Dr. Charles Stanley Study for Christ Follows – Struggling with Sin?

Warmup Question:  What is the most difficult thing you have ever done?

Romans 7:14-25 NLT  ‘So, the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.
Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” 

Scriptural Questions:  What is the trouble with sin?, Is it me or the law?, What is my sin nature (Galatians 5:19-21)?, What is the power within us that makes us a slave to sin?, Are evil spirits malevolent, supernatural beings (Ephesians 6:12)?, Can God use evil to achieve His purposes (Romans 8:22)?, Can anything save me from the failure to keep God’s commands?

Podcast from Dr Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries

Victory is God’s will for the life of a believer. But sometimes we can find ourselves repeatedly falling into the same sin. If we want to do what is right, why do we continue to miss the mark?

One reason is incomplete repentance

It is possible for us to experience grief, embarrassment, and shame over sin without being truly repentant. 

Repentance isn’t a matter of weeping or feeling guilty; rather, it’s a change of mind about sin so that we no longer hold on to our own perspective but instead agree with God’s viewpoint. When we do this, the heart turns in the opposite direction from persistent wrongdoing.

Proverbs 28:13 NLT  “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.”

The second reason for failure is an inadequate view of our identity in the Lord

We, as children of God, have Christ living within us. When we grasp this truth, we will recognize that sin does not fit who we are, and we’ll stop rationalizing our offenses.

Our genuine repentance is based upon an honest and biblical understanding of our identity. When we put these two truths together, we create a powerful tool against temptation. 

Our Father wants us to be victorious, and we triumph when we remember that Jesus Christ is the source of our life.

Question of the Heart:  Since we know that God wants victory in the lives of believers, where have you noticed a victory engineered by Him in your life.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell “this people” about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word.  Let’s go!

Easter Series #1 – What is Palm Sunday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Palm Sunday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
“Got Questions” is one such time.      Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

Palm Sunday is the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, one week before His resurrection, Matthew 21:1-11.

As Jesus entered the holy city, He neared the culmination of a long journey toward Golgotha. He had come to save the lost, Luke 19:10, and now was the time—this was the place—to secure that salvation. Palm Sunday marked the start of what is often called “Passion Week,” the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

As Jesus ascended toward Jerusalem, a large multitude gathered around Him. 

This crowd understood that Jesus was the Messiah; what they did not understand was that it wasn’t time to set up the kingdom yet—although Jesus had tried to tell them so, Luke19:11-12.

The crowd’s actions along the road give rise to the name “Palm Sunday”: “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road”, Matthew 21:8. In strewing their cloaks on the road, the people were giving Jesus the royal treatment—King Jehu was given similar honor at his coronation in 2 Kings 9:14. John records the detail that the branches they cut were from palm trees in John 12:13.

Some 450 to 500 years prior to Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah had prophesied the event we now call Palm Sunday: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! / Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! / See, your king comes to you, / righteous and victorious, / lowly and riding on a donkey, / on a colt, the foal of a donkey”, Zechariah 9:9. The prophecy was fulfilled in every particular, and it was indeed a time of rejoicing, as Jerusalem welcomed their King. Unfortunately, the celebration was not to last. 

The crowds looked for a Messiah who would rescue them politically and free them nationally, but Jesus had come to save them spiritually. First things first, and mankind’s primary need is spiritual, not political, cultural, or national salvation.

Even as the coatless multitudes waved the palm branches and shouted for joy, they missed the true reason for Jesus’ presence. They could neither see nor understand the cross. That’s why, “as [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. “The days will come upon you when your enemies . . . will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you”, Luke 19:41-44. It is a tragic thing to see the Savior but not recognize Him for who He is.

There is coming a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 2:10-11. The worship will be real then. 

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word.  Let’s go!

Easter Series #2 – What is Holy Monday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Holy Monday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
“Got Questions” is one such time.      Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

In Christianity, Holy Monday is the last Monday prior to Easter Sunday; it is the second day of Holy Week after Palm Sunday. Some denominations celebrate Holy Monday, and some do not. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes the day, typically marking it with Bible readings and certain hymns.

