Heads Up Series

The Road To Easter

Pt. 3 - Heads Up

I. Introduction

It becomes the question that every parent loathes. It is the question that grates on your very last nerve. From the back seat, battling for every inch of real estate with your seat hogging sibling, when seconds feel like days and hours feel like centuries a constant cry would ring out . . . Are we there yet? Games are invented to mask the passing miles. Tape lines are placed on vinyl seats to mark off borders. Threats of "Don't make me come back there!" are uttered at varying levels of intensity. I wonder how many really cool moments we missed simply because we couldn't stop in the mad dash to get to the final destination long enough to pay attention to the ongoing journey? I wonder how many memorable sights were overlooked because we were so focused on the final destination that we became weary of the journey that was required to get there?

Jesus' journey to Easter is often overlooked. The destination holds so much meaning and hope for us that if we aren't careful we don't slow down long enough to understand how He got there. We are attempting to pause and reflect on the road Jesus took to get to the empty tomb. What happened on the Tuesday or Thursday before He is raised from the dead? Do you know? Does it matter? Let's walk this road together and see as we head to the Disneyland of our faith . . . Easter!

We have reviewed Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry. Last week we talked about Jesus' Monday when He cleansed the temple.

Now Jesus, after spending the night again with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, returns to the temple. On the way, He curses a fig tree because it promised sustenance and looked healthy but produced no fruit (Word - Jesus does more than just inspect fruit. He expects fruit when we are in an environment that is conducive to fruit production). He then goes to the Temple. He is confronted by the religious leaders and spends a large chunk of time telling parable after parable to highlight, expose and clearly call out their rejection of the Messiah. He finally calls them vipers and makes His way to the Mount of Olives and sits down. He begins talking to His disciples and something interesting takes place here.?

Tuesday - Hands Out Hope

Text: Luke 21:8-19, 25-28. 34-36 (MSG)

He said, “Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One,’ or, ‘The end is near.’ Don’t fall for any of that. When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end.” He went on, “Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You’ll think at times that the very sky is falling. “But before any of this happens, they’ll arrest you, hunt you down, and drag you to court and jail. It will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’ll end up on the witness stand, called to testify. Make up your mind right now not to worry about it. I’ll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters.

“You’ll even be turned in by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Some of you will be killed. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. Even so, every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.

Vs. 25-28 - It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking. “And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”

(NIV) When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

Vs. 34-36 - But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”