Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6

Stricken Smitten Afflicted

Why would God strike his own Son? Did he deserve it? Human fathers have sometimes used corporal punishment to discipline their disobedient children. But Jesus Christ, the holy Son of God, was the only son on earth who never once stepped out of line. In fact, his Father publicly declared that he was “well pleased” with his beloved Son. And yet, at his crucifixion, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And seven centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah foretold how the sinless Son of God, the perfect Servant of the Lord, would be punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. He would be pierced and crushed and wounded. And the pain of punishment would not subside until the last breath of life escaped his lips—which even then still spoke only words of trust in the Father who had scourged him for sins he did not himself commit.

Why would God strike his own Son instead of us? Didn’t we deserve it? The prophet tells us plainly: Jesus willingly suffered on account of and in payment for our sins. Although we were the ones who wandered away from God like wayward sheep, our Good Shepherd took up our sin and laid down his life for us because he loves you. Pure, unmerited grace motivated him to do the unthinkable—accepting the punishment that we had earned for ourselves.

Why would God strike his own Son? For what purpose: To bring peace and healing through the forgiveness of our sins. When we view the nail-pierced and bloody body of Christ on the cross, we should see in his wounds our reconciliation with God. We should see in his suffering the cause of our joy. And in his death and resurrection, the sure hope of our own eternal life.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal – 114)
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto thee! Amen.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16

Approaching God With Confidence

A story is told of a soldier during the Civil War trying to see President Lincoln. The soldier’s mother was dying, and he wanted to leave to visit her. But, despite his persistence, the guards would not let him through to the president. As the man stood crying outside the White House, a boy came up and asked him what the matter was. After hearing his story, the boy led him by the hand, past the guards, and straight into Lincoln’s personal library. The boy said, “Father, I have brought someone to see you.” Lincoln listened to the soldier’s request and granted him a leave of absence, all because of the intercession of his son, Tad.

Whether this story is true or not, it illustrates the powerful truth of what Jesus has accomplished for us with his death and resurrection.

Our sins had barred us from entering heaven; mankind had lost its access to God because we had denied him first place in our lives. But God showed his eternal love for us by sending his Son. As true man, Jesus suffered with us, understanding what it means to be tempted by sin. And yet, as true God, he was able to resist all temptation. But because he suffered with us, Jesus, our high priest, was also able and willing to suffer for us. His death on the cross was the atoning sacrifice that pays for the disobedience of all people. His resurrection is proof that he was successful in his redeeming work and that he now serves as a mediator between us and our Heavenly Father. As a result, we can be confident that God will hear and answer all our prayers.

Prayer:
Lord, grant me grace and mercy for my every need, for the sake of Jesus your Son. Amen.

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Mark 11:9,10

Sing Hosanna to Our Savior King

The crowds in Jerusalem that gathered for the Passover festival were riding a spiritual high. They were singing hosanna, waving palm branches, and acclaiming Jesus as their King and the promised Messiah. But by Monday, they were already starting to slip. By Tuesday, they weren’t so sure anymore about this Jesus fellow. And by Friday morning, many were screaming for his blood. Their Sunday “hosannas” were so quickly forgotten.

“Hosanna” is a Hebrew word which evolved in meaning and usage over time. Originally, hosanna was a kind of prayer, something like “Please save us!” But by the time of Jesus, it was mostly used as a joyful acclamation, like saying, “All hail!” So when the crowd shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” many were caught up in the moment of splendor and nationalistic pride, trying to recapture the glory days of King David.

Hosanna was, in fact, the word that should have been on their lips—not in boastful pride, but rather as a fervent plea by sinners who know they have no way to rescue themselves.

Like the crowd in Jerusalem, we so easily forget what we need Jesus for. It is essential that we understand this if our hosanna is going to last longer than a day. We must understand that the reason Jesus came was because of our sin. He didn’t come just to be worshiped and praised, but we praise, worship, and serve him because he came to die. Humbly laying down his innocent life to pay for our guilt, Jesus opened up heaven to all who repent and believe. When we keep all this in mind, our hosannas will ring truer and remain on our lips longer.

