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“Know this: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:10-12

One Name That Saves

Some people say that all spiritual paths lead to the same place. The idea sounds appealing, kind, and welcoming. It sounds peaceful. But is it true?

When Simon Peter spoke to the religious council in Jerusalem, he refused to soften his message. He did not hold back. He declared that salvation—rescue from sin, death, and judgment—comes through one name: Jesus Christ.

Peter did not offer Jesus as one option among many teachers. He did not portray Jesus as a guide who points the way toward truth or salvation. He proclaimed that no other name saves. Jesus is not an option. He is the only Savior.

People sometimes resist hearing that only one name saves. It challenges our pride. We want to be able to prove ourselves, to showcase our effort, and proclaim, “See! I did it myself.”

But if rescue rested on us, one question would always haunt us: Have I done enough?

As our substitute, Jesus did enough. He lived the life we fail to live. He suffered our curse. He died our death. And he rose from the grave to prove that he has finished the work to save us.

In Jesus, your doubt, fear, and worry—are silenced! And not just for you. Jesus solves the problem of sin for the whole world. Which means salvation does not depend on our performance. It rests in Christ. So, forgiveness is not something we earn. Life is not something we must win. Salvation is not something we secure for ourselves. It is a gift God gives to all who trust in Jesus Christ.

Guaranteed. Certain. Secure.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for being the Savior the world needs. Strengthen my faith in you and help me share your saving name with others. Amen.

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Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.”
Acts 17:22-23

The True God Is Not Unknown

During the time of the apostle Paul, the people of Athens worshipped many gods. They were concerned, however, that they might not know about all the gods, and a slighted god may bring some disastrous consequences on them. So, in all their idol worship, they set up another altar to a god they didn’t know.

We may look down our noses in our scientific enlightenment at these ignorant heathens. But are we really that much different? What would Paul see if we invited him to walk in our lives? He might not encounter small statues made of silver or gold that we pray to. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t tempted to worship idols. Consider that an idol for us is really anything, anyplace, or anyone that we hold more important than God or what he commands. We need to honestly ask: have we ever set our hearts on money or things that money can buy more than on God and his promises? Or has one click on the computer screen ever led us to seek happiness and pleasure in the wrong places?

Satan would have us despair of ever knowing God and the salvation he accomplished for us. He would say, “With all your sin, why would God want to know you?” The truth is that God sought you and me out and revealed himself to us through his Son. The true God is not unknown to us. By the power of the Holy Spirit through the gospel, you and I know God. We know that he has forgiven our sins through Jesus. And for that reason, we will know God forever.

Prayer:

God, you have opened my eyes to see you as my Savior and know you as my Lord. Continue to reveal yourself to me through your Word that I may grow in my knowledge of your love and grow closer in my relationship with you. Amen.

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Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23:6

With Jesus My Shepherd, I Am Home

By the time David was finally crowned king of Israel at the age of 30, he had spent nearly half of his life on the run from the jealous King Saul, who saw him as a rival to be eliminated. At one point, David pleaded with the king to give up this pointless manhunt, saying, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of?” (1 Samuel 26:18). Although the king relented that day, it would still be some time before David could settle down in one place.

How exhausting it must have been to be constantly hounded that way for so many years! You likely do not have a mortal enemy like young David did. But maybe you have felt chased in a more metaphorical way—constantly pursued by memories of past mistakes, of words or actions that make you blush or inwardly moan just to think of them years later. Hounded by a guilty conscience, we may even begin to doubt whether God will forgive us. David had that experience too, after making some terribly sinful choices later in life. He wrote in Psalm 51: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.”

In the closing verse of what is probably David’s most famous psalm, he writes of a very different kind of chase: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me [literally, pursue me] all the days of my life.” David had learned that no matter how great our sin, the Lord’s love for us is even greater. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, pursues his wandering sheep and gently restores us to himself. During our life on earth, the Lord invites us to find shelter in his house of worship; and when we depart from this earth one day, he will welcome us into his heavenly home, where “the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd…. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:17).

Prayer: (CW, 552:6)

And so through all the length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
Within your house forever! Amen.

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Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

With Jesus My Shepherd, I Have Safety

A young couple, seemingly blessed in so many ways, learns that their daughter has been diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer, and the prognosis is not promising. How did this happen, they wonder. What is God’s plan in this?

In verse 3 of Psalm 23, King David confidently states that the Lord guides him “along the right paths.” One verse later, however, he finds himself walking through the darkest valley—in some translations, “the valley of the shadow of death.” How did he end up here when just a moment ago he was resting in green pastures?

The truth is that the Lord often leads his people into dark and dangerous times in life. These can take many different forms of suffering, loss, hardship, and trials, which may affect both body and soul. And yes, one day death too will cast its shadow over our lives. Although some of these may correlate to bad choices we make along the way, it is never a matter of the Lord leading us wrong or leaving us alone along the path. The darkness of the valley may prevent us from seeing clearly, but it doesn’t keep our Lord from remaining in control. Even in those dark days, we can join with David in saying, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Jesus, our Good Shepherd, watches over us and powerfully protects us from our greatest enemies: sin, death, and the devil. Not even death can separate us from the love of God, which is ours in Christ Jesus. “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom 8:28).

