A (2:06)

I love the cozy.

B (2:07)

This is us.

A (2:08)

I mean, if it really was us, I. We'd both be sitting in the same chair.

B (2:12)

But. But you would be rubbing my head on my lap like you were last night.

A (2:17)

Okay.

B (2:19)

She laid her head on my lap last night. It was so cute.

A (2:22)

I saw a comment of someone being like, sorry, it takes a second like, to adjust that wording.

B (2:29)

I'm trying to like I'm trying to jump. Like, how are you? Yeah.

A (2:33)

Which is. It's gonna take a second for us to adjust. We know.

B (2:36)

That's so weird that you said that. I do feel like that too. I'm like. I feel like I'm in a new territory right now.

A (2:41)

100% banana. So me and Ari were talking yesterday, and somebody was talking about how, like, we're talking about accents. And I said, like, yeah, Ari has a little bit of an accent. Like, she says parent, and she says, banana. I was like.

B (2:58)

I said it say that?

A (2:59)

No, and I said. She says, like, banana. And Ari goes, banana.

B (3:03)

Banana.

A (3:04)

That's not always. But you say banana. You don't.

B (3:07)

I say banana. And I. The. The thing that I say, Weir, is orange.

A (3:12)

You say banana.

B (3:13)

I don't say banana.

A (3:19)

Do I say anything weird?

B (3:21)

No, you sound like an all. You sound like full American.

A (3:26)

And we're talking about. Okay, can you tell them why? About your accent.

B (3:31)

What?

A (3:33)

Well, tell them about your accent. Like what? Like the years from Boston. I know, but the years of trying to not have an accent.

B (3:40)

Oh, why don't you tell him?

A (3:41)

Okay.

B (3:42)

So she would tell on everyone last night, and I'm sitting there, you know,

A (3:46)

and, like, you don't know what to

B (3:47)

do with yourself because someone's just telling people about you, and you're like, really?

A (3:53)

Ari was like. Because my friend asked, like, what? Like, does Ari have a Boston accent? And I said, yes.

B (3:59)

Well, she said. She said, I don't hear it at all. Yeah.

A (4:02)

She's like, sounds like Jersey. She was like, it sounds like Jersey. And I was like, no, I'll tell you what it is. She's been trying her whole life to not have a Boston accent, so now she just doesn't really know exactly. Exactly what she sounds like.

B (4:13)

I sound like a foreigner. Sometimes I say words wrong and stuff because I try so hard.

A (4:19)

No, sometimes you do sound like you're from another country.

B (4:22)

Oh, I know. My. You have no idea what I sounded like when I first moved to la.

A (4:28)

Like, Boston. Thick Boston.

B (4:29)

I had the thickest accent you will ever hear. And I just. I love you Boston people, but I think we have the worst accent in the world, and I want to do everything not to have it. I'm so proud to be from Boston.

A (4:41)

It's my favorite accent, but my favorite.

B (4:43)

I just. I know. I can't.

A (4:47)

I wish I had an Albanian accent.

B (4:49)

Well, you can speak Albanian.

A (4:51)

Yeah.

B (4:51)

At least you can speak another language. All I can say is,

A (4:59)

You know, we started out this episode singing Hosanna. In the highest. Because it is Holy Week. We are filming this on Tuesday. We'll be releasing it Friday, which will be Good Friday by the time it comes out. So most of Holy Week will already be over. But you guys, this is one of the most important weeks of the year. We have Christmas and we have Easter, our most important holidays. We are so excited to be with you to talk about Holy Week. I think the past couple of years that we've done Easter, we talk about the crucifixion, we've talked about the resurrection, but we've never talked about Holy Week as a whole. Holy Week is literally the week leading up to the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So it's literally Sunday to Sunday. We start on Palm Sunday and we go through scripture based on what is going on each day.

B (5:51)

I was telling Ang, I was like, Easter's always been my favorite. Yeah. Holiday since I was a kid. Cuz I love bunnies cuz they're my favorite animals.

A (5:59)

Yeah, she's bunnies.

B (6:01)

Which if I was an animal, I would be a bunny. But anyways, I was saying it's so crazy how even before I knew the significance of Easter, it's always been my favorite holiday.

A (6:12)

Your heart always knew.

B (6:13)

My heart always knew Jesus.

A (6:16)

Yeah. And I. We were talking about it earlier too. Isn't it so funny how we grew

B (6:20)

up like going to the Catholic Church? I used to go to mass since I was little and I had no idea what Easter was. Still.

A (6:27)

Can I be honest? I didn't even know what Easter was about until like eight years ago, actually. Isn't that so crazy?

B (6:34)

Yeah.

A (6:36)

So here at ggb, we believe in Jesus Christ. We all know this. We believe in the Gospel of Jesus, the Holy Scriptures, The Bible, the 66 books of the Bible that all point to one person, one story. And we're really excited to talk about Holy Week. So we're going to start you guys in Matthew chapter 21. And on our. Ani and I. Ari and I.

B (7:04)

Ani and I got woo woo.

A (7:09)

Oh, by the way, we didn't talk about our weeks. How was your week?

B (7:13)

My week. My week was so glorious. I had a day where I like pulled. I pulled my chair up to my window. So I just love being in nature right now with Jesus. And I pulled my chair up to my window and the sun was coming in and I just laid there all day and just. It was such a beautiful day with Jesus. I read, I laid, I talked to him and I just spent the whole day in the presence of Him. And it was. It was beautiful. So I just had kind of an Ari Ari week. I was. I was by myself. I studied a lot of scripture. I. You have really relaxed. Yeah. When you spend time like that, it's peace.

A (7:52)

You have such a peace.

B (7:53)

You're washed with peace.

A (7:54)

Yeah.

B (7:55)

That's why intimacy is the most important thing, you guys. We can. Can't express that enough.

