Daily Encouragement

Monday, March 25, 2024

This artistic rendering of the Three Crosses and the Empty Tomb was made by a grandchild for her grandmother at Calvary Homes. The grandmother generously shared it with all who enter the facility at the front desk.

"For This Purpose I Came"

Message summary: Thank God that Jesus knew His purpose and fully completed His mission!

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name" (John 12:27,28). “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death" (Acts 2:22,23).

This week is called Holy Week or Passion Week and we especially consider the most intense period in Christ's life on earth, beginning with the Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday) through Easter (Resurrection Sunday).

An astounding 30 of the 89 accumulative chapters in the four gospels cover this period beginning with Christ's Triumphal Entry through His resurrection and post-resurrection appearances. However the majority of this material covers just three days; the day before and the day of His Crucifixion and Resurrection Day.

Jesus knew His purpose was to die for the sins of the people. The all-time inspiring song, "If That Isn't Love" states,

He left the splendor of heaven,

knowing His destiny,

'twas the lowly hill of Golgotha,

there to lay down His life for me

Let's consider the Scripture portions that highlight His human redemptive purpose:

1) In Revelation 13:8 Christ is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”.

2) When Christ left heaven (the incarnation): "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings You were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about Me in the scroll—I have come to do Your will, O God'" (Hebrews 10:5-7).

3) During His childhood (when He was with the teachers of the Law): "Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?" (Luke 2:49).

4) When He began His ministry: "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel'" (Mark 1:14b,15).

5) Throughout His ministry He regularly informed and reinforced to His disciples His stated purpose. However it seems they didn't really grasp it until after He was resurrected. This verse is so informative in this regard: "At first His disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about Him and that they had done these things to Him" (John 12:16).

6) When He approached the end of His earthly ministry Luke records our Lord's resolve to complete His purpose: "As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51).

7) In his first sermon on the day of Pentecost Peter fully understood Christ's purpose: "by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23).

In the daily texts Jesus is teaching at the time of the Triumphal Entry and forthrightly states, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified". His heart is troubled and He asks aloud whether He should appeal to His Father to save Him from the hour. "No", He emphatically states, and with resolute resolve He declares, "But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name".

Thank God that Jesus knew His purpose and fully completed His mission!

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we are among the redeemed because Jesus accepted His mission on earth, did not shrink back from it but wholly completed it. He drank from the bitter cup fully giving His all to provide forgiveness for our sins. We who have sought forgiveness are the redeemed and now have a mission to freely share the life-changing message of salvation with those who so desperately need to hear it. We do so in Jesus' name and through His power. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"If That Isn't Love" Watch on YouTube Carroll Roberson (Dedicated to our friend Carroll)

"Before the Throne of God Above" Watch on YouTube Sovereign Grace Music

Saturday we attended "Daniel" at Sight and Sound Theater here in Lancaster County. It was outstanding (as we have come to expect). Their presentations have a way of making you consider points when the Scripture is silent. Photography of any kind is forbidden during the performance so this is only the conclusion.

1) In an opening scene the program shows Daniel's mother and father tearfully bidding him farewell before he was taken captive and urging him to remain faithful to God no matter what happens. Although this is not recorded in the Scripture I have often considered the influences that Daniel and his three friends had when they were younger that fortified them during their extremely difficult captivity. Certainly they didn't have such faithful resolve in a vacuum.

I consider this in light of a baptism at our church yesterday when Josh Beers, a friend of ours, baptized his daughter Zofia. Video here.

2) In the presentation Daniel and the three Hebrew men have an association all throughout the story. I have often assumed that they were in association only when they were younger but it's interesting to consider that they may have had a life-long association and again the Scripture is silent regarding this.

Daniel at the Sight and Sound Theater. The 2,000 seat theater was sold out three times on Saturday!

Major Events of the Passion Week

The four gospels cover the life of Christ, a period of about 33 years. Most of this material deals with the 3½ year period of His ministry. However an astounding 30 of the 89 accumulative chapters in the gospels deal with the period from Christ's triumphal entry through His resurrection and post-resurrection appearances. Mathematically this means that approximately 33% of the written material in the gospels deals with a mere .05% period of His life! In the providence of God we have a much greater proportion of material dealing with God's greatest act of mercy in providing our redemption.

Here's an interesting chart from a Study Bible that may be helpful as you study the Bible this week. It sure helps me to have a sense of when the events took place and is inspiring to read these Scriptures in the daily sequence leading up to Easter.

Sunday

    Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19

Monday

    Jesus Clears the Temple: Matthew 21:12,13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45,46

Tuesday/Wednesday

    Jesus' authority challenged in the temple: Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8
    Jesus teaches stories and confronts the Jewish leaders: Matthew 21:28-23:36; Mark 12:1-40; Luke 20:9-47
    Greeks ask to see Jesus: John 12:20-26
    The Olivet Discourse: Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-38
    Judas agrees to betray Jesus: Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10,11; Luke 22:3-6

Thursday

    The Last Supper: Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20
    Jesus speaks to the disciples in the upper room: John 13-17
   Jesus struggles in Garden of Gethsemane: Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1
    Jesus is betrayed and arrested: Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12

Friday

    Jesus is tried by Jewish and Roman authorities and disowned by Peter: Matthew 26:57-27:2, 11-31; Mark 14:53-15:20; Luke 22:54-23:25; John 18:13-19:16
    Jesus is crucified and buried: Matthew 27:31-56; Mark 15:20-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:17-30

Sunday

    The glorious resurrection: Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18

(This material is developed from an outline in the Life Application Bible)

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