Category: Devotions

FRIDAY 17^th

Ruth 3:1-18

Over the last few days (I’m writing this two weeks ahead so for me it’s Friday 3^rd) there has been a simple little chorus that has been running through my head as I’ve been studying, relaxing and walking, and some may not have even heard it, but it comes from the book of Ruth chapter 3 and verse 9 here it says, ‘He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”’

The context of this story is concerning Ruth who along with her mother-in-law (Naomi) and sister-in-law (Orpah) had been widowed during a time of famine. Ruth had remained faithful to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16) and had returned to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. (Ruth 1:22)

Ruth requested permission from her mother-in-law, Naomi to go and to glean barley. Permission given she ended up gleaning in the field of one of Naomi’s family members called Boaz. The story moves on and the subject of a ‘redeemer’ crops (excuse the harvest pun) up.

What is meant by the word ‘redeemer’ in this context? In Jewish law it comes from the responsibility of a family member to marry the widow of a family member who has died and to redeem their fields if they had to sell them, to keep property within the family and to raise up a child and to keep the family connection.

In our text Ruth was going to seek ‘her redeemer’ and under Naomi’s instruction was going to see if Boaz would take up the responsibility. (take some time to read the whole book). This brings us to 3:9.

But Boaz, tells Ruth that although he is a family redeemer, there is one who is a closer family member than he who should be taking up the responsibility. (3:12) So in the next chapter they give opportunity for the closer relative to be the redeemer, if he doesn’t wish to take up the responsibility, then Boaz will. The end result is that the closer relative declines (4:1-8) and gives his permission for Boaz to redeem and he eventually takes Ruth to be his wife and they eventually have a child who was called Obed who was the father of Jesse who in turn was the father of David and the rest as they say is history which has led to ‘our redemption story’ through David’s greater Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, what about the chorus? I have to be honest because of the words I assumed it must have come from the KJV translation until I turned to check, then the NIV, until I turned to check and then I checked a few more and decided that whoever wrote the chorus had made their own translation! Here it is: (I wonder how many of you had already guessed?)

‘Cover me, Cover me,

extend the border of your mantle over me,

for you are my nearest kinsman,

cover me, cover me, cover me.’

It is a chorus that causes us to cry out to our redeemer, to cover us or to redeem us, to bring us into His family. And our Redeemer is David’s greater Son, the one whose earthly parentage comes from the very one who covered Ruth in the threshing mill, the One who came to redeem us, to buy us back, to bring us close to himself and into His family. As a result, we can declare with confidence today, because of our Redeemer, I am a child of God, he calls my name.

As a result of the little chorus, I have been thinking about the word ‘cover’ and we will turn to it again tomorrow. Today, rejoice that we have been redeemed.

Redeemed–how I love to proclaim it!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed through His infinite mercy,

His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed, redeemed,

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed, redeemed,

His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus,

No language my rapture can tell;

I know that the light of His presence

With me doth continually dwell.

I think of my blessed Redeemer,

I think of Him all the day long;

I sing, for I cannot be silent;

His love is the theme of my song.

I know I shall see in His beauty

The King in whose way I delight;

Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,

And giveth me songs in the night.

^{Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher  CCLI 788682}

THURSDAY 16^th

John 21:1-14

Another familiar portion of Scripture today which I am not going to spend the devotion going through in its entirety but to go to verse 12, ‘And Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”’ Jesus then shared with them some bread and fish.

This account is the third time that Jesus has revealed himself to the disciples, post resurrection.

In yesterday’s devotion, the two men had taken supper with Jesus, in today’s devotion the seven who had gone fishing were having breakfast with Jesus.

I’m not so sure that I would have been very impressed with the breakfast menu ‘fish and bread’ as I am not a lover of fish, I would have preferred a ‘Subway’ breakfast or a ‘sausage McMuffin’ but I guess to have it served by Jesus himself would have been something special and so it would have been impolite to say no. And anyway, if it has come from Jesus, then ‘what harm could it do me?’

I remember going to visit someone from the Church where I was at that time pastoring and I took one of our sons with me. The host had made us some sandwiches to have with a cup of tea, and guess what they were?  ‘tuna’ sandwiches. I don’t like ‘tuna’. When I say don’t like tuna you can underline it and put it in bold letters, I don’t like tuna!  But what made matters worse not only did I not like ‘tuna’ but neither did our son! What were we going to do?

