Category: faith

God’s Wisdom

James 1-2

Devotion by Juliet Taylor (Tennessee)

How do you want to be known? James calls himself, “a slave to God and to the Lord Jesus the Christ.” Though we’re no longer slaves, but friends of Christ, it is a great grand opening to talking about how to be perfect, which is in doing the will of God until the end of our lives (because we’ve become people who really want to)!

James is writing to the 12 tribes dispersed abroad, so in other words, he’s writing to Jewish Christians in various lands. I’m not sure what persecution was going on at the time of James’s writing, but we have seen in other books of the Bible that spreading the Gospel put a target on Christians. James gives his brethren what they need to endure whatever happens to them to the end of their lives. He gives them God’s wisdom.

James encourages his brethren to consider various trials with joy, as a testing of their faith, as it produces endurance, which results in perfection. These words point my thoughts to Jesus in the garden. What was about to happen to him was happening because others hated him for what he spoke and did, and they wanted his influence to stop. They were jealous.

Jesus was in agony thinking about the cross and thinking about the disciples and early Christians who were about to be scattered for his sake, that James may be writing to now. He endured the cross by thinking about what would be accomplished because of this final trial.

This is how you endure hardships for the Lord; you think about all of the people you will influence by following Jesus’s example so that they too can desire to love like Jesus and be saved. This perspective can bring you joy. Changing your mind to have this perspective during various trials is wisdom from God.

But if we lack wisdom about what to do, especially during hardships, all we need do is ask and God will be generous to teach us his ways. But we must ask in faith, without doubting.

We shouldn’t doubt that he’ll give us wisdom about what to do when we ask because he’s proven that he’s a good God and father, who teaches us his ways for our own good. A good father won’t give his children something that’s going to harm them when they ask for something they desire, right (Luke 11:11-13)? Of course not. He’s going to give them what they need (though it may not always seem like it, such as in the case of Jesus going to the cross).

If you doubt that God is going to give you wisdom for your own good, and instead will give you wisdom that will harm you or make your situation worse (e.g., Massah & Meribah), you’re showing him that you don’t trust him. You’re like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. You’re not going to get anything from him if you don’t trust him.  

James goes on to teach the dispersed brethren a bit of wisdom that we can all heed. I think it is the wisdom of God that’s of utmost importance for us to follow as his disciples. We’re not given a set of laws we must follow in the New Covenant, but we are given wisdom. Let’s desire it like Solomon did and do it like Jesus did:  

A poor man knows that God is his provider. He can glory in his humility (glory in that he seeks God’s wisdom for his survival). But a rich man that does not rely on God for his means and pursues what he wants for his own personal gain can glory in his humiliation. He’s not going to make it to the Kingdom of God without seeking the father’s wisdom about his provisions (or his abundance).

Know that this life comes with trials. Trust in God’s wisdom to get through it and let it shape you into the kingdom citizen God wants you to be, so that you won’t be a person that desires harm to come to anyone, rather, you’ll be a person who loves like his son. In the end, your crown of life will be waiting.

Understand that when temptation comes, it didn’t come from God. It came because our world has been shaped by people who didn’t always choose God’s will. It came because there is a devil lurking about, persuading people to choose to eat of the tree that’s choosing their own wisdom about what’s good and evil, and then they do evil, which affects everyone. It came because we ourselves don’t always choose God’s will. Our own lust breeds sin that will always lead to death. But choosing God’s wisdom about what we should do to overcome our lust (our own will) approves us as one who wants God as our judge when we do what God says is good.

Every good and perfect gift given comes down from the father above (meaning, it was given by God, and it was his will). It was his will that he brought us forth by the word of truth (his wisdom about creating us new in Christ), that we would be a kind of first fruits among his creation. So be the first fruits you were meant to be, as lights to the world like his son.

You already know God’s word, so put away what remains of filthiness in your life that will prevent you from seeking God’s wisdom and doing his will. Be quick to hear from God, slow to speak, and slow to anger so that you will be a person prepared to receive the word implanted, which is his wisdom about what you should do to save your soul (and your neighbor’s soul).

If you hear the word of God (God’s wisdom about what you should do) but then fail to do it, you’re like someone who looks at himself in a mirror (hearing the word only), but then walks away, forgetting what he looks like. I equate this with going to church, getting filled with the Holy Spirit to do God’s will, then forgetting that you are a child of God throughout the week, and that you were meant to shine for others to see through your works. We need to actually do what we hear. That’s the word implanted. It’s continually being filled by the holy spirit so that we can walk by it (action).

