It was a wonderful experience to walk in the places where the great stories of the Bible occurred. It changed the way I read my Bible.
I can close my eyes and see the valley of Elah where David defeated Goliath. I have strong recollections of the city of Jericho by the Jordan river. I have photos of the place where Peter boldly proclaimed “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
One thing that stands out, even to this day, was when I was walking around the city of Jerusalem, I kept seeing signs for “The Stations of the Cross” or the Via Dolorosa. They mark the traditional path that Jesus walked on the day of His crucifixion.
For centuries, the faithful have wanted to make that real in their own lives. More than words on a page or lyrics to a song, they have wanted to see it, to touch it, to feel what Jesus was going through.
Rituals like that don’t make us any more appealing to God. They can’t change our standing. We don’t get extra brownie points in heaven.
But in a day when crosses are a dime a dozen and many wear beautiful crosses of precious metals as jewelry, we have become detached from certain realities. No one in Jesus’ day wore jewelry like that, or marked their place of worship with a cross high on a steeple to be visible for miles around.
I’m not against crosses as jewelry or on steeples. But they point to where our experience lies. We don’t think of the brutal reality that Jesus experienced as He gave His life to pay for our sins. It’s all a little bit cleaned up.
I think there is something good about stepping out of our own context and connecting with what Jesus was going through on His journey that led to the cross and ultimately an empty tomb. It helps us remember that it was a real thing. That it hurt and it was terrifying. Through it, Jesus had real emotions and they were strong.
But they did not deter Him from His path. Thank God!
This is why every year leading up to Resurrection Day I mentally walk the path. I remind myself of what He was doing and visualize it, lest I forget what He did for me.
I’ll bet you do some of this almost without thinking of it. You celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday. You commemorate the crucifixion on Friday. And for many years, I’ve also celebrated the Passover on Thursday.
A familiar meal in an upper room. It was Jesus’ last quiet moment with His disciples.
But was it?
I don’t think so. It started off with an odd act of service and an argument with Peter. In the middle of the meal, Jesus gave His betrayer leave to go and set up the dastardly deed. And throughout the entire event, likely 3-4 hours long, He ritually celebrated the death of a lamb that set a people free.
For Jesus, that had to be heavy.
For hours, Jesus sat in pleasant company and smiled and laughed as He stared fixedly at the death of the Passover lamb.
Is it any wonder why He was stressed out and pleaded with the Father for the cup to pass? Are we surprised the the sweat ran off Him as great drops of blood? Is it remarkable that after an evening of eating and drinking, the disciples had a hard time staying awake?
That Passover celebration set the stage.
I encourage you to learn more about that Passover. It’s not just an ancient Jewish ceremony. It was the launch pad of redemption. It set the tone. For 1500 years God’s people had been foreshadowing Jesus’ sacrifice, and they were completely ignorant of the significance.
I’ve written a short book (53 pages in print) that walks through the Passover and explains it and shows you what Jesus would have been doing on the night He was betrayed. I’ve pointed out some challenging points that would have loomed large in His experience.
This week, it’s on sale for 99c, because I want you to get a copy and add an appreciation of what Jesus did for you to your celebration of the Resurrection.
Click here to get the book on Amazon in the US. Or on Amazon UK.
Click here to get the book on other retailers. Or directly from me on my website.
I cry every year as I celebrate Passover. The intensity and the emotion overwhelm me. I try to picture Jesus reclining at the table with His disciples. He can’t escape the sacrifice that is literally scattered all over the table before Him – a picture of His next 18 hours. Meanwhile His disciples are clueless and can offer neither support nor empathy.
It’s just another way in which He went to the cross alone.
For you.
Happy Resurrection!
Dennis
