O F T H E C R O S SSTATIONS

MATTHEW 26 - 28

Welcome to Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross has been designed to allow you the time and space to engage with Jesus this Easter. It is a self-guided experience, which means you can move through the Stations in your own time and at your own pace – there is no need to rush through.

The Stations have also been designed to engage your senses in different ways. Some Stations will require you to do something (an action of some sort), others will simply require you to sit, contemplate and reflect. Some of the Stations might make you uncomfortable in some way whereas others might give you a sense of peace or joy.

If at anytime you do feel uncomfortable, can we encourage you to sit with that discomfort, even embrace the discomfort, and ask yourself why you might feel the way you do. There are parts of the Easter story that should confront us and make us uncomfortable and we don’t want to shy away from that. However, at the same time if there is something that is too confronting for you, feel free to continue on.

In this booklet, each Station will have a corresponding passage from the Gospels as well as some instructions for you to read. Don’t feel the need to rush through them; the emphasis is on the quality of the experience rather than the time it takes. You will also find arrows that will direct your path.

Throughout each Station you will find a couple of chairs. These are made available for those who might find it difficult to sit on the floor or stand. We would ask you to keep those seats free for those who need them.

Our prayer for you is that you would have an encounter with Jesus in some way as you make your way through the experience, and that the person who walks out would be different to the one who went in.

Now that you are ready to go, take a couple of deep breaths, clear your heart and mind, read the next page and head to the first Station.

God bless,The Stations Team

Jesus is anointed and prepared for burial

Jesus Anointed at Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13)While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Think…In the midst of dinner, a woman enters the room unexpectedly. What was an ordinary dinner becomes the context for an extravagant act of worship. Jesus describes the act of the woman as an anointing to prepare him for burial. This kind of anointing usually happened after death, not before. Anointing was also carried out as an act of

blessing to set someone apart for a specific role, such as priests and kings.

Feel…Take a seat and look through the words and images on the floor. In what ways are you blessed?

Take in the beauty and blessing expressed through this room. Reflect on a time when you felt blessed. How did you feel?

Do…At the beginning of His journey to the Cross, Jesus receives blessing from this woman and is prepared for his coming death. The perfume she poured over Jesus is a scent that would have permeated his clothing and remained with Him over the coming week.On the table by the door there are strips of cloth that have a rose scent. Take one with you to remind you of the blessing that accompanies Jesus on this journey.

Jesus is overwhelmed with sorrow and

lonelinessGethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46)Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Think…Alone and abandoned Jesus cries out to God, pleading for his mercy for he knew his time was near. However Jesus’ followers disregarded his need for support, ignoring his obvious agony. They could not even stay awake to keep watch for Jesus in his time of need. Jesus’ became deserted and isolated from all who said they loved him.

Feel…Can you imagine this feeling of crushing loneliness and isolation? The feeling of being abandoned by everyone you hold dear and trust?

Do…As you walk through the garden, take these feelings of loneliness and abandonment into your heart. Alone, kneel into the prison the garden creates at the end of the room. Feel how confined and uncomfortable it is to be trapped alone and abandoned. Imagine, as Jesus cried out to his Father, as his closest friends slept on, forgetting him - how the incredible weight of what lay before him must have felt. As you rise, smell the cloth in the your hand and remind yourself that God is always with you. No matter how alone or trapped you feel in life, our God is always with us.

Jesus is falsely accused

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57-68)Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Think…The Sanhedrin composed of 70 members, plus the high priest. The members were made up of elders (tribal and family heads of the people, mostly of secular nobility), chief priests (members of privileged families from which high priests were taken) and the teachers of the law (Pharisees). Jesus was completely outnumbered. He did not get a fair hearing. Many lies were told because the Sanhedrin were trying to find a reason to send Jesus to the Romans for execution. A natural response in a situation like this would be to stand up for yourself, find people to take your side, be outraged. But Jesus remained silent and He knew that God was in control. When he spoke, he seemed calm and spoke quiet truth.

Feel…Have you ever been accused of something that you didn’t do? Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever felt like you were being ganged up on? What did it feel like and how would you ordinarily respond to such situations?

