Max Lucado - And the Angels Were Silent: The Final Week of Jesus

AND THE
ANGELS WERE
SILENT

ALSO BY MAX LUCADO

INSPIRATIONAL

3:16

A Gentle Thunder

A Love Worth Giving

And the Angels Were Silent

Come Thirsty

Cure for the Common Life

God Came Near

Gods Story, Your Story

Grace

Great Day Every Day

Facing Your Giants

Fearless

He Chose the Nails

He Still Moves Stones

In the Eye of the Storm

In the Grip of Grace

Its Not About Me

Just Like Jesus

Max on Life

Next Door Savior

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior

On the Anvil

Outlive Your Life

Six Hours One Friday

The Applause of Heaven

The Great House of God

Traveling Light

When Christ Comes

When God Whispers Your Name

Youll Get Through This

FICTION

Christmas Stories

BIBLES (GENERAL EDITOR)

Grace for the Moment Daily Bible

The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible

Childrens Daily Devotional Bible

CHILDRENS BOOKS

A Max Lucado Childrens Treasury

Do You Know I Love You, God?

God Forgives Me, and I Forgive You

God Listens When I Pray

Grace for the Moment: 365

Devotions for Kids

Hermie, a Common Caterpillar

Just in Case You Ever Wonder

One Hand, Two Hands

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me

Thank You, God, for Loving Me

The Crippled Lamb

The Oak Inside the Acorn

The Tallest of Smalls

You Are Mine

You Are Special

YOUNG ADULT BOOKS

3:16

Its Not About Me

Make Every Day Count

Wild Grace

You Were Made to Make a Difference

GIFT BOOKS

Fear Not Promise Book

For These Tough Times

God Thinks Youre Wonderful

Grace for the Moment

Grace for the Moment Morning and Evening

Grace Happens Here

His Name Is Jesus

Let the Journey Begin

Live Loved

Mocha with Max

One Incredible Moment

Safe in the Shepherds Arms

This Is Love

You Changed My Life

1987 Max Lucado

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible: New Century Version. 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture references marked KJV are from the Holy Bible: Authorized King James Version.

Scripture references marked NEB are from The New English Bible. 1961, 1970. The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press Reprinted by permission.

Scripture references marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education, National Council of the Churches in the USA. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked PHILLIPS are from J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition. J. B. Phillips 1958, 1960, 1972. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.

Scripture references marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Edited by Liz Heaney.

ISBN 978-0-8499-2130-8 (Special Edition)

ISBN 978-0-8499-4751-3 (Trade Paper Repack)

The Library of Congress has cataloged the earlier edition as follows:

Lucado, Max.

And the angels were silent / Max Lucado.

p. cm.

Originally published: Portland, Or. : Multnomah, 1992

ISBN 978-08499-0858-3 (trade paper)

ISBN 978-0-8499-1815-5 (hardcover)

1. Jesus ChristPassionMeditations. 2. Bible. N.T. Matthew

XXVI-XXVIIMeditations. I. Title

BT431.3.L83 2004

232.96dc22

2003022807

Printed in the United States of America.

13 14 15 16 17 RRD 5 4 3 2 1

For my father- and mother-in-law, Charles and
Romadene Preston, for giving me such delight

CONTENTS

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SUNDAY

H eres a salute to some dear people who have made this project possible and pleasant.

To Liz Heaney. Youve been more than an editor; youve been a friend.

To John Van Diest. You never forgot the highest aim of Christian publishingGods Word put into mans heart.

For Brenda Josee. Endless energy and boundless creativity.

For the rest of the Multnomah staff, publisher of the original edition of this book. My hat is off to you guys.

A special word for my secretary, Mary Stain. Your retirement and this book deadline came the same month. I was as sorry to see you leave as I was happy to finish the book. Thanks for your tireless efforts.

To Joseph Shulam of Jerusalem. A friend, a brother, and a contagious zealot.

To the Netivyah congregation in Jerusalem. The only unhappy part of our journey to your city was the departure.

To Steve Green. For twenty years of friendship and countless more of partnership.

To the Oak Hills Church. You teach me more than I could ever teach you.

To my daughters Jenna, Andrea, and Sara. If only I could have your innocence and faith.

For my wife, Denalyn. When I come home late you dont complain. When I go on the road you dont grumble. When I write in the middle of the night you dont mind. Does every writer have an angel for a wife, or did I get the last one?

And lastly, for you, the reader. If this is your first time with one of my books, Im honored to be with you. You are entrusting me with your time and your heart. I pledge to be a good steward of both.

If not, if weve spent time together before, its good to be with you again. My aim in this book is the same as the others: that you will see him and him only.

May I ask something of you? Please remember our work in your prayers. Pray the prayer of Colossians 4:34: that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message. Pray that we can preach the secret that God has made known about Christ... that I can speak in a way that will make it clear, as I should.

I ts early in the final week. The props and players for Fridays drama are in position. Six-inch spikes are in the bin. A cross-beam leans against a shed wall. Thorn limbs are wrapped around a trellis awaiting the weaving of a soldiers fingers.

The players are nearing the stage. Pilate is concerned at the number of Passover pilgrims. Annas and Caiaphas are restless over a volatile Nazarene. Judas views his master with furtive eyes. A centurion is available, awaiting the next crucifixions.