DAY 7 - COUNTING TO ASCENSION

DAY 6: POST RESURRECTION

BACKTRACKING TO ‘GOOD’ FRIDAY:  LESSON 4

(6 p m ‘Thursday’ to 6 p m Friday)
Jesus’ new command & Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

Reading for today:
John 13:33-35
Matthew 26:33-35
Mark 14:29-31
Luke 22:33-34
John 13:36-38


In yesterday’s recounting of the events surrounding Jesus’ final Passover on earth we reclined at the Passover table with the disciples during the foot-washing – and later witnessed Judas’ leaving to ‘go do quickly what he was about to do.’ We know that by then in their evening it was night – dark night, and by their timeline several hours into Friday. 

As soon as Judas leaves, Jesus tells them, “Now is the Son of Man glorified….” Wow! Things had been irreversibly set in motion….it was truly the beginning of the apparent end. He didn’t wait until he was on the cross to declare that he was glorified – it began now….

This is when He shares one of the most significant expressions of the New Covenant:  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Then he showed them throughout the remaining hours of that 24-hour period just what love demands.

This is not just warm, fuzzy love. This includes the “I don’t want to do this – but I must to be faithful to the call on my life” love. It is not love founded in feeling, but in faithfulness. And it isn’t optional. It is a command. It takes absolute submission to God to live out this kind of love. We can’t do it on our own – but Christ, who lives in us, the one in whom we place our trust, helps us through the power of the Holy Spirit…. Oops. Even that is jumping ahead! The Comforter cannot come until Jesus ascends…. And that is a story for another day….

In our linear sequential storyline, we come to Peter. Another glimpse. Another layer. Peter who walked on water to meet Jesus. Peter who has been Jesus’ sidekick for a significant part of the past 3 years. Peter who determinedly declares his undying devotion, and willingness even to go to prison and to die with Jesus. And all of the others agree, following his lead. And what does Jesus tell him? That before the rooster crows in the morning, Peter will disown Jesus 3 times – not just once but 3 times. I think that must have been really hard to hear – and Peter, with all he was worth, probably determined not to let it come true.

Judas will betray Jesus by intentionally giving Jesus up to the authorities. Peter will betray Jesus by claiming he never knew him. One betrays out of bad motives; one betrays out of fear. One will repent and hang himself; one will repent and become bold in proclaiming the message of the Gospel. Both sinned – but the outcome was vastly different.

When I think of denials I think of the reported 26 people who die as martyrs for their faith every hour. Of churches filled with parishioners bolted shut and burned. Of people rounded up and slaughtered execution style. It’s easy ensconced in my comfy chair at the computer in the relative safety of my home to think I could be noble and stand firmly for my faith if terrorists were to come into my church and say they’d kill all who didn’t deny their faith. Yet I know that kind of resolve can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is portrayed in smaller doses in standing up for truth and justice – when it would be much easier to embrace a philosophical attitude toward sin or rationalize wrong thinking – because standing up for what is right risks severing ties I’d like not to be severed.  We live in the reality of a world that does not have a God-informed worldview. 

It is a daily walk. But this day is going to be a tough one – for Jesus, certainly, but for his disciples as well. It hurts to fail. But how tender that Jesus warns Peter – that He knows human frailty and still demonstrates His love. That he is about to die, with this group of followers as his ‘firstfruits,’ all the while knowing they will run away in fear, and desert him in his hour of deepest need – and He loves them anyway.

One final poem to share:
A LAST GOODBYE
by Lola Cain 1/9/2007

If I’d had time to say goodbye
I’d have held you close and told you
That I’ve loved you every moment
With all of my heart
Through good times and bad
‘Til death do us part
With the love that we promised
Way back at the start.
I’d have affirmed my love is enduring
And that my love for you has grown
To envelop me and help mold who I am….
If I’d had time to say goodbye.

If I’d been able to say goodbye
I’d have held you close
And told you not to cry too long,
But to live life
With the same exuberance
We’ve shared
I’d tell you that you are the love of my life
And that because I love you
I want you to live to love again,
Though not too soon…
I’d say that loving honors love lived
If I’d been able to say goodbye.

If I could have said goodbye
I wouldn’t have wasted time with regrets
But with remembered joys.
I’d have told you how I’ve loved
Waking up before you, lying beside you
Absorbing the sound of your breathing,
Watching you sleep.
I’d tell you how I’ve thrilled
To your slightest touch
Even though I sometimes didn’t affirm it;
I’d have told you now.
If I could have said goodbye.

If I had the chance to say goodbye
I’d ask you to tell the kids
how much I love them.
No matter how many times I said it
It was never enough
To cover the coming hours and days of silence.
And then, before I finally had to go
I’d hold you one last time in my embrace,
Feel the warmth of your body,
Your breath against my neck,
and tell you one more time I love you…
…If I had the chance to say goodbye.


This poem was inspired by the thought of life that ends abruptly with no chance to say goodbye. Life lost by inches is terribly painful, but those who take advantage of that time get to say their last goodbyes. This poem speaks for those who did not get that opportunity.

