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Marching into Mark, Passage, Meditation, Coloring, Music and Video

Marching into Mark Chapter Fourteen

Marching into Mark chapter Fourteen

(c)2023 M. Christine Wildman

Marching into Mark Registry,
the collection of these studies
(First 100 days of 2023, day 87, March 28 )

On Facebook, you can join us at Itty Bitty Bible Study Group.

Passage
Mark Chapter Fourteen

It doesn’t matter which version you choose. It can be digital or paper. You can use one of those fancy coloring bibles and do a page or coloring along with the passage.

I will mostly do Holman Christian Standard Bible because of their copyright freedoms.

The Images that I use are from Knowing Jesus and are available as downloads in every format that I can imagine for screen savers and wallpapers.

  • Mark 14 ( Cross Referencing with Matt 26 and Luke 22)
    • Mk 14:1-2 Timing
    • Mindfully Meditating in Matthew 26
    • Mk 14:1  After two days it was the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a treacherous way to arrest and kill Him. 2 “Not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be rioting among the people.”
    • Mk 14:3-9 Anointed
    • Mk 143 While He was in Bethany at the house of Simon who had a serious skin disease, as He was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of pure and expensive fragrant oil of nard. She broke the jar and poured it on His head.
    • Why wasn’t that sold?
    • Mk 146 Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing for Me. 7 You always have the poor with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have Me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed My body in advance for burial. 9 I assure you: Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
    • Lent Day 3 Mary Annoints Jesus’ Feet
    • Mk 14:10-11 Judas decides to Betray Christ
    • Lent Day 9 Judas
    • Mk 14:12-16 Preparation for Passover
    • Mk 1413 So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room for Me to eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciples went out, entered the city, and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
    • Just like with the donkey and colt!
    • Lent Day 10 – Upper Room Prepared
    • Mk 14:17-20 BETRAYAL
    • Mk 1420 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread with Me in the bowl. 21 For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
    • Lent Day 15 Declaration of Judas’ Betrayal
    • Mk 14:22-26 The First Lord’s Supper
    • Mk 1422 As they were eating, He took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it;[b] this is My body.”
    • Mk 1423 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is My blood that establishes the covenant;[c] it is shed for many. 
    • Lent Day 11 – Remember
    • Lent Day 12 – New Covenant
    • Lent Day 13 – The Bread and the Cup
    • Mk 14:27-31 Denials Prophesied
    • Mk 1430 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times!”
    • Mk 1431 But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with You, I will never deny You!” And they all said the same thing.
    • Mk 14:32-42 Prayer in the Garden
    • Most of the disciples are told to pray but left in one spot
    • Peter, James and John taken further up, told to pray and stay awake
    • Mk 1435 Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
    • One: Mk 1437 Then He came and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you sleeping?” He asked Peter. “Couldn’t you stay awake one hour?
    • Two: Mk 1440 And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.[j] They did not know what to say to Him.
    • Three: Mk 1441 Then He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?
    • Mk 1442 Get up; let’s go! See—My betrayer is near.”
    • Mk 14:43-50 Judas kisses, everyone else runs away.
    • Mk 1443 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. With him was a mob, with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
    • Judas kisses him to identify him
    • Arrested
    • Mk14 50 Then they all deserted Him and ran away.
    • Lent Day 15 – Judas’ Betrayal
    • Mk 14:53-65 Courts and Trials
    • Mk 1455 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they could find none.
    • Mk 1459 Yet their testimony did not agree even on this.
    • Mk 1461 But He kept silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
    • Mk 1462 “I am,” said Jesus, “and all of you[o] will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
    • Mk 1464 You have heard the blasphemy! What is your decision?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
    • Then he was beaten and mocked
    • Lent Day 30 – Mocked and Beaten
    • Lent Day 31 – Courts and Trials
    • Mk 14:66-72 Peter’s denial
    • Mk 1466 While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s servants came.
    • ONE- Mk 1468 But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about!” Then he went out to the entryway, and a rooster crowed.[r]
    • TWO – Mk 1470 But again he denied it.
    • THREE – Mk 1471 Then he started to curse[t] and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
    • Cock Crowed
    • Peter wept
    • Lent Day 16 – Dear Peter

More discussion about these stories in Mindfully Meditating in Matthew 26

A good place to see the four gospels compared is from Synoptic Gospel Parallels.

