[Jesus said] “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture.” John 10:9
Through Christ Alone!
“I just don’t know. I’ll have to think about it some more.” That was all John could say. He wasn’t sure if he could agree with what Paul had told him.
Paul had just told his friend about the way to heaven. He wanted to make sure John knew it was only through Jesus that he could be saved. This concerned John and made him ask, “Then, what about everyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus? Will God exclude good, moral people if they don’t believe?”
The debate still lingers. People like John still feel there are various ways to enter heaven. However, Jesus reveals something completely different. There is only one way to enter heaven, and that is through him. When he says, “I am the gate,” there are only two things that can happen. The door into heaven will be opened, or the door will be closed, and the only way the door will be opened is through Jesus Christ.
In spite of what Jesus says, there is still the desperate hope that other alternatives exist. I may even hope that there are other ways which God would find acceptable. Unfortunately, everything else fails because entry is only through Christ alone.
Jesus is the only way because he did what was needed for me and for all people to enter heaven. Jesus offered his Father the perfect, obedient life that was required, which I could never live. Jesus paid his Father the full price, which was required, and which I could never pay.
Without Jesus, I may desire to be in heaven, but I will never enter it. This is why I need to look to Jesus alone. He makes it possible for me to come into heaven, where he gladly welcomes me. Then I will have everything I need and will live in never-ending joy. How truly blessed I am to know that I am saved through Christ alone.
Prayer:
O dearest Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, you have provided the way to heaven, and you have called me through your word to enter eternal life. Give me the faith I need to trust that I am saved through you alone. Amen.
[Jesus] said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” Luke 24:25-26
It Has to Happen
Jesus spoke these words to two of his followers walking to Emmaus the day he rose from the dead. But these two didn’t understand that Jesus HAD TO be alive. Why did he have to be alive? Because that’s what God through the prophets said would happen. These two must have heard the prophecies before that Jesus would die and rise again. They must have heard Jesus say that he would die and rise again. But what they didn’t understand was that what God says has to happen.
This is such a huge concept for us to understand as well. There are times in our lives when it seems the wheels are coming off. It’s one problem after the next. Yet God says to those who believe in him, “I have plans to prosper you” (Jeremiah 29:11). God says he will prosper us. And what God says has to happen.
We ask God to help us, but feel he isn’t. Yet he says in Psalm 50:15, “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you.” God says he will deliver us. And what God says has to happen.
We confess our sins to God and ask him to forgive us. But we don’t feel forgiven. We still stew on and feel that guilt. Yet God says in 1 John 1:7, “The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” God says he has washed away every sin with Jesus’ blood. And what God says has to happen.
Our own words and the words of others aren’t always reliable. But what God says is fail-proof. It is reliable. We can completely trust that whatever he says and promises WILL HAPPEN.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, strengthen my faith so that I trust that what you promise will happen. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-SaturdayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-25 00:30:162026-04-17 15:05:15It Has to Happen – April 25, 2026
There is a canyon less than 50 yards from our front door.Before you enter the canyon,a sign explains thatarea was once known as Camp Elliott and served as a training area for artillery during WWII.At the bottom of the signthere is a warning:“Salvage work has been done to remove unexploded shells,but it is possible that due to natural erosion, shells could surface. If you should discover any, do not touch it!”
It is possible that there are unexploded shells in this canyon…In the early 80s some people found one, picked it up and it killed them.Did I also mention that there are coyotes and tarantulas, scorpions and rattlesnakes,andticksin this canyon?
Every time I walk this canyon I am reminded of King David’s words in Psalm 23,“Even though I walk through the darkest valley . . .” (Psalm 23:4). This canyon is a picture of my life. Seen and unseen dangersare waiting toafflict my body and soul, my property and reputation. What about you?
Life in our nation’s military is like walking through the darkest valley–not just whenyou’redownrange or underway, not just whenyou’reatNTC or some other training–but the devilis always waiting to afflict you withspiritual harm. Death and grave are always lurking.
Then King David saysin the psalm,“I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).Who is the “you” to whom David refers? You probably know the answer, “The LORD, who is my shepherd, who leads me, guides me,whorestores my soul,wholaiddown his life for mine,only totake it up again,so that hemight live and bewith me, who will make sure that I dwell in his house forever.”
This canyon not only reminds me that I walk through the darkest valley, but that Jesus is my Good Shepherd, because the name of the canyon is East Shepherd Canyon. If you visit San Diego, stop by andwe’llwalk Shepherd Canyon together and talk about Jesus and how he makes sure we lack no good thing because he is our Good Shepherd. Until that day,I encourage you toread Psalm 23 today and then read John chapter 10 and know that Jesus your Shepherd walks with you through the darkest valleys.
Prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Good Shepherd who laid down your life for the sheep. Lead us now to the still waters of your life-giving Word that we may abide in yourFather’shouse forevermore. Walk with all who are deployed, all who are in basic training, those who are in their different schools of training – be their guide. Restore them when days are difficult. Lead them to the green pastures of your Word through faithful chaplains and pastors and Christian friends. We ask this in your name, Amen.
Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg347842Katie Michaelhttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngKatie Michael2026-04-24 10:00:502026-05-01 10:52:48Military Devotion – Walk the Darkest Valley with Your Shepherd – April 24, 2026
Now that same day [Easter Day], two of [Jesus’ disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. As they approached the village to which they were going . . . they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:13-35 (selected verses)
Nervous and Forgotten
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today was a very exciting day, it was Jeremiah’s birthday! He got home from school, ready to open presents and tell his mom all about his day. But when he opened the door, no one was there. He ran into the living room. Still empty. He checked the kitchen. Still empty. Jeremiah started to feel nervous and a little forgotten.
He went to his room to put away his backpack. But when he opened the door, he heard a loud, “SURPRISE!” His mom, dad, sister, and even some of his friends were waiting for him with presents and a birthday cake! Jeremiah realized he hadn’t been forgotten at all—he had been in for a wonderful surprise.
In our Bible story today, two men were walking with Jesus but didn’t realize it was him. They felt nervous and forgotten. They had watched the Savior they loved die, and they didn’t understand God’s plan yet. They had lost hope, just like Jeremiah thought he had been forgotten when he walked through his empty house.
Then Jesus revealed the surprise! He was alive again. Imagine how happy and excited they must have felt! Most of all, they had hope again. The man they thought was gone forever was actually alive.
Sometimes we feel hopeless too. We make mistakes and sin every day. The world around us is broken. But there is a hope that never fails—Jesus walks with us every day, just like he walked with the men on the road. He restores our hope and reminds us that he is alive, and he will never leave us.
Prayer:
My living Savior, in a sinful world, it can feel easy to lose hope. Today I heard how you walked with two men who felt the same way. Restore to me the hope and the joy that come from knowing that you died and rose again for me. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
Have you ever felt like no one noticed you? What happened?
Who is always with you and never forgets you?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
Jeremiah felt nervous and forgotten. Has that ever happened to you? How did you feel, and what made it better?
