A Few Days
The road was lined with people. There was great anticipation among many of the upcoming parade. This was not your typical parade though. It was a parade filled with just one float. It actually wasn’t even a float but rather a donkey carrying the honored guest. Palm branches were waving, and people were singing, Hosanna! But in a few days a Parade of joy would give way to a Parade of Judgement. Hosannas would turn into crucify him and palm branches exchanged for whips. It only took a few days.
Simon Peter was as courageous and bold as any disciple. But during this time, Peter had one of the most difficult weeks of all the disciples. He boldly proclaimed, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” Matthew 26:35. Then the garden prayer turns into the garden naptime. The betrayer comes marching with soldiers and prayer time turns into capture time. Now Simon Peter follows the entourage with Jesus at a distance and eventually the prophetic words of Jesus would come true. Simon Peter would deny his Lord on 3 separate occasions and the rooster would remind him of it. That evening one of the greatest disciples went from being bold to becoming cold. It only took a few days.
The Sanhedrin were tired of Jesus, they were afraid of Jesus, they were intimidated by Jesus. This led to drastic actions by the Sanhedrin. “Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by [trickery and kill Him.” Matthew 26:3-4. Passover or not, they had come to the point that it was time to do away with Jesus for good. Their evil plotting added to a wayward disciple equaled an express plan. They would have Jesus on the fast track to death. It only took a few days.
Nighttime arrest in the garden led to night court amongst the religious and civil leaders of the area. Jesus is bounced from court to court. He would go from Annas to Caiphas to Pilate to Herod back to Pilate. The not so ethical treatment of Jesus is played out before men who really don’t want to be involved with Jesus in this case. Eventually the crowds would help seal the deal by calling for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Jesus would go from a garden of praying to a hill of torture. It only took a few days.
The cruel punishment of Jesus is documented to be filled with beatings, whipping, spitting, slaps, and punches. 39 lashes, no telling how many punches and kicks. We top it off with mockery and a crown of thorns stuck into his skull. After all of that… then it was time for the cross. Most men would have never made it to the cross after that type of treatment. Finally, spikes are placed through the body of Jesus and the cross is raised with his bleeding, suffering body on it. Death would occur within a couple of hours. It is Finished were His words. Two men would get permission to bury his body before sunset. They worked as quickly as possible and placed his body in a new tomb that had never been used. That Friday was anything but good and the end was so sudden. It only took a few days.
Now the disciples were wondering, what is next? The turmoil of Friday was overwhelming. Dismay filled the air. Then early Sunday Morning the sun would shine bright. A journey to mourn is interrupted by the unexpected discovery. Women were going to see a corpse but instead they see an Angel. Trained soldiers are passed out and no one knows why. An unmovable tombstone is rolled away. The grave is empty except for the cloths and napkin. The body is missing. The heavens are rejoicing. Hope abounds! Testimonies are filing in. The sightings of the Living Lord are for real. Death had lost, Jesus had won! The world had never experienced a Resurrection Sunday but it happened that day. Because of Easter, everything changed! It only took a few days.
Simon Peter was as courageous and bold as any disciple. But during this time, Peter had one of the most difficult weeks of all the disciples. He boldly proclaimed, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” Matthew 26:35. Then the garden prayer turns into the garden naptime. The betrayer comes marching with soldiers and prayer time turns into capture time. Now Simon Peter follows the entourage with Jesus at a distance and eventually the prophetic words of Jesus would come true. Simon Peter would deny his Lord on 3 separate occasions and the rooster would remind him of it. That evening one of the greatest disciples went from being bold to becoming cold. It only took a few days.
The Sanhedrin were tired of Jesus, they were afraid of Jesus, they were intimidated by Jesus. This led to drastic actions by the Sanhedrin. “Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by [trickery and kill Him.” Matthew 26:3-4. Passover or not, they had come to the point that it was time to do away with Jesus for good. Their evil plotting added to a wayward disciple equaled an express plan. They would have Jesus on the fast track to death. It only took a few days.
Nighttime arrest in the garden led to night court amongst the religious and civil leaders of the area. Jesus is bounced from court to court. He would go from Annas to Caiphas to Pilate to Herod back to Pilate. The not so ethical treatment of Jesus is played out before men who really don’t want to be involved with Jesus in this case. Eventually the crowds would help seal the deal by calling for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Jesus would go from a garden of praying to a hill of torture. It only took a few days.
The cruel punishment of Jesus is documented to be filled with beatings, whipping, spitting, slaps, and punches. 39 lashes, no telling how many punches and kicks. We top it off with mockery and a crown of thorns stuck into his skull. After all of that… then it was time for the cross. Most men would have never made it to the cross after that type of treatment. Finally, spikes are placed through the body of Jesus and the cross is raised with his bleeding, suffering body on it. Death would occur within a couple of hours. It is Finished were His words. Two men would get permission to bury his body before sunset. They worked as quickly as possible and placed his body in a new tomb that had never been used. That Friday was anything but good and the end was so sudden. It only took a few days.
Now the disciples were wondering, what is next? The turmoil of Friday was overwhelming. Dismay filled the air. Then early Sunday Morning the sun would shine bright. A journey to mourn is interrupted by the unexpected discovery. Women were going to see a corpse but instead they see an Angel. Trained soldiers are passed out and no one knows why. An unmovable tombstone is rolled away. The grave is empty except for the cloths and napkin. The body is missing. The heavens are rejoicing. Hope abounds! Testimonies are filing in. The sightings of the Living Lord are for real. Death had lost, Jesus had won! The world had never experienced a Resurrection Sunday but it happened that day. Because of Easter, everything changed! It only took a few days.
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