Mindful Meditating

  1. choose a verse,
  2.  set a timer for 5 minutes, or whatever works for you.
  3.  example: Mark 14:36
  4. repeat to yourself, and at each word, enunciate the next word in the sentence starting with the first word…

example:

  • Mk 14:36 Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
  • NEVERTHELESS, not what I will, but what YOU will.
  • Nevertheless, NOT what I will, but what You will.
  • Nevertheless, not WHAT I will, but what You will.
  • Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.

and so on.  This will cause you to look at the verse more intently, and may have you memorize it before your five minutes are done.

Songs for Meditation

Broken and Spilled out – Steve Green

This is the Kingdom – Elevation Worship

We Declare that the Kingdom of God is Here – Ron Kenoly

Coloring – I use coloring to help me focus on the fullness of a verse.

Mark Coloring page – Ministry to Children – simple enough to finish in an hour or less

Last Supper Coloring Page – ColoringHome

Quick Questions – if  you have time, or to think about over the course of the day, and jot down thoughts later.  Some thoughts to dig deeper.

  1. What did the woman spilling all of her expensive oil represent?
    1. Got Questions brings together all four gospels to discuss this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent – Maundy Thursday – 3/29/2018

Lent day 38 – Maunday Thursday
Lent Devotions
Lent Week Six started March 19
Lent Week Seven started with Palm Sunday, March 25.
These will be updated as the blogs are posted.

I’m so sorry for the delay – thank you for your patience with me as we prepare to move!

This is the Thursday before Easter, and is traditionally celebrated as the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper.

I wrote a couple blogs about the purpose of the Lord’s Supper, in remembrance, a new covenant, and discussing the bread and the wine. Here they are for your review.

In the above blog posts, I shared with you some of the music that brings me into memory of the Lord’s Supper, washing the feet, and I also think about all the different things that Christ taught in the upper room that are only portrayed in the Gospel of John.
I have a youtube Lent Playlist, and I think that you can access it with this link.

Bible Gateway has an article explaining Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday.

Christianity Today explores it as well.

I can also say that there are some who say because of the three days in the Tomb designation, that it wasn’t Thursday night for the actual Last Supper, but rather Wednesday night, and that rather than Friday, being the day of crucifixion, he was actually Thursday. It all has to do with the fact that there was a Passover Sabbath and there was the typical Sabbath that starts eating on a Friday.

Here’s an article that details one point of view, as in how the Jews marked time in the Bible.

Here is one that explains a point of view that starts on Wednesday…

This study is even more indepth!

What do I believe? I believe that the Church of Christ in 2018 has lost a lot of the truth of the first-century. I believe that the Christian church has lost a lot of its roots based in the Jewish traditions. I have not Been one to nitpick on details because my faith is not based on site. On the other hand, there may be some -2 when I see things that in my mind don’t quite agree in scripture to just assume it’s my understanding that’s at fault not the Bible. Therefore, when other people bring up such questions, I want to be able to give an intelligence answer.

As a matter of fact, I don’t believe that the date of Easter. The majority of Christianity celebrates is based on Christ’s actual Resurrection but rather based on a pagan celebration of the Goddess yester. Likewise I do not believe that Christ’s birthday is December 25th! So it doesn’t bother me that Christ was probably crucified on Wednesday and our understanding of the Sabbath that were involved is skewed by our 21st century ignorance.

When do I celebrate the resurrection of Christ? Every. Single. Day.
When do I celebrate the birth of Christ? Every. Single. Day.
When do I remember the sacrifice on the cross of Jesus Christ?
Every. Single. Day.

