Tag: bible

Holy Tuesday

Jesus is Challenged by the Religious Leaders

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to Him. They demanded, “By what authority are You doing all these things? Who gave You the right?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, He will ask us why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21:23-27)

Palm Sunday was filled with the pageantry of Jesus’ triumphal entry. Holy Monday was filled with surprise as a righteously angry Jesus turned over the merchants’ tables in the temple because they were hindering God’s worship. Some might have believed and even hoped for a quieter day in Jerusalem on Holy Tuesday. Instead, it was filled with drama, with Jesus experiencing a direct, verbal showdown with the Jewish leaders.

These leaders were learned men. Everyone in Jerusalem knew it, and as they approached Jesus in the temple, every eye must have looked to see what they would do while every ear certainly listened to hear these leaders lower the boom and put Jesus in His place. But, as everyone could see, they failed miserably. Instead of being mentally intimidated, Jesus responded with smarter questions and gave clearer answers than they did. They tried to question His motives, but He exposed their hearts. 

Everyone knew Jesus had defeated the Jewish leaders at their own game. But, as these “holy men” walked away, they must have muttered under their breath, “This isn’t over, not by a long shot.” Their hand, in their way of thinking, had been forced. If they wanted to reduce Jesus’ influence, they couldn’t rely on verbal warnings or mere strength. They were going to have to take Him out because it was crystal clear to them that He was not going to yield to their way of thinking. Jesus stood His ground and spent the rest of the day teaching in the temple. It was the last time He would teach in the temple. When Jesus left the temple, the Jewish leaders conspired about how they might have Him arrested and executed. But Jesus knew their plans would actually fit into the will of the Lord.  

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for standing up to the Jewish leaders and fulfilling Your mission, making a way for us to be forgiven of our sin. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Followup Activity: In your journal or on a piece of paper, write a prayer thanking God for His determination in fulfilling His plan for our salvation. If you are leading your family through this devotion, encourage each member to compose their own prayer. Help them write if necessary.

*Photo courtesy of Jonny Gios

**This devotion is a part of the 8 Day RENEWED Holy Week devotional available for free download at http://www.celebrationchurch.org/library

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Holy Monday – Jesus Clears the Temple

Scripture – Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” (Matthew 21:12-13) 

Devotional Thought: What is the first thing you do when you arrive at the church building for worship? It’s probably different from what Jesus did on Holy Monday. That day, Jesus became angry and immediately started overturning the tables of the merchants and driving them out of the temple. This almost seems out of character for Jesus because we think of Him as a peacemaker. However, God is serious about worship. Jesus, being God the Son, realized that the merchants and the moneychangers were making it difficult for people to enter into the temple and worship so He took the appropriate steps to cleanse the temple in order to restore it as a house of prayer and worship. 

In the world of Marvel comics, Bruce Banner transformed into the Incredible Hulk whenever he became angry. This is not what happened to Jesus. He didn’t suddenly transform into a destructive creature while He wasn’t aware of His actions. He was in His right mind and in that moment, it was appropriate for Him to display His righteous anger because of this disruption of worship. Righteous anger is being angry about what makes God the Father angry. Because we are sinful, this is often hard for us to understand because we typically fall into sinful anger which is completely prideful and does not glorify God.

Many of the Jewish leaders were already angry with Jesus. He was well aware that His cleansing of the temple would not improve His relationship with them. He knew that in just a few days, the religious leaders would come to arrest Him. He knew that before Him lay a tremendous amount of pain before His own death on a cross. Even so, He continued to honor and glorify His heavenly Father. When all is said and done, we should strive not to be like the merchants who were distracting people from worship, but like Jesus who knew the heart of God and had the courage to take action. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You for showing us how important worship is to You when Jesus cleared the temple. Thank You that He didn’t back down even though it was so close to His crucifixion. Help me to never be a distraction or a hindrance to others when it is time to worship You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Followup Activity: In your journal or on a piece of paper, make a list of ways you might intentionally or accidentally distract others from worshiping the Lord. Then, next to your first list, make another list of ways you can encourage others when they are worshiping the Lord. Then, pray and ask the Lord to help you always assist others when they come to worship the Lord. If you are leading your family through this devotion, encourage them to do this activity as a family.

