Tag: Christianity

For Us

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Quotes

Was he flogged? 
It was done so that “by his wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:5). 

Was he condemned though innocent? 
It was done so that we might be acquitted, though guilty. 

Did he wear a crown of thorns? 
It was done so that we might wear the crown of glory. 

Was he stripped of his clothes? 
It was done so that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness.

Was he mocked and reviled? 
It was done so that we might be honored and blessed.

Was he reckoned a criminal, and counted among those who have done wrong?
It was done so that we might be reckoned innocent, and declared free from all sin.

Was he declared unable to save himself?
It was so that he might be able to save others to the uttermost.

Did he die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful death?
It was done so that we might live forevermore, and be exalted to the highest glory.

– J. C. Ryle

Without A Murmur

On By BrianIn Virtue Miscellaneous

J. C. Ryle writes regarding the cross:

Let us meditate frequently on these things: let us often read over the story of Christ’s cross and passion.  Let us remember, not least, that all these horrible sufferings were borne without a murmur; no word of impatience crossed our Lord’s lips.  In his death, no less than in his life, he was perfect.  To the very last, Satan had no hold on him…

These words challenge me.  As he stood in turn before the chief priests, Herod, and Pilate, he endured a mockery of justice without a murmur.  He endured the lashings without a murmur.  He endured the mockery with a murmur.  He endured the beatings without a murmur.  He endured the spitting without a murmur.  He endured the crown of thorns without a murmur.  He endured the nails piercing his body without a murmur.  He endured hanging on that cross without a murmur.  He endured the wrath of God for my sin without a murmur.  Without a murmur.

And yet these words also convict me.  They point to my own sinfulness.  He endured horrible suffering without a murmur, yet I can easily murmur at the smallest things.  A slow driver in front of me, an interruption while I’m trying to focus on a task, and many other small things in life can cause me to murmur.  In his perfect example I am confronted afresh with my own sin.  I simply don’t measure up.  And yet that is why he endured the suffering without a murmur.  So my sins could be laid on him.  So his perfection might be attributed to me.

As I ponder his sufferings for me, it moves me to change.  I want to be more like Jesus.  I want to face the trials of life without a murmur.  On my own, I simply can’t.  But with his help in the power of the Spirit, I can press forward, I can grow more like him, I can begin to face life without a murmur. 

Father, help me to face today’s trials without a murmur, as I remember Jesus who endured for me so much more – without a murmur.  Amen.

Questions for Easter Gatherings

On By BrianIn Holidays

How can we direct our conversations this Easter time toward Jesus and what he did for us?  Whether you are talking to a co-worker, classmate, neighbor, friend, or family member, how can you lead your discussions toward the cross and empty tomb?  Donald Whitney suggests several questions to guide our conversations toward Jesus:

What was your favorite Easter tradition as a child?

Why do you think people celebrate the resurrection of Jesus?

What makes this day different from all others?

See all 10 questions on his website.

His Love For You

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Quotes

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
– Matthew 26:39

What is this cup?  It is clearly a reference to the wrath of God for your sins and mine….

That’s why there’s shuddering terror and deep distress for him at this moment.  In the crucible of human weakness he’s brought face to face with the abhorrent reality of bearing our iniquity and becoming the object of God’s full and furious wrath….

This is what bearing our sins means to him – utter distress of soul as he confronts total abandonment and absolute wrath from his Father on the cross, a distress and an abandonment and a rejection we cannot begin to grasp. 

In this, our Savior’s darkest hour…do you recognize his love for you?

– C. J. Mahaney

Easter Timeline and Geography

On By BrianIn Holidays

In what order did the events of Passion Week occur, and where?  Here are some interesting attempts to visualize the answers to those questions.  

First, Bible Gateway has created a Holy Week Timeline.  You can get a glimpse of it below.  For more information and to see details, visit here. 

Meanwhile Crossway has put together a google map with possible locations of the various events of Jesus’ last week.  You can see a glimpse below.  See here to access the actual map and descriptions of each location.

Thanks to Justin Taylor for noting these visual resources on his blog.  Of course there is disagreement on the order and exact location of some events, but these still give us helpful visuals of when and where these events may have occured.  For a more detailed discussion of the order of events for Good Friday and Easter, I recommend John Wenham’s excellent book Easter Enigma.

