Reflection I wonder if you’ve ever had a moment when you’re just stunned? When words escape you? Well, the disciples here experience exactly that. There were reports of the resurrection from some of the women, Peter had gone into the tomb and only found the linen cloths, and two of the disciples had met Jesus while walking and then eating together. So naturally, the disciples discuss all of these events but as they are speaking, Jesus stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you’. The result? Stunned silence. The disciples thought that he was a ghost but in reality, it was Jesus. He is risen! He didn’t stay dead and in fact, Jesus won the victory over death by death itself! He insists that he is real and not a ghost by pointing out his hands and his feet and by eating real food. He is really alive and this was the plan all along. It was written about him for thousands of years before him. He reigns victorious over sin and death and so now, sins can be forgiven for all who repent and believe in Jesus. This good news was to be firstly peached in Jerusalem and then, as we see in Acts, to the ends of the earth. This is indeed great news. We can be part of the kingdom, we can have forgiveness, we can have peace, we can have rest, we can have certainty of the future, all because our great King Jesus died and rose again. There is no one else like our God. There is nothing else in this world that can compare to having this sure and certain hope. So let us once again cast ourselves on the mercy and grace of God afresh this Easter. MC Questions What does the resurrection of Jesus achieve? Why is it so fundamental to our faith? If you were to tell someone about the Gospel in under a minute, what would you say? What could you do this Easter to intentionally see God’s mercy afresh? Prayer Lord God, you are victorious and you have the authority over all things including death itself. Thank you for the resurrection of Jesus and help us to be continually renewed and refreshed in your good news day by day. Amen.

Reflection In the space of a night and morning, Jesus has been betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, mocked and beaten by the guards, condemned by the Sanhedrin, sent away by Pilot, questioned by Herod, sent back to Pilot, rejected by the crowds in favour of a murderer, handed over by Pilot, and crucified. What is Jesus’ response? Verse 34 says, “then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” He forgives them even while he is nailed to the cross, even while they cast lots for his clothes. Now, the sun is darkened from 12 PM until 3 PM as the light of the world is put to death. The sins of the whole world were put on Jesus on that tree. My sin was put on him, your sin was put on him. The punishment, the burden, and the shame was taken by him. So now having been freed from sin, there is now no barrier between us and God. The curtain that separated the people from the Holy of Holies in the temple was torn. Access to God is now not just for the high priest once a year, but now free for all who turn to Christ! But during the darkness and after the tearing of the curtain, Jesus cried out to God and Jesus died. We can sometimes let this wash over us but let’s just look at those words again. Jesus died. The son of God is dead. Our Lord and Saviour dies on our behalf. How incredible is our God! After he died, Luke records the reactions of different people. The centurion who was responsible for other troops actually praised God and realised that Jesus was innocent. Others who were there went home beating their breasts as a sign of repentance. Then a man named Joseph who was part of the Sanhedrin but didn’t agree with Jesus’ killing comes and in an act of tenderness, kindness, and possibly worship, takes Jesus’ lifeless, bruised, and battered body off the cross and lays him in his tomb. Our only plausible response in view of God’s mercy is to lay down our lives as living sacrifices to him. MC Questions Why was Jesus crucified? What does his death achieve? Prayer Loving Father, we are so thankful for Jesus’ death on the cross, saving us from sin, and giving us access to you. Help us to never take this for granted. Amen.

