Straight from a Youth Worker's Mouth - Lenten Devotional Series: Week 5

Lent is the forty weekdays leading up to Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday. For early Christians this time was used to prepare candidates for baptism and also became a time of penitence for those who had already been baptized. For most of us Lent has become a time of prayer, meditation and reflection.

As Christians we are to follow the way that Christ has shown us and prepared for us. We are to follow him all the way to God by way of the Cross. As we move deeper into this Lenten season there will be many things going on in our churches and in our ministries. I want to encourage you to take time for yourself, spend time following Jesus and his path to Life.

The Stations of the Cross have provided focused meditation during the Lenten season for Christ Followers all over the world. There are many forms of this tradition and many ways it has been presented and practiced. This series is based on "The Scriptural Way – Stations of the Cross." There are fourteen stations, two will be presented each week to give you an opportunity to have time to meditate and reflect on them over the course of the forty days of Lent. I pray that these devotions help you Follow Christ even closer than you already are.

Joy and Peace,
Christy Allen
[email protected]

Editor’s note: There are several different interpretations of the Stations of the Cross. This Lenten series utilizes one. For other versions, consult a theological dictionary or web resources.

Week 5 - Sacrifice

Station #9 – Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Read Luke 23:27-31

As Jesus is carrying his cross on the way to Golgotha, the crowds line the streets watching. Jesus passes several women who are weeping and crying for him. Jesus tells them not to cry for Him but for themselves and for future generations. If men treat the Son of God this way when he is among them, how will it be when he is long gone? Will the love and grace of God abound or be lost and forgotten over time? Will they still weep and be moved by Jesus? Do we still weep? Are we still moved by Jesus? Or are we too numb and removed from the enormity of Jesus’ sacrifice?

Prayer:

The Way, Truth and Life,
How we cry for ourselves and the students we serve. We are broken hearted for this generation, so much so that we want to serve you by serving them. Help us to be moved by you, help us to keep your grace and love alive. Help us to show others the way to you, the truth of your love, and the life you have given us by giving up your own. We don’t want to forget your pain, your sacrifice, help us not forget. Amen.

Station #10 – Jesus is Crucified
Read Luke 23:33-34

The soldiers continued to mock him, Pilate had a sign fixed to the cross that said, "King of the Jews" in three languages, carrying on the cruel joke. The people mocked him - "Save yourself!" The priests mocked him – "save yourself!" The thief on the cross next to him mocked him – "save yourself!" How they did not know he was there to save THEM, to save US. They continued on, "You saved others, now come down and save yourself, we will believe you are the Son of God if you come down." They did not understand the love and grace of God is not a selfish love but a sacrificial love. Jesus was not to save himself but save the world

Prayer:

Jesus, Our King,
How you are still misunderstood, your love is even misunderstood by us sometimes. Help us to show your love as we follow, help us to love as you do. Not with a selfish love, but sacrificial love. Sometimes we are misunderstood as well, help us to not get defensive but to continue on. Knowing that following you is all that matters, we pray that those who misunderstand and disbelieve will come to know your love. We pray that they will come to know that your love is for them, for all of us. Amen