Is this going to be just another Easter?
Jesus betrayed by Judas and arrested
Jesus condemned by the Religious leaders
Matthew 14:60b-65 Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Barabbas was chosen by the people to be released from prison
Mark 15:15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Jesus was flogged by Roman soldiers and a crown of thorns was placed on his head
Jesus is mocked by the soldiers
John 19:2,3. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
Jesus bears the Cross
Simon the Cyrenian helped Jesus carry the Cross
Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem
Jesus is Crucified
Jesus promises His Kingdom to the good thief
Luke 23:39-43
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.[a]”43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus speaks to His mother and the disciple whom He loved
Jesus dies on the cross. (it is finished)
Luke 23:44-46
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.”[a] When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Jesus chose the way of Grief so we could choose the way of hope.
Romans 5:1
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
We have to choose the way we will go.
Judas’ recognition only led him to choose remorse.
remorse is what we feel when we wish we didn't have to deal with the consequences of our actions. Remorse is me focused
Peter's recognition of his sin led him to repentance and restoration.
Repentance is God focused. It causes us to realize that we have sinned against a Holy God and that we need Gods forgiveness.
Isaiah 53:
MSG
3 He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
4 But the fact is, it was our pains he carried - our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.
5 But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him - our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.
When seeing our sin causes us to choose repentance, we get to embrace the hope that God offers through His son Jesus.
