Hebrews 10:5-12 (ESV)

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…

Explanation:

God originally provided His people with laws, including sacrificial laws, in order to give them a way to remain in relationship with Him. This will come as no surprise to you, though…we humans are helpless (Romans 5:6). On one hand, the human will can be amazing. From climbing mountains, to surviving a war, to completing an ironman triathlon, to building incredible structures, and so much more. However, no amount of human will can overcome the fracturing that is caused by our sinfulness. Sin spiritually busted us, and although some tried to resolve this fractured state by following the laws God had established, we even did a poor job at that.

Nevertheless, as we see in today’s reading, there was Someone who saw us in our fractured state of helplessness. This Someone is Jesus. He chose to do away with the laws we so poorly were keeping, and replace them with the incorruptible offering of His body. He sacrificed His life to provide a way for our sins to be removed and our relationship with God to rightly be restored again. Let that sink in a bit. We were helpless…we had gotten ourselves in such a big hole with our sin that we couldn’t even stay in relationship with the One who wanted to be in relationship with us and provide life for us. Yet God, rather than leave us in our helpless state, had compassion on us and sent His son to die for our sinfulness. If we ever doubt God’s love for us, we must look to this example, and trust that Jesus’s sacrifice is more powerful than our sins.

Application:

1. Why is Jesus’s sacrifice better than any sacrifice we will or could have ever offered for our sins?

2. How can you step into the sacrifice of Jesus today, and embrace the life that He offers you?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice. I will say it again, thank You for Your sacrifice. Please forgive me for my sins. I know You sacrificed in love, and today I want to receive that love.

Devo Plus:

Read Hebrews 9:14. What else can you learn about what Jesus’s sacrifice did for us?

Romans 3:21–25a (NLT)

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in time past.

Explanation:

God’s glorious standard is Jesus, the perfect one who is God’s likeness in every way. We, all of us, are nothing like Him by ourselves. We fall terribly short. From the one who tells white lies, to the one who murders, and everyone in between: we are all sinners destined for punishment. But God, who overflows with grace and mercy, made a way for us to escape punishment. All we have to do is believe that Jesus is the perfect Son of God, who came, died to pay for our sins, and lives today so we can walk toward Him in obedience. Jesus sacrificed and served us, ultimately to His death, so that we could live our lives the same way toward Him: sacrificially and with the heart of a servant. He is beautiful and He is worthy.

Application:

1. Do you believe Jesus is who He says He is? Do you believe He is God in flesh who came to die for us so we could be made right with God, and that He’s alive today? If you’ve never made that your confession, you can do it today! Either tell God you believe by yourself, or reach out to someone at [email protected]!

2. Ask God to search your heart. Are there any ways that you are not walking toward Jesus in obedience? Confess those, and ask Him for the resolve to be like Him in those areas.

3. What are some ways you could honor the Lord by serving others sacrificially?

Prayer prompt:

Father God, thank You for sending Your son Jesus for us, so we could have a way back to You. Thank You that Your loving kindness has followed us all the days of our lives. Help us to resolve to follow after Your example in sacrificial service and obedience. You are a good God who always rewards those who look for You with all their heart. Help us to be worshipers in spirit and in truth, for Your glory. In Jesus’s beautiful name, amen.

Devo Plus:

Take some time to write out the following scriptures: John 15:13, Ephesians 5:2, Luke 9:24, Hebrews 9:28

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 21 (ESV)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Explanation:

Jesus had an incredible purpose and mission. He was sent to earth to be an example for us, and then to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. He took our sin and paid the penalty that we all deserved. He didn’t pick and choose who He died for…He died for all. He died so the gift of eternal life would be available to anyone. This gift of salvation is available for all, as long as they put their faith in Him. He took the sin of all humanity on Himself so we could receive the best gift ever.

Not only did He pay the penalty in full for each of us, He set an example for us as well. Once we receive that gift, once we recognize and believe, we no longer live for ourselves. We live for Him, His purpose, and His plan. Our life is no longer ours; it belongs to God. Once we have experienced and know this sacrifice for ourselves, it should compel us to want to tell the rest of the world. It should compel us to live differently, and to want so deeply for others to experience this incredible love that is like no other. Jesus paid the price for all, and it is our job to go and declare this good news to the rest of the world.