What did Jesus do to show the two men he was alive?
Questions for Middle School and Above
Jesus walked with them without them realizing it. Why might he have done that instead of appearing to them right away?
What’s the difference between hoping to make the team or get a good grade and hoping in Jesus? Why can we trust his hope will never fail?
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:17-19
More than Enough
Imagine someone is paying off a small debt by handing over a fortune. That’s the picture the sixteenth-century reformer, Martin Luther, once painted when reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice. He wrote, “Just one drop of this innocent blood would have been more than enough for the sin of the whole world.”
Just one drop. Jesus’ blood is infinitely valuable because he is the sinless Son of God. His sacrifice was more than sufficient to pay for every sin: yours, mine, and the world’s.
Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed with silver or gold. Those things eventually fade and lose value. We were redeemed with something far more precious: the blood of Christ.
That truth changes how we see our lives. Our forgiveness was not cheap. Our rescue was not discounted. God loved us enough to give what was the most precious to him, his own Son.
And yet this costly redemption is also our deepest comfort. Because Jesus paid the full price, there is nothing left for you to earn, and nothing left unpaid. Your sins are forgiven. You belong to God.
So, we live in what Peter calls “reverent fear,” a fear that is not terror, but a deep respect and gratitude for the grace we’ve received. We treasure the salvation Christ won for us.
After all, when you realize what it cost Jesus to redeem you, you begin to see how precious you truly are to God.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for redeeming me with your precious blood. Help me treasure your grace and live each day in gratitude for the salvation you won for me. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-FridayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-24 00:30:122026-04-17 14:54:22More than Enough – April 24, 2026
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:37-39
Cut and Comforted
When the apostle Peter preached to the crowd in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, he did not soften his message. “You crucified him,” Peter said. The very Savior that God had promised, the one sent to rescue them, they had rejected. And the people felt it. Luke says they were “cut to the heart.”
That’s what God’s Word does. It doesn’t flatter us. It doesn’t tell us we’re basically fine. It tells us the truth. Our sin isn’t small. It isn’t someone else’s problem. Left alone, it separates us from God. When that truth sinks in, the question arises: “What shall we do?”
It’s the most natural question in the world. When you realize something is broken, you want to fix it. When you realize you’re guilty, you want to make it right. But Peter’s answer is not, “Try harder.” It’s not, “Do better next time.”
He says, “Repent and be baptized… for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Notice how active God is in that sentence. Forgiveness is given. The Spirit is given. The promise is given.
We bring the sin. God brings the rescue. That is how faith begins. God’s law cuts so that his gospel can heal. He shows us our desperate condition so that we will see how desperately we need Jesus.
And then he gives him to us. Through his Word, through baptism, through the message of the cross, God applies what Jesus has done. Not partly. Completely. Not because we earned it. Because Christ did. The same God who exposes our guilt also washes it away. The promise is for you.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, cut away my pride and self-reliance. Then comfort me with the full forgiveness won by Jesus. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-ThursdayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-23 00:30:462026-04-17 14:53:44Cut and Comforted – April 23, 2026
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:17-19
An Expensive Purchase
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A long time ago, in 1878, a wagon was carrying gold bars for a company. Thieves robbed it. The thieves stole all of the gold bars and hid them in a nearby cave so they could come back another time and retrieve them. However, before they could come back, another group of people found the gold hidden in the cave and buried it somewhere in the ground, because they recognized it as precious.
That gold was worth a lot of money. The thieves probably thought they were rich! But they learned something important. Even gold doesn’t fix everything. Gold can be lost. It can be stolen. It can disappear.
The thieves may have thought they had it all figured out—they had an immense amount of gold! But they learned the hard way that gold doesn’t mean their problems were gone. We might not use gold today, but many people know that money doesn’t stick around. It isn’t permanent. Money can be spent. Toys can break. Even very valuable things don’t last forever.
Thank God that he didn’t purchase us with something that can be stolen or hidden. When we were sinful and far from God, God reached out and purchased us with the most valuable thing of all—“the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” He didn’t use something like gold or silver to buy his children back. He used something far more valuable. He used the blood of his perfect Son to redeem us forever!
When we know that we have been bought by the blood of Christ, we can live our lives differently. Before we were bought, we did not have anything—worldly possessions can’t save us! But as children of God, we can live knowing we have a home that is waiting for us. We can live for God in eager expectation of our salvation. We belong to Jesus, and no one can take us away from him.
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to know that you bought me for a price. You love me more than I even know! I want to live for you every day until I am at home in heaven with you. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
Does money last forever? What are some things that don’t last very long?
God “purchased” us to be his children—how long will we belong to God?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
Did God use gold, silver, or money to buy us? What did he use instead?
We were horrible sinners who didn’t want to be with God. Why did he want to buy us back then?
Questions for Middle School and Above
What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? How does that compare to what God spent to buy us back? Was God’s price bigger or smaller?
God had to buy us back. Who or what was he buying us back from?
When [Jesus] was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:30-32
Strengthened by God’s Good Gifts
The two disciples with whom Jesus spoke on Easter evening on the road to Emmaus had had their faith shaken to the core. Jesus had been tried as a felon and crucified as a criminal, looking like a failure.
They heard the reports that the tomb was empty and Jesus was alive, but it didn’t revive their faith. They didn’t even stick around in Jerusalem to see if it might be true. They hit the road for Emmaus, leaving the other disciples.
Jesus chose these two doubting disciples to be among the first he appeared to after his resurrection. He didn’t show up at Pilate’s palace. He didn’t walk into the temple in triumph. He didn’t gloat to the religious leaders who orchestrated his death. He chose two disciples in a crisis of faith.
Jesus gave them exactly what they needed. He shared God’s Word. He broke bread with them as he had during the Passover meal the previous Thursday. Those good gifts were all they needed to recognize that Jesus was alive and so was their faith.
We know what it’s like to struggle. A temptation that won’t loosen its grip. An illness that lingers. A loved one is drifting further from God. All of these can cause a crisis of faith.
That’s when we go where Jesus has told us to look. We open his Word where we hear that our sins are forgiven. We see that the cross is for us. And in the Lord’s Supper, Jesus gives us something tangible. We don’t just hear we are forgiven; we receive it.
When faith feels fragile, God doesn’t demand that we get stronger. He points us to his promises. The same Savior who walked with those disciples still comes to his people today. He still brings those good gifts with him.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, when doubt clouds my heart, draw me back to your Word and your promises. Strengthen my faith with your good gifts. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-WednesdayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-22 00:30:492026-04-17 14:28:49Strengthened by God’s Good Gifts – April 22, 2026
[Jesus] said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27
All Scripture Points Us to Jesus
When Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he kept them from recognizing him. That seems strange. If the goal was to convince them he was alive, why not simply say, “It’s me”? Instead, Jesus did something just as powerful. He opened the Scriptures.
