Just three weeks until we celebrate the greatest event of all history–no, not the victory at the Battle of the Bulge. Not the election of whichever Presidential candidate we supported. Not man landing on the moon. In three weeks we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death, conquering it for all eternity.

Imagine those last few weeks of Jesus’ life on earth. He knew the Cross was coming. I would think he experienced anticipatory grief. Mobs tried to throw him off a cliff, but he calmly walked through the crowd and away. Pharisees tried to catch him in a misstatement (but couldn’t–he called their bluffs). He was accused of not making his disciples follow the traditions that the Chief Priests and Rabbis had put in place, which were neither in scripture nor in Jesus’ teaching. The religious leaders wanted control. Jesus wouldn’t give it to them until it was his time.

He fed a crowd of four thousand men (plus women and children) with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Mark 8:8 says “And they ate and were satisfied.” After the meal his disciples picked up seven basketsfull of leftovers!

The religious leaders tested Him over and over again, but were astonished at his answers because they couldn’t trip him up!

He healed the blind, the lame, the woman with chronic bleeding, and many others. He foretold his death to His disciples. Peter rebuked Him for talking that way, and Jesus rebuked Peter, saying he needed to focus his mind on the things of God rather than man (Mark 8:33)!

Then he called the crowd and his disciples together.

“If any of you wants to be my follower,” he told them, “you must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow me closely. If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

“And how does a man benefit if he gains the whole world and loses his soul in the process? For is anything worth more than his soul?”

Mark 8:34-37 TLB

As we enter this Easter season, let’s remember that we can’t be neutral about Jesus Christ. He said ““Whoever is not with me is against me…” Matthew 12:30a NIV.

Most of us aren’t in a court trial for our faith. But the reality of our confidence in Christ shows (or doesn’t) in our daily life. That’s where we’re on trial, day after day. Will we identify with Jesus? If I feel led to speak to a stranger, pray for my manicurist in her shop (and I do ask permission first), or reach out to someone in need, my thought is often “What will others think?” But isn’t that obedience the test of my faith? And how often do I fail because of unkindness, selfishness, or lack of love for others?

I want to write more about those weeks and days before Jesus’ death and resurrection. But I challenge you to join me in thinking, not just what can I give up for Lent, but how can my daily life reflect more of Jesus in my life?

I’d love to hear your reflections as you focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection.