real residence in our hearts. In a sense, we become like Christ for the rest of the world. Try and understand the power of this. Surely, if we are called to be Christ to the world, messengers would be sent to prepare His way within us!

5. Read Luke 17:24-25 and 18:31-33.

24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

What is Jesus trying to tell His disciples in these verses? Do they understand Him? Jesus is warning the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to “suffer and die.” He is telling them that He must do this in order to fulfill the scriptures and the prophets. In Luke 18:34, we’re told that Jesus’ disciples don’t understand Him. Compare this passage with Luke 9:23. If we are to sincerely follow Christ and be His disciples, we too must take up our crosses and follow after Him.

6. Read Luke 19:33-39.

33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

Jesus seems to enter Jerusalem in a somewhat unusual way, yet all of the bystanders seem to know exactly what’s going on. Why do you think this is? Why Jerusalem? This is an important point. Jerusalem wasn’t an arbitrary location for Jesus to fulfill His mission; in fact, it really couldn’t have been done any other way. Throughout the history of Israel, kings always ruled from the city of Jerusalem. It was the home of the temple, the city of the prophets and the crossroads of all Hebrew commerce. Picture Wall Street, Washington DC, and Vatican City all rolled into one, and you get an idea of the importance of the ancient city. Jesus wasn’t merely going for the dramatic symbolism though. Israel had been without the aforementioned king for generations. Jesus was the King of kings coming home to claim His throne. Holy Monday Reading 1. Read Luke 19:41-42.

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.

As Jesus nears the Holy City of Jerusalem, He weeps for it. Why do you think Jesus is weeping? We can speculate on a number of reasons that Jesus, upon His entry to Jerusalem, is weeping. Read a few verses further. In verses 43-44, Jesus proceeds to prophesy the destruction of Jerusalem, which, many scholars say, happened in 70 AD - only a few decades after Jesus’ passion.

2. Read Luke 19:45-46.

45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.

Immediately upon entering Jerusalem, Jesus headed straight for the Temple. When He reached it, He acted in a way we might not expect. What does Jesus do and why? Jesus had very good reasons for His actions. He was angry at what was happening to His Father’s house.

Renown Jewish Rabbi Telishkun says, “Jesus went up to the Temple as the privileged place of encounter with God. For Him, the Temple was the dwelling place of His Father, a house of prayer, and He was angered that its outer court had become a place of commerce. He drove the merchants out of it because of jealous love for His Father: ‘You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade’. His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ After His Resur- rection His apostles retained their reverence for the Temple”

Jesus was upset because those who were supposed to be followers of His Father were insulting the Father through their actions. The temple was meant to be a gathering place for people of all nations to come to know the one true God (Isaiah 56:7). The people were now using it as a place for their own benefit. They wanted the temple to be the crown jewel of the Jewish people, not an invitation for all people to know God. It had become a symbol of Israel’s superiority. Jesus’ anger is justified because it was based out of love of the Father and desire for all of His lost children to be brought home.

Rather than being a source of bringing in the Gentiles, the temple in Jesus’ day had become a source of keeping them out. No other institution stood out more as Israel’s identity marker, setting the Jews apart from the non-Jews. An inscription over the entryway to the temple’s inner courts made the point crystal clear: ‘No alien may enter within the barrier and wall around the temple. Whoever is caught is alone responsible for the death that follows.” Edward Sri, Mystery of the Kingdom

3. Have you ever invited someone to be a guest in your home and felt as though they abused your invitation?

What was your response?

4. Read Luke 19:47-48.

47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

We see that Jesus’ enemies were ready to put Him to death. According to these verses, what prevented them? This verse seems to suggest safety when we cling close to Christ and to other believers and followers. Just as we know that God saves us, we know that the enemy wants to destroy us. Our only protection is our closeness to Christ and our reliance on the prayer and support of others.

5. What does this tell us about our need to cling close to Jesus? What might it tell us about the need to support one another in our faith? Holy Tuesday Reading 1. Read Luke 21:5-6 and Luke 21:10-28.

21:5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

21:10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.