A (8:00)

I see it all over you.

B (8:01)

How was your week?

A (8:03)

I had the best week.

B (8:04)

Did you miss me? Did you miss me in Nashville?

A (8:08)

Yeah, I miss you. Well, I. I can't tell you guys how much money I offered Ari to come to Nashville with me. Leading, like, literally where she's driving me to the airport and I'm looking at her like, we can share my clothes. We buy you a ticket right now.

B (8:21)

Give me money. I. I tried taking your money and ran.

A (8:25)

You should have taken my money and come to Nashville with me. But, yeah, I went to Nashville for a week and genuinely had such a good time.

B (8:33)

What did you do?

A (8:34)

I just hung. I hung out with my friends.

B (8:36)

Did you make new friends?

A (8:37)

Yeah, I made a couple new friends.

B (8:39)

What is that face, Ann?

A (8:41)

Shut up, Ari. Seriously, we think about Holy week. And before we start, you guys, we want to remind you that we are on the girls Gone Bible live tour. We're starting back up April 30th. We're doing so much of the east coast. We are so excited to be with you guys again. We've taken. It's been almost like five months since we've been on tour. It's been so long. No, that's a lie. It's been three months.

B (9:03)

You know, I have no correlation.

A (9:06)

All right, is it. No timelines. Anyways, guys, we want to see you get your tickets@girlsgone Bible.com Tour. Let's gather around the throne together. Loving Jesus, worshiping Jesus. And we also want to remind you that we're on GGB plus. We just recently uploaded a video.

B (9:23)

Very intimate video.

A (9:24)

Very intimate. Very personal. I'm scared. We really want you guys to join us on there. You can go to girlsgonebible.com/ and one last thing. You guys know our book out of the wilderness? 31 devotions to walk with God through your hardest season is out everywhere. And it's also in Target, which is so crazy. My mom sends me a photo every single day of her at like, she. She. My mom goes to every target just to find the book. And so, so cute. So you guys can get your copy@girlsgone Bible.com Book.

B (9:57)

We love you and comment in the comment section if you're coming to our show. I'm so excited to do the east coast, you guys. Oh, family.

A (10:05)

So we're starting at Matthew 21 ver. 1:11. So this is Palm Sunday. This is the Sunday that passed before this episode released. So we're just going to walk through the entire Holy Week because it's everything and it's so important. So let's set the scene. I wrote this down about Holy Week. We don't rush to the resurrection. We walk through surrender, suffering, and sometimes silence. And so R. Do you want to read Matthew 21, verse 1?

B (10:36)

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. Go into the village over there, he said, as soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there and its cult beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say the Lord needs them and he will immediately let you take them. This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, tell the people of Jerusalem, look, your king is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey. Riding on a donkey's colt.

A (11:13)

Okay, so really quick, just to set the stage. So this is the moment where Jesus. It's after his three years of ministry. So we know that Jesus started his ministry at 30 years old and he died at 33. Jesus, this is called, like, his triumphant entry. Like, he comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, as Ari just read. And it says there, Jesus intentionally chooses a donkey because it fulfills the prophecy in Zechariah 9. 9, that says, Rejoice greatly, daughter Zion. Shout, daughter Jerusalem, your king comes to you righteous and victorious, blessed but lowly. And riding on a donkey, on a cult, which I just think is so iconic of Jesus, our humble king. He chose a donkey to ride in on. Like, everything that he does points to his humility and his lowliness, where he literally could have come in on a chariot with a horse. Like, he could have come in like the king that he is. And he came in on a donkey.

B (12:13)

The loving Savior. Yeah.

A (12:15)

And it says the two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw the garments over the colt, and he sat on it. Most of the crowds spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them out on the road. So this is where we get Palm Sunday from. If you go to, like, a Catholic church, they give you a little Palm branch. And it's because everybody, they would cut down the tree. They took the branches and spread them on the road. And that's where we get Palm Sunday from. And then it says Jesus was in the center of the procession, and all the people around him were shouting, hosanna for the Son of David. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest heaven. The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. Who is this? They asked. And the crowds replied, it's Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Okay, let's talk about this really quickly. So at the time that Jesus comes riding on the donkey, all of Jerusalem is so excited about this moment because they believe that their king, their Messiah, is coming to save them from the Roman Empire. Jerusalem is God's chosen city. Israel is God's chosen place and chosen people. And so all of Jerusalem, they were bound by the Roman Empire. They were not a free city. They were not a free country. And so they thought that the Messiah was coming to deliver them from the Roman Empire, and having no idea that the Messiah was coming to deliver them from sin. And so what I love about this moment so much, especially in a world that is so heightened and sensitive politically. And I've had a lot of opinions as of recently in my own heart when it comes to Christianity and politics. And obviously, it's something that's hard to talk about, but I am so passionate and inspired and, like, challenged by the fact that Jesus came and pulled on no political power whatsoever. He could have done whatever he wanted. And he came and literally said, I want nothing to do with politics. I'm coming to save my people. It had nothing to do with politics. And what I think is so amazing about this is hosanna means save us now. And so the people of Jerusalem wanted immediate relief, but the truth is, they. What they thought they needed relief from wasn't actually what they needed saving from. They thought that they needed to be saved from the Roman Empire, but really, Jesus was like, there is a much, much deeper thing happening here. And so I wrote this down. We so often praise God when He aligns with our expectations, but we struggle when he doesn't. So do we still trust God when He doesn't show up the way that we thought he would? This has challenged me so much this week, specifically of, like, we pray and we pray and we pray, and we want such specific things, and we truly believe. We think that we know exactly what we need, but we can only see as far as the Lord will let us see. And so often, there's something so much deeper and more significant happening. And so we have all of these prayers that, of course, matter to us, and they matter to God. But what matters more to him is his will playing out for our lives. And so can we truly trust Jesus when He's not answering our prayers the way that we think he should be? This is so challenging for me because I am a control freak, and I feel like I know exactly what should happen. But this specific story, this is why I love Palm Sunday so much. They had no idea what they truly needed, but God did. He did. A pastor that I really respect posted this yesterday. Palm Sunday is an unexpected message about when God doesn't do what I want. It's a profoundly prophetic and sobering picture for the entire American Church in 2026. And in it, we have an invitation. Will I co opt Jesus into following my way or will I follow his way all the way to the cross? And so this is just really. This should move all of us so deeply that, like, you guys, don't stop praying. Keep praying. Keep praying the desires of your heart. But we have to trust that God knows better for our lives. It's the hardest thing. It's the hardest thing because we can. We can't see everything that he can see. But that's where our faith comes in.