I will also admit that I take advantage of the worlds celebration of my Lord’s life in order to share the truth of his gospel when they are most open and willing to hear. I am also not going to blast people who like I used to, attend Mass on Good Friday, or go to a sunrise service on Easter morning! This time of year, is like a renewal of my walk with Jesus. Spring time just seems to bring the glory of God’s Gift of Resurrection as the snow drops and crocuses make their way up through the previously frozen Earth and reach up to the sunshine and say winter does not go on forever! And yes, I do know, that that does also fulfill the fertility celebrations, the new age celebrations, and the Pagan celebrations. It is my belief, that my father God, created the seasons, and the signs and the times, to declare his glory, and his enemy the devil has Twisted those meanings. I aim to claim them back on behalf of my king, master, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Take this day to remember whatever part of the passion week you are needing most!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 LENT Day Twelve – 2/27 New Covenant

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – this week.

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Day Twelve
New Covenant

Music and Worship
God Sent His son – Divine Hymns

Scripture

Luke 22:14-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

20 In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.

Matthew 26:26-30 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” 27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.” 30 After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Mark 14:22-26 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

What is the New Covenant?

We were studying in Romans 2 & 3 and in one version it talks about “prior to the law there was no sin.” I was asked, how did Adam and Eve know of sin? or Abraham? etc.? I started by discussing the concept of Adam and Eve having innocence vs holiness. Did Adam and Eve know it was sin to eat from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil? Yes! God said “don’t do this and if you do this you will die” (Genesis 2,3). They had given given a command and they were told the consequence and they made the choice.

Did Cain know it was wrong to kill his brother Abel? Well, God had been talking to him about anger(Genesis 4) and that because he was angry(maybe hiding), sin was sitting at his doorstep and was trying to cause him problems. Still, he killed his brother! Why? Jealousy! He did not say when God judged him that God had no right to judge him for what he did. He said that the Judgment was too grievous.

In both of these cases, something died. Adam and Eve sinned and an animal died on their behalf but they gave up their fellowship with God. Cain killed his brother. His brother’s blood wouldn’t be a sacrifice, but blood was shed becauise of sin! He was sent away and removed from fellowship from his family.

King David sinned and cried out for forgiveness and I’m sure gave plenty of sacrifices. His sin, followed by death of his son, caused him heartache. More than anything, King David’s cry was “cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51

Basically, we can go through any one who sinned and had to pay the price and suffer the consequence and realized that they wanted to get back what they lost. Sin brings death and division.

  • The Adamic Covenant was the animal that was slain for Adam and Eve. They were kicked out of the Garden.
  • The Noahic Covenant was the clean animals that were slain (all the people that had been sinning was the death penalty, and separation). ONLY NOAH was found righteous and his family were saved on his behalf.
  • The Abrahamic Covenant was around the offering of Isaac and God giving a ram in his stead. Leave idolatry! even family. Go where you are sent!
  • The Mosaic Covenant was the Ten Commandments and of course the sacrifices(Passover lamb) and such at The Exodus. This instituted Israel being separate and unique from the World.

These are all animals that were sacrificed to pay the price for man’s sin.
God does not desire the blood of bulls and goats but of a contrite heart.

Back to David’s psalm asking forgiveness:

Psalm 51:16-17 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

And Samuel explains the preference of God:

1 Sam 15:22 Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

It was not God’s original intention for anything to die.  His word in Genesis 2 was that when man sinned, death would enter the garden. I believe, though, that God, in His perfect wisdom, knew that this creation that He had created was going to turn on Him. Why? Because he had created the angels with perfect glorified bodies, that lived in his perfect presence and they fell and there is no sacrifice for them.

God knew that his creation had/has an enemy, because He gave His creation, including the angels, the right to say “no.” God knew that His enemy, man’s enemy, would attack man at his basic levels – lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of Life. (1 John 2:16  with Genesis 3). God also knew, that in the fullness of time, He would send His son Jesus, to be the final lamb, the perfect lamb, to be slain and make good the price of his Justice. The old Covenant was based on the blood of lambs, goats, Rams, Bulls, animals, Etc. The New Covenant is based on the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God.

