holy week resource - tuesday
I’m not sure coming to Jerusalem, even for the Passover, was a good idea for Jesus, especially after today. But despite all the controversy, I somehow have peace. It began with an early trek to the temple so Jesus could teach all of us Passover pilgrims and others who had heard of His miracles. Oh, did He teach!
Group after group approached Him, some with legitimate questions and others with superficial verbal games, trying to trip Him up and secure a reason to have Him arrested, tried, and put to death. Sometimes, Jesus’ wise answers quieted His challengers, but at other times, He just seemed to incite them further. Was this part of the plan – to make sure He would be handed over to the Jews?
When the chief priests and scribes challenged His authority, He responded with a question that closed their mouths, “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” He countered further with parables that seemed to point out the Jewish temple leaders’ corruption. Their ‘unfruitful’ behavior would soon cause them to lose the ‘vineyard’ entrusted to them.
The Sadducees tried to trip Jesus up about who would be married to whom in the resurrection. Jesus’ amazing answer not only showed He divinely knew what our resurrection experience would be like, but it caused some of the scribes to acknowledge He spoke well and dare not ask further.
Jesus was too wise for the Herodians, who confronted Him about paying taxes. They could only marvel at Jesus’ ‘both-and’ answer about rendering to Caesar what was Caesar’s and to God what was God’s.
Our day didn’t end at the temple. As we sat privately with Him on the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem, Jesus spoke words of both warning and assurance. He is obviously facing something very hard, and I’m afraid He’s not going to be with us much longer. This ‘last-ditch effort’ to tell us Who He truly is and what He is about to do may be two-fold. He doesn’t want us to ‘fall asleep’ and not be ready when the end comes, but He also wants us to have peace about what we will face (Luke 21:18-19). Even now, with evil around us, He wants us to have His peace.
(story information from Matthew 21:23-25:46; Mark 11:27-13:37; Luke 20:1-21:38 & John 12:20-50)
Your Response:
These passages reveal the evil and scheming surrounding Jesus’ arrest, death, and resurrection. We are privileged to see God’s hand in each step Jesus took to the cross. How have you seen God’s hand (and realized it was for your ultimate good) through a difficult situation? What comforts you and gives you peace when life is overwhelming?
by Shawn Maassel
Huntingtown, MD
Shawn began taking Body & Soul® classes as a student in 1990 after her first child was born. Years later, after a move and transition to full-time church work, she became a Body & Soul® Instructor in order to bring the ministry and classes to her new church. She has been leading classes since 2003 in Huntingtown, Maryland, and enjoys being part of the Body & Soul® Spiritual Impact Team. Shawn and her husband have three grown children and two grandsons across the country.
Body and Soul® Fitness is an international Christian fitness organization that trains and equips instructors to lead a variety of group fitness programs including choreographed aerobics-style Cardio Strength & Flexibility™, cardio dance style Dance Blast™, free-weights-focused Power Strength™, boot camp style FIT360™ and Longevity FIT360™, and GOLD™ - lower impact programming for participants that are pregnant, have weight challenges, injuries, or other medical conditions. These exercise classes meet in church gyms, community centers, gymnasiums, parking lots, schools, etc. across the United States, Europe, and Africa. In-person and virtual fitness classes are available.
Key words: Christian fitness, women's exercise classes, group fitness, dance aerobics classes, Christian group fitness, Christian fitness app, FitTV, Body & Soul, Body and Soul, fitness instuctor training, low impact exercise
