Today Daily Devotional

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining.

— Luke 23:44-45

What do you think of when you hear the word “darkness”?Children often think of darkness as scary, and when they grow up most of them still prefer the light. From Genesis to Revelation, darkness is whatever space, time, or reality is separate from God. Before creation there was darkness “over the surface of the deep” (Genesis 1:2). In the last days, as described in Revelation, darkness is one of the signs of separation from God.When Jesus hung on the cross, darkness came over the land in the middle of the day, when the sun should have been at its brightest. God had abandoned his Son, who was taking on himself all of the corruption and ugliness of the world’s sin and God’s awful judgment on it. As God separated himself from his beloved Son, darkness descended and Jesus died.Luke’s account of that day notes another amazing occurrence as well. The curtain in the temple, which had long symbolized the separation of the holy God from his unholy people, was torn in two, miraculously, from top to bottom. Our sin-generated separation from God was coming to an end. That was good! But it took an awful darkness to make that happen.Light was conquering darkness. God and his people would be together again. A new creation was forming!

O Christ, thank you for making yourself unworthy of God’s presence so that we, who truly are unworthy, can be counted worthy to live with him. What a gift we receive in you! Amen.

“Take it; this is my body.” . . . and . . . “This is my blood of the covenant . . . poured out for many.”

— Mark 14:22-24

The Jews of Jesus’ day often told stories from their history. And every year at this time they told the ancient story that is referred to in today’s text: the story of the Passover.The original events of that story are found in Exodus 12, where we read of the slaughter of unblemished lambs and the deliverance of God’s people from slavery in Egypt. A key detail is that God’s people had to spread the blood of lambs on the doorframes of their houses so that the plague of death would pass over their homes while it went through the land of Egypt, taking the life of every firstborn male. After this plague went through the land, the Pharaoh of Egypt set the Israelites free.Nearly 1,500 years later, Jesus and his disciples celebrated that ancient rescue. They ate lamb’s meat and unleavened bread, shared a cup of wine, and recalled the Passover story. But this time Jesus pointed to the bread and the wine in the memorial meal and said, “This is my body,” and, “This is my blood.”The very next day Jesus would become the ultimate Passover Lamb, sacrificing his own perfect life to pay for our sin. He would die brutally by crucifixion, rescuing all who would believe in him as the Son of God, the Savior. And ever since that day, people have begun new journeys with God into eternal life.Today we remember that meal. Tomorrow we remember that death.

Lord Jesus, fill us with faith in you, that we may grow in gratitude and live for you, sharing your story with all who need to hear it. Amen.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

— John 3:3

In today’s text Jesus’ words baffled and amazed Nicodemus the Pharisee:• To experience fully what God is doing, you must be born again.• This rebirth, like your first birth, is a miracle accomplished by the Holy Spirit.• The Spirit leads you to believe in the power of Jesus, God’s Son, to save the world from sin and to give you new life forever with God.Huh!?! Nicodemus was confused.This was not the first time Jesus’ words jolted a religious leader. Jesus began doing that at the age of 12 (see Luke 2:41-47).Now, what kinds of surprises do these words of Jesus bring to us today?For people who sense that being a Christian is only about themselves and Jesus, the global scope of Jesus’ words can be breathtaking. For people who assume that Christian faith can be a nice addition to their self-directed life, the idea of rebirth into a totally new life is a jarring challenge. What’s more, no conversation with Jesus is just a conversation.Open yourself to the wonder of Jesus’ words to Nicodemus. It’s good practice for experiencing the wonder and power of the events in Jesus’ life that we will remember this week on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday— when the rebirth of creation itself was launched.

