Journey to the Heart of Easter

JOURNEY TO THE OF EASTER

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Reflections From Our Daily Bread

He has risen, just as he said.

MATTHEW 28:6

INTRODUCTION

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t is at the very heart of Christianity. Yet all too often, the glorious truths of our faith become so familiar that we lose our wonder at the almost unbelievable reality of the event called Easter.

With that in mind, we want to invite you to take a journey with us; a journey to the heart of Easter. We will begin, as all journeys do, at the beginning—not at the beginning of Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem; nor at the start of the gospel accounts—but right in the opening pages of God’s Word. From there we will trace the themes we find right through to the empty tomb in Jerusalem and into our own lives today. For the story of Easter is the story of the Bible. It’s the very centre of the story of our world. And it’s at the heart of your story too.

These forty specially selected Our Daily Bread articles will allow you to reflect on just what this world-defining story means to you. Soak up the final weeks of Jesus’ work on earth, wonder with the disciples as they witness His agonising death, rejoice with the women at the tomb as they encounter the risen Christ, and discover the shelter, forgiveness and new life He gives to all who put their faith in Him. As you stand at the foot of the cross and ponder the empty tomb, encounter Your risen Saviour again for yourself. Our prayer is that the timeless truths of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will be illuminated for you in a new and deeply personal way through our journey together.

May He be ever glorified as His story is told once more!

Your friends at Our Daily Bread Ministries

Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved. © 2020 Our Daily Bread Ministries® • ourdailybread.org • europe@odb.org Printed in Europe.

CONTENTS PAGE Part 1: The Journey to the Heart of Easter ����������� 4 Feature Article: Two Gardens; Two Choices ����������� 5 The Journey Jesus Took ��������������������������������������������� 8 The Betrayal Judas Prepared ������������������������������������� 9 The Last Supper Jesus Shared ��������������������������������� 12 The Prayer the Disciples Slept Through ����������������� 15 Part 2: The Journey to Shelter ������������������������������� 18 Feature Article: Unashamed ����������������������������������� 19 The Restraint Jesus Showed ����������������������������������� 22 The Truth Pilate Ignored ������������������������������������������� 25 The Example Jesus Gives ����������������������������������������� 26 The Burden Jesus Carried ����������������������������������������� 28 The Value Jesus Bestows ����������������������������������������� 31 Part 3: The Journey to Forgiveness ����������������������� 32 Feature Article: The Light Extinguished ����������������� 33 The Cross Simon Carried ����������������������������������������� 36 The Love Jesus Demonstrated �������������������������������� 37 The Way that the Cross Opened ����������������������������� 40 The Cost Jesus Paid ��������������������������������������������������� 42 The Bravery Jesus’ Followers Showed ������������������� 45 Part 4: The Journey to New Life ��������������������������� 46 Feature Article: Passing through the Waters ������� 47 The Empty Tomb the Women Found ��������������������� 50 The Man Who Called Mary’s Name ����������������������� 53 The Man the Disciples Didn’t Recognise ��������������� 54 The Doubts Thomas Experienced ��������������������������� 55 The Salvation Jesus’ Resurrection Achieved ��������� 57

PART 1

JOURNEY TO THE OF EASTER

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TWO GARDENS; TWO CHOICES

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ot much serious business takes place in gardens. While courts and boardrooms host the significant affairs that shape our world, gardens are our escape. They are havens of beauty and relaxation. It seems odd, then, that the two most monumental decisions ever made—affecting all of life on our planet—both happened in gardens. It is here, in these two gardens, that we begin our journey to the heart of Easter.

The first decision was made in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit, plunging the world into the chaos of sin. The other was made in the Garden of Gethsemane, where God’s answer to our world’s problem began to take shape.

Expecting, as human beings, to fully understand the significance of sin is like expecting a fish to understand that it’s wet.

We’ve only ever lived in a world marked by selfishness, deception, cruelty and suffering. The very fact that we all long for something better suggests we were made for a world untouched by sin. And that is the kind of world where Adam and Eve lived.

In the Garden of Eden they enjoyed fellowship with God, a custom-made soulmate, peace, beauty and freedom. There was only one curb on their liberty; they mustn’t eat the fruit of a certain tree. But temptation came and forced them to make a choice . . . would they do what God wanted and continue to enjoy the peace and goodness of life with Him; or would they do what they wanted, setting themselves against God? We all know the answer . . . and the world around us displays the results of their decision.