Instead of looking at yourself in the mirror, look intently at the perfect law of liberty, to love as Jesus loved, so that you won’t be an effectual hearer only of the word, but a doer. Notice in this example that there’s no walking away, in contrast to the mirror. You look intently at it so that you won’t walk away and forget. Your eyes are continually fixed upon the law that says to do something, for loves sake, to save others, just like Jesus did.

Bridle your tongue to let God’s wisdom about what you should do prevail and guide you (by being quick to hear when you ask, slow to speak so that you’re sure you’re speaking God’s will and not your own, and slow to anger – God’s will about what you should do isn’t going to be to tell you to get angry, for the most part, because anger does not bring about the righteousness of God). Your own tongue can deceive you into thinking that you’re doing God’s will, but it’s just lip service if you’re not doing what God says to do.

Pure and undefiled religion is in the doing of God’s will continually, instead of our own (which is sinning). Doing God’s will will keep us unstained by the world. For Jesus, pure and undefiled religion was laying down his life for us. For us, it may be to love orphans and widows in their distress by visiting them and giving them what they need. It can be loving anyone in distress by visiting them to help them, especially the brethren.   

Don’t just do good for those who society favors. If you do, you’ve chosen to be the judge of who’s deserving of God’s royal treatment, rather than relying on his wisdom about it. God favors those who favor him, who are generally the poor, because they’re humble (they rely on God for his wisdom instead of the rich, who generally rely on their wealth).

If you show partiality by way of how you treat the poor compared to the rich, then you’ve dishonored the poor. And for what? The favor you show to the rich goes to people who oppress you. They are those who have no problem dragging you into court when an issue arises, and will there blaspheme your name to win a case against you.

If you are fulfilling the royal law from scripture (Lev 19:18), “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well, because that’s God’s will (and in so doing, you fulfill all the Law of Moses and the prophets (Mat. 7:12; 22:40 with the Shema)).

If you show partiality however, that is sin. It is sin because you’re using your own wisdom/being the judge of who’s deserving of God’s royal treatment (who gets your love and who doesn’t?). It is better to be merciful to the poor than to judge them unworthy of your mercy by way of how you treat them.

And if you sin in this way, you are guilty of sin and are convicted as a violator of the Law (of Moses, I think; but also of the law of liberty). Not showing partiality is a moral law we should still “follow” under the law of liberty because we want all people to enter the kingdom of God. Treating the poor as well as we treat the rich just may show them the love of Christ, planting a seed of faith/trust that will bring them to the kingdom.

Jesus explained how to do this with some of the laws from the Law of Moses in his Sermon on the Mount. Here it looks like James is doing it with the law against showing partiality. The wisdom from God then, is the same wisdom from God under the New Covenant regarding how to fulfill this commandment. It’s in loving your neighbor as yourself – not just the rich and influential.  

Under the New Covenant, we are to speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty, serving all with God’s royal treatment (treat them how you’d want to be treated because you are motivated by love to get them into the kingdom).

If you committed the sin of showing partiality under the Old Covenant, you would have to repent by making a sacrifice to cover the sin. Under the New Covenant, you need to repent to your high priest Jesus (a much easier yoke), and stop showing partiality because you realize that you want the poor to know the love of Jesus and enter the Kingdom of God as much as you want to. If you don’t show them mercy, God will not show mercy to you on the day of judgment.

You can’t rightly say you have faith without works that are evident of your faith. Your works are how you treat people based on whose will you decide to follow. If someone says he has faith but no works, it is like telling the cold and hungry person who asked you for food to, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” without actually giving him anything. This is worthless if you don’t give him what he needs when you are able.

Belief that something is true is not enough for justification’s sake. Take the belief that God is one for example. The demons believe this to be true, but shudder. They know the truth, but their actions reveal that they follow their own will and oppose the preaching of faith in Jesus. They shudder because they know they are guilty before a powerful God and will face destruction soon.

Abraham (a Jew) had faith, and so did Rahab (a Gentile). They believed that God was able to fulfill his promises to them for their good (or that God’s people would fulfill their promise because of who their God was in Rahab’s case), and so they acted based on their belief. They are included in the promises of God because of this. Likewise, let’s prove that we have faith by our works, which are acts of love, proving that we are becoming a person like Jesus, who chooses to do God’s will for the good of all; for loves sake.

