Do the numbers in the title look familiar? If I had tattoos, there’s a strong chance I’d have “31.77849852, 35.22985115” etched somewhere on my body. For six hours on Good Friday, between 9am and 3pm, Jesus hung on the cross at the GPS coordinates of: 31.77849852, 35.22985115.
In this post let’s walk through Holy Week in a fresh way. Let’s journey with Jesus through the lens of GPS coordinates. For each day I’ll give a quick overview of the day followed by significant GPS coordinates related to the final week of Jesus’ earthly life. Let’s start with Palm Sunday…
Palm Sunday
- What Happened?
- Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem. Fully God and Fully Man. The Creator, standing in His creation, is headed for the cross. On Sunday He enters the city where He will die. He will never really leave this city. He came to earth to save you, to save me. Our sin has brought us separation from God and He is entering Jerusalem to take care of that once and for all. He is God so He can save us. He is also fully man so he can represent us.
- How do people greet Him as He enters the city on Sunday…thankfully they give Him the honor He is due. John 12:12-15
- What is Jesus to you? Is He just a character in a Bible story? Or is He the living Savior of your life? As He stands overlooking Jerusalem on this day, where does He stand in your life?
Remembering Sunday
GPS Coordinates of Jesus Weeping over Jerusalem: Latitude: 31.77801513 Longitude: 35.24187684 (see map below)
View Palm Sunday in a larger map
Monday
- What Happened?
- Matthew: 21:12-15… Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem, he overturns the tables of money changers… the leaders don’t care… the Son of God steps into their world overthrowing their religiosity and then proving who He is by healing people and the religious people have lost all sensitivity to the living God. They are apathetic to a Savior seeking to change their worship.
- If your life was laid out on several tables would Jesus come and overturn any of them? If so, repent. Don’t be like the indignant religious people who may have been convicted for just a second but then went on with their day no better for meeting Jesus. Be convicted of anything Jesus needs to overturn in your life and then let Him do it.
Remembering Monday
GPS Coordinates of Jesus Overturning the Tables: Latitude: 31.77887245 Longitude: 35.23601889 (see map below)
View Holy Week – Monday in a larger map
Tuesday
- What Happened?
- Jesus will spend these two days teaching people in Jerusalem. Matthew 21, 22, 23 will be rich reading during these two days. As you’re driving around town, periodically think to yourself…I wonder what Jesus is teaching people right now?
- If you knew you only had 4 days left to live what would you spend your time doing? Jesus spent two days teaching. He places a huge value on our understanding of Him. Are you sitting at the feet of your Savior? Are you seeking to continually learn from Him?
Remembering Tuesday
GPS Coordinates of Solomon’s Portico where Jesus certainly did some teaching on Tuesday and Wednesday: Latitude: 31.77763207 Longitude: 35.23479580 (see map below)
View Holy Week – Tuesday in a larger map
Wednesday
- What Happened?
- The tempo of the Holy Week increases. This day is known historically as “Spy Wednesday”. For it is the day when Judas turns betrayer agreeing to show the chief priests where they could easily capture Jesus.
- We can betray Jesus. We can make it all about us instead of about Him. Why did Judas betray Jesus? There could be many reasons. At the root of it He was selfish. He chose money over Jesus. He was in it for himself, not in it for Jesus. Are we “all in” in our relationship with Him?
Remembering Wednesday
GPS Coordinates for the Sanhedrin where Judas sells out Jesus: Latitude: 31.77524245 Longitude: 35.23138403 (see map below)
View Holy Week – Wednesday in a larger map
Maundy Thursday
- What Happened?
- Jesus prepares for Friday. His whole focus for starting this week and bigger than that for coming to earth was for the cross. To rescue the souls of mankind. It would not be easy…it would be the most painful experience. He spends Thursday night praying in a garden. He asks His friends to stay with Him. They can’t stay awake.
- As we get closer to what’s about to happen…realize Jesus was abandoned by his closest friends on Thursday. He wanted them to stay awake with Him…try to stay awake late Thursday night if you can. Not watching TV, not playing video games, just praying late into the night…see if you can stay awake. Let your sleepiness identify with the disciples Thursday night. As you go to sleep keep in mind Jesus wasn’t going to sleep tonight. He was too determined to pay the penalty of your sin so you could be with Him.
Remembering Thursday
GPS Coordinates for the Garden: Latitude: 31.77932848 Longitude: 35.23979008 (see map below)
View Holy Week – Thursday in a larger map
Friday
- What Happened?
- Jesus is crucified Friday morning. This day is called “Good Friday.” What in the world is good about this day? In one sense it should be called “Horrendous Friday.” What is “Good” about Friday of this week is the payment for our sins is being accepted. The penalty is being paid. Jesus is our hero. Jesus is our substitute. He came and endured for you, for me.
