No moment in all history depicts a greater contrast between the Upper and Lower Story. The final week of Jesus’ life, in the Lower Story, was as dark as darkness gets. The Lord of Glory was betrayed and abandoned by his friends, rejected by the crowds, condemned by the religious community, scorned and mocked mercilessly. He experienced absolute relational and emotional darkness.
The one humbly born in a manger was strung up on a post and brutally beaten. He was forced to carry his own cross up the hill of the Skull. Then he was nailed to that Roman instrument of torture and suspended up in the air by his hands and feet – suffering one of the most intentionally painful deaths ever invented. He experienced physical darkness beyond description.
Finally, the sinless Lamb of God experienced the pitch-blackness of utter spiritual darkness. The one who knew no sin became sin; in our place he took the punishment, the just judgment, we deserved.
Strangely, this darkest of all moments was also the moment heavenly light broke through as never before. As Jesus suffered and died, our hope began, our redemption was won, and sin was crushed. The brilliant light of God’s love was shining from the glory of the Upper Story into the darkness of our Lower Story…and it changed everything.
Think about a time when you experienced relational, emotional, or spiritual darkness and how the light of God was still shining.
The above is taken from The Story: Getting to the Heart of God’s Story, page 167.
1. How does our willingness to serve reveal Jesus’ presence in our life and in the world? What is one unexpected act of service you can offer in the coming week?
2. The religious leaders and the political leaders joined in a twisted tale of abuse and rejection (Matthew 26:57 – 67; 27:1 – 10; John 18:28 – 19:16; The Story, pgs. 374 – 377). How did they treat Jesus and how did he respond?
3. In what ways does Jesus’ preparation and celebration of his final Passover meal parallel the original Passover? What does this teach us about the purpose of Jesus’ death? (Review Exodus 12:1 – 13; 21 – 27, John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7 – 8).
4. How is the Spirit described on p. 306? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life?
5. What can we learn about Jesus and about prayer from the Garden of Gethsemane?
ReplyDeletePoint to ponder…
His darkest hour led to our brightest!
No moment in all history depicts a greater contrast between the Upper and Lower Story. The final week of Jesus’ life, in the Lower Story, was as dark as darkness gets. The Lord of Glory was betrayed and abandoned by his friends, rejected by the crowds, condemned by the religious community, scorned and mocked mercilessly. He experienced absolute relational and emotional darkness.
The one humbly born in a manger was strung up on a post and brutally beaten. He was forced to carry his own cross up the hill of the Skull. Then he was nailed to that Roman instrument of torture and suspended up in the air by his hands and feet – suffering one of the most intentionally painful deaths ever invented. He experienced physical darkness beyond description.
Finally, the sinless Lamb of God experienced the pitch-blackness of utter spiritual darkness. The one who knew no sin became sin; in our place he took the punishment, the just judgment, we deserved.
Strangely, this darkest of all moments was also the moment heavenly light broke through as never before. As Jesus suffered and died, our hope began, our redemption was won, and sin was crushed. The brilliant light of God’s love was shining from the glory of the Upper Story into the darkness of our Lower Story…and it changed everything.
Think about a time when you experienced relational, emotional, or spiritual darkness and how the light of God was still shining.
The above is taken from The Story: Getting to the Heart of God’s Story, page 167.
ReplyDeleteQuestions to consider…
1. How does our willingness to serve reveal Jesus’ presence in our life and in the world? What is one unexpected act of service you can offer in the coming week?
2. The religious leaders and the political leaders joined in a twisted tale of abuse and rejection (Matthew 26:57 – 67; 27:1 – 10; John 18:28 – 19:16; The Story, pgs. 374 – 377). How did they treat Jesus and how did he respond?
3. In what ways does Jesus’ preparation and celebration of his final Passover meal parallel the original Passover? What does this teach us about the purpose of Jesus’ death? (Review Exodus 12:1 – 13; 21 – 27, John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7 – 8).
4. How is the Spirit described on p. 306? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life?
5. What can we learn about Jesus and about prayer from the Garden of Gethsemane?