Welcome
We’re glad you’ve joined us today. You are invited to experience some of the sights, sounds, and scents of the Passion of our Lord. You will find exhibits representing many of the scenes from the last hours of Jesus’ life here on earth. Some items will invite you to touch, some will invite you to smell, some just to look. Please feel free to linger a while and read about and meditate on what Jesus did...for you.

This program will guide you through each station. The following map (and helpful ushers) will help direct you through the chapel. Following the map is an approximate timeline of events. Be sure to click 'Save Event' so these materials will stay on your phone. You may also to pick up and keep a paper booklet for your own personal devotions or deeper study.

Rooms are available nearby if you would like to pray with a pastor or elder in private.

Thank you for coming.

Overview
The first parts you read provides a brief description of each station will give you some background information to put things in context.

Several questions are listed to share with your children and to ponder yourself.

Following the questions will be some scripture passages to read. This is the truth from God’s Word and the details that are given help bring to life some of the objects you see.

[0] The Temple
What happened here?! The events leading up to the Passover brought Jesus into Jerusalem with some local pomp as He was hailed as King by the people. Later, in righteous anger, Jesus cleared the temple (again) of the money changers, reclaiming the temple for His Father.

The temple was the place where people from all over the world would come so that they could worship God. It was divided into four main parts: the holy of holies, which the high priest would go into once a year to make offering for the sins of Israel; the court of Jewish men; the court of Jewish women; and the court of the Gentiles, where all other non-Jewish people came to worship God. It was in this court of the Gentiles that the money changers and animal sellers had set up their booths. It was very noisy in this part of the temple.

Would you be able to think about God and worship Him in such a noisy place?
What would you be watching? Smelling? Hearing?
Why would Jesus get upset at the animal sellers and money changers?
Were they helping the non-Jewish people worship God?

Additional References:
Luke 19:29-44, Matthew 21:1-13,
Zechariah 9:9, John 2:13-22

[1] The Upper Room
Here you will find a Passover meal prepared. Jesus desired to have this meal with His disciples. It was here that He served the disciples in the washing of their feet, and instituted the communion we celebrate.

Be sure to try a sample of the Charoset (apples, raisins, honey, walnuts, spices). This part of the meal is meant to signify the mortar that was used by the Israelites when they were slaves in Egypt.

In Jesus’ day when you entered a wealthy person’s home they would have a slave who would wash the feet of the guests to make them clean after walking in the dusty, dirty streets.

As Jesus and His disciples entered the house for their Passover meal there was no one to wash their feet so they went up into the room for the meal with dirty, smelly feet. Jesus, seeing that no one would wash His feet or the others’ feet, got up from the table and did it Himself.

If you were with Jesus in the upper room would you have wanted to wash everyone else’s smelly and dirty feet?
Why do you think no one else wanted to wash the feet?
What example did Jesus set for His followers when He washed the disciples’ feet?
There are bowls and pitchers of water and chairs set up. Why not take a few moments and wash the feet of your brother, or sister, or mom, or dad?
How did it make you feel?

After washing everyone’s feet they began the Passover meal. Passover had been celebrated in Israel since the days of Moses. Passover occurred when the Angel of Death passed over the houses that had the blood on the doorpost when God delivered Israel out of slavery in Egypt. The people who believed in God put the blood of a lamb on their doorpost and then cooked and ate the lamb. They ate the lamb and the rest of the meal dressed as though they were ready for a journey, a journey they would begin very early the next day.

Additional references:
Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20

[2] Judas, the betrayer
During the Passover meal, Judas left and went to the priests to betray Jesus (with a kiss, no less). Later, filled with grief, he hanged himself.

Did Judas have to kill Himself?
What could he have done instead?
Would God have forgiven Him?

Additional references:
Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Mark 14:43-46
Luke 22:47-48, Zechariah 11:12-13

[3] The Priests
The priests held a series of hasty “trials” so that they could find people who would say that Jesus was a criminal and that He deserved to die. After the “trials” (which were neither fair nor legal), the Jewish leaders and priests sent Jesus to the Roman leaders because only the Romans had the power to put someone to death.

Was it right for the Jewish leaders to hold illegal and unfair trials?
Jesus chose not to defend Himself, why did He make that choice?

[4] Pilate’s Laver
Pilate, awoken early that morning, could find no reason to declare Jesus guilty of the charges that the Jewish leaders made up. He could find no way to release Jesus either. So he cleansed himself of the whole affair. Pilate used a laver, or wash basin, that he would dip his hands into as he made judgments in his palace or courts, to say that he was not making a ruling.

