Holy Week Devotional Plan from New Life ChurchSample

DAY FOUR | Through Trials and Suffering

Jesus stands silently throughout His betrayal and trial. The joy of His entry into Jerusalem, still echoing in memory, turns to mockery and false accusations. During His punishment, an entire regiment of Roman soldiers take turns beating Him. Alone, He endures, abandoned by those who said they loved Him the most. Adoring crowds turn to enemies as religious leaders incite the crowds to call for His death sentence. There is no reason for such harsh punishments or cruelty towards a rather peaceful Man—a Man known for teaching and miraculous healings. But it’s important for us to remember that we’ve all been on different sides of this story. 

• How many times have you, in anger or offense, lashed out at someone for fear that their honor disgraces or disqualifies you? The religious leaders definitely do this. 
• Can you recall moments in your life when you chose to follow the crowd rather than investigate the details or truth for yourself? It can be easier to join the waves of “Crucify!” than to try standing still in a storm, searching for answers. 
• What about the Roman soldiers? To a certain degree, they are simply following orders, just doing as they are told. We’re all guilty of placing blame on someone else. Maybe we tell ourselves that our temper is how it is because that’s the kind of home we grew up in; things were set in motion beyond our authority and we’re just falling in line. 
• Maybe you’ve stood in a lonely place much like Jesus does, where authority and power were wielded against you, with no one caring that you were actually innocent. 

The comfort we can find in Christ’s suffering is that He was willing to go through it for us. When all of the accusations against Him could have been turned back on us, He took them on anyway. And when we were victimized, He stood in our place, taking the abuse so we might be restored to freedom when trials come our way. He remained faithful to the Father’s will for us to be brought back into the Kingdom of Heaven. And because of this, the fall of humanity would be eternally upended. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for taking my place. Thank You for giving up the identity of heaven to identify with my sin and pain so You could break its hold from the inside of me out. You have overcome the grave! Show me today how to walk in the freedom You’ve won for me.