Prayer:
Blessed are you, Jesus, who came in the name of the Lord to save us! Amen.

“The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah . . . For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Jeremiah 31:31,34

Memory Loss

Don’t you hate it when you can’t remember something? The car keys you just set down take an hour to find. The purpose for the errand escapes you. The appointment you made last week is missed. Memory loss, no matter what your age, sure can be frustrating!

Isn’t it ironic that while we can forget some things, other events remain crystal clear in our minds? Especially if we have been wronged, abused, or sinned against. These crystal-clear memories can bring resentment, bitterness, and a desire to get even. Imagine if God would keep a record of wrongs against him? What if he would save them in his mind only to eventually lash out in anger against us for them?

Thankfully, that is not what God has done. Instead, God promised, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” The prophet Jeremiah wrote these words to the nation of Israel that had many times sinned against each other and the Lord. As they turned to the Lord in repentance, what comfort it was for them to know the Lord would remember their sins no more! How could he do this? The Bible says that the “Lord has laid on Jesus the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Our record is clean. God’s memory of our sin is gone! What true and lasting comfort we can have as we turn in repentance to the Lord to hear him tell us, “I have forgiven your wickedness and remember your sins no more.”

Prayer:
Thank you, gracious Lord, for forgetting my sins. Amen.

Jesus was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 5:10

A Superior High Priest

The position of high priest in the time before Jesus lived was an important one. The high priest was the one who went to God on behalf of the Jewish people. He was the go-between.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Christians recognized that Jesus is the ultimate high priest. In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is compared to the Old Testament high priests to show all of the ways he is superior to them. For example, Old Testament high priests sacrificed animals, but Jesus sacrificed himself. Also, the previous high priests entered the Most Holy Place in the Temple once a year to sprinkle the blood of an animal ceremonially as payment for the sins of the people. Year after year after year the high priest did this. Jesus, however, shed his blood on the cross once for all the sins of the world.

Aren’t you glad you have a High Priest who gave the ultimate and only necessary sacrifice for your sins? What a comfort to know that those sins weighing heavy on your heart have been forgiven. Revel in that forgiveness today. Praise and thank Jesus, your great High Priest!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice so that I can go to heaven and be with you in that most holy place. Amen.

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
John 12:23,24

Planted to Be Glorified

Dealing with the death of someone you love is difficult. You know that everyone dies, but even when you know it’s coming, it can be surprisingly difficult.

When the time came for Jesus to die, he knew it would not be easy for the people who loved him. They knew he did not deserve to die. He was human, but he hadn’t done anything wrong. He seemed so young and vibrant—powerful in both word and deed.

So Jesus explained that his dying would be like planting a seed in the ground. It seems a shame to bury a seed, but when you see what happens, you realize that there’s a greater purpose. A seed is meant to go into the ground so that it can grow and produce fruit with many more seeds.

When Jesus died and was buried, it paid the appropriate price for the sin of the world. Jesus suffered hell so that his followers would never have to go there. Instead, they will spend their eternity in heaven. They are the seeds Jesus was referring to. His death meant eternal life for many.

It must have been difficult for Jesus’ friends and family to see him die. But now, how glad they are he did as their souls celebrate with him in heaven.

You can be sure Jesus’ death was for you too. Follow him. Trust in him. And spend your eternity celebrating with him in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for being willing to die so that I might live. Amen.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Matthew 11:25-27

Know It All

Do you know someone who is a “know-it-all”—the person who usually doesn’t accept your ideas or plans but thinks that he knows better and pursues his own way? That can be frustrating for you, and it may lead you to stop discussing your thoughts with that person who thinks that he is wiser than you are.

