Mark 14:12-72

The Lord and His disciples eat their final Passover together.  This, usually joyful, celebration is filled with sadness...

Jesus reveals that He will be betrayed and that the one guilty of this is one of His closest friends,
".. one who dips with Me in the bowl..." .

Jesus brings new meaning to the bread and the wine of the Passover.  It represents His broken body and His poured out blood.

Jesus warns the disciples that they will all flee from Him and be scattered.  He refutes Peter's insistent  promise to stay faithful to the death.

Jesus prays passionately and fervently in the garden, while His disciples cannot even stay awake one hour.

The time comes and Judas arrives with the multitude of soldiers armed with swords and clubs. The betrayal is completed with a kiss of friendship.  The Lord is seized as if He were a violent criminal and not one who stood in the temple, peacefully teaching, just hours before.

The disciples scatter. Peter denies the Lord just as He had said. And the Christ, the Son of God.. the One who will sit "at the right hand of Power"  and  come "with the clouds of Heaven." .. is condemned to die.   They spit on Him, punch Him, slap Him, and mock Him..  the King of Heaven!

How can it be?

This was the Father's plan.
This sacrifice of the only Begotten Son.
This complete surrender and obedience of our Lord.
He did it for us.
He is the Way. He is the Truth.  And He alone is Life.
Life purchased through His cruel death.  Through His sorrow and His pain.

O how thankful I am that He came and died for me.  So thankful that He has allowed me to know these truths and to receive His forgiveness and cleansing.  So thankful that this is not the end of the story!

Father in heaven,  we exalt You.  You gave Your all - Your Son- to provide salvation to all who will believe on Him.  Help us to remember.. to know this is a deeper way.. that we might know and love Him more and more.  You have forgiven us much... and like the woman with the alabaster vial.. we kneel at Your feet and wash Your feet with our tears. We will do what we can.. to remember, to love You deeply, to surrender fully, to obey completely.. and to wait on You always.  For You are our God and there is none like You.  Sanctify us through and through by Your Spirit, that we might be made complete in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.