“The rush and violence of crucifixion, the blazing reality of their master’s death, the shock of it all was too much to bear and no one remembered, let alone trusted, his words of hope. Mark chapters 8, 9, and 10 tell us that on at least three separate occasions Jesus foretold not only his death but also his resurrection. And everything, everything else he ever spoke to them had come through… so why not believe this?

Church, they couldn’t, no amount of logic or arguing, pleading or exuberance can force anyone to believe in the risen Lord. Understanding and belief of this, is purely and only a gift of God, lest humans boast that they figured it out on their own. Found salvation on their own. No, Faith is a gift, and it would be given to them soon.”

“Christian, know this today: it was not nails that kept him there, but love. And he resolved alongside of the Father, before creation, that he would die in place of those called by the Father into faith…”

“Jesus was brought before the greatest legal system the world had known. Between the Greeks and then the Romans, judicial propriety and order of law and the elevation of courts and trials and legal process - all of it - had reached a zenith in Jesus day. Church we are to see that the Jewish Sanhedrin was a kangaroo court; totally unjust, and corrupt; they had already decided to kill Jesus before they began. But, but, in being handed over to the Romans, Jesus was tried by a people that perfected the legal system!

And I know at this point you’re all like ‘stop talking Leighton - You’re talking crazy. Jesus was crucified as an innocent man - they knew nothing of justice.’ And you're right. Except I haven’t used the word justice yet regarding the Romans - I’ve only said they perfected the legal system. So what am I saying…In being handed over to the Romans, a people that refined the legal trial — the life, words and actions of Jesus of Nazareth were put on trial and found to be spotless. Jesus Christ was pronounced Innocent by both the presiding governor Pontious Pilate and the local king Herod Antipas. Can you see, that in ever so brief a moment, humanity’s highest court tried Jesus and found him guilt free, innocent, pure…Now what they did with that verdict is terrible, unjust, indefensible.”

“Silence is power….Jesus stood before the leaders of his race, and owed them nothing, he held their destiny, they did not hold his, and he would not answer to their deceit. The high priest was running out of ideas, so in Matthew’s version of these events, he tells us that his last ditch effort was to invoke the name of the Lord.

And Jesus finally speaks, not because this wicked man cornered him into doing it, but in submission and reverence to God the Father. And of course his response is shocking….Now ‘I am’ would have been enough to convict, only God can say he is ‘I am’ or ‘Yahweh, The I am who I am,’ but here, Jesus unashamedly pronounces it as his name…Jesus is silent, and silent, and silent but when he finally speaks, he basically tells them, ‘You may judge me now, but I am God and will judge all mankind someday soon.’ And they all just go nuts.”

“Finally, Gethsemane proves, it proves — that Christ crucified is the only way to God. Christian, it does not get any clearer than this: When Jesus prayed: ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’ (Mark 14:36) Jesus asked The One, of whom all things are possible, if there was any other way to unite sinners back to God other than through the cross, and we see that God answered him: ‘No, this is the only way.’ Therefore we can be sure, Jesus is the way the truth and the life no one can come to the Father except through him (John 14:6). So, it is only by the blood of Jesus that the utterly impossible can happen - that unholy man can stand in the presence of all holy God and remain.”

“Adam and Eve ate the first recorded meal in rebellion, which is to say, they rebelled against God by eating what was forbidden. And because of their actions, their sin; rebellion and sin have pervaded every relationship, event, thought, and part of creation since. So when we go from looking at humanity’s first meal to what has been called Jesus’ last supper, we again see our rebellion full strength. Adam and Judas share this in common; they betrayed their relationship with God, believing in their hearts that their way, their interpretation, their will was better than Almighty God’s…”