ROAD TO THE RESURRECTION

WEEK ONE 

SUNDAY, APRIL 13TH 2025 

“Jesus is King” 

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 

Excitement and expectation fill the air as Passover begins in Jerusalem. Thousands arrive for the celebration and Jesus gives his disciples instructions to bring him a donkey and a colt. While perhaps a strange request, it makes perfect sense to first-century Jews familiar with the writings of the prophet Zechariah. With this request, Jesus fulfills a 500-year-old prophecy about Israel’s king coming to Jerusalem. It’s Jesus’s way of announcing, “Your king is here!” The crowd agrees and spreads their cloaks on the ground. However, as we will see, they are only interested in Jesus as king on their terms. He is the king they needed, but he is not the king they wanted. The salvation he offers is for a rebellious heart. What they want is a rescue from Rome. 

We can come to the same conclusion about Jesus. We might say, “You can be my king if…” If what he asks makes sense to me, if he helps me get what I want or if it doesn’t require me to change much. But when we come to Jesus, we don’t follow him to get where we are going. We follow him to get where he is going. 

What is King Jesus asking you to go and do? Do you have a friend who needs to hear what Jesus has done for them? Do you need to apologize to someone? Or is there a family member or friend you can serve? Ask God to help you know what to do and go take that step today. 

MONDAY, APRIL 14TH 2025

"Jesus as Savior"

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 

Matthew 21:9

While some spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from trees, the entire crowd shouts, “Hosanna!” They quote Psalm 118:25-26, essentially, “Save! Save us now!” At a certain level, they’re correct. Jesus is their Savior, the Saving One. His name means “the Lord saves.” But the salvation they desire most is from the rule of Rome. They want to be free of the army that occupies their country. But the freedom Jesus offers is not external. He offers internal freedom from their deepest need, slavery to sin that results in death. 

The crowd in Jerusalem is not much different from us. We have our own “Hosanna” and things from which we want to be saved. The question is if we will continue to trust Jesus even if our marriage isn’t restored, we still struggle with our mental health, our career still struggles, or we don’t receive healing on earth. Jesus came to save us from what we most needed to be saved from, and he will be with us in these hard circumstances. 

If you’ve never accepted Jesus’s offer of salvation and freedom from your sin, you can place your faith and trust in what he did for you on the cross today. If you’d like a conversation about trusting Jesus for the first time or feel like you are stuck in a “what if he doesn’t” situation, please contact us at contact@RELEVANTchurchMD.com. We would love to have a conversation with you. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, offer a prayer of gratitude for all Jesus has done for you.  

TUESDAY, APRIL 15TH 2025

"Guilt Forgiven"

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

Darkness covers the land at noon. Whether at home, working in the field, shopping in the market, or worshipping in the temple, everyone likely stopped to wonder what was happening. It’s a moment they will surely remember for years to come. This happens as Jesus hangs on the cross—darkness when there should be light. Night overtakes the day (Matthew 27:45). It is ominous and means something significant. For the Jewish people, darkness symbolizes judgment (Amos 8:9). The Bible’s storyline begins with God creating the world and calling it good. But three chapters in, humans’ rebel against God, deciding they are better off without him. The consequences of this rebellion are disastrous. 

Everything wrong with our world and us results from this first rebellion and our continued rebellion against God. The Bible is very clear that humans, collectively and individually, are guilty before God (Romans 3:23). This can be a tough truth to accept. We don’t like to admit we are wrong. However, admitting our guilt is critical in accepting the forgiveness offered through the cross. If we aren’t guilty of sin, there’s no need for the cross. 

Spend some time thinking about your thoughts, words and actions that don’t align with God’s Word and how he created you to live. Confess your sins to God. Ask him for forgiveness and thank him for the forgiveness Jesus paid for on the cross. If there’s a particular sin you find yourself repeating, find a trusted friend or mentor to pray for you and hold you accountable in that area.  

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2025

"His Righteousness"

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  Matthew 26:50

The Romans implement the cross because it is exceedingly tortuous and humiliating. This punishment is reserved for the worst criminals who commit crimes that destabilize society, such as theft and insurrection. The cross is more than a punishment. It’s also a warning. If someone goes against Rome, they end up on a cross. Crucifixions are conducted in public places to provide opportunity for mocking and scorn. Every breath is laborious. The energy required to raise oneself with one’s arms and legs moves a person closer to exhaustion and asphyxiation. Jesus endures all of this willingly, even though he is innocent. 