QUESTIONS

1. Do you think that the sins of others in times past have affected your walk with God? If so, how can you change that so that you will affect others with the good you do?

2. Do you think the Royal law is the same as the law of liberty/freedom?

3. If we are guilty of a sin (like showing partiality) under the law of liberty/freedom, how does our high priest Jesus differ in how our sin is handled from the high priest under the Old Covenant?

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Spirit Led to Do God’s Will

Acts 13-14 

Devotion by Juliet Taylor (Tennessee)

Acts chapters 13 and 14 are about the people of God continuing to do what Christ followers are supposed to do; to be led by the spirit to do God’s will.  

The prophets and teachers in Antioch were ministering to the Lord and fasting. Because of this, they were given revelation by the spirit to “set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” They confirmed this revelation by fasting and praying. They then laid hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them on their way to do the Lord’s bidding.  

They started their proclamation of the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews and spread the word of God throughout the whole island. The proconsul (similar to a governor) wanted to hear the word but his magician/false prophet companion opposed the word, attempting to keep the proconsul from the faith.  

Paul, full of the holy spirit, rebuked the false prophet saying, “you who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.”  

The consequence for opposing the spreading of the word to the leader of the region was blindness for a time! The proconsul believed after witnessing this miracle, but it was the teaching of the Lord that had him amazed. 

They continued their journey to Pisidian Antioch and on the Sabbath day, they were given the floor to preach the Gospel to the Jews in the synagogue. Read Paul’s words carefully, as the preaching of the gospel seems to highlight different aspects of it depending on Paul’s audience.   

To the Jews, he begins with God’s choosing of their fathers to be his people and ends with the good news of the fulfillment of the promise to their fathers, by raising Jesus from the dead so that he wouldn’t undergo decay. And because of this fulfillment, through Jesus, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed. And through Jesus, everyone who believes is freed from all things, which they could not be freed from through the Law of Moses.  

The response to this was to beg them to return the next Sabbath day to preach about these things. When they did, an even bigger audience gathered to hear the word. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they became jealous and tried to persecute them. Take note that this may happen when you’re doing God’s will. Be prepared and do what the early Christians who did better did; pray, fast, preach, keep seeking the Lord’s guidance to do God’s will.  

To them Paul and Barnabas said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, 

‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, 
That You may [ab]bring salvation to the end of the earth.’” 

* I take note that these words were first spoken in the Old Testament, prophesying about Jesus. Here, the same words are applied to Paul and Barnabas. We should become comfortable understanding that this happens a lot in the Bible. It helps to cut through confusion. 

The Gentiles responded to this by rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord and it was spread throughout the whole region. But the jealous Jews incited the prominent women and men to persecute Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district.  

The disciples shook off the dust of their feet and went to another city, continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

In the next region, both Jews and Greeks heard the word and believed. And as it happened in other cities, unbelieving Jews caused trouble. Here they “stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brothers.” Instead of dusting off their feet and moving on, they relied on the Lord to speak boldly, remaining there for a long time. Here they were granted signs and wonders to be performed by their hands.    

It’s interesting to note, that even though we know they were filled with the Holy Spirit to do God’s will, here the Lord granted them the ability to do signs and wonders, indicating to me that just having the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean we can do signs and wonders whenever we think we should. It is for when the Lord has need of it.  

Some believed, some did not. Some persecuted them. When they tried to kill them (by stoning), they moved on to another region to preach the gospel.   

While preaching the gospel in the next place, Paul saw that a disabled man had faith to be made well so he healed him. Because of this, the Gentiles called Paul and Barnabas gods and attempted to make sacrifices to them. They tore their clothing and Paul preached the gospel, beginning with parts of the gospel that they could relate to from their culture. Paul told them that there was only one God, the God who created the heavens and earth, and everything in them, and that they must turn from their other gods to the one true God.  

He said that God permitted all the nations to go their own ways; yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. Even so, it was hard for those stuck in their tradition to refrain from offering sacrifices to them.   

Again, the Jews became jealous. They stoned Paul nearly to death and dragged him out of the city. He got up and went to another city to preach, continuing God’s work. He made many disciples. He was able to revisit a church to encourage them to keep the faith, saying that “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” They ended back in Antioch and remained there awhile, reporting on what joyous events happened. They were primarily excited about the new revelation, how God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.  

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

Fasting and praying seem to be great starters for hearing from the Lord so that you can be led by him in the spirit. Have you heard from the Lord after fasting and praying? 

