Matthew 10:38-39 (The Esqualine Gate)

If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. (Matthew 10:38-39) Read: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 3:16-18   Relate: The Esqualine Gate was…

Luke 22:42 (Not My Will)

Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. (Luke 22:42) Read: Judges 4:1 – 5:31, Luke 22:35-53, Psalm 94:1-23, Proverbs 14:3-4 Relate: Jesus did not want to die. Did you ever think about that? In each of the Synoptics, we…

The Cost of Following

A young lady in England was considering becoming a missionary and wrote a letter to Amy wondering what the life was like. Amy simply wrote back, “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.”

The Great Substitution

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!”…

Nailed It

Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. (John 19:16-18) Read: Daniel…

Twisted Logic

When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.” The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.” (John 19:6-7) Read: 2 Corinthians 2:5 – 6:13…

Too Much of a Bad Thing

Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!” (John 19:4-5) Read: Romans 15:1 – 16:27,…