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Do you allow fear or opposition to hold you back from doing God’s will? Jesus set his face like flint toward Jerusalem, knowing full well what awaited him there (Luke 9:51; Isaiah 50:7). The way to glory and victory for us is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Christ in his way of victory?

Saturday in the Fifth Week of Lent

Ezekiel 37:21-28

Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13

J ohn 11:45-56  Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him; (46) but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (47) So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. (48) If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation." (49) But one of them, Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all; (50) you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish." (51) He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, (52) and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. (53) So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death. (54) Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called  E'phraim; and there he stayed with the disciples. (55) Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. (56) They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?"

Meditation by Don Schwager

Do you allow fear or opposition to hold you back from doing God’s will? Jesus set his face like flint toward Jerusalem, knowing full well what awaited him there (Luke 9:51; Isaiah 50:7). It was Jewish belief that when the high priest asked for God's counsel for the nation, God spoke through him. What dramatic irony that Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus must die for the nation.

The prophet Ezekiel announced that God would establish one people, one land, one prince, and one sanctuary forever. Luke adds to Caiphas’s prophecy that Jesus would gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Jesus came to lay down his life for the many, but not in a foolish reckless manner so as to throw it away before his work was done. He retired until the time had come when nothing would stop his coming to Jerusalem to fulfill his Father's mission.

A ugustine wrote: "The passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the hope of glory and a lesson in patience ... He loved us so much that, sinless himself, he suffered for us sinners the punishment we deserved for our sins. How then can he fail to give us the reward we deserve for our righteousness, for he is the source of righteousness? How can he, whose promises are true, fail to reward the saints when he bore the punishment of sinners, though without sin himself? Brethren, let us then fearlessly acknowledge, and even openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us; let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory."

The way to glory and victory for us is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Christ in his way of victory?

Lord Jesus, may we your disciples be ever ready to lay down our lives in conformity to your will, to willingly suffer and die for you, that we may also share in your victory and glory.

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU. – Bobot Apit

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