READING: Mark 14 – Anointed, Judas Offers Betrayal, Passover Becomes Lord’s Supper, Scattered Sheep, Gethsemane, Arrested, Condemned, Denied

The chief priests wanted to arrest Jesus, but “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot.” Judas offered to betray Him, solving their problem. 

Judas said, “Why this waste? This ointment could be sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor.” Jesus said, “She did a good thing for me. She anointed my body for burial.” This sent Judas to the priests who wanted his arrest. 

The first day of unleavened bread, two disciples were told, “Follow a man carrying a jar of water to his home.” They asked the owner, “Where is the room where Jesus can celebrate Passover?”  

At the Passover, Jesus said, “One of you will betray Me” He made Passover the Lord’s Supper to be celebrated with bread as His body, and the fruit of the vine as His blood. He said, “You all shall desert me; it is written, ‘I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter.’” Peter said, “Though all desert, I won’t.” Jesus said, “Tonight before the cock crows twice, you will deny me thrice.” Peter said, “Though I die with you, I will not deny you;” all said the same. 

In Gethsemane, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him, saying, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and KEEP AWAKE.” He went a little further, threw Himself on the ground, and prayed, “Abba, Father, remove this cup from Me; YET, NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL.” He found the three disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you’ll not come into trial.” Jesus prayed again as before, and again found the three asleep. He woke them, but they did not know what to say. A third time Jesus prayed and came to the three and said, “Are you still sleeping? Enough! The Son of Man is betrayed into hands of sinners.” 

Judas arrived and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. All the disciples fled. Jesus was arrested and taken to the High Priest. Peter followed at a distance and entered the courtyard where he stood near the guards by the fire. 

The Priests sought two witnesses to testify against Him, but their witnesses did not agree. The High Priest asked Jesus, “Are You the Messiah?” Jesus said, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” The High Priest tore his robes and said, “Why do we need witnesses? You have heard His Blasphemy yourselves?” All said He deserved death. 

In the courtyard by the fire, a servant-girl said you were with Him. Peter denied it. He went into the forecourt and the cock crowed. The girl told others Peter was with Jesus. Again, he lied. Then several said his accent betrayed him, and Peter cursed and swore he did not know Him – and the cock crowed. 

Then Peter remembered what Jesus said. 

He went out and wept bitterly. 

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PRAY FOR YOURSELF 

Father in Heaven, I am too much like Peter in his weakness. Help me remember what I should do or not do before I should have done it or have already done what I should not do; this is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Your Son, and my precious Savior, AMEN!  

MY PRAYER FOR YOU (and for myself)  

Holy Father my prayer for all who read this and for myself, is that we meditate deeply on the difference between Judas and Peter. Both sinned, but only one was redeemed. I offer this prayer for myself, and for all who read this, in the precious name of Jesus, I pray, AMEN!

READING: Mark 13 – Temple Destruction Prefigures the Coming of the Son of Man

This chapter is Jesus teaching His apostles what to expect within that generation of fewer than forty years. The suffering of that generation prefigures the coming of the Lord in His glory using prophetic language from prophets of the Old Testament. 

As Jesus left the Temple on the Tuesday of His Passion week, one of His disciples said to Him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Jesus replied, “Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 

When they came to the Mount of Olives, having crossed the Kidron Valley, they sat and looked back at the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him, “Tell us when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 

Jesus first warned them “Beware that no one leads you astray.” He added that many would come, claiming his name and would lead many astray by saying, “I am He.” In Matthew 24, Luke 21, and in Mark 13 very similar words of warning appear before He begins to answer their questions. 

If you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; these will happen, but the end is not yet. Nations will rise against nations, and there will be earthquakes in various places and famines – these are not signs of the end, for the end is not yet.. As for you, you will be persecuted; they will hand you over to councils and will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me. The gospel must be proclaimed to all nations. When they hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you must say, for the Holy Spirit will speak through you. You will be hated by all because of Me, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. 

When you see the sacrilege set up where it outghtn’t be (Reader, understand! – Luke 21:20 says, “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies…”) then those in Judea should flee to the mountains and those in the city should escape. Don’t listen to those claiming to be Messiah.  

After that suffering, “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” and you will see the Son of Man coming in clouds. He will send His angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 

This generation will not pass away before these things happen! But about the coming day of the Lord, no one knows but the Father when that will be. 

Keep awake; you do not know when He will come, so stay alert. 

Keep watching, so you will not be found sleeping when He comes. 

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PRAY FOR YOURSELF 

Father in Heaven, I hear the warning in Jesus’s trembling voice, warnings against deception and needless loss. When sacrilege appears, He councils’ haste to escape to the mountains, rather than to stay in a city that has denied it’s Lord. If I need to heed these warnings, speed my feet, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Your Son, and my precious Savior, AMEN!  

MY PRAYER FOR YOU (and for myself)  

Holy Father my prayer for all who read this and for myself, is that we meditate deeply on our need to be prepared to meet the day of the Lord when Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. I offer this prayer for myself, and for all who read this, in the precious name of Jesus, I pray, AMEN!

READING: Mark 13 – Temple Destruction Prefigures the Coming of the Son of Man                   Archives are here 

This chapter is Jesus teaching His apostles what to expect within that generation less than forty years. The suffering of that generation prefigures the coming of the Lord in His glory using prophetic language from Isaiah, Joel, Ezekiel, Daniel, and other prophets of the Old Testament. 

As Jesus left the Temple on the Tuesday of His Passion week, one of His disciples said to Him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Jesus replied, “Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 

When they came to the Mount of Olives, having crossed the Kidron Valley, they sat and looked back at the TPeter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him, “Tell us when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 

Jesus first warned them “Beware that no one leads you astray.” He added that many would come, claiming his name and will lead many astray by saying, “I am He.” In Matthew 24, Luke 21, and here in Mark similar words of warning appear before He begins to answer their questions. 

If you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; these will happen, but the end is not yet. Nations will rise against nations, and there will be earthquakes in various places and famines – these are not signs of the end. As for you, you will be persecuted; they will hand you over to councils, and will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me. The gospel must be proclaimed to all nations. When they hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you must say, for the Holy Spirit will speak through you. You will be hated by all because of Me, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. 

When you see the sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (Reader, understand! – Luke 21:20 says, “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies…”) then those in Judea should flee to the mountains and those in the city should escape. Don’t listen to those claiming to be Messiah.  

After that suffering, “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” and you will see the Son of Man coming in clouds. He will send His angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 

This generation will not pass away before these things happen! But about the coming day of the Lord, no one knows but the Father when that will be. 

Keep awake; you do not know when He will come, so stay alert. 

Keep watching, so you will not be found sleeping when He comes. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________  

PRAY FOR YOURSELF 

Father in Heaven, I hear the warning in Jesus’s trembling voice, warnings against deception and needless loss. When sacrilege appears, He councils haste to escape to the mountains, rather than to stay in a city that has denied her Lord. If I need to heed these warnings, speed my feet, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Your Son, and my precious Savior, AMEN!  

MY PRAYER FOR YOU (and for myself)  

Holy Father my prayer for all who read this and for myself, is that we meditate deeply on our need to be prepared to meet the day of the Lord when Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. I offer this prayer for myself, and for all who read this, in the precious name of Jesus, I pray, AMEN!