They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. . . Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”
Mark 1:21,23-27

The Final Authority

Daily Devotion – January 30, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:21,23-27

See series: Devotions

Seventeenth-century French philosopher Rene Descartes is known for the saying: “I think, therefore I am.” The Twenty-first Century bumper sticker equivalent is: “Honk if you exist.”

If you want to know what issues matter to society or the mindset of current culture, read their bumper stickers. One of the more popular is the command to “QUESTION AUTHORITY.” It is a warning not to follow blindly after anyone just because they are influential. Certainly, not everyone with authority is trustworthy, but that does not mean that everyone is not trustworthy.

Jesus is an authority you can trust. He proved it by what he proclaimed. When Jesus taught in the synagogue, he did not just regurgitate what other teachers of the law thought God’s Word meant. He did not reiterate their manufactured laws. Jesus proclaimed the freedom, healing, and release that God promised. Then he backed up his word with action. With the same authority that the people heard Jesus teach, they witnessed him drive a demon out of a man.

Despite society’s efforts to convince us otherwise, regardless of whatever bumper sticker gets slapped on the back of a car, Jesus is the final authority. When Jesus died on the cross, he destroyed the devil’s work. And when he rose from the grave, he proved his victory over sin, death, and hell. That victory is yours through faith in your Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, what peace, what joy, what hope is mine that you are the final authority over all things in life and in death. Amen.

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
Mark 1:21,22

Amazed

Daily Devotion – January 28, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:21,22

See series: Devotions

What does it take to amaze you? Are you often astounded? Or does that happen somewhat infrequently, only when there’s something really out of the ordinary?

Mark says that the people were amazed when Jesus taught in the synagogue. Why so? It was because of the content of Jesus’ teaching. The religious leaders simply demanded from the people: “Do this! Live this way! Act this way!” Jesus, on the other hand, spoke not merely of external things, but spoke to the heart. He spoke of God’s promises being fulfilled of the promised Savior—himself! He told them that in him was the salvation which God had promised to send to the world.

Think of it—God loved you and me enough to come to this earth himself. God loved you and me so much that he was willing to live our life and willing to die for us. We sinful humans had separated ourselves from God and had no way to get back to him, but God loved you too much to lose you, so he did what was necessary to reunite you to him. He lived, he died, he rose, all for you!

Amazing. And true! Because it comes from God!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching me about all you have done for me. May it always amaze me! Amen.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:16,17

The New is Here!

Daily Devotion – January 26, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 5:16,17

See series: Devotions

At the beginning of a new year, we desperately want an answer to this question: Can people change? That is, given enough time and effort, can I change my old habits and habitual sins? And, in a world characterized by selfishness and tribalism, can I change the way that I view other people?

Well, consider the man behind today’s Bible passage. Twenty years before he wrote these words, the apostle Paul was “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (1 Timothy 1:13). He hated Jesus and Jesus’ disciples, so he hunted them down and arrested them.

All that changed when Jesus blinded him with light, spoke to him from heaven, and sent a man named Ananias to preach the good news to him, to baptize him, and to shine the light of faith in his heart. That’s how Paul became “a herald and an apostle and a teacher of the true faith” (1 Timothy 2:7).

Paul is proof that people really do change. And God continues to change people to this very day. When you become a Christian, God changes you from dead in sin to alive in Christ. Because of Christ, when God the Father looks at you, he sees someone clothed in the perfection of his Son.

Because of Christ, when you look at other people, what do you see? That every single person—regardless of their age, their race, their economic status, or their politics—is someone for whom Christ died.

The Son of God does not see you as some hopeless, lost cause of a sinner. You are an heir of eternal life, and that changes the way you look at life. You don’t have to be selfish anymore. You don’t have to be angry anymore. You don’t have to lose control anymore. You have been changed. You have been forgiven. The new is here.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making me a new creation. Please give me strength to live like it. Amen.

Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
Jonah 3:3-5

The Right Tool for the Job

Daily Devotion – January 24, 2024

Devotion based on Jonah 3:3-5

See series: Devotions

Sometimes the right tool for the job is the last thing you would expect. For example, if you accidentally immerse your smartphone in water, you can salvage it by putting it into a bag of uncooked rice. That doesn’t seem like it should work, but in an emergency, the moisture-absorbing properties of the rice can save an expensive piece of technology.

What if you need to save a city full of thousands of people from the wrath of God? What’s the right tool for that job? Nineveh was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was renowned for its brutality and cruelty. It was filled with people who worshiped false gods. In short, the inhabitants of Nineveh were headed for hell.

So God sent Jonah to turn the Ninevites from their sin. That doesn’t seem like it should work. What could one man armed with the Word of God accomplish in a city with thousands of people? Turns out, quite a bit.

Jonah preached, and the people repented. They showed their sorrow over sin by not eating and wearing uncomfortable clothing. Of course, what made the difference was not Jonah but the Word of God that Jonah spoke.

God’s Word does what it says. In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Through his prophet, God said, “Repent,” and stony hearts were turned in repentance. The Word says “Believe,” and dead, unbelieving hearts come to life, trusting in the good news about Jesus.

Thank God that what at first seems inadequate is, in fact, the right tool for the job. Praise God for the power of his Word!

Prayer:
Lord God, give me confidence in the power of your Word. Amen.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:14,15

A Different Kind of Kingdom

Daily Devotion – January 22, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:14,15

See series: Devotions

Today’s Bible passage has an ominous start. John was the man sent by God to prepare people for the coming Savior. Why was he put in prison?

Because preparing people to meet Jesus meant confronting them with their sins, and not everyone appreciated that. When John called a king named Herod to repentance for his unlawful marriage, Herod put John in prison. The message was clear: in Herod’s kingdom, confronting sin could make you an enemy of the state.

Unknown to Herod, however, was the fact that the Savior had arrived. No sooner was John in prison than Jesus began preaching his own clear message: “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

His message is about a different kind of kingdom from Herod’s. It doesn’t have a set location because it is not a place; it is God’s saving activity among people. It is not characterized by ignoring sin or imprisoning its enemies. Instead, it is all about forgiving sin and turning its enemies into citizens.

Because of sin, all people enter this world hostile to God. Repentance changes that. When you repent, God changes how you think about sin. He makes you sorry for it and turns you away from it and toward himself. He is your King, who wore a crown of thorns and shed his blood on a cross to obliterate all your sins.

That good news characterizes this kingdom and is the reason why we need to be confronted with our sin so we will repent of it and believe the good news that we are forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Repentance is not a turning you do to yourself; it’s a turning Jesus’ Word does to you. Belief is not something you conjure up in yourself; it’s a gift that Jesus’ Word gives to you.

This King establishes his kingdom not by fighting, but by speaking. Remember, this is a different kind of kingdom. You are its citizen by the grace of God, by repentance and faith in the good news.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for bringing me into your kingdom. Amen.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:13,14

Hold Tight to God’s Promises

Daily Devotion – January 20, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14

See series: Devotions

Photos often capture that special moment in the hospital when parents hold their newborn child for the first time. Embodied in that first embrace is the selfless love parents strive to give their tiny, helpless child in the months and years that follow.

Photos could not capture the moment God first embraced us with his love. Long before God gave birth to the earth and all living things, through Jesus, he chose us to be his own. He knew us and loved us before time began.

How can we be sure that he chose us? We turn to the good news of the Bible. The Word comforts us with the message of the perfect life of Christ and the cross he willingly bore for us. His death and resurrection assure us that our sins are paid in full and that God’s eternal love for us endures!

God’s love is so great he even promises that we will share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. No photo can capture the splendor and joy that await us in our eternal home at our Savior’s side. Since God embraces us with endless love through Jesus, we are moved to give him endless thanks with our lips and our lives.

Prayer: (Christian Worship – A Lutheran Hymnal – 610)
Now thank we all our God with hearts and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom his world rejoices, who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love and still is ours today. Amen.

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
2 Thessalonians 2:15

Hold on Tight

Daily Devotion – January 18, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:15

See series: Devotions

If you’re treading water in the ocean during a storm, what would you do if someone threw you a life preserver right in front of you? You’d wrap your arms around it and cling to it with all your strength, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t just hang onto it with your little pinky finger and hope you can be reeled in. You’d hold on as tight as you could to your lifeline.

