Journey To The Cross Series

The Journey To the Cross

(The Anointing / The Entrance / The Garden /The Betrayal)

Let us journey in history to what is known as Holy Week or Passion Week. During this special week, historical events occurred surrounding our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us consider the circumstances and how they display power and meaning for Christians Today. As we dive into the scriptures for each event, I pray for the message to open our hearts and minds to see our Savior in a new light and draw closer to him.

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets all expounded about the coming of the Messiah, yet when he was amidst the people, it was challenging for those living to accept that he was indeed among them. Even today, it is still a challenge for many to believe that Christ is among us in each of our hearts. The interesting point today in this message is that God fulfilled his promise given by the prophets. For instance, Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. This particular passage displays the coming of Jesus Christ even though the priest in the Synagogues did not accept him. Still, they pursued to attempt to destroy him and believed that they were victorious. Allow me to display how each event works according to God's will. See, Biblical History tells us that it was during the season of the Passover that Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem but stopped in Bethany, and the essence of these events provides us with divine order to understand the Journey to Calvary. Therefore, it is vital in the message today to address these crucial points:

1. The Purpose of the Anointing (Anointing Power)

2. The Purpose of the Entrance (Humbling Power)

3. The Purpose of the Garden (Accepting Power)

4. The Purpose of the Betrayal (Fulfilling Power)

Let us start a few days earlier; as they traveled to Jerusalem, he stopped at Mary and Martha's home in Bethany. They are Lazarus’s sisters whom Jesus raised from the dead. Every time Jesus performed miracles, spectators were always around to spread the news. Which now results in the purpose of the Anointing.

The Anointing

As we progress to the first point, The Anointing, we must value how Jesus reveals this action in preparation for his death. Typically this anointing is done after a death in preparing the body for the tomb. Still, God redirected the order of the process because the power in this anointing was preparing Jesus for his Resurrection. In this particular passage, John 12:3 Then, Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped it with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the smell. This was not any oil used; it was Spikenard Oil, one the most expensive anointing oil in the area. This particular oil is spiritual, believed to inspire devotion and add to inner peace. It is said to aid in finding inner spiritual and emotional balance and is an essential component in many spiritual blends. Especially the day Mary took the oil and anointed Jesus. As we all see later in the passage, Judas is upset about the cost of the oil because it could have been used to feed people experiencing poverty. But Jesus quickly taught the significance of the action. He explains that it is the preparation for his Death at Calvary. He even stated that you will always have people experiencing poverty among you, but I will not physically be with you. The tender action displayed pure devotion to Jesus from Mary. Next, we must look at our relationship with Jesus Christ, for it is the most valuable relationship, just like the value of the anointing.

To gain this power in the anointing, we must place God as our top priority in our lives. Now let's make this clear to us that all God is God, our Sovereign God, and we must put him before everything else. For in him, we gain not just Grace and Mercy, Salvation and Peace, Love, and Faithfulness; we also gain eternal life through his power. So let me ask these questions Are we giving our attention first and foremost to our relationship with God? How often do we communicate and even think with him about life? Have we built intense prayer and meditation habits unto the Lord? Are we approaching worship as just a weekly obligation, or are we excited when the saints get together to celebrate Jesus? If we can answer each question in our hearts and rejoice, for When the Saints go to Worship is when the King of Kings will come into our hearts. So Church, let us inhabit the presence of GOD and shout PRAISE THE LORD for healing our souls with his wonderous touch in our hearts. For in the anointing, yolks are broken, burdens are lifted, broken hearts are mended, the deliverance is given, and the sick are healed. Which now results in the purpose of the Entrance.