NOW WE WAIT -- HE IS COMING

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: LUKE 21:27-28

At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

NOW WE WAIT -- HE IS COMING

Easter is over and now we wait. Jesus went to be with his father, but he is coming back. So we wait.

Have you ever heard the song, The King is Coming, by Bill Gaither? What a powerful picture this song paints. Jesus is coming! He is returning! This song tells us that:

~~The chariots will rumble and there will be a marching throng.
~~There will be a flurry of trumpets and regal robes will unfold.
~~Heaven's choir will sing Amazing Grace.

Do you know who will be waiting to greet Jesus? This song says:

~~Those whose lives have been redeemed.
~~Those whose homes have been mended.

~~Those who from prison have been freed.
~~Those who were crippled, broken and ruined but are now clad in garments white as snow.

The best lines are in the chorus. They are:

~~I just heard the trumpets sounding and now His face, I see.
~~The King is coming
~~Praise God He's coming for me.

Yes, Easter is over and now we wait.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Can you picture that? Can you imagine what it will feel like to see Jesus coming back? To see his face? To know that He is coming for you?

Did you celebrate Easter? On Monday, did your life go back to the day-to-day routine? Or are you excited and waiting? What are you going to do while you wait? (Jesus does not want you just to sit. He wants you to be busy until He comes.)

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

The King is coming. What glorious words. Jesus, I did celebrate Easter. I celebrated your resurrection. I am now waiting. I will be so excited to hear the trumpets. And your heavenly choir. And to see your face. I am waiting. Dear Jesus, while I wait, guide me. Lead me on your path. Let me be a light for others. Dear Jesus, while I wait, let me …… Amen

LAST MOMENTS FLY BY

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: MARK 14:41

Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

LAST MOMENTS FLY BY

In last week's devotional, the two disciples had prepared the Upper Room for Passover. I imagined their last comment to be, "I have a feeling this is going to be a very important evening with Jesus." They had no idea how important.

It seems life happens in slow motion and then, wham, life spins at lightening speed. It must have been like that for all involved in Jesus' life. I bet they thought they had many years with Jesus. Years to learn. Years to help him spread the good news. They thought they had years, when they only had hours.

Lazarus, Martha and Mary did not know they would never again have Jesus as a guest in their home. Those that followed Jesus, to hear him speak or to be healed, had no idea they would never hear Jesus tell another parable or see Jesus perform another miracle. Mary never realized the pain her heart would shortly feel. They thought they had years, when they only had hours.

The Last Supper. Praying in the garden. The betrayal. The trial. The cross. The grave. The resurrection. Life spinning at lightening speed.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

How would you live your life if you knew you had -- not years -- but hours? What regrets do you think Jesus' friends had? The disciples? Mary?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

Dear Risen Lord, Easter is such a time of emotions. The elation of sharing the Last Supper. A lonely prayer. The chaos of an arrest and trial. The sound of a hammer on nails. The tears shed at the foot of the cross. The confusion of an empty tomb. The joy and triumph of a risen savior. Thank you, God, for sending your Son. Thank you, Jesus, for taking my sins. …… Amen

PREPARING THE UPPER ROOM

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: MARK 14:12-17

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

So he sent two of his disciplines, telling them, "Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.

PREPARING THE UPPER ROOM

I like to use my imagination to fill in the gaps. This scripture says that the two disciples went to prepare the room. They were disciples, but they were men. Normal humans. I know when we set up tables, for a dinner at church, we talk. I think the disciples talked too. This is what I think their conversation would have been:

"This has been one crazy week. Could you believe what happened when Jesus entered town?"

"Yes, Jesus told us to go find a donkey. He told us where to look and what to say if anyone asked what we were doing. And the donkey and its colt were right there. Just like he said."

"I have never seen a crowd put their cloaks on the ground for a donkey to walk on."

"And tree branches."

"Did you hear what they shouted?"

