THE SEASON OF SACRIFICE

I find myself this season thinking of . . .

the renewal and revival this season brings to my heart every year.

Someone shared the idea that some scholars think the last week of Jesus life actually was about 6 months long –

I’ve had weeks that seemed 6 months long –  It was a hard week for Jesus --   I’ve found myself lying awake for several hours wrestling with things this week --- I have to admit they weren’t all spiritual issues.

Can you imagine what Jesus nights must have been like his last week???  We have his recorded prayers in the Garden – but this Son of Man /  Son of God knew what was ahead --

In Jesus last week he cursed the fig tree –

Ø All this -- with his mind’s eye on Jerusalem – He knew what lay  ahead --

Ø Sunday the crowd was with him on the road– wanting Jesus as their King – but he knew the Garden and Golgotha were coming

Ø Jesus continued to prepare his closest disciples for what was to come –

They saw him raise the dead – He said he was the resurrection and the life was it only for everyone else? 

THE EMPTY TOMB CHANGES IT ALL --- We;ve been to Gordon's Tomb - 

LUKE 24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 

And the women brought spices . . . to prepare his body --- they were working out of plan B now. . . women have a way of picking up and changing plans when necessary --

Their disappointment had to have been palpable – so heavy – they’d given up 3 years – they’d heard him teach about life and death and the Kingdom of Heaven – where did it all fit?  They had so many plans

We’ve all had times when in our minds we created the Divine OUTCOME to one of our issues and GOD didn’t work our plan like we had written it.

Their pain turned to panic and then to tremendous JOY!!!  That empty tomb cemented every word Jesus had ever spoken

Resurrection power bursting forth in ALL HIS GLORY!!!!

Sleepy  disciples in the garden became self-sacrificing spokesmen for the Risen Lord

This day changed their whole perspective – and it was during the following days of AWE after our Lord arose that these men “got it”  -- they had their marching orders now – They had lived with and loved their Lord first-hand and now they knew what KINGDOM business really was!