B (16:41)

Yeah. Surrender. Yeah.

A (16:42)

Yeah.

B (16:43)

Jesus clears the temple. Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out all of the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, the scripture declares, my temple will be called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves. The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. Leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the temple shouting and praise God for the Son of David.

A (17:19)

Okay, so this is Monday, you guys. This is the temple cleansing. This is where our sweet, sweet Jesus comes in and he is throwing tables over. It's his righteous anger. It's like everybody's favorite part in scripture, because we never see God. God. Yes, God. We never see Jesus get angry like that in this. The temple was meant to be a place of prayer, and it became a place of profit. Jesus's anger is holy because he is not passive about sin that distorts our worship. God is not okay with anything that comes in between us and him, and that's including money and what I love about this moment so much is the Lord cares so much about our purity. He cares so much about our cleansing. And he clears out what is distracting people from true encounter with God. And I think in the church right now, in the body right now, we see so much cleansing. Anything that is impure, anything that is incongruent. And by the way, all of us are fallible human beings who all have incongruency, we all have weaknesses, we all have sin. But God, he cleanses us. It's the whole point of what he does. And I just. I love this moment, too, because right after cleansing, like Ari read, right after he cleanses them, he heals the blind and the lame. So cleansing leads to restoration. It leads to healing.

B (18:42)

That's what. Yeah. And I. I just think that's why purity is just so important. Holiness. Holiness, the Greek word for holiness, is being set apart. Yeah, it is. It is something that I put above. Everything is to. Is to live in purity. Not to say that I'm perfect, but to be set apart. I know that when I have idolatry in my heart, just idols and all of these things, it keeps me from hearing the voice of God. That's why it says the pure in heart will see God. And so I know when I'm living set apart, I'm able to have that intimacy and partner with him in a way that is like

A (19:21)

you.

B (19:22)

You will do anything you can to get those idols and get all those distractions out of your life. It's so important to be set apart, to live in that purity and holiness.

A (19:31)

What I love about this so much going off of what you said is that, like, Jesus doesn't expose us to shame us. He does it to heal us.

B (19:39)

Yeah.

A (19:40)

Like, he really does. Even when he convicts us and brings things to the surface. Surface. And forces us to look at things that we don't want to look at. Like, he's doing it out of his kindness and out of his love. And it's. It's probably one of my favorite parts of living life with Jesus is when things happen that bring. I remember we were talking to someone a while ago of, like, whatever comes up out of you during difficult situations is. Is what's in you. It's not that difficult situation that did that to you. It's actually what was beneath the surface, and the pressure is what caused it to come out. And so I think it is just so the Lord's kindness to allow difficult circumstances in our lives. Because then that yucky stuff comes to the surface, and you're like, no, no, that wasn't supposed to happen, but it was in there. So it's literally. That's. That's one of the reasons why God lets bad things happen, because it shows you what needs to be uprooted and taken out. And so, yeah, and I love the scripture.

B (20:42)

I discipline those who I love. And I stood on that. I had such a mature moment in my walk recently where something happened to me and where I would typically wallow in it and be like, why? Why, Why? I was like, okay, this is a moment of discipline. What are you trying to teach me in this? So if we can shift our mindset of being in victim mode and saying, no, what are you trying to discipline me in this so I'm better? So, because. Because it's a moment of cleansing, and that's maturity in our faith is when instead of sitting in that victim mode of being like, why? And being in. Stuck in that depression where I used to be for a long time, changing that mindset of, no, he disciplines those who he loves. He's disciplining me right now because he loves me. He's trying to grow me. So asking those questions of, Lord, what are you doing? What are you trying to teach me in this moment right now so I can grow and you can cleanse me and I can go back to that purity with you and that holiness.

A (21:42)

So good.

B (21:43)

Yeah.

A (21:44)

All right. And then we have Tuesday. Tuesday is all about Jesus's teaching and confrontation. It's all of Matthew 22 and 23, so we can't read all of that. But basically, the. These are the chapters where you guys know when Jesus is going and he's talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the leaders of the religious law, and all of them are trying to, like, catch him in some sort of. They're just trying to catch himself slipping up and saying something that they can then accuse him of being a false teacher or going against the people. And so I just love this so much because Jesus is answering all the hard questions about taxes, the resurrection, the greatest commandment. This. In these two chapters, this is where he declares the greatest commandment to love God with all your heart and love people. And we also love this because he is calling out all of the religious hypocrisy. He's telling everybody that you are. You look so clean and righteous on the outside, but your hearts are impure. And so Tuesday is all about checking your own heart and seeing the places in the areas in which you are performing this Christian life. But you're not truly living it. Or the areas of your heart that are not pure that nobody else can see, but God can see, which is something that I go through every single day. Ever notice how ads always pop up at the worst moments when the killer's identity is about to be revealed during that perfect meditation flow? On Amazon Music, we believe in keeping you in the moment. That's why we've got millions of ad free podcast episodes. So you can stay completely immersed in every story, every reveal, every breath. Download the Amazon music app and start listening to your favorite podcasts ad free included with prime. That Ari goes through that. This is like a never. This is also something that you never graduate from. You never graduate from. The prayer of Lord, search my heart, cleanse me, give me a pure heart. It never ends. It doesn't matter. Like, yes, the closer you get to Jesus, the more purity you'll have in your heart. But forever, Forever. We are in a sanctification journey where the Holy Spirit is being like, knock, knock, knock. There's a little something in there that I want to get rid of, that I want to heal you from, that I want to bring to light. And something that I love about Matthew 22 and 23 is Jesus is talking to all of these religious leaders and they are so smart, so educated, so trained in the scriptures and God himself is standing in front of them and they have no idea the God that the scriptures they read. And they're educated on that. God is literally standing in front of them and they're looking right at him and they don't see him. And so I just think that there's such a message in that, that you can be around the things of God and still miss God himself. You can be in church and still miss Jesus. You can be in commute, you can be on a podcast talking about Jesus and still not know Jesus.