According to tradition, Holy Monday is the day on which Jesus cleansed the temple, Matthew 21:12-15

was praised by local children, Matthew 21:16-17

and cursed the fig tree, Matthew 21:12-22

It is the day following Palm Sunday, when Jesus came to Jerusalem in the triumphal entry, Matthew 21:1-11.  The following day is sometimes referred to as Holy Tuesday, the third day of Holy Week.

We should note that events in the biblical Gospels were not necessarily written in chronological order. Also, since the Romans and the Jews had different methods for calculating the start of a day, an exact sequence of events is difficult to determine. For these reasons, we can’t be dogmatic about the chronology of events leading up to Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word.  Let’s go!

Easter Series #3 – What is Holy Tuesday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Holy Tuesday  passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
Go to: “Got Questions”,  gotquestions.org for more.

In Christianity, Holy Tuesday is the last Tuesday prior to Easter Sunday; it is the third day of Holy Week after Palm Sunday and Holy Monday. Depending on the denomination, this day may or may not be celebrated at all. Those that do observe Holy Tuesday, such as Eastern Orthodox churches, typically mark it with readings of particular passages of Scriptures and the singing of relevant hymns.

According to common interpretation of the Bible, Holy Tuesday is when Jesus was issued various challenges by the Pharisees and Sadducees over subjects such as marriage in heaven, paying taxes to Caesar, and the source of His authority.
Matthew 21:23-39; Mark 11:27 and 12:44; Luke 20:1-21and 21:4.

By this same interpretation, this is the day Jesus commented on the widow’s donation, Mark 12; Luke 21   and was approached by a number of God-fearing Greeks,
John 12:20-36. 

Tuesday would also be the day Jesus spoke His seven “woes” against the Pharisees, Matthew 23:13-36    and the evening on which He delivered the Olivet Discourse,
Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-36.

Holy Tuesday is the day following Holy Monday, and the next day in Holy Week is sometimes referred to as Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday.

It should be noted that events in the Gospels were not necessarily recorded chronologically. Also, Roman and Jewish days started at different times, making the chronology even more difficult to sort out. For these reasons, it’s unwise to be dogmatic about precisely which events occurred on which days leading up to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word.  Let’s go!

Easter Series #4 – What is Holy Wednesday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Holy Wednesday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
”Got Questions” is one such time.    Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

In Christianity, Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday is the last Wednesday prior to Easter Sunday; it is the fourth day of Holy Week after Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, and Holy Tuesday. Depending on the denomination, this particular day may or may not be celebrated at all. Those that do observe Holy Wednesday, such as Eastern Orthodox churches, typically mark it with readings of Scripture and the singing of relevant hymns.

According to the traditional interpretation of the Bible, Holy Wednesday is the day on which Jesus was anointed with spikenard during a meal, Matthew 26:6-13. 

The day is sometimes called “Spy Wednesday” since it is traditionally thought of as the day Judas conspired with local authorities to betray Jesus.  Matthew 26:14-16. 

The following day is sometimes referred to as Maundy Thursday, the fifth day of Holy Week.

The Bible does not mention Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday. And it should be noted that events within the Gospels were not necessarily arranged chronologically, following the fashion of similar works written during the same time period. Also, the chronology of each Gospel was affected by cultural rules, as Roman and Jewish days started at different times. For these reasons, it’s unwise to be dogmatic about precisely which events occurred on which days leading up to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word. Let’s go!

Easter Series #5 – What is Maundy Thursday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Maundy Thursday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
“Got Questions” is one such time. Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

Maundy Thursday, also known as “Holy Thursday,” is the Thursday of Passion Week, one day before Good Friday, the Friday before Easter.

Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples. 

It was also the day of His betrayal and arrest. 

Maundy Thursday commemorates the actions of Jesus associated with the Last Supper. Two important events are the focus of Maundy Thursday:

The first event is Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, or communion,
Luke 22:19-20. This is one of the ordinances of the church. Some Christians observe a special communion service on Maundy Thursday to commemorate Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples.

The second event that remains the focus of Maundy Thursday is Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet. His act of humility and service set an example for us to love and serve one another in humility, John 13:3-17. Today, some Christians observe a foot-washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday to follow the example of Jesus’ washing the feet of His disciples.