Jeremiah prophesied of another covenant!

Jeremiah 31:31-34 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The New Covenant
31 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
32 This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke even though I had married them”—the Lord’s declaration.
33 “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.
34 No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

The Writer of Hebrews explains the difference in the OLD and NEW Testaments in Hebrews 9:13 – 10:18

The short version:

Hebrews 9:13-15 King James Version (KJV)
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

We are PARTICIPANTS in this NEW COVENANT! Just like those that had to purchase the sacrificial animal and slay it in the OLD covenant – we have a cost to count, and some dying to do.

An excerpt from 2018 Lent day Eleven is this:

So when we participate in communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, what actually happens?

The definition that I started this with says the sharing of intimate emotional and spiritual things, For me, this really says what this is all about! As two or more gathered Jesus is in our midst. (Matthew 18:20)
When we gather together, we acknowledge that we are all part of the body of Christ and that is a sharing of sorts. (1 Corinthians 12)

In another way, when we participate in this celebration, we are saying that we are willing to take up our cross, to crucify our flesh physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually – whatever is needed to grow into the fullness of Christ. We are saying that we believe that the blood of Jesus Christ was perfect to cleanse us and we’re making sure that our accounts with God are kept short. In a way, we are choosing to participate in his suffering symbolically. There are many on this planet that don’t have the choice whether or not they suffer with Christ or participate in his sufferings because they are under horrendous persecution. They can have their heads cut off, they can be burned at the stake, they can have acid thrown on them, and/or they can be raped, pillaged, whatever without any protection.

In the United States of America, we are kind of handicapped in that we have a soft cushioned, velvet covered cross that’s only holding our arms up with suspenders that don’t really hurt. They’re a little uncomfortable, maybe. Our feet and hands? Well, actually, we can get down off our cross anytime we want to! Because we have to choose! We have a choice.

A very scary verse for me is “too much to whom much is given much will be required.” (Luke 12:48) Those who have nothing don’t have any difficulty giving up their nothing for Christ! Yes, they do have to make choices. I’m not belittling their choice, but if you have no food you don’t have to give up food for Christ because you don’t have to give up what you don’t have! If you have access to fast food restaurants everywhere and you have five or ten dollars in your pocket anytime and you can go and get whatever burger, fries and chocolate shake you want anytime, anywhere and God asks you to give that up, sometimes we take that personally! “You want my burger and fries God?”
And God says
“no, I want your heart.”

The New Covenant was paid for by the BLOOD of JESUS Christ…and His broken Body. HIS DEATH!!! our responsibility is gratitude. We choose to respond…
We can be like Judas
or we can choose to follow Jesus – in our offering to HIM in Thanks!
For other writings of mine on Choose and Choice, please go click in the word cloud to the right of this article!

Every year, I keep hearing that we should have Christmas everyday! “People should celebrate Christmas all year long!” Here’s my concern. While he had to be born fulfilling all of the prophecies, if he had not gone to the cross, none of the other would have mattered.

THEREFORE – Let’s celebrate Resurrection Day every day! Give thanks every day for what Christ did for us on Calvary!

Prayer and Worship

We Remember You – Maranatha Praise Band

He Paid a Debt – Church of Christ

This song was intrumental in my salvation walk – and I do not have the copyrighted youtube version, but, here’s this:

 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2018 Lent Day Eleven – 2/26 – Remember

Lent Devotions
Lent Week Two for catch up.
Lent Week Three – this week.

We have created a facebook group to follow and discuss, please join! – 40 days of Lent!

Lent Day Eleven
COMMUNION – The Lord’s Supper – Eucharist
the bread and the cup will be day thirteen

Music
The Table of Grace – Phillips, Craig and Dean
I am the Bread of Life by Collin Raye

Scripture

Luke 22:14-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

20 In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.

Matthew 26:26-30 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The First Lord’s Supper
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” 27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.” 30 After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Mark 14:22-26 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Devotion

The words about the bread and the cup do not seem to be the FIRST thing that occurred after they arrived at the Upper Room, and yet, to me, for me, the bread and the cup ARE the major players, the crucial items upon which to focus first.