Dear God, make us open to your surprises that we find in the Bible and that we will encounter this week. In Christ we pray. Amen.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

— Matthew 21:22

God shows his faithfulness by responding to the prayers of his people.In our reading today, a fig tree that does not bear fruit receives judgment from Jesus. The religious leaders ask Jesus about his authority, and he makes them uncomfortable by reminding them of the work of John the Baptist, a prophet who called everyone to repent (Matthew 3). A prophet is someone called by God to guide, comfort, and challenge people to follow the ways of God. John pointed people to Jesus by preparing them to receive him as the promised Savior, and Jesus pointed people to himself as the way to find full, eternal life with God.In the remainder of this week in which Jesus would give up his life for us, we see Jesus at work in the final hours of his ministry, teaching his disciples and urging everyone, including the religious leaders, to look inside their hearts, to repent, and to ask the faithful God for forgiveness. It’s the only way to find the life that God wants everyone to enjoy.Jesus’ interaction with the fig tree is a kind of object lesson showing that he wants the religious leaders to bear fruit as they are called to do—that is, pointing God’s people to repentance and faith rather than being concerned about their own authority and status.Jesus invites everyone to have faith. The gift of faith is for all who believe.Believe, receive, and live! 

Lord Jesus, fill us with faith in you. May we be your witnesses and bear fruit because we are rooted in you. In your name we pray. Amen.

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there.

— Matthew 21:12

Jesus entered Jerusalem and was cheered as a king—but not for long.In the next scene, Jesus went to the temple courts in Jerusalem. And as he looked around, he became upset. As Isaiah the prophet had noted many years earlier, the temple of the Lord was to be “a house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). God wanted it to be a place where people could connect with him. The temple area was not meant to become a marketplace for selling animals and exchanging currency. So Jesus overturned the tables and benches there and drove the merchants out.Continuing in his ministry of drawing people to the Lord, Jesus healed people who came to him at the temple. Some were blind, and others could not walk, and he healed them.The temple authorities, however, did not like any of this.They complained about the disruption and the children shouting “Hosanna” in the temple courts, and they asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”“Yes,” he said, and he asked if they knew the words of the psalm that said, “From the lips of children and infants, you, Lord, have called forth your praise” (see Psalm 8:2).But the religious leaders did not have the eyes of faith to see Jesus for who he was. Before long, they were plotting to kill him, and in a few days they stirred up the people and had them shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

Faithful God, help us to see Jesus for who he truly is—the fulfillment of all your promises. Thank you for your grace. Amen.

This took place to fulfill what was spoken . . . “‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a . . . colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

— Matthew 21:4-5

God reveals his faithfulness over time. We might not see it right away, for the Lord’s ways are not our ways, and God works according to his own time table. Years before Jesus came riding into Jerusalem as King, God gave Zechariah the prophet an impression of that scene, and Zechariah proclaimed it and wrote it down (see Zechariah 9:9-11).In this world, kings and rulers come in splendor and power, not on a donkey and with no army. From the beginning of history, though, God worked to prepare his people to understand that he wanted a relationship with them. And although they strayed and wandered in sin—again and again— God kept pursuing his people.Our text today focuses on what has become known as Palm Sunday, the beginning of the week in which Jesus made himself known as the world’s Savior and King. But he didn’t look like the king the people expected to see, and he was soon rejected, crucified, dead, and buried. But then he rose again the next Sunday morning, conquering death for our sake! Once again, the faithful one, God, did more than anyone could think or imagine.Even the people closest to Jesus did not see what was unfolding. The key to this puzzle was that Jesus would not be deterred from his mission to save us. He took on the curse of death for all in order to bring life to all who believe.

God, thank you for preparing through the years for Jesus to come. Remind us this week of the wonder of your unchanging faithfulness. Amen.

One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

— Psalm 145:4

In this month’s devotions we have been looking back on what the Lord—the faithful God—has done. We are also approaching Holy Week, when we remember the finished work of Jesus Christ. He died to save us from sin and to give us new life with God forever. Psalm 145 can help us gain perspective in all this.As I write these devotions, the seminary I serve has been preparing to mark its 150th anniversary of training Christian pastors and teachers. Throughout those years this school has held to the vision and mission of proclaiming the lordship of Christ over all creation.While working on plans for this celebration, I have looked through lots of old pictures. In many old photos are the faces of people who had no idea what God would do through them so many years ago, but they had hopes. They hoped that the God who had carried them so far would continue to carry the next generation, and so on. I am a witness to God’s faithfulness through the generations, and, like those who served before me, I am called to commend God’s works to the generations that follow. (The anniversary service will be livestreamed tomorrow, on Palm Sunday evening, and we will recall the Lord’s works and commend them to the next generation.)What pictures of faith do you carry with you? Remember. Tell. Give praise to our faithful God!