More Reason To Praise

On By BrianIn Church Life

On Sunday we reviewed the story in Mark 11:7-10 of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  The people had lined the way into Jerusalem with palm branches and their own cloaks.  They were shouting and singing and celebrating.  There was excitement in the air.  They saw in Jesus the long awaited king who would save them from Roman oppression. 

But we know something they didn’t.  In less than a week, Jesus would die on a cross, because he came not to save them from the tyranny of Rome, but from the tyranny of sin.  He came to save us by becoming our sacrifice for sins so we could be forgiven and reconciled to God.  He came to rise again so we too could be raised from the dead someday.  He rose to reign not merely as the king of Israel, but as the king of the whole world, for he is not only in the line of David but also God in the flesh. 

If Israel had reason to gather to shout and sing and celebrate Jesus, how much more reason do we have to gather to shout and sing and celebrate Jesus? 

But is that why we gather on Sundays?  Do we gather to praise the Lord?  Do we come ready to shout and sing and celebrate?  Really?  Is it in our minds?  Is it on our hearts?  The Israelites had been anticipating that day for years.  Do we anticipate during the week that time when we can gather with God’s people to praise him together?  Can we hardly wait?  Are we excited to come together to praise our great King and Savior? 

We have more reason to praise Jesus than the Israelites did.  Let’s act like it as we gather this Sunday to praise our risen Savior and King. 

And yet we need not wait until Sunday.  Let’s get warmed up during the week.  As we reflect on the cross this week, let’s shout and sing and celebrate in our personal times with the Lord.  Let’s praise the Lord in our own homes as families.  We have more reason to praise Jesus this week.  Let’s live like it!

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Hi all!  A few good reads for the weekend:

First, what do you do when you are struggling with your faith, or trials seem to be shredding your faith?  How do you get your faith back?  How do you press forward in your faith?   Mark Altrogge has some wise words to guide us.

Second, let’s think about worship.  Better yet, let’s prepare for gathering to worship with our church family tomorrow.  Bob Kauflin gives us three good reasons to sing in church.  And Mark Altrogge reminds us that the words matter.

Third, as we prepare for Passion Week, Ray Ortlund gives us a helpful quote from John Stott on one way the cross changes us.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day building your faith, worshipping the Lord, and reflecting on your Savior!

Passion Week With Children

On By BrianIn Family Collection, Holidays

Easter bunnies, easter eggs, easter baskets, candy, gifts, and so much more.  Nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves.  But they can be a distraction from the true meaning of Easter.  In the midst of all these things, how can we help our children focus on what Easter is really all about?  Thriving Family magazine offers daily crafts and activities to do together as a family during Passion Week to help your family focus on Christ.  Check it out here.

Hosannah To Christ

On By BrianIn Hymns1 Comment

I have a book with a couple hundred hymns by Isaac Watts, and I found this one that goes along with Palm Sunday.  We are planning to sing it this Sunday using the familiar tune to O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing (both hymns share the same meter and the music fits well).  Read the words and notice their theological depth in reference to the person of Christ that leads to the call to praise him.

Hosannah To Christ
Isaac Watts

Hosannah to the royal Son
Of David’s ancient line!
His natures two, his person one,
Mysterious and divine.

The root of David here, we find,
And offspring is the same:
Eternity and time are join’d
In our Immanuel’s name

Bless’d he that comes to wretched men
With peaceful news from heav’n!
Hosannahs of the highest strain
To Christ the Lord be giv’n!

Let mortals ne’er refuse to take
The hosannah on their tongues,
Lest rocks and stones should rise and break
Their silence into songs.

Passion Week Reflections

On By BrianIn Holidays

Passion Week is quickly approaching.  A couple years ago I wrote some daily reflections to help me retrace the steps of Jesus from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday.  You can make use of them by clicking on the appropriate links below:

Palm Sunday: Praise – Rejoice in the Messiah

Monday: Preaching – Give All To Him

Tuesday: Predictions – Take Up Your Cross

Wednesday: Prophecy – Be Alert

Thursday: Passover – The New Covenant
Perfect Servant – Follow His Example
Prayer – God’s Will, Not Mine

Good Friday: Plot – The Plans of God and Men
Pardon – In My Place
Passion – Remember the Cross

Saturday: Pain of Loss and Failure – Struggling Without Hope