MONDAY MARCH 26, 2018 CALL TO WORSHIP: ZECHARIAH 9:9 PRAYER SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE 19: MEDITATION: A KING S ENTRANCE by David Stephenson

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2 MONDAY MARCH 26, 2018 CALL TO WORSHIP: ZECHARIAH 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. O Lord Jesus, as you once entered Jerusalem, enter our hearts this day afresh. As you once set your face toward death on a cross, help us this day to walk with you to victory. As the children once cried Hosanna to bless you, enable us to confess you openly as Lord and Savior. Grant us your presence by the power of your Spirit, that our worship and our lives may truly honor you. Amen. SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE 19:28-40 MEDITATION: A KING S ENTRANCE by David Stephenson On Palm Sunday, power entered Jerusalem in an unexpected way: with a humble procession. It is clear from his requisition of the donkey and his acceptance of the shouts of the people that Jesus is claiming to fulfill what was written of the Messiah in Zechariah 9. He is claiming power, but he is also displaying a different kind of power. Perhaps nothing highlighted this humility more than the donkey ridden by Jesus. As one writer (Scott Hoezee) wrote, Jerusalem, after all, was the key city for the Jewish faith and the Roman seat of power in Palestine. Herod, Pontius Pilate, and a bevy of other Roman higher-ups lived there. Like Washington D.C. and other cities of power, Jerusalem was accustomed to a fair amount of pomp and circumstance. Compared to that kind of event, Jesus entry into Jerusalem looked a little sad. He rode on a donkey, not a white stallion. He appeared anything but triumphant. Israel expected a conquering military leader to come into Jerusalem with his powerful army to expunge the Romans and set up an earthly kingdom like King David had done. Instead, they saw Jesus riding into town on a donkey, combining paradoxical character traits not usually

3 associated together, namely power and humility. He displays authority and vulnerability. Regarding Jesus earthly ministry, Andy Crouch writes: His authority was evident to everyone at every turn of the Gospel narratives we see Jesus exercising unparalleled capacity for meaningful action, as well as restoring authority to the marginal and poor. But no one fully grasped Jesus vulnerability. Those around him comprehended almost nothing of his true purpose and destination. The Gospel writers report that even when Jesus began to try to explain to his disciples the fate he knew awaited him in Jerusalem, they resisted and did not understand. As his ministry brought him nearer and nearer to the final confrontation with the forces of idolatry and injustice, only Jesus understood what was truly going to be lost. 1 Palm Sunday is the good news in a nutshell. Jesus, by his own authority, willingly entered Jerusalem in humility and vulnerability to lay down his life (John 10:18) to offer us abundant (John 10:10) and eternal life (John 3:16). The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians that Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11). This Holy Week, take some time to pause and consider this different kind of power that means everything to us. God of all, you gave your only Son to take the form of a servant and to be obedient even to death on a cross. Give us the same mind of Christ Jesus so that, sharing in his humility, we may come to be with him in his glory. Amen.

4 TUESDAY MARCH 27, 2018 CALL TO WORSHIP: PSALM 130:5-8 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Faithful Father, thank you for your steadfast love and for the truth and reliability of your word. Lord Jesus, thank you for the forgiveness, salvation, and redemption you have bought for us. Holy Spirit, as we read and reflect on these words of Scripture, help us to understand, believe, and respond according to your will and plans for us. Amen. SCRIPTURE READING: MARK 13 MEDITATION: A KING S RETURN by Bill Fullilove Mark 13 contains Mark s version of the Olivet Discourse, when Jesus predicts a mix of things that occurred in AD 70 (when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem) and things that will happen when he returns. The events he predicted were all future to him, but they are, for us, both past and future. That mixture makes this discourse challenging, and interpreters have continually argued over the details. (All of which makes the command Let the reader understand in verse 14 quite ironic!) But while sorting out the events of Mark 13 may be difficult, getting the point isn t. The point isn t discerning the timeline! In verse 32 Jesus says, But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows. Instead, the point is to wait well for the return of Jesus our king. What does it mean to wait well?

5 First and foremost, it means excitement as we wait. At various times I ve had to travel for business, and there s no greater delight than pulling up to the house after a long trip and seeing that Jill has let two little girls stay awake - seeing two small faces looking out the window, waiting for dad to return. In our vigilant waiting Jesus says it s the point of Mark 13 we should be like little ones looking out the window for Jesus to return. Second, and equally important, it means we lean on what Jesus gave to help us while we wait. Our Lord has given us two things to sustain us: his Word and his Spirit. We lean on the Scriptures, God s word to sustain us in this time between his ascension and his return. Verse 31 says, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Furthermore, Jesus left us his Spirit to sustain us in our waiting. In Acts 1:7-8 Jesus picks up on the theme of not worrying about the timeline for his return, and he then promises the Holy Spirit. He said, It is not for you to know times or seasons the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. So when we think about the end of time, about Jesus coming back, where do our thoughts go? Do we read the news and look for current events to tip us off so we can see where we are in the timeline? If so, we re after the wrong goal. Jesus says to quit worrying about when he ll come back. Instead, let s worry about how we wait waiting in the power of the Holy Spirit, taught and inspired by God s Word. PROMPTS 1. Think about specific benefits you receive through the gracious gifts of God s Word and Spirit. Thank him for all these benefits. 2. Consider ways in which you are not waiting well for Jesus return. In what ways are you asleep (Mark 13:33-37)? Confess these with the assurance of God s grace and forgiveness. 3. Ask God to show you tangible ways to better keep on guard and stay awake as you await the second coming. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you live in light of Christ s return.