"Hosanna, to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord! Hosanna in the highest."

"Do you think Jesus has been different this week?"

"How?"

"Reflective sometimes and like he knows what is going to happen. Just like finding the donkey, he told us exactly where to find this room for our meal. And have you ever seen him get as mad as he got at the temple?"

"I say! Stuff sure went flying when he overturned the tables."

"He called it 'His Father's House.' "

"Did you see the look on the chief priests face?"

"Yes, and the teachers of the law too. I am afraid they will be after Jesus even more now. We must keep our eyes and ears open."

"Have you seen Judas?"

"No, I don't know where he is."

"Another thing. Jesus has told us so many parables the last few days."

"I have learned so much, but he could have left out the part about paying taxes to Caesar."

"I agree about the taxes. Sure wish I didn't have to pay taxes."

"Did you see Jesus' face when he was telling us 'to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'? He was so serious. I felt like he was speaking just to me."

"I was confused when he talked about the temple being rebuilt in three days. I thought I understood what Jesus was trying to teach us until then."

"Maybe, this evening, we can ask him to explain about the temple being rebuilt."

"What about when the woman poured the expensive perfume on his head? He sure set us straight on that. But why would she have been preparing him for burial now?"

"Is that everything? Are we ready for the Passover meal?"

(Judas comes in)

"Oh, Judas. Where have you been?"

Judas replied, "I. I. I had some business to take care of."

"I think we are ready. Let us go and find Jesus so we can come into this room with him."

"I have a feeling this is going to be a very important evening with Jesus."

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Does this sound like what might have been discussed during the preparing of the Upper Room? A lot happened between Palm Sunday and the Last Supper. Would you have had questions? Would you have wondered what was going to happen? What would you have asked Jesus to explain that night? Would you have understood why he was washing your feet? Giving you the bread? And the cup?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

My Jesus, How you must have felt during that Last Supper. Thinking about all that had happened - Hearing Hosanna. Clearing your Father's house. Trying to open the eyes of the disciples so they would understand. And all the time knowing that the cross was ahead of you. All the time prepared to do your Father's will. Dear Jesus, give me a tenth of that loyalty and dedication to my Father's will. And when I go to the garden to pray, let my Spirit say, "Thy will be done." ………………………………… Amen

HOSANNA: BLESSED IS HE (3- 7-08)

TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:

Jesus, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." Matthew 21:2-3

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Matthew 21:9

HOSANNA: BLESSED IS HE

How would you feel if you looked out and two men were taking your car? Would you yell at them to stop? What would you do if they said, "The Lord hath need of this car." Would you step back and let them take it?

What a day that must have been when Jesus entered Jerusalem. Riding on the back of a humble colt. No grand chariot. No big army walking in front and behind to guard him. Just riding into town. Just a man -- not quite!

I wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus asked them to get a colt for him to ride. After all this time of walking, why would he want to ride now? I wonder what they thought about what happened next.

Jesus was used to crowds. He was used to people listening to him. I wonder how it felt to listen to the crowd as they called, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

Do you think the crowd knew what they were saying or did one person start and the people just got caught up in the moment? What would it have felt like to be in that crowd? To see Jesus? To be so close to Him? To be able to call Him 'blessed' and then see the look in his eyes?

As you prepare for Easter, try to picture Jesus as he prepared for the cross. Picture him being called blessed. Picture him teaching his disciples. Picture him preparing -- preparing to be betrayed. Crucified. Risen.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Would you have allowed the men to take your colt? Would you have laid your cloak on the ground? Would you have been yelling, "Hosanna?" Would you have been weeping at the cross? Would you have been leaping for joy at the empty grave?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

My Dear Jesus, As I prepare for Easter, I feel so many emotions. I want to shout Hosanna. I want to accept the cup and the bread sitting on the communion table. I find it hard to look at the cross. I find it easy to look into the empty tomb. As I prepare for Easter, let me ………………………………… Amen