Posted on by Dave Aucremann

………….

Matthew 27:62-66
62-64After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, “Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be raised.’ We’ve got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There’s a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, ‘He’s risen from the dead.’ Then we’ll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first.”
65-66Pilate told them, “You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can.” So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.

(The Message, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing)

Posted on by Dave Aucremann

One Friday

John 19
They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read:
Jesus the Nazarene
the king of the Jews.
20-21Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. “Don’t write,” they said to Pilate, “‘The King of the Jews.’ Make it, ‘This man said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’”
22Pilate said, “What I’ve written, I’ve written.”

What kind of king is this that dies for His people rather than demanding His people die for Him?

Posted on by Dave Aucremann

the last night

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Luke 22
14-16When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him, and said, “You’ve no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. It’s the last one I’ll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God.”
17-18Taking the cup, he blessed it, then said, “Take this and pass it among you. As for me, I’ll not drink wine again until the kingdom of God arrives.”
19Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory.”
20He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.
21-22“Do you realize that the hand of the one who is betraying me is at this moment on this table? It’s true that the Son of Man is going down a path already marked out—no surprises there. But for the one who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man, this is doomsday.”
(The Message, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing)
Nothing builds relationship like a meal. My wife is Italian. I am Italian by ingestion. When family and friends gather around our table they are getting something much more than a meal. They are getting the passed on traditions of mothers and grandmothers. When you enjoy a meal at our home, especially a Sunday pasta meal, you are getting the secret spices and untold recipes passed down from generation to generation.
When Jesus and His friends gathered on the night before His death they were getting more than just a meal. They were getting the secret that generations had passed on. In the Passover meal of the Jewish people a story of love, deliverance, life and death was passed on. It was all wrapped up that night in Jerusalem. Jesus is the sacrifice of love and deliverance. Jesus is the life brought about by His death. Generation after generation had eaten the Passover meal. Jesus became the Passover meal. In Him we eat and drink now to remember His work accomplished once and for all in the past. We eat and drink now with Him and He with us in the present. We eat and drink now in anticipation of a new world to come.
Posted on by Dave Aucremann

remember and admire

Matthew 26
1-2When Jesus finished saying these things, he told his disciples, “You know that Passover comes in two days. That’s when the Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.”
3-5At that very moment, the party of high priests and religious leaders was meeting in the chambers of the Chief Priest named Caiaphas, conspiring to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him. They agreed that it should not be done during Passover Week. “We don’t want a riot on our hands,” they said.
6-9When Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper, a woman came up to him as he was eating dinner and anointed him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. “That’s criminal! This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor.”
10-13When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. “Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial. You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.”
14-16That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests and said, “What will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They settled on thirty silver pieces. He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.
(The Message, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing)
Few acts are remembered and admired. Some memories fade. Even great moments like a wedding kiss, or the birth of a child fade to gray in the matter of our minds. Other memories hold on stubbornly in our souls. These tend to be of the worst kind- embarrassment, shame, blame, bitterness, hurt.
This passage has both beautiful memories and sad memories. Jesus says the beautiful will be remembered and admired forever. It was the sacrificial act of a woman who loved Jesus. Using an expensive bottle of perfume she anointed his body in anticipation of His death. Jesus memorializes her act forever.
She is eulogized by the dying who says her act will live forever. Why forever? Because it was done to the One whose death was unlike any other death. She anointed a body which would be given for her salvation. The death of God to save us from God so that we could be with God forever. Remember that, and admire not only the act of the woman but the dying One whose body she cared for. Through Him everything sad will one day be forgotten in the forever memory of the knowledge of Jesus.
Posted on by Dave Aucremann

look at her!

Luke 21:1-4
Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!”
(The Message, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing)
This widow received high praise from Jesus. Think of what was occupying Jesus’ thoughts this week. The cross was coming. Every second He was moving closer to the agony He knew was to come.
Jesus was thinking a lot about sacrifice.  His loving Father brings a widow along to help Him, to point Him back to the reckless love of God expressed in an extravagant gift. Jesus in turn uses it to teach His followers about where real life can be found.
All of this happens in the looming shadow of the cross where Jesus too would give His all so that you and I could have it all only to turn and give it away in service to others in faith and love.
Posted on by Dave Aucremann

…protect this house…

12-14Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text:
My house was designated a house of prayer;
You have made it a hangout for thieves.
(The Message 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing)
I always thought it would be cool to have an older brother. I know some of your older brothers were jerks who picked on you mercilessly. But my older brother, the one I imagined, was awesome. He never picked on me and always defended me. I never got an older brother. Until I met Jesus.
Jesus goes into the Temple and he is fighting mad. About what? The bad guys are setting shop on holy ground. The place that God was to meet with His people was wrecked with greed. The special place had become a Walmart. So Jesus my big brother goes in to fight.
Jesus fights to keep a holy place for me and God to meet. He is going to go on fighting all the way to the cross. Fighting for a permanent house for me and the Father to be together. That’s the best older brother I could ever have.
Posted on by Dave Aucremann

…calls for songs of loudest praise…

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Luke 19:28-40

28-31After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: “Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you’ll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘His Master needs him.’”
32-33The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, “What are you doing untying the colt?”
34They said, “His Master needs him.”
35-36They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.
37-38Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:
Blessed is he who comes,
the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven!
Glory in the high places!
39Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”
40But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.”
(The Message 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing)
Ever been super excited about something? Not just a little pumped, but hand-shaking, heart-pumping can’t-sleep the night before excited.
On this day in the story of the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish the disciples and the crowds were excited like that. They can’t contain themselves. They have to shout, dance, clap, high-five one another, and look around at others and at Jesus with wide-eyed wonder. Keep this scene in the back of your mind as you go through the week. Especially on Friday and Saturday. You’ll need it.
But for now, just join the party! Catch the enthusiasm and wonder of this band of Jesus followers. If you don’t know the rest of the story, follow along with us. If you do know the story, let Jesus capture your heart with His love. Love like His calls for songs of loudest praise!
Posted on by Dave Aucremann

we would see Jesus…

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There are four collections of stories about the life of Jesus. They are called gospels and are named for their authors – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  One week stands out as they tell the news about Jesus Christ. About this week there is great unity of emphasis and content. It is His last week.

The stories of Jesus’ final week make up much of all four gospel writers memories. That makes sense. There are two weeks in the Bible that make all the difference. The first, the week when God created all things. The second, the last week of Jesus’ life when He made right what we had wrecked in God’s perfect creation.

Beginning this Sunday, I invite you to follow along the path of Jesus to the cross. The cross isn’t the end of the story. The next week read along as we meet the risen Jesus on dusty roads of abandonment, mountain tops of worship and doubt, and in locked rooms soaked in fear.

Sunday, March 25
Luke 19:28-40

Monday, March 26
Matthew 21:12-13

Tuesday, March 27
Luke 21:1-4

Wednesday, March 28
Matthew 26:1-16

Thursday, March 29
Luke 22:14-23

Friday, March 30
John 19:31-42

Saturday, March 31
Matthew 27:62-66

Sunday, April 1
Luke 24:1-12

Monday, April 2
Matthew 28:11-15

Tuesday, April 3
Luke 24:13-35

Wednesday, April 4
John 20:19-29

Thursday, April 5
Matthew 28:16-20

Friday, April 6
Luke 24:44-49

Saturday, April 7
Acts 1:1-11