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.
The Entrance
Let us address why the Palm leaves as Jesus rode into the city. Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul, and this particular event displayed the triumphal entrance of our Savior, Jesus Christ. As we all know, the people were throwing their cloaks and palm leaves and shouting Hosanna, as stated in Mark 11:9-10. We all must understand that the same people crying to Hosanna are the same ones later in the week shouting Crucify him. Furthermore, the praise lavished upon Jesus was not because he was recognized as the Savior of sinners. Instead, they welcomed him because they wanted the messianic deliverer, who would lead the revolt against their current state from Rome.
What was the people's state of mind during the Bible days of the high cost of living, high crime rates, and social injustice throughout the land is quite similar to what we are facing today. See Church, one thing I have paid attention to is that the centuries may have changed, but many circumstances of today are similar to the era of the Israelites. For instance, statistics show that the cost of Living tripled, rising from 1.4% to 7.0%, affecting everyone. Second, Criminal Justice has recorded 2.3 million people in prisons and 1772 youth in juvenile systems. Third, Social injustice rates have increased. When we look at the days of the Bible, it seems there is little change today. Jesus’s entrance had a specific purpose; to teach us humbleness and give his true meaning to serve all mankind. Instead, this triumphal event teaches us the application as believers today; the ultimate goal was not to conquer by force as done in war but to display Love, Grace, Mercy, and Sacrifice for us all. The Church understands that Jesus' entrance is our pathway to salvation and eternal life. The humble act of serenity allows us not to get excited when others try to elevate us but to be humbling, just like Jesus. In that action, Jesus exhibits love and peace, and unto all Christian believers, we are to show the same qualities so the world can see our Living King Jesus within each of us is The Power of HUMBLENESS.
The Prayer
Now let us journey into the Garden; Matthew 26:39 Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?” (MSG). Do you ponder at this moment when Jesus knew his time on earth was coming near, did he become vulnerable because one that he loved so dear had gone to betray him and even his heart was heavy with the painful task? We must understand that, at this point; we are addressing The Purpose of the Garden (Accepting Power). In the garden, Jesus was filled with anguish and dread by the words he prayed. He talks with God asking if there is another way to salvation. How do we accept the task of sacrifice, such as Jesus? Church, at this stage, I could only imagine knowing the task you must face, and when the time comes, sorrow and vulnerability attempt to overtake your soul. Yet he still sought God to take the cup from him and asked not my will by thy will be done. He even was upset with his friends who fell asleep while he prayed for as it is stated and asked them to pray with him. After the first time he prayed, he cried out to his father; the second time, it is said that he prayed so hard that his sweat dripped like blood. The third time his mindset was resolved and ready to face the path at Calvary.
See, it is in the Garden when Jesus speaks to us just as God said to him. Sometimes we must go into the garden alone, seeking refuge with God in our times of need, for “I come to the garden alone. While the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear, falling on my ear. The Son of God discloses. And He walks with me, And He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known.” For there is power in accepting God's plans over your plans. Just go to the Garden and pray he will speak to you.
The Betrayal
Now, we are at the point when Jesus is delivered for our salvation. So even though Judas’s act broke his heart, he understood the purpose of the prophecies to be fulfilled. In John 13:26-27 (MSG), Jesus said, “The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I’ve dipped it.” Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him. “What you must do,” said Jesus, “do. Do it and get it over with.” The power in the betrayal is much more than for it teaches each of us how to stay calm and rational in troubled times. We have to understand that the minds and hearts of humankind are mysterious. One moment, we can show love and support; the next, we can show betrayal. Yes, this is challenging for all of us to accept, but by the same action, Jesus displayed Love unto Judas in the betrayal. Jesus remained calm and even healed the wounded one with the soldiers. We must understand that Jesus taught the philosophy of “turning the other cheek” through his actions toward Judas. Could you stay calm after someone you love has betrayed your loyalty and trust? Can you still love them? Or can you turn the other Cheek? Sometimes for God’s will to be fulfilled in our lives, we must hold firm to Jesus's Philosophy to love all, no matter what. To be clear, The Betrayal is powerful for us all to understand that we must be willing to accept the walk God has placed before each of us. Yet in that task, we must rely on The Journey to Calvary to prepare for Victory. We must first allow the Anointing to saturate our souls, Enter into his courts humbly, pray about all things, and trust the Betrayal to gain Victory.
