The disciples were anxious to prove their critics and detractors wrong. The resurrection of Jesus vindicated them. It opened up a new chapter in their lives. “It’s going to be awesome from here on!” They surmised. Huddled around Jesus, they asked, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” – Acts 1:8. “Not yet!” Jesus essentially replied to them. Puzzled, the apostles looked at each other. But “stay here in Jerusalem until you have been clothed with power from on high,” Jesus assured them. 

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a crucial piece of evidence proving the Christian faith is valid. Without it, our belief in God and in Christ is rendered meaningless, if not, foolish – 1 Corinthians 15:14. Critics and detractors of Christianity are offering different kinds of hypothesis in their vain efforts to debunk the resurrection of Jesus. So far, none of these absurd and ridiculous theories have been successful in their attempts to discredit the resurrection. 

Jesus had just died. By estimation, our Savior must have expired sometime around three o’ clock Friday afternoon. When the Roman soldiers were about to break one of his legs in order to quicken his death, they found out that Jesus, indeed, had died. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus the Pharisee went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus – John 19:38-39. They brought about 75 lbs. of special aromatic spices, like myrrh and aloe, to use for Jesus’ burial.

Of all that Jesus could cry about at the cross while crucified, why was it thirst? Why not about his searing pain enveloping His entire being? Why thirst? The Bible does not give us any specifics. But medically speaking, thirst is the strongest need for any human being. It is tougher on the body than hunger. A man can survive without food for about 30 days. But an average man could only survive for 3 days without water.

Golgotha was a hill like no other. No one knew why this hill just outside of the city walls of Jerusalem was called as such. It just came to be known as the “hill of the skull.” The Greek word for Golgotha is “kranion.” That’s where the English word “cranium” or “skull” came from. Meanwhile, the Latin translation of Golgotha is “calvaria,” which translates in English as “calvary.” Hence, Golgotha is also referred to as Calvary.

Nestling at the foot of Mount Olives is an olive tree grove called, “Gethsemane.” The gospel writers describe this place as a “garden” – John 18:1. From its Aramaic root, Gethsemane means, “oil press.” Its name refers probably to the burgeoning oil press industry that once operated surrounding Mount Olives.

A cool breeze gently blew over the hills of Judea. The night sky was clear and the moon cast a soft, eerie glow over the city of Jerusalem. Outside the city walls, in a rented place called the Upper Room, Jesus sat reclined around a table with His 12 disciples. John the beloved and Judas Iscariot were seated on his right and left respectively. Peter was seated right across Jesus. It was the night of the Passover.

Jesus capped His “triumphal entry” into the city of Jerusalem with a dramatic public display of righteous indignation. He was livid. For the second time in his public ministry, Jesus lashed at those culprits responsible for the desecration of the Temple. The first time He did it, our Lord made a whip, overturned tables, scattered their merchandises and chased the nefarious merchants out of the sacred Temple grounds

It was a Sunday. Jesus was riding high on public opinion. Jerusalem was abuzz about his impending arrival in the city. When the inhabitants of this great capital heard that Jesus was on his way to their walled city, they rushed to cut palm branches and laid them on the road. Others took off their tunics and robes to lay them on the path of the procession. It was a day like no other.

“Anointing.” This word seems to be out place these days especially in the vocabulary of today’s millennials. It sounds so archaic and old. There’s no is no doubt it. But the meaning of the word is timeless. Anointing means, “to smear or rub oil or any oily substance.” In the olden times, kings were anointed to signify that they have been chosen to rule. Hence, to “anoint someone” also means, “to choose or appoint.”