The Gospel of John details what happened that night of the Last Supper: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him”
John 13:3-4.

He then told His disciples that “you should do as I have done for you” John 13:5.

The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “mandate” or “commandment.” 

So, Maundy Thursday could be thought of as “Commandment Thursday.” The specific mandate is the new commandment Jesus gave the disciples that night. Before He was arrested, Jesus said:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”, John 13:34-35.

Jesus repeats the command to love one another in John 15:12, and the apostles echo the theme throughout their epistles, Romans 13:8; 1 Peter 3:8; 4:8,
1 John 3-11; 4:7; 2 John 1:5.

The command to love one another is called the “Law of Christ” in Galatians: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Should Christians observe Maundy Thursday? The Bible neither commands nor forbids it. It is a good thing to remember the Last Supper and the Lord’s example of service and humility. At the same time, we should avoid ritualistic observances of holidays unless they are truly focused on God and our relationship with Him.

Observing a special communion service on Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday is a good thing to do. 

A foot-washing ceremony in remembrance of how Christ humbled Himself and washed the feet of the disciples can also be a powerful reminder of how we are to live the Christian life, Philippians 2-1-11. 

The very best way to observe Maundy Thursday, though, is to make sure we are following the mandate: “Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another”, John 13:34.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word. Let’s go!

Easter Series #6 – What is Good Friday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Good Friday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
“Got Questions” is one such time. Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

Good Friday, also called “Holy Friday,” is the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is traditionally celebrated as the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Many Christians celebrate Good Friday with a subdued service, usually in the evening. The singing of solemn hymns, the offering of prayers, Scripture readings, and a message on Christ’s suffering on our behalf are often part of a Good Friday service. Also, Christ’s death is remembered with the observance of the Lord’s Supper, or communion. Some Christian traditions enforce a strict fast on Good Friday, and worshipers wear black and cease from work, treating Good Friday as a day of mourning. In some countries, people bake hot cross buns and serve them to friends and family. However Christians choose to observe Good Friday, the great sacrifice of Christ should be the focus.

The death of Christ, commemorated on Good Friday, was unlike any other death. Jesus’ death was truly a sacrifice for sin: “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus”, Romans 3:25-26.

The Bible does not instruct Christians to observe Good Friday; neither does it forbid such an observance. The Bible gives us freedom in these matters. Romans 14:5 says, “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.” Believers are to remember Christ’s death every time they observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus’ words at the Last Supper are recorded in 1 Corinthians 11:24-26: “Do this in remembrance of me. . . . For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

What is “good” about Good Friday? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good—it was evil, Matthew 26-27. The answer lies in the etymology of the English word good. In Middle English, the adjective gọ̄d held the sense of being “holy” or “sacred.” Before standardized spelling, the word also appeared as gode, goed, gude, goid, and good (Middle English Dictionary, Regents of the University of Michigan, 2025. The connotation of being “holy” is carried through in modern observances of “Good” Friday.

Beyond etymology, Good Friday can be called “good” because of the results of Christ’s death on the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice was a demonstration of God’s love for us, 

Romans 5:8. Through Jesus’ death, we can have peace with God: “While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son”,  Romans 5:10. As 1 Peter3:18 says, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God”.

That first Good Friday, it seemed that evil was in control, but it was only a temporary arrangement. In fact, Jesus was clear that the powers of darkness were given divine permission to act against Him, Luke 22:53; John10:18. 

Jesus told Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above”, John 19:11. God allowed the hatred, the conspiracy, the false accusations, the sham trials, and the murder of His Son on Good Friday. Through the crucifixion of Christ, God used the basest desires of evil men to accomplish the greatest good: the provision of salvation for mankind. The result was glorious: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors”,  Isaiah 53:12.

To learn more about the meaning of Good Friday and why Jesus’ death on the cross is so important to you, please see our article, “What does it mean to accept Jesus as your personal savior?”

The Bible explicitly states, in all four Gospels, that Jesus was crucified on preparation day Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; and John 19:14,31. 

