TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:10-11
Read: Matthew 21:1-11
Listen: Matthew 21
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Jesus is getting ready to enter Jerusalem, where he will be joined by hundreds of thousands of others. The crowd is there to remember and celebrate God’s miraculous deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Celebrating Passover, they are again pleading for deliverance. This time, it is from Rome, the last in a series of empires that have ruled the Jews for over 500 years. As they pray for deliverance, they wonder if Jesus will break them free of the hated Roman occupiers. Knowing of the miracles Jesus has done, they wonder, “Who is this? Is he the one? Is he the new Moses?”
Their question could be our question, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10). As we begin to look at the week leading up to Easter, what has traditionally been called “Holy Week,” we will see who Jesus is, why his identity matters and how his identity changes our lives. Whether we’re exploring who Jesus is for the first time or we have followed him for a while, God has something for us to notice that perhaps we’ve ignored or neglected. This series provides a great opportunity to encounter the real Jesus and be changed again by him.
TODAY: Pray and ask God to help you see who Jesus is, and be willing to be changed by what you see. Pray for the Holy Spirit to challenge your heart and mind and allow him to make a difference in how you live. Ask him to meet you in a special way during our look at the original Holy Week.
JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Read Malachi 1-2. Highlight anything that points to Jesus.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
