As you may already know I am inviting the whole church to join with me in Following in Jesus’ Footsteps as we prepare for the Easter Season. It is my sincere hope and prayer that as we walk along with Jesus during his last week before His Crucifixion we, like the original disciples, will be drawn closer to Jesus. I pray that His instructions will sink deep and enable us to rise up in faith to do the things He is calling us to do by His Presence and Power. When we put the things He said into the perspective of what was going on around Him we will have new insights.

For example: did you know that when Jesus said, “ I am with you always” He said it in connection with His instructions found in Matthew 28:18-20

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

When Jesus said that He would enable His disciples to do the witnessing, discipling, baptizing and teaching by His Presence and Power His promise was just as much for us now as it was 2,000 years ago. This is similar to the Old Testament expression, “God’s hand was upon them”. God’s Hand represented His Presence and Power to do the things He was calling His people to do.

The more inadequate we feel we are for the job the more God can work through us!! If we get to the point where we know without a doubt that failure is sure and imminent that is when we have to depend on God - that is when we must get out of the way and let God work through us. Moses became one of my favourite Bible characters when he said, “ send Arron”. He was acknowledging that there was no way he could do what God was asking him to do. Yet it was Moses who got close enough to God to let God change him and use him to do mighty miracles!

I am hoping and praying that as we Follow in Jesus’ Footsteps we will get close enough to Jesus that we will be able to admit our fears and inabilities, move out of God’s way and let him do the things we’ve always hoped He would do in us and through us. Let us see that just as Jesus gave Peter another chance after Peter denied Jesus, Jesus will give us another chance to come close to Jesus and serve Him in Jesus’ Presence and Power.

FOLLOWING IN JESUS’ FOOTSTEPS

We will look at three stories each week. I recommend that we take two days studying each story. That will give us some time to think and pray about each story so that the Holy Spirit can take us deeper into the story for a closer encounter with Jesus. On the first day we will pray that God will make the story come alive for us. We will read the accounts of the story as they appear in the four Gospels. In our notebook we will record: 1. Our first impressions of the story 2. Any questions we have.

On the second day we will review the story and in our notebooks record: 1. Any teachings, parables, prophecies, promises and miracles. 2. We will ask the Holy Spirit to show us more of Jesus’ heart. 3. We will ask the Holy Spirit to show us how we can apply the things we are

learning to our own lives so that we can be more like Jesus.

Writing the things we discover in our note book will make it a precious record of our journey to more intimacy with Jesus.

You can do the readings for Follow in Jesus’ Footsteps on your own with the option of joining me on alternating Tuesday evenings at Calvin and Lawrie’s where we will share what we are discovering. I hope you will join us on March 2, 16, 30 at 7:15 pm.

OUTLINE FOR MARCH

March 1 - 7

1. Pharisees and Sadducees try to trap Jesus with Questions - Matthew 22: 15-33; Mark 12: 13-27; Luke 20: 20-40

2. Lawyer tries to trap Jesus and Jesus challenges the Pharisees - Matthew 22: 34-46; Mark 12: 28-37; Luke 20: 41-42

3. Jesus denounces the Scribes and Pharisees and commends the poor widow - Matthew 23:1-39; Mark 12: 38-44; Luke 20: 45-47; Luke 21: 1-4

March 8 - 14

1. Jesus’ predictions of future events

- Matthew 24:1-22; Mark 13: 1-20; Luke 21: 5-24

2. Jesus’ predictions of false christs and His return - Matthew 24:23-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 17: 23-24, 37; Luke 21:25-28

3. Parables of the fig tree and servants and masters - Matthew 24:32-36,42; Matthew 25: 14-30; Mark 13: 28-37; Luke 12:42-46; Luke 19: 12-27; Luke 21:29-38

March 15– 21

1. Be watchful for Christ’s return and parables

- Matthew 24:38-44; Matthew 25: 1-13, 31-46; Luke 12: 39-46; Luke 17: 26-27, 34-35

2. Conspiracy, anointing and Betrayal

- Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14: 1-11; Luke 22:1-6; John 12:2-8

3. Preparation for the Passover - Matthew 26: 17-20; Mark 14: 12-17: Luke 22:7-16, 24-30

March 22- 28

1. Jesus washes the Disciples feet and names His betrayer - Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:18-21; Luke 22:21-23; John 13: 1-30

2. Jesus’ predictions and Passover Supper - Matthew 26: 26-35; Mark 14: 22– 31; Luke 22: 17-20, 31-38; John 13:31-38

3. Jesus teaches after supper about what is to come - John 14

March 29-April 4

1. Jesus teaches about God’s love - John 15

2. Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit - John 16

3. Jesus prays for His disciples and Himself

- Matthew 26: 36-40; Mark 14:32– 43; Luke 22: 39-46; John 17; John 18:1