Third Station: Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin

When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us,” but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth.”
Luke 22: 66-71

Why is it that those in power have very little ear for the meek and lowly?  Why are the powerful more likely to put down threats to their way of life than the meek?  Why are we so often like this?  Jesus was bringing a way of life that could turn upside down the world of the religious leaders of the day, whose system was based on power and arrogance. 

Perhaps the statement of Richard Francis Burton, a 19th century English explorer was to a large degree true.  He said, “The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself”.  I do not believe this has to be true, but it will take a people who are truly eager to hear the answer to the question “are you the Messiah?”  We must not be the kind of people to condemn first and ask questions later if we even get to the questions.   We should pray that we have ears to hear and accept the truth no matter how disruptive it is to our current way of life and who and what we really worship.

“Lord, your ways are not our ways.  Your wisdom and your way of justice are higher and greater than any established here on earth.  Lord teach us to live our lives adhering to your economy and thus standout from the ways of this world.”

Scott for Wellspring © Copyright 2008

 

First Station: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 25:36-41 

 

Jesus prayed.  Jesus prayed in the garden.  It sounds so nice.  Something about a garden creates images of peace and comfort and blessed solitude.  Apparently He came often to this garden to pray.  But this time it was different.  Jesus felt sorrow and distress.  He shared with Peter, James and John that His soul was “sorrowful even to death”. This time of prayer was tinged with sweat and blood.  But this prayer gave Him the strength to carry on the mission He desired to accomplish.  Each step brought Him a greater intensity of pain and closer to death, but each step brought us closer to life and redemption.  We know by this journey, starting in the garden and ending at the cross, that God loves us with an amazing, indescribable, everlasting love.  We can know with certainty that we are His beloved.  He has called us to be the ”beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ” Jude 1.   This prayer of agony in the garden was for us.

“Jesus, thank you for your prayer in the garden.  Thank you for your steadfast heart to give us real life.  May we understand a little better the prayer you prayed for us and the love that brought you to the cross.  Amen.”

Scott for Wellspring Copyright 2008

The Stations of the Cross

 

For centuries Christians have walked the “stations of the cross” to commerate the day leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross.  From the earliest times pilgrims would go to Jerusalem to walk the the actual route that Jesus walked from Pilate’s house to Golgotha.  By tradition, this was known as the Via Dolorosa (way of sorrow) or Via Crucis (way of the cross).

Through time different cities in Europe began to set up their own stations so that believers could walk the passion of Christ more than once in a lifetime.   Now, many churches, particularly Catholic Churches, have their own stations within their buildings, in outdoor courtyards or at retreat centers.   Unfotunately, this practice is not common or in some cases even known to many believers outside the Catholic Church.

This leads us to the first planned event for Wellspring Ministry for 2008.  On March 22, 2008, 6:30 pm, we will lead a prayerful, meditative walk around Golden Ponds in Longmont, Colorado of the 14 stations of the cross.  These 14 stations are based on those developed in 1991 by Pope John Paul II and are based on scriptural passages that chronicle this terrible, awful, wonderful, day.  We will start the first station reflecting on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and end with the fourteenth station with Jesus being laid in the tomb.

Our prayer and hope is that all who join us on this walk would be able to enter into this story, to feel it and the emotions, and to understand most of all the great love Jesus has for us.   Begining on March 9th we will begin a daily writing of these fourteen stations with the devotion for the final station on March 22nd.

Join us here on this website for the daily stations beginning March 9th and if possible on March 22nd at Golden Ponds.

Blessings, Scott for Wellspring 2008