I was reading poetry by the then-current (2007) poet laureate, Donald Hall, in preparation for leading the discussion on our book group’s author for April. He writes prolifically in “free verse” and his experience of recording the process of the loss of his wife, Jane Kenyon, made me think about those who lose someone suddenly, unexpectedly. I know that even “knowing” the loss is to occur does not prepare us for the reality – when we are blindsided by an emotional onslaught we had no way of anticipating – but it does give us a chance to say some of the things we want to say. This was written at a time when our family was grieving for a loss that soon would be reality (while poignantly aware of friends experiencing similar loss.)

DAY 6 - COUNTING TO ASCENSION

DAY 5:  POST RESURRECTION

BACKTRACKING TO ‘GOOD’ FRIDAY:  LESSON 3

(6 p m ‘Thursday’ to 6 p m Friday)

Specific readings for today:
John 13:18-30
Luke 22:24-30

Timeline for this portion of the evening:
Jesus told them that one of them would betray him and identifies Judas Iscariot as the one – the writers of the Gospels disagree on the timing of when that happened in the dinner
Matthew 26:21–25
Mark 14:18-21
Luke 22:21–22
John 13:18-30 Judas went out – and it was night….

While they were eating Jesus broke bread and said, “Take. Eat. This is my body.”
Matthew 26:26
Mark 14:22
Luke 22:20

Took the cup and instructed them to drink from it, telling them ‘This is my blood of the new covenant.”
Matthew 26:27-29
Mark 14:23-25
Luke 22:17-18 (says it was after the supper)
I Cor 11:23-25

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial – accounts disagree on placement
Matthew 26:31-35
Mark 14:27-31
Luke 22:33-34
John 13:31-38 John has this in the upper room – he was there….

Jesus tells Simon ‘When you have turned back’ strengthen your brothers
Luke has this happening before they go out to the Mt of Olives
Luke 22:31-32

Luke adds a bit about carrying swords….
Luke 22:35-38

Luke adds Jesus’ citing the prophecy that he was to be numbered with the transgressors
Luke 22:37

A dispute arose among them as to whom was considered to be greatest
Luke 22:24-30

After being questioned why I didn’t include some of the most significant events during Jesus journey to the cross – I decided to go back and play catch-up. In that pursuit of trying to figure out the exact timeline I spent several hours going through all of the gospels and linking where and when….

We are still in the upper room in what I am referring to as Lesson 3….but by their accounting of time, it was part of Friday. The 24 hours I am addressing in this part of the ‘post-resurrection reversal to events that preceded it’ is linear from 6 p m – 6 p m…. I’m being redundant in stating that – but someone may pop in to take a look midstream and be totally confused otherwise.

When Judas went out and ‘it was night’ that was true in more than one sense. He had just had his feet washed by the Lord, knew that it was he who was ‘not clean’ with Jesus’ statement during the foot-washing – and yet he stayed, tried to act normal, until at last Jesus identified him specifically as the one who would betray him. Still, not everyone ‘got it.’ They supposed he was ‘going quickly’ to do something for Jesus. They weren’t paying attention. But, then, there was a lot of wine – and a lot of conversation. To them this was just another Passover commemoration. They had no idea, no clue…they hadn’t ingested Jesus’ prophetic warnings. Their ears couldn’t have helped but hear the words – but their hearts hadn’t received the message.

When Judas left that night – he knew what he was about to do. He had already made the arrangements, and now all he had to do was go alert those who would arrest Jesus. Was Judas trying to manipulate Jesus into ‘revealing His true power and showing who He really was?’ We aren’t told. The lesson for me is to pay attention to is the climate of my own heart and attitude. That Judas could walk with Jesus for all that time, and reject him compels me to pay attention. I know that my Redeemer lives. I believe in Him. And now I walk – beyond belief – to follow in His footsteps. His will. His way. His timing. It is a daily challenge.

It is very possible that Judas grew impatient with Jesus and tried to force Him to ‘play his hand’ and become the kind of Messiah the Jewish world awaited. Instead, Jesus was who they needed, not who they wanted. They wanted a vanquishing king who would rid them of the heavy yoke of Roman tyranny – but Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world, and He didn’t come in their preconceived way.

(Thank you, Lord, that so often you give me what I need – not what I think I want. Help me trust you completely for the entire journey….)

The other thing I want to comment on briefly for today is the dispute that Luke reports. Hello!?! They had just had their feet washed by Messiah, God incarnate – and now they are arguing about which one of them is top dog? It is even possible that this conversation occurred during the foot-washing. The message fits. “I am among you as one who serves.” They liked the part about having a kingdom conferred on them – the part about sitting on thrones and judging – but they didn’t understand what that would mean.   Not yet….

In fact, it occurs to me that their conversation fit perfectly with the notion that Judas could have been motivated by good intentions taken into his own hands. Palm Sunday had just occurred. They were still basking in the glow of the proclamation of the Messiah – and they believed him to be the Messiah. They were focused on his kingdom coming in the way they had presupposed it would, so they were thinking about position – and who would be greatest….

Their misconception of reality was about to be challenged…seriously challenged.


