Journey to Easter: Text Message Study

By Paula Wiseman

Jesus was not a victim of circumstance. He was not swept along by a rush of events beyond His control. Every moment of His life was purposefully laid out before time began. Each stop on His journey to Easter was a part of that divine plan.

This seven-session study begins in the Upper Room on the night of Jesus' betrayal and ends in the locked room after His resurrection. Each stop has its own distinct role to play in the unfolding redemption story.

Each session leads you to observe, to reflect, to consider, and ultimately to worship the Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us.

This study is for you if you . . .
•    Need a break away from the noise.
•    Need some support.
•    Have been disappointed as a believer.
•    Are in a rut

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paula Wiseman
• Release date: Jan 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201254155

Paula Wiseman

Author, blogger, and speaker Paula Wiseman is a left-handed Southerner transplanted to Illinois. When not grading homeschool assignments or checking up on college life, she is proofreading her husband’s seminary papers. Keeping a bowl of M&Ms or Rolos close by helps her write award-winning Christian fiction bestsellers, like the Covenant of Trust, Foundations, and Encounters series as well as several devotional books. Find out more at www.paulawiseman.com.

Book preview

JOURNEY

TO

EASTER

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Pedro, Ohio

JOURNEY

TO

EASTER

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Copyright © 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. Contact [e-mail].

Scripture marked NKJV taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked HCSB are taken from the HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE (HCSB) Copyright© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible® Copyright© 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible ® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture marked NIV taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NAS are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1994 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Cover graphic from Lightstock.com.

Table of Contents

What is a Text Message Study?

Journey to Easter

The Upper Room

The Garden

The Chamber

The Governor’s Hall

The Place of the Skull

The Empty Tomb

The Locked Room

Now What?

What is a Text Message Study?

Text messages have revolutionized how we communicate. They are instantly accessible. While we may not immediately respond, most of us will at least check the sender and even read the message.

The Bible is the ultimate TEXT because it comes from God Himself. God has chosen to reveal Himself to us. In the logo, the T is a cross. This is a reminder that God’s revelation is a great redemption story accomplished by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

You’ll notice there are THREE DOTS in the Bible’s speech bubble. You’ve no doubt seen those when the person on the other end of the conversation is typing a message. In our logo, they remind us that God always has more to say to us. We will never exhaust His word.

If we become experts in the biblical text, though, and never put the things we learn into practice, we have failed. So the application, the MESSAGE, is a key part of getting into God’s word.

Finally, STUDY implies that it takes a little effort. It’s not skimming or scanning. But I guarantee it’s worth it!

Paula

Jeremiah 29:13

JOURNEY TO EASTER

In Luke 9:44, just after the Transfiguration and casting a demon out of a boy, Jesus had some pointed words for His disciples.

Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. (NKJV)

Then a few verses later in 9:51, we read:

And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem; (NAS)

Did you see that? Resolutely. Steadfastly. Your preferred translation may read that He was determined. Nothing was going to interfere with Him or His agenda. Jesus was not a victim of circumstance. He was not swept along by a rush of events beyond His control. Every moment of His life was purposefully laid out before time began. Each stop on His journey to Easter was a part of that divine plan.

Over these seven sessions, we’re going to stop at each place with Jesus, beginning in the Upper Room on the night of His betrayal and ending in the locked room after His resurrection. Each stop has its own distinct role to play in the unfolding redemption story. While we’re there, we’ll have a moment to observe, to reflect, to consider, and ultimately to worship the Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us.

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A note on the Gospels

A common question, especially from people new to the study of Scripture, is why we have four Gospels and not a single all-inclusive narrative.

A full answer is beyond the scope of our study. However, each of the Gospels gives a slightly different perspective on Jesus’s life and mission. Matthew was written to a Jewish audience with the goal of showing that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. Mark draws from Peter’s eyewitness accounts and explains to a Roman audience what Jesus did. Luke and Acts form a two-volume history of the words and works of Jesus and the early church. John’s gospel shows that Jesus is God in the flesh.

For some of the Gospels, the sequence of events is important. For others, the people and events are more important than getting them exactly in order. And rather than focus on what a particular writer leaves out, a better question is why he includes the information he does. It is also important to remember we are distantly removed from these events in time and culture. We must let the text speak first and then apply, rather than injecting our experience into the Word.

Think of it—we are preparing to study the very acts and words of Jesus Christ as He accomplishes the greatest act of deliverance and atonement ever. Paul says in Philippians:

but [Jesus] emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:7-11 (ESV)

Notice the therefore in the middle. God’s response to Jesus’s death was ultimate exaltation and glory.

This is no small thing we are studying!

So grab your Bible and get ready to make this Journey to Easter.

NOTE: The Scripture passages are taken from different translations. The reason for this is so that we focus on what the text says and not what we remember it saying. When the wording is just a little different, our brains engage. Engaging our brains and hearts to transform our lives is the goal of the study.

The Upper Room

Prepare    

For most journeys, we pack a suitcase with our essentials. For this journey, your essentials are your Bible, maybe your notebook, pens, and pencils. Your seat is already confirmed, so you can relax.

What are your emotions? Anticipation? Anxiety? Eagerness? What do you hope to learn on this journey? Jot down your thoughts, and then open your study time with prayer.