The night as cold, we'd just finished our meal with Jesus and many of us were thinking to ourselves, "what did he mean someone would betray him." We had spent a good portion of the evening walking down the streets of Jerusalem and Jesus was teaching many things. To be honest, I didn't really understand a lot of what he was saying, but he was there and he was teaching us something. We were sure that eventually, he'd explain it in the form of one of his stories or something, but in that instance, he did not. It was as if his entire demeanor had changed, his normally joyful personality was now one that seemed full of despair. His once beautiful smile now seemed a little softer. His stature knows echoes that of a man with the weight of the world upon his shoulders, instead of a man filled with joy and general happiness. As we journeyed further into the city, Jesus continued to teach. "What was he talking about, where was he going with all this talk of death and glory?" None of us really knew what was really about to happen, the feelings I had in the aftermath were, indescribable. This night was a night that I am sure none of us will remember for many, many years to …show more content…
With each step we took towards the center of the garden, his posture weakened. With each step he took, I could see a strain upon his shoulders. The brothers and I questioned this, but Jesus left us for a few moments. “Stay awake and watch over me,” he asked. We sat under a few trees and prayed. “Father, if it is possible take this cup from me.” As he prayed, I watch on, barely able to see him, as he lay on his face weeping. We were okay for a while but the three of us were tired. We tried, but in the end, we simply could not stay awake. After what seemed like a few hours Jesus returned. “Why are you sleeping, stay awake and pray, my soul is in anguish, pray that you will not fall into temptation,” he asked
N.T. Wright: During my first semester at Northwestern College, I was assigned the book, “The Challenge of Jesus” by N.T. Wright for one of my Biblical Studies courses. This book and every other book Tom Wright has written has dramatically impacted my Christian faith. Dr. Wright has not only defended the basic tenants of the Christian faith, but also has shown how an academically-minded pastor ought to love and care for his or her congregants. N.T. Wright was previously the Bishop of Durham and pastored some of the poorest in the United Kingdom. His pastoral ministry has helped shape his understanding of God’s kingdom-vision which he is diagramming within his magnum opus “Christian Origins and the Question of God”. This series has instructed myself and countless other pastors to be for God’s kingdom as we eagerly await Christ’s return. Additionally, I have had the privilege of meeting with N.T. Wright one-on-one on numerous occasions to discuss faith, the Church, and his research. I firmly believe Tom Wright is the greatest New Testament scholar of our generation and he is the primary reason why I feel called into ministry.
sleep. Voices roared through his head; one voice persistently asked him, “Where is Jesus? Where?” And once he woke up shouting, “The bird is Jesus! The Bird is Jesus!” (381)
In the book, “Jesus and the Disinherited,” the author, Howard Thurman in chapter five expounds on “Love.” Moreover, Thurman, a black man in the early 1900, with the ultimate goal to offer a humanizing combination as the basis for an emancipatory way of being, moving toward an unchained life to all women and men everywhere who hunger, thirst for righteousness, especially those “who stand with their backs against the wall.” By the same token, Thurman experienced “Fear,” “Deception,” and “Hate” that causes internal, spiritual damage to those who choose compliance, isolation, and violent resistance over the way of Jesus (www.smootpage.blogspot.com). Notably, Howard Thurman’s message helped shaped the civil rights movement that
In this first chapter of Jesus and the Disinherited , the author Howard Thurman describes
The book Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena Maria Viramontes shows you the story of Estrella and her family and the struggles they face as migrant workers. Among all the symbolism in the book the one that stand out the most is Petra’s statue of Christ, which symbolizes the failure of religion and the oppressive nature of the Christian religion especially in minorities. Throughout the book, Estrella’s mother, Petra relies on superstitions and religion to get her through the hardships in life. In tough times, she turns to the statue and prays for guidance. Her thirteen-year-old daughter Estrella is the first of her family to realize that she needs to stop relying on religion and take control of her life. This brings in a wave of self-empowerment, not only for Estrella but eventually for all the characters as well. In the book, you’re able to see how religion exemplifies the failures of religion in minorities and how it hinders the growth of the characters while helping some of them.
