April 5: John 13:21-30
Key Verse: John 13:21
After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’
Devotion:
We could say that we can imagine what Jesus was going through when He was telling the disciples about what was to happen, but I really do not think we can imagine what He was going through. How long had Jesus know this? How long had He continued to teach and nurture Judas knowing He was going to do this? And what made Jesus continue to include Judas in everything!
When Judas was finally uncovered as the one who was going to betray Jesus, it was not done in a manner in which we would expect things to happen… In the Western World people make films and tell stories about how evil people are found out and killed or put in prison and yet Jesus continued to show love to Judas at all stages!
Jesus continued to show love and mercy to all people He met, no matter what they were doing and no matter how badly things were going. He tried to make sure everyone was given access to true justice and also the Gospel so they would be able to make informed choices guided by the truth and not passions and hate!
We like to think we allow the truth and justice to reign, but so much of the time we give in to the temptations of greed, desire and hatred instead of allowing people full access to the truth and real justice. Christ knew what He was facing was not going to be the truth or real justice, but He also knew this was going to be the only way in which He would be able to pay for the sins of the world and allow people to be forgiven no matter what they had done in the past.
Points to Ponder:
Do you allow truth and justice to come to the front?
Will you give someone a chance today and see if they make the right choice?
April 4: John 12:23-26
Key Verse: John 12:24
Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Devotion:
How many times in your life have you put off doing something because of the first big step you have to take, you know, the one which is “stopping the world from turning!” I say that with jest because I too have been putting off things because of the first big step. I am glad I have take the first big step and now feel more at ease with everything which faces me now.
These words from Jesus, I think, were an encouragement to the disciples to show them the first step is the hardest to take. They would be facing a life of servitude when He had gone back to heaven, and it would be that first step which would be the hardest to face because of what Jesus went through. But once you put your mind at rest with what you are facing and the knowledge God is with you every step of the way, the rest of it seems to make more sense!
There are many things in life we can relate to in order to find encouragement, and sometimes those things do help us to pluck up the courage. I know now it is the fact Christ is going to be on this journey with me every step which is giving me the strength and courage to carry on. The world and the people we get to mix with may well throw all sorts of spanners in the works – because people are human. Most humans make silly mistakes without thinking of the consequences.
When God asks us to give up our lives to follow Him, it is not the physical act of laying down your life but the spiritual act of giving up on your pride to make something of yourself. God does not need a raft of popular people who think the world of themselves; He needs people who are willing to put aside their own desires and willing to pick up on the needs of others!
Points to Ponder:
What is holding you back?
Will you take this first step today?
April 3: John 12:1-11
Key Verse: John 12:5
‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’
Devotion:
One of the things you will always face as a Christian is the people who will object to you spending money on anything to do with the church! They don’t do it because they care any more about other people than you do but because they care more about money than any people! When Jesus said the love for money is the root of all evil, this is the aspect He was probably thinking about.
Almost a week ahead of the Passover feast, Jesus came back to Bethany where Lazarus lived and they all enjoyed a big dinner together as a thank you to Jesus. The sisters Mary and Martha were busy with all the catering and caring for the guests when Mary stopped what she was doing to show her love for Jesus for what He had done. She had acquired a very expensive bottle of perfume which was going to be used for His burial. Judas, the one who would soon betray Jesus for money, objected and commented they could probably live off the proceeds for a year!
Mary wanted to show her love for what Jesus had done and used that perfume on Jesus feet. Nobody else was objecting because this was a show of love and gratitude for what had been done. Judas objected because of his love for money instead of for people…
This gathering had caused many people to come and seek out both Jesus and Lazarus; Jesus for doing the healing, and Lazarus because he came back from the dead! The chief priests objected to this and they started plans to kill both Jesus and Lazarus. They were showing their love was not toward God and others but toward their perceived power over the people; not what Jesus or God was teaching!
Points to Ponder:
How do you show your love for others?
How do you show your love for God?
April 2: Matthew 21:1-11
Key Verse: Matthew 21:11
The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’
Devotion:
How many times have you aimed high at getting something completed only to find out you cannot quite reach the mark and have to be happy with a lesser result? How many of those times have you been distraught because you could not accomplish your goals?
A lot of times we find out the hard way we cannot go as far as we had hoped we could and we end up having to do less of have less in the end. When you get to that point, what you do next is going to be what counts most of all! If you just accept what has been done and leave it at that, you could be seen as being someone who has been able to attain something, right? But what would happen if you continued to aim high and continued forward with your plan, making slight adjustments along the way.
If you follow any sport you will know what I am talking about here. There is only going to be one winner on any particular day. But if you continue following that sport you will see how the leader board often changes week on week – that is because the people taking part try new things or approach problems in a different manner.
God wants us to be the same in our work for Him. Going in and facing a failing on your first day should not put you off. Going in an only having a partial results should not put you off. We are in this for the span of our lives and not just on the day or hour of the event. Depending on which Gospel you read, this even reached varying levels of success – what they all agree on is that this was just the start of Jesus final entry into Jerusalem. The true success was down to Jesus not giving up and continuing on the path God had set before Him!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you give up because you don’t succeed?
Will you ask God for continued guidance instead of a one off success?