Passion Week

Passion week starts with Matthew 21 to 27th chapter. A "week" in bible sometimes, is a period of a time rather than a literal 7 day week. Some times I believe that the believers go through a passion week. The same things that happened in these seven chapters will show up in their lives in that particular time. What are those things? There are several things but I just want to share only three.

1. Cleansing the temple (our body)

Jesus was proclaimed as the king while he was on the donkey. He did not go straight away to the palace but to the temple. A passion week reminds us that we made our body a den of robbers. We start cleansing the temple of our bodies. There was no Ark of the Covenant in that temple at that time which, symbolizes the presence of the Lord. But still Jesus said that it is the Father's house.

2. Confrontation (our conscience)

All this week Jesus has been confronting the religious leaders and he answered those who confronted him. In chapter 21 alone i see many questions between Jesus and the religious leaders and reminding the OT scriptures very often. Whoever loves the scripture will be confronted by the conscience and will go for repentance. Unfortunately those religious leaders did not repent. Pharisees are same yesterday, today and forever.

3. Carrying the cross (our worship)

We do not look for making our bodies happy rather we try to make it an acceptable sacrifice. A sacrifice has no choice to escape since it was killed before it was burnt. But when it comes to our body, Paul tells us to give our bodies a living sacrifice. Jesus said to worship with spirit and truth. Paul tells us to give our body as a living sacrifice and that is what an acceptable worship. Our bodies being burnt while living, honestly, a hard thing. We live but burn. Worship God in the spirit, truth and also with your body that is continually burning.