Do…Stand in the middle of the circled chairs, where Jesus would have stood, and imagine what it was like being surrounded by an angry group calling you names and calling for your death. Think of people who have said hurtful things to you, and ask for God’s help to respond in a peaceful way and to forgive them.

Jesus is humiliated and scorned

The Soldiers Mock Jesus (Matthew 27:27-31)Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Think… Punishments were designed for brutality and humiliation. They were cruel entertainment for the majority and witnessed by the masses as warnings and justice. The person was tied to a post, his crimes called for all to hear, mocked for his choices and whipped to almost death. It was long and brutal with immeasurable pain.

Feel…Have you ever taken an undeserved punishment? Heard a story of unjust situations and been angry? Could you ever pay the price for another knowing that accepting humiliation and extreme cruelty would be the requirement? Where did that sit for you? What emotions ran through you?

Do…Hear the whips that laid bare his flesh, the amusement for the crowd. Look where you stand – you are the crowd. He is scorned for your transgressions and bruised for your iniquities. He bears a thorny crown, bleeds for your sin, he is innocent yet takes your beating. What love is this? Smell the perfume on the cloth, is it still fragrant?

Jesus faces darkness and death

The Death of Jesus (Matthew 27:45-46, 50)From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).… And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.

Think…Have you ever paid the price of someone else’s mistakes or wrongdoings? Imagine the pain and suffering of the cross, the despair, the agony and the final release as Jesus died. Remember that he was innocent and was obedient to God. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” as he hung on the cross.

Feel…Stand in the space, see the change in the sky, hear the intensity of what is coming. Can you hear it? Imagine standing there and watching as Jesus the Jew dies, imagine how it would have been to be in that space as the sky went dark, the earth trembled and the curtain tore in the temple.

Do…As the room darkens, hold onto your cloth, smell the anointing perfume and know that Jesus did this for you. Sit with this for a few moments – he did this so that we might be saved, he did this so that you might be saved!

Jesus rises from the dead

Jesus Has Risen (Matt 28:1-10)After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Think…This story tells us that Jesus is made alive again: new life from death. What is the most striking thing for you about this story?

Do...The new life of the plant emerging from the tree stump represents new life from death. Look at the stump and the new plant. Run your hand over the top of the stump. Just as Jesus was not laid on a stone in a tomb when the women went looking for his body, he is not here. Jesus has risen.

Feel…The women in the story were filled with awe, fear and joy as they hurried from the tomb in obedience to what the angel said to them – to tell the disciples that Jesus has risen from the dead. How does the idea of new life make you feel?

Jesus commissions his followers

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Do…As you leave the room, there is table to your right. On it there are postcards to remind you of parts of this story of Jesus. Please take a moment to read the commissioning Jesus gives to his disciples when he meets them in Galilee, just as he said. Then choose a postcard to take with you – our gift to you.

Supper

Please stay and join us for some supper! Take the time to chat and reflect on the experience you have just had.

We are delighted to offer Stations of the Cross and supper to you completely free of charge. However you can appreciate that an event like this can cost a significant amount of money to run. We are committed to the ongoing viability of running Stations and to that end, would certainly welcome any donation that you would like to make! If you would like to make a contribution, there is a donations box available in the supper area. Thank you!

Please join us on easter sunday. 9:30am & 6:00Pm

HugHes BaPtist CHurCH groom st, HugHes 6282 1301 | hughesbaptist.org

Thank youA lot of time, energy, prayer and effort went into putting on this event and it would be remiss of us not to mention and publicly thank those who were involved.

Our thanks goes to:

- Nathan Sami and Thrive crew for setting up and hosting the supper café and serving as ushers- Bruce Chambers, for his background music- Robyn and Mike Siers, for creating the high priest chair- Deby Sutherland, for helping make props- Lachie Maill, for taking still and video footage of the event- Barbara + Sterling Kitchings, Kelvin Tsuei and VashTi Alarcon for volunteer meals- All the amazing chefs who donated food for supper- All the amazing volunteers who helped set up and pack down on Thursday night, Friday morning and Saturday night!

We love and appreciate you all!

Maria Lee, Sienna Maill, Samantha Quimby, Tim and Krystle SiersThe Stations Team

We look forward to serving you again next year!