*Image courtesy of Marek Studinski

**This devotion is part of an 8-day Holy Week devotional titled RENEWED. It is available as a free download from Celebration Church in New Orleans at http://www.celebrationchurch.org/library.

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Palm Sunday – The Triumphal Entry (a devotion)

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into the village over there,” He said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them… 

The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to Him and threw their garments over the colt, and He sat on it. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of Him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around Him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!”

The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as He entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:1-3, 6-11)

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, people spread their cloaks before Him, acknowledging His royalty. On that donkey’s colt, He made public His claim as Messiah, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey- riding on a donkey’s colt.” Many of the people, however, thought of Jesus as an earthly king who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. When Jesus did not meet their expectations, many of them turned on Him, trading their praise for condemnation – their worshipful “hosannas” for angry cries of “Crucify Him!”

The triumphal entry is the story of a King who came on a donkey instead of a horse. The truth is that Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force as an earthly king but by love, grace, mercy, and personal sacrifice. His kingdom is not one of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servanthood. He comes not to conquer kingdoms and nations but hearts and minds. He brings peace not through might or politics but through reconciliation with God. The type of triumphal entry Jesus wants to make is one into our hearts where He reigns supremely over our lives in righteousness, peace, justice, and unity.

Prayer: Lord, You are the great King over all of the earth. As we remember the happenings of Palm Sunday, help us to invite You to make a triumphal entry into our hearts and lives as we continually humble ourselves before You in worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Followup Activity: Read Matthew 21:1-11 and reflect on the ways the people honored Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. Then, in your journal or on a piece of paper, make a list of all of the ways we can honor the Lord today. If you’re leading your family through this activity, consider leading them through a time of prayer where you engage in some of the worship practices you’ve listed on your paper. 

* Image courtesy of Tim Mossholder

* This devotion is part of an 8-day Holy Week devotional titled RENEWED. It is available as a free download from Celebration Church in New Orleans at http://www.celebrationchurch.org/library

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Creative Good Friday Service (2025)

This is a basic plan for the Good Friday service we’re doing at Celebration Church in New Orleans. I hope you find it useful for your church.

Items Needed 

  • Blank piece of paper (¼ sheet) for every congregation member
  • One large cross 
  • Three large nails (approximately nine inches long)
  • One oversized hammer (short, miniature sledgehammer is acceptable)
  • 1-4 regular-sized hammers for leaders to nail sins to the cross
  • Smaller nails for nailing paper to cross

Order of Worship:

  • Welcome
  • Short Giving Talk and Offering Prayer 
    • Say something brief like this – “Our ushers are preparing now to receive the offering. We’re thankful for all of those who give, whether online or here in person. Your giving makes a difference. It’s Good Friday, the day we remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. He gave His life for us not because we’ve earned or deserved it but because He loves us. The Lord gave so freely to us that it’s easy to give back to Him and that’s what we’re doing now before we continue with the rest of the service. You can give using the offering envelopes or online at celebrationchurch.org. Let’s pray and then we’ll receive the offering.”
  • The Two Gardens Video – (During the Video, offering is taken and the cross is placed center stage.)

