Wednesday Easter Family Devotions

Wednesday

Shorter Catechism Question # 139

What does the wine represent?

Christ’s blood shed for our sins.

Read Matthew 27:27-56

Jesus knew what was happening. He knew it would be painful. He knew that our freedom from sin and death would cost His life.

After Pilate, the governor, gave Jesus over to be crucified, the soldiers took Jesus and beat Him. They made fun of Him. Only a few days earlier, the people had cheered because they wanted Jesus to be their king. Now they watched while the soldiers put a robe on Him and pushed a crown of thorns into His head. They watched Him bleed and saw His wounds. They put a sign at the top of His cross. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” They made fun of His power and told Him to save Himself.

Then, in the darkest hour, Jesus cried out to His Father. He had cried out to His Father many, many times before. But this time was different. He asked His Father why He had forsaken Him; why He had left Him alone. But Jesus also knew that this darkness would bring light. He knew His blood would bring freedom. He knew His death would give you life.

· Have you ever felt forsaken or alone? What was it like?

· The people made fun of Jesus. They said He couldn’t save Himself. Why didn’t Jesus save Himself?

· Jesus died to save the people who were mocking Him. What do you think He was feeling? What was He thinking?

· Jesus went through pain and loneliness so that you would never have to be alone. How does that make you feel?

· Thank Jesus for enduring the cross. Thank God that Jesus’ death gave us life.

Sing verse 1 of “And Can It Be That I Should Gain.”

And can it be that I should gain and interest in the Savior’s blood?

Died he for me, who caused His pain?

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Charles Wesley, 1738

Easter Tuesday - Family Devotion

Tuesday

Shorter Catechism Questions #138

What does the bread represent?

Christ’s body sacrificed for our sins.

Read John 18:1-11

After Jesus and His disciples finished the Passover Feast, they went to a garden to pray. Judas was one of Christ’s disciples, but he had betrayed Jesus. He had left quietly to go and tell the Jewish leaders where Jesus was in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. But none of this surprised God. He was in control of all things.

While Jesus and His disciples were in the garden, Judas came with a group of soldiers and officers. They had torches and weapons. Jesus knew why they were there. He went to them and asked them who they were looking for. They said Jesus. Jesus answered, “I am He.” In those three words, Jesus told who He was, but he also told them that He was the only Son of God. It says that when Jesus said those words, the soldiers fell to the ground. Jesus’ words were that powerful!

Then Jesus surrendered himself. But Peter, his disciple, became scared. He felt out of control. Peter pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of a servant. Jesus immediately stepped forward. In the book of Luke it says He touched the servant’s ear, and it grew back. Jesus rebuked Peter because He knew it was time for His sacrifice for our freedom. Jesus understood that His surrender meant we would be free to know God’s love for us.

· Describe a time when you felt out of control. How did it make you feel?

· How do you think Jesus felt when He saw Judas and the soldiers?

· How do you think Peter and the soldiers felt when they saw Jesus heal the servant’s ear?

· How does it make you feel to know that Jesus willingly sacrificed himself so that you could know God’s love?

· Thank God for sending us Jesus. Thank Him that Jesus was willing to surrender himself so that we would never have to be in bondage.

Sing verse 1 of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”

Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of God’s unchanging love.

Robert Robinson, 1758

Monday Passion Week Family Devotional

Hi All,

Instead of blogging this week, I'll be posting the Easter family devotions I completed for our church. These are actually excerpts from a book I'm almost done with, so please don't redistribute them. My prayer is that your hearts are encouraged within your home and family as you live out the covenant before your children.

Monday:

Shorter Catechism Question #137:

What sign is used in the Lord’s Supper?

Eating the bread and drinking wine to remember the suffering and death of Jesus.

Read Luke 22: 14-23

Once a year the people of God went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Passover. It was a time to remember the ways God had provided for His people. It was a time to remember how God led them out of slavery in Egypt to freedom. This year Jesus wanted to celebrate the feast with his closest friends, his disciples. The disciples were afraid because they knew people wanted to kill Jesus.

But when the time came, Jesus and his disciples sat down at the table together. Jesus knew it was almost time for Him to die, but He also knew His Father was in control of everything. Jesus told His disciples this would be the last time He would share and eat this special meal with them until the Kingdom of God came.

First, Jesus took the bread. He blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. He said, “This is my body given for you.”

Then, He took the cup of wine. He blessed it and gave it to them. He said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant of my blood.”

We still celebrate this feast today. In the church we have communion. The bread and the juice remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice. Just like the people of God remembered, we remember that Jesus suffered and died in our place. He took our punishment, our shame, and our separation from God. Jesus took all these things so that we could be free in God’s love for us.

· Share a time you were disciplined for doing something you knew you were not suppose to do. Were you ashamed?

· How does it make you feel to know Jesus took God’s punishment for our sins?

· How does it make you feel to know that we do not have to be ashamed anymore?

· Have you found freedom in Jesus’ suffering for you? If not, talk to your parents about it now.

· Thank God for Jesus’ sacrifice and that Jesus is returning to celebrate this feast with us again.

Sing verses 1 and 6 of “Amazing Grace.”

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind, but now I see.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we’ve first begun.

John Newton, 1779.

Not Worthy of Them

My English class and I are memorizing Hebrews 11 for our final project. It's the culmination of our year's study of ancient history and literature in the context of God's sovereignty. Whenever I hear or come to that chapter in Bible study, reference or reading, there's a tendency much like in Genesis one to skim over the majesty of God's faithfulness and power because it's commonly referred to as "the faith chapter", and I quickly remember, "Oh yea, I know that."

However, as we've dived into this new process of study, my mind has been blown away at the beauty of God's mercy through these unsuspecting, broken individuals, who were simply willing to be used, tired of reaching dead-ends through their own merits and foolish attempts. And in the end, the writer of Hebrews claims, "the world was not worthy of them." When I read this in my class on Thursday, tears fell.

Am I bold enough to imagine, to dream, to ask for a vision from God, himself, that would make the world not worthy of me - not because of who I am or what I accomplish, but because I am so broken and unworthy? I'm useless, and in that confession, I find myself utterly dependent and hidden in Christ, of whom the world was not worthy.

Am I daring enough to pray for my children and Jamie that the world would not be worthy of them? That's a prayer that stops me in mid-sentence. Yet, I long for nothing more. In light of that, I'm increasingly aware of the gift I've been given to speak into the lives of youth and children in my ministry. What a precious honor it is to pass on a vision to them that they can live for a calling that is much more than this world holds out to them, it's a calling that will leave the world unworthy of them....

Long absence from the blogging world, but in gratefulness:

11. early morning quiet and grading times.

12. Caleb in his new Cardinals baseball outfit...I'll post pictures soon.

13. Flowers from a sweet friend.

14. Cherry 7-up.

15. Thrift store finds.