Well, first, I for the sake of politeness decided I would eat mine as fast as I could without it touching the sides as the saying goes, so while the host was out in the kitchen that is what I did. Then a bigger problem, our son was not going to eat his sandwiches, what to do with them? ‘You’ll have to eat it dad,’ he whispered to me, and so mustering all the enthusiasm I could, which was zero, down his sandwiches went as well! An even bigger problem – remember I said one Sunday morning how I like my jam to be put lavishly on my toast? Well, the host had been more than generous and lavish with the tuna and I felt yukky afterwards. But guess what, I survived! I have lived to tell the tale, I didn’t like the tuna, but it didn’t harm me.

Jesus invites us to ‘Come’.

In the Old Testament we are encouraged to:

‘Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD; though your sins are like scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.’ (Isaiah 1:18)

 ‘Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.’ (Isaiah 55:1)

In the New Testament we are encouraged to:

 ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”’ (Matthew 11:28-30)

The ‘COME’ I want to highlight is this one: (sadly my ESV doesn’t have the word come)

 ‘“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”’ (Mark 1:17 NIV2011)

Oh dear! Fish again!

Jesus invites us to ‘come,’ not to have a bread and fish breakfast, but to go and fish, to go on a journey with him. See the Christian journey isn’t a picnic, it isn’t a walk in the park, but one thing is for sure it is the only journey in life that we can take that will arrive at the right destination. Everything else that the world has to offer leads to a dead end, as the Bible says, to destruction. But the journey Jesus calls us or invites us onto when he calls ‘come’ is the journey that leads to life everlasting. (Matthew 7:13-14 ‘“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.’)

As he called the disciples, so he calls each one of us. But the journey isn’t always going to be easy, there may be times when the going gets tough, it may require us to go places, say things, do things etc. which at the time won’t be easy. But there is one thing that is sure, if he has called and we obey he will be with us. It may require us to go through unpleasant circumstances, trying times and tribulation but if what life throws out at us has been served up by the Saviour himself, we will not come to any harm. For as we obey him and walk in his way, he will be with us.

Yes, if I had been at the breakfast I would much preferred to have made my own choice and so often we want to make our own choices in life, but if fish is what is on the menu of God’s will then fish it must be, even if it’s tuna!

Jesus has a table spread

Where the saints of God are fed,

He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;

With His manna He doth feed

And supplies our every need:

Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!

“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;

You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;

He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,

To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

The disciples came to land,

Thus obeying Christ’s command,

For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;

There they found their heart’s desire,

Bread and fish upon the fire;

Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.

Soon the Lamb will take His bride

To be ever at His side,

All the host of heaven will assembled be;

Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight,

All the saints in spotless white;

And with Jesus they will feast eternally.

^{Charles B. Widmeyer CCLI 788682}

WEDNESDAY 15^th

Luke 24:13-35

Today’s reading is a familiar passage of Scripture. It follows on from the verses reporting the discovery by Mary and the ladies who were with her of the empty tomb, and the message they had heard ‘He is not here, but has risen.’ They then went to report to the disciples.

When the ladies told the disciples about the empty tomb, there is a phrase used that tells us what the disciples thought on hearing the news – ‘but these words seemed to them an idle tale.’(v11) In other words, the news that ‘Jesus was alive’ seemed like a fairy tale.  Thankfully the disciples soon discovered it was true as Jesus began to appear to them in various ways.

It is very much the same today, when we declare the good news of the gospel, the news that Jesus has died for sin and risen again for our justification, the majority think we are ‘talking idle tales’. But thank God we have come to believe, and we pray that many more will come to believe as Jesus makes himself known to them.

In our Scripture for today we have the account of the two on the road to Emmaus. Scripture tells us they were on a seven-mile journey, which gave them plenty of time to talk about the events from over the last few days.

They had heard the news that Jesus was alive, but they hadn’t yet seen him – or so they thought! For, as they walked and talked a stranger caught up with them and began to join in the conversation. This third person wanted to know what they were talking about, and the two men it says, ‘stood still, looking sad.’ They answer the third man by saying (in my own words) ‘Are you for real, don’t you have a clue about what’s been going on in Jerusalem the last few days?’ Then the third person says, ‘What things?’ The two then continued to explain about Jesus of Nazareth and the events of the few days. It makes me chuckle when I read the story, as they tell this man everything and yet at the same time, he already knows! Then he responds to them, ‘O foolish ones . . . and beginning at Moses he tells them the whole story of God’s plan concerning himself’ 

It must have been the most incredible Bible Study, only three in attendance, while on the move and the one teaching was the greatest teacher of all time.

