The Meaning Of Love: Easter 2005

“A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand” He said. “No one lights a candle and puts it under the bed but on a candlestick so it can light the whole house” He said. “You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid,” He said.

“Love your neighbor as yourself,” He said. “Do unto others as you would have them do to you,” He said. “The first shall be last and the last shall be first,” He said. “Whoever wishes to be chief must be servant,” He said.

“ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life” He said.

Then came Palm Sunday in the Spring of AD 28 and the crowds that lined the streets of Jerusalem put their coats on the streets, waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” as the Messiah King rode on a donkey. Some said to Jesus stop them from shouting, but He said, “If they do not shout the rocks would cry out.” Chuck Swindoll said “That would have been the first Rock Concert.”

On that day Jesus went into the temple and chased out the moneychangers and merchants saying, “My house shall be called a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves.”

He then took His disciples to an upper room where they ate the Passover meal. It was during this meal that He instituted the Communion, saying “this is My body that is broken for you eat of it, and this is My blood that is shed for you, drink of it.”

During the supper He said “One of you will betray Me.” The disciples each asked, “Is it I Lord?” Then satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot and Judas went out and betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. After supper he took a basin of water and a towel and washed His disciples feet and He declared, “If I Your Lord and Master could wash your feet, so ought you to wash one another’s feet.”

Then they went to a place called Gethsemane where there was a garden and He began to tell then that He was about to be arrested and tried and He would die. He admonished them to watch and pray. As His soul became exceedingly sorrowful He took Peter, James and John and began to pray “Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless not My will but Thy will be done.” As he prayed He began to sweat blood.

Then came the temple guards led by Judas Iscariot with swords and spears to arrest Him. Judas walked up to Him and kissed Him. Jesus said “Judas are you betraying Me with a kiss?” All His disciples fled and He was arrested and taken to the high priest’s palace to the religious leaders to be tried for blasphemy. For He had said that He was the Son of God. They questioned Him and tried to get testimonies but the witnesses contradicted each other.

The high priest then asked Jesus directly “are you the Son of God?” And Jesus answered “I am.” The high priest then tore his own clothes in anger and said “There is no need for further proof.” And they all agreed to condemn Him to death. Then they began to spit on Him and to punch Him in the face, to tug at His beard and to mock Him.