Becoming like Christ

Hey guys. Sorry, it has been a while since I last posted. We had the week of Passover (Easter) and then last week I had my niece for a few days and then Steven and I took some time off together. But…I am back! I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter week and Resurrection Sunday!

I had a great Passover week. This year was different for me. Not sure why except that God has been doing a great work in me since January. During Passover week my spirit was very sensitive to Holy Spirit…just a little something more than normal…a little richer. I was really emotional…in a good way…a thankful heart for all that God has done and continually does for me. I spent a lot of time reading about the last week of Jesus’ life…and really trying to feel and understand all that He must have been experiencing. God was opening up His word to me during this time and I was loving it. I want to take a minute today and write some highlights of what He was showing me and maybe I will try and elaborate on a few of them this week.

First, I do not have adequate words to describe my thankfulness for the sacrifice that Jesus made. I cannot even begin to fathom the depth of His love for me and for you! His willingness to empty Himself, leave His heavenly throne and come to earth, become a man, live completely surrendered to the Father that He may live sinless and selfless, constantly pouring Himself out to others every day, loving completely, knowing that He would be betrayed, mocked, ridiculed, beaten, scourged, humiliated, denied, abandoned, spit on, take on the sins of the world and be nailed to a cross…to feel like the Father had forsaken Him…if only for a moment. He willingly left heaven fully aware of everything that lay ahead of Him…and He did it all for you and for me!!!

A few of my thoughts while reading about the last week of Jesus’ life:

I will share from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark.

In Matthew 20 Jesus tells His disciples that they are about to go into Jerusalem where He would be betrayed and handed over to the religious leaders and sentenced to be executed. He will be mocked, tortured and crucified. Yet…in three days He will be raised to life again.

First, let’s take a minute and think about this. Jesus says, “Hey guys, we are about to go to Jerusalem and in a few days I’m going to be arrested and sentenced to death. I will be beaten, mocked, tortured, and crucified, but hey…let’s go! Just wanted to give y’all a heads up.”

Do I willfully go “Jerusalem”? Do you willfully go to “Jerusalem”? Whatever our Jerusalem may look like? (It’s our place of death) How many times do we find ourselves whining and crying about an unpleasant situation that we’re walking in? Trying to find a way out because it’s not fun…or it’s hard…or thinking “this can’t be God”. I know that I don’t like “hard” places or storms, and I don’t joyfully say, “Hey, let’s go to Jerusalem, this will be a place of death for me…a place of betrayal, hurt, abuse, etc. but hey, let’s go!” But that’s what Jesus did and He did it for you and for me. He did it to reconcile us back to the Father.

I believe He also did it as an example for us. Yep…as an example for us. In Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before He is arrested. He knows that what He is about to endure will be more than He can bear alone and He needs the Father’s help to finish this assignment. We learn that He experienced an intense feeling of great sorrow that plunged His soul into deep sorrow and agony. He said to His disciples, “My heart is overwhelmed and crushed with grief. It feels as though I’m dying. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

Y’all…His heart was overwhelmed and crushed with grief to the point that He felt like He was dying!!! This was NOT  an easy thing for Him. I know a lot of people don’t really think about or fully comprehend what Jesus must have felt like at this moment. Some think that this was easier for Jesus than it would be for us because He was God. I totally disagree with that thinking. He emptied Himself (Philippians 2:7-8) and He was made man (John 1:14). He left heaven to come into the world He created. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way that we are–yet He did not sin. He understands our weaknesses and He has made a way for us to come boldly to the throne of God to receive mercy and grace to help us overcome these temptations.

YOU CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND ANYTHING UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT! JESUS EXPERIENCED BEING FLESH!

In the Garden…Jesus walked a short distance from His disciples and He prayed. He prayed, “My Father, if there is ANY WAY You can deliver Me from this suffering, please take it from Me. Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfill Your plan for Me.” THIS IS OUR EXAMPLE…To desire God’s will over our own. Submit our will to the Father. Pray, “Lord, if this situation is not necessary for me to become more like You and fulfill Your plan, please remove it. Yet, what I want is not important, I only want to fulfill Your plan for my life.”

Because Jesus did it…we can do it, too! It wasn’t easy for Jesus and it will not be easy for us…but it is possible! We are told in Matthew 24 (Jesus’ words) that if we want to follow Him we must give up our own way, take up our cross and follow Him. He made a way for us to walk victoriously in this life. It is our choice…and we must choose every day!

Haha…got a little off track, but that’s ok. Let me go back now to just before Jesus was to go to Jerusalem when He prophesied His death and resurrection to His disciples. Let’s just look at His life that week.

1. His triumphal entry into Jerusalem…declaring Himself as Lord and King.
2. He went into the Temple area and began to run out the merchants and flip the tables of the money changers…declaring that His Temple should be called a place of prayer. He taught in the Temple Courts.
3. He healed the blind and the crippled.
4. He was confronted by the chief priest, Jewish elders, and the Pharisees…He taught them through parables and chastised them.
5. He cursed a fig tree because it had no fruit and told His disciples that they could do that and even greater if they would have no doubt in God’s power and would speak out of faith’s fullness.
6. He continued to teach His disciples and pour into them. He told them again that in two days He would be betrayed and handed over.
7. He was anointed by Mary.
8. He celebrated Passover with His disciples and He told them that one of them would betray Him. Each one asks if it is He that would betray Him? (That is interesting! There is a lot there.) He revealed Judas as the one who would betray Him. (Was Judas the last to ask…hmmm?)
9. He shared communion with His disciples and explained what it represented.

Up until this point I had actually forgotten that Jesus was going to the cross. That each step was one step closer and each day was one-day closer. I got so lost in all that He was doing…the teaching, healing, pouring out of Himself, etc. that I completely forgot that He was about to be crucified. As I mentioned that to God, I heard in my spirit, “Learn from this.” Learn that no matter what my circumstance or situation I should be about the Father’s business. (There is too much in this to write about here…maybe another day.)

He goes to the Garden to pray. 

1. Those closest to Him cannot even stay awake and pray with/for Him in His time of need. He is alone with the Father.
2. He is overwhelmed and crushed with grief.
3. He is abandoned by those closest to Him.
4. He is denied by Peter.
5. He is arrested, mocked, questioned, beaten, spit on, a crown of thorns placed on His head, and ridiculed.
6. He was placed on the cross in our place.
7. He never once defended Himself.
8. He rose again and He lives…seated at the right hand of the Father.

Because He lives…we, too, can live! May you know Him and the power of His resurrection.

I would like to invite you all to give me your feedback on my post. I would like to know what you think. If you’re blessed or have any questions. I would like to hear your heart. May you have a wonderfully blessed week.