Faithfully Yours Forever

Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
(Luke 23:27-31, John 15:6) NIV
 
Luke 23:27-31

²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
    and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

³¹ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

John 15:6

⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Jesus Falls a Second Time
(Hebrews 4:15) NIV
 
Hebrews 4:15

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
(Isaiah 52:14, John 14:9) NIV

Isaiah 52:14

¹⁴ Just as there were many who were appalled at him^[a]—
    his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
    and his form marred beyond human likeness—

John 14:9

⁹ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
(Matthew 27:30-32, Matthew 25:40, Galatians 6:2) NIV

Matthew 27:30-32

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.

³² As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.

Matthew 25:40

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Galatians 6:2

² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Jesus Meets His Mother
(John 19:25-27, John 16:22) NIV

John 19:25-27

²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John 16:22

²² So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

Jesus Falls for the First Time
(Isaiah 53:6) NIV

Isaiah 53:6

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross
(Isaiah 53:4-6, Matthew 27:31, Luke 9:23) NIV

Isaiah 53:4-6

⁴ Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

Matthew 27:31

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.

Luke 9:23

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Jesus is Condemned to Death
(John 3:16, Isaiah 53:7, John 18:33-John 19:1-16) NIV

John 3:16

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Isaiah 53:7

⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.

John 18:33-John 19:1-16

Father God, as we acknowledge the Passion of the Christ, on this Good Friday, with a review of the fourteen Stations of the Cross, may we, through Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, be cleansed of our sins so we may live with you forever.  Amen.