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By eating the fruit, Adam and Eve rejected God’s will. They said, in essence, “Not as You will, but as I will!” They broke faith with God and corrupted the sinless world He had created. And— as so often is the case when we disobey God—they were powerless to mend their shattered world. That would require a Saviour who was untouched by their sin; one who grasped the full tragedy of their disobedience; one who would take the consequences upon Himself to save His people. Jesus.

After the famous Last Supper between Jesus and His disciples, they headed to Gethsemane—the garden where they often relaxed and spent time together. This time was different. Jesus knew.

He knew it was time to do what He had come to do; and the cost would be crushing. He knew that His friend would betray Him to His enemies. He knew He would be falsely accused and utterly humiliated before the watching world. He knew that He would face unimaginable suffering by a particularly humiliating and brutal execution. And He knew that His disciples were going to be left totally confused and devastated. But none of that was the worst part. Jesus knew He would bear the blame, the shame, the guilt and the penalty for the sin of the world.

Come now into the Garden of Gethsemane and watch Jesus face the same choice as Adam and Eve. Like them, He must decide whether to do what He wants or what God wants . . . and the stakes are just as high. As in Eden, temptation came to Jesus in Gethsemane; He could say “no” to God and save Himself. Contemplating the cost of obedience, He cried, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (MATTHEW 26:38).

Going a little further, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.

Yet not as I will, but as you will”.

MATTHEW 26:39

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How these words must have pealed through the courts of heaven and into the heart of His Father; a clear ringing note of obedient submission. By denying Himself and saying “yes” to God’s will, Jesus was declaring God’s right to rule over His creation, whom He had come to earth to represent. Obeying His Father’s will required Him to lay down His life as an offering for sin in order to bring us back into fellowship with God (SEE ROMANS 8:3 AND 1 PETER 3:18).

Jesus’ journey to Easter began when He gave up His throne in heaven to come to earth as one of us. He gave up control and lived His entire life in perfect submission to God’s will. His choice in Gethsemane was the final piece of the jigsaw; His ministry had nearly finished but His work had only just begun.

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DAY 1

THE

Journey JESUS TOOK

PERIPHERAL VISION TODAY’S READING: LUKE 9 : 5 1– 6 2

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eripheral vision enables us to be aware of our surroundings while remaining focused on our destination.

What we see from the corner of our eye can be useful, unless it distracts us from our goal.

During the weeks leading to Easter, as we think about the cross, we may be struck by our Lord’s purposeful approach to the city where He knew crucifixion and resurrection awaited Him. “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem” (LUKE 9:51). From that moment on, Jesus’ eyes were on the cross. Every obstacle to accomplishing His Father’s will became part of His peripheral vision.

When a man professed an interest in following Him, Jesus told him: “No one who puts a hand to the plough

AS THE TIME APPROACHED FOR HIM TO BE TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN, JESUS RESOLUTELY SET OUT FOR JERUSALEM. LUKE 9:51 and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (V. 62). The issue was probably not the man’s family (V. 61) but his focus. We can’t move forward while we’re still looking at what we’ve left behind.

Neither cries of “Hosanna” nor shouts of hatred could deter Jesus from His goal “to give His life as a ransom for many” and to pay the price to set us free (MATTHEW 20:28).

Where is our focus today? o

DAVID C. MCCASLAND

Jesus was “resolutely set” to go to Jerusalem and die for us upon the cross. As you begin this journey to the heart of Easter, upon what things are you “resolutely set”? How can you bring them in line with the road Jesus walks?

Thank You, Jesus, for setting yourself to do whatever it would take to save me and make me Your own.

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THE

Betrayal JUDAS PREPARED

DAY 2

WHAT YOU’RE WORTH TODAY’S READING: ZEC HA R I A H 11: 4 – 13

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aitlin blogged about the depression she battled after fighting off an assault. The emotional violence had cut her deeper than the physical struggle with her attacker. She felt it proved “how undesirable I was. I was not the kind of girl you wanted to get to know.”

She felt unworthy of love; like she was the kind of person others use and then throw away.

