Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

Matthew 27. 57  As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59  Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60  and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. The Guard at the Tomb 62  The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63  “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64  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.

Matthew 27. 27  Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28  They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29  and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30  They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31  After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. Psalm 76 Psalm 76 [ a ] For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song. 1  God is renowned in Judah;      in Israel his name is great. 2  His tent is in Salem,      his dwelling place in Zion. 3  There he broke the flashing arrows,      the shields and the swords, the weapons of war. [ b ] 4  You are radiant with light,      more majestic than mountains rich

Matthew 27. 11  Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 12  When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13  Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14  But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. 15  Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16  At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus [ b ] Barabbas. 17  So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18  For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. 19  While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have

Matthew 27. 27  Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2  So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. 3  When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4  “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” 5  So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6  The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7  So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8  That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9  Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty

Matthew 26. 57  Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58  But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. 59  The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60  But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61  and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62  Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63  But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64  “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of

Friends, I am thankful our preacher, Rick Atchley  is doing a series on Daniel and teaching us how he was a good influence on his leaders in a bad situation. In the days of slavery in America there were people who said that the Bible assumed slavery was normal and acceptable because the Bible said so.   People have used the Bible to justify separation among nations and races.      Jesus was one who led His disciples to overcome racial and gender barriers.   Does the church today have a record for standing up for justice?   Is your congregation working to support the bruised people of society?   Do we work to fire up the discouraged people or do we pile on and say, “I told you so?” Matthew 12. 15  Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16  He warned them not to tell others about him. 17  This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 18  “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

Matthew 26. 69  Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. 70  But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 71  Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72  He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” 73  After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” 74  Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75  Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Psalm 73. 18  Surely you place them on slippery ground;      you cast them down to ruin. 19  How suddenly are they destroyed,      completely

Matthew 26. 36  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38  Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40  Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41  “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42  He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43  When he came back, he again found them sleeping