Good Friday Family Devotional

Shorter Catechism Question #142

Where is Christ now?

In heaven, ruling His kingdom and interceding for us.

Read Matthew 27:50-66

As Jesus Christ struggled to breathe, darkness fell. When He was nailed to the cross, all of God’s wrath and anger that we deserved was put completely on Jesus. There was nothing left for us. Jesus took our full punishment. As soon as Jesus’ physical body died, the Bible says the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. In God’s temple, man could not enter the Holy of Holies, which was God’s special dwelling place beyond the curtain. But now God, himself, destroyed it. God’s children were now welcomed into His presence. He longed for them. God had been planning and waiting for this moment since the first sin of Adam and Eve. He had been weaving together His plan to rescue His covenant children.

Jesus is our priest, our High Priest. He took all the sin that ever was, and all the sin that would ever be, on Him when He died. We never have to fear going to God because of what Jesus did. We can be honest about who we are and the bad things we’ve done because God only sees Jesus when He looks at us.

· Describe a time when someone defended you, or when you defended someone else.

· Have you ever felt unloved by God or afraid to go to Him?

· How does it make you feel to know that God welcomes you into His presence?

· What are some things you can do to be open to God’s presence in your life?

· Thank God that He longs for us. Thank Him for rescuing us through His plan in Jesus.

Sing verse one of Holy, Holy, Holy!

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Reginal Heber 1826

Maudy Thursday, Holy Week Family Devotional

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

Holy Wednesday Family Devotional

The Last Supper

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.

Holy Monday Family Devotional

The Outcast

Read Matthew 26:1-16

Jesus talked with His disciples as He had several times before. Except now, the time had almost run out. He told them He would be turned over to be crucified at Passover, in only two days. While Jesus talked with His closest friends, others, who thought He was a dangerous enemy, planned His death. Jesus knew what was coming, and He knew His Father, the one true God, loved Him more deeply than we could ever dream. So days before His death, Jesus sat and ate with those no one else wanted to be with. He dined at Simon the Leper’s house, a man who would have been the outcast of society. He watched as Mary, a woman other men wouldn’t be in the same room with, washed His feet with expensive perfume, and wiped the dirt off with her hair. And when the disciples said she wasted precious money that could have been used for better things, Jesus said she gave Him beautiful worship.

· Describe a time you felt “left out”, like an outcast. How did it feel?

· What would it have been like to be in a room with Jesus just days before His death?

· Would you have been willing to spend time with those others didn’t want to be around? Why or Why not?

· How can you worship Jesus today as the one true King?

· Thank God that He loves you, and invites you to worship Him.

Sing “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.”

Lord I lift Your name on high

Lord I love to sing Your praises

I'm so glad You're in my life

I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from heaven to earth

(To show the way)

From the earth to the cross

(My debt to pay)

Palm Sunday Family Devotion

Jesus the King

Read Matthew 21:1-11

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” The praises echoed in Jesus’ ears as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey.

Each year the people of God went to the town of Jerusalem to remember how God protected them during the Passover in Egypt. They remembered how God led them through the desert to freedom. As Jesus entered the town of Jerusalem, the crowds and his disciples shouted His name with excitement. They laid their cloaks and palm branches on the ground to prepare the way for Him. They had seen his mighty works. Many people believed He was the Messiah. They hoped He would save Israel from Rome’s control. They wanted Him to be their King. Jesus would be their King, but God had sent Jesus to save His people from sin’s control and to give them true life.

What would it have been like to see Jesus enter Jerusalem?

Was Jesus the kind of Messiah many had hoped for?

What do you think Jesus was thinking as he entered Jerusalem?

Thank God for sending Jesus to be our one true King.

Sing verse 1 of “I Will Sing of My Redeemer.”

I will sing of my Redeemer and his wondrous love to me: on the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free.

Chorus:

Sing, O sing of my Redeemer! With His blood He purchased me; on the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free.

Philip P. Bliss, 1876

Hard Responses

I'm in bed with strep throat. Julie's wedding was this weekend. It was wonderful, really wonderful. Jamie took a half day so I could sleep. I'm blessed.

Big Sis M moves on Friday. Sigh. I've been thinking and reflecting a lot. She'll be our first child to leave, but we're quite confident the house will be full again sooner than we think. The Father is so glorious in that M's number one family loves Jesus desperately, and longs to celebrate her in His faithfulness.

It's interesting that through this journey, there's two reactions I can almost count on hearing:

1. You're amazing. I could never do that.

2. That's so good for you, but I could never let the children go.

Ironically, those are the exact responses that I had as God led us into this journey. Woah...that's not for us. God has allowed me to see His grace in both of these, and to show His grace through my response.

1. We're not amazing. I've been thinking a lot about how we are simply obeying a call the Father gave us. Obedience is not amazing; it's obedient. In light of that, I can point to my Jesus who gives me the call to obey. Don't look at Jamie and me; look at our AMAZING SAVIOR.

2. The second response is harder. It may even come across prideful, but it's my heart. And as I said, those are the same words that came out of my mouth to a fostering friend just a year ago. It was the words I spoke as I kicked and screamed when Jamie became so confident that we were called to foster, before we ever adopted.

I could never let the children go. I hear this at least once a day. I told Jamie the other day that if I heard it again, I may scream. Please, please don't take that the wrong way, but the comment makes it sound as if Jamie and I have some secret power that enables us to let the kids go. The truth....

The truth is that for three months, I have been these girls' mother. God's grace has allowed me to clothe them, feed them, and teach them. I've had the honor of taking them to the Word, singing over them, and introducing them to my Savior. No, I'm not their permanent mother, but I have been called to fully give my heart to them for this season. So, in truth, I've also grieved them as a mother. They deserve that. Jamie's held me, and I him, as we've wept, prayed for their future, and some days not wanted to really get out of bed because we know we're one day closer to goodbyes. I have no secret ingredient, except that of the gospel. We do not base our obedience on whether or not something is easy for us, or if we will be strong enough to finish well. Christ, our Savior, is the author, perfecter, and finisher of our faith. We are simply called to obey. In truth, the moment I stop grieving these children, should perhaps be the moment I turn in my resignation to this calling. They deserve to be wept over, rejoiced over, celebrated, disciplined, and prayed for. For a very short season, I was given this honor.

These girls, and the ones that will continue coming, are not mine to let go. My own children are not mine to let go. They are my Father's, who graces me and allows me to put my hand into the gospel's work in their lives for a blink of an eye.

Why would I pass that chance by?

PS...I'll be posting my Holy Week Devotionals next week, walking through Passion Week with Christ, through Scripture. I wrote these several years ago for our church, and many have used them. Feel free to join along with your family. These will begin Palm Sunday.