He rose again on the first day of the week Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1;
and John 20:1. 

Determining the day of the week for the crucifixion would seem to be straightforward, but it’s not. Several factors must be considered: the Jewish mode of reckoning a day, the start of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and three calendars: Jewish, Julian, and Gregorian.

Three possibilities emerge: Jesus was crucified on what we would call a Friday, on a Thursday, or on a Wednesday. Here is a brief look at each viewpoint:

Jesus was crucified on a Friday

Early Friday: Jesus eats the Passover. Late Friday: Jesus is crucified and buried.

Early and late Saturday (the Sabbath): Jesus is in the tomb. Early Sunday: Jesus rises from the dead, and the women find the empty tomb.

The traditional view is that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. 

According to this timeline, Jesus was killed in AD 30, and the day of preparation was Passover, Friday, Nisan 14. That was the time to eat the Passover meal and to ready dwellings for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which began the next day, Saturday, Nisan 15. The fact that Jesus was killed on Passover accords well with 1 Corinthians 5:7, which calls Christ “our Passover Lamb.”

Mark 15:42 says that Jesus was crucified on “the day before the Sabbath”; proponents of the Friday view consider the “Sabbath” here to be the weekly observance held on Saturday. Immediately after Jesus was taken down from the cross, the women present followed the body of Jesus to the tomb to see where it was laid. This happened “late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin”, Luke 23:54. 

On the day after the crucifixion, Saturday , Nisan 15, the chief priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate, who agrees to have the tomb sealed and guarded Matthew 27:62.

The Friday view has Jesus in the tomb for three days by reckoning part of a day as a full day: Jesus was buried late in the day Friday (Day 1) and was entombed Saturday (Day 2) and the first part of Sunday (Day 3). Another argument for Friday points to verses such as Matthew 16:21 and Luke 9:22, which say that Jesus would rise “on the third day.” Sunday is the third day from Friday.

According to the Friday view, the “three days and three nights” prophecy of Matthew 12:40 was fulfilled in that both Jesus and Jonah were “confined” in difficult situations where they could not move about freely for three periods of darkness (night) and three periods of light (day). The three nights of confinement for Jesus were His arrest on Thursday night and His time in the tomb Friday night and Saturday night (or, as reckoned in the Jewish method—in which a day begins at sunset—early Friday, early Saturday, and early Sunday). The three days for Jesus were all day Friday, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday.

Jesus was crucified on a Thursday

Late Thursday: Jesus is crucified and buried. Late Thursday through early Sunday: Jesus is in the tomb. Early Sunday: Jesus rises from the dead, and the women find the empty tomb.

One point to be made in favor of the Thursday view is that Jesus’ prophecy of the sign of Jonah specifically includes three nights as well as three days, Matthew 12:40. If the crucifixion occurred on Thursday afternoon, the three days and three nights are all accounted for.

As for Luke’s statement that Jesus was taken down from the cross because “the sabbath was about to begin”, Luke 23:54, the Thursday view points out that there were actually two Sabbaths that week, the first Sabbath starting at sundown Thursday, followed by the regular Sabbath starting at sundown Friday. In fact, John’s account says that “the next day was to be a special Sabbath”, John 19:31; Passover was considered a special Sabbath, Leviticus 16:29-31; 23:7; 24:32, 39.

Further, Matthew 28:1 says that the resurrection occurred “after the Sabbaths” (Berean Literal Bible)—the plural sabbaths being in the original, confirming there were multiple Sabbaths between the crucifixion and the resurrection. So, the “Passover” Sabbath was followed immediately by the “weekly” Sabbath, making the first opportunity to prepare the body for burial on Sunday at first light—and the women came to the tomb to do just that.

Thursday advocates also point to several passages that indicate the number of days between the crucifixion and the resurrection. 

For example, in John 2:19, Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” Three days from Thursday is Sunday. 

In addition, when Jesus appears to the two men on the road to Emmaus on resurrection Sunday, they state that “it is the third day since all this took place” Luke 24:21. A natural reading of this sentence would place the crucifixion on Thursday.