Application:

1. How do you respond knowing that Christ died for all?

2. Why should the sacrifice of Christ cause us to live differently?

3. What are some ways you need to stop living for yourself and begin to live for God?

4. How has the story of the cross made a difference in your life?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, we cannot thank You enough for Your sacrifice. Thank You for taking our place. Thank You for bearing our sin and shame, and nailing it to the cross. Thank You for making the gift of salvation available for all. We do not take this lightly. May Your sacrifice compel us to live differently. May it be a constant reminder for us to share it with the rest of the world. We want to share this gift of salvation with others. Help us to do that through our words, our actions, and the way we live. You are so good to us, and we pray all of this in Your name. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Read Matthew 16:24-26 to learn more about denying yourself and living for God.

For many people, the first time they truly experience a sacrifice is when they become a parent. While in the womb, a baby will rely on its mother’s sacrifice of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to develop properly. The unborn child cannot begin life without the mother’s willingness to make the necessary changes for the betterment of her baby.

I reflect on my first pregnancy. At first, it seemed so easy. I didn’t experience any sickness, and was moderately tired. I quit work outside of the home, so all I needed was a frequent nap on the couch with the dog. I read “What To Expect When You're Expecting” from cover to cover, and made sure to take my daily vitamins. Then, about halfway through the gestation period, the unexpected happened. I was rushed to the hospital with premature contractions, and everything changed. I was no longer able to do anything but shower, dress, and see the doctor. I had to inject myself daily with a labor-stopping medication. As many of you know, it’s challenging to stay inside your house, on the couch, for weeks on end. No daily walks around the neighborhood, no shopping trips or meals in a restaurant. Nothing but the waiting. Hoping and praying for the arrival of a healthy son was all that mattered. Before he even took his first breath, the overwhelming love for this tiny person made the sacrifice so worthy.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

God, our Father, has outlined guiding principles for us to have abundant life. He gave His only son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to show His love for those who follow Him. Sometimes, I think God looks at His followers like tiny babies, knowing we need nurturing and lessons to guide us. As a follower of Christ, I need to remember my role and follow His loving path. I pray more people will make sacrifices and put the love of Jesus before everything else. Jesus gave His life for us! Isn’t that an amazing truth? Our life, and all that we have to offer, is because God loves us. Rejoice in that, my friends!

Romans 5:6-8 (NLT)

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Explanation:

Paul is laying it out, how graciously God gave the gift of His son for our sins. As humans, we have tried to be worthy of God’s love. We have a natural default to want to earn things because that is how culture is. It starts when we are very small. One of the first things we learn is Santa has a list, and he is checking it twice to find out if we are naughty or nice. Then there are report cards that grade us through our school years, and awards, diplomas, and scholarships depend on them. If we take the right steps, then we land the right job. After we work, we get paid, accrue vacation time, and in the end, we are rewarded with retirement based on how well we took all of those steps in life.

You can see why our culture sets us up to be suspicious of grace. We are hard wired to believe we have to earn things. Paul desperately wants us to know how unmerited God’s love is, by starting with “when we were utterly helpless,” Christ died for us. We didn’t earn it, we can only accept it...and it continues to baffle our work-oriented souls.

Application:

1. Is it hard to acknowledge your helplessness? What “thing” haunts the emotional space between you and God, and sucks the life out of your total abandonment into His love and acceptance?

2. Is there any sort of list in your head that you rehearse and satan exploits to make you think you are less loved by God? When you reflect on this passage, do you see the sheer irony of satan making us feel that? Jesus doesn’t even see qualifications. He sees us. He sees all of our brokenness and loves us in our entirety.

3. Jesus died for all of us. He didn’t just die for humanity’s best. He died for all of us and all of our us. That is a bit of a tongue twister but it is true. Jesus died for every molecule of humanity, and it’s all pretty messy.

4. It is important to realize this passage isn’t saying He will leave us in our found condition. This passage is just explaining the starting line!

5. His love and His grace are actually where we find power to let Him set us free and reshape us. He does the work. Just like we were helpless when He found us, we are still helpless to change if not for His love that transforms us and reshapes our heart. He simply did it all and continues to do it all. He longs for us to rest in His sacrifice that saved us and continues to renew us.