B (24:48)

Yeah, it's a heart posture.

A (24:50)

Yeah, exactly. So we're on Wednesday, you guys. The betrayal of Judas. So Matthew 26:14 says, Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, how much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you? That's insane. And they gave him 30 pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. We have Judas, one of Jesus's closest people. It be the people closest to you, you know, Seriously, One of Jesus's closest people, somebody that he walked with so intimately for three years. He discipled him, he gave him everything. He called him a friend. He told him secrets that Nobody else on the planet knew at the time. He. He talked to him, he trusted him. And this guy, after three years of walking so closely with him, betrayed him. What do you think about that?

B (25:54)

I just keep thinking about Judas. Judas, actually. Of how it ended, how he ended up committing suicide.

A (26:02)

Yeah.

B (26:03)

And if he only knew that Jesus still looked at him and loved him. And so many people do that, where they just think they're dead in what they did.

A (26:12)

Yeah.

B (26:12)

And you know that. And what Judas did was horrible. But for him to go and commit suicide showed the heart posture of what did I do? And I will never be forgiven. And so I don't know why that just came to my mind. But just thinking, like, if he would have just turned from that shame and condemnation and pride and turned back to Jesus, Jesus would have taken him in like he did when he was on the cross and said to the thief and said, you'll be with me in paradise.

A (26:45)

Well, it's the difference between regret and repentance.

B (26:48)

Yeah, exactly.

A (26:49)

Judas is the ultimate example of regret versus repentance. Regret. Judas regretted what he did.

B (26:57)

He knew.

A (26:58)

He knew what he did and he regretted it. And I feel like so many of us live in regret when really we could just repent and turn. He had no idea that he had the option to just repent. You don't just have to regret it. Repent, turn and go to him. He wasn't aware. I love that you mentioned that. He wasn't aware that God himself would still love him and welcome him even after betraying his son.

B (27:28)

Just shows how flawed we all are too. Think of that. He did such a horrible thing. But then his heart softened and said, what did I just do? Same with Peter. Yeah. It just shows us how human we all are, you know?

A (27:42)

Yeah. And I think what is so interesting about this, and I think it's helpful for all of us to hear that like the scripture, we join in a suffering so that we would join in his glory. We've been buried with Christ, so we resurrect with Him. All of those point to the fact that we are going to experience all the things that Jesus said, did, and that includes betrayal.

B (28:02)

Yeah.

A (28:03)

And I think it's really interesting that even betrayal is not outside of the sovereign plan of God. It wasn't for Jesus and it's not for us. Oftentimes when people ask, if God is real, why do bad things happen? Because they lead to something. And so if the Lord allows something bad to happen, somebody to betray you, it's aiding in his will.

B (28:26)

Absolutely. Absolutely.

A (28:27)

You have to trust that if you are a follower of Jesus and you've been betrayed, you have to trust that God allowed it for a reason. Not only is it going to aid in his will being fulfilled in your life, but it's also making you more like Jesus.

B (28:45)

Yeah.

A (28:45)

Which is the whole point of being alive and being a Christian in the first place.

B (28:48)

When you say being more like Jesus, that means that you do not seek vengeance or be revengeful. You do not do you. To look like Jesus when someone betrays you is you do nothing. And to know that God will fight your battle. We talk about that all the time. Yeah, I give girls that advice all the time when they're in heartbreak or whatever. It is like. Like a time of true feel like they're in true betrayal. And the one thing I always say is, you let God fight that battle because God sees everything. You don't have to sit there and what do I do? I'm so angry. No, you, you literally pray for them and you move on and you let God fight that for you, but you do not seek vengeance. That's what it looks like to look more like Jesus.

A (29:32)

There's in John 18:11, it's the moment where Jesus, Jesus and his disciples are in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas obviously betrays him. And then the guards come to take Jesus away to arrest him and a fight breaks out. Peter cuts one of the gu. Ear is off and Jesus goes and heals the man's ear. And Jesus in John 18:11 says, it says, jesus commanded, Peter, put your sword away. Shall I not drink the cup my father has given me? So if you look at this scripture, Jesus calls it the cup that my father has given me. So his betrayal, Judas's betrayal to Jesus, Jesus looks at as, this is my father's cup for me. So I just think it's such an interesting perspective to have that when you've been betrayed, backstabbed, done wrong, you can look at your betrayer in their eyes and say, this is a cup that my father has given me.

B (30:31)

Yeah.

A (30:32)

It's such an insane revelation to be like, could it truly be that even all the wrong that's been done to me, God allowed it to happen to produce something or to lead me deeper into his will.

B (30:45)

Yeah.

