At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

At once the Spirit sent Him out into the wilderness, and He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended Him.

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Before Jesus begins His ministry two things happen…He is baptized and He faces Satan. This was how Jesus prepared Himself for the next three years. What I want to point out is that even with Jesus we see that the fight against temptation doesn’t pick up steam until after you have given your life to Christ. It’s important to note that just because you have been baptized does not mean that nothing bad will happen or no temptation will be too difficult. We must always be on our guard…ready to stand up in victory through Jesus as we overcome the temptations that come our way.

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”-“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”

Isaiah 40:3

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

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John was not someone who you would just look at and be drawn to. Ha clothes were wild…he ate as though he was wild. But his message…his message is was drew people in. You may not think of yourself as someone who people would be drawn to…but like John it’s not about us. The message of the Gospel is what draws people in. You have the most powerful message there has ever been. Stop acting like you can hinder the message…instead let the message start to transform you.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain in where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

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Go…Baptize…Teach. It’s a three step command that Jesus gives to His disciples and to you and me. Our responsibility as a Christ-follower is to go to people and meet them where they’re at and share the Gospel with them. It’s to baptize them as a symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. It’s to continue teaching them what it means to follow Jesus each and every day. It’s one we speak of often…but are we truly obeying it? Are you going, baptizing, and teaching? Why not? Take Jesus at His word and be obedient to Him today.

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

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They had to pay off the soldiers so the truth wouldn’t come out. You see, that’s how easy false teaching can come about. What happens if the followers of Christ don’t speak out on truth? If we won’t share the Gospel, the only thing that will be shared is false narratives and teachings. It’s imperative that we be courageous in sharing the Gospel. It’s our responsibility and calling as Christians. Be bold today. Share the Gospel today to quench the false teachings.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell the disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

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He is risen! He is not here! The sound of victory over death! Both the angel and Jesus tell the women not to be afraid. Isn’t it interesting how even though they could see it with their own eyes they still felt fear? No wonder we live such fearful lives at times. But Jesus also speaks to us…saying don’t be afraid!! We have nothing to fear! Death and sin have been defeated! Only Jesus stands tall above the rest! When you feel afraid, be reminded that there is no fear in love…and perfect love (Jesus) drives out fear. Seek Jesus in the midst of your fear…let Him be the courage you seek.

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that He has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

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Matthew made sure that in his Gospel that he made it clear that the only way Jesus was making it out of that tomb was by the power of God. He proved that a body was not stolen…but that Jesus did in fact come back from the dead and walk out of the tomb. Don’t we try to seal things in? We tried to hide our sins and our failures. We try to hide our questions and our doubts. We may be able to seal them away from everyone else…but not God. He knows everything about us. Do you need to open up to some things you have sealed away and tried to burry? Let God carry you through it. Let others share in your burden. Take the weight off of you and finally let go of the things that are weighing you down. Find freedom in Jesus today.

As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

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It seemed like the end. This was how the legacy of Jesus would come to a conclusion. Sorrow filled the air…disappointment loomed. A false sense of victory filled the minds of the religious leaders. But Jesus had said…give me three days. In three days I will rebuild this temple. It seemed like the women were expectant…they stayed near the tomb. In fact, they are the first to discover the empty tomb as well. Much like Jesus said He would come back in three days…He also proclaimed He would come back on the last day to gather the saints to Him. I don’t know about you…but knowing He came through on the other…we should be living each day expectant of that return. Be prepared…be ready…be on guard. Jesus is coming back…are you ready?

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachtani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)

When some of them standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave Him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him.”

And when Jesus has cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for His needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

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The moment the sacrifice became real is also the moment that the wall between us and God was broken. Because of Jesus, we don’t have to go through a third party to speak to God. We don’t have to go through a third party to seek forgiveness or offer up thanksgiving. Because of Jesus…WE get to connect to Almighty God. Do you realize what that means? That you can stop at any point of your day and connect with God…Crestor of the universe! What’s stopping you? Only you…maybe we should stop getting in our own way so that we can be in the presence of God! Don’t you want that? Don’t you desire that? He waiting at the door knocking…it’s time we open it.

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it. When they had crucified Him, they divided up His clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. Above His head they placed the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

Two rebels were crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left. Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him. “He save others,” they said, “but He can’t save Himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.

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I can’t imagine how difficult the temptation must’ve been for Jesus to just come down off that cross and prove to everyone mocking Him of who He is. But He didn’t. Why? Because it wasn’t about Him…it was about you and me. How often in our lives do we make it about us. How much better would life be if we could learn to put Him first? Jesus paid the ultimate price for you and me…the least we can do is follow His lead in our own life…the life He saved. Put God First today and every day.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him saying, Hail, king of the Jews! They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.

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Our fear in standing up for the Gospel usually comes from shame and not wanting others to mock us. Jesus literally took on fear and shame so that we could stand up tall in victory as we proclaim the name of Jesus. We don’t have a crucifixion waiting for us…Jesus already paid that debt. We get to live our lives in such a way that everything we say and do is to glorify Him. So why are you afraid? Why are you ashamed? Stand up and be courageous today for the name of Jesus!