Reflection Jesus’ disciples in yesterday’s passage were found sleeping and again Jesus told them to continue to pray but then he was interrupted by his betrayer. Judas comes into the scene with a crowd. This was one of the twelve, one of Jesus’ closest friends, closest followers but here he is betraying Jesus. He comes to him to kiss him as if greeting him as a friend. The greek word for ‘kiss’ has the same root as the word ‘to love’. Judas’ kiss was far from a kiss of love though. But Jesus isn’t surprised in the slightest. He is completely in control and knows that this was all to happen. He even questions Judas. His disciples though don’t know what is happening though. They begin to do what any human would do to try and defend their leader. They prepare for a fight. One even cuts off the ear of a servant! So does Jesus go with them and run free and take advantage of the distraction?! Most certainly not. Jesus rejects their violent impulses and even heals the servant of the one who wanted him dead. Even in the midst of his arrest, Jesus has immense love his enemies. Even in the mess of this evening, God’s plans are completely and utterly on track. Jesus then turns to the mob who came to him. He hasn’t done anything wrong, he had no plans to overthrow the authorities, and yet they still came to arrest him. Jesus was innocent and this crowd are the ones who are in the wrong. But Jesus submits and tells them that this is their hour. This is the time when the world can do the worst to God, when the world can go with every sinful desire, and do the ultimate act of rejection by putting him to death. But at the very same time, this is the hour that God had in mind since before the foundations of the earth were laid. For when humanity puts Jesus to death, this is when Jesus will take the sin of the world upon himself, drink the cup of God’s wrath, and secure us for eternity and snatch us from death’s jaws. MC Questions How is this one of the most tragic but one of the greatest moments in history? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the sure and certain promise of forgiveness of sins through Jesus. We are sorry for the times when we reject you and your rule. Please keep us from sin and grant us true repentance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Every week in church and maybe more often than that for some, we pray the Lord’s Prayer and in it we pray, ‘your will be done’. We can rattle this off without thinking about what it really means. Here, Jesus knows exactly what it means. His time has come and he and the disciples go to the Mount of Olives to pray and this time it will be the last. He tells his disciples to pray that they won’t fall into temptation and he tells them to do it again in verse 36. I know that if I was there and was about to see Jesus arrested and killed, I would be tempted to just lose heart, walk away, and give up. But Jesus’ command is to pray. After telling them the first time, Jesus goes around the corner, kneels, and prays. He knows what is ahead of him. He knows that the Father’s plan for salvation means he will be humiliated, experience terrible suffering, and experience the wrath of the Father. It’s going to be excruciating and so he asks the Father to take the cup away, to take away the wrath and all that is ahead. He’s in agony! But his prayer doesn’t end there. He ends by saying ‘yet not my will, but yours be done’. Jesus submits himself to the Father’s will even if it means going ahead with the plan for salvation through the cross. He prayed again through tears, through weakness, and through trouble. This is what it means to pray and live out ‘your will be done’. It means God’s will above our comfort, God’s will above our money, God’s will above our careers, God’s will above our best laid out plans, and it could mean God’s will above our lives. But why should we follow God’s will? Because he is God and because he knows what it is like. Jesus has wrestled with this question, experienced everything we could ever experience and more. Our God is the one who serves us even to death because of his love for us. May his will be done. MC Questions Where in your life may you not be submitting to the will of the Father? Prayer Our Father in heaven, how can we thank you enough for Jesus? Thank you that he submitted to your will even to the point of taking your wrath that we deserved. Help us to seek your will above all else, to live it out, and please expose our hearts for where we aren’t submitting to it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

After a meal like none other, the disciples start having a dispute like none other. It is really quite remarkable that even after Jesus has been with them for so long and told them about his death that this argument comes up. They begin to argue among themselves about who is going to be the greatest! However, Jesus puts an end to that conversation quickly and turns the definition of ‘the greatest’ right on its head. The pagan lords, rulers, and kings really had an overwhelming pride. They may have done good things but only to receive honour and be praised by other people. They loved the names people called them such as ‘Lord’ or ‘Your Grace’. That was the common perception of what it meant to be great! But Jesus says that followers of him are to have nothing to do with such things. The way to greatness is to be like the least, the youngest. The one who rules or is in leadership should be the one who serves. General knowledge and common sense will inform us that the one who is at the dinner table is the one who is greater. If you’ve watched any shows like Downton Abbey you’ll know this almost instinctively! But Jesus doesn’t just tell his disciples that it isn’t to be like this anymore but Jesus is going to demonstrate it fully and comprehensively. He is the one who came down to earth from heaven, in order to live among human beings, and ultimately to die for us to serve us. He is the one who truly serves. And so then if we want to be great, then we are called to follow his example. MC Questions Right here in Australia now, what do we consider to be the traits of one who is great? What is Jesus’ standard of greatness? How has he demonstrated this? How could you follow his example? Prayer