When Paul preached the Gospel to the Jews, he talked about the fulfillment of the promise to their fathers, which was in raising Jesus from the dead so that he wouldn’t undergo decay. And because of this fulfillment, through Jesus, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed. And through Jesus, everyone who believes is freed from all things, which they could not be freed from through the Law of Moses. Gentiles weren’t freed from the Law of Moses because they weren’t a part of that covenant with God. What did Jesus accomplish on the cross for Jews vs. both Jew and Gentile? 

I love how Paul talks to the Gentiles about God’s goodness as a witness to them, even when they didn’t know him. How can we relate things like this to our friends who don’t know God? 

Jealousy seems to be a primary driver of opposition to the word. How can we guard our hearts from becoming jealous of others preaching what they believe to be true who may be gaining followers? 

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The Struggle With New Revelation

Acts 11-12 

Devotion by Juliet Taylor (Tennessee)

It is good to change your beliefs based on revelation you’ve received about God’s word and what it means as it applies to your life, though it can bring on emotions you may not be prepared for. The first revelation I changed my mind about regarding the word of God was hard to handle, as it was a deeply held belief I was taught to accept and defend as truth by trusted individuals (with good intentions). But it was wrong.  

I learned it was wrong by way of other trusted individuals who had studied and changed their minds. They were able to present a good case for the error originally taught. I accepted that I believed something in error, however I didn’t fully understand the new revelation. I was confused. My confusion made me rethink what I had been taught about God and his thoughts about me. Be careful, this can happen to you. 

Thank God for his constant workings in me. The process I went through to cut through the confusion taught me how to not fear being wrong. It taught me to seek God for his wisdom about truth instead of holding on to pride. Pride does come before the fall, but it was good, as I was humbled. I can now handle being wrong. 

What I love most about the things I learned from the reading for this week’s devotional is that God’s wisdom is blaring through the pages. We get to read about how the early Christians struggled with new revelation and what they did about it.  We read about those who fell, those who were humbled, and the approach of those who did better. The better approach was rewarded with more work and a more intimate relationship with God. He gave the humble more of what they sought – his wisdom and power about what to do to spread the Gospel. 

In Acts chapter 11, some Jewish Christians took issue with Peter for eating with uncircumcised men. To convince them that this was God’s will, Peter explained his vision and experience with Cornelius. They listened and responded with the right responses, “When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). What a response. 

After Stephen’s persecution however, fear took hold of some, to the point of stifling the spreading of the Gospel to Jews only. But there were some who took it to the Gentiles in Antioch. To those who didn’t let fear lead them, “the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21).  

Barnabas was sent to witness the workings of God with the Gentiles by those in Jerusalem. When he witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them to remain true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. He brought Paul to them and together they taught the new Christians for an entire year.  

Doing God’s will (preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, teaching them for a year, rejoicing, etc.) brought on many good things for those who were faithful to the news. They received a prophecy that there would be a famine so they behaved like Kingdom bound citizens and gave money to those in need. 

But we know that doing God’s will can also make us targets. King Herod killed the disciple James. This pleased the non-Christian Jews, so he also sought Peter’s life. The church used their powerful weapon of fervent prayer, leading to an angelic rescue of Peter from prison and death. 

Most in these chapters took the news of the new revelation from Peter very well. They rejoiced and accepted the news straight away. They got to work for the Lord, preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles and remaining with them for a time to help them grow.  

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

There were many things the disciples did right when they heard the new revelation from Peter. What are some good actions you can take to help someone so that they don’t fall when learning something new? 

What do you think Barnabas and Paul taught the new Christians in Antioch for the year they stayed with them? 

Herod was eaten by worms and died after an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory when the people he fed cried out, “the voice of a god and not of a man!” Why do you think he was met with this immediate consequence? 

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Unredeemable?

Acts 9-10

Devotion by Rachel Cain (Ohio)

Saul was hell-bent on getting rid of those pesky “little Christs” by any means necessary. But as he marched to Damascus to arrest any he could find, Saul was literally blindsided by Jesus. Ananias, aware that Saul was in the area to persecute The Way but willing to obey God’s call to reach out to Saul anyway, bravely befriended blind Saul, which ironically helped Saul to see more clearly than he ever had before. Just as Jesus spent three days physically dead and then was resurrected, Saul’s three days of visual darkness prepared him to be resurrected to a new kind of life as a bold follower of Jesus, one of the most prolific missionaries the world has ever known. Saul realized that though he followed the law and had an impressive resume, he was actually the worst of all sinners. It was this outpouring of God’s amazing grace that created such dramatic change. 