In a way, that’s the kind of situation that Jesus is talking about in these verses. God, his Father, hides his truths of salvation from those who have rejected him and think that they know better. In their wisdom, they regard God’s Word as unimportant for their lives. They reject God’s plan of salvation through Jesus because it doesn’t make sense to their learned minds.

Jesus warns us not to be “know-it-alls” when it comes to the truth of salvation that God gives us in his Word. Be like little children who hear and believe. The Word we have is from God; the plan of salvation is revealed to us from “the Lord of heaven and earth.” Who are we to think that we know better! We are not so wise to know the way to the Father on our own, and it is impossible for us to find him and please him no matter how learned we strive to be. So God came to us; the true God in the form of a man—Jesus! “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 4:12). In the Bible, God has revealed his love for us through Jesus, to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

How greatly God loves us to open up our minds to know him and our hearts to believe in Jesus as our Savior!

Prayer:
Thank you, heavenly Father, for revealing yourself to me through Jesus. Amen.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

The Result

“Hell on earth.” That’s how the husband described the invitation to go Black Friday shopping with his wife. We may chuckle at the hyperbole. But do you ever notice how often “hell” makes its way into conversations? “War is hell.” “Hell, no!” “It’s hotter than hell.” “To hell and back.” “H-E-double-hockey sticks.” “Hell’s Kitchen.”

While “hell” is used to describe many situations on earth, to really savor the sweetness of John 3:16, we need to come to grips with the reality of hell. John 3:16 describes hell as “perishing.” At its most basic definition, hell is separation from God and all of his blessings. Hell is suffering. Hell is rejection. Hell is anger, pain, and sorrow. And hell is where we were headed. But…

That’s what this sweet Bible passage is all about… “but.” In Jesus, God’s one and only Son, we find a “but” to our prescribed destination. “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Just as hell is real, so is heaven. Heaven is seeing God face-to-face. Heaven is being the recipient of every blessing God gives. Heaven is joy, contentment, acceptance, peace. And heaven is what God promises to every person who trusts that Jesus is the Savior they need. Savor the sweet truth that in Jesus, you have life now and forever.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving the world so much that you were willing to give your Son so that all who trust in him might have eternal life. Amen.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

The Recipient

“Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.” Many Christians grew up learning this as their first song. But it doesn’t take long before we realize we’re not so lovable. Our classmates don’t include us at the lunch table. Our teenage crush dumps us. Our adult neighbor avoids talking to us at the mailbox. And worst of all, the person in the mirror doesn’t even like us.

Why? It’s not just a difference of personalities. When it comes to the person in the mirror, it’s often what’s on the inside that makes us feel ugly and unlovable. We see our thoughts. We see our disappointments and how we’ve disappointed. We see our guilt. And we soon change the lyrics from, “Jesus loves me. This I know,” to “Jesus loves me? I don’t know.”

When that mis-sung lyric rings loud in your heart, savor the sweetness of John 3:16—God so loved the world. As a pastor, I have often directed people to those words. To the one who confessed adultery, “Are you part of the world? Then what does that mean? God loves you.” To the woman plagued by an abortion from a decade earlier, “Are you part of the world? God loves you.” To the Christian fighting homosexual desires, “Are you part of the world? God loves you.” To the one who tried to take their own life, not once but twice, “Are you part of the world? God loves you.” To the one sitting reading this devotion, “Are you part of the world? God loves you.” It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done; you are the recipient of God’s love. Savor the sweetness of that truth.

Prayer:
Lord, when I feel unlovable, turn my eyes to the truth of your Word which assures me of your universal love. Amen.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Sweetness of the Love of God

Grandpas carry them in their pockets. Restaurants have them stocked by the register. Some churches have them in a basket in the entryway. I even know one church that called them “Sermon Sweets.” For over a century, peppermint candy has been bringing fresh breath to millions of mouths.

