This devotional prepares the reader for Easter, April 16. The sermon for the day, “Disarming the Powers,” explores the scope of the purpose of Jesus’ death.
Daily Bible Readings:
Monday, April 10. Read Genesis 12:1-3; 18:17-19. 1) What did God ask Abraham to do? 2) What did God tell Abraham that God had in store for him? 3) Why did God think it was important that he let Abraham in on what he was going to do to Sodom?
Tuesday, April 11. Read Galatians 3:5-9. 1) According to Paul, why did God declare good news to Abraham? 2) What blessing did God have in store for Abraham?
Wednesday, April 12. Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-9. 1) What did Paul said the purpose of God’s plan was? 2) What would the “rulers of this world” have done if they had understood God’s plan?
Thursday, April 13. Read Acts 16:16-18. 1) Who does Paul encounter in this text? 2) Under whose power did she live? 2) How did Paul respond to the woman’s condition? What do you think this says about the reason for Jesus’ death?
Friday, April 14. Read Galatians 1:1-5. 1) By what authority did Paul write? 2) Why did Jesus’ give his life, according to Paul?
Saturday April 15. Read Colossians 2:13-15, This is Sunday’s sermon text.
Prayer for the Week:
Dear God, thank you for your deep and enduring love, brought into sharp focus this week. Thank you for the strength and protection from evil powers, which you have provided to all those who call on you. Help me to fall on your protection alone, turning only to you for the forgiveness and empowerment of Christ. And help me to share this good news with others, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hymn of the Week:
In the Cross of Christ I Glory by John Bowring, 1825
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
Devotional Article of the Week:
Easter is Still with Us?
We’re done with leftovers and the eggs are put away, but Easter still remains!
by Rubel Shelly
You may be under the impression that Easter is over. This past Sunday was the day for big crowds in churches, ham dinners at home, and egg hunts in the park. But, there is much more to Easter than a one Sunday celebration.
Easter declares what happened in history; Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Easter invites the rest of us into new creation; the same power that raised Jesus heals our brokenness and empowers our righteousness.
Easter bears witness to the world; the Spirit’s power is free to all who will receive it.
We can argue ourselves blue in the face about the historical event of resurrection. There will still be people who say, “All the tests and measures we know deny it.” There is no arguing, however, with joy and gentleness, kindness and patience, concern and generosity. Hearts yield to such gentle virtues.
To say it another way, the church is God’s embodied apologetic to the world. It announces and models new life… or at least it should.
The world needs to be made whole. By “made whole,” I simply mean that all of us want a better life, a sense of genuine peace, and courage to deal with painful realities. We have lots of technology and gadgets. We live longer and are generally healthier. Yet our hearts yearn for something more than 80 years, the Internet, hip replacements, and HD television.
We want to be connected with people by mutual respect and concern. We all want to love and be loved. We want an authentically spiritual life. The Bible has a couple of words to describe it. In the Hebrew Bible, it is shalom; in the language of Jesus, it is eternal life.
We celebrated the fact and faith of Easter this past Sunday. We told the story of a little band of Jesus’ followers who were, as one writer put it, “gathered at the place of impossibility, the tomb.” But the Holy Spirit moved, and he was alive again. The world has never been the same.
Now we live the reality of the resurrection. Jesus did not triumph over death so the church could have a doctrinal tenet to declare. He defeated death for the sake of the human race in its hopelessness and despair.
With Easter Sunday past, you are part of God’s purpose to put hope on display. And that is a lifestyle, not just an annual day to circle on the calendar.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:18-20 NLT).