I always assumed that Saul’s name was changed to Paul to represent this big change in his life, much like Abram to Abraham, but in reality the two names were just different versions of the same name: Saul (or “Sha’ul”) was a Hebrew name, and Paul was the equivalent name in Roman circles. As a Jewish Roman citizen, he would have been called both names. The fact that the New Testament increasingly refers to him as Paul probably indicates his growing involvement in the Gentile world. 

Speaking of Gentiles… God gave Peter quite an obscure vision (Acts 10:9-16) which left him befuddled. Finally, in verse 28, he seemed to figure out the meaning: “God has shown me not to call any person common or unclean.” Jews had sometimes viewed Gentiles as unclean, but now Peter had confirmation from God that the hope of Jesus is for Gentiles too. 

Some Jewish people still thought that Jesus had come only for their race, their “clean” kind. This might sound silly, but some today still try to discriminate against those who can go to a church or be saved based on how “clean” their lives are. We too can be prone to unconsciously judge people’s faith by the unnatural color of their hair, the number of tattoos or piercings, clothing choices, marital status, past mistakes, etc. It’s important to remember that “man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). I suspect that some churches wouldn’t recognize or welcome even Jesus himself if he came through their doors. 

God had created Saul with such passion, and God knew if he could just channel that passion for saving Christians instead of killing them, the wonderful Gospel could spread. What a testimony! God brings Saul to my mind every time my finite, sinful, human, faith-lacking brain tries to label someone as unredeemable. 

What if we took the time to hear the stories of people who look different from us, to listen to stories of how Jesus has changed their lives, to experience their excitement as they learn things about Jesus that we take for granted because we’ve heard it so many times? Jesus came for all of us. We all are in need of the saving grace of Jesus.

I love to hear 180 stories – people who were completely changed, “flipped turned upside down” – because of Jesus. Some of us were raised in Christian homes and grew up in church and don’t have a dramatic testimony, but that doesn’t make our faith any less valid! We as humans can tend to think that someone is too far gone, but God… God can change the unchangeable, love the unloveable, save the unsaveable – and all of those would be all of us, if not for His mercy. 

Reflections: 

Listen to this song and consider how we might overlook Jesus if he were here with us today. 

Have you had a spiritual epiphany or eureka moment? It’s probably not quite as dramatic as that of Saul, but still very important. Write it down and share it with someone to show how your life has been changed by God! 

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Shifting Our Perspective

Acts 1-3

Devotion by Kaitlyn Hamilton (Michigan – and Indiana)

One of my close friends in high school, while dealing with the loss of someone she knew, asked me the question, “Is it a bad thing that I’m concerned about his soul for eternity?”  This question, this concern, about a soul’s place in eternity is something that many people often consider when faced with the loss of someone they know.  This is great and all, but there’s one big problem with this – for many people, this is the only time they seriously consider what is going to happen to people in the grand scheme of eternity.  Do you spend significant time considering the number of people around you who you know aren’t part of the church?  But, it’s not enough just to consider it; once we realize the large quantity of people that we care about who are currently on the path of destruction for eternity, we should be ready to do something about it.

In reading Acts 2, we see that Peter recognized what was at stake.  The same person, who earlier, was too afraid to be associated with Jesus for fear of his life, takes a stand before a large crowd of people, including a group who were mocking them saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” (Acts 2:13)  Peter chose to shift his perspective away from the thoughts of the world, of what this crowd could do to him if they disliked his message, of what these same people did to Jesus only 53 days earlier.  Instead, he shifted his perspective towards that of God’s will, focused on the message these people needed to hear.  In Acts 2:22-24, instead of focusing on how to keep peace with all the men who Peter knew, instead of trying to remain on agreeable terms as friends, Peter was willing to stand up for his faith, was willing to tell the Jews gathered in Jerusalem the truth of what their actions did.  The Messiah that they had been watching for all their lives and the lives of all their parents and grandparents and all their ancestors before them, they had put to death, they had crucified.  Can you imagine having the courage to stand before just one person and telling them that their actions, their sins, were the reason that an innocent man was put to death?  But, Peter didn’t just tell one person, he told a huge crowd – a crowd that should they be angry enough could easily turn into a mob and kill him.  This choice to tell everyone the truth about Jesus, the Messiah, and what they had done to him, took courage that comes only from shifting your perspective away from the worries of this world to that of the hope and peace that come from God.

