| Scripture
and Prayer Guide
Scripture and Prayer Guide
April 2-7, 2007
"24 Hours That Changed The World: The Master's Parade"
This week's scripture readings reflect an event that happened each day
of the last week of Jesus' earthly life.
Monday, Matthew 21:12-17
12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying
and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and
the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said
to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are
making it a 'den of robbers.'"
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.
15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful
things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna
to the Son of David," they were indignant.
16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked
him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise'?"
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent
the night.
The reason Jesus did this: the whole religious system placed barriers
between people and God. The Temple was supposed to connect people with
God through worship, sacrifice and prayer. Pray for those who want to
draw close to God but are dissuaded by barriers.
Tuesday, Matthew 21:28-32
28 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went
to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
29 " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and
went.
30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and
the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John
came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe
him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you
saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Tax collectors and prostitutes will get to heaven before a pastor? Before
a good, respectable church goer? Why? Pray about it.
Wednesday, Matthew 23:37-39
37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone
those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will
not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of
the Lord.'"
This was Jesus' lament, his prayer over Jerusalem. Why did Jerusalem keep
stoning prophets and God messengers? Why do religious people sometimes
show a mean streak?
Thursday, Matthew 26:17-30
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples
came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations
for you to eat the Passover?"
18 He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The
Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover
with my disciples at your house.' " 19 So the disciples did as Jesus
had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
21And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one
of you will betray me."
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely
not I, Lord?"
23 Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl
with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written
about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be
better for him if he had not been born."
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I,
Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink
from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured
out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink
of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew
with you in my Father's kingdom."
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Give thanks for the body of Christ, offered and broken for us. Pray that
the next time you have the Lord's Supper, you will become more and more
like Christ. Pray for that day when we will eat it with Him in our Father's
Kingdom
Friday, Matthew 27:32-44
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon,
and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called
Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34 There they offered Jesus
wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink
it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting
lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his
head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING
OF THE JEWS. 38 Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right
and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking
their heads 40 and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple
and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if
you are the Son of God!"
41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the
elders mocked him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but
he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now
from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God
rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' "
44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped
insults on him.
The ‘Place of the Skull' is where Jesus died. The skull is a symbol
of poison, death and fear. Before Sunday, there is Friday. "I
tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."
(John 12:24) Let this be your prayer: It's Friday, but Sunday is
coming!
Saturday, Matthew 27:62-66
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests
and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 "Sir," they said, "we
remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three
days I will rise again.' 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made
secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal
the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This
last deception will be worse than the first."
65 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb
as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure
by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
An old hymn says "Vainly they watch his bed; vainly they seal the
dead." Saturday marks the day of entombment. It is the 24 hours of
silence between death and resurrection. Spend a bit of time today to remember,
in silence, as Jesus' waits the coming day.
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