Prayer: (CW, 552:4)

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
with you, dear Lord, beside me,
your rod and staff my comfort still,
your cross before to guide me. Amen.

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The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Psalm 23:1

With Jesus My Shepherd, I Lack Nothing

What is missing in your life? In the context of reading this devotion and having just been reminded of the opening verse of Psalm 23, you might quickly confess with David, “Since the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.” But as the day goes on, the week progresses, and you look at your bills, deadlines, relationships, health, and responsibilities, you might feel there is something missing. There may be something lacking in your marriage, job satisfaction, daily routines, or life in general. Maybe you could name that missing thing right away. Maybe even talk for an hour over coffee with a friend about what your life is lacking.

So why have countless generations of God’s people had these words of David on their lips, “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want”? Is it a calm expression of trust in God’s providence? Is it to remind themselves to be content, despite their feelings of loss, frustration, or fear? Or is it a prayer, asking the Lord to keep their minds focused on his love for them? You likely would not be surprised if I suggested it was all of the above.

It’s true that some things people long for flow from misplaced priorities. The human heart, darkened by original sin, may have you desiring things that are not yours or that are not for your good. The Lord calls you to repent and to return to him, finding in his forgiving grace the one thing you truly need in this life.

In other cases, what seems missing may be a truly God-pleasing thing, a blessing only he can give, but for some reason seems elusive to you right now: like peace, safety, contentment, or hope. The Lord invites you to trust his love for you and his promises, which are all fulfilled in Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He bound himself to you and laid down his life for you. You can confidently say with David, “He is my shepherd. With him, I have everything I will ever need.”

Prayer: (CW, 552:1)

The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness fails me never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever. Amen.

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[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.

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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.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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[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.

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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.

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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.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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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.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

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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.

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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.

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Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
John 21:13-14

Jesus Serves a Meal

It was a simple meal.

Jesus’ disciples had spent the night fishing and caught nothing. They were tired. Perhaps they were still uncertain about the future. They had seen the risen Jesus Christ, but what now? What would become of them? Had their failures disqualified them? Had Peter’s denial changed everything?

Then Jesus met them on the shore. He didn’t come with demands. He didn’t come with a list of corrections. He came with food. He took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. The risen Lord of life served his disciples.

What a beautiful reminder of who Jesus is.

This is the same Savior who had washed their feet. The same Savior who had given his life on the cross. The same Savior who rose from the dead in victory. And now, he still came to serve. His resurrection had not changed his heart. He was still their gracious, giving Savior.

This is comforting, because we are not so different from those disciples. We also grow tired. We also face uncertainty. We also carry the burden of our sins and failures. We wonder if we have done too much wrong, failed too often, or wandered too far.

Yet Jesus still comes to his people. He comes through his Word with his promises. He serves a meal, the Lord’s Supper, for the forgiveness of our sins. He comes with promises that calm our fears. He comes with his grace, not because we deserve it, but because he loves us.

The disciples did not need to earn that meal. Jesus freely gave it. In the same way, you do not earn his love. He freely gives it.

Your risen Savior lives. He knows your needs. He knows your weaknesses. And he still serves you with his grace.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for serving me with your grace and forgiveness. When I am uncertain, remind me that you are alive and caring for me. Strengthen my faith and help me trust your constant love. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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[Jesus] is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Matthew 28:6

Just As He Said

The tomb was not supposed to be empty.

On Friday, everything seemed so certain. Jesus Christ had died. His lifeless body was laid in the tomb. A heavy stone was rolled into place. Roman guards stood watch. Death had done its work, just as it always had.

Early Sunday morning, the women came expecting the same reality we all know too well. They came expecting death. They came bringing spices, ready to care for the body. They came grieving, hearts heavy with loss and disappointment.

But instead of death, they heard life. The angel announced, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Those words change everything.

Jesus had promised this. He told his disciples he would suffer, die, and rise again. At the time, they didn’t understand. It seemed impossible. Death doesn’t reverse itself. Graves don’t open. The dead don’t walk out alive. But Jesus is not like anyone else.

His resurrection proves that his promises are true. When he said he would pay for sin, he did. When he said he would defeat death, he did. When he said he would rise, he did. And that means his promises to you are also true.

When guilt weighs on your conscience, the empty tomb assures you that your sins are forgiven. Jesus’ resurrection is God’s declaration that the payment was complete. Nothing remains to be paid.

When grief fills your heart, the empty tomb assures you that death is not the end. Because Jesus lives, those who trust in him will live also.

When fear whispers that God has forgotten you, the empty tomb reminds you that Jesus keeps every word he speaks.

The stone was rolled away not so Jesus could get out, but so the world could see in. The tomb is empty. Death is defeated. Your Savior lives. And because he lives, you have peace, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Just as he said.

Prayer:

Risen Savior, thank you for keeping your promise and rising from the dead. Strengthen my faith in your victory over sin and death. Help me live each day in the peace and confidence that you are alive and that your promises are true. Amen.

Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.