He walked them through the first part of the Bible, what we call the Old Testament, and showed them how it had always been pointing to him. He may have taken them back to the Garden of Eden, where God promised that one of Eve’s descendants would crush the serpent. He may have reminded them of the Passover Lamb in Exodus, whose blood saved God’s people from death. He certainly could have pointed to the prophet Isaiah, who wrote about a suffering servant who would be “pierced for our transgressions.”
We might think it would be more powerful if Jesus were to appear today. Wouldn’t that make for an undeniable and visible testimony? If Jesus were standing right in front of us. Wouldn’t that settle everything?
But Jesus chooses something else. He chooses his Word. God’s Word doesn’t just give information. It creates faith. It reveals who Jesus is and what he has done. His Word shows us that his suffering wasn’t an accident. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection was a rescue plan written across centuries.
The Bible is not a random collection of spiritual thoughts. It is one unfolding story with one hero: Jesus. And through that Word, the Holy Spirit opens eyes just like he did for those disciples on the road to Emmaus.
If you want to know who Jesus is, start where he told us to look. Open the Bible. That will lead you straight to your Savior, Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, open my eyes through your Word. Strengthen my faith in your promises and help me see you on every page of Scripture. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-TuesdayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-21 00:30:042026-04-17 14:26:17All Scripture Points Us to Jesus – April 21, 2026
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon!”
Luke 24: 30-31, 33-34
Hope Restored
The bucket of Perler beads toppled to the floor before anyone could stop it. And then chaos ensued. There were gasps, “Oh no! What are we going to do?” There were shouts, “Now the colors are mixed up!” We froze in horror as we watched beads bouncing around the room, under tables and bookshelves. What a mess! It was going to take some time to clean up and sort out.
After Jesus came back to life, his disciples were still trying to sort out the last few days; they were trying to put all the pieces together. They watched their Lord suffer and die. They felt hopeless and scared. They wondered if Jesus’ enemies would come for them, too. Everything seemed uncertain.
But now they were hearing that maybe—just maybe—Jesus was alive! It must have been a very confusing time. From the women’s account at the tomb to Jesus appearing in the locked room, the stories seemed unbelievable. What a puzzle it was! What a mess to sort out!
But that’s what Jesus does. Because of his powerful love for us, he sorts out our messes, even our biggest ones. He lived in this world, saw all kinds of sin, and underwent all kinds of temptations. He saw his best friends betray him, deny him, and abandon him. In our day, he watches us fall into trouble after trouble, mess after mess, and sin after sin.
What a mess we are! Sometimes we try to clean up our own mess. We resolve to “be better”. We seek ways to help others and to love others more than ourselves. We try to resist evil. And although these are all things that we should do out of love for our Savior, none of them will earn us a place in heaven. Nothing we do will clean up our mess of sin—especially since we can never do them to the standard of God’s perfection.
And yet, Jesus is the hope in a hopeless world. He cleaned up our mess when he died on the cross and came back to life. By his grace (that is, his undeserved love) we are forgiven and given a new life filled with hope. He restored our hope on that first Easter Sunday, and every day we are reminded of this undeserved love.
Our hope has been restored! We can be assured that even though our earthly future seems uncertain, we can be confident that Jesus will be with us every step of the way. He promises to be with us always, to hold our hand on this earth and to lead us on to heaven.
Prayer:
Dear Restorer of Hope,
Thank you for cleaning up my mess of sin. Help me to learn more about you every day, so that I may share this hope with others that I meet. May I cling to this hope that I have all the days of my life until I see you in heaven. Amen.
Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:14,32-41 (selected verses)
A Big Mistake
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lucas was riding in the car with his dad when the car started to shake violently. Warning lights came on all over the dashboard. He looked at the flashing lights and felt worried. His dad quickly pulled over, reached into the glove compartment to check the car’s instruction book. Lucas heard his dad mutter something about how the car’s computer and the engine stopped talking to each other and that he could not drive it anywhere. Now Lucas was scared: “Are we stuck? How will we get home? What would they do without their car?”
Lucas watched as his dad called his uncle who lived nearby to come and take a look. It felt like forever, but finally his uncle arrived and opened the hood. As soon as his uncle looked under the hood, he laughed. It was an easy and simple fix—a hose had loosened and become detached. With one small click, the car was as good as new. “Whew!” Lucas sighed with relief. What seemed like a huge problem turned out to be something small.
The people in our reading today felt awful when Peter confronted them with what they had done. They had crucified the Son of God. They realized they had made a very big mistake. But Peter wasn’t finished—he continued to tell them that God had made “the Jesus, whom [they] crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” God had taken the horrible thing they had done and made it into something wonderful.
Peter tells them of a promise that comes to them because of Jesus’ death. They will receive the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Instead of only guilt, they received forgiveness. The best part of this reading for us, might be when we hear Peter say that this promise isn’t just for the people he is talking to. It’s for us too! It is for all believers of all time.
Jesus’ crucifixion was a horrible and sinful event that God used for the good of his people. We have a true hope of forgiveness because of it. Because he lives, I know that I will live too in heaven with him one day. God turned the worst thing into the best news.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you used the death of your Son to give me life and forgiveness. I have a sure hope that I am a child of God and that I will be with you one day. Help me remember that you can bring good even from bad things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
What is a mistake you made that someone helped you fix? Was it big or small? How did you feel afterward?
Why did the people feel bad during our reading today? What had they done?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
What is something good that came from Jesus’ death (something bad)?
Why is the story from the beginning of the devotion like the true story of Jesus’ death and resurrection?
Questions for Middle School and Above
What verse from the reading assures us that the promise of forgiveness is for everyone?
Can you think of another “bad” thing that God could use for good?
One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.” Luke 24:18-21
God’s Promises and Our Perception
In 1928, scientist Alexander Fleming returned from vacation to find that one of his petri dishes had been contaminated with mold. It looked like a failure and ruined work. But when Fleming looked closer, he noticed something remarkable. Around the mold, the bacteria had died. What looked spoiled was actually powerful. That mold, penicillin, would go on to save hundreds of thousands of lives during World War II and millions more in the years that followed.
Three days after Jesus’ death, two disciples were walking away from Jerusalem. With their faces downcast and their hearts full of disappointment. They said, “We had hoped…” They had hoped for redemption, freedom, and restoration for Israel. But Jesus had been crucified. To them, the cross looked like failure, like God’s plan had been ruined.
But the cross wasn’t failure; it was success. There, Jesus satisfied God’s wrath. There, he paid for every sin. And three days later, Jesus proved it with an empty tomb.
We know the feeling of having hope disappointed. We hoped the diagnosis would be different. We hoped the relationship would heal. He hoped the door would open. Sometimes God’s work in our lives looks like a ruined plan.
But the cross teaches us it is better to trust God’s promises than our perceptions. What looked like defeat became salvation. What looked like death became life. In Jesus, your greatest problem has already been cured.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when plans don’t match my expectations, help me trust your promises. Remind me that your cross is never failure, but always my cure. Amen.
One key truth: The risen Jesus walks with us to restore our hope.