The study and the journey came to an end and as the third man was seeming to want to go further on, they invite him to come and stay and have supper with them. V30-31 ‘When he was at the table with them, he took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him. And he vanished from their sight.’ I love the next verse when the two men comment to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scripture.’ Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to have had this experience, and yet whenever we hear God’s Word read, or taught, or preached it should excite us because it is living and powerful.

They had started the journey almost clueless, they knew about the events of the cross, they had heard about the empty tomb and suddenly on their journey even without realising it they had had a spectacular conversation with Jesus and then at the point of supper they recognised and knew who he was. For us, we may have started our Christian journey clueless, but bit by bit, step by step, little by little, through various means and methods the Holy Spirit reveals himself to us, and teaches us so that the further we go the more we see and know of Jesus.

And after supper, they went to bed, excited but tired from their journey, to have a rest and to mull over in their minds what had happened.

No, not at all, the Scripture continues, they went the same hour, that is straightaway and returned the seven miles back to Jerusalem, to find the disciples and to share the news, ‘The Lord has risen indeed’ and then told them how he was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Why go straight away, why not wait until the morning, who could have blamed them, they had already walked seven miles. Well, the news was too good to keep to themselves, they were excited that Jesus was alive and that they had seen him and had met with him and had talked with him and had eaten with him, so excited they wanted to immediately tell others.

This reminds me of an Old Testament verse in 2 Kings 7:9 ‘Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.”’

May God touch our hearts in such a way that it will cause us to be so excited again about the gospel and our own personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ that we won’t be willing to just wait for opportunities to share but rather that we will make the opportunities to share. Willing to go not necessarily seven miles but even seven feet (remember we need to keep six feet between at the moment 😊) to share the gospel with someone.

Make me a channel of Your peace

Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love

Where there is injury, Your pardon Lord

And where there’s doubt, true faith in You

Make me a channel of Your peace

Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope

Where there is darkness, only light

And where there’s sadness, ever joy

Oh Master, grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of Your peace

It is pardoning that we are pardoned

In giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we’re born to eternal life

Make me a channel of Your peace

Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope

Where there is darkness, only light

And where there’s sadness, ever joy

^{Songwriters: TRADITIONAL, JON COHEN}

^{© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC CCLI 788682}

TUESDAY 14th

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

We continue where we left off yesterday and go straight into the next point.

3.The Imperishable future of the believer verses 35, 42 – 54

I just love these verses. They speak so clearly and powerfully of the resurrection of the body. At the point of believing / coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the spirit which was spiritually dead because of sin is made alive, but the body still undergoes the effects of sin upon the human-race. Believers and unbelievers alike perish outwardly. In various degrees we all know sickness, we all know suffering, we all know pain, and we will all know death and decay. But the wonder of this gospel that Paul preached is that there is going to be a wonderful glorious resurrection of the body, reunited with the spirit / soul in the presence of Jesus.

It doesn’t matter how the human remains have been disposed of, nor how long the body has been decaying for, or where the ashes may have been scattered. Our God is all powerful and just as he formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathed the breathe of life in him at creation so on the day of the resurrection this same power will raise the mortal remains and give life to our mortal bodies. In Romans 8:11 we read: ‘If the same Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.’ And what a transformation, as seen here in these verses in 1 Cor 15:42-44, 51-55 and summed up in Revelation 21, ‘He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’

We have all seen how much pain many have suffered even perhaps ourselves here in our mortal bodies, but thanks be to God the day is coming when all suffering will be over, one day when the trumpet sounds our bodies will be raised imperishable, raised in glory, raised in power, raised a spiritual, glorious body, and we will be rejoicing, pain free in the presence of our Saviour.

I love the confidence that Job had when he expressed ‘For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.’ Job 19:25-27 He is so overwhelmed with this wonderful truth that he continues ‘My heart faints within me!’ Its as if he is saying what we would say today, ‘this is so amazing that I’ve got butterflies in my tummy, because I’m so excited about it!’

4.The Incomparable hope of the Christian faith verses 55 – 58

Why was Paul so passionate about this gospel he talks about in this chapter? Why did he want to write to the believers and remind them about its importance? Well, whatever answers we could give, one of them is this: Because this gospel is INCOMPARABLE. There is nothing else like it.

The world is full of faiths, religions, isms, cults, spiritual experiences but NOT ONE OF THEM offers to the lost sinful human soul the hope that he needs and the hope that the Christian gospel gives.

Jesus is our hope.

