This is it! It has come down to one more day! There is no second guessing. There is no “What If’s?” All of the should of’s, could of’s, would of’s are a thing of the past.
There is no time for regrets, no more time for “to do lists” or plans, the dreams you had wished have either one true, or they never will. It is only TODAY! You have 24 hours left to live! How will you live it?

This sobering thought has had me wrestling with a myriad of possibilities. Would I be noble and use my time to bless others? Would I be frantic and run from person to person making sure I had my final encounter with my loved ones? Or would I be so distraught that I would find myself begging my God for more time?

This question may remain unanswered for me at this time in my lif, but not in the life of my Savior a bit more than 2000 years ago.

What did Jesus do when faced with His final 24 hours here on earth?

He bowed His knees!
Jesus sought refuge, a quiet place to pray and seek His Father’s face.

After washing His disciples feet and eating the last supper with them, Jesus left the upstairs room where they were eating and went to pray.

Luke puts it this way…

“Then accompanied by His disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went AS USUAL to the Mount of Olives.” Luke 22:39

The first thought that grabs my attention is that Jesus had one day left to live and He went to pray.
The second thought is that “He went as usual!” Wow! Did you catch that? It was His normal routine. Not just when He was, in trouble, panicked, or sad, but “as usual,” something He was used to doing!

That challenges me to make prayer my normal routine and not just my “genie in a bottle” when I need something.

After He bowed His knees He prayed and asked His Father to take away His suffering, only if it was The Father’s will.

He did not ask selfishly for His pain and trial to be taken away. He willingly submitted His will to the Father’s Will.

“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  Luke 22:42

Jesus willingly accepted the Father’s will for His life, even though He knew it meant that this day was indeed His last.

In case you have the thought or tendency to dismiss the reality and difficulty of His decision compared to yours or mine faced with the same set of circumstances, read this next verse with me…

“….He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.” Luke 22:44

Medial doctors tell us that under horrific amounts of stress our bodies actually produce drops of blood in our sweat. Jesus was feeling intense stress and suffering as He lived out His final day of life here on earth.

But faced with His final 24 hours of life He bowed His knees, prayed to His Father for strength and guidance, and He walked toward the cross on my behalf and yours.

Jesus was found innocent by the Roman Governor Pontus Pilate. Even though He had been falsely accused, NO SIN WAS FOUND IN HIM! Jesus was perfect. Jesus never sinned, but He willingly took my cross and yours.

I had the privilege of sharing this story, the greatest story in all of history, at my church this past weekend…

TRUTH BOMB

YOU AND I HAVE MISSED OUR CROSS BECAUSE JESUS TOOK IT FOR US.

The powerful Truth of the last day of Jesus’ life here on earth, is that He did what no one else could do for us. HE TOOK MY CROSS FOR ME AND HE TOOK YOUR CROSS FOR YOU!

I have not lived a sinless life, have you? I sin every day, even when I am trying to do the right thing. I think or say something mean or thoughtless, and chose my way over blessing or helping someone else.

I deserved that cross, Jesus did not. But He willingly suffered and died and took that cross in my place.

The conclusion of this series on ‘If We Had One Week Left To Live,’ is that we live on!
Jesus took our place. Jesus took our sins upon Himself and went to the cross on our behalf so that we do not have to.

We have missed our cross Friends. Jesus died in our place. Through Him we LIVE!!!

The question is, ‘How will we live the life Jesus has given us?’

Now that’s the topic for another series!

See you back here next week as we begin a new series on, How to Live!

Happy Easter!!!
Happy Resurrection Sunday!!!
The best news of the whole story is that the story did not end at the cross, Jesus lives, and so do we if we know Him!

Speak Truth Love