Suddenly their eyes were opened, and they recognized him [Jesus]. Then he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us along the road and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us?” They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those who were with them assembled together. They were saying, “The Lord really has been raised! He has appeared to Simon.” They themselves described what had happened along the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread. Luke 24:31-35 EHV
Hope Restored
It doesn’t take much for hope to fade. One bad grade. One awkward moment. One fight. One disappointment. You think something’s finally going to work out, and then it doesn’t. You study for days, but the test still goes wrong. You show up for practice, give it everything, and the team still loses. You try to make peace at home, but the arguments keep coming back. After a while, it’s easy to think: “Why even try?”
Two men once walked a dusty road feeling that same way. They were on their way to a town called Emmaus. Jesus had been crucified, and everything they believed about him seemed to fall apart. They thought the story was over. But now he was gone and so was their hope.
Then someone started walking with them. They didn’t realize it was Jesus. As they talked, he began to open the Scriptures, showing them how God’s plan always included his suffering and death. Step by step… verse by verse… something started to change inside them. The truth began to settle in. Their hearts warmed. Later that evening, when Jesus broke bread at the table, their eyes opened. It was him. Alive! Right in front of them!
That same joy and hope is meant for you, too. Jesus knows what it feels like when disappointment weighs on your heart. He knows what it’s like when the future looks like a wall you can’t get past. But his resurrection changes everything. He already carried your sin. The worst thing already happened—he already faced death and came out the other side. Because he lives, your story isn’t over.
Even when you can’t see it, hope still has a pulse. Jesus walks beside you when the path feels confusing. Through his Word, he keeps reminding you that every promise God made still stands.
The hope Jesus gives reaches right into your life. He knows your name, and he will never let you go. Even when you stumble or the path feels uncertain, he picks you up and stays with you.
So when your heart feels heavy, think about their words: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road?” Jesus is alive. He’s with you right now. And he won’t stop giving you hope.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for walking with me when hope fades. Open my eyes through your Word to see your promises and your presence. Fill my heart with the hope of your resurrection until the day I see you face to face. Amen.
Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9
Living Hope
A person struggles with a dangerous sin. He has given in before. It’s such a struggle that some days he is ready to give in for good. But he hangs on, remembering the battle Jesus fought to set him free. He continues to fight, relying on God’s power that raised Jesus to life. And where there is life, there is hope.
This new life is ours through the good news of the crucified and risen Jesus. Through this message, the Holy Spirit connects us to the accomplished work of our Savior. Jesus’ death becomes our death. Jesus’ life becomes our life—a living hope.
Living hope is not skeptical. It does not get discouraged when life’s circumstances change. Living hope holds onto God’s indestructible inheritance. If you die or the world ends, it’s still yours. It can’t be spoiled by sin or sinful people. It won’t lose value over time. God is keeping it safe for you in heaven. By faith in Jesus, that inheritance is your salvation—eternal freedom from sin, death, and the devil’s power.
So, rejoice! Jesus lives! And where there is life, there is hope.
Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, I praise you for the life, hope, and inheritance I have in you. And so, I consider it a joy if I must suffer for your name. Amen.
“This is not what I thought it would be.”I’mnotsure what theNavyrecruiter told him, or what heexpected life in the Navy to be, or what hechose to hear from his recruiter, whathisfriendsorfamily said,but after two years in, this isnot whatheexpected.I can see you smilingas you listen to this devotion–becauseyou know.After aPCS,adeployment,aschool,thetransition from active to civilian– youheardall sorts of things,butuntil you get there,itcan bea different experience. And you may find yourself saying, “This isnot what I thought it would be.” There are all kindsof struggles– bothemotionalandspiritual– that go along with it.
You’renot alone. This is nothing new, especially for God’s people.That firstEaster evening, twoof Jesus’disciplesbegan theirslow walk from Jerusalem to a villagecalledEmmaus.Jesus sidles up to themon their walk andjoins their conversation. Heplays dumb when they share the news about their teacher, Jesus from Nazareth whom they had hoped was the Messiah, the Christ,wasnow dead. And there wererumors aboutaresurrection. They said, “Hewasn’twhat we thought he would be.”
Starting with Scripture Jesus began to teach them what the Holy Spirit had said about him all along, to correct their misconceptions about the Messiah.
When you find yourself in those life situations that force you to say,“This is not what I thought it would be,”the soul asks of God,“Didn’t you say something about this? Why aren’t you doing what you said you would do?”
Sometimes like those two disciples we believe things about God thataren’ttrue. For example, have you ever said this or had someone say this to you, “God helps those who help themselves.” It can be used in a situation whereyou’ve made some questionable decisions andin order tofree yourself from more dire consequences you are encouraged to put some effort forward and then God will help you the rest of the way.Nowhere in ScripturedoesGod promise this to you.
In fact, the opposite is true. The Bible says,“When we were still powerless… while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”(Romans 5:6,8).Whenwe are completely helpless, when we say things like,“This is not what I expected,”Jesus sidles up to usandwith his words says,“Here is what I have promised you.First,thatI died for you. So,forall those timesyou’vepegged me for things Ihaven’tpromised you,I forgive you for that.I rose from the dead so that youmayknowthatall the promises I made in theBible, they will happen.I will keep them,justfor you.And this onethat youstruggle with,“God helps those who help themselves,”I have promisedyou,“God helps the helpless.God is the strength of the weak.God will give glory and relief after you suffer the crosses you must carry. God loves you.”
My friends, keep walking with Jesus, so that you know what he has promised.Cling to what he has promised.
Prayer:
O God, by the humiliation of your Son, youlifted upthis fallen world from the despair of death. By his resurrection to life, grant your faithful people gladness of heart and the hope of eternal joys. Grant hope to those who struggle to see your Almighty guiding hand in the current conflicts of the world. Grant wisdom to our leaders so that there may be peaceful resolutions in the Middle East. We ask this in the name of your Son, our Risen and living Savior. Amen.
Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:19,24-29
I’ll Believe It When I See It!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“I’ll believe it when I see it!” Have you said that lately? Maybe someone told you something amazing and you weren’t sure it was true. Other people don’t always tell the truth. Sadly, people say things that they don’t mean. Sometimes, people lie to us. You can’t believe everything people say. We learn to say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!”
Here’s the problem: Sometimes, we say those words to God. God isn’t like us people. God doesn’t lie. God doesn’t change his mind. God always tells the truth. Yet we sometimes treat God like he’s just another person. We don’t believe him. We say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!”
That’s what Jesus’ disciple Thomas said after Jesus rose from the dead. It sounded too good to be true. Even though Jesus had told his disciples many times that he was going to rise from the dead, Thomas didn’t believe it. Even after his friends saw Jesus on Easter evening, Thomas still didn’t believe it. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands . . . I will not believe” (John 20:25). In other words, “I’ll believe it when I see it!”
