Holy Week: Day by Day
Holy Week Devotions: A day by day walk through the scriptures to see the events and teachings of Jesus the week He went to the cross
I am so glad you took the time to open this devotional! The intention behind it is so that we can take a journey together this week and have a deeper understanding of the events and teaching of Jesus during His last week of ministry before the cross. We will use Each Gospel to help us gain a holistic picture of the journey to the cross and the final teachings from Jesus during Holy Week! So, get out your Bibles and let’s dive in on day one!
Hopefully each of you celebrated with us, or your own church family, the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem today in your church services. You can find each Gospel’s rendition here: Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:12–19. Take some time tonight to read each to see the nuances each writer has for us in the scripture.
This afternoon, I want to focus on an insight that Luke gives us in the gospel in Luke 19:41 to help us focus our prayer time. Now remember, Jesus has saddled a donkey and rode it into Jerusalem, the crowds cried hosanna, and the whole city was stirred! Let’s check out the next scene.
Luke 19: 41 (NLT) But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”
This is a scene we don’t often hear about, where Jesus begins to weep over the city because He knows there is destruction heading its way. What does history tell us about Jesus’ words here?
In 66 A.D., the Jews rebelled against Rome and the Roman response was to send a general named Titus to lead a brutal siege upon Jerusalem. By 70 A.D., the city was surrounded by barricades (v. 43), the population was starving, and the Romans broke the walls down and sacked the city, burning the temple to the ground. The story goes that when they burned the temple the fires were so hot that it melted all the gold. That gold dripped through and covered the foundational stones, and to gather the gold, the Romans literally had to overturn every stone of the temple (v.44). This is just another reminder that Jesus is unequivocally God, and history has proven this true time after time.
What can we learn here? Well, this happened because they were not aware, they were indifferent, and they were in opposition to when God showed up and this brought ruin on the Jewish nation. There is a powerful lesson for us. When God shows up, let’s notice, worship Him, and be on His side!
Today, as we enter a week of honoring the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that culminates next Sunday as we celebrate the greatest victory in all creation, let’s put Jesus in His rightful place in our lives. Let’s focus our attention on the work of God in our lives and in His creation so that we do not miss what He is trying to do in us and through us! I do not want to miss God moments in my life, and I don’t want that for you either! So, as we begin this week, let us focus our hearts and minds in prayers of thanksgiving for the sacrifice of Christ and praise for His victory and look for God moments to be active in!