- This coming Friday should be the saddest day of our year. The one many of us love dearly was brutally killed because of our sins. When you wake up Friday morning He’s already been severely beaten and flogged. At 9am Jesus is nailed to the cross because of you, because of me. Please let that sink in. Set your phones to remind you at 9am. When you sit down to eat lunch Jesus has been on the cross for 3 hours…let that sink in…you might not have an appetite. Many Christians throughout history have fasted on Friday…Jesus is on the cross all day Friday. He declares the salvation of mankind is finished at 3pm on Friday. His heart stops beating. The Son of God has been crucified.
- Galatians 2:15-21 – Have you been crucified with Christ so you can live? We identify with Him in His death so we can identify with Him in His life.
- Please note: Many Christians traveling to Jerusalem today will be led to believe the crucifixion did not happen at the Eastern Section of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The other site “feels” more like the way it should have been. The other site, however, is actually too old for a new tomb to be carved in the first century.
Remembering Friday
GPS Coordinates for the Cross: Latitude: 31.77849852 Longitude: 35.22985115 (see map below)
View Holy Week – Friday in a larger map
Sunday
- What Happened?
- Jesus conquers death. There is now eternal hope for humankind.
- Sunday is the happiest day of the year for the Christian. We have hope because on Sunday Jesus lives. All of our failures, insecurities and sins have a victorious Savior. Because He lives I can face tomorrow.
- Please Note: The Western Section of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre contains the spot of the burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Remembering Sunday
GPS Coordinates for the Burial and Resurrection: Latitude: 31.77847799 Longitude: 35.22961512 (see map below)
View Easter Sunday in a larger map
15 replies to "A GPS Easter (31.77849852, 35.22985115)"
This has got to be the most original writing on Easter since the Gospels! Awesome.
Got any insider intel on GPS coordinates for where Jesus is right now? He needs a tracker. “Find My Jesus” App. I’d pay 99 cents for that.
Just a question to all Christians,
Why is that that we seem to only concentrate on Christ’s resurrection only on one day of the year, when that is so central to Christianity?
Can’t speak for others, but while I may concentrate more on the resurrection at this time of year, all that I place emphysis on throughout the year is dependant on the resurrection. Not sure it is possible to maintain a constant state of unwaivering high level concentration on anything each and every day. GPS provides an interesting take on the resurrection story.
Thank you, Tim. I really appreciate this post and the way you applied each days events to us today. I don’t think I have ever read a pre- Easter post quite like this one before.
“Got any insider intel on GPS coordinates for where Jesus is right now? He needs a tracker. “Find My Jesus” App. I’d pay 99 cents for that.”
Yep, got the ultimate, FREE insider intel (free for us that is, ultimate cost for God)
let the word of Christ richly dwell within us Col 3:16a
and that He would grant us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; Eph 3:16-17a
Wow your description of Friday is powerful! It literally gave me shivers up my spine.
Mbaker,
I wholeheartedly agree. We have an overwhelming fascination with the cross except at Easter time. But it is the resurrection that gives life. I addressed that in the post directly under Tim’s.
Tim,
Great post. Very interesting presentation.
These coord’s work in Google Earth, which has interactive tools to fly to each place in a slideshow format. Could make an interesting presentation. Throw in some music and narration!
Many people who have traveled to these places say there is an awesome presence of God’s glory there still today.
And don’t forget, one day he will return in such a way that the whole world will know who he is. This is the Revelation of Christ when he returns.
Happy Easter/Resurrection Day!
[…] text of John’s passion narrative with vocabulary helps (HT Jim West). Tim Kimberley has a GPS version of Holy Week. And Krista Dalton relates the death of Jesus to the death of the […]
[…] Kimberly over at the Parchment and Pen Blog has written a good piece on HOly Week entitled A GPS Easter (31.77849852, 35.22985115) (link) . You can follow the course of the week leading up to the crucifixion complete with the coordinates […]
Very clever!
You might enjoy this too:
will repost!
2nd try!
[…] Yes the Easter story really happened in a real place, and if you want, you can even get the GPS coordinates. […]
I’m sharing your GPS journey on my Facebook this year since I loved it so much when someone shared it with me last year! I just noticed a typo on the GPS page for Palm Sunday, it say “…enters the city THE pay for the sins of the world” instead of “TO pay”. Just wanted to point it out and thank you for all this!
John 5:43 I come in my FATHERS NAME and you will receive me NOT! But one will come in his own name and him you will receive. Acts 4-10-11-12 There is SALVATION IN ONLY ONE MAME……
YAHSHUA