20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nurs- ing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

These are awfully intense verses. Many have interpreted these to represent the events of the last days. But, we can also see another meaning. Jesus, in a real and immediate way, was predicting the things which were to take place in the decades after His death and resurrection. Jerusalem was taken over and destroyed by the gentiles; and the early Christians were persecuted, put on trial, and put to death. As if that wasn’t enough, He was foreseeing His own death, and knew that many of those praising Him would soon turn against Him. As He entered Jerusalem that day, Jesus must have foreseen all of this. What do you think Jesus’ thoughts were as He entered into Jerusalem foreseeing His death and the persecution of those who would follow Him?

Do you think Jesus was weeping for the sin of those who were to betray Him and for Jerusalem’s impending destruction?

2. Have you ever been betrayed by someone you loved?

Think about your reaction to that betrayal. Christ knew that He was to be betrayed, more deeply than we could ever imagine, by His own beloved creation. His reaction wasn’t anger. It was tremendous sadness. Was Jesus weeping for Himself or for His betrayers? What do you think about His response? Holy Wednesday Reading Wednesday of Holy Week is sometimes called, “Silent Wednesday,” because the Scripture doesn’t paint a clear picture of the occurrences of that day. Jerusalem itself would have been anything but silent. As we saw on Palm Sunday. crowds would have amassed in preparation of the Passover. People would have been noisily congregating in the streets. And, religious leaders would have already been conspiring to arrest Jesus. But, there is no specific reference to how Jesus himself spent that day. We know from the end of Luke 21 that He continued His ministry, and spent quiet time with God.

1. Read Luke 21:37-38

37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

The last days of Jesus’ life before His death and resurrection were spent teaching at the Temple. In the evenings, scripture tells us that he retreated to the Mount of Olives to pray and to rest. This may have been done to encourage a healthy rhythm of preaching, praying, and preparation for His followers.

2. Why do you think it was important for Jesus to model this pattern?

3. Jesus required rest. What does this passage say about His humanity?

Jesus retreated to recharge. We can give our best to others if we are first connected to our source. Are you spending enough time with God, so that you can care for His people?

4. Read Luke 11:37-41

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

The Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, were caught up in what they did to follow God and the exact way that they did it. The tradition became more powerful for them than the transformation. The methods they used were about outward appearances. Even their prayers were self-righteous.

5. Are there areas in your life where you are more concerned with what you are doing for God, than truly being with God? How does Jesus’ example in Luke 21:37-38 lead you to a healthier, growing relationship with Him? Holy Thursday Reading 1. Read Luke 22:3-6.

3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

What do we catch Judas doing in this passage? We find Judas in the act of betraying Jesus. We are told that Judas betrayed Jesus for only 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). Even in Jesus’ day, this wasn’t much money. Judas’ heart was bought out for an embarrassingly small amount.

2. We often betray God for things that are fleeting and insignificant.

What are some of those things we choose every day over God?

3. Read stories of Judas, Luke 22:3-6, Matthew 27:3-5, and Peter, Luke 22: 54-62, John 21:4-7.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

-- 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

What similarities do you see in Peter and Judas? What are the differences?

4. What was the major difference between Judas and Peter?

Do you think the same forgiveness was available to Judas as was to Peter, or was Judas’ situation different? Why or why not?

The simple similarity between Judas and Peter is that they both betrayed our Lord. They may have done it in different man- ners, but the basic intent of both was putting themselves before God. Judas chose himself over God with monetary gain and looking good in the sight of others. Peter chose to protect himself from harm rather than risk danger and trust that God would care for him if he put God first.

The difference between Peter and Judas was their response upon realizing their sin. Peter “wept bitterly” upon this realiza- tion. But later, when Jesus returned, Peter rushed to His Lord as quickly as he could. He knew that Jesus would take him back if he asked, or at least he wanted to try. Judas, on the other hand, saw no redemption for himself. He chose suicide because he saw no way God would take him back. Judas let his trust in his Creator die twice; first, by not believing that Jesus was worth more than the 30 pieces of silver, and secondly by not believing God had enough love to forgive him.

