Focus: The Passion Week Of Christ (Pt.4)

Text: Act.1:3

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs…"

Today is Thursday, the eve of the crucifixion of Christ, an eventful day. Jesus Christ is already feeling the dreadful hour ahead, the moment of destiny and the time of His atoning death. The stage is set for the unveiling of evil at its peak and the revelation of divine goodness at its highest point.

Early in the morning, Peter and John are sent into the city of Jerusalem to get a place ready for the Lord's Supper. It is a day of Passover preparations for everyone, and the disciples are not left out.

Sadly, it is on this day that the disciples jostle for positions and debate on who is the greatest among themselves. Right then, the Lord stoops to wash their feet and teach them a radical lesson in humility. It is right here that Judas the traitor is unmasked. John says, "And supper being ended, the DEVIL HAVING NOW PUT INTO THE HEART of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him… And after the sop SATAN ENTERED into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly" (Jh.13:2,27). Satan filled Judas with the thought of betraying his own Master, and having welcomed and entertained the idea, Satan then gained access into him. 

Since inception, Satan has always played on the human mind.

On one occasion, Jesus says, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Mt.16:23). Satan thinks only on the human level and preys on the human mind. He is incapable of accessing or decoding the mind of God.

One amazing thing to me about today is that Jesus sang a hymn with His disciples. Matthew says, "And when they had SUNG AN HYMN, they went out into the mount of Olives" (Mt.26:30). He went to the Garden of Gethsemane with a psalm on His lips. He was marching to His death with a psalm in His mouth. That is courage. The Paschal psalms include Psalms 115, 116, 117, and 118. It could well be that He sang one of those psalms. The psalm of David is now an inspiration to his great Son. David sings, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints… This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it… God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar… O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" (Ps.116:15; 118:24,27,29). The passion song of Isaiah 53 must have made a huge impression on His soul, knowing fully well its significance.

Then we come to His high priestly prayer in John 17. O how I love this prayer! It is holy and lofty. This is prayer from the holiest place and the holiest of all humans. Every aspect of this prayer catches my attention and captivates my heart. Let me share with you just four aspects out of many. 

Jesus says to his Father, "I have GLORIFIED thee on the EARTH: I have FINISHED THE WORK which thou gavest me to do… I have MANIFESTED thy NAME unto the men… I have DECLARED unto them thy NAME, and will declare it… For I have given unto them the WORDS which thou gavest me… I have given them thy WORD" (Jh.17:4,6,8,14,26). Pure and powerful prayer! Prayer directly from His heart to His Father's. He brings the report card of His earthly mission to His Father. He brought glory to His Father, not ignominy. 

He perfectly executed His job as defined, detailed and described in His appointment letter. He delivered all the deliverables: declared and manifested the Father's name, and He preached and taught the word and words of God without adding to it, subtracting from it or substituting it.

Let every Christian and every Christian minister know that we are not here for our own glory. The goal of life and ministry is the glory of God.

Jesus lived for the Father's glory. He projected the Father's name. He delivered the very words of God to the people, not His personal opinion, and He was on point in doing and fulfilling the Father's work. He was a success on all fronts. He didn't soil His hands in any way. His words and works were perfect.

On this Passion Thursday, He taught His disciples many things as they made their way to the garden, and He encouraged them to forge ahead. Imagine the dying inspiring the living and urging them not to throw in the towel! That's amazing!

I pray for you: may this Passion Week of Christ bring about a radical change in you - spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, socially, and otherwise! Let Christ reveal Himself afresh to you and help you to stay focused and addicted to the Christ-centered life.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter