The Big Buts of Passion Week

Saturday 4.7.07
Read Matthew 27:62-66

No buts about it. Matthew’s gospel is the only one of the four that gives us any mention of that Saturday. He doesn’t mention any of Jesus’ followers. We can only imagine that theirs was a very sad and confusing Sabbath. I wonder if they were thinking back over their experiences with Jesus. Perhaps they recalled the occasions of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 16:21, 17:9, 17:22-23, 20:18-19 and 26:32. Perhaps they didn’t. We don’t know.

What we do know is that the most ‘religious’ people of that day – the religious leaders – spent the Sabbath trying to insure that they’d heard the last of this controversial Rabbi. Matthew records that they were busy petitioning Pilate to post a guard at the tomb. Note their words: ‘we remember that while he was still alive the deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again’.

Interesting, isn’t it, that we have no record of the followers of Jesus comforting one another with reminders of His words, while we find those who plotted against Him mobilized in response to His teachings that sad Sabbath day.

Father, will you speak to my heart today? Will you foster an expectation? Not only the expectation of a Risen Savior, but also an expectation of my walking anew with my Risen Savior, will you awaken my heart to sing and my life to move in concert with the promises of Jesus? Will you not only remind me of those promises on good days, but especially and dark and difficult days? Will you turn sadness to hallelujahs in my life?

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The Big Buts of Passion Week

Friday 4.6.07
Read Matthew 27:32-61, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:66-23:51, John 18:28-19:42

Who called this day ‘good’? It wasn’t Judas. He was tormented by the decision that he had made to betray Jesus. It wasn’t Pilate. He had been bullied into crucifying a man in whom he found no fault. It wasn’t Jesus’ disciples. Those who loved Him watched in horror. It wasn’t the religious leaders. The scripture records that when Jesus died the temple veil was torn in two, and the religious leaders immediately began to worry about Jesus’ claims that He would return from the grave. It wasn’t Jesus. For our Savior there was nothing good about ‘Good Friday’. The ‘buts’ of this Friday tell the story.

Had the Kingdom come? Pilate pointed out to Jesus, ‘your people and your chief priests handed you over to me.’ Jesus replied, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were my servants would fight… but, my kingdom is from another place.’ Jesus continued, ‘But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of Almighty God.’ Pilate found no fault in Him and desired to set Jesus free. We’re told that the crowd wouldn’t accept that. ‘But the crowd shouted all the louder ‘Crucify Him!’

As they prepared to crucify Jesus a couple of more ‘buts’ of interest appear. They offered Jesus a mixture of wine and myrrh, historians tell us that this was a common practice to lessen the pain of the crucifixion, ‘but He did not take it’. Then John records that the leaders of the Jews and the people were angered by the sign placed above Jesus’ head that read ‘King of the Jews’. They protested, ‘don’t make it read ‘King of the Jews’ but rather ‘This man claimed he was the King of the Jews’.

Finally as Jesus’ death approached the crowds continued mocking, ‘He claims that he is the Savior, but he cannot save Himself’. We’re told that even one of the thieves condemned alongside Jesus mocked Him, ‘but the other criminal’ we’re told, cried out to Jesus, ‘remember me when you come into your Kingdom’.

That’s a lot of big ‘buts’ and there were a number of others in the record that I haven’t mentioned. What do we make of the bold proclamation of Jesus that His Kingdom is not of this world, and that He would be seated on the right hand of God the Father? Is this the Kingdom and King we serve? What do we make of the fact that voices that shouted ‘Hosanna’ on Sunday, by Friday were shouting ‘Crucify Him!’ all the louder? How does the fact that Jesus refused the offer to lessen His suffering as they offered Him a sedative at the foot of the cross touch you? Does it strike you that the religious leaders saw Jesus’ as having clearly claimed to be their King, but that they so violently rejected Him? What of the claims that Jesus could not save Himself in that moment? What of the different perspectives of the two men condemned with Jesus – one who essentially said, ‘Do something for me if you’re who you say you are!’ and the other who simply pleaded, ‘Remember me, Jesus!’

I believe that as you wrestle with these questions you will find that what was accomplished in the words on that Friday, testified to in the words ‘it is finished!’, was good.

Father, will you clarify for me the good news of Good Friday? Will you bless me with a deeper understanding of your love, manifest to me in the events of that day?

The Big Buts of Passion Week

Thursday 4.5.07
Read Matthew 26:17-75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-56

Thursday of this ‘Passion Week’ was a very eventful day as recorded in the gospels. The Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ arrest, Peter’s denials, and the beginning of Jesus’ hearings, round out the day.

Tucked in among all the day’s events is a meaningful exchange between Jesus and His disciples about greatness. It begins, we’re told, as a dispute among the disciples as to which of them would be considered the greatest. Jesus weighed in with a lesson chock-full-of-buts. Gentile leaders, he began, lord their authority over their subjects, ‘but you are not to be like that’.

Jesus introduces more of those Kingdom paradoxes – the least will be the greatest, the servant will be ruler. He asks His disciples a question: ‘Who is greater, the one at the table or the one who serves?’ The answer, most certainly, is the one who is at the table being served. Jesus continues, however, ‘but I am among you as one who serves!’ Jesus turns the tables on the norm of society.