God truly understands. He lovingly looked after His people Israel, but when He asked them what He was worth, “they paid me thirty pieces of silver” (ZECHARIAH 11:12). This was the price of a slave; what masters had to be given if their slave was accidentally killed (EXODUS 21:32). God was insulted to be offered the lowest possible value—“[look at] the handsome price at which they valued me!” He said sarcastically (ZECHARIAH 11:13). And He had Zechariah

THE Lord SAID TO ME, “THROW IT TO THE POTTER!” ZECHARIAH 11:13 throw the money away.

Jesus truly understands. He was betrayed by Judas, one of His friends. But more than that, the Jewish leaders so hated Him that they only offered Judas thirty pieces of silver—the lowest price you could put on a person—and he took it (MATTHEW 26:14–15; 27:9). Judas thought so little of Jesus he sold Him for nearly nothing.

If people undervalued Jesus, don’t be surprised when they undervalue you.

Your value isn’t what others say. It’s not even what you say. It’s entirely and only what God says. He says you are worth dying for. o MIKE WITTMER

Where do you turn to find value and worth? Things are worth what somebody is willing to pay for them; how does Jesus’ death help you think about yourself according to God’s point of view?

Dear God, please remind me just how much You love me. You sent Your Son to die in my place and make me Your own child.

Help me remember this is my true identity and value.

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DAY 3

HOW THINGS LOOK TODAY’S READING: JOHN 13 : 1– 2 2

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t is in our nature to make judgements based on how things look to us. We say, for example, that some people look guilty or seem trustworthy. But history’s biggest villain didn’t look guilty at all.

Judas was one of Jesus closest friends. John tells us, “The devil had already prompted Judas . . . to betray Jesus” (JOHN 13:2). Then Jesus showed His friends what serving leadership looks like by washing their feet. After that He told them, “He who shared my bread has turned against me” (V. 18). The disciples didn’t get it, so He told them clearly, “One of you is going to betray me” (V. 21).

Still they remained “at a loss to know which of them he meant” (V. 22). They never thought it would be Judas. He looked just like the rest of them: a good friend of Jesus.

But in the middle of this uncomfortable scene, Jesus said something else

WHOEVER ACCEPTS ANYONE I SEND ACCEPTS ME; AND WHOEVER ACCEPTS ME ACCEPTS THE ONE WHO SENT ME. LUKE 13:20 no one saw coming. He told His friends, “Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me” (V. 20).

Something much bigger than Judas’ betrayal was happening. Jesus would send the disciples into the world with this good news: God the Father had sent His Son Jesus to bring salvation to anyone who would accept Him. God can turn even a betrayal to our benefit.

No matter how things look, God’s great plan will continue. o TIM GUSTAFSON

What do you think the difference was between Judas and the other disciples? How does it encourage you to know that every situation is completely under God’s control?

Father, thank You for the truth that Your plan, power, strength and love are far greater than how things may look today. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. 10

DAY 4

“AND IT WAS NIGHT” TODAY’S READING: JOH N 13 : 2 1– 3 2

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li Wiesel’s novel Night starkly confronts us with the horrors of the Holocaust. Based on his own experiences, Wiesel’s account flips the biblical story of the Exodus. While Moses and the Israelites escaped slavery at the first Passover (EXODUS 12), Wiesel tells of Jewish leaders being arrested following Passover.

Lest we criticise Wiesel and his dark irony, consider that the Bible contains a similar plot twist. On the night of Passover, Jesus (who was expected to free God’s people from suffering) instead permitted Himself to be arrested by those who wanted to kill Him. John ushers us into the holy scene before Jesus’ arrest. “Troubled in spirit” over what awaited Him, Jesus predicted His betrayal at the Last Supper (JOHN 13:21). Then, in an act we can scarcely comprehend, Christ served His

AS SOON AS JUDAS HAD TAKEN THE BREAD, HE WENT OUT. AND IT WAS NIGHT. JOHN 13:30 betrayer bread. The account reads: “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night” (V. 30). History’s greatest injustice was underway, yet Jesus declared, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him” (V. 31). In a few hours, the disciples would experience panic, defeat and dejection.

But Jesus saw God’s plan unfolding as it should.

When it seems as though the darkness is winning, we can recall that God faced His dark night and defeated it. He walks with us. It won’t always be night. o

TIM GUSTAFSON

When have you experienced panic, loss of hope and despair?

How would you describe how you felt after you came through that dark experience?

Thank You, Jesus, for keeping Your Father’s plan in view when You went through the steps to the cross. Thank You for conquering death for me.

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DAY 5

THE

Last Supper JESUS SHARED

ELIANA LEVEL

TODAY’S READING: LU KE 2 2 : 7– 2 0

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y wife babysits for our young granddaughter Eliana during the school year while her mum teaches.

We do many things to make her feel at home. For example, we put pictures of her and her parents on our refrigerator at “Eliana level.” That way she can see them or carry them around with her during the day. We want her to think of her mum and dad often throughout the day.

Why do we do this? Is there a chance she would forget them? Of course not.

But it is comforting for her to have an ongoing remembrance of them.

Now think about this. Before Jesus was crucified, He created a remembrance of Himself. He told His disciples—and us by extension—to “do this [eat the bread and drink from the cup]

DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. LUKE 22:19 in remembrance of me” (LUKE 22:19).

Is this because we might forget Jesus?

Of course not! How could we forget the One who died for our sins? Yet He started this way of remembrance—the Lord’s Supper—as a comforting reminder of His great sacrifice, His presence, His power and His promises.

Just as Eliana’s photos remind her of her parents’ love, so the celebration of communion provides a valuable reminder of the One who will come again to take us home. Partake. And remember. o

DAVE BRANON

Do you ever find yourself just going through the motions when taking communion? What are some ways to keep your focus on the cross?

Father, when I take communion, help me to remember why my forgiveness was so costly, and help me to celebrate Your awesome self-sacrificial love.

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DAY 6

STAY ON THE WAY TODAY’S READING: JOH N 14 : 1– 7

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usk fell as I followed Li Bao along the tops of terraced walls cut into the mountains of central China. I had never been this way before, and I couldn’t see more than one step ahead or how steeply the ground dropped off to our left. I gulped and stuck close to Li. I didn’t know where we were going or how long it would take, but I trusted my friend.

I was in the same position as Thomas, the disciple who always seemed to need reassurance, during the Last Supper. Jesus told His disciples that He must leave to prepare a place for them and that they knew “the way to the place where [He was] going” (JOHN 14:4).

Thomas asked a logical follow-up question: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (V. 5).

Jesus didn’t quench Thomas’s doubt by explaining where He was taking them,

LORD, WE DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, SO HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY? JOHN 14:5 what the road would look like, or even by talking through the traumatic night that lay ahead of them. He simply assured His disciple that He is the way. And that was enough.

We too have questions about our future. None of us know the details of what lies ahead. Life is full of twists we don’t see coming. That’s okay. It’s enough to know Jesus, who is “the way and the truth and the life” (V. 6).

Jesus knows what’s next. He only asks that we walk close to Him. o

MIKE WITTMER

What’s your biggest fear about your future?

Why is it enough to follow Jesus into that future?

Father, help me to see that, no matter what’s around the corner in my life, Jesus is always the way.

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DAY 7

SINGING TO THE FIRING SQUAD TODAY’S READING: MA RK 14 : 16 – 2 6

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wo men convicted of drug trafficking had been on death row for a decade. While in prison, they learned of God’s love for them in Jesus, and their lives were transformed. When it came time for them to face the firing squad, they faced their executioners reciting the Lord’s Prayer and singing “Amazing Grace”. Because of their faith in God, through the power of the Spirit they were able to face death with incredible courage.

They followed the example of faith set by their Saviour, Jesus. When Jesus knew that His death was imminent, He spent part of the evening singing with friends. It’s remarkable that He could sing under such circumstances, but what’s even more remarkable is what He sang. On that night, Jesus and his friends had a Passover meal, which always ends with a series of Psalms known as the

I TRUSTED IN THE Lord WHEN I SAID, “I AM GREATLY AFFLICTED.” PSALM 116:10 Hallel: Psalms 113–118. Facing death, that night Jesus sang about the “cords of death” entangling Him (PSALM 116:3).

Yet He praised God’s faithful love (117:2) and thanked Him for salvation (118:14).

Surely these Psalms comforted Jesus on the night before His crucifixion.

Jesus’ trust in God was so great that even as He approached His own death—a death He had done nothing to deserve—He chose to sing of God’s love. Because of Jesus, we too can have confidence that whatever we face, God is with us. o AMY PETERSON

What song might you sing to God in your trials to help you pour your heart out to Him and set your hope back on His unfailing Word?

