TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 14:26-31
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. - John 10:11
TODAY IN THE WORD

As Jesus and His disciples made their way from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, they all walked along the same path. But spiritually, Jesus and these eleven men were heading in opposite directions.

Jesus was going to this garden of olive trees to pray and to submit Himself in obedience to His Father's will--even to death on the Cross (Phil. 2:. But the disciples, minus Judas, were heading toward failure, weakness, and denial.

Jesus was going to a death that had been prophesied for Him as God's perfect sacrifice for sin. He was preparing to lay down His life for the sheep. And part of His suffering was the fact that these men who had been His closest companions would leave Him alone and flee for their lives.

It's hard to imagine how utterly quiet that short walk must have been before Jesus spoke. The disciples probably did not know what to say. They were still trying to process what Jesus had told them at dinner.

The Lord broke the silence with His painful prediction that His ""sheep"" would scatter. Why did He cite the prophet Zechariah to affirm His point? This was typical of Jesus' ministry. He was very conscious that His ministry was a fulfillment of Scripture, as we will see again when we come to the contemplation of the Cross.

Peter later told the crowd at Pentecost that Jesus had been handed over for crucifixion by ""God's set purpose and foreknowledge"" (Acts 2:23). In other words, these things were not happening by chance. So the disciples' failure around the time of His crucifixion did not take Jesus by surprise.

Mark records that the exchange between Peter and Jesus concerning Peter's denial took place at this point, while Luke seems to present it as happening during dinner. This is one of several instances where the Gospel writers varied the details of Holy Week.

Luke compressed the events together more than Mark did, but the point is the same. The Shepherd would be struck down, and His sheep would scatter. The disciples' failure to stay spiritually alert is a sobering lesson for us.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

This is a day made for renewing and refreshing our spiritual lives so that we don't fall into the sin of lethargy.

If you have not been to church yet today, try spending the last ten minutes before the worship service begins in quiet Scripture reading and prayer. Read a Psalm of confession (Ps. 51) and a Psalm of praise (Ps. 148). Ask God to examine your heart and prepare you to hear from Him. If evening is your time for Today in the Word, close out your day with these psalms and a time of prayer for spiritual alertness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 26:36-46
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. - Matthew 26:41
TODAY IN THE WORD

Since the days of Jesus, at least two church groups have gone to the site of Gethsemane seeking the exact spot on which Jesus prayed. Each of these groups built a wall around the area where they believe Jesus prayed, but an expert on biblical geography says that both locations are incorrect. He maintains that the location is an area higher up on the Mount of Olives, in a more secluded part of the garden.

It's understandable that believers would want to see the place where Jesus prayed in agony to His Father. Certainly the site would be holy. But there is nothing magical about the plot of dirt where Jesus fell on His face agonizing in prayer. Even if we could stand on the very spot, we would be no less vulnerable to the temptation Jesus warned us about.

The Garden of Geth-semane was a place of stark contrasts during the week of Jesus' death and resurrection. Here, Jesus triumphed completely over the enemy's temptation to bypass the Cross. In fact, it was impossible for Jesus to yield. Gethsemane was not a test to see if Jesus would fail. It was to prove that He could not fail.

And yet, just a few yards away were Jesus' friends Peter, James, and John. They failed once again as completely as Jesus had triumphed. He obeyed His Father's will and accepted the Cross. They could not even obey Jesus' simple request that they stay alert and pray for an hour.

Jesus prayed three times, which is surprisingly similar to the three times He defeated Satan in His wilderness temptation (Matt. 4:1-11). And three times the Savior came and found the disciples sleeping.

All four participants in this dramatic moment were facing temptation. Jesus overcame, while Peter, James, and John were overcome. They wanted to obey. Luke says they were ""exhausted from sorrow"" (Luke 22:45). But the three disciples badly underestimated the weakness of the flesh.

This is a lesson we cannot afford to miss. Because our enemy knows where we are vulnerable, he is always ready to take advantage of us. But we have the same spiritual resources available to us that Jesus used to emerge victorious in the garden.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Here's one way you can emerge from this week victorious over the temptations Satan may place in your path.

The method is simple. Jot down the two or three areas where you know you are most vulnerable to temptation, and put these at the top of your prayer list for the week. Ask God to keep you alert, to help you keep watch for the enemy. And if you don't know where you're most vulnerable to temptation, maybe it's time for a self-evaluation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 26:47-56
By oppression and judgment he was taken away. - Isaiah 53:8
TODAY IN THE WORD

It must have been easy for Jesus to see the crowd coming with its many torches burning. He was on a hillside; and the crowd was below, winding its way through the Kidron Valley. The hour of His betrayal and arrest was near, and He urged the sleepy disciples to rouse themselves.

The scene described in today's text offers a number of clear contrasts, just as we have seen throughout our study of Holy Week. A large contingent of soldiers--probably several hundred--came heavily armed to seize a man who had been readily available every day in the temple (v. 55). And yet, as the soldiers moved forward to do their deed, an angelic army of overwhelming superiority simply watched from heaven.

Some contrasts we have come to expect. Here was Jesus accepting God's will for Him, while His disciples ran off and hid. In perhaps the greatest contrast of all, the people holding all the lights in that dark garden were actually the ones in darkness--terrible spiritual darkness that allowed them to crucify the Lord of glory.

When Judas gave Jesus the kiss of betrayal, he tarnished a sign of affection, a humble greeting that dated back to the earliest days. In Psalm 2:12, we find the psalmist urging all nations to ""kiss the Son"" in homage and submission. This was the only kiss Jesus deserved to receive. But God allowed His Son to be handed over to sinners that the Scriptures might be fulfilled (Matt. 26:54).

The apostle John recorded one incredible instance in the arrest of Jesus, which he no doubt witnessed himself. When Jesus announced ""I am He,"" the soldiers drew back and fell to the ground under the power of God (John 18:6). They stayed there only a moment, but God had left another unmistakable witness to His Son.

Peter tried to defend Jesus, but by now the fisherman was floundering around like a fish out of water. Then, after his ill-advised strike, Peter joined the others in deserting Jesus.

Picture the sinless Lord, tied up and led away ""like a lamb to the slaughter"" (Isa. 53:7). Knowing that He did this for us, what can we do but worship, love, and serve Him?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

It's hard to think that Jesus would be ridiculed and beaten throughout a hellish night of mock trials and then led away to be crucified.

But the Scriptures do not hesitate to describe our Lord's sufferings on our behalf. It is necessary for us to understand the horror of sin and the awful price God paid to save us. Try to find time today to read Isaiah 53 prayerfully; and then spend some time in quiet, grateful worship, confession, and praise for God's great sacrifice for us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 14:53-65
The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5
TODAY IN THE WORD

An American Christian studying in Morocco was arrested last year for giving a gospel tract to a Muslim hotel worker while on a trip. His trial was ""very chaotic and confusing."" The judges mocked his faith as the courtroom spectators laughed.

The accused was allowed no phone call or legal help and following the trial was deported to Spain. A legal expert said the judges did not follow the Moroccan penal code in this case but used their own ideas based on Islamic law. And worse yet, this man's roommate, a Korean Christian, was arrested and deported after being found innocent by the courts.

Mock trials are nothing new. This modern-day account of an abuse of power helps to shed light on the true motivation of those who tried Jesus throughout the early morning hours of Good Friday.

Officials such as the high priest Caiaphas and the Jewish council were not interested in truth or justice. And the innocence of Jesus was never in question.

The high priest and his henchmen did not even follow Jewish law, which said that the testimony of at lewas necessary to make a charge viable. They just kept parading lying witnesses before the council, hoping to find two people who could tell the same lie. Mark says they weren't successful in the attempt (v. 59).

Besides all this, the council was not supposed to convene at night. On legal grounds, the case against Jesus should have been dismissed. But Jesus had said that this was the hour when darkness would reign (Luke 22:53).

It was at this trial, one of six religious and civil trials Jesus endured that morning, that Jesus spoke in His defense. Caiaphas asked Jesus directly: ""Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"" (Mark 14:61). Jesus was under oath to answer truthfully: ""I am.""