But even by doing this, he did make a ruling.

How did Jesus use a wash basin earlier in the tour?
How did Pilate’s use of the basin differ from Jesus’ use of a basin?
Who was Jesus thinking of?
Who was Pilate thinking of?

Additional references:
Mark 15:2-5, Luke 23:4-22, John 18:29-19:22

[5] The Flagrum
Pilate gave in to the mob’s demands and turned Jesus over to the Romans soldiers to be scourged.

A flagrum was a multi stringed whip that had bits of bone and metal woven into it’s ends. The goal of whipping (scourging) a person was not to kill them but instead to cause them much pain by tearing into their skin with the bits of bone and metal. Pilate had this done to Jesus when he thought Jesus was innocent and deserved to be set free.

What kind of person does Pilate show himself to be?
Do you ever do anything mean to someone who is smaller or weaker than you?

Additional references:
Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, Luke 18:31-33,
Isaiah 53, Isaiah 50:6

[6] The Crown and Robe
The soldiers decided to make fun of Jesus and insult Him further by mocking Him as a king.

Have you ever been made fun of? How did you feel?
Have you ever made fun of someone else?

Additional references:
Matthew 27:27-31, John 19:2-3

[7] The Crucifixion
After the cruel punishment, mockery, and stumbling through the streets of Jerusalem, Jesus was nailed to the cross and cursed.

Notice that one of the verses you are about to read was written by Moses over 1400 years before Jesus was born. These statements are called prophecies. God told writers of the Old Testament things that would happen in the future. Many of these things were about His Son, Jesus. As you go through the next few stops on the tour, you will be looking at some verses that were written at least 600 years before Jesus was born. This tells us that Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection was not an accident but rather it was the plan of God. God began carrying out this plan a very long time ago. Some of the following verses are from the Old Testament, written long before Jesus came to Earth.

If you could know what was going to happen tomorrow, would you want to know?
Would knowing change the way you live your life?

[8] The Soldiers
The Roman soldiers fulfilled prophecies, the Lord thirsted, and it was finished.

Smell the sponge in the bowl. Does that smell like something good to drink?
Think about a chore at home that you have to do. When you’re done, are you really done? Or do you have to do it tomorrow, too?

Additional references:
Mark 15:24, John 19:23-24, Matthew 27:45-54, Luke 23:44-48, John 19:28-30, Psalm 69:21, Numbers 9:12, Psalm 34:20, Zechariah 12:10, Psalm 22:14-17

[9] Two Criminals
There were two others crucified that day, two criminals. One on His right, one on His left. One insulted and was mean to Jesus, the other rebuked the offender (finally). As he recognized Jesus and His power, he was offered eternal life.

Jesus went to the cross, suffered and bled, so that He could take your sins upon Himself. When Jesus takes your sins upon Himself, God is able to forgive you and offer you eternal life with Him.

Would you take the punishment for someone else’s wrong actions?
Would you want to be beaten and made to bleed so another person could go free?

Additional references:
Isaiah 53:12, Mark 15:32

[10] The Cross
Each of us is like one of those other criminals crucified with Jesus that day.

Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23)

And that’s the real test.
When is comes right down to it, which criminal are you?
How will you respond?

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are [or what we have done]. (Romans 3:22)

Maybe you’ve made that step of faith in Jesus but there’s something in your life that is hindering your walk with the Lord. Give it over to Jesus and allow Him to help you deal with it. You are invited to write a note to Jesus and nail it to the cross.

Maybe you’ve never trusted in Jesus and now is the time that you would like pray to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Here is a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I need You.
Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life.
Take control of, and sit on, the throne of my life.
Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
Amen.

If you’ve just prayed that prayer, maybe you’d like to just write your name on a note and nail it to the cross to signify your faith in Jesus. Also, please don’t leave without speaking with one of the pastors or elders so we can rejoice with you and encourage you in your new life in Christ.

Epilogue
The story is not over, nor complete. On the third day, Jesus rose from the grave, just as He said He would. And He is coming again, just as He said He would.

Please join us on the “third day” as we celebrate His resurrection and worship Him as we look forward to His returning...


Resurrection Services
This Sunday
8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Thanks
Many thanks are due to all who were involved in this presentation. Much time and resources were spent on making several of the items displayed here. Thank you for your dedication to the Lord and offering your service to Him. We have benefited too. God bless you.