God, strengthen my faith in You so that when I face trials, or even approach death, I can sing with confidence about Your love.

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THE

Prayer THE DISCIPLES SLEPT THROUGH

DAY 8

THE OLIVE PRESS

TODAY’S READING: MA RK 14 : 3 2 – 3 9

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f you visit the village of Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, you will find an exhibit of ancient olive presses. Formed from basalt rock, the olive press consists of two parts: a base and a grinding wheel. The base is large, round and has a trough carved out of it. The olives were placed in this trough, and then the wheel, also made from heavy stone, was rolled over the olives to extract the oil.

On the night before His death, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the city of Jerusalem. There, in the garden called Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father, knowing what lay ahead of Him. The word Gethsemane means “place of the olive press”—and that perfectly describes those first crushing hours of Christ’s suffering on our behalf.

THEY WENT TO A PLACE CALLED GETHSEMANE. MARK 14:32 There, “in anguish, he prayed . . . and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (LUKE 22:44).

Jesus the Son suffered and died to take away “the sin of the world” (JOHN 1:29) and restore our broken relationship with God the Father. “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering . . . . 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” (ISAIAH 53:4–5).

Our hearts cry out in worship and gratitude. o BILL CROWDER

What guilt is weighing you down today?

How can you find freedom in the words of Isaiah 53:4-5?

Father, help me understand what Your Son endured for me.

Help me appreciate the depths of love that would allow my Lord and Christ to be crushed for my wrongs and my rescue.

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DAY 9

DAD AT THE DENTIST TODAY’S READING: MAT T HEW 2 6 : 3 6 – 3 9

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didn’t expect a profound lesson about the Father’s heart at the dentist’s office—but I got one. I was there with my ten-year-old son. He had an adult tooth coming in under a baby tooth that hadn’t fallen out yet. It had to come out.

There was no other way.

My son, in tears, pleaded with me: “Dad, isn’t there another way? Can’t we just wait and see? Please, Dad, I don’t want to have this tooth pulled out!” It just about broke my heart, but I told him, “Son, it’s got to come out. I’m sorry. There’s no other way.” And I held his hand as he wriggled and writhed while the dentist removed that stubborn molar, tears in my eyes too. I couldn’t take his pain away; the best I could offer was to be present with him in it.

In that moment, I remembered Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, ask-

MY FATHER, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN FROM ME. YET NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS YOU WILL. MATTHEW 26:39 ing His Father for a different way. How it must have broken the Father’s heart to see His beloved Son in such agony!

Yet there was no other way to save His people.

In our lives, we sometimes face unavoidable yet painful moments—just like my son did. But because of Jesus’ work for us through His Spirit, even in our darkest moments our loving heavenly Father is always present with us (MATTHEW 28:20). o ADAM HOLZ

Do you feel free to pray as honestly as Jesus did? What situation are you facing right now where you can pray honestly yet with ultimate trust in God?

Father, thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your Son to save me, even though it must have broken Your heart to do so. In my times of joy or pain, thank You for Your Spirit holding and carrying me.

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DAY 10

STAY AWAKE! TODAY’S READING: MAT T HEW 2 6 : 3 6 – 4 6

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German bank employee was in the middle of transferring 62.40 euros from a customer’s bank account when he accidentally took a power nap at his desk. He dozed off while his finger was on the “2” key, resulting in a 222 million euro transfer into the customer’s account. The fallout from the mistake included the firing of the employee’s colleague who verified the transfer. Although the mistake was caught and corrected, because he hadn’t been watchful, the sleepy employee’s lapse almost became a nightmare for the bank.

Jesus warned His disciples that if they didn’t remain alert, they too would make a costly mistake. He took them to a place called Gethsemane to spend some time in prayer. As He prayed, Jesus experienced a grief and sadness such as He’d never known in His earthly life.

He asked Peter, James and John to stay awake to pray and “keep watch” with

WATCH AND PRAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION. THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK. MATTHEW 26:41 Him (MATTHEW 26:38), but they fell asleep (VV. 40–41). Their failure to watch and pray

would leave them defenceless when the real temptation of denying Him came calling. In the hour of Christ’s greatest need, the disciples lacked spiritual vigilance.

