The next scene in Jesus’ trials takes us to Pilate, the Roman ruler over Jerusalem. He questions Jesus and finds no reason to execute him, and yet the Jewish mob demands crucifixion. Instead of setting Jesus free, he sets Barabbas, the murdering insurrectionist free. And again, we can’t miss it – The just is condemned, while the unjust goes free.

Meanwhile, down in the courtyard, Peter is facing the ultimate test of his faith. But Jesus has prayed for him, and while we see him deny the Lord three times, the Lord will not deny him. It is at this pivotal moment in Peter’s life that he is brought to his knees in brokenness, and will then be restored by grace, to be empowered for useful service.

Marched from Gethsemane to Caiaphas, Jesus now faces the ultimate miscarriage of justice. Barraged with invalidated testimony and false accusations, He is condemned to death. The irony of the scene is unmistakable – The clearest declaration of His identity is met with rejection and scorn, while his sentence of death is the very thing which provided our release from judgment.

The Gethsemane prayer vigil (and naptime) is abruptly interrupted as Judas and the arresting party come for Jesus. Just as the Scriptures prophesied, Jesus knew what was to come and continued to submit to the will of the Father. But, in the squeeze of this nighttime arrest, we see the responses of the others around Jesus. We would do well to consider these complex responses as we reflect on our own behavior when we are squeezed, so that we battle our flesh by the obedience of Jesus.

Our watchful Savior calls His disciples to a watchful life. A watchful life is a prayerful life, and a prayerful life is pursued with purpose. We pray with a foundation built on Jesus’ submission to the will of the Father, and an eye to our “weakness of flesh”. Let’s pause and consider how we as individual disciples and as a local church build a life of watchful prayer.

As Jesus and His disciples leave the Upper Room and head across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives, hearts are exposed and a falling away is called out. Come watch how this failure is the first step toward greater faith and faithfulness. There in the Garden of Gethsemane the true heart of dependance and trust is modeled through the soul-wrenching praying of Jesus before the Father. So much to consider, learn, and apply to orient our lives around the Gospel!

All of us have ambition in our lives, however we must continually check what is driving it and where it is directed. In this short passage, Paul's life is an incredible example for us to know what it looks like to live with this Redeemed Ambition. As believers we should be living on mission with Redeemed Ambition. In our pursuit of the mission, we run hard believing God’s glory is worth it.

This was a meal for the ages! Reclining around the Passover table, Jesus identifies his betrayer as a close companion and initiates the greater meaning the Passover pointed to, with an even greater feast yet to come in the consummated Kingdom of God. The intricate liturgy of the Jewish Passover is so beautifully brought to completion with the story of redemption now finding its climax in the impending death of Jesus. We have every reason to give thanks!