There is apparently disagreement amongst Christian denominations and theologians whether this was THE seder meal of Passover, or just some meal as Passover was about to start. It’s amazing what you can find out on Wikipedia! My position is that Jesus said:

Luke 22:15 Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

Therefore, I’m going to ‘hang’ with Jesus on this one!

I try not to claim something is mine unless it is.
In that vein, I want to provide two websites that provide great explanation of what Communion , Lord’s Supper, Eucharist means to the Christian. They have done a much better job than I could, and I think you will be blessed by them.

NewSpring has a very nice explanation.

Where Did Communion Come From?
Jesus started the tradition of communion. He instructed His followers to use bread and wine to remember the sacrifice He was going to make when He died for our sins on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Jesus called Himself “the bread of life,” which means that we’re nourished by Him, we survive because of Him, and He satisfies us when everything else leaves us empty (John 6:48-51). There’s a connection between our nearness to Jesus, believing in Him, and being fulfilled by Him (John 6:35).

The early Church celebrated Jesus by taking communion, sometimes every day (Acts 2:42-46). They saw that every time they gathered around a table to eat and drink, it was a chance to recognize Jesus and thank God for all He’s done.

All About Jesus Christ includes a response.

The Apostle Paul gives us the order for the practice in

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 gave thanks, broke it, and said,[a] “This is My body, which is[b] for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

25 In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

You may wonder how Paul got to carry this information…if you remember, part of his training was having supernatural training from Jesus after his conversion. It’s assumed that he received this revelation then, and, since all of the disciples that attended the Last Supper were still alive, and did not dispute his revelation, we can take it as, well, gospel.

What does COMMUNION mean?

Oxford D-Xictionary Definition of Communion
— the word:
mass noun – The sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level.
Shared participation in a mental or spiritual experience.
– the celebration:
The service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared.
The consecrated bread and wine administered and received at Communion.

And, the word Eucharist

Eucharist
The Christian service, ceremony, or sacrament commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.

My focus goes to that definition of the word COMMUNION -the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level.

Jesus had already talked to the disciples – and in the next few days we will talk about some of those talks and actions. As I said above, My highest focus on the activities in the Upper Room are about the cup and the bread.

Two reasons that I consider this very act important come from His words in the above passages::

“Do this in remembrance of Me.”

and

For this is My blood that establishes the covenant;[a] it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.

First, He commanded us to do this! Many Christians have thrown out all of the OT festivals.

He commands us to do what? Do this in remembrance of me.

All of the festivals in the Old Testament talk about remembering what God has done for us. Passover is for remembering how God, through Moses and the ten plagues and the blood over the door posts, delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt.  The Passover story also remembers crossing the Red Sea and how bitter their life was at and the mortar of there slavery bondage and over and over and over just remembering on an annual basis what God did for Israel.

Here are two offerings to look at Passover!

Jew’s Belong
Judaism 101

There are a few other OT holy days:

  • First Fruits – Spring Barley Harvest – part of the Passover timing….this is waving the sheave of wheat – thanksgiving
  • Feast of Weeks – Shavuot or Pentecost – Remembering the giving of the Law
  • Feast of Trumpets – Rosh Hashanah – Beginning of the Civil New Year – precedes Yom Kippur
  • Day of Atonemnent – Yom Kippur – atonement for sin – remembering when the high priest made sacrifice for the whole nation
  • Feast of Boothes – Sukkot – remebering the 40 years in the wilderness
  • Simchat Torah – remember the reading of the torah
  • Hanukkah – remember the purification of the Temple – and the Maccabees victory
  • Purim – remember the preservation of the Jews – lines up with the book of Esther.

note – I gathered these from a resource Feasts and Holidays of the Bible by Rose Publishing. ISBN – 1-890947-58-X

God seems to want us to remember what he has done in our lives, and HE set up holy days to constantly remind the Jews of this. Jesus, in the midst of the Holy day that celebrates deliverance from Egypt(the foreshadowing of the Christ Messiah) says to REMEMBER what HE is about to do!

