Palm Sunday – The Jewish people placed Palm leaves on the ground and sang songs (in what is called the Hallel) as Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Hallel means Praise God.
The songs were based on Psalms 113-118.
The people cried out “Hosanna” and were crying out to God to save them. The Jewish people were thinking and hoping Jesus was the long awaited Messiah.
They thought the Messiah would save them from their human enemies. God’s plan was much more important. He wanted to send them a Messiah (Savior) who would save them from their sins.
The Last Supper – In the time before Jesus, the Jewish priests did ceremonial sacrifices of animals to atone for sin. In times after Jesus, priests in various Christian denominations would use a sacrament they called Penance to forgive sins. They also remembered the sacrifice Jesus made when they would ceremonially re-create the sacrament of the Eucharist, modeling what Jesus said to do at the Last Supper.
Jews participate in a Passover Seder (Meal). In the Hebrew Testament, they were told to do this each year to remember what occurred on the First Passover. On this day, Jews, being held as slaves in Egypt were told to sacrifice an unblemished lamb, and then to put the blood of the lamb onto the lintels (outside doorposts) of their dwellings. When the angel of death came across the land, only in those homes which were covered by shed blood of unblemished lambs – were the firstborn children spared.
The Pharaoh of Egypt was one who lost his son this way on this first Passover. This may seem terrible, but if you read the entire account in the book of Exodus, (or watch the movie), you will see Pharaoh was terribly mistreating the Israelites, and God gave Pharaoh multiple chances and warnings to let the Israelites return to Israel.
Jesus’s Prayer – After the Last Supper, Jesus went up onto the Mount of Olives to pray. This was His prayer:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (43) An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (44) And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke22:42-44)
Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him. Later that night, Jesus was tortured and mocked. Then He was hung on a cross until He died.
If you haven’t seen the movie “The Passion of the Christ”, it is a re-enactment of the Catholic Stations of the Cross. Years ago, I watched this movie in a movie theater. When the movie ended, the audience just sat in their seats “stunned” by what they had just seen.
Jesus’ Death on the Cross – Most people are aware that Jesus died on a cross.
But why did Jesus die on that “Old Wooden Cross”? Because, the ceremonial sacrifices of animals as practiced by the Jews, and the Sacrament of Penance as performed in many Christian denominations do not result in the forgiveness of sins. Only the sacrifice of the Lamb of God paid the debt owed for our sins.
There is no passage in scripture which suggests a man or woman, priest or not, has the ability to forgive sin.
The Jewish people have not been able to sacrifice animals for the atonement of sins at the Temple because the Temple was destroyed by the Roman soldiers on or about 70 A.D.. Many Jews are hoping a temple will be rebuilt so they can resume this religious rite.
However, all sins were paid for on the cross. Sins of Jews, Gentiles, and Christians (past, present, and future) were put on Jesus as He hung upon the cross.
Consider these words of Jesus shortly before He died:
Mat 27:46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
(which means “My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?”).
What does this mean? Why did God forsake His Son?
The answer: “God is holy”.
When Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God, took all the sins of the world upon Himself, God who is Holy could not be with His Son, who was now filled with all the sins of the world,
past, present, and future.
Jesus must have felt the Father’s separation and said:
“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”
Resurrection Sunday – With great power, God, the Father, raised Jesus from the dead. And with that same great power, it means He can also raise us from the dead.
Anything Else?
By this it sounds like sin isn’t what determines whether we spend eternity in heaven or hell? True
So what determines where we spend eternity?
1. You have to have faith that Jesus died on that
“Old Wooden Cross” to pay for your sins.
2. You have to have an ongoing spiritual relationship with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This is what it means to be “Born Again”.
There is a passage in the Book of Romans in the New Testament which says:
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness,
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
(Romans 10:9-10)
Although they may not know it, when Jews celebrate the Passover, and Christians commemorate Holy Week, both are looking to a Messiah that God sent to save us.
Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest !
which loosely translates:
“Save us, we pray Lord”
