"What About Wednesday?"

“And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.” Matthew 21:17 (Monday)

“…Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper”  Matthew 26:6 (Tuesday)

“Now on the First Day of the Unleavened Bread…”   

Matthew 26:17a (Thursday)

Today (as I am posting this article) is Wednesday of Holy Week 2016.  Wednesday, the middle of the week, hump day as many of us call it.  We often look forward to Wednesday because once it is done, over, out of the way, we know the weekend is not far off.  Time off to play, work in the yard, or just spend quality time with our families.  Wednesday!

I am intrigued by the last week of Jesus’ life.  The first day of that week, Sunday, Jesus was in Bethany had some of His disciples go into Jerusalem and get a donkey colt and bring it back to Him.  Jesus mounted the donkey and rode it into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosannas, King of Kings!”  Sunday was a glorious day of uplifting Jesus.  The Gospel Mark in 11:11 states that Jesus went into the temple and after looking around, “He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.”    On Monday Jesus arose and left Bethany and headed back towards the city.  On the way He cursed the fig tree for it was without figs and He was hungry.  Arriving in the city entered the temple and cleansed it of all the buyers and sellers.  Then He went back to Bethany to spend the night.  On Tuesday He arose and left Bethany and found the withered fig tree on His way into Jerusalem.  On Tuesday Jesus taught on faith and had His Olivet Discourses on the way back to Bethany.  On Tuesday, also, Judas made his deal with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus.  On Thursday, Jesus got up, it was the First Day of Unleavened Bread.  Jesus wanted to eat the Passover meal with His disciples, so He sent Peter and John into Jerusalem ahead of them to prepare for the meal.  On Thursday night they celebrated the Passover meal together.  Then Jesus went out to the garden to pray.  He was betrayed by Judas and arrested.  Early in the morning of Friday, Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin, tried before the Roman officials, and sentenced to die by crucifixion.  He was beaten, crucified, died and was buried in the tomb.  Saturday the tomb continued to be sealed and guarded.  On Sunday morning the first of the week, the third day since His death, the tomb was empty and Jesus is alive.  He has RISEN!!!

I hope you noticed something.  I skipped Wednesday.  Yes Wednesday, the middle day of the week.  There is nothing in scripture about Wednesday of Jesus’ last week before the crucifixion.  Nothing!  He went to Bethany on Tuesday night to sleep and the next thing we know it is the First Day of the Unleavened Bread, Thursday, Passover, and He is heading back into Jerusalem to celebrate this meal with His disciples.  What about Wednesday?  We don’t know, other than He was in Bethany.  Of course, many have speculated and I tend to also.

Many of you know the my mother died when I was 15 years old.  It was a very difficult time for me.  We had ended our time together in an argument.  The last words I ever said to her was in a screaming voice “I don’t care.”  I loved my mom and very very seldom did we fight, but that is how our life together ended.  Because of the winter weather, ice and snow, we had to wait several days before the funeral could take place.  The day before her funeral I spent by myself.  I did not want to be around anyone else.  God and I had worked through my anger days before.  I was at peace and yet wanted to be alone.  No one could possibly record or know anything I did that day, for no one was ever with me that day.

I have to wonder if on Wednesday, the middle of the week, the day before the plan of salvation would begin to unfold, the day Passover was to begin, before His arrest and death, before the suffering, before He was forsaken by His father, before He had the sins of the world poured into Him so that He could drink the cup of Redemption, before all of this, did He spend the day alone?  Not one Gospel records any activity that day.  Seeing all the detail before and after Wednesday that was recorded and we see nothing about Wednesday makes one wonder.  What about Wednesday?  I believe Jesus spent the day alone with His Heavenly Father in prayer and mediation.  That is just my take.

If I am remotely correct, what would that teach us?  Maybe as life changing, life altering, difficult situations begin to unfold in our lives, we put our hectic life on PAUSE, just for one day, and spend it with God alone.  Did you hear me?  Alone!!!  And when I say alone, I mean with God alone.  I believe that if we were to do that more often we would be better prepared to face what is ahead.

What about Wednesday?  It was a day Jesus was silent!  Maybe we could take a hint and do likewise.  Maybe we could rely on Him to prepare us for difficult times ahead instead of relying on ourselves only.  I believe Jesus spent silent time with His Father that Wednesday.  Just a thought to consider!

Blessings friends, 

Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, Serve