Today Jesus has two important salvific conversations with two very different types of people, showing that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. However, we are not equal to the Lord, as John the Baptist explains to his disciples.

First we meet Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews. Nicodemus sneaks away at night to seek answers from Jesus because he knows that Jesus is a Teacher from God. Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again to see the kingdom of God. This statement confuses Nicodemus, so Jesus explains that a person has to become a new creation through the belief in Him as Savior and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says that in order for this salvation to be available, He must be lifted up on the cross like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness; for whoever looked to the serpent in faith was saved, (Numbers 21:9) just as whoever looks to Jesus Christ as their Savior shall be saved – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Jesus’ words cut to the heart of Nicodemus, and this is not the last we will hear from him. Nicodemus will defend Jesus against accusations from the Pharisees (John 7:50-51) and we will see his presence at Jesus’ burial (John 19:39).

“Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!’”

John’s disciples are concerned because the crowds are now starting to follow Jesus. John the Baptist explains that the whole point of his ministry is to point people to Jesus, the Son of God, and not to himself, a mere man who is also in need of a Savior – “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth… The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Then Jesus has another important salvific discussion with a Samaritan woman. Their exchange is the longest recorded conversation in the entire New Testament. Remember that the Samaritans date back to when Northern Israel was invaded by the Assyrians. The Jews that intermarried with the Assyrians became known as the Samaritans, and they are greatly despised by the Jews who refer to them as half breeds. Any respectable Jew would have nothing to do with a Samaritan. However, Jesus is not influenced by any man-made barriers or prejudices. Jesus sees all people as His Father sees all people — broken and in desperate need of a Savior. 

So Jesus, weary from His journey, sits at Jacob’s well in Samaria when a shameful woman comes to the well in the middle of a hot day (unlike the time the other ladies would get water). The woman is surprised that Jesus, being a Jewish male, would speak to a “disgusting” Samaritan woman. She is even more surprised that Jesus knows she has been married five times and is currently living with a man out of wedlock.

Jesus tells her about the living water that He offers which is different from the water at the well. The water that Jesus offers will result in everlasting life. The Samaritan woman says she knows the Messiah is coming, and Jesus responds, “I who speak to you am He.” So she drops her water pot and runs to town saying, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 

In the meantime, the disciples return to Jesus with some food, but Jesus explains that His food is to do the will of His Father. He tells His disciples to lift their eyes and look at the people coming toward them because of the testimony of one lady – “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” 

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.” Then the Samaritans urge Jesus to stay with them so He stays for two days, and many more believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world when they personally encounter Him.

We end the reading on a sad note — John the Baptist is thrown into prison for rebuking Herod for marrying his brother’s wife. 

Tomorrow Jesus’ ministry goes into full swing. Keep reading. (John 3:1-4:45, Luke 3:19-20)

The Spirit takes Jesus into the wilderness for forty days and nights. Here Satan shows his mode of operation as he tempts Jesus in three ways:

1. Lust of the flesh – Satan tells hungry Jesus to turn the stones to bread. 
2. Pride of life – Satan takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tells Him to jump off because surely angels would catch the Son of God. 
3. Lust of the eye – Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and says all He sees can be His if Jesus will worship Satan.

Unlike Adam, Jesus does not give into these temptations. Jesus’ success is based on His appropriating the word of God with each temptation. “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”

When John the Baptist sees Jesus he says, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me. I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’ And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’”

Then Jesus connects with His first disciples who are two disciples of John the Baptist, one of whom is Andrew, and the other is most likely John. Andrew finds his brother Simon and tells him they found the Messiah. And the next day Jesus finds Phillip and tells him to follow Him. 

“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’ Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’ Nathanael answered and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.’ And He said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’”

A couple of days later, Jesus and some of his disciples attend a wedding where the wine runs out. At the request of His mother, Jesus performs His first miracle by turning water to wine and saving the wedding party. “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

We end the reading with Jesus visiting the temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish Passover, where He found people using the temple for their trade. Jesus, showing zeal for His Father’s house, drives them out and says, “Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” The Jews ask Jesus for a sign and He says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The people are confused because they don’t understand that He is speaking of the temple of His body and not the temple building which took forty-six years to build. Soon Jesus will be crucified and rise from the dead three days later. Afterwards, His disciples, remembering these words, will believe the Scripture and what Jesus had said (Luke 24:7-9). Tomorrow we meet Nicodemus and a Samaritan woman. Keep reading.(Mark 1:12-13, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-15, John 1:19-2:25)

Today the wise men come to see the Savior saying, “For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2, Numbers 24:17). And when they arrive at the home, they worship the young Child and give Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, showing that the Lord always goes ahead of us providing for our needs. These gifts will help sustain the family on the journey they will soon take to Egypt.

