burried Archives - Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel

Kurt Steinbrueck March 31, 2021

Blog burried, holy week, jesus, Preperation, Sacrifice

Anointed for His Burial

“Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.’” – Matthew 26:6–13

As we get closer to Good Friday, Jesus is continuing to prepare for His great sacrifice. This preparation, however, is not just for Him. It is also for His followers.

Several times as Jesus heads toward Jerusalem and after He arrives He tells His disciples about what is coming. They have trouble letting it sink in.

No! It Can’t Be!
It’s not unlike when a person is in the final days of their life as they battle a disease. Their doctor explains what’s happening and often, the dying person is able to accept the news while family members struggle with it. Children, especially, may continue to hope that something will get better and want additional treatments. It may take several conversations and some time for them to accept what is coming.

With the disciples, even up to the Last Supper they struggled to accept it, especially Peter. When Jesus said, He would be arrested and they would fall away, Peter exclaimed he wouldn’t leave His side even if he had to die. When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut someone’s ear off. Yet, Jesus’ death happened and, for Peter’s sake, it had to.

Yes, It Had to Be.
And, so we continue to prepare as well. It can be hard for us to accept the amazing sacrifice of Jesus. Yet, it’s what needed to be done for our sake as well.

Heavenly Father,

Prepare my heart for this Holy Week. Help me to be repentant and grateful. Hold me fast in the faith You have given me.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Waiting … Hoping

“And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.” – Matthew 27:59-60

It was finished. Jesus had taught and healed people for three years and now He was dead. What now?

The disciples were in disarray and fear.

It’s ironic that the chief priests and the Pharisees were the only ones who remembered that Jesus said He would rise on the third day.

“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the 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.” – Matthew 27:62–66

The disciples were huddled in a locked room. The women who came to the tomb on Sunday morning were coming to properly prepare Jesus body, not check to see if Jesus had risen as He had said.

For us, this is a day of waiting and a day of hope. It’s kind of like watching a really good movie you’ve seen before at that point where everything seems to be going wrong and the bad guy looks like he’s going to win, but you know the hero is about to burst in and save the day.

We know what’s coming, but still we must wait. For the disciples, all seemed hopeless, but for us we wait in hopeful anticipation.

During this time of waiting, I encourage you to remember and reflect on your baptism and on God’s work of redemption throughout the Scriptures. As you consider the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection that is coming, pray for those who do not, yet, know Jesus and true joy of Easter, that they may come to know the new life Jesus gives us.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

burried

Anointed for His Burial

Anointed for His Burial

Waiting … Hoping

Waiting … Hoping

Faith Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, FL serving Lutz, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, and New Tampa, FL