Week Before the Cross: Sunday-Monday

So I spent much of my weekend watching movies on the Hallmark channel(see below). Which is fine because if you recall, I was determined to enjoy the nothingness on my calender after 3 weekends of speaking.

I did get a few loads of laundry done while watching two of the movies. And I walked 45 minutes on my treadmill during another one. I managed to make dinner with leftovers before the last two movies of the night, which didn't make me cry as much as the others. Maybe I was just out of tears by then, or maybe exercising released those happy hormones that Elle Woods says keeps happy people from killing their husbands. :)

So this week I figured I'd do a bit of reading. I'm going to spend my week going through Jesus' last week before the cross.

Sunday through Wednesday Jesus spent each night a couple miles outside of Jerusalem, across from the Mount of Olives in Bethany. He may have been staying at Mary & Martha's home. Thursday night we'll find him in the Garden of Gethsemane. And Friday and Saturday night His body lay in the tomb. Sunday, however, a glorious new dawn rises in the hearts of man!

I'll be reading the passages in all 4 gospels. Anyone want to join me? I'll post the readings here each day and link them to the online Bible, like I did during last spring's Bible study. All you have to do is click on them to read them. Then if you want, you can post here to say you've read it and leave any questions or comments about the passages.

I'll also be reading Max Lucado's book, "And the Angels Were Silent," about this week of Jesus' life. I started on it this morning. I started on the Bible passages yesterday - but you can quickly catch up.

Here is Palm Sunday's (yesterday) reading:

• Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:29-40, John 12:12-19

The laying down of palm branches was an ancient tradition that indicated a king or dignitary was arriving in triumph. Interestingly, palm branches are also mentioned in the book of Revelation. John writes of his heavenly vision in Revelation 9:7-11:

"After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God."

I especially like the details John's gospel includes in his passage about the praise and worship sung as Jesus entered. Can you picture creation - in Heaven and earth, living and inanimate - anticipating the redemption to come?!

Here is Monday's (today) reading:

• Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46

Any thoughts?