So, Jesus did a wonderful thing for Thomas: He let Thomas see him. That next Sunday night, Jesus appeared to his disciples again, and this time he made sure that Thomas was with them. He let Thomas see the nail marks in his hands. He showed Thomas that it was really him. He was really alive! Finally, Thomas believed and said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Thomas wasn’t doubting anymore—he believed!
Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Blessed are those who don’t need to see to believe. That includes you! You can trust Jesus. When Jesus says something, it’s always true.
Jesus promises that he is with us always. Is that true, even though we can’t see him? Yes! Jesus says that he has prepared special rooms for us in heaven. Is that true, even though we can’t see them? Yes! Jesus says that he has washed away all our sins. Is that true? Yes! Faith is believing in what we can’t see. We trust Jesus because he always keeps his promises. We don’t need to see it to believe it. We trust Jesus’ words!
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for gently taking away Thomas’ doubts about your resurrection. When we doubt too, use your Word to convince us that we don’t need to see it to believe it. Help us trust your promises every day. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
What didn’t Thomas want to believe?
What did Jesus do to take Thomas’ doubts away?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
Besides the examples in this devotion, what are two other promises God makes to us in the Bible that involve things we can’t see? (Jesus hears our prayers, heaven, angels, forgiveness, etc.)
How can we know that those promises are true?
Questions for Middle School and Above
Reread Thomas’ confession: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). What very important truth did Thomas confess about Jesus?
Thomas is often known as “doubting Thomas” because of this one recorded moment. But based on this whole story, why isn’t that a very fair way to describe Thomas? What would be a better way to describe him? (Maybe: believing Thomas, trusting Thomas, or forgiven Thomas.)
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg400711Pam Johnsonhttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngPam Johnson2026-04-17 04:00:092026-04-01 12:30:01I’ll Believe It When I See It! – April 17, 2026
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31
Written For Your Faith
The apostle John closes his book with a purpose: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
The resurrection appearances were not random miracles. They were signs. Proof. Testimony. Carefully preserved and proclaimed so that future generations—like us—might have certainty.
Christian faith is not blind optimism. It rests on recorded, eyewitness history. The apostles saw Jesus. They touched him. They ate with him. And then they wrote. Why? So “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Notice the present tense: have life. Not only future glory, but also present peace and access to God.
Jesus lives, and therefore you live. His victory becomes your victory. His declaration of sins forgiven becomes your declaration of peace with God. His promise to be with you always becomes your source of calm and courage. His selfless love for you becomes your motivation to selflessly love your neighbor.
This is why we treasure the Bible. It is not merely a collection of inspiring thoughts. It is Spirit-breathed testimony to the living Jesus. Through it, Jesus still comes into locked rooms and hearts. Through it, he still shows his wounds. Through it, he still declares, “Peace be with you.”
When doubts arise, return to what is written. When fear closes in, return to what is written. When guilt accuses, return to what is written.
The resurrection of Jesus on Easter is not only an annual celebration. It is daily proof that your sins are forgiven and your future is secure. He lives to give you proof and peace. He lives—and in him, you have life.
Prayer:
Living Lord Jesus, anchor my faith in your written Word. Through it, grant me unshakable proof and enduring peace. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-FridayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-17 00:30:052026-04-01 13:38:10Written For Your Faith – April 17, 2026
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:26-29
The Wounded Lord Draws Near
A week after Jesus appeared to his disciples on Easter evening, he appears again. The doors are locked. This time, Thomas is present. Jesus speaks directly to him. “Put your finger here; see my hands… Stop doubting and believe.”
What mercy! Jesus repeats Thomas’s own words back to him—not to mock, but to invite. The Lord had heard his doubt. And now he answers it with the proof of his wounds from the cross. Even in resurrection glory, Jesus keeps the marks of crucifixion as proof of his undeserved love.
Thomas responds with the clearest confession in John’s Gospel: “My Lord and my God!” Thomas declares who Jesus is—God himself—and who Jesus is to him—his Lord. His doubt is transformed into worship.
Jesus then speaks to us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This is not second-class faith. It is faith grounded in the testimony of the apostles. The eyewitnesses saw so that we may trust their proclamation.
We do not touch his wounds physically. However, we encounter the same crucified and risen Jesus in his Word and in the Lord’s Supper. In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus provides individual sinners with the ongoing assurance that his body and blood have been given and shed for them.
He lives. And his living presence continues to comfort wounded consciences.
Your wounds, too, are known to him. By his death and resurrection, he transformed your guilt into peace, your temporary pain into enduring hope, and your momentary sorrows into joy that will last forever.
Thomas received what he asked for and more. He received a living Savior. So do you.
Prayer:
My Lord and my God, thank you for meeting my doubts with mercy. Keep my faith anchored in your wounded yet victorious body. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-ThursdayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-16 00:30:382026-04-01 13:27:43The Wounded Lord Draws Near – April 16, 2026
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
A Living Hope
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hope. Do you know what that word means? When you know your birthday is coming up, you hope for some great presents. If it’s a rainy day, you hope the sun will come out. If your friends or parents have been really busy lately, you hope they’ll have time to play with you soon. Hope is looking forward to something good. Hope is believing that something good is going to come in the future.
Sometimes, that’s hard. It’s hard to have hope. Instead, we feel hopeless. Do you know what that’s like? Feeling hopeless is when it seems like everything goes wrong, like nothing ever goes right, like your life is never going to be good or happy. It can feel like nothing will get better.
Are you feeling hopeful or hopeless today? (You can answer in your head right now.)
There were some Christians in the Bible who were tempted to feel hopeless. Life had been hard for them. The worst part was that people were mistreating them because they were Christians. They wondered if there was any hope at all.
Was there? Yes! How? Listen, “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).
As hard as their lives were, those Christians had a “living hope,” a hope that kept on going and going and living and living no matter what. It didn’t run out. It didn’t disappear. Where did that hope come from? Jesus! The fact that Jesus rose from the dead meant that they could always have hope.
Why? Because Jesus had given them something that could never perish, spoil, or fade. He had planned something really good for them that no one and nothing could ever take away. What was it? Heaven. Jesus’ resurrection gives us the living hope of heaven.
Even when life is hard, you have a living hope: Jesus! Even when everyone seems against you, there is someone who is for you: Jesus! Even when this world makes you sad, you have something you can look forward to: Heaven with Jesus! No one can take that away from you. Easter gives us living hope in Jesus.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, sometimes we feel hopeless. It can seem like everything is hard and bad and we don’t have anything to look forward to. That’s not true! Use the message of Easter to fill us with a living hope in you and your promise of heaven. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
What is something that you hope for?
What do you know about heaven? What do you think it will be like?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
What are two examples of things that can make kids feel hopeless? (bad day at school, fight with a friend, losing a game, feeling left out, etc.)
Why does knowing that Jesus rose from the dead give you hope?
Questions for Middle School and Above
Explain in your own words what the word “hope” means. Can you give an example?
What does it mean that the hope that comes from Jesus is a “living” hope?