What would happen if we all shifted our perspective like Peter did?  If we all chose to focus on God’s will for our life instead of the fears that try to stop us from seeking him?

What would happen if we were willing to all stand up for our faith to everyone we know?

What would happen if we let everyone know that we were Christians and weren’t willing to budge on any of our morals?

What type of revival would we see if we did all this?  

Peter saw a revival that day of 3,000 people.  Imagine just how big of a revival we would see if we all chose to stand up together and proclaim our faith.  It’s not going to be easy.  It means going against your human nature.  It’s not going to be automatic.  It won’t be a switch being flipped overnight.  But, it will change you and the world.  So, I encourage you to start shifting your perspective today, to start recognizing what is at stake, and to start standing up for your faith today!

Reflection Questions

  1. What could it look like for you to stand up for your faith today, and the rest of this week, month, year, life?
  2. What fears do you think Peter might have had to overcome that day? What fears do you currently have about boldly proclaiming your faith? How might Peter respond to you if you could discuss with him about your fears? How do you think Jesus, or Jesus’ Father, would respond if you were to tell them about these fears? Go ahead, tell them and pray about it.
  3. What “Helper” was assisting Peter? (Hint: it wasn’t wine.) What benefits does this Helper provide? Do you use the same Helper?
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Unmet Expectations

Luke 24 & John 20-21

Devotion by Rachel Cain (Ohio)

Unmet expectations are a leading cause of relational conflicts. 

Sometimes the expectations were simply not communicated, so the offending person had no idea what was expected. Other times the expectation was communicated but not met, such as a broken promise. Sometimes it is no fault of anyone, but life and happenstance got in the way of the anticipated outcome. 

In the case of Jesus’ resurrection, multiple prophecies and even Jesus himself foretold what would happen, but still the disciples had their expectations shattered: “We had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Israel!” (Luke 24:21). 

They were disappointed in Jesus because their expectations did not match his reality. The disciples, among others, had believed he was the Messiah, but then they were confused when he didn’t fix their political problem by conquering the Romans and establishing an earthly kingdom – even though he had never promised to do those things. He had a much larger spiritual plan to save all of humanity by conquering the sin within their hearts. Perhaps they didn’t understand God’s big-picture promise of an eternal Kingdom. 

Today we look back with disbelief on their disbelief. DUH! Of course he’s the Messiah! Why couldn’t they just listen to him and recognize him and his plan? But how many of us today fail to recognize Jesus and his mission because it looks different than we expect? 

I think sometimes we expect a clean-cut Jesus, tidy Christians, an easy life. But none of that is promised; in fact, following Jesus guarantees quite the opposite (see John 16:33). How often do we fail to recognize the gifts of God because they don’t come packaged the way we expect? Can we see the blessing of prayers that were not answered the way we asked? Do we see every person – annoying, incarcerated, stinky, unborn, elderly, troubled, or just plain “different” – as God’s precious children, and view every interaction with them as a mission for the Kingdom? 

It’s so easy to be hostile toward fellow Christians over all kinds of unmet expectations – differing doctrines or political views, whether or not Christians should be involved in this activity or celebrate that holiday, etc. We definitely should encourage each other to keep seeking Jesus in these and all areas of our lives, but if we just put half that energy we use fighting one another into uniting to spread the love of Jesus to a hurting world, united we could have a tremendous Kingdom impact. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), so we should always expect the unexpected. 

Reflections:

Listen to this song. How have some trials turned out to be unexpected blessings? 

What are some things that you are waiting for with expectant hope, and how can you share that hope with others around you? 

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Just Like He Said!

Matthew 28 & Mark 16

Devotion by Rachel Cain (Ohio)

He is RISEN! 

Here’s where you respond aloud: “He is risen INDEED!”

PS It’s fine to say that phrase throughout the year, not only on a specific Sunday when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. This is the best news in all of history! Sure, every religion’s leader has died or will one day die. But Jesus? He died and was raised back to life eternal! Now THAT is the real deal and something to celebrate! 

I could end right here on such good news! … But I have a few more verses I want to point out. 

* Matthew 28:6 – “He is not here, because he has been raised – just like he said!” 