The forgiveness offered to Judas and Peter was the same. It’s also the same forgiveness offered to all of us. Though the effects of our sins are all different, God wants to forgive us no matter what we’ve done. Judas, like all of us, could have had forgiveness if he had asked for it. Are we ever too ashamed to ask God for His forgiveness?

5. Read Luke 15:2 and 5:29-30.

2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Meals play a significant role in Luke’s Gospel and in the ancient world. We find Jesus dining with people who many would have found to be less than desirable dinner companions. Why exactly do you think the Pharisees are so appalled?

Jesus made a tremendous familial statement about His relationship to these people by eating with them. By dining with sinners, Jesus invited them to a family bond with Him. As a popular teacher and Rabbi, the Pharisees saw Jesus going directly against Jewish teaching about whom one could and could not eat with. He seemed to be completely abandoning the Jewish law. It’s commonly assumed that the Pharisees were criticizing Jesus because they were self-righteous snobs. This may well be true, but some Biblical scholars suggest there might be more to the story. Though a little hypocritical, the Pharisees may have had some good intentions. The main thrust of Pharisee thinking was this: Israel had gone astray and abandoned God time and time again. This caused the whole nation to lose favor with God; thus resulting in their slavery to the Romans. If the people lost favor with God by breaking the commandments and the law, then the Pharisees deduced that the only way to gain back acceptance was to keep the Old Testament law to the letter, exactly the opposite of Israel’s checkered past. All the Pharisees had to go on was their knowledge of the law and the people’s failure to keep it.

As for dining practices, the law instructed against eating with sinners for the simple reason that Israel tended to give in pretty easily to peer pressure; that is, when the people ate or dwelt with sinners, they usually fell into the same sin. The dietary laws were put in place to help Israel keep out of trouble.

The Pharisees knew their history and firmly believed that the only way Israel could get their place back in the Kingdom of God was to hold strictly to the law.

6. Do you think it’s difficult for our culture to understand the significance of meals in the time of Christ which the above passage discusses? Why or why not?

We live in a “fast food” culture in which few of us ever really have time to sit down for a meal. Most of the time we eat on the go. Jesus says that it is the sick who need a doctor-essentially that He has come to heal.

7. Read Luke 5:31-32.

31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus explained why it is that He is dining with the people He is. What is His explanation?

Initially, God gave Israel the responsibility to be His representative and messenger to all of the nations. At one time, the people of Israel were supposed to be dining with and hanging around sinners so they could introduce them to God. The problem was, as we have seen, the people were too weak and too easily influenced. Jesus was different. He was God. Jesus didn’t need to worry about falling into the sins of the sinners and tax collectors. He came to do the job that Israel couldn’t do--to bring news of healing to the sick, sight to the blind and freedom to the captive. By sharing the Gospel with the sinners and the sick, Jesus was fulfilling the commission originally given to Israel and reuniting the family.

8. Go back to Luke 22:14-15.

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

In light of the three previous questions, why do you think Jesus was so desirous to eat the Passover meal with His disciples? Jesus is about to institute THE LAST SUPPER. This act will invite all of us from that time on to not only dine with Jesus but to receive Him as our food. The meals Jesus eats in Luke’s gospel are not isolated incidents. They are foreshadows of communion. Good Friday Reading

1. Read Luke 22:66-23:56

66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You say that I am.”

71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

23:1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”

3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”

18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

The Crucifixion of Jesus 26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus 50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

After Jesus is betrayed by Judas on Holy Thursday, He is arrested and led off to fulfill the saving work that He had foreseen long ago. This was the day that the angels wept, that the veil in the Temple was ripped in two and the day that changed the world forever. 2. Read Luke 23:1-2.

23 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”

The people here said that Jesus refused to let them give tribute to Caesar. Do you think that this is a surprising statement to come from the mouth of a Jewish person living in Jesus’ time? If so, why?

