Intro:

As we are getting ready for Easter we want to help you contemplate the events that are at the very center of the Christian Faith.
The suffering of Jesus of Nazareth, the events from his sorrows in Gethsemane, to his arrest, his various trials, his beatings. Flogging, crucifixion and death are called the Passion of Christ.

In these weeks leading up to Easter we want to lead you on a journey of discovery, zooming in closer and closer on the death of Christ on Good Friday, His burial, and His victorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. Our hope is that this would be a meaningful season in your personal walk with Jesus, and a time that would lead you to awe and worship at the love, mercy and grace of our great Savior.

Recap:

Timeline:
Saturday
- Jesus arrives in Bethany with Lazarus, Mary and Martha
- John 12:1 Mary anoints Jesus

Sunday
- Large group of Jews come to Bethany to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead
- John 12:9-11 The chief priests want to kill Lazarus

Monday
- Triumphal Entry
- John 12:12 / Matthew 21:1 / Mark 11:1 / Luke 19:28. Triumphal Entry

Tuesday
- Cursing the Fig Tree & Cleansing the Temple
- Mark 11:12-19
- Children shout Hosanna Matthew 21:15-16

Wednesday
- Last Confrontation with the scribes and Chief Priests
- Olivet Discourse - Mt.24&25 Mk. 13; Lk. 21,

Thursday
- Last Passover with Disciples
- Upper Room Discourse
- Foot washing
- High Priestly Prayer
- Gethsemane
- Arrest taken to Caiaphas’s house
- Trial

Friday
- Pilate
- Herod
- Pilate - mocking & Flogging
- Via Dolorosa
- Golgotha - Crucifixion - Death
- Garden Tomb - embalmment & Burial

Saturday
- In the tomb

Today
- Jesus’ last night.

Matthew 26:
1-2 — Jesus foretells his death on Passover
3-5 — The plot to kill Jesus
6-13 — Mary anoints Jesus’ head
14-16 — 30 pieces of silver
17-25 — The Passover
- Explain original Passover in Egypt
- Celebrations always pointed to past faithfulness of God
- Symbolism:
- Bitter Herbs
- Salt Water
- Unleavened Bread
- 4 Cups (symbolic for 4 I will statements in Ex.6:6-7)
- paste of apples, dates to represent mud bricks (cinnamon sticks to represent straw)
- Lamb - to be slaughtered and take the wrath of the avenging angel - blood smeared on doorposts and cross beam
26-29 — The Lord’s Supper instituted
- body & blood
- a greater salvation
- a present reminder
- a greater hope

The Lord’s Supper:

The Importance of His Death:
- The greater rescue mission
- The Reason for His Death
- A voluntary, sacrificial self-substitution
- The Application of His Death
- The personal importance of Christ’s death - a life-transforming grace applied to the believer
- The Foreshadowing of what His Death procured
- The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev.19:6-9)

Jesus dies as our Passover Lamb - 1 Corinthians 5:7

30-35 — Peter’s denial foretold
36-46 — Gethsemane
47-56 — Jesus’ Arrest
57-68 — Jesus’ Trial
69-75 — Peter denies Jesus

PAST - FREE FROM BONDAGE

PRESENT - STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY

FUTURE - FORETASTE OF BANQUET IN HEAVEN