It is only within the Christian gospel that someone has willingly died to bring salvation, It is only within the Christian gospel that the one who died also rose again, It is only within the Christian gospel that our eternal destiny can be guaranteed, It is only within the Christian gospel that a man, woman, boy or girl can be truly reconciled to God the creator and judge of all. It is only through the Christian gospel, or the provision of that gospel in the Lord Jesus Christ that death is swallowed up in victory, notice what verse 56 says: ‘The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’

If you want to have eternal hope, then it can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. AND I MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR SAYING THIS. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life, NO ONE comes to the father

except through me.’ In their preaching in Jerusalem after the healing of the lame man the disciples made this clear; Acts 4:12 ‘And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’

The moon and stars they wept

The morning sun was dead

The Saviour of the world was fallen

His body on the cross

His blood poured out for us

The weight of every curse upon Him

One final breath He gave

As heaven looked away

The son of God was laid in darkness

A battle in the grave

The war on death was waged

The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake

The stone was rolled away

His perfect love could not be overcome

Now death where is your sting?

Our resurrected King

Has rendered you defeated

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive, He is alive!

^{Kari Jobe CCLI 788682}

MONDAY 13th

1 Corinthians 15:1-34

Yesterday I mentioned my favourite verses, today we are turning to my favourite chapter. For the next two days I am drawing from some thoughts that I had already prepared and have used previously taking 1 Corinthians 15 as the basis.

Paul commences this chapter by giving the believers a gentle reminder concerning the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 1-2

He says:

I remind you of the gospel I preached

I remind you of the gospel which you received

I remind you of the gospel in which you stand

I remind you of the gospel by which you are saved

But then he adds a caveat: That is, you are saved if you hold fast, or remain faithful to that which you have believed.

This chapter is full of wonderful truth concerning salvation, resurrection and eternal hope.

There are four ways in which we will look at this chapter, two points today and two points tomorrow.

1.The Importance of the gospel (verses 3 – 4)

2.The Incredible power of the resurrection (verses 20 – 23)

3.The Imperishable future of the believer (verses 35, 42 – 54)

4.The Incomparable hope of the Christian faith (verses 55 – 58)

1.The Importance of the gospel.

(3-4) ‘For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.’

The three days which Paul summarises here in a nutshell are the three most important days that have ever been in the whole of the history of the world. As I mentioned in an earlier devotion, (Friday 10^th) in that period of 72 hours the greatest transaction that has ever taken place took place. The Lord Jesus Christ as he hung on the cross, took upon himself the sin of all mankind, he took upon himself the wrath of God and the punishment for that sin as if it were his own and in exchange he gives to all who will believe and trust in him his own righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:22)

Because of this, the most importance decision that every one of us will make in our lifetime – however long that may be – will be the decision we make concerning what happened in those three important days. Will we either choose to trust and accept Jesus because of all that he has done for us in his redemptive work, or we will reject him.

(As you read this devotion, can you say that you know without a shadow of doubt that you have accepted Jesus as your own personal Saviour? If you can’t, how about making today the day you choose to accept and follow him.)

This gospel, this message is the most important message that the world needs to hear and we who already know Jesus need to look for opportunity to share it to a lost and dying world.

2.The Incredible power of the resurrection verses 20 – 23

This is such an amazing topic, it needs more than just a few minutes, but sufficient for me to say that  because Christ rose from the dead, he is the guarantee that all who believe in him will also be raised to eternal life. In John 11 when we read of the account where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, prior to it happening, Jesus said this to Martha: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. WHOEVER believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

and EVERYONE who lives and believes in me shall never die.’ He then challenged Martha with a question: ‘DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?’ What about you as you are reading this devotion – DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

Jesus own resurrection proved that he has power over death and therefore he has the right to grant eternal life to all who believe. (John 17:1-3 ‘When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.’)

I love the certainty of verse 20, ‘But in fact Christ HAS been raised from the dead’ it re-echo’s the message of the angel outside the tomb, ‘He is risen,’ and then the next statement in verse 20 that says that the resurrected Jesus is ‘the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep’. This means more resurrections will follow. These verses are so essential to our faith, for if there is no resurrection, then there is no eternal life! Paul continues, ‘For as by a man (Adam) came death, by a man (Jesus) has come also the resurrection of the dead. For, as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.’ (vv21-22)

We will continue this theme tomorrow.

I cast my mind to Calvary

Where Jesus bled and died for me

I see His wounds, His hands, His feet

My Savior on that cursed tree

His body bound and drenched in tears

They laid Him down in Joseph’s tomb

The entrance sealed by heavy stone

Messiah still and all alone

O praise the name of the Lord our God

O praise His name forever more

For endless days we will sing Your praise

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

Then on the third at break of dawn

The Son of heaven rose again

O trampled death where is your sting?