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:24–25
When Doubt Demands Proof
Thomas was not there. We are not told why. But in his absence, he missed out on the peace the risen Jesus brought to his disciples with his appearance. When the others told him, “We have seen the Lord,” Thomas refused to believe without tangible proof. “Unless I see… unless I touch… I will not believe.”
We often judge Thomas rather harshly. Yet his demand is deeply human. Disappointment makes us guarded. Grief makes us cautious. We hesitate to trust again. Thomas was not asking for some mystical feeling; he wanted reality.
But notice this: even in his doubt, Thomas remained among the disciples. He did not abandon the fellowship entirely. And that matters.
There will be seasons when you struggle. You may wrestle with suffering, prayers that seem unanswered, or intellectual questions. Doubt does not shock Jesus. He knows the wounds that cause it.
Yet the answer to doubt is not isolation. When doubt or grief casts a long shadow over your soul, the worst thing you can do is to go off alone with your gloomy thoughts.
The best thing you can do is to go where believers in Jesus gather around the promises of God and encourage one another with those promises. Go and be where Jesus meets with us— “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). Go and be where his sweet “Peace be with you,” is spoken, where praying with others and for others and singing praise to God with many voices can lift you up and outside of yourself. The answer to doubt is not isolation.
Thomas stayed close enough to hear again.
And Jesus did not scold him from a distance. He came near. He lives not to shame doubters, but to give them proof and peace. The risen Jesus is patient with you, too. Even when your grip weakens, his hold remains firm.
Prayer:
Lord, when I struggle with doubt, keep me near your Word and your people. Strengthen my faith with the certainty of your resurrection. Amen.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:21–23
Sent with the Spirit’s Power
Twice, Jesus said, “Peace be with you.” Then he added, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
The peace Jesus gives is not stagnant. It inspires people who have found peace to now offer it to others in Jesus’ name.
Notice what empowered Jesus’ disciples: “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” The same Lord who breathed life into Adam now breathes new life into fearful disciples. Resurrection life becomes missionary life.
And what is the core of their mission? Forgiveness. “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” This is astonishing authority. Christians do not invent forgiveness; they deliver what Jesus purchased. The peace Jesus spoke in that locked room now travels through the mouths of believers into the ears of sinners. When a believer in Jesus declares, “I forgive you in Jesus’ name,” it is not wishful thinking. It is the living Jesus applying the forgiveness he purchased and won.
Receive from the risen Jesus the power of forgiveness.
Receive from the risen Jesus the power to forgive.
You are sent to bring peace to people in this world—not necessarily across oceans, but across rooms, across tables, across ordinary conversations. You carry the message that death has been defeated and sins are forgiven.
“Peace be with you!”
Prayer:
Jesus, breathe your Spirit into me. Fill me with your peace and send me to share the forgiveness you have won. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-TuesdayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-14 00:30:012026-04-01 11:59:05Sent with the Spirit’s Power – April 14, 2026
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Acts 2:14,22-24
Confident in Christ
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On the night before Jesus died, Jesus’ disciple Peter did a bad thing. A really sad thing. Do you remember what he did? After Jesus was arrested and brought to trial at the high priest’s house, Peter followed along. He wanted to see what happened to Jesus. But people recognized Peter. Three different people said, “You’re one of Jesus’ disciples, aren’t you?” Do you remember what Peter said? He was scared. So he cried out, “No!” Peter denied Jesus three times. Isn’t that awful?
Actually, we’ve all done that, haven’t we? Maybe there have been times at school when your classmates have done or said something wrong, and you’ve been afraid to let them know that you believe in Jesus. Maybe you stayed quiet when you could have said something kind. Maybe there have been times at your house when you’ve chosen not to go to church or read a Bible story because you think you have something more important to do. Just like Peter, it’s easy to deny Jesus. It’s easy to be quiet about Jesus. It’s easy to shake and shiver in our faith in Jesus.
But something changed Peter. Just 50 days later, on the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up in front of thousands of people and boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus. He wasn’t scared anymore. Isn’t that surprising? In just 50 days, Peter went from denying Jesus before a few people to boldly proclaiming his faith in Jesus before thousands of people.
What changed? Peter explained: “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” Seeing God raise Jesus to life on Easter changed Peter’s heart and life. Jesus’ resurrection took Peter’s doubts away, and when he received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter was ready to stand up and let everyone know that Jesus is the Savior.
Are you? You can be confident too. Seeing how Jesus was willing to die for you and was able to rise for you is meant to change your life. How can you be ashamed of your Savior who gave his life for you? How can you be afraid to follow your Savior who rose from the dead? You have a Savior who has even conquered death. He loves you! He is with you! He helps you be brave. Every day, you can be confident in Christ.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, just like Peter when you were arrested, it’s easy for us to be ashamed of you and pretend we’re not followers of you. Forgive us! Instead, just like Peter on the day of Pentecost, use your resurrection and your Holy Spirit to make us confident in you. Help us be brave and talk about you. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
What bad thing did Peter do on the night that Jesus was arrested?
What good thing did Peter do on the day of Pentecost? (Was Peter talking to a few people or a lot of people?)
Questions for Elementary Age Children
How did Peter go from denying Jesus to proclaiming Jesus? What changed his heart?
If you saw someone rise from the dead, how would that change your life?
Questions for Middle School and Above
Explain this statement: As you get older, it becomes easier to deny Jesus.
Give three examples of situations in your life in which you can be confident in Christ.
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
John 20:26-27
Walk by Faith
I like to watch the group competitions on reality TV shows. In one competition, the team must walk blindfolded through a series of obstacles. The team chooses one member to be the “caller”, and this person must shout out directions and commands to the group that is working through the challenge. This requires clarity of voice and precise directions from the “caller”. But it also requires a profound amount of trust from the rest of the team. One misstep and the whole team can be off course, run into a beam, or fall into a pit of mud. They must believe the words of their leader, even when they cannot see the path for themselves.
After Jesus had shown himself to the disciples, Thomas had a hard time believing his friends. Thomas knew that Jesus had been nailed to the cross, pierced in his side, and buried. So, it was hard to believe that Jesus would be alive, walking among them.
But in his great mercy, Jesus returned to Thomas. Jesus let Thomas see with his own eyes that Jesus had come back to life. Thomas saw Jesus’ almighty power. Jesus allowed Thomas to see him and to touch him. Then, he encouraged Thomas to “stop doubting and believe.” What a beautiful sight it was for Thomas!
We are called by God to believe and to live by that faith. Sometimes it seems as though we are stumbling through the world blindfolded, walking into beams and falling into the mud pits of our own sins and doubts. Instead of trusting the voice of our Savior, who calls out to us through his Word in the Bible, we find ourselves trusting in human reason or in our own strength. We find ourselves trusting in those things that we can see. We think that our way is better. But the path that we choose by ourselves will always lead us into danger in this world and worse; when we choose our own path it will lead to eternal death.
But we can ignore the noise of the world and listen to the voice of Jesus, our Savior. He will never lead us into danger, and he blesses us when we listen to his voice. When we read and study his Word in the Bible, he works faith in our heart and prepares us to fight daily against the obstacles of this world.