I used to read this verse in an excited tone, but now I imagine it in a slightly-annoyed, “per my previous email” tone. Have you ever had to mitigate the frustrations of people who are upset with you for something that was clearly stated, but you still have to remain professional? Like when you very clearly texted that you needed to cancel a meeting because you would be out of town – and the person acknowledged that they received the information – but they still checked in at the assumed meeting time annoyed that you were not present for the meeting, and everything in you wanted to just use the pointer finger emoji so they would refer to the previous text about your planned absence, but instead you assumed the blame and simply apologized that you’re still traveling and promised you’ll see them next week? Ok, maybe that was a too-specific run-on example, but that is how my human nature envisions the attitude of the angel in this situation. So it’s a good thing I’m not the translator for this text, because I would probably write this verse as, “GUYS! He is not here, because God raised him back to life, just like he said a gazillion times! Weren’t you paying attention?”

Everything happened just as Jesus said it would and as numerous prophecies had stated – his death, burial, and resurrection – and yet people still were surprised when he showed up alive. Maybe it was because they were too close to the situation and still felt the trauma of seeing their best friend and leader brutally murdered. Maybe it didn’t play out the way they had envisioned or hoped. Maybe they questioned whether or not they’d heard correctly. For some reason or another, maybe they really weren’t expecting the tomb to be empty. 

* Matthew 28:20 – “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations… and surely I will be with you always…”

This eternal hope is for ALL nations, everyone! 

Most likely, the Jewish people would have assumed the Messiah to be only for them, or at least not for the whole world. But Jesus came to bring life to all people who would choose to follow him, not just the descendants of Israel. In this passage, called The Great Commission, Jesus gives the charge to carry on his mission for all time to the ends of the earth. I believe that the “go and make disciples” command still applies to us too. We can make disciples right where we are: in our own jobs, school, communities, homes, and cities.

I’ve always found great comfort in his promise to be with us always. Sometimes, this world seems so hopeless, but we have assurance that we are never truly alone! Praise God that Gentiles are welcome in the Kingdom, too! 

Reflections: 


How do you think you would have reacted if you had found the tomb empty? 

In what ways might God be calling you to actively make disciples? Pray that He would send people into your life to disciple – and you would faithfully disciple them.

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This is Eternal Life

John 16-17

Devotion by JJ Fletcher (Minnesota)

What is eternal life? According to Jesus in John 17:3, it is “knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ”. 

John 17 is often referred to as “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer”. Here we see Jesus praying for the deliverance of his disciples (that they remain in God’s name) and for them to have unity, the same kind of unity that Jesus has with God, his Father. 

John 10:29 quotes Jesus saying, “I and the Father are one”, and I see John 17 as giving that some context. God and Jesus are not one person, they are not one entity, they are not members of a godhead. They are one in purpose. They are united through the will of God and Jesus’ obedience to that will. There is clear subservience to God in Jesus’ words here, but God has also elevated and glorified him. They have a special relationship as we see through Jesus’ prayer life and language. 

Jesus wants his disciples to have that same kind of unity in purpose and in relationship. Jesus also points out that this is not just for the inner circle of his disciples; this unity and deliverance that Jesus is praying for extends to us. All those who came to faith because of the testimony of the Apostles.

There is also an exclusivity claim here. Eternal life is dependent on knowing the true God and his Messiah, Jesus. There are not many paths that lead to God, only one. 

Jesus emphasizes the importance of truth in 17:17-19. As Jesus’ father is the only true God, Jesus recognizes him as the source of truth. He says, “Your word is truth.” Jesus has been the truth bearer throughout the course of his earthly ministry, but soon, his disciples will be bearing that mantle of truth bearers. Jesus is sending them out into the world, just as God sent him into the world. This ties into the Helper that we looked at yesterday.

The Spirit of Truth, the power of God, God’s operational presence, the finger of God. There are a few ways that the spirit is described or defined. But it comes alongside, and that is in Jesus’ mind as he prays for the well-being of his friends and followers. God keep them safe, not from man, but from falling away. 

Reflection Questions:

1.        What jumps out at you from today’s reading? Is there anything here that has been particularly impactful in your faith?

2.        How should the unity that God and Jesus have impact the unity that we have as believers? If our oneness is supposed to be like theirs, how do we navigate disagreements?

3.        You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. I think we read that recently. How does the truth of knowing who God and Jesus are and having the word of truth from God motivate you? Do you often consider the importance of truth in this age of lies?

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The Helper

John 14-15

Devotion by JJ Fletcher (Minnesota)

Life is difficult. Even if we believe we have a good life, there is still difficulty. We face temptation, and we sometimes lose our way. We face pressure, and we lose our cool. We have high expectations for ourselves or others, and they are not met. While we may not feel persecution quite like the early church did, we are still likely to face discouragement as we try to live out our faith.

