Categories: Easter
The meal is over
The last song is sung
Now we’re on our way
To the garden.
The Master is pensive
We’re all perturbed
As we follow close
In the failing light
It’s getting quite late
As we reach the gate
To quiet Gethsemane.
We had come to the city
To keep the feast
But the party turned into a wake
Jesus took bread and wine
Said “My body, my blood,
Please eat and drink for my sake.
You’ll remember me then
When I’ve gone.”
He told us,
All had been carefully planned
But we really didn’t understand.
During supper our Master washed our feet
Just as a servant would
Said, we, in love, should do the same
And by his actions we understood.
He looked around upon us
Gazed into our eyes
The time has come
The Son of man
Must suffer much
But then be glorified.
So now inside the olive grove
He asks us to stay
To rest while He prays.
Greatly troubled, deeply distressed
He appears to be by a cup oppressed
He cries out to God
Sweats great drops of blood
Oh what is He going through?
We try to watch but fall asleep
He returns disappointed
“Couldn’t you keep
Watch with me for even one hour?”
He leaves us again
We hear Him say
“Not my will but yours be done.”
We hear the sounds first
Then see a crowd
All following Judas
Why have they come?
Do we stay and wait
Or do we run
They’re carrying swords, sticks, staves
Do they want to make us their slaves?
“Jesus – Rabbi”
We hear Judas say
As He gives to our Lord
A kiss to betray.
The chief priests, scribes, temple guards
Dragged Jesus away to the Temple yard
We all forsook Him
We fled – just as Jesus had said we would
“The sheep will be scattered
When the shepherd is gone.”
We were very scared – on our own
Upset, ashamed – we left Him alone
We had all promised to stand by His side.
But when the crunch came we ran to hide.
Once in the Temple
They question our Lord
“Are you the Christ?”
“I am” he replied.
They covered His eyes
Struck Him and yelled
Prophesy, if you can
Which one hit you then?
They spat on His face
Plucked hair from His cheeks
Dressed Him as a king
In a purple robe
Placed a crown of thorns upon His head
Then bowing down low in mockery
“All hail king hail!” is what they said.
Very early next morning
Jesus was bound
Taken to Pilate
Who asked Him out loud
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus was silent
So Pilate said
“Don’t you know
I have the power to let you go.”
Jesus with gentle love replied
“You only have power
As my Father allows.”
Pilate then stated “In truth
I find no fault in this man
I’ll flog him and let Him go.”
But the mob started screaming
Crucify. Put him to death
Give us Barabbas
Not Jesus of Nazareth.
“What? Crucify your King”
Yes! Crucify! Crucify!
We don’t want him.
They strap the cross to the Master’s back
Bloody and torn from the morning’s whip
Lead Him away through the city streets
To the hill called Calvary
We follow behind
Not too near
Till we come to the Mount
And with horror hear
The sound of the hammer on nails
His skin is ripped
His body jarred
As into the hole
The upright is dropped
With a thud!
The notice prepared
Was placed upon the cross
“JESUS-KING OF THE JEWS”
That’s not what he is, the people declared
Caesar’s the one we choose.
The Roman Governor smiling said
“What’s written, is written
That’s that.”
“Father forgive.”
Then “It is finished” He cries
Bows His head and dies.
The Roman at the foot of the cross
Acknowledged with awe
When with wonder he saw
How the Master gave up His life
Surely this man was the Son of God
SURELY is what he said.
We really didn’t know what to do
About the body of Christ
We wanted to get Him
Down from the cross
But didn’t know where to go
And while we were wondering, full of fear
A man named Joseph of Arimathea
Boldly went to Pilate and said
“Give me permission to bury the dead.”
He and his friend Nicodemus
Took the body from the cross
Wrapped it with myrrh and aloes
In a beautiful white linen cloth
He was placed in a tomb in that garden
Very near to where He had died.
The Sabbath day was awful
It should have been a great time
But how could we eat the Passover lamb
Knowing God’s lamb was dead in the grave.
Now on the first day of the week
When most of us were fast asleep
Mary went while it was still dark
To mourn at the garden tomb
But what she saw made her stop and sway
The stone to the tomb
Had been rolled away.
Mary came rushing back to us all
“They’ve taken Him away”
“He’s not in the tomb; oh come and see
We really don’t know where He can be.”
It was all just as she had said
The body was gone and all that was left
In the empty tomb,
Was the long white shroud
And the cloth
That had been round His head.
We had all forgotten that Jesus had said
The third day he’d rise from the dead.
Mary stayed when we went home
She really was very upset
Two angels in white spoke to her though
And asked her why she wept
They’ve taken away my wonderful Lord
And I don’t know where He is
But then turning round, she heard a sound
Saw the gardener standing there
“Sir, please tell me where you have taken Him”
Through tear-filled eyes, she said
“Mary”
“Master”
“Go tell them all
I’m ascending to your God and mine
To My Father; Your Father too.
Later that day he appeared to us
We were shut in the upper room
He appeared through the wall
“Peace to you all”
We could hardly believe our eyes.
He showed us clearly His hands and feet
He was certainly our Master, Lord.
Thomas, the twin, wasn’t with us that day
Wouldn’t believe who we’d seen
“I’ll only believe if I can see
Put my finger in to feel the print
Of the nails in His hands and feet.”
One week on Jesus came again
“Thomas look here at the nail print wounds
Put your hand into my side
Only believe and you will be blessed.”
“My Lord, my God.” He replied
“Thomas,” Jesus kindly said
“You have believed because you have seen
More blessed are those
Who have not seen.”
As we stopped and stared at Him, He said
“The Father sent me, now I’m sending you
Go to everyone and say
Jesus died but now is alive
This is a wonderful day.”
John 13:1-17 & 18:19 & 20