The angels roar for Christ the King

He shall return in robes of white

The blazing Son shall pierce the night

And I will rise among the saints

My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face

O praise the name of the Lord our God

O praise His name forever more

For endless days we will sing Your praise

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

^{Songwriters: Dean Ussher, Marty Sampson, Benjamin Hastings © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP CCLI788682}

SUNDAY 12th

Resurrection Day

John 20:1-29

You will often hear me mention what my favourite Bible verses are, No1 is 2 Corinthians 5:17 and then I have two which are equal No 2 and they are:

Luke 2:11 ‘For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.’

Luke 24:5-6 ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.’

All three are good news. Luke 2:11 is the good news that a Saviour has come. Luke 24:5-6 is the good news that the one who came to be the Saviour has risen – he has accomplished what he came to do, 2 Corinthians 5:17 is good news in that it tells us that if we accept this Saviour we become new creations.

Over the last few months, we have heard almost nothing but bad news, depressing news, news that causes fear and panic. But the message that we must share today, and every other day is good news – Jesus is alive. This news is exciting and brings hope. This news is the answer to the inner need of every man and woman, this news is the news that if believed and acted upon will transform individuals, families, society and the world in which we live. Jesus is alive and he is the answer for the world’s problems.

One of the more modern songs today (this will be my selected hymn at the end) is called ‘the greatest day in history’. And there is no doubt that the resurrection day was and still is the greatest day in history. We can think of many pivotal moments in the history of the world, and as great as many of them were in what was achieved, nothing can compare with what happened on the resurrection morning.

We will focus for the first part of this week on the subject of the resurrection, but for today, let us get thrilled again of the wonder that the man who was beaten, whipped, mocked, humiliated, cruelly executed through the means of crucifixion, and who breathed out his final breathe, gave up his spirit, was taken down off the cross a dead body, and placed into a tomb that was sealed and guarded by soldiers had the power not only to lay down his life, but to be able to take it up again. Three years earlier Jesus had declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ (John 2:19) and in John 10:18 ‘No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.’

‘Death could not keep its prey, Jesus my Saviour, he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord. UP from the grave he AROSE, with a mighty triumphant o’er his foes, he AROSE a victor o’er the vast domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. HE AROSE, HE AROSE, hallelujah CHRIST AROSE.’

For some of us, this may be the first Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day that we will not have been in Church to celebrate, but one thing is sure, being isolated, being at home will not stop us rejoicing in this wonderful news.

Our reading for today was from John’s gospel, but make some time to read the account from the other gospel writers: Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-13, Luke 24:1-12 and then Acts 2:22-24, 29-32.

The greatest day in history

Death is beaten, you have rescued me

Sing it out Jesus is alive

The empty cross, the empty grave

Life eternal You have won the day

Shout it out, Jesus is alive

He’s alive

Oh happy day, happy day

You washed my sin away

Oh happy day, happy day

I’ll never be the same

Forever I am changed

When I stand, in that place

Free at last, meeting face to face

I am Yours Jesus You are mine

Endless joy, perfect peace

Earthly pain finally will cease

Celebrate, Jesus is alive

He’s alive

Oh what a glorious day

What a glorious way

That You have saved me

Oh what a glorious day

What a glorious name

^{Tim Hughes CCLI 778682}

APRIL 11^th

John 19:31-42

Secret Disciples

Scripture records that after Jesus had died, a man called Joseph of Arimathea asked permission to take the body of Jesus and bury it. Permission was granted and a burial took place quickly as the next day was the Jewish Sabbath. There is nothing recorded in John’s gospel about the Jewish Sabbath, which was the Saturday. The next event in Johns record is on the first day of the week, our Sunday, which became resurrection day!

I want to share something else today before we get to the resurrection in tomorrow’s devotion.

I missed out an important statement that Scripture says about Joseph of Arimathea, did you notice it in v38 – he was a disciple of Jesus, but SECRETLY for fear of the Jews. We read earlier in John’s gospel of another man who possibly may have been a secret disciple, because of who he was as a ruler of the Jews and who didn’t want to be seen decided to come to see Jesus at night, Nicodemus in John 3:1-2.

I wonder how many SECRET disciples there are today. In some nations of the world, such as North Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and others we could mention, it is very difficult to be open about your faith as a Christian, it is high risk to be bold in declaring your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, for it can lead to imprisonment, torture and even death. And yet so many have great courage and spiritual strength to do it. In these circumstances we can understand there wanting to be secret and to ‘go underground’ as we say.