Think about the disciples after Jesus was arrested and executed. They were huddled up and discouraged. The shock and pain of the moment resonated, unlike some words that Jesus had shared with them not too long before then.

Jesus speaks about a helper in John 14 and 15. Let not your heart be troubled. Easier said than done. We all face things at some point that are troubling, but when we have help, it takes the burden off. Certainly, we can be sad and upset when certain events happen, but there is a difference between sadness and despair. Despair is when you are overcome by fear or grief and lose hope. 

What is this helper that Jesus speaks of? The best kind, one that is a direct line from God. Jesus also calls this the Spirit of Truth. When I think about the spirit in the context that Jesus is speaking of, I think of revelation. Through this spirit, God’s people will receive instruction. We see inspiration to write the gospel accounts like the one we’re gleaning from today, and we’ll see letters from Paul and others that instruct and give order to the church. 

I believe the spirit of God will also reveal things to us about ourselves. As Paul instructs us to pray in the Spirit, I believe that this is one way that we get direction from God. As we earnestly seek his will or desire for our lives (beyond the general instruction of scripture), I believe he will reveal it through his Spirit, the helper.

When we face difficulty, we should also be praying in the spirit. This is what we see Jesus modeling in the days leading up to his death. He is earnestly praying for an out but also relying on his father to give him resolve through the Spirit. When Jesus says, “let not your hearts be troubled”, it’s not a matter of resolve; rather, it is a matter of surrender. Allow the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, to guide you through the trouble.

Reflection Questions:

1.        Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as The Helper; what are some other ways that you think about the Spirit?

2.        How have you felt the presence of God’s spirit in your life? How can you test the spirits of influence to make sure they are from God?

3.        Think of some of the ways that Jesus was helped by the Spirit through his ministry. What are some ways that the Helper can impact our ministries in the local church? Do we look for that help?

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Flesh & Blood

Luke 22 & John 13

Devotion by JJ Fletcher (Minnesota)

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we see him bring a new level of focus and understanding to different laws or topics. When the Pharisees question Jesus about why his disciples are doing something on the Sabbath, Jesus says that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. It was a day to honor and remember God, but it was also a day of rest.

In the lead-up to Jesus’ arrest and trial, we see the hustle and bustle of everyone getting ready for the Passover. Passover was the remembrance and celebration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt and takes its moniker from their firstborn being spared during God’s final plague that killed the firstborn of Egypt.

This was already a day of remembrance and of sharing a meal, but Jesus is giving it a new context as the birth of his church grows near. This will be a time to reflect on the New Covenant. Jesus’ physical blood marks the sealing of the New Covenant, so this cup of wine will be a reminder of his blood that would be poured out just a few days after the meal they were sharing. The bread is a reminder of Jesus’ body, which would be beaten and abused. Breaking the bread is a reminder of how his body would essentially be broken through the abuse and execution that were upcoming.

Today, we get to celebrate the Lord’s Supper under much different circumstances. We have the context that the disciples didn’t. A resurrected Jesus and the testimony of his disciples. We can also celebrate this as often as we’d like, but typically it is monthly (at least in my church). We perhaps do the remembrance part right, but later, Paul talks about the need to examine oneself. We should be examining how we’re doing. Are we doing an okay job living our lives for Jesus, or do we need to refocus? I would add that there is also an element of fellowship here. Typically, we observe the Lord’s Supper during a service, but it would perhaps be a good thing to observe it during a meal. Engaging in meaningful interactions with brothers and sisters during celebration.

One other thing to take away from Jesus’ last supper, he’s doing all this with Judas at the table. He knows what’s about to happen, but he doesn’t let that derail this important gathering. When we are having interpersonal issues in the church, we should be striving to repair what is wrong. We should, however, also be able to set aside our differences as we observe the remembrance of Jesus by fellowshipping and breaking bread together. If Jesus can face Judas, you can face someone who has done far less by comparison.

Reflection Questions:

1.        Is it easy to let communion become a rote practice and not a real time of reflection? How can that be changed?

2.        Have you participated in different ways of observing the Lord’s Supper? Were some practices more impactful than others? Why or why not?

3.        A monthly observance was mentioned earlier. Is there a benefit to observing communion more or less frequently? Why do you think this? If you don’t have an opinion, why do you think someone else might have strong opinions on the frequency of observation?

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