Caiaphas tore his robe in an act of mock piety and indignation and called off the search for more phony witnesses. Jesus was charged with blasphemy, convicted, sentenced to death--and immediately the abuse began.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Throughout Jesus' trials and crucifixion, the atmosphere around Him was charged with hate.

Yet Jesus prayed for His accusers and those who crucified Him. The story we shared in today's opening illustration reminds us that even today, thousands of those who bear Jesus' name are suffering harassment, unfair treatment, illegal imprisonment, and other forms of persecution. This week, as we remember that Jesus is praying for us (see March 14), let's pause to pray for the persecuted church around the world.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 18:28-40
Everyone on the side of truth listens to me. - John 18:37
TODAY IN THE WORD

Many people spend their entire lives trying to get their names in history books. They want their words and deeds to be recorded for future generations to read about, and they want to be honored for their accomplishments.

Pontius Pilate achieved all of these things except the last. Almost two thousand years after his death, Pilate's name is spoken every week by multitudes of church people who recite the Apostles' Creed: Jesus was ""suffered under Pontius Pilate."" But Pilate is infamous, not famous, because the Lord of glory was crucified on Pilate's ""watch.""

The Roman governor immediately comes across as a weak-willed man who wanted peace at any price. It's clear that he did not want to be dragged into the middle of what he considered a Jewish argument. But the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, needed Pilate's stamp of approval on its death sentence against Jesus, since the council had no legal authority to execute anyone.

Pilate was already known as a cruel and vindictive ruler who showed little regard for Jewish life. He had raised the ire of his Jewish subjects before, and he didn't want any word of unrest to get back to Rome.

So Pilate was forced to deal with Jesus. Because the governor's concern was Jesus' political claims, the Lord told him, ""My kingdom is not of this world"" (v. 36). After fur-ther questioning, Pilate confirmed what he already knew. The man standing before him was innocent, having been brought to him out of jealousy (Mark 15:10).

Pilate announced Jesus' innocent verdict to the Jews waiting outside the governor's palace--so they wouldn't ""defile themselves"" while they carried out the Lord's murder!

When he encountered fierce resistance to the idea of releasing Jesus, Pilate had a decision to make. At that point, he could have stood for truth and justice and insisted on letting Jesus go.

Of course, the eternal plan of God was unfolding, and it was necessary that Jesus give His life for our sins. But Pilate still brought guilt upon himself by caving in to cowardice.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

It's hard to imagine that every person in the crowd around Pilate's palace was a sworn enemy of Jesus. But if He had any friends there, they were awfully quiet.

Earlier this month (see March 7) we talked about the importance of a commitment to stand for the truth before a tough situation arises. One way to deny the truth is simply to remain quiet when our voice is needed. Let's reaffirm today the commitment we made earlier, praying especially that God will give us a voice to speak up for truth when the truth needs to be heard.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 23:1-12; John 19:1-16
The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. - Isaiah 53:6
TODAY IN THE WORD

There is one person in the Easter story we haven't met until now. Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee and Perea, was not officially a king; but he was often referred to by that title (see Mark 6:14).

When Pilate learned that Jesus was a Galilean, he sent Him to Herod. Pilate was not required by law to do this, but he saw a chance to mend his fences with Herod, since they had been enemies (v. 12).

Herod Antipas was known chiefly for killing John the Baptist to fulfill a drunken promise to the daughter of his second wife, Herodias (Mark 6:14-29). Herod's marriage to Herodias was illicit, and John told him so. The prophet was arrested by Herod, who feared the rough-cut John because he knew John was a holy man.

Luke reports that at one time during Jesus' ministry, Herod sought His life (Luke 13:31-32). Jesus' reply to those who warned Him showed that He was not afraid of the man He called ""that fox.""

So Herod was curious to see Jesus. The king liked a good party, and he was hoping for some miraculous entertainment. But when Jesus did not say a word to Herod, this led him to mock Jesus and return Him to Pilate.

