I do not know if they had a newspaper in Jerusalam, but the news during Holy Week seemed to spread VERY fast.
We start the week off with Jesus going to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. When He got there, they pretty much gave Him a HERO'S welcome. The closest thing we have to it today is a Hero's Parade. They knew that Jesus was a decendant of David, and in Jesus they hoped that the Kingship of David would be restored, and the Romans would be kicked out of Jerusalam. Everyone wanted to get in good with Jesus, because they hoped He would soon be king, and they wanted a good job, with lots of money and power.
The problem was with the Jewish people who were already in power, and they did not want to lose that power. So they took steps to protect their traditions and there position. They planed to turn Jesus over to the Roman government. After all, Jesus was no friend of the Romans as far as they were concerned, He planed to lead a rebellion against them, so they thought, according to the gossip they had heard.
So, we jump in our story to when Jesus was on trial before the Roman who was in charge of that sort of stuff. They said what is the charge against this man, why do you bring Him before me. They answered that this man Jesus is a enemy of the Romans. He wants to be King and throw the Romans out of Jerusalem. He is planning a rebellion.
I know they did not have a live camera in the court room, but news was spreading so fast. All of Jerusalem must have been so excited to hear what the latest news was about the great trial of Jesus. Now it was Jesus turn to defend Himself, what would He say, what would be His defense?
John 18:36-38
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." [37] Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." [38] Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.
All of Jerusalem must have been in shock. If not in shock they became very anger, very fast. What does He mean His Kingdom is not of this world. He is not going to deliver us from the Romans? He is not going to free us from our oppressors? They were ready to fight, they had this all planned out, they just needed a leader, and what better leader than Jesus, He was qualified to be King, he was a decendant of David, what better man could you find?
John 18:39-40
"But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" [40] Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.
Who was this Barabbas? Bar means SON. Rabbas means Rabbi. Jesus was a Rabbi, a great teacher. But Barabbas was a PK a Preachers Kid, a son of a Rabbi. He was also a proven Zealot, someone who had killed a Roman and proven that he wanted to use physical force to overthrown the Romans.
There were so many stories to be told that week in Jerusalem. But how was it, that Jesus came into town a hero with a parade, and in so short of a time fell from the favor of the people and was nailed to a cross? What a sad day it must have been for those who had their hopes and their dreams nailed to the cross with Him. For those who were willing to die with Christ.
The next Jewish Holiday was the Penticost. There was not so much excitment in Jerusalem that week. But that was the week that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church. It gathered a tiny bit of attention. Are these people drunk? What is going on here? But for the world, this was a very quiet beginning of a movement that is still going and still growing today. Bigger than ever. Thanks, JohnR7
We start the week off with Jesus going to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. When He got there, they pretty much gave Him a HERO'S welcome. The closest thing we have to it today is a Hero's Parade. They knew that Jesus was a decendant of David, and in Jesus they hoped that the Kingship of David would be restored, and the Romans would be kicked out of Jerusalam. Everyone wanted to get in good with Jesus, because they hoped He would soon be king, and they wanted a good job, with lots of money and power.
The problem was with the Jewish people who were already in power, and they did not want to lose that power. So they took steps to protect their traditions and there position. They planed to turn Jesus over to the Roman government. After all, Jesus was no friend of the Romans as far as they were concerned, He planed to lead a rebellion against them, so they thought, according to the gossip they had heard.
So, we jump in our story to when Jesus was on trial before the Roman who was in charge of that sort of stuff. They said what is the charge against this man, why do you bring Him before me. They answered that this man Jesus is a enemy of the Romans. He wants to be King and throw the Romans out of Jerusalem. He is planning a rebellion.
I know they did not have a live camera in the court room, but news was spreading so fast. All of Jerusalem must have been so excited to hear what the latest news was about the great trial of Jesus. Now it was Jesus turn to defend Himself, what would He say, what would be His defense?
John 18:36-38
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." [37] Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." [38] Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.
All of Jerusalem must have been in shock. If not in shock they became very anger, very fast. What does He mean His Kingdom is not of this world. He is not going to deliver us from the Romans? He is not going to free us from our oppressors? They were ready to fight, they had this all planned out, they just needed a leader, and what better leader than Jesus, He was qualified to be King, he was a decendant of David, what better man could you find?
John 18:39-40
"But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" [40] Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.
Who was this Barabbas? Bar means SON. Rabbas means Rabbi. Jesus was a Rabbi, a great teacher. But Barabbas was a PK a Preachers Kid, a son of a Rabbi. He was also a proven Zealot, someone who had killed a Roman and proven that he wanted to use physical force to overthrown the Romans.
There were so many stories to be told that week in Jerusalem. But how was it, that Jesus came into town a hero with a parade, and in so short of a time fell from the favor of the people and was nailed to a cross? What a sad day it must have been for those who had their hopes and their dreams nailed to the cross with Him. For those who were willing to die with Christ.
The next Jewish Holiday was the Penticost. There was not so much excitment in Jerusalem that week. But that was the week that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church. It gathered a tiny bit of attention. Are these people drunk? What is going on here? But for the world, this was a very quiet beginning of a movement that is still going and still growing today. Bigger than ever. Thanks, JohnR7