When we go to church and listen to the Word of God, he gives us the “proof” that we need. Through the power of God the Holy Spirit, he gives us faith to “see” the true peace that we have through Jesus. God gives us the same promise every day—we are forgiven and will live with him in heaven!
Prayer:
Dearest Savior,
All praise, O Lord, for Thomas,
Whose short-lived doubtings prove
Your perfect twofold nature,
The depth of your true love.
To all who live with questions
A steadfast faith afford
And grant us grace to know you,
Made flesh, yet God and Lord. Amen.
Christian Worship 892 v.6
Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Educator-Devotion-header.jpg347842Sarah Krausehttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngSarah Krause2026-04-13 04:00:072026-03-31 14:33:49Walk by Faith – Week of April 13, 2026
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. John 20:19-20
Behind Locked Doors
The doors were locked. The disciples were scared. The next knock on the door might be Roman soldiers sent by Jesus’ enemies to finish the job and make sure every last disciple of Jesus was silenced for good. But then—without knocking—Jesus came and stood among them.
“Peace be with you.”
This peace knows everything is the way it should be. Hiding behind locked doors was not going to manufacture calm and peace in the disciples. So, Jesus came to them. The living, breathing, crucified-and-risen Jesus stood in the middle of their anxiety and declared peace—everything is as it should be. I’m alive. You’re forgiven. Peace be with you.
Not only did he declare peace to them, but he also gave them the proof they needed. He showed them his hands and side. The proof of his love remained visible. His wounds had not vanished. The proof of his presence was no longer in doubt.
You may feel isolated in your doubts, guilt, or fear of the future. Yet the risen Jesus does not wait for you to manufacture peace on your own. Through his Word, he stands among his people today.
And he still says, “Peace be with you.”
When we are afraid, Jesus doesn’t say, “Calm yourselves.” He says, “Look at me. See the wounds that won your freedom.” The same body that hung on the cross now stands alive. The penalty of sin was paid. Death was undone. Peace with God has been won.
The peace Jesus gives is not based on our feelings, but on Jesus’ promised presence, power, and love for us. Jesus proved his love for us when he died on the cross for us. He proved his power when he conquered death. Jesus lives, so our souls trust that Jesus makes everything the way it should be.
“Peace be with you!”
Prayer:
Jesus, fix my eyes on your wounds, that I may have peace in the certainty of your victory. Amen.
One key truth: The risen Jesus gives proof for our faith and peace for our hearts.
On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!”
After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:19, 26-29 EHV
The Proof That Brings Peace
Doubt creeps in when life feels uncertain. You pray, but the answer doesn’t seem to come. You hear God’s promises, but they feel distant. You want to believe, yet questions rise anyway. That uneasiness grows, and you begin to wonder if peace is possible when your heart feels so unsettled.
The disciples knew that struggle. On Easter evening they hid behind locked doors. They were scared. They had heard that the tomb was empty, but fear still ruled them. Everything they thought they knew seemed to collapse with the cross. Then Jesus appeared! He stood among them, though the doors were locked. He showed them his hands and his side. The scars proved it was really him. He spoke words they could never have spoken to themselves: “Peace be with you.” Everything changed. What had been filled with dread was now filled with joy.
The disciple Thomas missed it that first night. His words echo the thoughts of many: Unless I see it for myself, I cannot believe. A week later Jesus came again. This time he came for Thomas. He invited Thomas to see, to touch, to believe. He gave him the very proof he asked for. And then Jesus spoke words that have brought comfort to so many generations of Christians: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
That blessing belongs to you. You haven’t seen the risen Lord with your eyes (not yet!), but you hear his voice in his Word. You received his peace in Baptism, where he marked you as his own and joined you to his death and resurrection. You hear his forgiveness spoken again and again in absolution. You gather with other believers and confess that he is alive. Again and again, he answers your doubts with solid truths: sins forgiven, life secured, peace with God.
Faith does not mean questions never arise. Faith means that when questions do come, Jesus meets you with his promises. He enters the locked places of your heart. He brings peace to your troubled conscience. He shows you scars that prove your redemption is complete. He lives, and because he lives, your heart can rest in his peace.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for meeting me in my doubts with your promises. Calm my fears, forgive my sins, and strengthen my faith through your Word. Fill me with your peace so that I may live each day in the joy of your resurrection. Amen.
Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. John 20:19-20
Then Jesus Stepped Into the Room
How secure are you? Is your job safe, or is there a lay-off coming? How about your health? Or what if you had a serious car accident, or your home caught on fire, or what if …?
These are important questions, but in reality, almost laughingly insignificant in comparison to, “What is my relationship to God?” Or to put it a different way, “When I die, where will I go—to heaven or hell?” Now these questions simply have to be answered, or there will be a nagging sense of worry, emptiness, and insecurity.
The problem is, as we look into our heart and mind, we’re not helped. Have we been perfectly patient with those around us, shown perfect love to them, always been an example of Christ-like love? Or do we see in ourselves a rash of impatience, unkindness, selfishness? Ouch, more insecurity.
Jesus’ disciples understood insecurity. There they were, locked in the room, with no idea what was going to happen next, with no idea where their life was going to go. And then? Then Jesus stepped into the room.
And what did he do? He showed them his hands and side. There, on his nail-pierced hands, was proof that the disciples were forgiven, that Jesus had fully paid for all their sins, and that they stood at one with God. It wasn’t, “Don’t worry, be happy, the sun will come out tomorrow.” No, it was far deeper. It was, “See here—in my hands and side—the proof that I love you! The proof that your sins are forgiven and you’re on the way to heaven!”
Jesus’ hands and side say the same thing to you and me: “You are forgiven. You are loved. You are on the way to heaven!”
Prayer:
Jesus, my risen Savior, often I’m nervous and afraid. Forgive me. Focus my attention on your nail-scarred, risen hands, that I might see clearly that my sins are forgiven, and that I’m at peace with you. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-SundayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-12 00:30:012026-04-01 11:15:28Then Jesus Stepped Into the Room – April 12, 2026
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.” John 20:1-2
We Know Where Our Savior Is!
Panic, confusion, and emptiness filled Mary Magdalene. Already her heart was heavy with grief as she prepared for one last act of love for the one she had followed as the promised Messiah. She would help anoint his body for burial and then leave the tomb without hope and without help. But now this was too much to bear. Not only was her friend dead, but his body was also missing.
First, panic set in. “What could have happened?” Mary must have thought. Then confusion followed. “How could just a few days change my life so much? Just days ago, I thought I had found the Messiah. How I loved listening to him! His words freed me from my burdens. I really thought Jesus was the one. But now he’s gone. What am I to do?” And now her life felt empty. No Jesus. No hope. No help.
And that’s how our lives would also be, if Jesus had never been found, or if his dead body would have been discovered in the tomb or elsewhere. Without a risen Savior, we could have no hope, no help, no forgiveness, no life. Then we would have every reason to panic. Then confusion and emptiness would be our lot in life, and we would be pitiable and hopeless indeed.