The Christians in the city of Thessalonica were facing a great deal of persecution and hardship. The apostle Paul encouraged them to keep holding on tight to everything they had been taught. He told them to stand firm in the identity Christ had given them as forgiven children of God. He told them to hold fast to the Savior, who promised never to let them go.

We also want to hold tight to God’s Word. There, we find the good news of how we’ve been rescued by Christ. As we find ourselves adrift in the sea of sin and hardship, we know that only God can pull us to safety. He’s extended the lifeline of his Word. We wrap our minds and hearts tightly around his Word and cling to it like our eternal life depends on it, and it does.

God’s Word and promises won’t let us down or let us sink. And if we ever find ourselves in a similar situation to the Thessalonians, facing hardship and persecution, we learn, all the more, to cling tight to God and his Word.

Hold tight to God’s promises and trust that he will bring you to safety with him.

Prayer:
Dear rescuing Lord, I know that you have done everything necessary to save me. Help me hold tight to your Word and work. Amen.

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13

God Put You in His Cart

Daily Devotion – January 16, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Thessalonians 2:13

See series: Devotions

When you go shopping online, do you ever look at the reviews for products before buying them? If you came across an item that only got one-star reviews, would you choose to put it in your cart? No, you’d find something better.

God knows you. He knows everything about you. Yes, everything. He knows how many times you’ve sinned against him. He knows all the one-star reviews other people might have given you about the way you treated them. It would seem God knows too much about you to ever choose to put you in his “salvation” cart.

However, God put you in his cart anyway! He chose you to be his own. Jesus made the payment on the cross for you to be his own. God chose you, warts and all, to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and belief in the truth.

God putting you in his salvation cart had nothing to do with who you were and everything to do with who he is. He is a merciful and gracious God. He sent the Holy Spirit to you through his Word to plant the truth of the good news of Jesus in your heart. And, by grace, you believe in what God has done for you!

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, thank you for choosing me and saving me by your Holy Spirit’s work. Amen.

“The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:10

I’m Listening!

Daily Devotion – January 14, 2024

Devotion based on 1 Samuel 3:10

See series: Devotions

The ability to listen is fast becoming a “lost art.” In our culture of hyper-communication—cell phones, email, text messages—everyone is so busy talking that we don’t have time to listen. It is an attention deficit disorder of the ears. Few are unaffected by it.

But turn on a popular children’s movie, and the kids will sit for two hours without stirring. Sunday afternoons find many sitting in front of the television for three hours or more watching football. Apparently, the “listening disorder” is a rather selective thing.

Young Samuel—a boy who lived 3,000 years ago—had the right attitude when it came to God’s Word. Rather than argue with God or say, “Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking!” he humbly responded, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

Whenever the Lord spoke, Samuel listened, even if it was only for a short time. It is in our best interest to do the same thing. God has so much to tell us in the Bible: how he loves us, how he can help us, how he has a gracious plan for our lives. Take some time today and listen!

Prayer:
Lord, give me willing ears to listen carefully to what you tell me in your Word. Amen.

And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love.”
Mark 1:11

He Knows

Daily Devotion – January 12, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:11

See series: Devotions

In our sinful weakness, there are times when you and I can slip into falsely accusing the God who loves us. The temptation can be strong when you and I face tragedy and grief. “God doesn’t know. God doesn’t understand. God has no idea how it feels to carry such difficulty, pain, and loss. And so, why should I listen to what he says? Why should I pay attention to his nice words? He doesn’t get it anyway.”

When such thinking creeps into my mind, I need to stop. First, I need to remember that God the Son not only knows all about real life in this fallen world; he has fully experienced the very worst that this world can dish out. He knows pain, grief, and loss.

God the Father understands, too. At Jesus’ baptism, God the Father spoke up. He spoke up because he had something to say—something he wanted you and me to know. In that moment, God the Father said to Jesus, “You are my Son, whom I love.”

