Posted in Lent devotions

Fast asleep

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Thursday, March 4, 2021. Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash.

And again [Jesus]  came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (Mark 14:40-41)

Three times, Jesus prays. Three times, he finds his disciples sleeping. They are supposed to be keeping watch. They are supposed to be praying, too (v38). But it’s late. It’s been a long day. They were drinking at the Passover. They just couldn’t keep their eyes open.

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Make it go away

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Photo by nrd on Unsplash.

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And [Jesus] said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:32-39)

This must have been such a hard moment. Jesus is distressed, troubled and filled with sorrow. He throws himself on the ground in prayer, asking, “Is there some way I can get out of this?” In other words, “I don’t want to do this, Father!”

How do you feel about Jesus’ prayer? Are you surprised that Jesus had second thoughts about his mission? Or can you empathize with him? When’s the last time you just wanted it all to go away?

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Posted in Lent devotions

Sit here while I pray

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And [Jesus] said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” (Mark 14:32)

Gethsemane is a quiet place among the olive trees on the Mount of Olives. For Jesus, it’s a place of prayer. For the disciples it’s a place to wait.

Have you ever asked someone to sit and wait for you while you prayed? I’ve never done that. Has anyone ever asked you to sit and wait while they prayed? I’ve never had that experience.

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Posted in Lent devotions

You will let me down

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Monday, March 1, 2021. Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Peter said to [Jesus], “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. (Mk 14:29-31) 

Jesus’ words, “You will all fall away” (Mark 14:27) must have touched a nerve in Peter who quickly respond, “Not me. I don’t know about these other guys, but I’m all in. You can count on me. I will not fall away.” Peter is just being Peter. When Jesus spoke of dying in Jerusalem, Peter was the one who rebuked him. Peter thought he could walk on water, too. Peter didn’t want Jesus to wash his feet. Peter is the “hold my beer” disciple who’s got it all figured out.

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Posted in Lent devotions

Scattered

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Sunday, February 28, 2021. Photo by Saad Chaudhry on Unsplash.

“And Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away, for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee”‘” ( Mark 14:27-28).

Imagine you are a shepherd, quietly watching your flock grazing on a hillside. It would be so easy to doze off in the warm afternoon sun and gentle breeze. But something catches your eye, the sheep begin to bleat and you rush to intercept a coyote rushing towards a lamb. You jab at him with your staff but feel his teeth sink into your leg. You grab a rock and try to smash his head but he’s decided it’s not worth it and runs off. You’re down, you’re bleeding and bruised, and the sheep have all run down the hillside into the valley. Once you wrap some cloth around that wound, it’s going to take some time to gather them all up again.

Jesus lets his disciples know what is about to happen to them. It’s going to be a rough night. The chief priests and scribes are going to make their move. They have Judas to help them find Jesus. He’ll be taken away while the disciples all escape to safety. These were the words of the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 13:7). Now we know he was talking about Jesus.

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The green room?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Saturday, February 27, 2021. Photo by Dawid Matyszczyk on Unsplash.

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Mark 14:26).

The Mount of Olives is east of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley. Jesus often traveled this route, to rest, pray or continue on to Bethany just a couple of miles away. As the name suggests, the hillside was once covered with olive groves. By Jesus’ time you would also find the tombs of kings, prophets and David’s son Absalom. Today, there are over 150,000 graves on that hillside.

Jesus staged his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives (Mark 11:1). He also taught about the end times here (Matthew 24:3ff). From this unique vantage point, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). It may also have been the site of Jesus’ ascension into heaven (Acts 1:12).

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Singing with Jesus

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Friday, February 26, 2021.

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Mark 14:26).

What hymn do you think Jesus and the disciples sang on their way out of the city? Amazing Grace? Beautiful Savior? Just As I Am? Of course not. Those hymns wouldn’t be written for another few millenia.

It would have been a psalm. Maybe it was one of the Hallel psalms (Psalms 111-118), praising the Lord for his mighty works, his many blessings, and his steadfast love that endures forever. Remember, it’s the Passover, a festive time for remembering God’s powerful deliverance. The songs they sang that night they might have sung many times with their families growing up. They all knew them and loved to sing them.

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Something old, something new

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Thursday, February 25, 2021. Photo by Serge Esteve on Unsplash

[Jesus said,] “Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:25).

So if you were on death row, what would you request for your last meal? The topic may be morbid, but we like to toss around creative ideas for the last food we’ll ever eat. Fried chicken and ice cream are among the most ordered items by those about to be executed.

Jesus is having his last meal, his “last supper,” with the disciples. He knows it. They don’t. They don’t realize all that will happen in the next twenty-four hours. By this time tomorrow night, Jesus will be dead and his body will be in a tomb. What do you imagine they thought when Jesus spoke those words at the end of their Passover meal together?

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It’s about him

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Artwork by Susan Zendt (c) 2021. Used by permission.

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. (Mark 14:22-24).

How many times have you heard those words in church? I grew up in the Lutheran church, and have attended worship just about every Sunday for over sixty years. So for me, three thousand times? Give or take a few. I’m used to hearing those words weekly. For the last thirty-five years, I’ve spoken those words weekly at the altar.

What would it be like to hear them for the first time? What would it be like to hear them just hours before Jesus’ arrest in the garden? What would it be like to hear them less than a day before his death and burial?

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