Hughes writing in this story is very visual and enriched with figurative language. “And the whole building rocked with prayer and song”(Hughes 229). Hughes personifies the building and depicts an overwhelming amount of prayer and song. Another example of figurative language is found when he pretends he has seen Jesus. “Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting as they saw me rise” (Hughes 232). This metaphor sheds light on the intensity of the church at that moment. Comparing the room to a sea, an immense untameable body, exaggerates the situation he was in and portrays him as almost drowning in his
Many experts from several different fields (archaeology, medicine and historical researchers) have undoubtedly agreed that Jesus Christ “willingly” suffered one of the most taxing and excruciating forms of punishment and death. Prior to the crucifixion, Jesus was in anguish and terrible stress on the Mount of Olives, because of the burden of the sins of the whole world which was laid upon His shoulders (Luke 22:42; John 1:29). The scripture told us that Jesus prayed throughout the night without sleep, because as God in the flesh, He had seen what will befall him during his trial, which caused his great stress, and the agonizing situation that made sweat to drop profusely out from his body throughout the night.
The resurrection of Jesus is a topic in Christian Apologetic that confirms the faith of a believer. Groothuis submits, “Of all the world’s religions Christianity alone purports to be based on the resurrection of its divine founder. No other religion or worldview makes such an audacious and consequential claim. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus himself predicts his own betrayal, death and resurrection.”1 The Bible reveals the importance of the resurrection in Corinthians 15:14-17, “And if Christ wasn’t raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won’t be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying that he raised Christ to life, when he really did not. So if the dead won’t be raised to life, Christ wasn’t raised to life. Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins.”
The Joyful mysteries: The Annunciation (Luke 1:28), The Visitation (Luke 1:36), Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:1-20), the presentation of Jesus to the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), Finding Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52). These Mysteries evoked in my heart the good news of the most joyful event in human history, that of the Incarnation, and the awareness of God’s infinite Mercy and humility in coming to Earth as a defenseless infant.
The Bible as a whole is all about Jesus. For those who believe in Him, he is the pivotal character in all of scripture. While the Bible contains much about Jesus, John 17-21 highlights the climax of all scripture, which is his death, burial, resurrection and an opportunity for people to know the truth (John 18:37, NIV). This is why it is important to study this particular passage. For my essay I will give an indication of the settings, and indication of the main conflicts driving the plot and the extent to which those conflicts are resolved, observations on how Jesus is portrayed and the role of the other characters in providing a context for Jesus’ interactions with others, a statement on how this passage
One passage that holds a significant literal meaning and a number of less obvious meanings is the story of Jesus walking on water. Matthew 14: 24-31 reads, “ And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, waling on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘it is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart, it is I; have no fear.’ And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘O man of little faith, why did you doubt me?’ Jesus had returned from praying alone on the mountain and frightened his disciples, but then proved himself as always. This story is a prime example of how important faith and focus is. The literal meaning is Jesus can help us through what seem to be even the most impossible problems, but we must be focused and have faith. Even becoming distracted for a second can cause us to falter, however all it takes is for us to cry out to Jesus, and he catches us by the hand and raises us above
They had enjoyed a time of fellowship with Jesus and teaching from Him. But He was now preparing them to understand that he was going to leave them. This was one of the factors that were going to turn these believers world upside down and bring and opportunity to turn the world upside down. Because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9:31 )
What those people experienced was something like what the Hebrew mentioned in his prayer - “Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in You, the God of my salvation.” What he means in these lines is that people should be able to not only enjoy God and His presence when “full” or content, but also when they are “empty” and are faced with hardship(s). The true people of faith will have the courage to praise God despite the hard times and distress. Though the Hebrew claimed to be aware of the difficult comings, he proclaimed that he will still stay on God’s side and his faith will help him overcome it. On the other hand, what the Hebrew actually wanted was for God to not only talk about his works but to “revive it; in our own time make it known.” He requests God to renew what he has done in order for it to be seen by the world’s eyes. What also emphasizes the revival is the choice of wards. For example, “O” Lord - the “O” is a symbol for an intense feeling. And the repetition of “Lord” emphasizes the author of revival which is
“With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.” (Mark 15:37) “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) These are the last words of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. This paper looks at the events leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross as well as the controversy caused by the events.
Jesus preformed a series of miracles during his time on Earth that affirmed he was the Messiah and Son of God. The miracles in the Gospels involve various acts of healing, exorcism, restoration of life, and nature. In The Healer from Nazareth, Eric Eve analyzes Jesus’s miracles through both historical and contemporary lenses to assess their accuracy and question the Gospel accounts. The book describes that historians and theologians of the modern world extensively analyze the legitimacy of Jesus and his acts of power through his miracles. It is necessary to evaluate Jesus’s miracles through a historical context because modern day science and medicine was not present in the ancient world to prove or disprove that he preformed these acts of