Good Friday Sermon

  • Spoken transition – Say something like, “Jesus said, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” His sacrifice on the cross was unprecedented in its selflessness, embodying a love that transcends human understanding by willingly taking on the sins of all humanity. This profound act of grace offered redemption and hope, transforming the narrative of sin and separation from God into one of reconciliation and eternal life. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus redefined the concept of sacrifice, establishing a new covenant that continues to inspire and change lives across generations. Simply put, He died so that we might live. This week, we’ve followed Jesus on a journey from His triumphal entry to His cleansing of the temple. From His disagreements with the Pharisees to His anointing at Bethany. We’ve reflected on how He washed the feet of His disciples only to have one of them betray Him. He was arrested, tried, and condemned to death. Tonight, we’re going to reflect on His crucifixion and the bloody price He paid for us. 
  • THE MOCKING – The Bible says, “The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters and called out the entire regiment. They dressed Him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on His head. Then they saluted Him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck Him on the head with a reed stick, spit on Him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship.” (Mark 15:16-19)
  • Beyond the physical pain of the crown of thorns and their blows, further humiliation was heaped on Jesus as the soldiers dropped to their knees in “mock worship.” 
  • Psalm 95:6 says, “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” This is not what the soldiers were doing. Instead, they were mocking the Lord and the worship of Him. Worship is serious business to God, and He doesn’t like it when people take it lightly or make fun of it.
  • Before we judge the soldiers too harshly, let’s take a minute and consider when we’ve come before the Lord with a lack of sincerity in our hearts. Have we possibly grown so accustomed to approaching His throne with boldness that we now approach it with apathy? 
  • Before we move on, take a moment and ask the Lord to forgive you for when you’ve been guilty of your own form of mock worship.
  • THE CROSS (Have volunteers stand the cross up or lift it up where people can see it. You may have to lean it against the wall or the stage.)
  • “When they were finally tired of mocking Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him again. Then they led Him away to be crucified. A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means ‘place of the skull.’” (Mark 15:19-22) 
  • The Cross Was Large and Heavy – After His terrible beating, the weight of the cross must have been too much for Jesus because Simon of Cyrene had to help Him. It’s believed that the cross probably weighed around 165 lbs and was most likely eight to twelve feet high with a cross beam about six feet wide. Little is known about what type of tree Jesus was crucified on. Some legends say it was the dogwood tree, but this is doubtful. The fact is, it doesn’t really matter what type of tree the cross was made from. What matters is what happened on that cross. (Expound if needed)
  • We Don’t Worship the Cross. It was simply the instrument of death where Jesus was crucified. But we do worship the One who hung on that cross. The One who gave His life for us on the cross has transformed a symbol of death into a symbol of Divine Love. 
  • THE NAILS  – Then, the unthinkable happened. We read in the Bible “The soldiers nailed Him to the cross…” (Mark 15:24)
  • (Take the three nails and drive them into the cross where His hands and feet would have been – The point is to make noise with the hammer and nails. You can combine the hammering with the sharing of the next part if you want.)
  • The Nails Were Painful – The soldiers actually took each of His hands and physically nailed them to the cross, maybe through His wrists so He wouldn’t pull away. Then, they did the same thing to each of His feet. The pain of the nails going through His body and the blood pouring from these wounds were amplified by the weight of His body pulling against the nails. (Expound if necessary)
  • The Nails are Symbols of both Sin and Redemption – They represent the gravity of our sins, serving as a stark reminder of the pain and suffering caused by our disobedience. Yet, they also symbolize redemption, as Jesus willingly endured this torment to atone for our transgressions. We should all just take a minute and say, “Thank you, Jesus.”
  • Activity –(Have the people reflect on their own sins for which Jesus was crucified. Then, have them write them out on the pieces of paper they were given in their bulletin shells upon entering.) – Note: Have the people hold on to their papers after writing. We will use them again later in the service.
  • Pray and thank the Lord for the pain and suffering He endured for our redemption
  • HIS DEATH – The Bible continues, “It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified Him… At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then, Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’ Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing Him saw how He had died, he exclaimed, ‘This man truly was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:25, 33-39)
  • In the same moment when the Jewish leaders were rejoicing in the death of Jesus, this Roman centurion proclaimed with reverence the glory of Jesus. He proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God, which drives home the words of Jesus to Nicodemus earlier in His ministry. He said, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
  • What This Means For Us – “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)
  • Through Jesus, we have redemption as we release our sins to Him.
  • Share a Personal or Shared Testimony/Gospel Presentation
  • Ask the following Question: What sins do you need to release to Jesus tonight?
  • Decision Response Activity – (Have the people bring their papers on which they wrote their sins and bring them forward to leaders to nail them to the cross while also picking up their bread and juice for communion)
  • Lead the people through Communion
  • Closing

* Photo courtesy of Alicia Quan

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