Gracious God, thank you for the way in which you have served us through Jesus. Please keep us from pride and keep us from seeking human greatness, but help us to look for ways in which to serve others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection In the past two chapters of Luke, Jesus has been questioned by the religious leaders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes. The result of his answers was that not one of them was able to accuse him of any wrongdoing, and they weren’t going to arrest him because all the crowds loved him! Arresting him would create a riot! Then, Jesus taught about the destruction of Jerusalem that was going to come in around 70AD and then he taught about the return of the Son of Man. However, the leaders were still determined to arrest and kill Jesus and Judas has agreed to betray Jesus for some cash. And today, it comes time for the Passover meal. The Passover meal was the meal where the Jewish nation celebrated and remembered their rescue from Egypt, and the gracious provision of God to spare the firstborn Son for those households that sacrificed and ate the lamb. This had been happening ever since the days of Moses, for thousands of years! But this Passover was going to be like none other. Jesus takes a cup and says that he won’t drink again of it until the kingdom of God comes. He takes bread, breaks it and says that it is his body. Then he takes a cup and says that it is the new covenant in his blood. In short, he makes the meal all about him because he is the ultimate fulfilment of the Passover. Instead of rescue from the angel of death going over the land, we need rescue from sin and death. Instead of a lamb dying in our place, Jesus is going to die in our place. So now whenever we have this meal, we celebrate and remember God’s gracious provision of Jesus. Innocent, yet broken on our behalf, and raised securing a new promise of life with him for eternity. MC Questions What was the Passover meant to represent or help the Israelites remember? How does Jesus fulfil the Passover? What can help us remember our great rescue? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the provision of Jesus who died in our place and rose again. Help us every time we come to the Lord’s Supper to remember this afresh and be renewed by the hope of the Gospel. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Jesus has just drawn near to the city and people were praising him and proclaiming him as King. It’s a phenomenal picture and would have been such a joyous occasion for those who had been faithfully waiting for the coming of the Messiah. However, instead of rejoicing, Jesus laments. He weeps and expresses his sorrow aloud. He knows that this city, that his chosen people were going to reject him. Jesus has an immense amount of love for this city and the people of Israel just like a parent has for their child. God has seen them throughout the ages coming to him, rejecting him, submitting to his punishment, and then return to him time after time again. He has been there for his people, he has raised up judges, prophets and kings but they didn’t fit their hearts on him. Now he has sent them his one and only son. In him, they can find peace, but they won’t. They won’t turn to him and so he weeps. Moreover, he weeps because he knows what will happen to these people. He knows that in just 40 years time or so it will all be gone. The people inside the walls will be trapped, experience hunger and famine, weep and wail, and then the Romans will come and enter killing women, children, and men on every street, every corner. And so Jesus weeps. This is Jesus’ heart for all who reject him. This is Jesus’ heart for the unbeliever. He has humbled himself to this earth, he has died and rose again for them, he has given every opportunity for them to have peace with God, so how sad it is when someone doesn’t turn and repent when hearing the good news. In his commentary on Matthew, 20th-century bishop JC Ryle writes, “There is nothing wanting on God’s part for the salvation of sinners’ souls: no one will ever be able to say at last that it was God’s fault if he is not saved. The Father is ready to love and receive; the Son is ready to pardon and cleanse guilt away; the Spirit is ready to sanctify and renew…One thing only is needful, and that is, the sinner must be ready and willing himself." MC Questions How have you responded to the Gospel? Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for Jesus and for the salvation that is found in him. Soften our hearts and make our lives more like Jesus. Amen.

This psalm begins with praise and thanksgiving. Verse 1 urges the reader to “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever”. This phrase is repeated four times in the following four verses. God’s love endures forever! No matter what happens in our lifetime, no matter what people may do to us, nothing can take away God’s love for us. We can take refuge in him, we can gain strength from him, we can proclaim his salvation day after day, we can submit to him in everything. How can we be sure and certain of this? Because of and through Jesus. God has laid out a plan for salvation through Jesus and we can follow him and enter into these gates of righteousness, we can be right with God! Even though Jesus was rejected by the Pharisees and was eventually put to death because of them, this didn’t stop his plan. In fact, it was all part of his plan. Verse 22 says, ‘the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’ Jesus was rejected but is now the source of our salvation. His death means we are free from sin. His resurrection means that we have eternal life secured for us. So then, he is now the way that we are to orientate our lives to, everything is now to rest on him, rely on him, and draw on and from him. He is the one who came in the name of the Lord because he himself is the Lord! And so the appropriate response is to give thanks and praise the Lord for his love endures forever. MC Questions What gives us certainty of the faithful love of God which endures forever? How does this love shape the way we live our lives? Who could we share the good news of this love with today? Prayer Loving Lord, thank you for your amazing love for us which you have