We need to go from Luke's Gospel back to John 19 to see the extent of the brutality that Pilate heaped upon Jesus. A flogging in that day was designed to leave the victim's back in shreds. The crown of thorns and the facial beating Jesus had received must have marred His appearance to the point that He hardly looked human (see Isa. 52:14).

Still troubled in his weak conscience, Pilate hoped the sight of the beaten Savior would satisfy the crowd. Three times the Roman governor tried to let Jesus go, but the mob grew more insistent.

Pilate grew even more pale and disturbed when he was told that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. In the end, Pilate went against everything that he knew was right to keep from arousing the people. He thought he was the one in control (John 19:10), but he was the most helpless person in Jerusalem.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

The events we read about today occurred on Good Friday, the day of Jesus' crucifixion.

This day is called ""good"" not because of the terrible suffering Jesus endured, but because His wounds brought us the spiritual healing we need for our sins. Good Friday 1998 is three weeks from today, April 10. But you don't need to wait until then to praise and thank God for the wonderful gift of salvation purchased for you at an incredible price.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 22:54-62
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. - 1 Peter 2:24
TODAY IN THE WORD

The renowned nineteenth-century pastor and author Andrew Murray once wrote: ""Why does Christ make the conditions of discipleship [so demanding]? Because the sinful nature we inherited from Adam is indeed so vile that if we could see it in its true nature, we would flee from it as loathsome and incurably evil.""

That look into the sin and treachery of our hearts that Murray wrote about is painful. It is necessary, however, before we are ready to abandon our own efforts at serving Christ and throw ourselves completely on Him.

When he entered the high priest's courtyard to warm himself with Christ's enemies, the apostle Peter had not yet come to the place of understanding how treacherous the human heart can be. He had been the supremely confident disciple, ready to die with Jesus.

It's possible that the episode in the Garden of Gethsemane had taken away some of Peter's bluster. After all, he was among those who finally fled as Jesus was arrested. Perhaps he even came to the courtyard with his head hanging down a bit from embarrassment. But whatever the level of Peter's emotions, he still had not come face-to-face with himself.

That painful confrontation happened within a few hours. Three times the words of denial that Jesus had prophesied fell from Peter's lips with apparent ease. But Luke adds a riveting detail to the story of Peter's denial. Even while Peter voiced his last denial, ""the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter"" (v. 61).

In that instant, everything came into clear focus for Peter. He saw the Lord he loved, looking at him. He remembered Jesus' prophecy of the denial and how he had insisted it would never happen. He realized how quickly and completely he had denied Jesus. And most of all, Peter finally saw deep into the vileness of his own heart. He could only run outside the courtyard and cry bitterly.

Peter tasted the bitter fruit of self-reliance, but he also found forgiveness (John 21:15-19)--because it was to forgive people like Peter that Jesus went to the Cross!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Most of us have felt the pain of regret. It's one thing to note past mistakes so that we can learn from them in the future. It's another thing to allow Satan to bludgeon us into spiritual paralysis with remorse over sins that are under the blood of Christ.

If you are carrying a load of regret today over forgiven sins, bring your load to the Cross and leave it there. And if you can help release someone else from a load of regret with your word of forgiveness, don't withhold that gift.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 23:26-38
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. - Luke 23:34
TODAY IN THE WORD

One of the amazing stories coming out of the Korean War concerns a Christian who was arrested by the Communists and sentenced to death. When the young Communist officer learned that the prisoner operated an orphanage, he was spared--but his nineteen-year-old son was executed in his place.

After the war, this officer was tried and condemned for his crime. But the man whose son had been killed pleaded for the young Communist to be spared and released into his care. He took his son's killer into his home and led him to Christ. The former Communist went on to become a pastor.

When we hear stories like this, we wonder how a human being can practice such incredible forgiveness. The first words that Jesus Christ spoke from the Cross remind us that such forgiveness is not human at all, but a gift of God.

For the next five days, we will consider the sayings of Jesus from the Cross. Every statement has huge implications for us today, and we want to see how these words apply to our lives.

We need to make sure we don't misunderstand Jesus' prayer for God to show forgiveness toward His Son's crucifiers. Some people see this as a general statement that no matter what we do, it's all right because God is loving and forgiving.