But what about in the nations which we would call free nations, where being a Christian doesn’t carry the same risk? How many secret disciples are there? It is possible that we could be described as secret disciples without realising it. Yes, we go to Church regularly, our close family know we are Christians especially if they are Christians as well, but when it comes to the work place or the college, or university and school we cower away from letting our colleagues and fellow students / companions from knowing that we are Christians having a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It can be for a variety of reasons, but most commonly because we want to be accepted, we want to fit in, we don’t want to be mocked or laughed at and more so today we don’t want to be thought of as out of touch. Joseph of Arimathea must have fallen into one of these category’s, for he was a secret disciple as it says ‘for fear of the Jews’.

But when it mattered, he must have overcome his fear, for he was willing to go to Pilate and ask for the body of Jesus for burial. I am assuming in my thoughts today, that like others he would have witnessed the horrific crucifixion. Why didn’t he let one of the other disciples who had been more public in their following of Jesus arrange the burial? I like to think that something happened in his heart when he looked at Calvary, when he saw Jesus hanging on the cross, bloodied and dying, I like to think (yes I am a thinker!) that something was triggered in the depth of his soul that caused him to marvel and wonder at the love that Jesus must have had to be willing to suffer and die in such an awful, brutal, cruel way to save sinners. We don’t know how much he understood but he knew enough. He may have heard the conversation between Jesus and the dying thief, ‘today you will be with me in paradise’, he may have heard Jesus cry out ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do’, he may even have heard Jesus cry out ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He may have heard Jesus as he breathed his last breath cry out ‘It is finished.’

After visiting the cross, If he was secret before, he was not secret afterward, he was bold enough and brave enough to go to Pilate, he took the body, he buried it in a fresh, unused tomb, he cared for the One who had died. And did you notice who was with him? John 19:39 ‘NICODEMUS also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night . . .’

Secret believer? I can only answer for myself, but the challenge I bring to us all today is that over this Easter weekend we take a fresh look at Calvary, visit the cross once again, contemplate the wonder of the love of God, meditate upon what Jesus was willing to do as he suffered on our behalf, taking our sins, our sorrows making them as if they were his own. He took the punishment we deserved; he bore the wrath of God on our behalf, he was beaten, he was mocked, he was disgraced, he was tortured, he took our shame so that we can have forgiveness and eternal life. And as we ponder afresh, may God grant us boldness not to be afraid, not to be secret in those places where we may be but willing to be counted as one of his disciples.

Can we take an Old Testament promise and make it ours today? Joshua 1:9 ‘Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.’

Another Scripture I quoted in an earlier devotion; ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.’ (Romans 1:16)

‘Give me a sight, O, Saviour, of thy wondrous love to me; Of the love that brought thee down to earth, to die on Calvary. Oh, make me understand it, help me to take it in; what it meant for thee, the Holy One, to bear away my sin.’ (Katherine A. M. Kelly)

I hear the Saviour say, Thy strength indeed is small

Child of weakness watch and pray

Find in me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow

Lord now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone

Can change the leper’s spots and melt the heart of stone

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete

Jesus died my soul to save, my lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow

Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow

He washed it white as snow, He washed it white as snow

Bridge 1

O praise the one who paid my debt

And raised this life up from the dead

Bridge 2

O praise the one who paid my debt

And raised this life up from the dead

^{Alex Nifong, Elvina Hall, John Grape 2006 worship together.com songs CCLI 778682}

FRIDAY 10^th

John 19:1-30

We come today to what I believe are the most important days (what we call Easter weekend) in the history of the world. For what took place in the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has repercussions for all mankind, not just for time but for eternity.

Thousands of years earlier our fore-parents Adam and Eve had disobeyed God and as a result, sin entered the human-race defiling every single person that has ever been born. (Psalm 51:5 ‘Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.’ Romans 3:23 ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’) But God was not caught out, he had a plan and the plan involved undoing what happened in the garden of Eden and restoring lost humanity.

But it was going to cost! The plan was in place before creation and the cost was going to be the shed blood of the Son of God. (1 Peter 1:18-21 ‘. . . knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God . . .’) And Galatians 4 tells us that at the right time, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoptions as sons.’ (Galatians 4:4-5) This is good news, God sending his Son (John 3:16) to redeem mankind so that we could be reconciled and brought into his family.

And his Son did arrive, born of a woman (Mary), with the purpose of becoming the sacrifice for the sin of the world.