Advocates for a Thursday crucifixion consider the “Preparation Day” to be the day before the Passover, the High Sabbath, John 19:14. Preparation day was the day that the Passover lamb was killed prior to the Passover meal that evening—which, according to Jewish reckoning, was the beginning of the next day, Mark 14:12. 

It is clear from the Old Testament instructions on the Passover Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5 that the lamb was to be slaughtered late in the day on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan—which was Thursday afternoon in AD 32. 

Thursday advocates point out that at the same time Israel was slaughtering their Passover lambs on Nisan 14, Jesus, the “Lamb of God”, John 1:29 was dying on a cross. Thus was fulfilled the prophetic symbolism of the Passover, 1 Corinthians 5:7.

Based on this timeline, Thursday proponents also argue that the Last Supper, eaten on Wednesday evening, was not the Passover meal. The main course at Passover was a lamb, and there is no lamb mentioned at the Last Supper. Only bread and wine are mentioned.

Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday

Late Wednesday: Jesus is crucified and buried.Early Thursday (Passover) through Late Saturday (Sabbath): Jesus is in the tomb. Friday (between the two Sabbaths): the women buy and prepare the spices. Early Sunday: Jesus rises from the dead, and the women find the empty tomb.

Those who argue for a Wednesday crucifixion agree with the Thursday view that there were two Sabbaths that week, but they separate them by a day. The first Sabbath, in this view, was the Passover Sabbath starting Wednesday evening following the crucifixion, Mark 15:42; Luke 23:52-54. Then came a non-Sabbath day (Friday) and then the weekly Sabbath starting Friday evening. The women purchased spices after the Sabbath, according to Mark 16:1—meaning the Passover Sabbath. Luke 23:56 says that, after the women saw where Jesus was buried, “they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” The Wednesday argument states that the women could not purchase the spices after the Sabbath and prepare those spices before the Sabbath unless there were two Sabbaths that week, separated by a day.

Supporters of the Wednesday viewpoint see theirs as the only explanation that does not violate the biblical account of the women and the spices and holds to a literal understanding of Matthew 12:40. The “three days and three nights” are reckoned as follows: early Thursday (Day 1), late Thursday (Night 1), early Friday (Day 2), late Friday (Night 2), early Saturday (Day 3), and late Saturday (Night 3).

A difficulty with the Wednesday view is that the disciples who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus did so on “the same day” of His resurrection Luke 24:13. The disciples, who do not recognize Jesus, tell Him of Jesus’ crucifixion (verse 20) and say that “today is the third day since these things happened” (verse 21). Wednesday to Sunday is four days. A possible explanation is that they may have started their count on Wednesday evening at Christ’s burial, which begins the Jewish Thursday, and Thursday to Sunday could be counted as three days.

Conclusion

While the day of the crucifixion is debated, the day of the resurrection is absolutely clear: Scripture says that Jesus rose on the first day of the week. What’s more important than knowing the day of the week of Jesus’ death is believing that He did die and that He rose from the dead. Equally important is why He died—to take the punishment that all sinners deserve. Jesus is truly the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world John 1:29. Putting your trust in Him results in eternal life John 3:16, 36! This is true whether He was crucified on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word.Let’s go!

Easter Series #7 – What is Holy Saturday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Holy Saturday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan.

Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is.
“Got Questions” is one such time.   Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

Holy Saturday is the name given to the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Some Christians recognize Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week, as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation. As Jesus died, He called out, “It is finished!” There was no further price to pay; sin had been atoned for.

After His crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb, and His body remained there the entirety of Holy Saturday, Matthew 27:59-60; Mark 15:46; Luke 23:53-54; John 19:39-42. 

Churches that celebrate Holy Saturday traditionally do so by observing a day of somber reflection as they contemplate the world of darkness that would exist without the hope of Christ’s resurrection.

Indeed, without the resurrection of Christ, we would be in dire straits. If Christ had never been raised, “your faith is futile; you are still in your sins”, 1 Corinthians 15:17. 

The disciples had scattered when Jesus was arrested, Mark 14:50 and they spent the first Holy Saturday hiding for fear of also being arrested John 20:19. 