“You are my Son, whom I love.” These are not words of some abstract theological concept. This is a Father speaking to his Son. This is a Father telling his Son that he loves him. It is this same Father who watched his Son sacrifice himself on a cross for the sins of the world. God the Father endured this loss because of his love for you and me. As Jesus himself says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.”

And so God loves us beyond what we can grasp. And he also understands.

Prayer:
Lord God, I sometimes forget that you understand the pain that sin and death can bring. Forgive my false presumptions. And thank you for your love for me. Amen.

For we know that our old self was crucified with [Christ].
Romans 6:6

Official

Daily Devotion – January 10, 2024

Devotion based on Romans 6:6

See series: Devotions

For a young woman by the name of Anne Greene, the year 1650 was a year she would never forget. Falsely accused and wrongly convicted of murder, Anne Greene faced the gallows. The hangman carried out her execution. Immediately afterward, the coffin bearing her body went to a team of doctors for medical research. Upon lifting the lid, however, the doctors detected faint breathing. They rushed to do everything possible to revive her, and in so doing, they saved her life.

The consensus among all involved was that her official execution had taken place; there was no need to pursue the matter further. As a result, Anne Greene enjoyed a full and free pardon. Displaying an extraordinary sense of wonder about her indescribable experience, she took her coffin as a souvenir, settled in another town, got married, and raised a family.

In Romans chapter 6, the apostle Paul tells us that our official execution has taken place as well. When Jesus went to the cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem, God took all the sins of my old self and placed them on his Son. This means that, as far as God is concerned, my old identity as a lost sinner is no more. It’s no more because a first-century crucifixion detail carried out my execution just outside the city walls of Jerusalem. And now, through faith in Jesus, I enjoy a full and free pardon. Jesus’ death has washed my old identity away. I stand forgiven. A fresh, bright future now awaits me. And beyond that is eternal life in heaven.

One more thing. On the day of her execution, Anne Greene labored under massive debt. Afterward, however, Anne received more than enough contributions from others to wipe her debt away. In our crucified and risen Lord, the debt of our sin is gone, too. It’s official.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in God’s eyes my old identity as a guilty sinner is no more. The old debt of my transgression is gone. My life is now fresh and clean and new. Move me to live it for you. Amen.

“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:6

Every Faraway Place

Daily Devotion – January 8, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:6

See series: Devotions

Try this on for a fun fact. There are twice as many mobile devices in the world as there are people. And you can find mobile devices everywhere. Everywhere! You can find them in the South American jungle. You can find them in the mountain villages of Tibet. You can find them among nomadic tribes in the Sahara. You can find them in isolated huts with dirt floors.

For this reason, there are Christian volunteers who prepare memory cards for missionaries to take to these faraway places—memory cards the missionaries can easily install in people’s mobile devices. The memory cards include Bible studies, songs, an audio New Testament, and a movie about Jesus—all in the language of their region. Thanks be to God.

But faraway places do not just include remote villages on the other side of the world. To anyone who’s living a life without Jesus—that life is also in a faraway place—the aide who cares for your dad at the nursing home; the new friend you’ve made at Thursday night volleyball; the girl who cuts your hair; the mechanic who maintains your car; the couple who’s moved in across the street; the co-worker in the cubicle next to yours; the old friend you’ve known since high school; a member of your own extended family.

In other words, people who live in faraway places include souls you and I see in our lives all the time.

When God the Son came to this earth, he had you and me in mind. When he lived a perfect life on our behalf and suffered and died for our every sin, he had you and me in mind. When he rose from the grave, he had you and me in mind. He also had in mind everyone else living in faraway places, whether that faraway place is in a primitive village on a tiny island or a lonely life someone is living right before your eyes.

And maybe, just maybe, the Lord will reach that faraway place through you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for touching lives in faraway places. And thank you for touching mine. Amen.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations.”
Luke 2:29-31

Getting Ready

Daily Devotion – January 6, 2024

Devotion based on Luke 2:29-31

See series: Devotions

Think back to when you were in second grade. When the bell rang, what would the students do? They’d put their books in their desks, they’d make sure the floor around them was clean, and they’d sit quietly, waiting for the teacher to fulfill her promise of “When you are ready, you will be dismissed.”

