Jesus asked,

“Do you finally believe?

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.

But take heart,

because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:31, 33

So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again;

then you will rejoice,

and no one can rob you of that joy.

You haven’t done this before.

Ask, using my name, and you will receive,

and you will have abundant joy.

John 16:22, 24

The Spirit of the sovereign LORD is upon me,

for the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the broken hearted 

and to proclaim that captives will be released

and prisoners will be freed.

—–

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come. 

Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18-19

The animal you select must be a one-year-old male,

either a sheep or a goat,

with no defects.

Exodus 12:5

——

Just think how much more the blood of Christ

will purify our consciences from sinful deeds

so that we can worship the living God.

For by the power of the eternal Spirit,

Christ offered himself to God

as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 9:14

But he was pierced for our rebellion,

crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God’s paths to follow own own.

Yet the LORD laid on him 

the sins of us all.

Isaiah 53:5-6

Peter said to him,

“Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”

Jesus replied,

“I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night,

before the rooster crows twice,

you will deny three times that you even know me.”

“No!” Peter declared emphatically.

“Even if I have to die with you,

I will never deny you!”…

…

But Peter denied it. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”…

…Peter denied it again.

Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—

I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”

And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.

Mark 14:29-31; 68, 70, 71-72

…Then the high priest asked him,

“Are you the Messiah,

the Son of the Blessed One?”

Jesus said, 

“I AM.

And you will see the Son of Man 

seated in the place of power at God’s right hand

and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 14:61-62

He went on a little farther and fell to the ground.

He prayed that, if it were possible,

the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by.

“Abba, Father,” he cried out,

“everything is possible for you.

Please take this cup of suffering away from me.

Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Mark 14:35-36

Heaven and earth will disappear,

but my words will never disappear.

However, no one knows the day or hour

when these things will happen,

not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.

Only the Father knows.

And since you don’t know when that time will come,

be on guard! Stay alert!

Mark 13:31-33

…Look, your king is coming to you.

He is righteous and victorious,

yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—

riding on a donkey’s colt.

—

“…you will see a young donkey tied there

that no one has ever ridden.

Untie it and bring it here.”

Then they brought the colt to Jesus

and threw their garments over it,

and he sat on it.

Jesus was in the center of the procession,

and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God!

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!

Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!

Praise God in highest heaven!”

Zechariah 9:9, Mark 11:2, 7, 9-10