WEEK 2
READ WEEK 1 NOTES HERE ... Days 1-5
DAY 6. SWEAT LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD
From Max:
- The first one to hear His fear is His Father.
REFLECT - Gethsemane is the home of the noble, he who will not retreat from a suffering that is not his. There arrives a season in a person's life when they will decide whether to lay down their life, down their tools of trade to pick up the tools of the Lord's business. Invariably this person who does not flee Gethsemane has deeper pain awaiting, for loss, self-denial, humility and hardship continue as the Lord's business.
Discuss - Look up Isaiah 53:4 - Jesus took up our sorrows after carrying His own. What aspects of sorrow do you think Jesus may not have known? How could Matthew 8:20 reflect Gethsemane?
NOTE - The first step on the ladder to resurrection is Gethsemane.
DAY 7. THE BETRAYER
From Max:
- As long as you hate your enemy a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken.
REFLECT - "Unforgiveness is like drinking a bottle of poison and expecting the other person to die". ~ Nelson Mandela
Discuss - Adam and Eve were first to cast their ears to the serpent and lose. Judas only echoed Eden, listening to satan. Judas joined Adam and lost. How can we know when satan too is in our ear?
DAY 8. THE BETRAYAL
From Max:
- He hadn't come to the garden to retreat.
REFLECT - Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty rotten pieces of silver. These he then quickly discarded. Gethsemane too meant death for Judas.
Discuss - There is a garden in most Christian western lives that satan quietly invades and so we learn to retreat - look up 1 Timothy 6:10. As with Judas, could money too have caused you to go easy on Jesus, slide a slice of betrayal into a day, a home or even a career?
DAY 9. PETER DENIES KNOWING JESUS
From Max:
- Three times the salt of Peter's betrayal stung the wounds of the Messiah.
REFLECT - Peter's bravado did not know Peter's heart.
Discusss - There is nothing new under the sun, for I too am far braver in my head for Jesus than in the world. You too? How does Jeremiah 17: 9-10 help?
DAY 10: ON TRIAL BEFORE PILATE
From Max:
- What should I do with the one called Christ?
REFLECT - Max's 2000 year old question continues to bounce as a billiard ball down time's corridors and hallways, for we do not belong to ourselves as we have been bought at a price.
Discuss - What would you do with Christ? Does Peter give a self-naive hint in John 6:68-69 before his betrayal?
DAY 11. WASHING OF HANDS
From Max:
- God, meanwhile, never enters a shouting match with satan. Truth needs not scream.
REFLECT - Almost is no better than never.
Discuss - Pilate almost got it as right as he did get it wrong. Look up Luke 14:33 - where is there room for compromise with Jesus, or is Jesus just kidding around?
DAY 12: ATONEMENT FOR SINS
From Max:
- Whatever you are facing He knows how you feel.
REFLECT - Jesus has drawn each of His own with an everlasting loving kindness, and He continues happy with you even when you feel no-one else is.
Discuss - Look up Isaiah 40:26, what chance is there ever of Jesus losing love for you. Or you ever going missing to Him?