May we heed Jesus’ words to remain spiritually awake by being more devoted to spending time with Him in prayer. As we do, He’ll strengthen us to resist all kinds of temptations and avoid the costly mistake of denying Jesus. o

MARVIN WILLIAMS

Do you feel you need to be more devoted and disciplined in your prayer life? How can you intentionally spend more time alone with God this week?

Jesus, because I’ve been spiritually sleeping, I haven’t been praying. And because I haven’t been praying, I haven’t depended on You. I’m sorry.

Please awaken my spirit and help me to spend more time with You. 17

PART 2

JOURNEY TO

Shelter 18

UNASHAMED

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ob felt utterly mortified as he and his teenage daughter took her friend back home to her parents. She had gone away with his family on holiday. But Rob had an embarrassing confession.

Before he managed to utter a word to her parents, both girls burst out in unison, “We went to a nudist colony!” Two pairs of disbelieving eyes fixed themselves upon Rob. He covered his reddening face and attempted to explain.

“We were looking for a park,” he began, and then proceeded to explain how they ended up on a road with an increasing number of bare-bottomed pedestrians.

The giggling girls interjected, “We kept telling you it was the wrong way!”

Rob clapped his hands over his eyes, “The worst thing was I couldn’t find a place to turn around. We just had to keep going until I found somewhere.” Clearly worried about their reaction, he repeatedly apologised for exposing the couple’s daughter to rather more of an education than they had intended!

It may seem like a strange idea to many of us, but ultimately the folks in those colonies are trying to regain something that humanity has lost: to be naked and unashamed. But to be unashamed is so much more than just frolicking about in the buff. It’s about dealing with one of the worst of all human experiences: shame.

Adam and Eve were the first to experience it, the moment they disobeyed God:

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

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Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

GENESIS 3:7–8

There is a nakedness that we all fear: being exposed for who we really are. Whether it’s a dark secret, old wounds, hidden sin, insecurities or any of a thousand other things, we hide ourselves. We have a need for a covering.

Adam and Eve tried to cover up with fig leaves; but they still found themselves hiding. Those leaves clearly didn’t do the job. The shame was still there. But God didn’t leave them in that state: “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (V. 21).

God knew about their shame and He made them an appropriate covering. But it came at a cost. Providing Adam and Eve with “garments of skin” required the skin’s original owner to die. Death was the price for shame to be covered God knows all about the things which bring us shame too. And at Easter, He provided us a most costly and precious covering.

In Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed not just to an angry mob, but to a group of religious leaders among whom were the chief priests; those who were specifically chosen to stand between God and His people in the temple. These priests were robed in the finest white linen, which God designed to represent His purity and goodness. They not only felt securely covered; their robes made them feel superior. They believed they could judge the very Son of God. After wrongly condemning Jesus, they sent Him to Pilate to be sentenced to death, shouting out, “Crucify! Crucify!” (JOHN 19:6).

Crucifixion was designed to be utterly degrading. Jesus was stripped and nailed to the cross in front of the jeering crowds. Family, friends and others He had known for many years were watching.

His mother was there with her sister. Imagine His shame as He looked

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around. The chief priests—in their gorgeous, God-given attire— continued to mock and shout abuse at the naked Son of God. He hung there condemned, not for His own sins—He had none— but for ours.

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.

ISAIAH 53:4–5

Jesus not only carried all the guilt for our sins, He endured the shame and exposure we dread. Those old fears need no longer hold us in their power because now, in Christ, we have the ultimate covering: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (GALATIANS 3:26–27).

God knows our shame, our darkest moments, our most hidden secrets. Yet we are not left exposed and ashamed. He has clothed us— through our faith—in the garment of Christ. We are not naked and ashamed; we are covered and loved in the safe shelter of our Saviour.

Easter is not just the celebration of the greatest miracle in history; it is more personal than that. It is the key to true freedom. Because Jesus carried our burdens, we don’t need to. When the weight of guilt and shame presses down upon us, we have a choice; carry it ourselves, or lay it down at the cross.

This Easter, let’s celebrate freedom from sin and shame. And as we continue our journey to the heart of Easter, may God lead us into a liberty we never knew was possible; that we might stand before Him without any fear.

