Easter Week Bible Reading

Tuesday (7th April) - Psalm 114 & John 18:1-10

I've written a simple Bible reading plan for us for Easter week, one a day through to Easter Sunday. This is how to use them: 

1. Read the bible passages (there will be one New Testament passage (or two short ones) and a Psalm).
The plan isn't to trace the whole of Easter week in the gospels but to see Jesus through the lens of Psalm 113-118 (the songs sung at the Passover meal).
Try to spot connections and fulfillments of the Psalms' themes or promises in Jesus' last week, death and resurrection.

2. Let those reflections fuel prayers

• of adoration of Jesus (thanking Him for who He is and what He has done for you)
• and/or of repentance
• and/or of request for ourselves and others in light of the passages.

Or maybe there will be a verse that leaps out for you? Chew it over and pray it in.

3. Then, either immediately or at a convenient point in the day, listen to the song, following the lyrics.
Again, I have chosen these because of connections they have with the passages.

I hope and pray these will encourage us and engage our hearts and minds as we freshly consider Christ this Easter week.

Psalm 114

When Israel came out of Egypt,
Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
² Judah became God’s sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.

³ The sea looked and fled,
the Jordan turned back;
⁴ the mountains leaped like rams,
the hills like lambs.

⁵ Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
⁶ Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
you hills, like lambs?

⁷ Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
⁸ who turned the rock into a pool,
the hard rock into springs of water.

John 18:1-10

When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

² Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. ³ So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

⁴ Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, â€œWho is it you want?”

⁵ â€œJesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)⁶ When Jesus said, â€œI am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷ Again he asked them, â€œWho is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

⁸ Jesus answered, â€œI told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” ⁹ This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: â€œI have not lost one of those you gave me.”

¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

Rise up

Every stone that makes you stumble

And cuts you when you fall

Every serpent here that strikes your heel

To curse you when you crawl

The king of love one day will crush them all

And every sad seduction, and every clever lie

Every word that woos and wounds the pilgrim, children of the sky

The king of love will break them by and by

And you will rise up in the end

You will rise up in the end

I know the night is cruel

But the day is coming soon

When you will rise up in the end

If a thief had come to plunder

When the children were alone

If he ravaged every daughter

And murdered every son

Would not the father see this?

Would not his anger burn?

Would he not repay the tyrant

In the day of his return?

Await, await the day of his return

Cause he will rise up in the end

He will rise up in the end

I know you need a saviour

He's patient in his anger

But he will rise up in the end

And when the stars come crashing to the see

When the high and mighty fall down on their knee

We'll see the sun descending in the sky

The chains of death will fall around your feet

And you will rise up in the end

You will rise up in the end

You will rise up in the end

I know you will