For the Jewish people of Jesus’ time, Caesar was the representation of everything they were trying to overcome. The Roman Empire had been controlling the Jewish people for years and they longed to be free of Roman rule. In fact, the common belief was that the coming messiah would free the Jewish people from Caesar and the Romans and re-establish the Jewish kingdom. In a nutshell, there was no one they would love more not to give tribute to than Caesar. You might say that they would have wanted a messiah who forbade them to “give tribute to Caesar.” But in fact, because of the hardness of their hearts, they turned on the true Messiah and chose to remain in captivity rather than accept the freedom which Christ would offer. We do this every day. The following questions look more deeply into how we do this.

3. Are you surprised at the fickleness of the crowd wanting to crucify Jesus?

After all, these same people were waving palm branches and proclaiming Him as Messiah just days before.

Try to really consider why the people turned on Jesus. Just a few days prior, they were waving palm branches and seemed ready to coronate Him. What was it about the events of the days in between that caused such a drastic change? Perhaps the people were expecting a militaristic messiah who would conquer the Romans who were holding the Jews in captivity. Or, maybe it was crowd mentality - people following the lead of others who wanted Jesus crucified; lies spread about Jesus. What of these or other factors led to the crowd’s sudden change of heart?

4. You might want to go back to the story of the Passover in Exodus 12: 1-13.

12:1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.

12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

The point of the Passover in Exodus was that the nation of Israel was freed from its captivity in Egypt. They had been a nation in slavery. Only by sacrificing a “spotless, blemish-free” lamb and eating it’s flesh, could they be freed. This is a clear foreshadowing of the saving work of Christ generations later. Most of us know the Passover story at least in a vague way. But have you ever wondered why the Israelites had to sacrifice a lamb? What was the significance of a lamb? As we saw in the last chapter, Israel had a bad habit of falling into the sin of those it was around. The Egyptians worshiped a plethora of different gods. One of them was the lamb. Israel, having been in Egyptian captivity for hundreds of years, had started to worship some of the gods of the Egyptians. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” The act of sacrificing a lamb and spreading the blood on the doorpost for all to see was a symbol of the Israelites abandoning their adherence to this false god. It would be similar to an alcoholic taking a bottle of liquor and smashing it in the street to show that he would no longer be held by his addic- tion. Hundreds of years later, Jesus would take the whole sin of the world on Himself and allow Himself to be crucified with it in order to set His people free. It was the greatest act of emancipation in history. Israel’s freedom from slavery in Egypt by the sacrifice of a lamb foreshadowed our own freedom from the slavery of sin by the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb.

5. Read Luke 23:3-5.

3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

What kind of significance do you think Pilate’s statement holds for us?

Pilate says that he “finds no fault” with Jesus. In other words, He is clean. In Exodus 12:5, we saw that the Passover lamb was to be free of blemish. In Jewish culture, the high priests of the church would spend the week prior to the Passover examining the lambs to be sacrificed to be sure they were clean and “without blemish.” We have seen that the Pharisees and church leaders spent the week leading up to Good Friday questioning and scrutinizing Jesus. On Good Friday, Pilate, without realizing what he is saying declares Jesus clean and therefore ready to be sacrificed. He essentially gives the green light for Jesus to proceed to the cross and fulfill His mission of emancipation as the Passover Lamb.

6. Read Luke 23:32-43.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Why do you think Jesus chose this criminal to enter His Kingdom “that very day”?

Jesus is further showing that His mission of salvation is for everyone, not just for the Jews, as some thought it would be. The criminal on the cross essentially shows us the formula for gaining salvation. He makes a decision and admits that Jesus is the Messiah He says He is. He realizes his own faults and sinfulness with true humility and brings it before Christ. He then asks with confidence and honesty that Jesus have mercy on him and bring him back into the family. Jesus shows how simple it is by declaring that the criminal will share salvation with Him that very day. Holy Saturday Reading

1. Read Luke 23:56

56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

1. Holy Saturday has always been a difficult day to peg down. The crucifixion has happened and is done but the Resur- rection hasn’t yet taken place. What do you think the apostles were thinking on this day? Their teacher, the one they trusted to be the Messiah was now lying in a grave. What do you think was going through their minds? What would be going through your mind if you were in their shoes? Would you have felt abandoned by God? Have you felt that way in your relationship with Him?