But what’s the problem with it? Even though these classic candies have been around for a long time, they don’t always last long in our mouths. We let the flavor sit on our tongues for thirty seconds, but before long, we lose our patience and chomp it down, and before long, we wish we had another piece.

Do we ever treat God’s Word the same way, particularly the popular passages? For example, the Bible passage for our devotion today is John 3:16. It has topped the “Most Popular Bible Passages” for many years. It has made its way onto posters at football games and tattooed on many arms. But, specifically, because many of us have heard or read this passage so many times, it is easy to fail to savor what it really says.

Listen again: “God so loved the world.” Perhaps more now than any other time in our lifetime, love is what’s missing in this world. Mostly because we fail to define love, all too often, we’ve make love an emotion. With God, it’s an action. A selfless action that doesn’t count the cost. And that’s what we see so clearly when we let our mind’s eye picture Jesus on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins. That horrible death allows us to see the extent of God’s love for us. He wanted us to spend our eternity with him so much that he was willing to sacrifice his Son to make it happen.

Today, don’t let these words disappear from your thoughts too quickly. Savor them. Spend the day relaxing in the reality that the God of this universe loves you.

Prayer:
Lord, help me slow down and savor the sweetness of your love. Amen.

The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.
1 Corinthians 1:25

The Good News of the Bible

Author David Platt, in his book, Radical, tells the story of what happened when he was standing outside of a Buddhist temple in Indonesia. As he stood there, he got into a conversation with two people—a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader. Both of them embraced what seemed to be a very reasonable belief. They believed that, while there were superficial differences among the major religions, all of them basically taught the same thing. Then they asked David Platt what he thought.

He said, “It sounds as though you both picture God at the top of a mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end, we will all end up in the same place.”

To this, the Buddhist and the Muslim said, “Exactly! You understand!”

But then he leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?”

They both thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great!”

David Platt then replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.”

Current human wisdom believes that all forms of spirituality are essentially the same. Such a belief seems logical. Without question, it’s very convenient. And it’s dead wrong.

Never forget how radical the message of the Bible really is. It’s not about our getting up to God. It’s about God coming down to us in the person of Jesus Christ. It’s not about making ourselves holy before God. It’s about God living a holy life in our place. And it’s not about cleansing ourselves of our wrongs. It’s about God going to the cross to wash our sins away.

Thank God that this is the good news the Bible has to share.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for coming down to save me. Amen.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables changing money.
John 2:13,14

Distractions

It must have been quite the scene in the Temple that day. One might compare it to the opening day of the county fair. Try to picture it for a moment. As you walk through the gates, you hear the noises of cattle and the loud back-and-forth bartering between the moneychangers and their customers. You look around, and you get the impression that you are at a cattle auction. Oxen, sheep, and doves are everywhere. And then, of course, there would be the smell. Imagine the stench!

Yet, it was not the smell of cattle that aroused the righteous anger of Jesus that day. Far worse than the smell of animals in the courtyard was the spiritual stench in and around God’s house. The courtyard of the Temple was where non-Jewish believers were allowed to worship. Imagine how difficult this must have been with so many merchants buying and sheep bleating!

How many distractions are in your life that keeps you from focusing on God? How many different things are keeping you from worship or daily prayer and devotion? Life provides no shortage of things that daily distract us from our relationship with God. Unchecked, these distractions can drive us further and further away from the Lord.

Thankfully, God was never distracted from saving us. Our heavenly Father let nothing get in the way of his plan to win our salvation. Jesus, our Savior, let nothing distract him from his mission of going to the cross to pay for the sins of the whole world. Our Savior was and is always focused on us. His life, death, and resurrection have assured us that we have a place in heaven through faith in him.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for your determination in winning forgiveness and eternal life in heaven for me. Help me to eliminate the distractions in my life and to focus on you today. Amen.

