Tuesday in Holy Week, March 30 Isaiah 53:7-12 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. Jesus died on the cross for the sin of the world. The people had been waiting for God to send his Messiah. They were waiting in expectation of their coming King. Yet, when he came, they rejected him. He did not appear as the King they expected. They despised him, crying, “Crucify him, crucify him!” (John 19:6). Standing in judgment before Pontius Pilate, Jesus did not open his mouth. He did not defend himself. He was innocent. It was our sin that nailed him to the cross. He willingly accepted the punishment that we deserve. He suffered for all sinners that we might have peace with God. We expected a King, but Jesus came as a humble servant. And it is to this humble servant that we come when we recognize our need for our Savior. We come to Jesus, humble Jesus, servant Jesus, whose arms are opened wide waiting to embrace us. And Jesus is indeed our King. Seated at the right hand of God, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come (Ephesians 1:21). This is Christ our King. He humbled himself before man, and God exalted him at his right hand as Lord and Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31). Lord Jesus, I am humbled by your mercy. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for bearing the burden of my transgressions and my iniquity that I may have peace with God. You are the humble King. Help me to lay down my life before you and be your humble servant. You are my King! Now and forever. Amen! ...
Wednesday in Holy Week, March 31 Psalm 22:1-11 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Spoken by Jesus as he dies on the cross, such haunting words open Psalm 22. The text allows us the privilege of growing closer to Jesus, of penetrating the mysteries inherent in his song of suffering and victory. Here we find a meditation on the being of God. His just rule, merciful love and eternal dominion are all stressed as favorable qualities contrasting with those of our own. With its stark inversions, the Psalm has been recommended as one to be read in times of spiritual dryness. Fickle and transitory in interest, biological Israel forms a metaphor of our own flagging efforts operating apart from God. God does not repay us according to our iniquities. Why not? Because he is better than we are. A sinless savior pouring out his blood to bring the wayward all the way home...
Maundy Thursday, April 1 Philippians 2:5-11 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus came to earth as fully God and fully man. Unlike mankind, His attitude towards His Father as well as the people around Him was humble. Today on the church calendar it is Maundy Thursday. The day we commemorate Jesus establishing the Eucharist as a way for us to remember the sacrifice of His body and blood. (Mark 14:22-25) As well as Christ’s visible servanthood in washing the disciple’s feet. (John 13:1-15) The new covenant that Jesus was revealing unfolded before the disciple’s eyes. It is likely that the disciples did not fully understand what was happening. However, the next day as Christ suffered in inconceivable ways as He was led to the cross, I imagine they did begin to understand. Jesus chose to be stripped bare and humble Himself in obedience to His Father. God honored His Son’s obedience and there will come a time when all will bow down and confess Jesus as Lord. Thomas Merton, Roman Catholic Priest and Trappist Monk (1915-1968), reminds us: “It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility and its power in the spiritual life. For the beginning of humility is the beginning of blessedness and the consummation of humility is the perfection of all joy. Humility contains in itself the answer to all the great problems of the life of the soul. It is the only key to faith, with which the spiritual life begins: for faith and humility are inseparable. In perfect humility all selfishness disappears and your soul no longer lives for itself or in itself for God: and it is lost and submerged in Him and transformed into Him.” Thank you, Lord that Jesus though He was God in flesh, humbled Himself on our behalf. Help us to become more like Him in every way. Amen. ...
Palm Sunday, March 28 Isaiah 52:13-15 13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you...
Monday in Holy Week, March 29 Isaiah 53:1-6 1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned...
Friday, March 26 John 12:20-26 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. “Be fruitful and multiply.” Most of us would recognize this as God’s command to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, shortly after their creation. But he gives this same command to Christians in the new creation, and Jesus is the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:42-49). Bear much fruit. Multiply and fill the earth with the glory of God. How can we accomplish such a monumental task? Jesus has shown us the way. It is the way of the cross. The way of the cross is the way of death to self. Jesus says it so succinctly, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” We cannot follow Jesus and cling to our life in this world. If we serve him, we must follow him to the cross and die to ourselves, for as St. Francis of Assisi said in his famous prayer, “it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” It is in dying to ourselves that we can bear much fruit for the kingdom of God. What is holding you back from bearing fruit? Lord Jesus, you are the Way to eternal life. By your blood shed for us on the cross you purchased us for yourself, and you invite us to follow you to the cross and put our sins and old life to death that we might live with you forever. Grant us the grace to do this, that we might bear much fruit and bring honor and glory to your name. Amen. ...