Dear God, may we join the chorus of praise from one generation to the next. You are indeed faithful to all your promises and loving toward all you have made. Amen.

Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. . . . He is the LORD our God. . . .

— Psalm 105:5-7

We are people who forget. We need reminders, and we need to know that remembering can help us face the future.Psalm 105 recites much of the Bible history we have covered so far this month. This psalm is designed to help God’s people recount the past so that they will remember all that God has done for them.Psalm 105 begins and ends with a call to praise. What is recounted is not just history but an opportunity to thank the living and faithful God for all he has done. God is always to be praised.Tied to this is an opportunity to make the name of the Lord known among the nations (verse 1). This recalls the initial call and promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3).How can we make the name of God known among the nations? The closing of this psalm calls us to “keep his precepts and observe his laws.” We make God’s name known by living in line with God’s ways and forsaking our own selfish ways.When we remember the stories of the faithful God and his wayward people, we are encouraged and challenged that the Lord always keeps his promises and will continue to do so for us.That is who the Lord is!

Dear God, thank you for your faithful care for all the generations of your people. Help us to remember all you have done so that we may live by faith before you and make you known to the nations. In Jesus, Amen.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from . . . my cries of anguish?

— Psalm 22:1

Let’s be honest. Life can be hard. There are times when the only sounds we can make are silent cries and laments. And we may wonder, “Where is the faithful God who has promised to be with us?”The Bible includes lots of texts that reflect the range of human experiences and emotions. At times we need to cry out to God. Sometimes we need to pour out our hearts and ask God, “What is going on?” and, “Where are you?”Psalm 22 is a psalm of lament written by Israel’s King David when he was distressed and alone. In this situation it seemed that God had abandoned him.This psalm also points directly to Jesus and his experience. It opens with a key question— the same question Jesus asked on the cross (see Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). When we read of Jesus being mocked and afflicted, stripped of his clothes and attacked from every side, we know that the God who inspired David as a psalmist certainly had Jesus’ suffering in mind as well.We also find that Jesus is the answer to all our wondering about pain and sorrow. He took on the pain and sorrow of the world so that he could bring us what we cannot gain for ourselves: full life forever with the God who is faithful.

Dear God, thank you for inviting us to cry out to you as children cry for their parents in times of trouble. In the pictures we see in this psalm, may we find encouragement that you are with us as you have promised— in Jesus. Amen.

Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

— Numbers 21:9

Israel had a lot to learn about being the people of the holy and faithful God. In our story today the people grew impatient with God again as they traveled through the wilderness.They spoke against God and against Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” Sometimes the Lord was merciful when the people acted so rebelliously, but other times, when they had gone too far, the Lord sent punishment. This time the consequence for their actions was a plague of venomous snakes, and a number of the people died from snakebites.What would happen next? How would salvation appear for these unfaithful people?In what is a preview of the saving work of Christ, a bronze snake became an instrument of healing and life. Moses made a bronze snake and lifted it up on a pole, and the people were told to look at this snake and live. Many years later Jesus explained that this miracle in the wilderness pointed to the gift of his own life for us all (being lifted up on a cross—John 3:14-15). Through this act of faith, we are freed from death!In the coming week, as we focus on the time of Jesus’ suffering, death, and rising to life again, let’s remember that, like God’s people in the wilderness, we are lost without God’s faithfulness.

Lord, we can be so rebellious and stubborn in our resistance to you. Help us to look to you and believe in Jesus, who was lifted up for us. Amen.