“But showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.”
Exodus 20:6

God Is a Loving God

Of all the ways God describes himself in the Bible, love is perhaps his most important attribute. God wants to show us his love. The word for love in this verse is a word that the Bible only uses to describe the love God has for sinners. It is a faithful love. It is an unfailing, devoted, and loyal love. How remarkable that even as we have been cheating on God, he has been loyal to us. We have never been and will never be perfectly loyal to God, but that did not stop him from being perfectly loyal to us.

Even though he knew we would sin and often turn away from him, God resolved to prove his loyalty to us beyond a shadow of a doubt, and he proved it like this: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. When it came time to show what place we had in God’s heart, he did not hold back. He did not cheat on us or back out of the deal. Instead, he gave up his very own Son to take our place and die a sinner’s death.

Do you see how committed God is to you? See it in the blood that drips down from the cross. See it in the restraint he shows by allowing Jesus to remain on the cross to endure the full judgment over sin. See it in the way he forgives you anew and grants you a new day every morning. See it in the way God continues to patiently wait and hope for us to call on him in prayer.

God is a loving God. He is forgiving, generous, and kind. God wants you to be with him forever. He wants to be number one in your life. He will work hard to keep you with him forever. In response to his amazing love for you, be faithful to him.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for your faithful love to me in Christ Jesus. Filled with his love, move me to be faithful to you. Amen.

You shall have no other gods before me. . . . You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. . . . Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. . . . Honor your father and your mother. . . . You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet.
Exodus 20:1-17 (selected verses)

The Ten Commandments

Are you sure you want to read this?

These are scary words. They are so scary that after the Lord spoke these words to the people of Israel from the top of Mt. Sinai, they asked that Moses speak to them and not God. Most people know these words as the Ten Commandments. These are God’s righteous demands on all people. Jesus summarized them by saying, “Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37,39). But who does that? No one!

And not keeping these commandments is no small thing. God says, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law” (Galatians 3:10). No wonder the people of Israel didn’t like to hear these words. They offer no comfort, no relief, no hope. But that is their power. That is their purpose.

Having condemned us as law-breaking sinners, that same God who thundered down the Ten Commandments says with a tenderness that only this God can have, “I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). God sent his Son, Jesus, to take on our sins against the Ten Commandments and pay for them with his death on the cross. “God was reconciling the world unto himself in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:19). “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

The Ten Commandments are scary words. But they are also beautiful words because they chase us to Jesus.

Prayer:
For all the times I have broken your Ten Commandments, Lord, I ask you to forgive me. I am confident of your forgiveness because of what Jesus did for me. Amen.

[Jesus said], “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
Mark 8:36,37

Simple Math

I like simple math. It’s beautiful. One thing that makes it beautiful is if you work the problem correctly, the answer is always the same. No matter what, if you add three plus four correctly, it always equals seven.

That’s no accident. God created it that way. A feature of God’s goodness to us is the creative order he has put in place. Whether we realize it or not, we rely on that order every day. Just think how difficult and confusing life would be if, on one day, three plus four equaled eight, and then on another day, it equaled five. Everything would be thrown into utter chaos.

Jesus taught his disciples some simple math in Mark chapter 8. He asked, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

Our Savior’s point was simple and straightforward. He was pointing out that there are two alternatives for how to approach our lives in this world. Either we can be selfish, self-serving, self-indulgent, self-interested in an effort to “gain the whole world,” or we can be selfless, self-sacrificing, and self-giving to others in unconditional love. If we choose the first alternative, Jesus says, the outcome is certain. Such a person will “forfeit their soul” and face eternal destruction and despair. If we pursue the second alternative—and follow in Jesus’ footsteps—we will “save” our lives and reap an eternal reward.

This isn’t complicated, Jesus points out. It’s simple math.

The apostle Paul taught the same lesson in Galatians chapter 6. He presented the equation this way. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

How thankful we can be that God sent his only Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our sinful selfishness and give us new life!

How will you use your new life? You do the math.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, inspire me to use my new life in service to you and others in love. Amen.