Saturday, March 27 John 12:27-33 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. When Jesus says that he will be lifted up from the earth and draw all people to himself, we hear echoes of Numbers 21 when the people of Israel, because of their sin, are suffering from serpent bites. God then instructs Moses to erect a bronze serpent to which the people only have to look, and they will be healed from their ailment. Jesus says in John 3:14-15: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” And then here, in John chapter 12, Jesus reiterates his being lifted up to “draw all people to himself.” This is an incredibly difficult moment to read and to ponder. What kind of Father is glorified by the death of his son? And what type of son, who created the universe, willingly leaves his heavenly dominion to live a life in poverty and be put to death? And yet, we know that all of this is for our good, for our healing. If only we look and believe. If any moment renders us to worship, it is certainly this one. The courage, the humility, the surrender. Sometimes, worship is in words, and sometimes worship is in silence and awe. In your mind’s eye, picture Jesus “lifted up” on the cross. Spend a moment there before your Savior in worship. Words are not needed. Let the gravity of the moment sink in, and the truth of who Jesus is and what he chose to do sink in. Lord, thank you that you love me unconditionally and that you made a way for me to know and love you. I am in awe. Amen. ...
Wednesday, March 24 Psalm 51:14-19 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. God calls David “a man after my own heart.” Yet David was a deeply flawed man. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and to conceal that sin, David had Uriah (her husband) killed in battle. This is likely the bloodguiltiness that David refers to in v. 14. How can such a man be a man after God’s own heart? Perhaps because David acknowledged his sin: he had a broken and contrite heart before God. “A heart crushed is a fragrant heart. Men contemn those who are contemptible in their own eyes, but the Lord seeth not as man seeth. He despises what men esteem, and values that which they despise. Never yet has God spurned a lowly, weeping penitent, and never will he while God is love, and while Jesus is called the man who receiveth sinners.” -- Charles Spurgeon God does not look at our broken and contrite heart as the world does. He delights in it because it proves that we understand our need for Him. So, come to the throne of God with a broken and contrite heart with confidence that you will not be spurned. If God can forgive David of adultery and murder, He is perfectly capable of forgiving you of your sin. What a comforting thought that no sin is too big for God’s forgiveness! Or as Richard Sibbs put it “there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.” Lastly, note how David responds to God’s mercy. In vv. 14-15, David praises the God of his salvation. May the magnitude of God’s salvation cause us to praise Him! Father God, we come to You with broken and contrite hearts. We acknowledge that we need Your salvation. And we praise You that there is more mercy in Your Son than sin in us! Amen. . ...
Thursday, March 25 Hebrews 5:1-10 1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; 6 as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Priests often made sacrifices for the people in the Old Testament. It was the only way to atone for their sins. They were stuck in the law. This is where grace comes in for us Christians because Jesus is the ultimate high priest. Unlike the Old Testament priests, He only had to make one sacrifice. One sacrifice that was eternal. One sacrifice that did not need to be resubscribed to, a steadfast sacrifice. That sacrifice is what we are marching toward in Lent. And this march involves praises for freedom but at the same time was formed from immense pain and tears. A march that involves a pavement not made of concrete but blood of a blameless lamb. At the same time a pavement formed of obedience. This is what our march to the cross is built on. It is not something pretty and our own walk emulates it, of course not to the same degree. So, take this image and ponder it today. I’m a visual person, so take a stroll on some pavement. Ponder the pain but also the grace. Ponder the road to the cross. Ponder the finale and give thanksgiving to God. Lord we give Thanksgiving for the finale, the final and last sacrifice that our High Priest gave. Help to see the blood and pain. Help us to see the hope. Help us to see the eternal. Amen ...
Monday, March 22 Psalm 51:1-6 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. “Mercy occurs when the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” (Fil Anderson, Renovare podcast) This passage is all about God’s mercy. David’s sins were some of the worst: premeditated murder, adultery, deceit, all done to others but ultimately God is the one who was sinned against. We have no right to expect anything from God just like David, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) God forgave David because he acknowledged that he was born a sinner and fell on his face in repentance. David knew he would have to live the rest of his life with the consequences of these sins. David also knew God was a God of mercy and would forgive him if he asked sincerely. Contrast that with Judas Iscariot who after betraying Jesus saw no hope, only despair. So, in despair of what he had done, he went and hanged himself. But we can be like David and accept God’s mercy freely given when he sent his Son to die for us and remove our sin. Hallelujah! I will love you, O Lord, and thank you and confess to your name because you have forgiven my greatly wicked deeds. To your grace I ascribe it, and to your mercy, that you have melted away my sins as if they were ice. --Augustine’s Confessions 2.15 (44) ...
Tuesday, March 23 Psalm 51:7-13 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, ...
Keep ReadingSaturday, March 20 John 6:1-15 1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus wen...
Keep ReadingFifth Sunday, March 21 Jeremiah 31:31-34 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them ...
Keep ReadingFriday, March 19 Ephesians 2:1-10 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobed...
Keep ReadingThursday, March 18 Psalm 122:6-9 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! 7 Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” 8 For my brothers and companions' sake I will say, “Peace be ...
Keep ReadingWednesday, March 17 Psalm 122:1-5 1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem...
Keep ReadingTuesday, March 16 2 Chron 36:22-23 22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throug...
Keep ReadingFourth Sunday, March 14 2 Chronicles 36:14-16 14 All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem. 15 The Lord, ...
Keep ReadingMonday, March 15 2 Chronicles 36:17-21 17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them a...
Keep ReadingFriday, March 12 Romans 7:21-25 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my ...
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