Sharing for today:

WHOM?
By Lola Cain

I cannot say that I am truly a poet by set standards.
What do I remember of sonnets and iambic pentameter,
rules of line and meter,
the labor of rhyme and verse.

I can barely say that I write poetry,
but I have attempted such in times past,
spilling words onto a page
…evoking memories still.

And what is this now called poetry
which is snippets of prose –
intentional phrases woven together
to elicit response.

It is, it seems, the heart that is the poet;
the way of seeing the world,
the hand rushing to record
what the eyes of the soul perceive.

Life is poetry
and the one who absorbs it
and writes what is thereby gleaned
is a poet, by whatever means.

Written January 10, 2007

(Inspired by reading the poetry of Donald Hall in 2007, and Ted Kooser in 2006; both have been U S Poet Laureates – both write wonderfully – but neither write what I call poetry….so I played with their method, and this was the result.

It certainly doesn’t satisfy my criteria for ‘poetry’ – but I think there is a place for ‘Snippets of Potpourri’ aka ‘free verse.’)

Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 37

Postscript for April 12  for yesterday's post.   I am repeating it here in case someone already read yesterday's and would miss my addition:

Oh my goodness!  I was just given the insight to understand Jesus' cursing of the fig tree.  I was bewildered because it wasn't even fig season.  This morning the Holy Spirit provided the revelation in response to my query.  (Thank you, Lord!)

Jesus, as Creator, knew the trees – just as he knows us – and he would have known that this particular tree didn’t produce any figs in the prior season.  He cursed the tree for not producing any fruit – and it hadn’t been! 

I am reminded that sometimes there are those who profess to be Christians but who aren’t producing any fruit.

That is the proof for Christian faith.  And if the tree is not producing – or in our case, the vine, then it is pruned…. 

Lord, help me be fruitful!

Wednesday, Day 37: The Final Week 

Countdown – 4 days

Reading for today:
Matthew 26:14-16
Mark 14:10-11
Luke 22:1-6


Jesus very likely went back to Bethany on Tuesday evening, and since the evening is the true beginning of the Jewish day, he was there Wednesday morning.

Wednesday is a quiet day as far as Biblical records show. Jesus may have spent the day quietly with friends in Bethany, may have spent the day alone in quiet contemplation, or ‘more of the same’ – talking to people who came out to Him on the Mount of Olives. We don’t know. What we do know is that the prince of darkness was working overtime in his attempt to destroy the Prince of Peace. Today’s readings make that very apparent.

We’ve known for several days that the Chief Priests and Pharisees were looking for a way to kill Jesus. In the accounts we’ve read they didn’t plan to do it during the Feast of the Passover because there were just too many people in town, and they feared a riot...but all of the events over the recent days were just too much for them. Jesus enraged them by not quelling the worshipping crowds on Sunday when He rode into the city in a way that clearly declared His status as Messiah. Jesus had the audacity to overturn the money-changers’ tables and drive out those who were selling doves. Jesus dared ask the Chief Priests and Pharisees a question instead of answering theirs when they asked by whose authority He did these things. Jesus was going to cause them to lose their political place if they didn’t silence Him. It was all about self-preservation in their view. They didn’t realize they, the religious, were being used as pawns in Satan’s direly destructive devious plan.

They were searching for a way – and Judas, one of his ‘devoted’ followers provided them exactly what they wanted. They must have thought it was “God’s will” when it worked out so ideally for them! Luke tells us: ‘Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.’

This is a Lola ‘bunny trail’ – me trying to understand what Judas’ line of thinking really was. Was he in it for the glory – believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and wanted to ride his coattails to personal aggrandizement and position? Did he recognize Jesus truly was the Messiah and feel Jesus needed a nudge to pull out all the stops and be the militant-victor-type many believed the Messiah would be? Did Satan somehow deceive him into ‘taking things into His own hands’ to help that happen – convincing him that the end justified the means? Did he start out good – and then fail because of too much temptation in being the one who handled the money for the group? Was he just purely self-centered and a tad miffed that Jesus reprimanded him for saying the Oil of Nard Mary poured on Jesus’ head should be sold and given to the poor. Did he think it unfair that he didn’t have that money at his disposal? I don’t know.... We do know he had an unhealthy greed for money.... Perhaps that alone was his Achilles’ heel.  But he was one of the chosen.  He walked with Jesus.  He heard what Jesus taught.  He saw the miracles....  He is of all men to be most pitied.

We know that those who wanted Jesus destroyed were delighted with the arrangement, and that their scheme involved Judas’ giving Jesus to them when no crowds were present so they could do their dastardly deed in secret. Plotting pitiful perpetrators of unparalleled proportion.

Back at the ranch – meaning what was happening with Jesus and his followers – we just don’t know. In Jewish tradition the evening began the day, so they could logically have begun their preparation for the Passover feast ‘last night’ – any time after 6 p m on Tuesday – which to them would have been Wednesday.... I don’t know.

What I do know is that Jesus’ heart was full – and heavy. Full of love for us, and heavy for all that was soon to come....  He couldn’t know exactly what the pain would feel like – but He knew it was going to be horrific. He knew the events and the timing. He knew He would suffer intense agony. All for you. All for me. What amazing love.