As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem.

Luke 9:51-53

Find a rock (or other heavy object) and set it in your lap as you participate in this experience as a representation of the weight of your sin.

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Matthew 26:26-29

Take a moment to reflect on your life and ask God to forgive you for how you have distanced yourself from Him because of your disobedience (sin).

Lord, thank You for Your demonstration of love and Your gift of grace towards us. May the reality of Your sacrifice for us be as real to us as the taste of the bread and juice that we share in communion. Amen.

When you are ready, take communion using the bread and juice, thanking Jesus for what He did for you.

They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before.

Mark 14:32-39

Is there an area in my life where I need to make a choice to love and sacrifice, even if it comes at a cost?

God, we’re grateful that You are with us in our moments of fear and doubt. In good times and in seasons of difficulty, empower us to pursue Your will above our own agendas. Amen

Close your eyes, and picture a garden. Sit in silence for a few moments and think about how Jesus knew what was to come.

The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”

But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”

After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”

“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.

About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

Luke 22:55-62

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and then walk out of the door and deny Him with their lifestyle. This is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.” – Brennan Manning

Think of the times you denied Jesus with your words, actions or idleness.

God, forgive us for the times we denied You with our lives; for the things that we have done, as well as the things we have left undone. Enable us to honour You with our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Amen.

Write out the statement “I denied Jesus” three times on a piece of paper.

Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.

John 19:1-3

What is the most intense physical and/or emotional pain I have ever experienced?

Lord, You endured shame and suffering for our sake. Forgive us for the times when we forgot the price that You paid. Forgive us for the times when we wound others. Thank You that because of Your wounds we can experience healing. Amen.

Take your red pen, marker, or paint, and make a stripe on your piece of paper.

Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:16-18, 28-30

Who has been harmed by my sinful choices? How can I reconcile the pain my sins have caused?

Jesus, we thank You for Your extravagant display of love for us. Even though we didn’t deserve it, You died for us and enabled us to receive life. Thank You for the cross. Thank You for grace. Thank You for salvation. Amen.

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.

John 20:1-9