8 Days That Changed The World

The last eight days Jesus was on the earth changed the world, unlike any other time in human history. 

Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey on the first day of these eight days. This was a day of celebration, and the people waved palm branches and praised Him. This was monumental because a great prophecy of the coming messiah was fulfilled. At the time, palm branches were a symbol of victory. When an athlete or a general won a great victory, they were given a crown made of palm branches.

On the second day, Jesus went to the temple, and "He overturned the money tables, and He began to preach, my house shall be called a house of prayer." By doing this, Jesus was making clear that there should be no other gods before Him. Money cannot be your god. Material things cannot be your god. On that second day Jesus did many things, but the most monumental moment was when, right there in the middle of the temple, he illustrated that there were to be "no other gods before me."

The most memorable story on the third day was about a woman named Mary Magdalene who came with an expensive basin of anointing oil — so expensive it cost one year's wages. Mary Magdalene was once controlled by seven demons. At one time, all she had ever known was torment and the power of Satan. Maybe like her, all you can remember is being a slave to sin or being under crippling oppression. But when Mary met Jesus, He broke the power of Satan off of her life, and she was never the same again. So she broke open the alabaster box, and she fell at His feet and began to worship Him. It was on this historic day that Jesus established worship. Jesus chastised his followers for criticizing her and declared that this woman who wasn't ashamed to worship Him should even be talked about wherever the gospel is preached. 

The fourth day that changed the world was a bit more unusual. That fourth day is known as Silent Wednesday. Out of the last eight days of Jesus's life, there's one day when historians tell us we don't know what He did. It appears He did nothing. There were people with needs all over Jerusalem, yet Jesus was quiet. Sooner or later in life, you will encounter not just the Jesus of miracles but sometimes your own silent Wednesday. You may feel desperate to hear from God, but your situation stays the same. In those moments, God wants you to trust Him even if you don't see things transforming or feel His presence. Oftentimes, the teacher is silent during the test. But fear not, because His Word will sustain you through the silent Wednesdays. God's word will ground you in the truth that God is good all the time, and He will never leave you.

Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper on the fifth day that changed the world. Jesus entered the upper room and, holding the bread, said, "This bread represents my body." Then He held up the cup and said, "This wine represents my blood." And He told His disciples, when you take this, my body and my blood, you do this in remembrance of Me. Communion is significant because God left us with a physical, tangible way to remember his very flesh here on earth with us and his blood that was shed for our redemption. When we take the bread, and we take the cup, we remember Christ. When we honor Him this way, we are essentially putting Him back together inside of us, a uniquely beautiful and sacred reminder of Him.  

And on that sixth day that changed the world, Jesus did what no one else on earth could do. He gave His life for you and me. Why did Jesus die such a brutal death on the cross? Put simply: Because He loves you. His suffering allowed you to be made whole and reunited with the God who made you. His suffering brought you life and freedom. No longer was humanity without hope. No longer would we have to bring sacrifices for our sins. The ultimate sacrifice was made. "It is finished," he declared that night. 

On day seven, the disciples laid the natural body of Jesus in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. It was certainly a day of hopelessness and confusion for his followers. But it is still significant for those of us who follow Christ. It was a reminder for us, that when we feel defeated, we can cling to hope knowing the ultimate battle was already won. The tomb was borrowed and was only temporary. 

Then came day eight, the most glorious and historic day of all! Early in the morning, as the sun began to rise, the Bible tells us that the women came to the tomb with spices to anoint the body of Jesus. Nicodemus came with myrrh (an embalming fluid) when he heard Jesus had died. He was essentially saying, "He's dead and buried, so let's embalm Him." But Scripture reveals that when the women got to the tomb, there was an angel sitting on top of the stone that had been rolled away. Jesus wasn't there. 

If you think back to Genesis 1, it all started for humanity in a garden — the Garden of Eden — and it looked like it all might end there, too. Sin took hold and death was on its way. But what splendid hope would be restored in the Garden of Gethsemane! In the Garden of Eden, Adam took a fall; but in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus took a stand. In the Garden of Eden, Satan led Adam to a tree that produced sin; but when they came and arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, they led Him to a tree called Calvary that produced eternal life.

Today, because of the empty tomb, our hope is secure, and our destiny is sealed. The Bible declares, "Oh grave, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting?" 

The first of those eight days began with a celebration, and the last one ended with a bigger one. The greatest eight days in history were filled with more than fun facts and historic milestones. They began and ended with living hope, because Jesus reigns victorious.