A (30:46)

And so, like, what an insane perspective that Jesus would have. Like, this is such a bad thing that's happening. And I'm looking at it as the cup that my Father has given to me. And I'm not resisting it, I'm not fighting it. I'm not trying to manipulate it. I'm not trying to control it. I receive the cup that my father has given me, regardless of what it looks like. Yeah, it's insane.

B (31:06)

And then I just think, like, too. You know, one thing that's helped me so much with all, like. And just in my walk of. When you follow Jesus, you. The lens of betrayal, like, looks different when you are walking with Jesus. Like, I feel like when your heart is softened and you're truly walking with him, you start to look at it as being, like, what did they go through as?

A (31:31)

Yeah.

B (31:31)

Like. And if you can look at it in that perspective and that doesn't dismiss what they've done to you, but if you can, really, we go through so much as, like, our heart projection, like, what we went through as kids. Like, people. People are. Go through so much. And so if you can look at it at the lens of, like, wow, they must be really hurting. They must be really going through something for them to treat me like that. Yeah. That will then soften your heart and make you look more like Jesus when you look at it in the perspective. Because I almost feel like that's how Jesus looks at us so much. Like. So if you can look at it in the eyes of Jesus, it just. It really. It gets you out of that bitterness and unforgiveness.

A (32:13)

Yeah. So true.

B (32:14)

Yeah. Because there's nothing worse than sitting in. Bitterness and unforgiveness creates pride. And the one thing we never want is to have pride. Pride will kill us. It's a killer. It will keep us bound and bondage forever. So we have to constantly, like, look in the eyes of how Jesus looks, and then it creates, like, that. That softened heart, and then you let God handle it.

A (32:39)

Yeah.

B (32:39)

Keep hearing the scripture. I will present a table for you in the presence of your enemies. I walk on to that.

A (32:46)

Yeah. 100%. You have to look at people through their humanity.

B (32:52)

Judas and Peter are the perfect examples.

A (32:55)

Yeah, Peter. I'm a lot like Peter. A little bit crazy, a little bit impulsive. Jesus looks at me just like he looks at Peter. Like he, like, through my humanity.

B (33:04)

I know I had a moment. I don't even know when it was, but I said something to you, and I was like, what did I say? I was like, is that okay? You go, oh, please, Ari. Peter was nuts. Give yourself a break. All right. I did say that I might have felt better. Well, Peter was nuts.

A (33:23)

I go, peter was nuts. Give yourself some grace. That is actually so iconic. Who do you feel like you're most like Mary Mag.

B (33:32)

Mary Magdalene. But now that I start. Yeah, obviously Mary Magdalene. But I do feel like I'm a lot like Paul too.

A (33:39)

Yeah. Why?

B (33:40)

Because he has such a heart for people. His. His whole life was for people.

A (33:44)

Yeah.

B (33:45)

And I relate to that. I love that because I feel like God gave me that gift to love, to have a heart for others.

A (33:52)

Oh, yeah, he did. And I benefit off that every day.

B (33:57)

You think you're most like Peter.

A (33:59)

I'm a. I'm a little bit like Paul. I. I sometimes feel like I'm like Paul, but I am. Me and Peter are boys. We're twins. I am Peter through and through. Peter is an evangelistic force, and he's also impulsive and he's nuts. And he's just like, he'll cut some A0 off, but he sounds like a good time. So I think I'm.

B (34:22)

We can get something from everyone. Like, I feel like I'm Moses when he said, I don't have. I don't speak eloquently. Yeah. And then I feel like I'm in David, where he constantly, like, thirsts for Jesus. Yeah, I could be like that too. And then I'm a little like, you're

A (34:39)

like David when he slept with Bathsheba.

B (34:45)

Oh, gosh.

A (34:47)

Do you dance before the Lord like David did?

B (34:49)

I wonder how he danced. I think we talked about this.

A (34:51)

Yeah. I wonder if he did, like.

B (34:53)

No, but I heard you dancing before the Lord this morning. She's in my room. I hear it. What were you singing in there? I was like, that is so sweet, dude.

A (35:02)

I was vibing with Jesus this morning.

B (35:04)

You were wailing and.

A (35:05)

Oh, my gosh, I'm so embarrassed.

B (35:07)

Like, what song were you singing in there?

A (35:09)

I was kind of.

B (35:10)

I was kind of jamming out. I was like. I shut off my TV so I could hear you.

A (35:14)

I'm so embarrassed.

B (35:15)

I wish there was a little camera in my house today. Wait, what were you singing?

A (35:19)

You were about wanting his presence.

B (35:21)

We were in a hotel room. Do you remember? I know. I looked over. Forget that.

A (35:31)

So we were in a hotel one time, and Ari and I used to, like, stay in hotel rooms together. And we.

B (35:37)

Now we have boundaries.

A (35:38)

Now we have boundaries. So we used to, like, have to do quiet time right next to each other. But you would go on one side of the room and I'd go on another. We'd put on headphones, but Ari didn't know for some reason. I think she thought because she couldn't hear herself, there were these new headphones. That had no.

B (35:54)

What was it called?

A (35:55)

Yeah, no. Noise cancellation.

B (35:56)

Noise cancellation.

A (35:57)

And so I'm like reading my Bible on the other side of the room, and then I just hear like, holy. Holy. Are you Lord God? But it's also like crying a little bit. So it's like. And I turn around and I go.

B (36:15)

I was so incredible.

A (36:16)

Because I bet you'd think, you know, we'd be a little courteous to each other. We're both trying to spend time with Jesus. This girl is yelling at the top of her lungs. And I'm like, hello, I'm here too. But she has no idea because she can't hear herself. So I go. And I tap on her shoulder and I was like, they are.

B (36:35)

No, you didn't.

A (36:36)

What did I do?

B (36:36)

You were sneaking out with all your. With your bag and all your stuff. Oh, yeah, I left. She was gonna sit where you're gonna sit in the hallway.

