BIBLE STUDY "PASSION WEEK" WEEK # 6 (ENDING PRAYER)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How can I ever find words to express my gratitude to you, dear Lord Jesus? You did it. You finished that for which you had been sent, faithful in life, faithful in death. You accomplished that which no other person could do, taking the sin of the world upon your sinless shoulders . . . taking my sin so that I might receive your forgiveness and new life. All praise be to You, gracious Lord, for finishing the work of salvation. All praise be to you, dear Jesus, for saving me. Hallelujah to the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son to die for my sins! Amen.

 

Reading:          Week # 6                      (John 16-18)

 

I have finished reading John 16-18. I read on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I have enjoyed reading the book of John with this study.

 

BIBLE STUDY "PASSION WEEK" WEEK # 6 (SHARING)

"What happened on the Mount of Olives?"

The Mount of Olives, sometimes referred to as "Olivet" in the KJV (2 Samuel 15:30; Acts 1:12) or "the mount facing Jerusalem" (1 Kings 11:7), is a ridge running along the east side of Jerusalem, separated from the city walls by a ravine and the Brook Kidron. The Mount of Olives was the site of many events in the Bible and will be the site of a yet-future fulfillment of prophecy.

In the Old Testament, the Mount of Olives is mentioned once in relation to King David. When David's son Absalom wrested control of Jerusalem, David and his loyal followers fled the city via an eastern route: "David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up" (2 Samuel 15:30). Later, King Solomon used the Mount of Olives for idol worship: "On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites" (1 Kings 11:7). In one of Ezekiel's visions, the prophet sees the glory of the Lord depart from Jerusalem and come to rest "above the mountain east of it" (Ezekiel 11:23).

Jesus made many visits to the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37). In fact, it was "usual" for Him to go there when in the vicinity of Jerusalem (Luke 22:39). Every time Jesus visited Lazarus and Mary and Martha, He was on the Mount of Olives, for their village of Bethany was situated on the eastern slope. The road from Bethany to Jerusalem lay over Olivet.

The Bible records Jesus' visiting the Mount of Olives three times in the last week of His earthly life, and each time something of significance happened. The first visit was to deliver what has come to be known as the Olivet Discourse, recorded in Matthew 24:1—25:46. Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1–37 and Luke 21:5–36. The content of the Olivet Discourse is Jesus' response to His disciples' question "When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Jesus' teaching in Matthew 24—25 primarily concerns the future tribulation period and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. The Discourse includes parables about those who wait for the Master's coming—the wise and faithful servant (Matthew 24:45–51), the five wise virgins (Matthew 25:1–13), and the good servant who uses his resources wisely (Matthew 25:14–30).

Jesus' second visit is what we call the triumphal entry. The donkey Jesus rode that day was found in the area of Bethany and Bethphage, on the east side of the Mount of Olives (Luke 19:29–30). Then, "when he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen" (verse 37). While still on the Mount of Olives, Jesus looked at the vista in front of Him, wept over the city, and pronounced a judgment against it (verses 41–44).

Jesus' third visit during the week of His passion was on the night He was betrayed. That evening began with the Last Supper in Jerusalem and ended in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. During that last Passover meal, Jesus washed His disciples' feet and then revealed Judas as the betrayer (John 13:1–30). At the conclusion of the meal, Jesus established the New Covenant and instituted the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26–29; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26). Then He took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane (literally, "Garden of the Oil-press") located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. There Jesus prayed in agony as He contemplated the day to come. So overcome by the horror of what He was to experience in the crucifixion the following day that His sweat was "like drops of blood" (Luke 22:44) and God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43).

After Jesus prayed, Judas Iscariot arrived with a multitude of soldiers, high priests, Pharisees, and servants to arrest Jesus. Judas identified Jesus by the prearranged signal of a kiss, which he gave to Jesus. Trying to protect Jesus, Peter drew a sword and attacked a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man's ear, displaying the miraculous power of God (Luke 22:51). Nevertheless, the mob arrested Jesus and took Him to face trial, while the disciples scattered in fear for their lives.

After the trials, crucifixion, and resurrection, Jesus once again stood on the Mount of Olives. During His final post-resurrection appearance, Jesus led His disciples "out to the vicinity of Bethany, [and] he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Luke 22:50–52). Acts 1:12 specifies that "the vicinity of Bethany" was indeed the Mount of Olives.

Immediately following Jesus' ascension, two angels told the disciples on the Mount of Olives that "this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). According to the prophet Zechariah, Jesus will return not only in the same way, but to the same place. In a prophecy related to the end times, Zechariah declares, "On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south" (Zechariah 14:4). The very location where David wept in defeat and where Jesus was betrayed and rejected will be the place where Jesus returns in triumph over all His enemies.

 

BIBLE STUDY "PASSION WEEK" WEEK # 6 (ANSWERS)

Questions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1).        Do you live as if Jesus finished the work of salvation?

 

Yes, I do! I've been transformed by His Spirit and I truly believe in His Word, and His Word says that Jesus died on the Cross, and I believe it. I live a holy life unto the Lord, so I can be ready when He returns.