Now when the ruthless and corrupt King Herod hears of the birth of the Messiah, he feels threatened and plots to kill the Child by ordering that all young males born in Bethlehem and in all its districts be put to death. An angel warns Joseph and tells him to flee to Egypt with his family where they remain until Herod dies (Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:1). Then Joseph moves his family to Nazareth, a city in the region of Galilee.

When Jesus is twelve years old and his family is in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, Jesus goes to the temple “And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” Once His parents find Him in the temple, Jesus explains that He is right where He needs to be because He “must be about My Father’s business.” Jesus knows He is sent for a purpose, to save the people from their sins and restore them to His Father, and John the Baptist will prepare the people to receive Him as their Savior.

As prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3), John the Baptist grows up and begins preaching a baptism of repentance in the wilderness of Judea. “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, ‘There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’”

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

Tomorrow Jesus is tempted in the wilderness and we meet the first disciples, so keep reading. (Matthew 2:1-23, Luke 2:41-52, Mark 1:2-8, Matthew 3:1-12, Luke 3:1-18, Mark 1:9-11, Matthew 3:13-17, Luke 3:21-22)

When Elizabeth hears the greeting of Mary, John the Baptist leaps with joy in her womb and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth celebrates Mary’s faith and the Savior she bears. Mary then sings a beautiful song of praise, much like Hannah’s prayer of praise she said over 1,000 years ago when the Lord gave her Samuel. Then after about three months with Elizabeth, Mary returns home to Nazareth in Galilee.

When John the Baptist is born, his dad Zacharias writes down that his name will be John and immediately he can speak again. Zacharias says, “‘And you child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins. Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”

Jesus is born approximately six months after the birth of John the Baptist. However, when Joseph, who is betrothed to Mary, finds out that Mary is pregnant, he wants to put her away quietly because according to the Law of Moses, Mary could have been stoned to death for being an “adulteress” (Leviticus 20:10). But Joseph, being a just man, desires to protect Mary even during her apparent unfaithfulness. So the Lord sends an angel to Joseph in a dream and explains to him that Mary’s Son is from God. The angel says they shall call Him Jesus, “For He will save His people from their sins.”

We see God is at work behind the scenes accomplishing His plans as a decree goes out from Caesar Augustus calling for the world to be registered, forcing Joseph and Mary to travel to Joseph’s hometown of Bethlehem where Jesus is born as prophesied by Micah (Micah 5:2). “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

After His birth, an angel of the Lord appears to shepherds living out in the fields and tells them of the birth of Jesus – “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” In haste the shepherds come and find Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the manger. Then they make widely known the birth of Christ, and they return praising the Lord for all they have seen and heard.

In accordance with the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12), Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day – “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” And after the days of Mary’s purification, Jesus is brought to Jerusalem to be presented before the Lord. 

“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’”

Simeon says to Mary, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Simeon knows that Jesus was born to save the world. However, the gift of salvation will come at a high cost. Mary will have to watch her own innocent, perfect Son be crucified.

Anna, a widowed prophetess at the temple, gives thanks to the Lord and speaks of Jesus “to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem”. Then after Mary and Joseph perform all things according to the law of the Lord, they return to Nazareth. “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” 

Tomorrow the wise men visit Jesus and John the Baptist begins his ministry. Keep reading. (Luke 1:39-80, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-40)

The Gospel Era comprises four books written about the life of Jesus Christ by four authors to four audiences:

1. Matthew – He was a former tax collector and one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. His message is primarily directed to the Jews.
2. Mark – He was a close companion of the apostle Peter and cousin of Barnabas, the famous missionary who traveled with Paul. His audience was the non-Jewish Roman Empire.
3. Luke – He was Greek and the only Gentile writer in the Bible. Luke was a trained physician who traveled with Paul on his second missionary campaign. He wrote to the Gentiles.
4. John – He was a former fisherman and one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He wrote about Jesus Christ to the world.

Before we read the genealogies of Jesus, which show that He is a descendant of King David, a descendant of Judah, and a descendant of Abraham as promised by the Lord, John tells us that Jesus has existed since the beginning – “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

John is letting the reader know that Jesus is the promised Savior from Genesis 3:15 who has been written about throughout the Scriptures. John also reveals that Jesus is the third member of the trinity. Jesus existed before the beginning of creation, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, who was hovering over the waters at the creation (Genesis 1:2).