God made a promise to a man named Simeon that was similar, but not identical, to the grade school teacher. Instead of “When you are ready, you will be dismissed,” God promised Simeon, “When I am ready, you will see the Christ-child; then you will be dismissed.” The Lord didn’t give Simeon a detailed timeline—Simeon needed to trust God’s perfect timing instead. So when would this happen? When would he see Jesus and be dismissed?

Second graders only need to wait a few seconds; Simeon had to wait a few decades. Yet, when God was ready, Jesus was born, Simeon saw him, and Simeon fully trusted that God’s salvation was in front of his own eyes. Now, he would be dismissed in peace. That means he would die, leave earth and go to heaven because of what this baby Jesus would do.

Would you like to be dismissed in peace? Would you like your death day to be calm and not scary, like Simeon? Then, listen carefully to God’s promises. God has guaranteed that “Whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The Lord has prepared his salvation for the eyes of all people. That includes you.

When you believe in Jesus as Savior, being dismissed from this earth is peaceful. It is no scarier than being dismissed from a second-grade classroom. And the best part? In second grade, when you are dismissed, you go home for the night, but then you have to come back to school. But when you are dismissed from this earth, you go home to heaven, and you stay there forever.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to earth so that I could be dismissed in peace. Help me to wait patiently until the day you are ready to dismiss me and take me home. Amen.

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:6

Too Small

Daily Devotion – January 4, 2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 49:6

See series: Devotions

The tribes of Jacob were waiting for someone to restore them. Some had been conquered and deported by the Assyrians and lost to the ends of the earth. Others had been invaded by Babylon and were living as captives in a city far away. A few had been left behind in poverty and desperation in the ruins of their homes. Whoever would finally restore the tribes of Israel would be the greatest hero they had and would be remembered for generations.

The coming Christ would be this person. But restoring only the tribes of Israel would be too small a thing. Rather than just influencing a small place for a short time, the Christ would bring restoration even to the ends of the earth.

Two thousand years later and thousands of miles from ancient Israel, you are the fulfillment of God’s big work. You have been restored and brought back from the futility of your sin and the emptiness of your life. You have seen the light of his forgiveness and how to love and serve God and your neighbor.

It was too small for Jesus to just be a local savior. He brought salvation to the ends of the earth. He brought restoration and light to you.

Prayer:
Forgiving Lord, I thank you for magnifying the work of your Son that I would be included in the blessings of salvation that he gives. Cause me to give him the praise and service he is due for this great work. Amen.

Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:10,11

Authority Over Appearance

Daily Devotion – January 2, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 1:10,11

See series: Devotions

The Jordan River doesn’t appear particularly impressive. It runs a somewhat straight line for less than 100 miles from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Dead Sea in the south. It isn’t a pure river and doesn’t start in some beautiful glacial mountain but with a heavily fished lake.

Jesus didn’t appear particularly impressive, either. He was not born in a palace in an influential city, but he came from a small town in a poor and mostly forgotten part of the world. He wasn’t wealthy, nor did he command mighty armies to follow him.

When Jesus first appeared to begin his earthly ministry, he looked like anyone else coming to John to be baptized. But, by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, this baptism anointed Jesus for the great work he was about to undertake. Jesus was the son of Mary and grew up in Nazareth, but when the voice came from heaven, no one could doubt that this man really was God’s own Son. By appearance, it looked like just a simple man in simple water, but with God’s authority, it was revealed to all that Jesus was God’s chosen servant, the one who had come to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

You might look in the mirror and see only a failure. You might look back on your life and see many reasons you have given God not to love you. You might be staring at death, and it all appears very final. None of these appearances matter when God speaks with authority. When he says that your sins are forgiven, you can be assured that all your sins have been paid for. When he calls you his child, he has the authority to make you his own. When he promises that everyone who believes in him will live, he has all the authority to bring life and resurrection.

Don’t be fooled by appearances. Trust God’s words of authority.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Lead me to always trust your words as the true authority in my life. Amen.