What if you had one week left with your disciples?
What would be the most important lessons to pass along? How would you prepare and get them ready?
We get to see exactly what Jesus did in His final week with them leading up to Easter Sunday!
I love reading and studying through a Gospel on Easter week each year. This year in Mark I am seeing how Jesus got His disciples READY to labor by teaching them 8 important truths.
I’ve laid them out in a daily devotional for Easter starting Palm Sunday and going through Easter Sunday.
Each day of this devotional plan has a reading in Mark and a reflection question. I pray the truths of the most important week of our faith will make you READY to live for Him.
Palm Sunday — Ready for His Reign
Read Mark 11:1-11.
Jesus is no ordinary king and this is no ordinary coronation. While the people expected this moment to be the entrance of a conquering Messiah, Jesus comes as a humble servant riding on a donkey. Nevertheless, it is fitting that we cry out Hosanna, “God save us now.” Because of His humble sacrifice, God has promised Jesus the name that is above every name in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:5-12).
Reflect: Is Jesus your King and Lord?
Monday – Ready for Repentance
Read Mark 11:15-19.
Jesus cleans house! He enters the temple and drives out the moneychangers and others profiting off of people’s worship. Jesus comes to make His followers holy. We cannot allow sin to creep in and set up shop in our lives.
Reflect: What sin do you need to repent of today and allow Jesus to clean out in your life?
Tuesday — Ready to Make Requests
Read Mark 11:20-26.
The disciples see the fig tree withered and ask Him about it. He knows His time is coming and uses this moment to prepare them to pray. He wants them to exercise great faith in Him.
Reflect: What prayers do you need to ask in faith right now?
Wednesday — Ready for His Return
Read Mark 13:1-13, 24-37.
The disciples ask Jesus about the timing of the coming kingdom. Jesus teaches them about the signs of the end of the age and His return. He emphasizes one command over and over: Be ready! He repeats the commands “be on your guard,” “stay awake,” “do not be anxious.” He wants His followers to live and labor with an eternal perspective!
Reflect: What worldly, temporary things are taking your focus off an eternal perspective?
Thursday – Ready for Relationship
Read Mark 14:12-42.
Jesus celebrates the Passover supper with His disciples and faces temptation in the garden. A big emphasis in this section is on Jesus’ inclusion of the disciples in His life. He obviously wants close fellowship and a relationship with them. He shares bread with them, warns of their falling away, and invites them to the garden to pray. They all pledge their allegiance to Him but, as we know, will all soon abandon (or even betray) Him.
“The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” You are capable of abandoning Jesus. The good news is He will not abandon His followers. What a great day to celebrate your relationship with Jesus and pray for a faith that perseveres in Him despite trials and persecution.
Reflect: How can you deepen this relationship with Jesus that He wants with you?
Friday — Ready for Redemption
Read Mark 15:1-39.
As Jesus suffers and finishes His work on the cross the curtain of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom. We don’t earn access to God. God ripped open access to Himself by sending His Son from heaven to earth. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and, by faith, we can now approach the throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16). The entire book of Mark culminates 15:39 with the centurion’s declaration: “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
Reflect: Think about your testimony…praise God for the moment He revealed your redemption in Christ Jesus.
Saturday – Ready for Remorse
Read 1 Cor 15:1-19.
Saturday is about perseverance. Try to imagine the confusion and sorrow the disciples would have been feeling on Friday and into Saturday.
Saturday says, “We thought He was the one. If they killed him what will they do to us? We’ve just wasted 3 years and lost everything. He was supposed to be the king. Hope is lost. Death has won.”
We must pause and remember Saturday so that we can better appreciate Sunday. Saturday reminds us that not all is yet as it should be. We must persevere through trials in faith. While we are still on earth we long for resurrection.
Reflect: What pain, sorrow, suffering, questions or doubts do you need to give over to Jesus?
Sunday – Ready for Resurrection
Read Mark 16:1-9.
Our Savior conquers death and is raised from the dead! The book of Mark ends abruptly, but fittingly. The disciples are astonished, amazed, in awe and fearful. Wouldn’t you be too!? Awe and wonder lead to faith. The empty tomb is proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
From that empty tomb the Gospel has spread across the entire world to all creation through the labor of His followers (Mark 16:15). It continues to be our role to spread the hope of the resurrection of Jesus.
Reflect: Who can you share this hope with today?
Put it into Practice:
Which day of the week is most important for you to reflect on right now?
I hope this devotional can encourage you to reflect and grow through this amazing week. Happy Easter! He is Risen!
