John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Reflections:
What are the things in life that stir your affections for Christ, and help you to see more clearly the great love which God has shown for you? Music? Friends? Church? Art? Nature?
And how can you do to make those things a bigger part of your life and stir those affections so that you can return the love which God has so graciously given us?
39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Reflections:
How amazing is it to think that Jesus knowingly, willing went to cross, enduring the shame and humiliation and scorn, for you and I?
Christ, who is our example of holy living, faced even with the horror of the cross submitted His will to The Father. In what ways do you still seek to have our own will done rather than God’s?
Luke 9:1-2,10, “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. … 10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
Reflections:
Think of all the wonderful and amazing blessing that God has given in this life? All the wonders of nature, relationships, and different abilities that we have.
What are some ways that you can slow down and get the rest that you need and praise God for (and enjoy) the many blessings He has given?
“15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.”
So they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”
21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
They said to Him, “TheSon of David.”
43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’? 45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
Reflections:
Despite our questions and doubts and excuse-making, Jesus still offers us grace and patience as we wrestle through issues and seek answers.
What secondary issues or questions do you allow to influence how you think about the main question, “Who is Jesus Christ?”
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
Reflections:
How amazing is it that the same God who created and sustains the entire vast cosmos, also wants to hear from you?
What are some obstacles in your life that keep you from prayer?
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Reflections:
Too often people think about Jesus as just some other person making some claim on our lives, but how does it change things when we realize that He is the sovereign King and Creator who has rightful claim over all thing … yet who humbly comes calling us to Himself?
Each day, from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday, there will be a new daily devotional posted here. Each devotional will take a look at an event in the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. They will include a short video (2-4 minutes long), a scripture reading, and a statement or question to reflect and meditate on.
In Part 7 of our study on Church History, we take a look at several key events in the Middle Ages that set the stage for the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
John 15:18-16:4
Jesus addresses His disciples regarding how the message of the Gospel will be received by the world, how they will be treated, and why they (and we) should expect that there will be persecution as the Gospel message is proclaimed.
You must be logged in to post a comment.