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, thank You for finding me. I’m awed that I matter so much to You that You would sacrifice everything for me…to fill me with Your vision for my life. Thank You for Your mercy that reaches out to me every day, and for the power of Your love to set me free. I am so very grateful for the sacrifice of Your life for my sins and beyond blessed by Your continual grace that restores my every fall and failure. I love You so much, Jesus.

Devo Plus:

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)

John 19:28-30 (ESV)

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Explanation:

There is a lot going on these few short passages. John wanted his readers to understand many things happening at the end of Jesus’s life. First, His life and death were the fulfillment of all the scriptures. Jesus affirmed the history of God’s relationship to Israel. He was talked about and foretold, and culminated in His saving work.

A second part of this passage is noted in Jesus’s final words. “It is finished” was Jesus’s declaration that He had accomplished all He came to accomplish. Revealing God to His creation, walking through the redemptive act of freely giving His life for our salvation, and modeling His complete obedience to the Father was fully and finally done.

And lastly, John is communicating that Jesus was in control of this entire situation. John’s emphasis on Jesus giving up His spirit illustrates Jesus’s willingness to hand His life over. The entire time, it looked like He wasn’t in control of Judas, the Sadducees, Herod, and Pilate. But in reality, Jesus walked willingly into those situations, and in His very last act of obedience, walked willingly into death.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. How does John’s description of Jesus’s last moments speak to God’s love for you?

3. If Jesus was in control of His darkest hour, and He promises to be with us always (John 14), how does that encourage you in your struggles?

4. If you live like someone really loves you as much as Christ has demonstrated, how would it change your life?

Prayer:

Jesus, Your obedience and Your sacrifice are inspiring and touching. You loving us enough to endure the cross and rescue us from our sin is more than we could ever deserve. Thank You! Help us to live up to the weight of such a gift. Transform us to look more like You, so we can reflect Your love to those around us.

Devo Plus:

Read Psalm 22.

Read the Crosswalk.com article 10 Powerful Prophecies That Were Fulfilled by Christ.

Luke 23:33-39 (NIV)

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

There was a written notice above him, which read: This is the King of the Jews.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

Explanation:

During His crucifixion, Jesus showed us the heart of His teaching. As He took his very last breaths, He continued to forgive people. Before His crucifixion, Jesus was beaten and whipped until He was unrecognizable. Then to mock Him because He was called “the King of the Jews,” soldiers roughly put a crown of thorns on His head. The people continued to mock Him while He was on the cross, but didn’t know what they were really doing, and Jesus knew that. How Jesus went through all that torture and mockery, and was still able to forgive, is something we cannot fathom or understand.

By His sacrifice, Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all, the chance for redemption. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed so we could have a place in heaven with the Father. Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven of any sin, and have the chance to walk in His light. We can have His grace, His compassion, and the guidance of the Holy spirit. You can choose that for yourself today.

Application:

1. How does Jesus’s sacrifice help you put your life struggles in perspective?

2. How does His final moments affect your reaction to the world today?

3. Does His sacrifice change your life? In what ways?

Prayer Prompt:

Our heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your son as a sacrifice for our sins. Though we may never truly be able to understand His sacrifice, give us the strength and courage to try and walk the path Jesus has taught. It’s in Your precious Name we pray. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Read Psalm 50:5-10, Psalm 51:17, and 1 Samuel 15:22.

Luke 23:32-33, 39-43 (ESV)

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Explanation:

Jesus was crucified between two criminals, who, unlike Him, deserved to be punished for crimes they committed. One of the criminals mocked Jesus, saying that if He really was the Messiah, He should make their suffering end and save all of them from imminent death. The other criminal, however, went from an attitude of mocking and scorn (see Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32) to one of respect and humility.

The second man knew his sin, knew that Jesus had done nothing wrong, and called out to Jesus as his Lord. He believed that Jesus really was the Savior and begged for His forgiveness. Jesus told this man, a man who was nearing his last breath, that by the grace of God’s love and mercy, and by confessing that he was a sinner, the man could live eternally with Jesus in heaven. Think about how this must have felt for the criminal. He was asking Jesus to remember him at a time in the future (“when you come into your kingdom”), but Jesus assured the man that he would be with Him today. The thief was asking to be remembered…Jesus promised him that they would be there together.