But without minimizing the power of Jesus' love, we must remember that the forgiveness He offers us needs to be received. Forgiveness is freely given to every sinner who comes to Christ, but the sinner must still come in godly sorrow and repentance.

In fact, today's text shows the need for repentance that precedes forgiveness. The women who cried for Jesus were urged to weep for themselves and for their people, since frightful days of judgment were ahead for Jerusalem (vv. 28-31).

Further, the criminal who asked for Jesus' forgiveness was promised paradise that very day, while the second criminal never accepted the abundant forgiveness displayed before him in the person of the suffering Savior. So the question remains for each person to answer: ""What will you do with Jesus?""
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Today's verses contain quite a list of people who needed God's forgiveness: the people, the leaders, the soldiers, and the two criminals.

There are many other people who need to be added to that list--us, for example. If you know Christ's forgiveness, you know the joy of Easter! And this Lord's day is a perfect time for you to express that joy. If you have a hymn book at home, open to your favorite hymn about forgiveness and sing it to the Lord. If necessary, add a good hymn book to your devotional library this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 23:39-43
Today you will be with me in paradise. - Luke 23:43
TODAY IN THE WORD

A woman from Pennsylvania came to the White House during the Civil War, pleading with President Abraham Lincoln to pardon her son. The boy had been convicted for sleeping at his post and was scheduled to be executed. Lincoln wrote the pardon; and the grateful woman left, crying, ""I knew it was a lie!""

""What do you mean?"" someone asked.

""My neighbors said I would find Mr. Lincoln an ugly man. But he is the handsomest man I ever saw in my life!""

When you are seeking forgiveness, the last thing on your mind is outward appearances. But when you receive the forgiveness you sought, you see things in a wholly new way.

That pretty well describes the situation of the repentant thief hanging beside Jesus. According to Matthew 27:44, this man began by heaping insults on Jesus, as the other thief did. But some time during those hours when Jesus hung on the Cross, this guilty man suddenly saw things in a different light.

Just like the apostle Peter after his three denials, this criminal saw himself as he really was, perhaps for the first time. He saw the ugliness of his sin and his need for forgiveness.

This need caused him to see Jesus differently. The thief looked past the pitifully battered and bleeding body of Jesus and saw the Lord of glory, a Savior ready to forgive and receive sinners. This man had heard Jesus forgive His crucifiers, and now he was ready to address his own need.

Hanging in great pain himself, the dying thief didn't have time or spiritual knowledge enough to get very sophisticated in his request of Jesus. He simply asked Jesus for mercy and grace, and Jesus accepted his plea. No one ever received a

better promise of eternal life. Obviously, the Lord could see into the man's heart.

The Bible does not tell us how much longer the two thieves hung beside Jesus before their legs were broken to hasten suffocation and death. But we can make a safe guess that to this forgiven, dying thief, the suffering Jesus was the most attractive Person he had ever seen in his life.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

This incident upsets some people's neatly packaged ideas of what God can and cannot do.

Think about it. The man simply asked for forgiveness at the eleventh hour of life, and Jesus promised him all the joys of heaven. This is another reminder that God's ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:.

We're not always as eager to forgive as God is. Sometimes, we hold family members or friends accountable to our performance standards--and then we punish them when they fall short. Are you holding someone hostage to your standards today? Tear up your list of mental rules, and set that person free!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 19:25-27; Matthew 27:45-60
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? - Matthew 27:46
TODAY IN THE WORD

On the Cross, Jesus saw to the needs of His earthly mother even as He was being separated from His eternal Father.

In His third saying, Jesus took care of Mary's needs. Almost certainly a widow by this time, Mary needed someone to care for her. Jesus entrusted that duty to His beloved apostle, John, who readily accepted it.

This is a very tender scene. A sword must have pierced Mary's soul (Luke 2:35) as she watched her Son suffer such terrible agony. But His love for her must have been a great comfort.

The relationship between Jesus and Mary had been put on a different basis when He began His ministry. He had addressed her as ""Dear woman"" back at the wedding in Cana (John 2:4). It was a term of respect and affection, but it also signaled that their relationship would become more than mother and child. Mary would now need to come to Jesus as a sinner in need of a Savior.

