Ash Wednesday

God On the Move Lenten Devotional                                                                   Ash Wednesday
                                                                            1 March
Stations of the Cross

Ever since Jesus died and rose again, believers have been finding ways to reflect on Jesus’ journey from the Last Supper, to the Cross, to the Empty Tomb. Some of the earliest Christians were able to visit these sites and reflect on Christ’s amazing sacrifice. Even today, people travel to Jerusalem to “walk in the footsteps of Christ.” Although an incredible experience, it’s not practical to make that kind of annual pilgrimage to honor Jesus. Instead, we may enter into each stop or station of Christ’s journey by bringing those images to our homes and churches.

This year, UALC is utilizing an illustrated version of the Stations of the Cross based on specific verses from the Gospels. They are designed to be interactive and spark conversation amongst us, so together we may appreciate and celebrate that He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Station 1: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-41)

Jesus spent the night before He died with His friends at the Last Supper. He was very sad because He knew that one of His friends, Judas Iscariot, would tell lies about Him, and then turn Him over to be arrested. After dinner, Jesus took His three closest friends—Peter, James, and John—with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. But Peter, James, and John couldn’t even stay awake with Jesus while He prayed.

Station 2: Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested (Mark 14:43-46)

When you betray a friend you hurt them by telling a lie about them. Judas was one of the twelve apostles, and one of Jesus’ friends. But he also betrayed Jesus by lying to the priests and police about who Jesus was. The priests gave Judas thirty pieces of silver in return for betraying Jesus. While Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas showed the soldiers where He was. Because Judas told lies about Jesus, Jesus was arrested.

Read and reflect on the passages.

1. What do you notice about Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why does it drive Him to tears?

2. Jesus commanded His disciples, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” What can we learn from this?

3. If Jesus is innocent of all sin, why was He arrested?

—david white