John says that John the Baptist will come to bear witness of the Light, Jesus Christ, who will very soon arrive on the scene as God in the flesh. John the Baptist’s ministry will point people to Jesus Christ so that they may believe in Him as Lord and Savior and be saved by grace through faith in the Son of God.

“Four hundred years after the last Old Testament book was written, the story of the New Testament begins to unfold, around 6 BC.” (OYCB) The silence is broken when an angel of the Lord appears to the priest Zacharias and tells him that he and his barren wife, Elizabeth, both of whom are well advanced in years, are going to have a son and they shall call him John. John will grow to be John the Baptist, and he will live as a Nazarite (Numbers 6). “He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, an angel appears to Elizabeth’s cousin, the young virgin Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, with a message – “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary questions how this is possible since she is a virgin. The angel explains, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” So Mary responds, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” 

Tomorrow Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. Keep reading. (Mark 1:1, Luke 1:1-4, John 1:1-18, Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38, Luke 1:5-38)

The same day as Jesus’ resurrection, two men are walking to a village called Emmaus when Jesus appears to them and asks them why they are sad. The men’s eyes are restrained, so they don’t recognize Jesus. Therefore, they tell Jesus all that has happened the last couple of days regarding His crucifixion and the report of His resurrection by the women.

“Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” So we see how Jesus gives hope to the hopeless! He reveals who He is and what he came to do by sharing His story, the story of the Bible!  

Later the men say, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” This is what happens when people hear the story of Jesus, who came on a rescue mission to save the hopeless; hearts are set on fire. So the men, with burning hearts, go and tell the other disciples, who were hiding in fear of the Jews, that Jesus is alive. While they are sharing the Good News, Jesus appears and says, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

Since doubting Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared, he says he will not believe unless he sees and touches Jesus’ wounds for himself. Eight days later, Jesus gives Thomas what he thinks he needs in order to believe. Then Jesus says, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus is saying, blessed are the ones who hear an eye witness of the risen Christ and believe. That is why John writes, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Jesus appears again to a few disciples that have been unsuccessfully fishing all night. Jesus tells them to cast the net again, and when they do the net becomes so full of fish that they can’t even drag it into their boat. Then John recognizes it is Jesus and says, “It is the Lord!” When Peter realizes it is Jesus, he jumps out of the boat and swims to shore to be reunited with his friend and his Savior whom he previously denied three times. However, Jesus still loves Peter despite any past or future failures. So Jesus restores Peter and commissions him to care for His people. Then Jesus tells Peter what it is going to cost to love Him and care for His people – “‘Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.’ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’”

Peter will never again deny Jesus as Lord and Savior. He will spend the rest of His life sharing the story of Jesus with the world, even until they crucify him upside down since Peter will deem himself unworthy of dying the same death as Jesus Christ. 

But you gotta love Peter. Because after the news of his certain persecution, Peter responds regarding John, “But Lord, what about this man?”

Jesus tells Peter not to worry about John and the plans He has for him. Jesus has specific plans for John, like He has specific plans for Peter, and like He has specific plans for all those who follow Him. Paul will later explain this in a letter the Ephesians – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

However, there is one thing all Christ followers are called to do, and that is to make disciples. Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

Then He instructs His disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive the “Promise of My Father upon you”, which is the Holy Spirit. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the disciples will be emboldened to go and make disciples of all the nations, fulfilling the commandment given by Jesus.

Tomorrow, the Gospel Era ends, leading us into the Church and Missions Eras. Keep reading.

(Luke 24:13-43, Mark 16:12-13, John 20:19-23, Mark 16:14, John 20:24-21:25, Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:44-49)

#bibleliteracymovement #chronologicalbibleteaching

That evening, the day before the Sabbath, a prominent man named Joseph asks Pilate for Jesus’ body. Joseph and Nicodemus (the Pharisee who visited Jesus at night (John 3:1-22)) prepare Jesus’ body for burial and place Him in an empty tomb. “And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.” The chief priests and Pharisees place guards out front of the tomb to secure the stone at the entrance of the tomb and to stand watch so no one will steal Jesus’ body and claim that He has risen.

“Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.” There they find the stone rolled away, the guards frozen like dead men, and the tomb empty. Then an angel asks the women, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”

“And they remembered His words. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest… And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.” But Peter and John race to the tomb (with John winning the race, as he makes sure to note) and all they find are linen cloths and the handkerchief that was on Jesus’ head folded together in a place by itself. Then they believe and return home.

Mary stays outside the tomb weeping and Jesus appears to her, calling her by name and says, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” So Mary, commissioned by Jesus to deliver the news of His resurrection to the disciples, goes and tells them that she has seen the resurrected Christ and all the words He had spoken.

Meanwhile, the chief priests pay some soldiers to lie and say that His disciples took Jesus’ body during the night. “So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”

Tomorrow Jesus appears to the disciples. Keep reading.

(Mark 15:42-47, Matthew 27:57-61, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42, Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-7, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:9-11, John 20:1-18, Matthew 28:8-15)

#bibleliteracymovement #chronologicalbibleteaching

Jesus, being so badly wounded during the scourging, is unable to carry the cross for His crucifixion. So the Roman officers grab a man named Simon from Cyrene in North Africa who is visiting Jerusalem for the Passover, and force him to pick up Jesus’ cross and carry it as the crowds watch. Jesus tells the women weeping not to weep for Him but for themselves, knowing the fate that was to come upon Jerusalem and ultimately all who reject Him. When they arrive at Golgotha, they hang Jesus on the cross between two thieves and place a sign over His head that says, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

The officers divide His garments and cast lots for them, fulfilling Scripture (Psalm 22:18). And while Jesus is hanging on the cross, insults after insults are hurled at Him, but Jesus responds, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

One of the thieves being crucified taunts Jesus by saying, “‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” And just like that one of the criminals receives eternal salvation by grace through faith just moments before his death. 

Before Jesus dies He ensures that His mother, probably widowed, will be cared for by His beloved disciple, John. “And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” As the elder son, Jesus entrusts his mother to John because His brothers were not believers at this time nor were they present at His crucifixion.

”Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!’ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”

”Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this Man was the Son of God!’” The Lord tearing the veil of the temple signifies that man now has direct access to the throne of God through the works of Jesus Christ as the final sacrificial Lamb. Jesus bore the full weight of our sins on that cross, providing a way for man to be restored into a right relationship with His Father, where we are deemed righteous based on faith in His Son. 

”And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

“Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken’ (Psalm 34:20, Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12). And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced’” (Zechariah 12:10, Revelation 1:7).

Tomorrow, Jesus rises from the dead. Keep reading.

(Mark 15:21-24, Matthew 27:32-34, Luke 23:26-31, John 19:17-18, Mark 15:25-32, Matthew 27:35-44, Luke 23:32-43, John 19:19-27, Mark 15:33-41, Matthew 27:45-56, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37)

#bibleliteracymovement #chronologicalbibleteaching

While Jesus is standing before Pilate, His fourth trial, He is accused of many things such as perverting the nation, forbidding to pay taxes, and saying that He is Christ, a King; however, Jesus remains silent except to confirm that He is King of the Jews. “So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, ‘I find no fault in this Man.’ But they were the more fierce, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.’”

“When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.” Jesus, standing on trial for a fifth time in front of Herod, does not respond to the many false accusations that are hurled at Him. “Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.” 

Now Jesus is on trial for a sixth and final time. “Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.” These hypocritical Jews have no problem lying, scheming, rejecting the Messiah, and plotting the murder of an innocent Man; however, they don’t want to defile themselves by entering the headquarters of Pilate.

Pilate tells the Jews to judge Jesus according to their law, but the Jews respond, “‘It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,’ that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.” Jesus has already said that He was going to be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14). 

So Pilate questions Jesus again by asking if He is the King of the Jews. Jesus responds, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here… You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

After talking with Jesus, Pilate goes out to the Jews and says he finds no fault in Jesus, neither did Herod. “‘But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ Then they all cried again, saying, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber… Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.” So the crowds are demanding the release of a guilty criminal in place of the innocent Christ.

“Pilate answered them, saying, ‘Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.”

“While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.’ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ Then the governor said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!’”

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.”

”Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.”

Tomorrow Jesus, the final sacrificial Lamb, is led to the slaughter, to His crucifixion. But the story doesn’t end there, so keep reading.

(Mark 15:2-5, Matthew 27:11-14, Luke 23:1-12, John 18:28-40, Mark 15:6-15, Matthew 27:15-26, Luke 23:13-25, John 19:1-16, Mark 15:16-20, Matthew 27:27-31, Luke 22:63-65)

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