6 WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 CALL TO WORSHIP: PHILIPPIANS 2:3-11 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Lord Jesus, we bow before you now and ask you to be our teacher, guide, and example. Help us to humble ourselves as we open our minds and hearts to receive your word for us today. Show us your truth and love, and give us grace to respond in faith and obedience. Amen. SCRIPTURE READING: JOHN 13:1-35 MEDITATION: A KING S HEART by Jeff Vogan What comes to mind when you think about a king? I don t know about you, but I think of fortified castles, majestic throne rooms, and grand ceremonies. I think of attributes such as power, pomp, and prestige. I think of someone in the highest position of power, authority, and control. But Jesus gives us a radically different picture. Though he is the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, 19:16), Jesus humbled himself as a servant. Though the Father had given all things into his hands (John 13:3), Jesus stripped himself of his garments and performed a task reserved for the least of servants. This is truly a different kind of power and a different kind of king.

7 In Jesus day and culture, it was typical for the lowliest member of a household to wash the feet of those entering the house. But on this night of the Passover Feast, not one of the disciples thought to take care of this basic need for themselves, for their friends, or even for their teacher and Lord. Was it too lowly a task for them? Perhaps they were still jockeying for position among themselves (Matthew 18:1-4, 20:20-28), or maybe they were just oblivious to the needs around them. But Jesus wasn t oblivious. He saw a need and was eager to meet it. He wasn t concerned about his own appearance or position. He demonstrated the heart of a true King a king with a genuine, sacrificial love for his people. The foot washing gave proof of Jesus love for his disciples, and through this gracious act of humility and affection, Jesus also set an example for his disciples to follow (John 13:14-15). Jesus said, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another (John 13:34). But why is this a new commandment? Hadn t Jesus himself already affirmed that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord, and the second greatest to love your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40)? This call to love was an old commandment, but it was an old commandment expanded and made new by the perfect example of Christ. His demonstration of love, humility, and sacrifice in the upper room on that Thursday night was but a foreshadowing of the full extent of his love displayed on the cross the very next day. Jesus said, Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). And that s exactly what Christ has done for us! So how might we follow Christ s example of love? In what ways can we take this new commandment to heart? How can our hearts and our actions reflect the heart of our King? Take a few moments in silence to ask God to help you honestly consider these important questions. Gracious Father, forgive us for our selfish ambition and conceit. Forgive us for only looking out for our own interests. Forgive us for being oblivious to the needs of others. Holy Spirit, give us hearts and minds that reflect the character of our Savior. Jesus Christ, our great King and friend, be glorified in our actions as we follow your example, and may all people know that we are your disciples by the love we have for one another. Amen.

8 THURSDAY MARCH 29, 2018 CALL TO WORSHIP: PSALM 34:1-4, 8 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Heavenly Father, you are great and you are good. You deserve our praise every moment of every day. Thank you that we can take refuge in you and rest in your presence. As we read your word and think about its meaning for our lives, help us by your Holy Spirit to hear, to understand, and to believe. In Jesus name, Amen. SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE 22:7-23 MEDITATION: A KING S FEAST by Rob Yancey It had been three years of ministry, and Jesus knew how he would spend his remaining hours with his closest followers before he went to the cross. It wouldn t be a last-minute strategy session. There would be no instruction on how to spin the events that were about to unfold. Jesus didn t spend his time scurrying from place to place attempting to evade the authorities. No, Jesus wanted to share one last meal with his friends. Jesus says in Luke 22:15, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. He made it clear that, as sad and terrible as the suffering would be, he was still in control. Both his statement and the elaborate preparations of the upper room let us know that Jesus desired to share a final meal with his disciples and, through that meal, to teach them wonderful and marvelous truths. This meal would serve as an acted

