SUMMARY:
When Jesus came into the great city of Jerusalem that Sunday, the crowd was excited and restless. Many had heard of Jesus' teaching and miracles. They longed for a leader who would help them drive the Romans from their land.
As Jesus rode through the city gates on a young donkey the people cheered and praised God. They waved palm branches, which were the sign of kings. They shouted "Hosannah! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"
As they began to throw their cloaks and palm leaves onto the ground to pave the way for Jesus, their hearts were full of expectation.

Prayer: What is a praise you can offer to God? What is something to be thankful for that He has done in your life?

SCRIPTURE:
Mark 11:15-18 NLT
When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.

SUMMARY:
The next day Jesus went to the temple to pray.
He began driving out those who were buying and selling, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those who were selling doves.
Jesus said: "Is it not written 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' but you have made it a den of robbers." Jesus was concerned that instead of the Temple being a place of worship, there were things getting in the way of people having a relationship with the Father.

Prayer: What is getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus? Confess anything that has been getting in the way of your relationship with God. (Sin, Distractions, Worries, ect.)

SCRIPTURE:
Mark 14:3-9 NLT
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly. But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

SUMMARY:
Two days before the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, Jesus went to visit Simon the Leper who lived in Bethany. While he was there, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
Some people started to criticize the woman and say it was waste, because the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.
Jesus said, "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial."

Prayer: What do you have to offer Christ the King? What offering can you pour out for Jesus? Your time? Your Talents? Your treasure? Be specific in your prayer.

SCRIPTURE:
John 13:1-17 NLT
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

SUMMARY:
Jesus lived in a hot dry land. Most people travelled from place to place on foot. It was the custom to welcome visitors by washing their dusty feet in clean, cold water. Normally a household servant did this.
When Jesus invited his disciples for supper in the upper room, they were surprised by what happened. Jesus took off his outer clothing and wrapped a towel round his waist.
After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with a towel. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his outer clothes and returned to his place.
 "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet; you should also wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

Prayer: Jesus came not to be served but to serve. . Ask God to show you how to serve your Family, Community, Church, Spouse, Coworkers, and Neighbors

SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 26:17-30 NLT
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there. When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

SUMMARY:
On the night before he died, Jesus had supper with his friends. After they had everything they wanted to eat, Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it.
This first shows that Jesus desires to have a personal relationship with us, like a friend inviting you over for dinner. He does not wish to be a distant God, but one who sits at the table with us.
Secondly this is his clearest moment that he tells us His body would be broken and that His blood would be shed so that we could have this relationship with the Heavenly Father.

Prayer: What has Jesus forgiven you of that has made it possible to have a relationship with God? Take a moment to reflect and thank God for everything he has Forgiven you of.

SCRIPTURE:
Luke 22:39-42 NLT
Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

SUMMARY:
Jesus knew that soon the soldiers would come to arrest him and He would be sentenced to death.
 He went to a garden called Gethsemane, with his friends and asked them to keep watch while he prayed to God to help him. But his friends were tired and they fell asleep.
In the darkness of the night Jesus felt very alone. Even so, he trusted himself to God's care.

Prayer: Pray that God's will would be done in your life, not your own. What are some ways that your will has gotten in the way of God's will? Pray that He would prophetically speak to you His will for your life.

SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 26:69-75 NLT
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.” But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said. A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.” Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

SUMMARY:
Peter followed behind at a distance when the soldiers came to take Jesus away.
He waited in the courtyard outside the high priest's house. He sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
Someone said, "You were also with Jesus of Nazareth," but Peter denied it. Two more times that night Peter said he didn't know Jesus.
Then the Rooster crowed, and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, "Before the rooster crows you will disown me three times." Peter went outside and wept bitterly.

Prayer: Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the boldness to always give a testimony of what Jesus has done in your life.

SCRIPTURE:
Mark 14:53-64 NLT
They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire. Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” But even then they didn’t get their stories straight! Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”

Mark 15:1-20 NLT
Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire high council—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.” Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?” But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise. Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested. One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual. “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked. (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!” So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

SUMMARY:
The soldiers took Jesus first to the high priest's house, where he was found guilty. The chief priest sent him to Pilate, who agreed to have him crucified.
Finally, they led Jesus away into the palace. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, "Hail King of the Jews!" They whipped him and pretended to bow down to him to mock him.

Prayer: Reflect upon the pain that Jesus was willing to endure for the people He loved, you and I. Pray that God would give you the strength to endure the painful seasons we must go through in order to follow Him and to care for those we love.

SCRIPTURE: 
John 19:17-37 NLT
Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it. Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did. Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and “They will look on the one they pierced.”

SUMMARY:
Soldiers led Jesus outside the walls of Jerusalem to Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.
 A crown of thorns had been placed on his head. They nailed him to the cross and fastened a notice on it that read: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews".
 While they waited for Jesus to die, the soldiers cast dice to see which one of them would have Jesus' robe for themselves. When Jesus became thirsty the soldiers offered him a sponge
soaked in vinegar.
At three o'clock that day Jesus died.

Prayer: Take a moment of silence to honor and reflect upon Jesus' final death upon the cross.

SCRIPTURE:
Mark 15:42-47 NLT
This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

 SUMMARY:
After Jesus had died, his body was wrapped in a linen cloth and taken to a tomb built into rock in a beautiful garden.
 When they had laid him to rest they rolled a stone over the entrance of the tomb.
 Until Sunday morning there would be room for doubt, worry, sadness, regret, and all kinds of emotions while waiting to see what would happen as the Messiah had been put to death.

Prayer: Pray that God would give you the strength to keep faith when things look dark. Pray that there would be no room for doubt, fear, or worry in your life.

PRAY:
Use this sample prayer or pray in your own words
Lord Jesus, in remembrance of you and what you did for us on the cross, we thank you and worship you. We thank you that because you body was broken, we have been made whole. Today we thank you for healing and restoration in our bodies and ask you for grace in the restoration of relationships. We thank you that because your blood was shed, our sin is forgiven and we find healing. We confess that you are our Savior, who redeems our life from the pit of despair, sets our feet on the rock and gives us a new song to sing. Cleanse us of any guilt and shame. Rescue us from the power of sin and the forces of darkness, that we may live in your freedom, joy, and love through the Holy Spirit Father, we pray that your will is carried out in the current situation the world is in. We thank you for the victory and hope in your name, Jesus. Amen

TAKE, EAT, AND DRINK