How do these teachings strike you? How have you viewed the exercise of authority? How have you viewed greatness? Can you imagine leadership and authority that is characterized by serving? Greatness that is characterized by such humility? In these things we would resemble our Savior.

Father, will you forgive me where my selfishness has ruled my thoughts and actions? Would you give me a greater measure of grace to consider others better than myself and opportunities to serve others? Would you help me to see the blessing of giving my life away? Would you be glorified in me?

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The Big Buts of Passion Week

Wednesday 4.4.07
Read John 12:20-36

The record of scripture remains somewhat silent concerning the particular events of Wednesday. As His date with the cross drew closer, Jesus continued to prepare His disciples for what lay ahead.

‘Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds'. This passage begins with Jesus declaration that ‘the time has come’. Contrast this with the many occasions during His earthly ministry where He proclaimed the time had not yet come (see Luke 2:4, 7:6-8, 30, 8:20 for examples). It winds up being a parable of Jesus’ own work – through His death the doors of salvation are thrown open and the seed of the gospel takes root in many lives. Jesus then follows this statement with more paradoxes: loves his life will lose it, hates his life will keep it, and so on. And Jesus completes the thought by assuring us that it is for this very purpose that God sent Him into the world, and a supernatural testimony accompanied Jesus’ testimony.

Jesus continues, ‘But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself’. In these words Luke tells us that Jesus was referring to the manner of His death (crucifixion) and perhaps also His ascension. He went on to dialogue with the people over these things. We see that the people had trouble reconciling Jesus’ prediction of His impending death with their expectations of the Messiah.

As you look through this text today, consider the manner in which you have beheld Christ’s death. Do you recognize that Jesus’ suffering was not just some unfortunate injustice in history, but rather the necessary plan of God the Father to reconcile you to Him? Have you responded to Christ’s being lifted up? Are you drawn to Him? Are you willing to let go of your expectations of a Messiah in favor of genuinely embracing THE Messiah?

Father, thank you for revealing your love to me in Jesus, I need Him. Will you stir my affections for Jesus? Will you deepen my appreciation for your work in meeting my need and reconciling my soul to you?

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The Big Buts of Passion Week

Tuesday 4.3.07
Read Matthew 21:23-24:51, Mark 11:27-13:37, Luke 20:1-21:36

Tuesday found Jesus teaching in the temple, and controversy continuing to mount. ‘By what authority do you do these things?’ the religious leaders protested. In responding to them, Jesus turned to His preferred teaching method – parables.

Jesus told the religious leaders that there was a man with two sons, and the father directed them both to go and work in his vineyard. The first son replied ‘I will not! But later he changed his mind and went’. The second son, we’re told, told his father, “I will go, sir. But he did not go’. Jesus asked the leaders which son did what his father desired. They rightly answered that the son who went to work in the vineyard pleased his father. And then, like the blunt force of a hammer, Jesus applied the parable to his audience, warning ‘I tell you the truth: tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of Heaven before you.’

In another parable, Jesus tells them of a landowner who planted a vineyard and hired tenants to oversee its operation. In Mark’s gospel the story turns on a couple of big ‘buts’. The landowner sent a servant to check on the progress and to bring back some of the fruits of the harvest, ‘but they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty handed’. Other servants were killed. So finally the landowner sent his son, expecting that they would respect him. ‘But the tenants said to one another: This is the heir. Let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours’. Jesus again concluded by asking the religious leaders what a just outcome of this story should be. They rightly answered that the owner had every right to come and kill those tenants and give the land to others more deserving. And just as quickly as before, Jesus applied the parable to his hearers.

On which side of these ‘buts’ do you find yourself standing? Are you like the son who speaks respectfully, ‘I will go, sir’, but then act with indifference towards the Father? Are you like the religious leaders who cherish the benefits of the Kingdom but live with contempt towards the King? He who has ears, let him hear.

Father: Will you draw me deeper into relationship with you through these teachings? Will you forgive me where I’ve been slow to follow after you? Will you restore me again?

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The Big Buts of Passion Week

Monday 4.2.07
Read Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:11, 15-18, Luke 19:45-48

Matthew, Mark and Luke record for us the events of that Monday, including the passage commonly referred to as ‘the cleansing of the temple’. Notice that Mark uses the word ‘but’ to set the stage for us, recording that Jesus actually went to the temple and looked around on Sunday, ‘but since it was already late, he went to Bethany’, and returned the next morning.

It is hard to imagine the scene in the temple that day. What did it look like that Jesus ‘began driving out those who were buying and selling’ and ‘overturning the tables of the money changers’? You have to conclude that it was sheer chaos as Jesus went about the temple court. It must have been offensive to those who were ‘regulars’; religious life as they knew it was being turned upside down.

All three gospel writers record Jesus using a big ‘but’ to clarify the offense: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers’.

Here are some interesting observations: First, note that Jesus took issue with the money changers, but that the practice of exchanging money in the temple was necessary – as people traveled from other regions they needed the correct coinage to pay temple taxes and make offerings. Secondly, note that the service of providing doves and other animals for sacrifice was needed as well. Some traveled for many miles, and bringing sacrificial animals with you on that kind of a journey was next to impossible. So for Jesus to describe the place as a den of robbers strongly suggests that abuses were taking place with the exchange of money and the provision of sacrificial animals. Third, don’t miss the mention of these things taking place in the court of the Gentiles and the mention of God’s intention that His be a house ‘for all nations’. These abuses were taking place under the watchful eyes of, and thereby likely deterring, genuine seekers.

When Jesus takes residence in our hearts there is a similar reckoning to take place – His calling our attention to those things that are not consistent with our new identity in Him. It can feel just as chaotic. Overturning standards that have become ingrained and driving out old affections will bring a certain shock.

Luke records that Jesus returned to the temple each day that week to teach. In other words, He didn’t sweep out the old and leave a vacuum, but rather He came in with right teaching to help those who were genuinely there to know, more fully, their God. Don’t miss the last big ‘but’ of this story: many benefited from Jesus’ daily teachings, ‘but the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people’ determined to kill Him.

How do you respond when the Lord shows you pieces of your life that are not consistent with your identity in Christ? Do you allow Him to overturn them and sweep them out, or do you rebel against Him?

Father: Would you shine your light on my heart? Will you show me those things that are lesser affections that I need to let go of and those things that are obstacles in my relationship with you? Will you give me the grace I need to see these things as you see them, and then the strength to let them go?

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The Big Buts of Passion Week

Sunday 4.1.07
Read Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19

All four of the gospels record Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. With little variance – though some variance should be expected, just as four different reporters covering a news event would differ slightly in their accounts – the gospel writers record Jesus arriving on a donkey to the cheers of crowds that gathered to form a welcome fit for a king. This scene, reminiscent of the prophet Zechariah’s foretelling as Matthew and John noted in their gospels, was a pretty clear testament to Jesus’ identity. The cries of ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’ were a clear proclamation from the people that they had gathered to welcome their king. But…

Luke is the only gospel writer who records Jesus’ lament over what He sees. Jesus saw the city and its jubilation and said ‘If only you knew what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes.’

What do you make of this? As you read the different accounts, you find throngs of people shouting words of acclamation. You see people taking the garments off of their backs and laying them on the road before Jesus. You see them waving palm branches. The excitement of the people did not correspond to a genuine embrace of the Lord. You know that in just a matter of days these same crowds will be shouting ‘Crucify Him!’

What characterizes your welcoming your King? Is it gathering amidst shouts of acclamation? Is it the sacrifice of giving the shirt off your back? Is it the practice of raising and waving your hands in praise? It needs to be more. Better – it needs to run deeper.

Recognize that your King doesn’t come to bring you peace – rather He is your peace. Recognize that the things of religious devotion – say, shouts of praise, acts of benevolence and expressive worship – matter not if your heart is not subject to your King.

Father: Will you forgive me where the shouts and external displays of my life exceed my inward devotion to you? Will you help me to know real peace in Jesus? May ‘hosannas’ and ‘hallelujahs’ be the overflow of my heart!

The Big Buts of Passion Week

Introduction

For many, the thought of reading or studying the Bible is imposing. As a Pastor and Bible teacher, I’ve often heard people say “I don’t know where to start” or “I don’t understand what I’ve read”. Many times that will lead to setting their Bibles aside and giving up.

Consider the word ‘but’ for a moment. Not very imposing, is it? It’s a little three letter conjunction that is used numerous times each day, in virtually every dialogue you enter into. ‘Thank you, but’ is understood as a very polite rejection of an offer. ‘I’m sorry, but’ may cause you to question the authenticity of an apology. Why, even in traffic court the Judge is likely to give you three options: a plea of guilty, not guilty, or guilty - but with an explanation. Yes, I’ve been to traffic court. What can I say? Sometimes when you work for the Lord you have to go very fast! I thought about choosing the ‘guilty but’ option and trying that line on the Judge. ‘But’, I thought better of it.

My point is that in each of those examples the word ‘but’ stands as a great clarifier and lends tremendously to our understanding of what is actually being communicated. The same is
true where the written word is concerned. The same is true of your Bible.

For many years I’ve joked that I should write a book entitled ‘The Big Buts of the Bible’. As often as that word appears in Scripture it brings clarity to the text. I’ll offer you the same advice I’ve given for years: wherever you see the little three letter conjunction ‘but’ in your Bible, underline it, highlight it, or make a little star next to it, because it’s going to help you get more out of the passage you’re reading.

This blog series is intended to help you get the most out of your Bible reading and devotional time this Easter Season. My hope is that you will set aside a few minutes each day during this Passion Week (Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday) to revisit the days leading up to and including Jesus death, burial and resurrection.

Each morning this week I will post a devotional that includes suggested passages for you to read that roughly correspond to the days of the week as Jesus experienced them. I’ll also outline a few of my thoughts from the four gospels around the appearances of the word ‘but’, hoping to stir your thoughts and devotions a bit. I pray that you will be blessed the Easter season and always as you walk in relationship to our risen Lord!

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