That Friday which we now call Good Friday, with all its horror, was a day of ‘good news’ for as Jesus went through all that he went through, (and it’s good to meditate upon John 19 to consider all that he suffered for us) what was taking place is summed up in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.’

To be honest it’s difficult in knowing where to start, where to stop and what to include in between in putting this devotion together. It is such a wonderful story, it was such an amazing day, because it is only as a result of what Christ did at Calvary that we today can say that we have been ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven. It is because God was ‘in Christ’ when he went to the cross that we post Calvary can come to the Cross and find ourselves ‘In Christ’. It is a wonderful study to look at all the ‘in Christ’ texts, for this is where we are, we are no longer alienated from God, no longer foreigners, no longer dead in our sins, no longer heading for a lost eternity in hell. Instead we are reconciled and at peace with God and we can call him ‘Abba, Father.’

This should want to make us shout out in praise as we acknowledge all that Christ has done for us. I am going to stop here and suggest that we make time to look at another Scripture that reminds us of Calvary and the wonderful love of God. Isaiah 53.

It was also a difficult task to choose a hymn to close this devotion with, so I have chosen two. The first is one of my favourites ‘Jesus was slain for me’ the second is a good old well known hymn that always brings a challenge ‘ Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all’. Be blessed today as you centre your thoughts around the Cross.

Jesus was slain for me

At Calvary.

Crowned with thorns was He,

At Calvary.

There He in anguish died,

There from His opened side,

Poured forth the crimson tide,

At Calvary.

Pardoned is all my sin,

At Calvary.

Cleansed is my heart within,

At Calvary.

Now robes of praise I wear,

Gone are my grief and care,

Christ bore my burdens there,

At Calvary.

Wondrous His love for me,

At Calvary.

Glorious His victory,

At Calvary.

Vanquished are death and hell,

Oh, let His praises swell,

Ever my tongue shall tell,

Of Calvary. Amen!

^{George Perfect CCLI 778682}

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God!

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

^{Isaac Watts CCLI 778682}

THURSDAY 9^th

Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Jewish Passover in the Old Testament becomes the Lord’s Table in the New Testament!

Today in our readings we are in the Upper Room, which we read was borrowed for the Lord Jesus to celebrate the Passover with his disciples.

The Passover is a feast that the Children of Israel celebrated every year to remember the deliverance that God gave them when they came up out of Egypt after over four hundred years of slavery. We can read all about this in Exodus 12, in verses 43-51.

Throughout his life on earth Jesus would have celebrated the Passover, (Luke 2:41-42) and here, before he would go to the Cross, he wanted to continue the practise for the final time with his disciples.

But something special happened on that night – what was the Jewish Passover became what is now known as the Lord’s Supper or believer’s communion. As they were eating and drinking, the Lord Jesus took bread and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said this do in remembrance of me, likewise he took the cup with wine in it and gave it to the disciples and said this is my blood, do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

The Children of Israel were commanded to celebrate the Passover, but we the Church of Jesus are instructed to take the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.

In the re-enacting of the Passover the Children of Egypt were celebrating their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, at the Lord’s Table, we the Church celebrate our deliverance from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. We don’t celebrate and don’t need to celebrate the Passover for it was a command specifically for the Children of Israel because they had been delivered from Egypt. We the Church, are called to celebrate the Lord’s Supper because we are the ones who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. In the Exodus story a lamb was found and slain and the blood placed on the lintels and posts of the doors so that when the angel of death visited that night, when he saw the blood he would pass over. In the Upper Room at the inauguration of Communion, Christ was about to become our Passover Lamb. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

Jesus in celebrating the Passover and bringing about in its place what we call the Lord’s Supper, ( or Christian Communion, Eucharist etc.) was declaring that something new was about to happen, the old was being made into something new, the old covenant was being replaced with a new and a better covenant. The old testament order of sacrifices would no longer achieve anything because in its place there was about to be a far better and more perfect and permanent sacrifice, that of the Lord Jesus Christ. Three years earlier, John the Baptist on seeing Jesus had said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ (John 1:29) Immediately after this ‘Passover which became Communion’ in the Upper Room, Jesus would be taken and within a few hours become the Lamb that was slain.

What do the two emblems we partake of represent? We take communion together nearly every Sunday and have an understanding of what it is all about, but it is good to be refreshed. What Jesus established in Communion was a simple meal of bread and wine that speak of two important things. The Body and Blood of Jesus.

The bread is symbolic of the body of Jesus, remember that in John 6 after the feeding of the 5000, Jesus made a very bold claim about himself, ‘I am the bread of life,’ (John 6:48) and he as the bread of life would become broken. He was beaten, marred, his flesh pierced by whips, thorns, nails and spears. The one who broke bread to feed others, himself became the broken bread to feed mankind, bread that if we partake of through redemption at the cross would give us eternal life.

