The passion week: detours to death

On this passion week observance, I am reminded of two truths. First, Jesus fixed His eyes on obedience to His Father and walked to the cross to be my substitute. Second, He asks me to do the same - to fix my eyes on the Father, take up my cross and follow Him in obedience.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the {life} which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

As I think of His last week and of my life, I realize how many detours arise on my way to obedience. What were the detours that could have distracted Christ from the cross road? A review of His passion week gives the list…

Saturday, March 28, 30AD (possible dates)

•    Jesus’ feet anointed by Mary

1.    COMFORT - why go to the cross when I can be loved and pampered by others?

Mark 14:3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining {at the table,} there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; {and} she broke the vial and poured it over His head.

Sunday, March 29

•    Jesus’ Triumphal Entry of Jerusalem

2.    SUCCESS - why take the hard road when I can stay on this road of popularity?

Mark 11:7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others {spread} leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

Monday, March 30

•    Jesus’ curses the fig tree, a symbol of Israel
•    Jesus’ drives merchants from temple (2nd time)

3.    FAILURE - why keep going when it seems I am failing? I’ve tried but these people still don’t get it…

Mark 11:13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went {to see} if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening. 15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;

Tuesday, March 31

•    Jesus’ authority questioned by the chief priests, scribes and elders

4.    CONFRONTATION - why keep fighting this fight when there is so much opposition?

Mark 11:27 They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, 28 and {began} saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?”

Thursday, April 2

•    Jesus ‘counseled’ by Peter at the last supper
•    Jesus experiences physical and emotional torment in Gethsemane garden
•    Jesus is betrayed, arrested and abandoned in the garden

5.    FRIENDSHIP - my friends think I am going down the wrong road

Mark 14:27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’ 28 “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29 But Peter said to Him, “{Even} though all may fall away, yet I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” 31 But {Peter} kept saying insistently, “{Even} if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also.

6.    SUFFERING - this road is too painful

Mark 14:33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34 And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”

7.    REJECTION - this obedience is resulting in my friends abandoning me

Mark 14:43 Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, {who were} from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

I know the outcome of Jesus’ week: He was not detoured from obedience.

I don’t know the outcome of my life: but I would hope it will be one of obedience, of dying to self and living for Christ. And the key to that is fixing my eyes on Jesus:

Hebrews 12 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.