Thankfully, the apostle Paul assures us in the book of 1 Corinthians, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Thank the Lord, we know where our risen Savior is! He’s not in the grave, for he is alive, and we have the certain hope that we live eternally. Now our life remains full, today and forever!
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, today I rejoice in the reality of your resurrection and the hope and help it provides. Amen.
At 0430 the first boom sounded over the water. Over 4,000 booms would be heardthe next 34 hoursover Charleston Harbor as confederate artillery rounds pounded Fort Sumter on this date, April 12, 1861. Four years lateralmostthree quarters of a million people lost their lives.Can youimagine the entirepopulationof Denver, CO perishingwithin four years?
Iwon’tenumeratethe numbers of American lives lost in wars,conflictsand terrorist attacks since then. As I reflect on this and thelives lost in thecurrent conflict inthe MiddleEastI am reminded ofJesus’ words, “There will be wars and rumors of wars until the day I come back to earth.”This can leadtoa spirit ofdespair, thoughts ofinevitability– there willalwaysbe aneedforarmed forces. We will always needbrave men and women to raise their right hand and say, “I willprepare for war andgo to war if need be.” I willalwaysbethankful for you and at the same timeI will be sad that we need military at all.I will pray for peace, but Jesus says there will be war. I will pray that lives are spared, butpeople will die as they always have.That makes some wonder,“Could I die that way, in war, in combat, even as a civilian, could it happen I die because of collateral damage?” Sometimes lifefeels hopeless.
You and I need to look at our hopeless situation, the world situation, through Jesus’ wordsas he speaksthrough Apostle Peter,“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”(1 Peter 1:3).Hope. Not so much a “I really hope my paperwork goes through today”,buta“I hope, I know for certain this thing that God my Father promised me will happen.”
The sure and certain thing? Jesus died. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus lives today, in a very real, physical way.Yoursure and certain reality, your living hope, is this: no matter how you die, and you will someday, I will die someday, becauseJesuslives, we, too shall live. We have a resurrection from the dead. Peterdescribes it this way,“. . . This inheritance is kept in heaven for you”(1 Peter 1:4). You have an inheritance because someone died. Jesus died. But he came back to life and lives so that you might know and believe with living hope:this resurrection from the dead is yours right now, kept in a safe place, safer than the Fort Knox depository,andnot even civil war, not even WWIII, not even death can take it from you. That is the hope you have because a dead man came back to life and lives for you.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in a world of wars and rumors of wars, we confess our hearts grow heavy with despair. Yetyou have raised Jesus from the dead, and inhimyou have secured for us a living hope — an inheritance no grave cansnatch away. We giveyou thanks for those who serve in our nation’s military, who stand watch so others may sleep in peace. Sustain theminbody and soul. Remind all of us that because Jesus lives, we too shall live. Inhis victorious name we pray. Amen.
Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/842x347-MilitaryDevotion-2022.jpg347842Katie Michaelhttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngKatie Michael2026-04-10 10:00:082026-05-01 10:56:05Military Devotion – Hope because He Lives – April 10, 2026
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10
Do Not Be Afraid!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What are you afraid of? There are lots of things that can make us scared. Maybe you’re afraid of spiders, snakes, or bugs. Maybe the dark or a big thunderstorm scares you. Or maybe you don’t like being home alone. Everyone has something that makes them afraid!
One of the scariest things for people is death. Kids might not think about it much, but adults do. Death can feel very, very scary. Some parents worry the most about losing their kids. Of all the scary things in the world, death seems the scariest.
That’s why Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were so sad as they went to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning. They remembered how horrible it was to see Jesus die on the cross. They were scared and worried as they carried spices to his tomb.
But when they got there, something amazing happened. Jesus wasn’t in the tomb! Instead, they saw an angel. Do you remember what the angel said first? “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:5). That must have been surprising! How could they not be afraid? Jesus had died! Then the angel shared the best news ever: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:6).
Can you imagine how happy the women must have been? They ran from the tomb, still a little afraid but filled with joy, when suddenly they saw someone. Who was it? Jesus! He said exactly what the angel had said, “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:10).
Do you get the point? Do not be afraid! Not even of death. Jesus has power over death. That means death isn’t the end for everyone who believes in him. Just like Jesus rose from the dead, he will raise us too.
For Christians, death is the day we get to be with Jesus forever in heaven. So do not be afraid!
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, there are a lot of scary things in life, including death. Thank you for rising from the dead and promising to raise everyone who believes in you. Help us not to be afraid, even of death. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
What are some things that make you afraid?
Why don’t you ever have to be afraid, even of death?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
Why do people sometimes think death is scarier than anything else?
What hope does Jesus give us when we think about death?
Questions for Middle School and Above
Look up John 11:25-26. What promise does Jesus give about death?
What could you say to your parents to help them not be afraid of death?
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/700x411-FamilyDevotions2.jpg400711Pam Johnsonhttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngPam Johnson2026-04-10 04:00:092026-04-01 09:11:54Do Not Be Afraid! – April 10, 2026
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 1:17
The Lord Provides a Savior
It seemed like the end. Jonah had run from the Lord. He boarded a ship going in the opposite direction. When the storm came and the truth was revealed, he was thrown into the sea. The water closed over him. There was no escape. No strength left. No hope of saving himself.
But the Lord provided. God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah. What looked like judgment became rescue. What seemed like certain death became the means of preserving his life. Jonah could not save himself, but the Lord saved him.
This account points us to someone greater than Jonah, that is, Jesus Christ.
Jesus would not spend portions of three days in a fish, but in the grave. He would sink into death itself, not because he ran from God, but because we have. He took our place. He carried our sin. He faced the punishment we deserved.
When Jesus died on the cross and was laid in the tomb, it seemed like hope was lost. But on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. What looked like defeat was victory. What looked like judgment became salvation.
This means your salvation does not depend on your ability to rescue yourself. Like Jonah, you cannot escape sin or overcome death by your own strength. But the Lord has provided.
He provided his Son. Jesus entered death and came out alive. His resurrection proves that sin is forgiven. His victory means death is defeated.
When you feel overwhelmed by guilt, remember that Jesus has already paid for it. When you feel helpless against death, remember that Jesus has already conquered it. When you feel lost, remember that the Lord has already provided your rescue.
Your salvation rests not in what you have done, but in what Jesus has done for you. The Lord provided a fish for Jonah. The Lord provided a Savior for you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for entering death to rescue me from sin and judgment. Strengthen my faith in your victory and help me trust in your saving love. Amen.
https://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/842x474-Custom-Post-FridayDevotion.jpg474842welshttps://wels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WELSnet-Logo-2021.pngwels2026-04-10 00:30:562026-04-01 09:10:28The Lord Provides a Savior – April 10, 2026
By accepting this message, you consent to our cookies on this device in accordance with our cookie policy found in the WELS Privacy Policy, unless you have disabled them.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Analytics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