Jesus not only dies in our place, he also obeys in our place. He lives a perfect life, without sin, and goes to the cross out of love. He pays the price for our sins there, and something amazing happens. Jesus takes our guilt and gives us his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). What an incredible gift. He does what we could never do. When we accept his gift of life, God no longer sees the wrongs we’ve done but the right Jesus did. The work of the cross isn’t something ordinary. It’s not something we should get used to. It’s truly astonishing. 

Sit in the love of God for you, recognizing what Jesus endured on your behalf. Listen to the song “How Deep the Father’s Love.” Let the lyrics become the anthem of your heart this week.  

THURSDAY, APRIL 17TH 2025

"God's Presence"

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  Matthew 27:51a

Sin is rebellion against God. The Bible makes it clear sin separates people from God. It isn’t how God wanted our relationship with him to be. God walks and talks with Adam and Eve in the garden. But when they sin, they are kicked out of the garden. In the Old Testament, God establishes a special relationship with the Israelites and chooses to be present with them. The tabernacle and, later, the temple symbolize God’s presence. But the layout of both the tabernacle and temple reflects sin’s separation. One thing is clear through the use of courtyards and separate rooms: sin has made God’s dwelling place apart from people. 

The cross does something unimaginable. Matthew tells us that at the moment of Jesus’s death, the curtain separating the room representing God’s dwelling place in the temple tears from top to bottom. It’s a clear symbol that God’s presence is now available to people. How? Because of the double transfer—Jesus takes our sin and gives his righteousness to us. The sin that separates us from God is forgiven if we accept Jesus’s gift of life. The cross is marvelous. It radically redefines the relationship between God and people. 

The double transfer is available to you. Jesus wants to forgive your sins and give you his righteousness. He wants to restore your relationship with God. You simply need to turn to him. For more information about what it means to turn to Jesus, email me at pastormark@RELEVANTchurchMD.com. I’d love to have a conversation with you. If you’ve accepted Jesus’s free gift of life, spend some time thanking God for the gift of his presence, which is available through the beautiful double transfer.  

FRIDAY, APRIL 18TH 2025

"Good Friday"

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.   Matthew 27:61

Today is Good Friday when Christians have intentionally slowed down to reflect on the cross for centuries. It’s a day to sit with the weight of the cross and reflect on the anguish and pain Jesus bore because of sin. Two thousand years ago, a group of people stood by watching Jesus die. Matthew references three women specifically. They have been following and caring for Jesus. Surely, their hearts sunk as Jesus cried out for the final time, and they noticed his body stop struggling for oxygen. Now, the person they had dedicated years to had succumbed to the execution. Jesus is dead. It must’ve been heartbreaking. 

It is both emotionally and intellectually easy to move through the pain and suffering of the cross quickly. Unlike the women on that Friday, we know Jesus will rise again on Sunday. But there is value in sitting with the weight of the cross, acknowledging the pain our sins brought upon Jesus. This regular reflection, on Good Friday and every time we take communion, should impact how we live. Meditating on the cost of the cross is transformative. It can reorient our hearts toward hating our sins and desiring to obey God’s way. The reminder of our brokenness can cause us to have far more grace for the failures of others. 

Sit in the weight of the cross today. Find 10 minutes, a half hour, or an hour to spend alone with God, reflecting on the cross in silence. Open your heart to God. Acknowledge your sin sent Jesus to the cross. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see how your heart, character and actions need to change because of the cross.  

WEEK TWO

MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2025

“Jesus In Exodus” 

The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Exodus 12:13 

The Israelites’ dramatic departure from Egypt and God’s defeat of Pharaoh foreshadow Jesus’s defeat of Satan and how he will rescue people from slavery to sin. The Israelites grumble, disobey and wander in the wilderness for forty years. For forty days, Jesus is tempted in the wilderness but does not sin. Israel receives the law on Mount Sinai and then breaks it immediately. On another mount, Jesus re-gives the law in his most well-known sermon. In every way the Israelites fail to obey God, Jesus obeys completely. 

The tabernacle represents the presence of God dwelling among the people. Jesus comes and “tabernacles,” or dwells among people as a human (John 1:14). The blood on the door posts, which save people from death during Passover, point to Jesus’s death (which happens during Passover) and the blood spilled on the cross to save us. When poisonous snakes enter the Israelite camp due to their rebellion, people are saved by looking at a bronze snake lifted on a pole. Jesus says he is lifted up the same way (John 3:14-15). When people look to him, they are saved from the poison of sin. 

Moses represents a type of Christ. Throughout Exodus, Moses’s role and importance grow as he mediates between God and the Israelites. He speaks God’s words to the people, delivers the law on Mount Sinai and represents the people before God. Jesus is our ultimate mediator. He gives us the Father’s words and now sits at God’s right hand, interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:34). 

