“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.  He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the gentiles will hope.”

 

This week is one of the most important dates in the Christian calendar, Holy Week.  On Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday which commemorates Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the time of the annual Passover celebration.  Jerusalem was crowded with people who had made the pilgrimage to attend the Passover celebration.  In the lead up to Palm Sunday, Jesus knew his ministry and mission was almost complete; He had warned His disciples that he would soon be put to death and that after three days He would rise again.

As He rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, crowds of people laid down their cloaks on the ground in front of him.  Only a king could be greeted in this way – 2 Kings 9:13 and they desperately wanted Jesus to be their king.  Some picked palm branches and waved them, a sign of victory, shouting “Hosanna (‘save now’), blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”.  But many did not understand what type of king Jesus would be.  They expected a king riding on a stallion, a political and military leader who would deliver them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire.  They hailed Him as king, the Messiah (anointed one) who they believed was coming to destroy Rome.  They were euphoric but did not understand what type of king Jesus would be – a humble, Servant-King whose kingdom was spiritual and incomparable to any earthly kingdom.  His mission was so magnificent it was difficult to comprehend the magnitude of which would benefit not just the Jews but the entire world.  They were thinking of the here and now and re-establishment of an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem.  But Jesus was declaring God’s kingdom – he was declaring the establishing of a spiritual and eternal kingdom in the hearts of all who put their faith and trust in God.

Holy Week is our opportunity to intentionally carve out time and focus our hearts and minds on the portrait of Jesus Christ depicted in Isaiah 42:1-4 and Matthew 12:18-21.  Let us fix our eyes attentively upon the portrayal of Jesus Christ:

Holy Week Reflection:

  • Sunday – The King is coming! (Matthew 21:5; John 12:12-19)
  • Monday – Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51-56; Luke 13:33; Luke 18:31-33; John 15:13; Luke 12:32; John 10:18)
  • Tuesday – The depth of the love of God (John 10:17-18; Romans 5:5-8; 1 John 3:1-3; Hebrews 10:9; Psalm 40:8; Ephesians 5:25-33)
  • Wednesday – Jesus is irrefutably trustworthy  (Isaiah 53:12; Mark 8:31; Luke 22:37; John 13:19)
  • Thursday – A new commandment is given  (John 13:1, 13:34; 1 John 3:16; Ephesians 5:29-30)
  •  Friday – Draw near to God – Jesus paved the way (Hebrews 4:16; 7:25; 10:19-22; 1 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 2:18; Romans 5:11; Psalm 16:11)
  • Saturday – Divine justice is satisfied – (Matthew 26:28; 27:27-56; Luke 22:63-65; Romans 3:25-31)
  • Sunday – Divine Love’s power and authority to resurrect (John 10:17-18; Romans 6:8-9; Philippians 2:8)