SERIES OVERVIEW
Pastor Greg continues his 4-part Easter-themed series this week called “THE WHOLE STORY.” During this series, he is showing us how one, consistent, story of redemption, starring Jesus at the center of it, is woven throughout the entire Bible from the first verse of Genesis to the very last verse of Revelation.
This third week picks up where Pastor Greg left off last week with Jesus revealing himself both as the ultimate fulfillment of the Feast Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and The Feast of First Fruits. This week is called OUR PRINCE HAS COME.
MESSAGE NOTES
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ~ John 1:29
Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; The righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation (Yeshua in Hebrew). ~ Psalm 118:19-21
It was the third hour when they crucified Him. ~ Mark 15:25
At the ninth hour … Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. ~ Mark 15:34a-37
… It is finished! … ~ John 19:30b
When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. ~ John 15:33
The Lord is God, and He has given us light; bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. – Psalm 118:27
The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my (Yeshua) salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!- Psalm 118:14-16
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate …. “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” – John 19:19-22
Yeshua – Starts with the Aramaic/Hebrew letter Yod.
Of Nazareth – Starts with the Aramaic/Hebrew letter Hey.
The King – Starts with the Aramaic/Hebrew letter Vov.
Of the Jews – Starts with the Aramaic/Hebrew letter Hey.
YHVH ~ The Tetragrammaton (Literally “Four-Letter Word”)
YAHVEH (YAHWEY)
And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” ~ John 12:23-24
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming ~ 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” ~ John 20:16-17
GO DEEPER
INTROSPECTIVE BIBLE STUDY
ALOHA GROUP QUESTIONS
READ: Psalm 118:19-21
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you find it interesting that the Lord commanded this Psalm to be sung during the significant Feasts of the Lord?
2) How about the idea that Jesus’ name is included here, translated as “salvation?” What might the singers have been thinking as they sang these familiar words to Jesus?
READ: Mark 15:25, Mark 15:34a-37, John 19:30b, John 15:33
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Given the timing of Jesus’ crucifixion, the sky turning dark and His death, do you think that was all coincidental as it related to the daily sacrifices and prayers in the Temple?
2) Why do you think God turned the sky dark during the prayer time of the sixth hour until Jesus’ death at the ninth hour? What was the message He was sending?
READ: Psalm 118:27, Psalm 118:14-16
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you see these lyrics as references to Jesus as well? What other Scriptures come to mind that testify to these verses?
READ: John 19:19-22
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you think Pilate was aware that He was writing the Hebrew name for God above Jesus’ head? Why or why not?
2) Why were the priests so upset about this?
READ: John 12:23-24 and 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Pastor Greg shared that this is Scriptural evidence that Jesus fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
2) What does it mean to you that Jesus is “the first fruits of those who are asleep? Who are those who are asleep? What has Jesus done first that those who are still asleep will eventually do as well?
READ: John 20:16-17
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Pastor Greg said that this passage – along with other Biblical context – asserts that Jesus is about to ascend and present Himself as the First Fruits Wave Offering to the Father at the exact time the First Fruits Wave Offering was being presented in the temple that morning. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
2) If all this is true and correct, what does this mean for us? What conclusions can we draw from it and what does it have to do with our day-to-day following of Jesus?