In contrast, Jesus' relationship with His heavenly Father was of an entirely different kind. As we consider the fourth saying from the Cross, we find eternal God calling out to eternal God.

We cannot possibly understand all that happened in those awful moments when God the Father turned away from His beloved Son. Matthew notes that the three-hour, supernatural darkness was just starting to lift when Jesus cried out the words for which no audible reply came from heaven.

No one has ever been as alone or as deserted as Jesus was on the Cross. In those hours of darkness, God the Father placed the sins of all the world on His Son. Then God had to turn His back on the Son. Jesus suffered the pain of separation from God so that we who believe in Him would never have to know that agony.

Why did Jesus cry out loud? Because He wanted the people standing at the Cross, and all of us, to know that He had borne the punishment for sin. The bystanders, largely a group of unbelievers, mocked His supposed call for Elijah (vv. 46-47).

But we have a different choice today. Instead of mocking, we can believe.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Because Jesus endured separation from God in an hour of darkness, we never have to fear the darkness--or anything else on earth.

But if we're honest, we would all have to admit that there are times when fear grips us and refuses to let go. What are your fears today? Can the things you fear ever separate you from God's love and care? Since we know that nothing can separate us from God's love (Rom. 8:39), let God free you from your fears. Bring them to the Cross, and thank the Lord that Jesus paid the penalty to set you free.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 19:28-29; 7:37-39
If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. - John 7:37
TODAY IN THE WORD

Yesterday, we saw one of the ironies of Jesus' experience on the Cross. His heavenly Father had to abandon Him after Jesus had made sure that His earthly mother would not be abandoned. Today, we see another great irony. He who is the source of living water cried out, ""I am thirsty.""

This was Jesus' only statement from the Cross that referred to His great physical suffering. Earlier, He had refused a drink that was something of a sedative to help deaden the pain (Mark 15:23). But now He accepted another kind of drink. One Bible commentator suggests that Jesus wanted to moisten His parched throat and lips so that He could cry out the next saying, in a loud, clear voice: ""It is finished!""

There's one reason for Jesus' statement that we know for sure. John says that Jesus made this cry to fulfill Scripture. Jesus was very conscious that the events of Holy Week were unfolding in fulfillment of God's prophetic Word. So it's not surprising that He desired to carry out the prophecies made about the Messiah.

The prediction of Jesus' thirst was made in Psalm 69:21. David wrote that vinegar would be used in response to this thirst, a prophecy fulfilled by the soldiers standing around the Cross. The intense thirst Jesus felt was another indication of the suffering He was undergoing for our sins. Jesus had told the woman at the well that whoever drank of the water He offered would never thirst again (John 4:14). In John 7:37, Jesus offered this living water to anyone who would come to Him.

But in order to make those promises, Jesus had to endure on the Cross God's full wrath against sin. Just as He endured separation from God so that we would never have to know that horror, so the Fountain of Life had to become parched and dry for us. It's even possible that the Lord's thirst indicated He was suffering the thirst of hell for us (see Luke 16:24).

We must also note that the fifth saying from the Cross underscores the humanity of Jesus. He was fully human as well as fully divine, the God-Man, the only One whose suffering and death could possibly pay for our sins.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Jesus' humanity is more than just a tenet of orthodox truth. It is an aspect of His nature that offers us wonderful hope and encouragement as we come into His presence today.

Jesus suffered as no one has suffered and was tempted as we are tempted. Therefore, we never have to worry that He cannot understand what we are experiencing (Heb. 4:14-16). Yesterday we urged you to bring your fears to the Lord. Today, let's approach Him in prayer with the confidence that He knows and understands.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 19:30; Colossians 2:13-14
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ""It is finished."" - John 19:30
TODAY IN THE WORD

The sixth word of Jesus from the Cross was not a cry of resignation, but of victory. It referred to a debt fully paid and a ministry completed, in spite of everything that the world and the devil could throw across Jesus' path.