A (36:42)

I was gonna sit in the hallway. Cause you were like, vibing. I wasn't gonna interrupt you. And then you go, wait, can you hear me? I'm like, ari, you're singing at the top of your lungs. Just cause you can't hear it doesn't mean you're silent to everybody else.

B (36:55)

I have no. I live on another planet, you guys. Truly. Do I?

A (37:01)

No, you're right here. And you're so perfect. All right, you guys. We get to Thursday. Matthew 26:17 to 46. We get to the Last Supper in the garden of Gethsemane on the first day of the festival of unleavened bread. The disciples came to Jesus and asked, where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you as you go into the city? He told them, you will see a certain man. Tell him, my teacher says, my time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house. So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there. When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the 12. While they were eating, he said, I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me. Greatly distressed, each of them asked in turn, am I the one, Lord? He replied, one of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born. Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, rabbi, am I the one? And Jesus told him, you have said it as they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, take this and eat it, for this is my body. And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, each of you drink from it, for this is my blood which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. Go ahead.

B (38:52)

R. Jesus predicts Peter's denial. On the way, Jesus told them, tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scripture says God will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. I love how they. He always says, for the Scriptures say, if that is not an indication to not go on your own emotions, but constantly say, but what does the Scripture say? Right, but after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there. Peter declared, even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you. Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, Peter. This very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times that you even know me. No. Peter insisted, even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you. And all the other disciples vowed the same. Jesus prays in Gethsemane. Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane. And he said, sit here while I go over there to pray. He took Peter and Zebedee, two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. I want your will to be done, not mine. He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray so that you will not give into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, my Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done. He returned to them again. He found them sleeping, for they couldn't keep their eyes open. So he went to pray a third time, saying the same thing again. And he came to the disciples and said, go Ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look, the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up. Let's be going. Look, my betrayer is here.

A (41:11)

The Last Supper redefines Passover. So Passover is a feast and a holiday that was celebrated for all of the Jews. It basically originated in Exodus when God freed the Israelites out of Egypt. Basically, he sent a plague out and every house that had the Israelites in them, they would sacrifice a lamb and then put the lamb's blood on the doorpost. And this is the moment where Jesus becomes the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This Last supper is so, so significant because it also shows, like, in Jesus's worst moment, when he knew what was about to happen, he chose to bring the people that he loves in and wash their feet and spend time with them and have a meal with them. And it's the moment where communion becomes a thing. And we've talked about communion so much, the body and the blood of Jesus Christ, that it's not just symbolic. It's literally when we take communion, we are joining him. We're joining into oneness with Jesus.

B (42:15)

Blood of Jesus heals. We always pray that when we pray, we plead the blood of Jesus. When you guys pray something so powerful as you can say, I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, my body, my spirit. One drop of his blood heals. When you pray for yourself, you declare that over yourself and over your home. When you pray for the sick, you pray, you say, I plead the blood of Jesus over that sickness that it would heal you, that would wash you clean, it would make you anew.

A (42:46)

Yeah. So good. I wrote this down. Surrender is often the hardest right before the breakthrough. Usually right before there's massive breakthrough in your life, God is going to come and ask you to be in it. Huh?

B (43:02)

Shake it up. Shake things up.

A (43:03)

Yeah, shake it up. And ask you to kind of force you to be in a situation where you say, if it is. If. If it is possible, let this cup pass for me, but nevertheless, not my will be done, but yours, Jesus. And Jesus's hardest moment, his greatest surrender, came right before the biggest victory. And there was nothing about that moment for Jesus that felt like victory. And like what you just said a second ago, how we can't rely on our feelings. This is a perfect example, a perfect example. And it's the hardest thing because emotions are such an idol. Feelings are such an idol. We are driven by our emotions, driven by our feelings, how we feel about a Situation usually is what matters most to us. Our feelings are big. They become big, but it's not the end. I'll be all. It's not the way we're supposed to live our lives. We are not meant to yield to our emotions. I am speaking to myself right now. I really am.

B (44:03)

It's true. Well, that's why the Bible. That's why he talks all through the number one commandment is, love me with all of your heart. He doesn't say that because he's conceited. He says that because what. What should govern your heart is to love Jesus. Not the idolatry in your life, not people, not relationships, not food, not any of these things, not my will, but your will. The most powerful prayer. That prayer that has literally shifted my faith and my life. Yeah, something. A prayer that I learned really early on my walk. It was one of the. That this scene is one of the most monumental scriptures that I have tattooed on my heart. And I. I talk about that a lot. But it's just. It's such like a good description of how Jesus wrestled and was scared and the honesty and the weight of coming and then how that's okay to come before him and question and how costly it is. And he was so scared. But having that moment in your flesh, but then reminding yourself, wait a minute, not my will be done, but your will be done.

A (45:19)

So good.

B (45:19)

And it's just such a beautiful. Such a beautiful scripture of reminding ourselves of that. That even through our doubts and our uncertainties and the moments where we don't know what's going to happen and where we want something so much, but it just hasn't happened yet, that it's okay to wrestle and doubt and be scared, but then through that uncertainty, to look up to the Father and say, but not my will be done, but your will be done. Because your ways are so much greater than my ways. And I know I don't understand right now, but you do. Because your will and your plan is so much better than the feelings and things that I want for myself.

A (46:04)

Praise. So good. The fact that. Can I. Okay. If I could thank God for anything, it's the fact that he's sovereign. I wish he was more so I. I wish he was all I. I wish he was. I wish I didn't have free will. I wish that I just.

B (46:20)

He.

A (46:21)

I'm so grateful that he's sovereign. I'm so grateful that he's bigger than me, bigger than my life, bigger than the things I do right. And the things that I do. Wrong. You know, I'm so grateful that he cleans up our messes.

B (46:35)

Oh.

