“I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”
John 14: 6
12 “Look, I AM coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22: 12-13
Pastors Noreen & Henry Kevern
Palm Sunday, The Passion
So they took branches of Palm trees and went out to meet Him shouting, “Praise God! God bless Him Who comes in the Name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!” Jesus found a donkey and rode on it just as the Scriptures says, “Do not be afraid, city of Zion! Here comes your King riding on a young donkey.” John 12:13-15
Today, Palm Sunday and this upcoming Week with the Lord’s Supper in which Jesus celebrates His last meal with His disciples, His crucifixion and burial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Good Friday and becoming complete with His resurrection on Sunday is the whole reason that Jesus came to earth. Prophesies are fulfilled, all our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus, He allows Himself to be beaten, scourged, nailed to a cross, He chooses death on a cross, so we can be saved and repent of our sins, changes our lives and when we die, to go home to heaven.
Being a Christian is believing in Jesus as the way, the truth and the life. This is what we give thanks for. This is what we believe.
This next week we need to take some time to reflect on all that God has done for us. Read the different accounts of this week in the Bible. They are: Matthew 21:1-11, 26:1-75, 27:1-66, 28:1-15, Mark 11:1-11, 14:1-72, 15:1-47, 16:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, 22:1-71, 23:1-56, 24:1-12, John 12:12-50, 13:1-38, 18:1-40, 19:1-42, 20:1-22. Each author of these Gospels gives us insight into this week. The gaps between the accounts are the final teachings that Jesus gave. Taking some time to read those ‘between’ chapters will also help you to become more in tune to what is Jesus’ Way.
On Good Friday light a candle and join with others around the world for a Good Friday service in honor of the Lord. You can go to a church, or in your home and watch the Via Dolorosa, The Way Of Suffering (http://www.andiesisle.com/thewayofsuffering_hs.html {You may have to add on Adobe to view this site. Just follow what the page says). You can do is to watch the movie, The Passion of the Christ or any of the wonderful movies about our Lord.
One of the glorious gifts that Jesus gives us (besides the greatest: His death and resurrection) is the Lord’s Supper.
While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples. “Take it,” He said, “this is My body.”
Then He took a cup, gave thanks to God, handed it to them; and they all drank from it. Jesus said, “This is My blood which is poured out for many, My blood which seals God’s covenant. I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink new wine in the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-26)
We celebrate this Supper during our communion service at our churches. By eating His body and drinking His blood we relive in our lives these times and it brings us to a spiritual oneness with Jesus and fills us with His grace. It is our way of following the command of Jesus, “Do this in memory of Me.” (Luke 22:19b) We remember the Lord’s Supper, His death and resurrection. Our weekly time with God is a time for renewal of our faith in God. Faith is belief in God without what some would call “proof.” Those of us who have faith have all the “proof” we need to believe because it is given to us through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
This week is a good time to renew our lives in the Way of the Lord. Those chapters in the gaps above are lessons to “Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things that will happen and to stand before the Son of God. (Luke 21:36) To remember that “No one knows, however, when that day or hour will come – neither the angels in Heaven nor the Son; only the Father knows. Be on watch, be alert, for you do not know when the time will come.” (Mark 13:32,33) For when judgment day comes we must be ready. We must answer to God, to answer if we have followed the Way of the Lord: we feed the hungry, clothe strangers, we preach and live the Good News. For when we love God with all our being and we love each other as God loves us, we are following the way that Christ has set before us. Are you ready?
