The Road Through Calvary: 40 Devotional Readings

By Hayes Press

Follow Jesus and his disciples on the road through Calvary - from the anointing at Bethany to the ascension - in this series of 40 devotional readings. Each reading includes a passage of scripture followed by a short devotion or meditation - suitable for Easter or any time of the year.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hayes Press
• Release date: Feb 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524267254

Book preview

READING ONE: PREPARING FOR HIS BURIAL

AND WHEN JESUS WAS in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.  But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." (Matthew 26:6-13)

The life of the Lord Jesus was rapidly drawing to a close. Israel’s leaders were planning His death. They plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. At Bethany, in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster cruse of exceedingly precious ointment. It was a highly valued perfumed oil, possibly liquid myrrh. It was a gift worthy of a king, and the woman poured it upon His gracious head as He sat having a meal with the host, Simon the leper. Imagine the impact the fragrance would have upon the guests! Yet the Lord’s disciples reacted in a negative, unpleasant way. Why this waste? was their comment.

Their minds were not occupied with the Lord and His worthiness, but with material values only. Their materialistic reaction was, This fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. Shame on them! How worthy He was of such adulation! Was He not born a King? Had He not revealed His royal characteristics? Was He not the eternal Son of God? Where was the disciples’ vision?

How careful we need to be with our words! How short-sighted we can become to our detriment in depriving the Lord of life and glory of the honour that belongs to Him! Where were the eyes, the emotions and the affections of the disciples at this time? The ointment was not for the poor, but for Him! Their priorities were misplaced; their eyes were in the wrong direction. The woman was acknowledging His worthiness, recognizing Him as the Son of God. The Lord revealed her spiritual insight, For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial

Did they hear the significance of His words? Did they realize He was telling them of His impending death? Graciously He added this tribute, Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. What a compliment!

This was a gravely significant time. Judas went away to the chief priests to barter for the price of His betrayal. What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you? were his ruthless words. It was then that his hands, his affections and his life were soiled by thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave.

What a picture for us to study in the quietness of our minds! A dear, loving, affectionate woman, whose heart beat in love towards the Master, showered His loving head with the precious gift of fragrant oil; and a greedy, grasping traitor of a man held out his wicked hands to be soiled by thirty pieces of silver. What a contrast!

READING TWO: THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

NOW WHEN THEY DREW near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; and He said to them, Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.  And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here. So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. But some of those who stood there said to them, What are you doing, loosing the colt?" And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 

Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it.  And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve." (Mark 11:1-11)

The multitude from Bethany was met by the throng from Jerusalem coming to meet the One of whom they had heard. To these Jesus presented Himself as King: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

The humility of the Saviour riding upon the back of the lowly donkey was matched by His tenderness in taking along the mother of that unbroken colt, and His unwillingness to show less than due care for the animals. No loss accrues to those who give for the Master’s use.

The hosannas of the day would be matched by the praises of the children on the following day. We are reminded that so very often the actions of the parents are reflected in their young. In this case the children fulfilled Scripture, Psalm 8:2 (Revised Version): From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou hast established strength.

When the Lord reminded those who chided Him about this scripture, those who knew their Bibles must have smarted at the context of these verses that He had quoted to them. Perhaps these shouts of those who praised were part of the antiphonal recitation of Psalm 118:25-26. Poignant indeed the context of these words also: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone (v.22) and Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar (v.27).

In spite of what has been called the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem, He did not come to be accepted as King. The fickle praises poured upon Him that day would soon clash with the cacophony of mob hatred. He must be rejected. And resulting from that rejection would come His own rejection of Israel. John’s gospel says: He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name (John 1:11-12). From the time of the praises of adults and children, there would arise discord in continuing strength until that dissonance carried the day. Yet arising out of the discord of the evil hearts of men comes a song of greater sweetness and strength, our own harmony of praise to the One who has through His rejection and death made Himself worthy to be our King: You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 118:28-29).

Ride on, ride on, in majesty

Hark! All the tribes ‘Hosanna’ cry,

O Saviour meek, pursue Thy road

With palms and scattered garments strewed.

Ride on, ride on, in majesty;

The angel armies of the sky

Look down with sad and wondering eyes,

To see th’approaching sacrifice.

Ride on, ride on, in majesty;

The last and fiercest strife is nigh;

The Father on the sapphire throne

Awaits His own anointed Son.

Ride on, ride on, in majesty,

In lowly pomp ride on to die;

Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain,

Then take, O God, Thy power, and reign.

(Henry Hart Milman)

READING THREE: THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD

"THERE WAS A CERTAIN landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’

So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.