 

2).        Do you have confidence that God will finish that which he has begun in you?

 

Yes, I do!  The Word says, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6 NIV); Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

 

3).        Do you finish the task God gives to you?

 

I can remember struggling with finishing what I started, I had it so bad that I would even not finish the room I was cleaning in my house before I went to another room to start there, then I would go back and forth, it was bad!  I went to my pastor and had him to pray for me concerning this. That's how bad it was.  One day God's Holy Spirit talked me through finishing what I was doing, then said, now go. It worked! I still see it trying to come back, but I pray as soon as I see it; I would say, I am delivered, and I will finished this now in Jesus' name, amen.  And, I would start something just to make sure I finished it, especially a book. LOL

 

4).        What was completed or finished when Jesus said this? "It is finished"

 

These three words were packed with meaning, for what was finished here was not only Christ's earthly life, not only his suffering and dying, not only the payment for sin and the redemption of the world—but the very reason and purpose he came to earth was finished. His final act of obedience was complete. The Scriptures had been fulfilled.

           

5).        What did Jesus demonstrate at this point?

 

He demonstrated the fact that faith, hope and love cannot be destroyed by anything men can say or do.

                       

6).        What do the passion of Christ in the Gospel of John express?

 

The passion of Jesus in the Gospel of John expresses his Kingship and proves to be His triumphant road to glory, and His determination to complete what the Father willed Him to do for the entire world. He had a passion to finish because of His compassion for the world.

 

7).        When Jesus was pierced there came out blood and water, what do the Blood and Water mean?

 

He says, "This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood" (1 John 5:6). And further, in (1 John 5:8) he speaks of the Spirit and the water and the blood as the three witnesses to the Son of God.  The Water and the Word are clearly connected in such a passage as "That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word" (Ephesians 5:26).  The Word of God it is which brings home to our souls the death of Christ in its power and wealth of spiritual meaning. The Water of the Word cleanses our souls, and the blood brings forgiveness again in God's sight.  "Remember the Hebrews covered their doors with the blood of the goat." We are covered by the Blood of Jesus.  We see that just as actual water gives life physically and is integral to one's physical life, so spiritual water (the gift of Holy Spirit) gives life spiritually. How dependent we are upon not only the Blood, but the Water!  The blood of bulls and goats were a "reminder" of sin, "the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:19) paid in full the debt of sin we owe to God, and we need no further sacrifices for sin. Jesus said, "It is finished" as He was dying, and He meant just that—the entire work of redemption was completed forever, "having obtained eternal redemption" for us (Hebrews 9:12).

8).        In Greek, what do these words mean "It is finished"?

The Greek word translated "It is finished" is tetelestai, which means "paid in full"

 

9).        How was God's will for Jesus accomplished?

 

God's will for Jesus was accomplished in His perfect obedience to the Father (John 5:30; 6:38). Most importantly, the power of sin and Satan was finished.

 

10).      When Jesus completed this task, what did He say about Himself?

 

Good question!  I believe He spoke loud and clear saying "I always obey My Father." "I and My Father are one, just as My Father love Me, so do I love you."

 

 

BIBLE STUDY "PASSION WEEK" THE SEVEN LAST SAYINGS WEEK # 6 (GOAL)

Stand firm in the Lord

 

Jesus was an example that he stood strong and firm in the Lord at this point, and through His life time, I'm sure. Standing firm mean to never give up until it's finished. He stood firm during the first hour of agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, being judged wrongfully, forgiving a wrong done to Him, and watching His mother watch Him dying; that had to hurt, but He stood firm on that cross, and our goal in this life should be to stand firm in the Lord always even to death.

BIBLE STUDY "PASSON WEEK" WEEK # 6 (POINT OF INTEREST)

  Completion:
 

The act or process of completing or finishing something: the state of being complete or finished; conclusion; fulfillment: (Genesis 3:15).

 

The sufferings Jesus endured while on the earth, and especially in His last hours, were at last over. God's will for Jesus was accomplished in His perfect obedience to the Father (John 5:30; 6:38). 

BIBLE STUDY "PASSION WEEK" WEEK # 6 (WARM-UP QUESTION)

What book gives the details of Jesus' ascension?

 

The Book of Acts, chapter 1

 

Introduction:

 

1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, ² until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. ³ To  these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. ⁴ Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

⁶ So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" ⁷ He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; ⁸ but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

 

The Ascension:

 

⁹ And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. ¹¹ They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

 

The Upper Room:

 

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. ¹³ When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John an^d James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

¹⁵ At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, ¹⁶ "Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry." ¹⁸ (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. ¹⁹ And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ "For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no one dwell in it'; and, 'Let another man take his office.' ²¹ Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— ²² beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." ²³ So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." ²⁶ And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

 

 

BIBLE STUDY "PASSION WEEK" WEEK # 6 (CROSS REFERENCES)

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John 4:34

"Jesus *said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work."

 John 17:4

"I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do."

 Luke 19:10

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

 Acts 20:24

"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith"

 

"I have finished the course, and I have kept the faith!"  This is what the statement is all about; finishing what God asked us to do, amen.