The day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection would have been a time of grief and shock as the stunned disciples tried to understand the murder of Jesus, the betrayal of Judas, and the dashing of their hopes.

The only biblical reference to what happened on Holy Saturday is found in Matthew 27:62-66. 

After sundown on Friday—the day of Preparation—the chief priests and Pharisees visited Pontius Pilate. This visit was on the Sabbath, since the Jews reckoned a day as starting at sundown. They asked Pilate for a guard for Jesus’ tomb. 

They remembered Jesus saying that He would rise again in three days John 2:19-21 and wanted to do everything they could to prevent that. 

As we know, the Roman guards were inadequate to prevent the resurrection, and the women who returned to the tomb Sunday morning found it empty. The Lord had risen.

Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer.

Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word.Let’s go!

Easter Series #8 – What is Resurrection Sunday?

The events and meanings that took place in this Resurrection Sunday passage are some of the most important events and meanings in God‘s perfect plan. Sometimes, when something is explained well, it’s just right to pass it along as is. “Got Questions” is one such time. Go to: gotquestions.org for more.

Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who showed Himself alive after three days in the tomb. The first Easter Sunday changed everything, and every Easter Sunday after that reflects the joy, amazement, and worship those early disciples had when they first saw the risen Lord. Luke gives the account of what transpired that first Easter Sunday as the women followers of Jesus discovered the empty tomb: “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!’” Luke 24:1-6. The Bible teaches that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a physical raising of His body back to life, Luke 24:39. 

Easter Sunday proved Jesus’ deity, confirmed His prophecies, validated the Scriptures, triumphed over the forces of evil, provided for our justification Romans 4:25, and guaranteed the resurrection of all who trust in Christ. Like Christmas, Easter Sunday is observed in various ways, religious and secular. On the secular side, Easter Sunday involves visits from the Easter Bunny (or the Easter Bilby in Australia); dyed eggs, hidden to be found later (or hung from trees in Germany); new clothes; family meals; and lots of candy.  On the religious side, Easter Sunday is about worshiping Jesus, attending church—including sunrise services—singing praises, and reading Scripture. Christians often refer to Easter Sunday as Resurrection Sunday to emphasize the reason for the day’s observance. Easter Sunday comes in the spring of each year (or in the autumn in the southern hemisphere) in March or April (or, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, in April or May). Easter always roughly corresponds to the Jewish celebration of Passover, since Jesus was slain at Passover time Luke 22:15; John 13:1; 1 Corinthians  5:7 and rose again three days later. Indeed, Easter is sometimes called Pascha, a word derived from the Hebrew pesach, meaning “Passover.” Easter Sunday marks the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, and the last day of the Easter Triduum (which starts the evening of Maundy Thursday and continues through Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday).  On the liturgical calendar, Easter Sunday marks the beginning of the Easter season, a 50-day period that includes the Easter octave (the first eight days of the Easter season), the following five Sundays, the Ascension of the Lord, and Pentecost Sunday.  Various churches, including Roman Catholic churches, observe everything from Lent through Pentecost.  Other churches observe Easter Sunday and possibly mark Good Friday. It’s not a matter of legalistic obligation but of conscience: “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind” Romans 14:5. Whatever date Easter falls, it is always on a Sunday. All of the Gospels state that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week  Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20.1, 17. And that event is foundational to all we believe as Christians: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. . . . And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17. Jesus’ resurrection is certainly worthy of being celebrated 1 Corinthians  15. Whether we use the term Easter or Resurrection Day or Pascha, it is good to commemorate the event that sealed our salvation and changed the world forever. However we choose to celebrate Easter Sunday, we should not allow the associated fun and games to distract our attention from what the day is truly all about—the glorious resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Christ Himself should be celebrated every day, not just Easter Sunday. He is the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:25, and He is worthy of praise more than once a year.

To learn more about how Jesus’ death and resurrection provided for our salvation, please read the following article: What does it mean to accept Jesus as your personal Savior? Please go to: “Contact Us” and 1) Ask me any question, 2) Leave your valuable comments, and/or 3) Request prayer. Let’s go forth and tell the people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s go forth and build up the Kingdom of God according to His Word. Let’s go!

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