Exodus is rich with types, stories and symbols that point to Jesus. May God to open our eyes to all the ways the Scripture points to Jesus.

TUESDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2025

“The Road to Emmaus” 

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. Luke 24:13-14 

Massive crowds gather to welcome Jesus of Nazareth into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover. Many believe he is the long-awaited Messiah, the one promised in the Jewish Scriptures. The entire city is stirred, and everyone is talking about Jesus. Yet, in just five short days, everything flips. The crowds turn against Jesus, and he is arrested and killed. It is shocking and confusing for all who had followed and put their hope in him. 

It’s in this sad and confusing state that two followers of Jesus leave the city and travel about seven miles to Emmaus. They put their hope in Jesus but now walk away disappointed. On the way, Jesus meets them, travels with them and shows them who he really is. Unfortunately, we all find ourselves in a similar place from time to time, where we are confused, disappointed or have lost hope. As we study this encounter, we will see that Jesus is close to those who have lost hope. He wants to be accepted for who he is—the true source of our hope. May our gracious God use this story to remind us of our hope and challenge us to see Jesus for who he really is. 

As you study this passage, pray and ask God to teach you this week. With a posture of humility, invite him to challenge and surprise you. Ask him to remind you of the hope you have in him and reveal areas where you need to grow in understanding of Jesus.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23RD 2025 

“We Had Hoped” 

“The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.” Luke 24:20-21 

Jesus walks with these two disciples and learns they are downcast about what happened. They even admit they “had hoped” Jesus would redeem Israel. These words capture their heartbreaking disappointment. Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This story seems to illustrate this same character quality in Jesus. He would later challenge and teach these two. But here, he walks with, listens to and cares about these disciples as they travel. 

Jesus’s interaction with these two reveals something about God’s character. As Psalm 34:18 says, God is close to those who have lost hope and are brokenhearted. It was true in ancient Israel when the Psalm was written, and it was true on the road to Emmaus. It’s still true today in the situations we face. Some of us may have hoped our marriage would improve, we would be out of debt, that test results would be different, or a job would be a good fit. Whatever we are facing, God is with us, close to us and cares for us. 

Memorize Psalm 34:18 and bring it to mind during the coming days and weeks. May this Psalm remind you of the character of God. He is with you, he is close to you and cares for you. 

THURSDAY, APRIL 24TH 2025 

“He Explained To Them” 

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27 

After walking with and listening to the travelers for some time, Jesus starts to challenge them. He calls them foolish and asks how slow they are to believe what the Old Testament said about the Messiah. Then, he goes through the Old Testament. Jesus challenges them with the truth about himself and points out what they had been missing in the scriptures. 

There are many common misconceptions about Jesus, which we could fall into as well. One is that Jesus just wants us to be happy and supports us no matter what we believe or do. However, the Bible teaches that Jesus is more than just a good teacher or a supportive friend. He is our Savior, Lord, and King. So, we should expect him to challenge our beliefs and behaviors when they are out of alignment with his character and teaching. 

Consider what you might need to do to get acquainted with Jesus. For some of us, this might mean starting a reading plan through one of the accounts of Jesus’s life (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). For others, it might mean joining a group and studying scripture together. Simply studying the truth is a great way to determine if your view of Jesus is out of alignment. 

FRIDAY, APRIL 25TH 2025 

“Our Burning Hearts” 

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. Luke 24:30-31 

At the end of the journey, Jesus goes into their home, and they eat together. At the meal, two things happen that point back to the resurrection of Jesus in a powerful way. First, the phrases Luke records about breaking bread and giving thanks are the same as those used in the story of the Last Supper (Luke 22:19). There, Jesus shares what was about to happen to him. Here, Luke completes the powerful message of the cross with the resurrection’s completion and victory. 

The passage also says, “Their eyes were opened.” This phrase points back to Genesis 3:6-7 when Adam and Eve ate the fruit and “their eyes were opened.” Adam and Eve’s eyes opened because they sinned. It was a sign that creation had been broken. Here, these same words signal Jesus’s restoration of creation. 

This week, we saw two hopeless people walking away from Jerusalem. Yet, at the end of their journey, they learned about the true source of their hope—Jesus Christ. Through his death and resurrection, we find forgiveness and restoration. That is the message of Easter—Jesus has risen. He has defeated sin and death, and he invites us into his victory and the restoration of all things. 

Listen to the song “Resurrecting.” Worship Jesus for who he is and what he accomplished through his death and resurrection. Allow the song to remind you of where our true hope comes from.