2. Read Luke 4:35-41.

35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Jesus Heals Many 38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

What parallels do you see between what the disciples are probably feeling on Holy Saturday, and this passage?

It’s possible to look at this passage as a foreshadowing of Holy Saturday. Though Jesus is actually right there with them, the Apostles are scared that He has abandoned them to the storm. They fail to trust in His goodness and concern for them. On Holy Saturday, this experience is magnified. All along their journey to Jerusalem, Jesus had been warning the disciples and explaining to them that He must suffer and die, but then be raised. The disciples still failed to understand what Jesus was saying. They were being asked to put all of their trust in God’s goodness and care. How hard do you think it would be for you to trust like that?

3. What is the only thing Luke tells us about the events of Holy Saturday (Luke 23:56)?

56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Why do you think Luke includes this small detail?

All that Luke tells us is that on the Sabbath (Saturday), they rested “according to the law.” There could be different answers to this question, but one thought is that Luke was showing us just how empty that day was. At least if the disciples could have gone about working and keeping busy, they may have been able to take their minds off of the terrible things which just happened. Perhaps God planned it this way so they had no choice but to sit and dwell in the reality of Christ’s death. They stopped what they were doing and simply rested. The reality of the crucifixion was so great that they needed time to let it sink in. The Resurrection can only truly be understood and appreciated if we truly appreciate and understand the emptiness of the day before. How do we spend Holy Saturday? Do we use it as an opportunity to really contemplate the reality of Christ’s death, or do we busy ourselves with other things and focus on the celebration of Easter? Challenge yourself to really enter into Holy Saturday this year and let the reality of what the disciples experienced permeate your heart. Easter Sunday Reading 1. Read Luke 24:1-53

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus 13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

2. Review Luke 24:1-11.

What did the women see at the tomb? What was the reaction of the apostles to their news?

The women found the tomb empty and saw two angels who declared that Jesus had been risen. The angels also reminded them that Jesus foretold that this would take place. The apostles did not believe them. Why do you think the apostles would not believe?

3. Try to put yourself in the Apostles shoes. In light of the last two days, what do you think the Apostles felt when the women shared their news? How do you think you would have felt? Confused? Skeptical? Angry that they were being fooled? Secret- ly joyful and desirous for the women to be right?

4. Review Luke 24:12.

12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Peter’s response is a little different than the rest. Why do you think he responds differently? Do you think Peter’s response has anything to do with his betrayal of Jesus two days earlier? Perhaps it was Peter’s desire for forgiveness that drove him to run to the tomb? How anxious are we to run to Jesus to receive His mercy when we have sinned?

5. Review Luke 24:13-32.

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

Why do you think the disciples fail to recognize Jesus?

After the Resurrection, Jesus’ body was glorified. As we see in this passage, the glory of His new body was so powerful that those closest to Him didn’t even recognize Him.

6. How do the disciples finally come to recognize Who is speaking to them? The text tells us that the disciples come to recognize Jesus “in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:35).

35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus first explains the scriptures to them as they travel along the road. This was his attempt to enlighten them. Then Jesus dines with them and they know Him in the “breaking of the bread.”

7. Review Luke 24:36-38.

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

Why do you think the disciples were frightened when Jesus appeared to them? What would you have been thinking if you were in their place? The disciples were frightened because they still didn’t understand Jesus’ mission.

Read Luke 24:44-45.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Jesus opened the disciples’ minds to see who He really is. Only after this, does the disciples’ fear disappear. Now Jesus, in verses 48-49 sends His disciples out to be His witnesses to the world.

48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.

Do you think Jesus calls us to be His witnesses just as He did the original disciples? How do we live this? 8. Do we treat the Resurrection as though it were an event which happened over 2000 years ago, or is it present to us in our everyday lives?

How do we live out Jesus’ Resurrection in our lives on a daily basis? We often look at the lives of others and think, “At least I’m not as bad as that.” What’s more, if someone wrongs us, our natural reaction tends to be anger—not hurt for the person. Jesus’ reaction seems completely foreign to much of our own common logic.