This saying truly is a single word, because in the original language the three-word phrase ""It is finished"" translates the word tetelestai. It's a word taken from the Roman courts of Jesus' day.

When a person was convicted of a crime in those days, the court prepared a record of the convicted person's crimes called a ""certificate of debt."" Then, when the criminal was put in prison, this certificate was nailed to the cell door.

With this certificate hanging on the door, anyone who passed by could see what crimes the prisoner was paying for. And when the sentence was complete and the prisoner was released, the certificate was taken down and the word tetelestai was written across it. The prisoner was given the record to take with him to show that he had paid his debt in full. Never again could he be punished for those crimes.

Pilate did something like this when Jesus was crucified. The Roman governor had the charge against Jesus affixed above His head on the Cross. The charge read ""This is Jesus, the King of the Jews"" (Matt. 27:37). This was the charge Jesus was paying for as far as Rome was concerned.

But in reality, there was another certificate of debt affixed to the Cross of Calvary. When Jesus was crucified, God took the record of our sins and nailed it to the Cross.

So when Jesus uttered this word, it was an announcement that God was satisfied with His Son's payment for sin. Those who put their trust in Christ would never be punished for those sins.

This is the picture the apostle Paul had in mind in Colossians 2. We were already ""dead in [our] sins"" (v. 13), totally unable to do anything for ourselves.

But because of Calvary, our sin debt has been paid. Christ's sixth statement from the Cross was for us to hear!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Since Jesus has finished the work of redemption, we have all the spiritual power and resources we need to finish our commitments.

But we live in a world of ""convenient commitments,"" such as temporary relationships and promises broken when the going gets tough. Are you being tempted to bail out on a commitment you made at work, at church, or even at home? If so, run to Jesus today and ask Him for renewed strength to stay the course. And if you know someone in this situation, offer a listening ear and a word of encouragement.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 23:44-49
Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. - Luke 23:46
TODAY IN THE WORD

Last year, monks inhabiting twenty Orthodox monasteries on Mount Athos in northern Greece opened their private trove of treasured artifacts to the world. For centuries, the monks who inhabit this 140-square-mile peninsula have collected priceless religious icons and manuscripts and have kept them hidden. But last year, the monks opened their vaults and churches and allowed about 1귔 objects from their previously hidden collection to be displayed at a museum in Salonika, Greece.

Two thousand years ago, another special chamber was opened to reveal what was previously hidden. At the moment of Jesus' death on the Cross, the huge curtain in the temple at Jerusalem was torn in two.

This was the curtain that separated the holy place from the most holy place, often called the ""holy of holies."" No Israelite had ever seen this small room, except for the high priest who went inside once a year to offer atonement for the people's sins.

This inner chamber was the place where God had chosen to locate His presence. Before the Cross, the holy of holies was off limits to the average Israelite. The people needed a priest to represent them before God.

But something happened when Jesus dismissed His spirit, bowed His head, and died. His payment for sin, the final sacrifice needed, meant that the way into God's presence was now open to all. The tearing of the temple curtain proclaimed in an unmistakable way this new access to God.

Jesus' seventh and final word from the Cross was also the statement of a man who was completely in charge. Among the many extraordinary claims Jesus made was the claim that He had the power to lay down His life and to take it up again. This meant that no one could take His life from Him (John 10:18).

Christ's voluntary dismissal of His spirit is perfectly consistent with this claim. He was able to commit Himself to the Father because God's wrath against sin was past. The darkness had lifted, and Jesus had completed His work. The manner of Jesus' death impressed the centurion who stood at the foot of the Cross, even as the reality of His death brought sorrow to many.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Because we have never had to live under the Old Testament system with its veiled holy place, we can forget the priceless privilege we have of direct access to God.

Our hope is that you have been taking full advantage of that access this month in your devotions. The purpose of Today in the Word is to encourage you in the daily discipline of prayer and Bible study. Don't let anything steal this time from you as you exercise this privilege that was bought for you at a great price.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 19:31-37
One of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. - John 19:34
TODAY IN THE WORD

The burial of Jesus Christ receives careful attention in the Gospel accounts because it is an essential part of the evidence that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be--the God-Man. Paul included Jesus' burial in the list of essentials that constitute the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:4).

