Matthew 26:39 “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’”

Meditation: Jesus is compelled to desperate prayer. Think of Jesus’ complete honesty in prayer. What would drive you to such a desperate time of prayer?

Luke 22:47–48 “While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’”

Meditation: The Son of God was betrayed by a friend. Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? How did you feel?

Matthew 27:24–26 “So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.”

Meditation: Jesus submits quietly and peacefully. Jesus is condemned by religious leaders. What was their fear?

Mark 15:17–20 “And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.”

Meditation: How do you mock God in your daily life?

John 3:14–16 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’”

Meditation: The cross was a public murder device for criminals. This is how Jesus was killed. Imagine carrying the wood of the cross... up the hill to your eventual slow, painful and public death.

John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Meditation: This station, although not found in scripture, is traditionally in three stations. It symbolizes his humanity and his ever decreasing strength as he moves towards his public death. Imagine Jesus experiencing weakness and distress in a public setting with no where to hide. Imagine the exhaustion of the last 24 hours.

Matthew 27:32 “As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.”

Meditation: Imagine being pulled from the crowd and carrying this man’s device of death. What is it like to walk alongside Jesus in this?

Mark 15:24 “And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.”

Meditation: Reflect on the shame of nakedness. In what ways would you like God to cover your shame?

Isaiah 53:5–6 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Meditation: Hear the hammer sounds on the nails. Imagine the excruciating agony. What wounds in your life would you like God to heal?

Mark 15:37–39 “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’”

Meditation: Jesus died. He died. Our greatest fear is death. What would it mean to you if Jesus’ death was for you?

Mark 15:46 “And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.”

Meditation: Have you ever buried a loved one? Imagine doing that with the one you believed was going to change the world and bring ultimate justice and healing.

Matthew 28:5–6 “But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.’”

Meditation: Consider that Jesus has risen from the dead. How could this be good news in your life?