shown to us in so many different ways. Thank you for the goodness of creation, for every breath that the breathe, for every moment here on earth. We especially thank you for your love poured out in us through Jesus. Give us confidence and certainty of this love always. We pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection So the disciples and the crowds recognise who Jesus is as the Messiah and as the king. However, they aren’t the only people in the account here. There were people who didn’t recognise him as king and these were the Pharisees. These were the teachers of the law, people who would have known the Psalms and the prophesies of Zechariah and much more! However, their hearts were hard and they didn’t see Jesus for who he is. In verse 39, we see that some of the Pharisees told Jesus not as a suggestion but almost as a command to rebuke his disciples. And this isn’t simply telling them to be quiet but to reprimand them and to disapprove of their actions! What an incredible thing for them to suggest! These teachers did not receive Jesus, did not recognise Jesus, and were plotting against Jesus. Now, in some regards, this was politically sensible. The Romans pretty much allowed the Jews to do what they wanted as long as they paid their taxes and kept the peace. The arrival of a different king and an unsettled crowd isn’t all that peaceful and so that could have been why they asked Jesus to rebuke his disciples. But this is really all about their material and physical comfort. For if they worshipped Jesus it may have been uncomfortable for a time physically, it would involve some humility, but they would have been secure for eternity spiritually. But they didn’t. Jesus’ response to the incredible command of the Pharisees is also incredible. He says that if the crowds were to be silent, then the physical stones would cry out in praise. Was Jesus being literal? That’s beside the point. The point is that all of creation has been leading up to this moment of the King coming in and all creation was designed to point to him and recognise him as Lord and Saviour. But his kingship will be like no other. People may have laid down their cloaks before him, but he will lay down his life on their behalf. MC Questions Who are you praying for to recognise Jesus as King? How could you live your life in such a way that it points to his kingship? Prayer Gracious God, thank you for the authority and kingship of Jesus. We are sorry for when we don’t see this. Help us to submit to you in every area even if it means being uncomfortable or enduring hardship. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

This was Jesus’ moment. He was on a donkey as the long-awaited Messiah, he was coming into the centre of the Jewish religion, he was coming to claim his throne. Will the people recognise him for who he is? Well, some do and some don’t. The people who do firstly lay down their cloaks before Jesus. This is a great gesture of preparing and laying the way for Jesus to enter. It recognises who Jesus is and it also indicates the submission and humility of these people towards him. Then, a multitude of people begins praising Jesus ‘for all the miracles they had seen.’ The miracles were a sign of the kingdom breaking into the world, of things being made right, and also a phenomenal sign of the amazing authority of Jesus. He has authority over sickness, over evil, over the wind and the waves, and even over death. If he has this much authority, then he is worthy of and deserves all our praise and worship! They sing with joy. They sing ‘blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord’. This a phrase that we can see in some of the Psalms. These Psalms were chanted throughout some of the festivals and this line is seen specifically in Psalm 118 where it addresses the king approaching the temple. The crowd recognised Jesus from what he had done and for who he is. Then this leads to further praise and thanksgiving to God. They gave all the glory to God for when one truly recognises Jesus for who he is, it can only end up in overflowing praise and thanksgiving. MC Questions What is the response of the crowds? What do they recognise about Jesus? When we recognise and see Jesus clearly for who he is, what should our response be both in our lives and how we live on our frontlines? Prayer Loving Lord, thank you for the authority and the kingship of Jesus. Help us to constantly recognise Jesus for who he is and to live a life of praise and thanksgiving for all your good gifts to us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. In this week’s passage, we see a royal entrance but it looks quite different to that of the Windsor’s. Jesus is preparing to enter into Jerusalem and instead of putting on robes and going in a carriage, he gets on a young donkey. Instead of leading a charge into wage war on a horse, he comes in on an animal of peace. Moreover, this wasn’t just a random selection but a direct fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, “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.” Jesus is this king! He is the long-awaited Messiah! But he is a king like no other. He is not driven by pride or ego but by love and compassion. He doesn’t come to wage war but to defeat sin and death. He is our King. We may not notice it but there may be other things in our lives that compete for this kingship in our lives. There may be things that seem more attractive than a king on a donkey. Maybe it’s comfort, maybe it’s that next holiday, next trip, or that next job promotion. It could be something else! But the appropriate response to having been saved by Jesus is to make him king over all areas of our lives even if it means being uncomfortable, uncertain, or unstable. Because in the midst of this we know that he is with us every step of the way. MC Questions What is the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey? What does this show us about the character of Jesus? Where do you see competing ‘kings’ in your life? Prayer Loving Lord, thank you for the humility, the gentleness, the love of our King Jesus. Help us to make him Lord and King over every facet of our lives in the knowledge that your ways are greater than ours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.