9 parable of his life and death. It would remind his people of two things: what he had done and what is to come. Jesus knew God s people needed reminders. Their entire history was littered with story after story of forgetfulness. Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, David and even his own disciples provided more than enough evidence that God s people are a forgetful bunch. In his grace, he institutes a new celebration that will regularly remind and reorient his people to the truths they need more than anything else. This sacramental meal was meant to graciously assault our fickle memories. 2 Jesus tells his friends that the bread and the cup reminds them of what has been done. The bread, which he breaks, points to his body that would be broken and given for you (22:19). In these words, we hear a sovereign grace. His body is given, laid down, not taken from him. This act is done with others in mind, on their behalf, as a gift. The cup, he says, points to his blood and the new covenant. This covenant was indeed new, but promised long ago (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Jesus is saying that the promises of a new heart and knowledge of God are now possible because of his shed blood. Lastly, you can t help but see that throughout the evening Jesus keeps speaking of a future meal. This last supper is meant to point to a greater feast. Whenever his disciples reenact it they should eat with an eye towards that eternal banquet. Because of what has been done by Christ his body broken and blood shed we are invited to this feast. And as the Apostle John gets a glimpse of eternity in the book of Revelation, the angel wants to make sure that he writes down this fact: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:9). Loving Father, thank you for all the reminders you give us of your great love for us, and for desiring to have a deep and eternal relationship with us. Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us the Lord s Supper as a sign and seal of your everlasting love and commitment to us, and thank you for giving your life so that we could have eternal life. Help us to always remember your love and sacrifice, and help us, by the power of your Holy Spirit in us, to live our lives in a way that blesses you at all times. Amen.

10 FRIDAY MARCH 30, 2018 CALL TO WORSHIP: ISAIAH 53:1, 4-5 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. O Christ, who forsook no one but was forsaken by the closest of friends, and who committed no crime yet was sentenced to a criminal s death, we enter your presence in awe and adoration. You could have saved your life, but you refused to betray the purpose for which you had been born. You had come into the world to love God and neighbor as yourself, and when that love required you to shoulder a cross, you summoned the strength to bear it. Today, O Christ, as we ponder the cross, teach us its meaning once again and help us to take up our cross and follow you. Amen. SCRIPTURE READING: MATTHEW 27:27 54 MEDITATION: A KING S DEATH by Nathan Newman Is Jesus the Son of God? That question looms over the final hours of Jesus life on that first Good Friday. The soldiers who participate in Jesus torments strip him and give him three items to mark his claim of kingship: a scarlet robe, a crown of thorns, and a reed in his right hand. They then mock him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! Fulfilling the words of the prophet Isaiah, they take the staff they d just put in his hand, symbolizing a royal scepter, and beat him with it. With every blow, they embed the thorns deeper into his brow.

11 And in perhaps the most anti-climactic words in the Bible, verse 35 says, and they crucified him. The only charge against him reads, The King of the Jews. This was the same thing that was said of Jesus at his birth in Matthew 2:2. The baby born to be king is now nailed to the cross. Surely this was not how a king would live, let alone die. Interestingly, Matthew doesn t focus on the death of Jesus as much as the scene around him. People walking by hurl insults, throwing Jesus very words back in his face. You were going to destroy the temple and built it in three days. Now save yourself! You can hear the contempt in their voices. If he is the true king of Israel, would he not come down from the cross? Others shout, You claimed to be the Son of God, so let s see if he rescues you now. Finally, Jesus has the last word and gives up his spirit. Darkness spreads, the earth quakes, the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom, and saints are resurrected from their tombs, a shadow of the resurrection to come The soldiers, who only hours before mocked him, are now filled with awe and exclaim in verse 54, Truly this was the Son of God. Everything that Matthew has recounted until this point is to show that Jesus paradoxically manifests his kingly rule from the cross. This is not how a king was supposed to lead (Matthew 20:25). Jesus displays a different kind of power, one that is rooted in humility. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. The truth of the gospel is that Jesus saves others by refusing to save himself. Jesus kingship is recognized in the cross. That is his message to Peter in Matthew 16. Throughout Matthew s Gospel, it is those outside the religious elite that recognize Jesus as king, both in the wise men in Matthew 2 and the soldiers in Matthew 27. Jesus is the Son of God and demonstrates his kingship in his death on the cross. Thank you, loving Father, for sending to us your Son, Jesus, for his redeeming death that we remember this day, that we might stand forgiven at the cross. Thank you, loving Father, for sending to us your Son, Jesus, to whom we belong body and soul, in life and in death and who bore our infirmities, and carried our sorrows. Thank you, loving Father, for sending to us your Son, Jesus, who became sin for us and suffered the punishment due to us, that we might stand forgiven at the cross. Amen.

12 DEVOTIONAL PROMPT SATURDAY, MARCH 31 Take some time to read and meditate on Psalm 22. Reflect on the different kind of power Christ displayed on the cross for our sake, and spend some time in prayer as the Holy Spirit leads. HOLY WEEK & EASTER SERVICES SUNDAY, MARCH 25 PALM SUNDAY Services at 9am, 10:45am, and 5:15pm in the Sanctuary Services at 9am and 10:45am in the Fellowship Hall THURSDAY, MARCH 29 MAUNDY THURSDAY Service at 7pm in the Sanctuary, with Communion FRIDAY, MARCH 30 GOOD FRIDAY Service at 12pm in the Sanctuary The Sanctuary will be open for quiet meditation from 1-3pm SUNDAY, APRIL 1 EASTER Services at 7:30am, 9am, and 10:45am in the Sanctuary Services at 9am and 10:45am in the Fellowship Hall There will be no 5:15pm service MCLEANPRES.ORG/EASTER 1. Andy Crouch, Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk, and True Flourishing, p R. Kent Hughs, Luke: That You May Know the Truth, Preaching the Word Commentaries, p.752