The prelude to the burial and the confirmation of Jesus' death was the piercing of His side by a Roman soldier. The blood and water that gushed out testified to the fact that Jesus was a real person who had suffered a real death.

The soldiers had come to Calvary to hasten the death of the three men hanging on crosses because their bodies had to be removed before the Sabbath. The Mosaic Law specified that a person executed on a tree was to be buried the same day (Deut. 21:22-23). Otherwise, the dead person left on a tree defiled the land.

The irony here is this: the Lord's murderers were zealous to keep the Law so that they could enjoy their Sabbath and the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread with ceremonially clean consciences. But their guilt in helping to crucify Jesus remained.

The soldiers administered the traditional blow to the two thieves, breaking their legs so they could no longer push themselves up, relieving pressure on the diaphragm to allow them to continue breathing. Without this, crucifixion victims could live for many hours or even days.

But Jesus was already dead. In fulfillment of prophecy, His bones were not broken. And His piercing fulfilled yet another prophetic word. His body was ready for removal from the Cross and burial.

Why is the Lord's burial so important? Because it proved that He really died. And why is it important to prove that Jesus died? For several reasons.

First, because this answers the charges of those who say that Jesus merely passed out on the Cross and later revived, a denial of the need for resurrection. And second, His death and burial answered two heresies, one that denied He was fully divine and the other that denied He was fully human.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

The spear wound in Jesus' side became part of the evidence that helped the apostle Thomas overcome his doubts and confess, ""My Lord and my God!"" (John 20:28).

In verse 29 of the same chapter, Jesus went on to tell Thomas: ""Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."" The Savior's blessing includes you, and that's reason enough to rejoice. Why not take an early spring walk today and thank God for the gift of faith He implanted in your heart?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 19:38-42
He was a assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death. - Isaiah 53:9
TODAY IN THE WORD

One thing we have learned this month is that the events of Holy Week brought out the best, and the worst, in the people who surrounded Jesus.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are good examples of this. They were followers of Jesus, but they were also members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council that condemned Jesus to death.

Joseph, in particular, was identified as a secret disciple ""because he feared the Jews"" (v. 38). And early on, Nicodemus was reluctant even to be seen talking with Jesus. If Joseph was the secret disciple, Nicodemus was the nighttime disciple.

But these men stepped forward and made their loyalties public when the time came to bury Jesus. When we put all four Gospel accounts of the burial together, we learn some fascinating facts.

For instance, when Joseph asked to bury Jesus, Pilate was surprised to hear that He was dead after just six hours on the Cross (Mark 15:44). As we said earlier, quick death was not the norm for crucifixions. This helps to confirm the Bible's witness that the moment of Jesus' death was in His own hands.

Joseph was identified as the owner of the tomb and a rich man, fulfilling the prophecy given in today's verse. One commentator says Isaiah 53:9 means that although the authorities expected to bury Jesus in a ""potter's field"" type of public graveyard like the two thieves (""the wicked""), He was instead buried in a rich man's tomb. Another irony of Holy Week!

At this point, we need to emphasize again the importance of the biblical testimony concerning Jesus' death and burial. He had indeed died, and many witnesses could testify to the fact that He was laid in Joseph's tomb and embalmed with Nicodemus's heavy spices.

In other words, there was no plot afoot here to fool the public about Jesus. His followers did not whisk Jesus away while He was merely unconscious, then revive Him and nurse His wounds so He could appear triumphantly three days later. Neither was there a plan to steal the body and claim that Jesus had risen (Matt. 27:62-66).

Instead, ""Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [and] He was buried"" (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Many of us can identify with Joseph and Nicodemus. In some settings, it takes a lot of courage to step forward and say, ""I belong to Jesus.""

Are you what Moody Press author Tony Evans calls a ""spiritual CIA operative"" for Jesus? One way to find out is to ask yourself whether your co-workers, neighbors, or close friends would be surprised to see you step out from the crowd and publicly identify yourself with Jesus. It's a question worth some prayerful thought today.