The promise that Jesus gave the criminal paints a beautiful picture for us. Through the grace of salvation, because of Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice, we can experience LIFE with Jesus in paradise…a place greater than we could ever imagine. He promised He would be with us until the end of time (Matthew 28:20) and for all eternity. All we must do is ask, trust, and obey His commands for us.

Application:

1. Reflect for a moment on the situation. Jesus was positioned on the cross so that it was very difficult to even take a breath. Not only did He respond to the thief beside Him, He promised the criminal would spend his eternity WITH Jesus in heaven. Jesus was serving others, even in the moments before He died.

2. How do the words that Jesus spoke to the thief speak to you 2000 years later?

3. Is there a particular part of this scripture that stands out to you?

Prayer Prompt:

Thank You, Jesus, for reminding us that You are always here. Even on the day when You were brutally crucified, You were thinking of us. Thank You for Your sacrifice, Your mercy, and Your grace toward us. We love You and thank You for Your continued comfort, and ask that we would be constantly reminded that You are with us always.

Devo Plus:

Read these scriptures to dive deeper into the message that He is with us each and every moment: Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6, Zephaniah 3:17, Romans 8:38-39

John 19:25-27 (NIV)

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Explanation:

Even at the moment of his death, Jesus’s heart was to take care of the people He loved. He noticed His mother Mary and His disciple John in their grieving, and asked them to make available in their lives a place to care for one another. Jesus didn’t call her mother, but woman. This was not out of disrespect to her or as ashamed of her, but possibly to not increase her grief by concealing her from the crowd and keeping her from rude insults. It was another way to care for His mother.

Application:

1. Spend some time thinking of ways to care for the people in your life. Everyone needs encouragement at one point or another. Everyone needs people in their lives who are willing to listen to them and tell them they are loved. Express it to them in some of the following ways:

a. Show you care by telling them verbally. Tell them what you admire and appreciate about them—they want to hear it.

b. Love them patiently. Be patient with their feelings and even how they act toward you.

c. Show you care with gratefulness. Think of ways you are grateful for who they are. And then express your gratefulness.

d. Care for them generously. Give freely to another person simply because you care.

e. Love others tenderly. Be sensitive to their emotions. Care for their concerns.

Prayer Prompt:

Father, help me to organize my day in a way that prepares me for unforeseen situations. Give me the grace to deal with problems in a loving way that honors You and others. Please be glorified through me. In the name of Jesus Christ, who reigns supremely with You and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Galatians 6:10 teaches, “While we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

1 Timothy 6:18 says to “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”

Matthew 26:30-32 (ESV)

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Explanation:

One of the greatest promises that any one of us could receive is Jesus saying to us, “I will go before you.” Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we are in this life alone. At least it can feel like that to us. This especially was true for the disciples who Jesus was communicating this to. Before, during, and after Jesus’s crucifixion, His disciples were very confused about what was happening with Him. They never would have imagined this man who they loved, who they radically changed their lives to follow, and who they believed to be God, would soon be gone. Jesus knew this would be a very vulnerable and disheartening time for them, and therefore, even before it happened, He spoke these words for them.

They may have struggled to believe these words at first, but amazingly, in spite of their fear, doubt, frustration, sadness, whatever emotions they were feeling, they still obeyed. Even more amazingly, Jesus followed through with the very thing He said He would do. After His resurrection, He met them in Galilee. Can you imagine the astonishment and relief they experienced when Jesus met them at Galilee? This was a very comforting moment for them.

We too can experience the comfort of Jesus. By walking with Him, learning His will, and walking in His ways, we can be assured that Jesus is before us…wherever He tells us to go and whatever He calls us to do. We must believe in faith that He will do as He says.

Application:

1. What had the disciples experienced prior to Jesus communicating what He did to them in today’s reading?

2. Why do you think the disciples still went to Galilee, despite their emotions?

3. How can today’s reading be a comfort to you today?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, like Your disciples, I need to hear Your voice and calling in my life. As You know, life can be very difficult, and I need You to go before me to make a way. Your presence is my greatest comfort. Thank You for this comfort.

Devo Plus:

Read Matthew 28:9-10. What did Jesus have to do again to encourage His disciples?