So when we participate in communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, what actually happens?

The definition that I started this with says the sharing of intimate emotional and spiritual things, For me, this really says what this is all about! As two or more gathered Jesus is in our midst. (Matthew 18:20)
When we gather together, we acknowledge that we are all part of the body of Christ and that is a sharing of sorts. (1 Corinthians 12)

In another way, when we participate in this celebration, we are saying that we are willing to take up our cross, to crucify our flesh physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually – whatever is needed to grow into the fullness of Christ. We are saying that we believe that the blood of Jesus Christ was perfect to cleanse us and we’re making sure that our accounts with God are kept short. In a way, we are choosing to participate in his suffering symbolically. There are many on this planet that don’t have the choice whether or not they suffer with Christ or participate in his sufferings because they are under horrendous persecution. They can have their heads cut off, they can be burned at the stake, they can have acid thrown on them, and/or they can be raped, pillaged, whatever without any protection.

In the United States of America, we are kind of handicapped in that we have a soft cushioned, velvet covered cross that’s only holding our arms up with suspenders that don’t really hurt. They’re a little uncomfortable, maybe. Our feet and hands? Well, actually, we can get down off our cross anytime we want to! Because we have to choose! We have a choice.

A very scary verse for me is “too much to whom much is given much will be required.” (Luke 12:48) Those who have nothing don’t have any difficulty giving up their nothing for Christ! Yes, they do have to make choices. I’m not belittling their choice, but if you have no food you don’t have to give up food for Christ because you don’t have to give up what you don’t have! If you have access to fast food restaurants everywhere and you have five or ten dollars in your pocket anytime and you can go and get whatever burger, fries and chocolate shake you want anytime, anywhere and God asks you to give that up, sometimes we take that personally! “You want my burger and fries God?”
And God says
“no, I want your heart.”

Here’s some personal opinion – you are forewarned!
To me, one of the saddest parts of the non liturgical churches is the lack of the ability to celebrate the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis. Now, there is an option here to remind you that you are not take the Lord’s Supper unworthily. I’m assuming that many churches decided not to continue the monthly or weekly communion offerings because they want to make sure that their people are prepared to take communion. I’ve also heard that it is the reason. Also, that they do not want their people to take communion for granted.

I want to let you know, I drink water everyday and I don’t take that for granted. Now yes, I do more than those without water, but I am thankful that I have water. I also have to choose to participate in this water, and there are places that I can drink water that makes me sick because it is not good water. I am thankful for the clean water that is provided for me, daily.

Also, I have access to a toilet that is indoors and is in climate controlled environment. I have one at church and in my home. When I go hiking, and I can’t get to the Outhouse latrine easily, then I really appreciate the fact that I have access to running water and and toilets! I use it everyday. I only need to not have access to a toilet once for me to really, really appreciate the availability of the toilet! Or even worse, when I need a toilet in home, as in, a very often type of need, and I need to be able to get to the next toilet between places I’m going so that (you know what I mean) there’s no accidents, I really do appreciate toilets. Like I said I appreciate running water.

I appreciate that I do not have to grind my own wheat and make my own bread. I can go get toxin laid, dead flour, and garbage filled loaves of bread by the pound, if I want to. This is the blessing and the curse of having an abundance! We, in America, have so much, and so many options that we tend to take it for granted. Yet, do we choose to go without?

Why do I appreciate running water toilets and being able to pick and choose what kind of bread I might want? It’s because I have chosen to have a heart of gratitude and to remember
1. What it was like to have the well go dry in our house in Indiana,
2. what it was like to grind our wheat and make our bread from scratch because our children had allergic situations,
3. what it was like to be out hiking in the wilderness and needing to go to the bathroom and there is nowhere to go.