The wine is symbolic of the blood of Jesus, blood that was poured (Matthew 26:28) out though the wounds he bore on our behalf as he hung on the cross, blood that was perfect blood, blood that was atoning blood, blood that was sufficient to take away the sin not of just a few, and just for a year,  but of the whole world if they are willing to believe and is sufficient for eternity.

Regarding Communion, we read in 1 Corinthians 11:26 ‘For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he come.’ It is a privilege to be able to share communion together, to be able to proclaim, remember, acknowledge his death and all that it has meant for us who believe, and we do it until he comes again. It is a reminder not only of his death, but also of his resurrection for it stands to reason that someone who his dead cannot come again, so in doing this until he comes again it is a reminder that the Lamb that was slain, also rose as a mighty victor over death. He is alive and he is coming again. But we will consider these things more over the next few days.

For today, imagine how Jesus must have been feeling in that upper room, knowing exactly what lay ahead of him and yet firstly because of his love for you and me he was willing and secondly as we are reminded in Hebrews ‘Who for the joy set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame.’ (12:2) Spent some time in contemplating the cost of our redemption and may it draw us closer to him, who gave himself for us.

We come as guests invited

when Jesus bids us dine,

his friends on earth united

to share the bread and wine;

the bread of life is broken,

the wine is freely poured

for us, in solemn token

of Christ our dying Lord.

We eat and drink, receiving

from Christ the grace we need,

and in our hearts believing

on him by faith we feed;

with wonder and thanksgiving

for love that knows no end,

we find in Jesus living

our ever-present friend.

One bread is ours for sharing,

one single fruitful vine,

our fellowship declaring

renewed in bread and wine:

renewed, sustained and given

by token, sign and word,

the pledge and seal of heaven,

the love of Christ our Lord.

^{Words © 1984 Hope Publishing Company CCLI 788682}

Wednesday 8^th

John 17

This portion of Scripture is often given the title ‘The High Priestly Prayer’.

It is the longest prayer that we have recorded that Jesus made, it is almost the last prayer he made before he went to the Cross. Jesus was a man of prayer. He often went to a solitary place to pray, for example, Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12.

In this prayer, we find that Jesus prays for himself, for his disciples and for those who would believe, that is you and me. This should be a great comfort to us that even before Jesus went to the cross, before we even came to believe – that Jesus prayed for us.

Today I want us to be encouraged to know that Jesus is still in a place of intercession for us. After he ascended to the Father he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high and took up his High Priestly duties! The book of Hebrews covers much of this for us and it is from here we will look at what this means for us.

Hebrews 2:17-18 ‘Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.’

Hebrews 4:14-16 – ‘Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’

Hebrews 7:23-28 ‘The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.  He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.  For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.’

Hebrews 9:28 ‘So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.’

To summarize: Our Great High Priest: Jesus,

He has been where we are – he has known temptation, he has been through suffering, therefore he knows what it is like to go through the things that we are facing, so he can intercedes for us and help us when we are tempted and tried.

He is a sympathizing Priest.

He is a merciful High Priest.

He is a faithful high Priest.

He is a sinless Priest

He is a Priest who made a once for all sacrifice for sin.

He is a Priest who offered himself for our sin.

He is an Exalted Priest.

He is a sin forgiving Priest.

He is an Eternal / Permanent Priest.

He is the Priest who has been appointed by God.

He is a welcoming Priest – we are welcome into his presence.

He is a Returning Priest – He’s coming again to take us into his eternal presence.

This is far better than going and talking through a confessional to a man who himself is a sinner, who has no power or authority to forgive sin!

We come to the Great High Priest and in coming he has the power to forgive and to grant eternal life, we come to the Priest who has been appointed by God himself, we come to the Priest who has provided a better and a new and living way. We come not to a priest but to THE Priest! His name is Jesus.

And for him to become that Great High Priest he need first to go the way of the Cross and we close this devotion with what is nearly the last prayer he uttered ‘ Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done’. (Luke 22:42)

Thank God he was an obedient Priest!

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea

A great high Priest whose Name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands

My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heaven He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart

No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me

To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there the risen Lamb

My perfect spotless righteousness

The great unchangeable I am

The King of glory and of grace

One with Himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Savior and my God

With Christ my Savior and my God

^{Dp, Chris Rice © Warner Chappell Music, Inc. CCLI 788682}