A (46:36)

Like, I'm so grateful that he's bigger then, like, we have consequences to all of our actions. But I'm just so grateful that he's sovereign.

B (46:44)

Yeah. Not even that he cleans up your messes, that you. It's like anytime I ever think of when he meets me, it's in my mess. I know that you never have to clean yourself up. He does the cleaning up.

A (46:56)

Literally does the cleaning up.

B (46:58)

It's just about surrender and. And faith through the uncertainty. Surrendering through the uncertainty. Surrender. What does surrender look like? This right here. No, I'm. I'm. I'm literally. My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Have we ever had this moment? So much I've had this moment. I feel like I'm going to die. Like, I remember when I was broke, when I was. My heart was shattered. And it's like we have those moments where our soul is. Is crushed. But in those moments, just declaring your will be done. Jesus, let me keep looking at the cross through this heartbreak, through this tough time that I'm in right now.

A (47:45)

So Friday is the crucifixion. That's why we call it Good Friday. Why do we call the worst thing that could have ever happened good? Because it's the best thing that could have ever happened. It is good what happened. And I just love the juxtaposition of the kingdom, where oftentimes things that look like the most horrible thing that can happen are exactly what need to happen to the point that they're good. That if something that is so bad can be called good, it means that, again, what we see with our natural eyes, what we. What we feel in our hearts and in our emotions is often almost 100% of the time, not what we need to be led by. Because there's a juxtaposition, there's a nuance. It's called Good Friday because what happened was good, even though it was really bad. We're not going to read all of Matthew 27 because it's a long chapter, but I encourage you guys on Friday that you go read Matthew 27, that you meditate on it, that you just hear the story of the crucifixion today. I'll just give you the points. Jesus is rejected, mocked, and abandoned. He fully enters human suffering. He carries his cross. What we deserved. Jesus bore. This is the chapter where Jesus is absolutely brutally tortured, where he's whipped to the point where there was no, there Was no skin left on his back. The guards plucked out his beard and put a crown of thorns on his head. Jesus was literally a pile of flesh. You couldn't even recognize him as a human being. He was a pile of flesh. And he carried a cross that was. I don't know how heavy it was, but it was huge. He was a pile of flesh like it was. And he did it in his human strength. He didn't have some sort of superpower, supernatural. There was a grace, clearly, but he was a pile of flesh carrying this cross up the mountain. And then they pierce his hands and his feet. They put him up on this cross. He's in between two criminals. He died the most shameful death. Every icon that you see of Jesus on the cross has a covering over his lower half, but he was hung completely naked. The most shameful thing that a Jewish man during that time could possibly endure. He endured it, our shame and our sin on the cross. And then darkness covers the land. So Jesus gives up his last breath and darkness. The whole sky went dark. There was an earthquake. The rock split in half. And everybody in that moment realized, oh my gosh, we just killed the Messiah. He really was who he said he was. Not everybody, but a lot of people. Darkness covers the land. Creation responds to the weight of the sin. And then the veil in the temple tears. Matthew 27:51. Access to God is now open. The veil in the temple. You guys have to study the atonement, the temple, the veil, the holy of holies, that all of that is so important for this moment. Because the veil in the temple tears. And it is significant. It is telling us that no matter who you are, Jew and Gentile alike, the veil is open. Everybody has access to God. And Jesus says the words, it is finished. The debt is paid in full. So that's Friday. Let's talk about Saturday. The waiting.

B (51:19)

So we are on. Matthew 27, verse 57, the burial of Jesus. As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea, who had become a follower of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across the tomb and watching.

A (51:58)

So this is the moment. This is that in between, right? So many of us live, have to live in the in between at different points in our lives, in the waiting, in the uncertainty, in the fear. Everything that Jesus talked about, his disciples are having to have faith in right now. They lost. Imagine. Imagine you have Jesus in your midst and then you watch him die a brutal death. And then you're just waiting in silence. There's nothing happening. He hasn't resurrected. Yes, he said it would be three days later, but. But they have to wait. And they also have their very real human emotions where they're grieving and they're scared and they're confused. And yes, God spoke a word that he would raise on the third day. But how? How? They haven't seen that happen. How are they supposed to know it's really going to happen? And so God feels silent, but he is still working beneath the surface. And this is what we all have to remember, that in the silence and in the waiting, God is still moving. News flash to all of us. He's never not moving. He's never not doing something. He's never not working on your behalf every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It doesn't matter how long you've been in the waiting. He's doing something. And that is so encouraging to know because life is hard and it's scary and, and, and we can stand on Scripture and we can hear. We can have a prophetic word. We can have the word of God that is speaking truth over us. And when our circumstances don't look like what God has spoken, it is so scary.

B (53:34)

Of course.

A (53:35)

And the disciples are right there with us. They had him in the flesh. They had him with his own mouth. He spoke to them, and they were still afraid. And I wrote this. Can we remain faithful even when we don't feel anything? Again, talking about emotions and feelings, I'm speaking to myself, too. It's been the. It's been the most challenging season of my life where my feelings don't match my faith, my feelings don't match what I know about God. And it is so hard to live in that place. And it's really new for me because I've never been here. I've never had my heart not match what I know about God. I've never had a distrust in God. I've never had our trust be affected. And so my prayer this morning. I have history with you, Jesus. Remind me of my history with you. Remind me. I ask God to remind me who he is. That's. That's where we're at. I need him to remind me who he is, what his promises are. Remind me your Character.

B (54:48)

And it's in that place where he says, let's do business.

A (54:52)

Yeah.

B (54:52)

That's what he wants. I know you know that, right?

A (54:55)

There's so. I am so. I think today, this morning was a really. I just had the best time with Jesus. So did you. I.

B (55:03)

My house is pretty cool to spend time with Jesus.