Personally, I appreciate the way the book of common prayer and the order of service leads a person right through Confession of sins and thanks for forgiveness before we take part in communion, to remember that the reason that I have forgiveness, the reason that I have Grace, the reason that I have mercy, is because Jesus Christ died on the cross, shed his blood and loved me enough to do it for me. The Order of Service promotes preparation for taking communion.

I’m supposed to pray every day – does that mean I take it for granted? I can. It can become ‘rote’ and ritual, but whose fault is that? MINE
I’m supposed to read my bible every day – does that mean I take IT for granted? I can. Again, we in America have access to every type of Bible,in whatever color, size, shape, design and version, whereas, others in the world have difficulty obtaining ONE piece of Bible without putting their life on the line. Whose fault is it if I take this for granted? MINE.
I’m supposed to practice Christianity every day – does that mean it becomes a habit, without meaning? It can! Again, whose fault is it that my heart loses it’s connection with the Father through the son, via the Holy Spirit? WHO moved away? ME!

So how often should I participate in communion?

The Episcopal Church doesn’t want you to have communion more than once a day. Jesus says “As soft as you shall do this eat of this bread drink this cup, do this in remembrance of me.” Now does that mean as often as you eat this special bread and drink the special drink? Of course.

Could that mean I would say we should look upon every time that we are given something to eat and drink that we should look upon the food part that is nourishing our body reminding us of his body broken for us? The drink part, could it be remembering his blood that was poured out for us? I don’t know.

I do know that most Christians give thanks for their food before their food gets eaten every time. Why are we giving thanks? Granted, we are thanking God for giving us this food and “in everything give thanks for this is the will of God!” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) I’d like to challenge us all to look at our food as a gift from God to nourish our bodies the way Jesus’s body was broken to nourish our spirits.
I’d like to challenge us all to look at the liquid that we drink, whatever it is, at a meal and remember it is washing us and it’s hydrating us and the blood of Jesus Christ washed our sins away and reconstituted our dead dry bones and heart.

I keep hearing that we should have Christmas everyday! People should celebrate Christmas all year long! Here’s my concern. While he had to be born fulfilling all of the prophecies, if he had not gone to the cross, none of the other would have mattered.

Let’s celebrate Resurrection every day! Give thanks every day for what Christ did for us on Calvary!

Prayer and Worship
Come to the Table – Sidewalk Prophets

Communion Song – Bethany Worship and John Stockstill

Lent Day Twelve we’ll talk about the New Covenant!
 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Lent 2018 Week Three (updated for 2023)

What is LENT? (a link to all of the LENT devotions)
Wikipedia has a very complete explanation for many of the christian denominations that observe LENT.
Short and simple, it’s making oneself prepared through humility to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the Christian equivalent to Passover for the Jews.
We’ve created a Face book group to follow and discuss, please join us! – 40 days of Lent!

11 – (3/6) Upper Room – Lord’s Supper – REMEMBER – Mt 26:17-30; Luke 22:14-20 small cup and plate
12 – (3/7) Upper Room – Lord’s Supper – NEW COVENANT – Mt 26:17-30; Luke 22:14-20 small cup and plate
13 – (3/8)  Upper Room – Lord’s Supper – cup and body – Mt 26:17-30; Luke 22:14-20 small cup and plate
14 – (3/9)Upper Room -Jesus washes the disciples feet – John 13:2-17; great is least – Luke 22:24-30 terry cloth
15 – (3/10)Upper Room – Declaration of Judas’ betrayal John 13:21-30, Luke 22 ; 21-23 knife;
16 – (3/11) Upper Room – Peter’s confession of Loyalty Mt 26:31-33, John 13:36-38
(3/12) Third Sunday of Lent  SUNDAY WORSHIP – REMEMBER THE RESURRECTION – “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?”

Lenten Cross Instructions
Our Lenten cross in progress.

 

I want these to be family activities, therefore, I’m going to list a few free coloring page websites here:

 

~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Older woman with shades of coral in jewelry and sweater, glasses, silver and brown hair.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.