A (55:05)

Yes. So peaceful. It's like literally the veil is. Was thin at your house. You just enter in. It was not hard at all. But I. I had a sense this morning of like, dude, what is happening right now? Like what is being strengthened? You know, like there's such a. Again, the worst things, the seemingly worst things that can ever happen to you are always the best things that happen to you. Not every time because people go through really, really, really tragic losses. So I just don't want to put like some weird band aid over that. But a lot of the time the worst things that happen to us are the end up being the best.

B (55:46)

Yeah.

A (55:46)

Because God allows.

B (55:47)

Uses ever. Even what you said. No, you're not wrong there. They. Even the worst of circumstances, he will use for his glory.

A (55:56)

Yeah.

B (55:57)

Always the worst.

A (55:59)

The worst.

B (56:00)

But man, does he. The doubt, the. Even the. The questioning, the show me though those are all things that he looks and he says, this is what I want it really you guys, like even as I. Even, even as I listen to you, it's like. It's just so raw and real and that's what God yearns for.

A (56:24)

Yeah.

B (56:25)

That honesty, not that perfection.

A (56:27)

And he loves showing us who he is. He loves it. He loves it. So we have our last point, guys.

B (56:35)

We can't skip over real quick what my. One of my favorite parts when I see Mary Magdalene at the tomb waiting for him. A woman that was so far gone. She. You have. You guys don't have no idea. She was. It was the most monumental figure in the Bible that completely changed my faith. If you guys have watched the Chosen, the scene of her getting tormented by demons, it was like watching myself through that screen. I just related to her so much. But a woman that felt so far gone. Who. Who Jesus cured of seven demons. And Mary Magdalene is such a good example for all of us. I mean she. She saw. It wasn't just a one time thing of her getting delivered by Jesus and then just doing whatever she wants. She stayed committed to him at. Till the end, through the hardships, through everything. She. She saw what he did for her life and she. She stayed committed to him to the very end. And she was the first one to see him. You are Not.

A (57:38)

She's our first evangelist.

B (57:39)

You are not too far gone. Look at Mary Magdalene getting tormented by demons, and then she just followed him to the end.

A (57:47)

She was the first evangelist. It's huge.

B (57:50)

Yeah.

A (57:50)

All right, so we have Sunday. Our glorious Sunday, you guys. The resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By the way, a historically accurate thing that happened. A historically accurate event. This is not fiction. This is not like a cute story. This happened. There were eyewitnesses. If anybody tries to. I mean, people try to argue all the time, how do you know it's real? There is so much historical evidence to back scripture. You can't argue with it. There were eyewitness, like, there are so many prophecies that are fulfilled in this moment. So many prophecies from the Old Testament that point to this very moment. This is not a fictional event. A dead body was raised to life.

B (58:41)

7,000 witnesses. I mean, come on.

A (58:47)

Come on, Jesus. All right, let's read Matthew 28, 1:10. Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone and sat on it. His face, that's kind of like gangster. He. Because they. Because the religious leaders went to the guards and said, this guy Jesus said that he was going to resurrect on the third day, that the stone was going to be rolled away. So we need you guys to secure the stone because his disciples are going to try and come and take away his body and fake this resurrection. And so they, they, they, they set that stone there in a way that it could not be moved. And so this angel literally just like so easily moves that stone and then sits on it. And it said his face shone like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. Don't be afraid, he said. I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn't here. He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come see where his body was lying. And now go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and he's going ahead of you to Galilee and you will see him there. Remember what I told you. The woman ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened, but also filled with great joy. And they rushed to give the disciples the angel's message. And as they went, Jesus met them and Greeted them so cute. The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened, but also filled with great joy. And as they went, went Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee and they will see me there. I am obsessed with this moment right here where it says, the angel spoke and said, he isn't here. He is risen. Our sweet Jesus, our powerful sovereign Lord Jesus. The resurrection validates everything Jesus said. Fear turns into joy for the women at the tomb. And then Jesus meets them personally. He is not distant after resurrection. And the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within each and every one of us. The resurrection isn't just an event. It's a new way of living. We are meant to be buried with Jesus and resurrected into a new life. It is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us. And guys, are we walking in resurrection power or are we still living like we're in the grave? Are we still bound? Are we truly walking in freedom? Resurrection freedom. It's the question we all need to ask ourselves. And it's the question that we need to bring attention to and bring to Jesus and say, lord, how do I become truly free? Every single day of my life I'm walking to, towards true resurrection freedom in every area of my life. And it's, it's not a instant thing. Sometimes, sometimes you have to walk a journey to get free. And. But it's the life that we're not only able to live, but we're called to live a life of freedom. You guys, happy Easter. Happy Resurrection Day. Happy Good Friday. We pray in Jesus name that you have the most most glorious, beautiful presence filled Easter and Good Friday weekend. We love you guys so much. We can't believe we get to be on this journey with you. What a glorious, beautiful weekend for every single one of us. Enjoy. We hope you enjoyed Holy Week and we hope that you really enjoy this weekend with your family and just focus on Jesus.

B (62:47)

Yeah, I'm actually not going to be with my family this Easter. So for some of you guys that are alone, just know that you're not alone. It's so beautiful that we have Jesus. Like no matter what, we're never alone. We have Jesus to empower us, to guide us, to love us, to comfort us, and to lead us to a godly life. So just know you're not alone. Just know that I'm with you this Easter. I'm gonna be alone this Easter. It's my first Easter alone. For any of you guys that are alone this Easter, just. Just. I hope it's a reminder that I'm alone with you, so it's okay. But we're not alone. We have Jesus, So we love you, and we hope you have the best Easter ever.

A (63:28)

I'm gonna go be with Lele Lou. We love you guys. God bless you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace.

B (63:41)

Shalom. Shalom.

A (63:43)

Love you. Love you, love you.