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DAY 11

THE

Restraint JESUS SHOWED

LIKE A LAMB TODAY’S READING: JOHN 15 : 9 – 17

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n 1602, Italian artist Caravaggio produced a painting called The Taking of Christ. This work, an early example of the Baroque style, is compelling. Created in dark hues, it allows the viewer to contemplate Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Two main elements of the scene depicted in the painting demand the observer’s attention. The first is Judas as he delivers the traitor’s kiss. Immediately, however, the viewer’s focus is drawn towards Jesus’ hands, which are passively clasped together to show that He offered no resistance to this injustice. Although He possessed the power to create a universe, Christ gave Himself up voluntarily to His captors and to the waiting cross.

Long before this scene took place, Jesus told His listeners that no one could take His life from Him—He would lay it down willingly (JOHN 10:18). This heart

HE WAS LED LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND AS A SHEEP BEFORE ITS SHEARERS IS SILENT, SO HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH. ISAIAH 53:7 of voluntary surrender was prophesied by Isaiah, who wrote, “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (ISAIAH 53:7).

Christ’s lamb-like self-sacrifice is a grand indicator of His powerful love.

“Greater love has no one than this,” He explained, “than to lay down one’s life for ones friends” (JOHN 15:13). Think of it.

Jesus loved you that much! o

BILL CROWDER

What does it mean to you that Jesus kept His hands—which flung stars into space—by His side so He could be led away and executed for you?

Dear Jesus, I am in awe of the humble restraint You showed.

You were led like a lamb to the slaughter to lay down Your precious life for me.

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DAY 12

WHAT JESUS DIDN’T DO TODAY’S READING: HEBREW S 4 : 14 – 16

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once heard someone say that if Jesus really was the Son of God, His sufferings must have been easier to bear. This comment caused me to re-examine the Gospels. While reviewing the incredible things Jesus did and said to accomplish our great salvation, I also noted a number of things Jesus didn’t do that are equally vital to our salvation: Jesus didn’t demand His own will (MATTHEW 26:39). He didn’t call down legions of angels to rescue Himself (V. 53).

He didn’t defend Himself or threaten His accusers (27:12–14). He didn’t save Himself (MARK 15:31). He didn’t come down from the cross (V. 32). He didn’t stop loving and saving sinners (LUKE 23:43).

The fact that Jesus could have done these things intensified His agony and increased the temptation to use His

WHEN THEY HURLED THEIR INSULTS AT HIM, HE DID NOT RETALIATE. 1 PETER 2:23 power for His own advantage. But He didn’t. Instead, He used His power for our benefit! This is described in Hebrews 4:15-16. Jesus suffered temptation the same as we do—except that He didn’t sin. So He can “feel sympathy for our weaknesses” (V. 15). Therefore, we can approach His throne of grace boldly and obtain His mercy and grace “in our time of need” (V. 16).

Whatever your need is today, Jesus wants you to come and make full use of this privilege. o JOANIE YODER

Have you ever noticed before all the things Jesus didn’t do in order to save you? Which one is most precious to you? Why?

Loving Jesus, thank You for making the way for me to come freely before Your throne of grace. I place all my needs in Your hands today.

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DAY 13

STRONG CONQUEROR TODAY’S READING: HEBREW S 4 : 14 – 16

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ost of us hope our country leaders will do a good job and lead well. We vote, we serve and we speak out for causes we believe are fair and just. But, ultimately, political solutions remain powerless to change the condition of our hearts.

Many of Jesus’ followers anticipated a Messiah who would bring a vigorous political response to Rome and its heavy-handed oppression. Peter was no exception. When Roman soldiers came to arrest Christ, Peter drew his sword and took a swing at the head of the high priest’s servant, lopping off his ear in the process.

Jesus halted Peter’s one-man war, saying, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (JOHN 18:11). Hours later, Jesus would tell Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would

MY KINGDOM IS FROM ANOTHER PLACE. JOHN 18:36 fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders” (V. 36).

The Lord’s restraint in that moment, as His life hung in the balance, astonishes us when we ponder the scope of His mission. On a future day He will lead the armies of heaven into battle. John wrote, “With justice he judges and wages war” (REVELATION 19:11).

But as He endured the ordeal of His arrest, trial and crucifixion, Jesus kept His Father’s will in view. By embracing death on the cross, He set in motion a chain of events that truly transforms hearts. And in the process, our Strong Conqueror defeated death itself. o

TIM GUSTAFSON

How do Jesus’ words and actions during His arrest and trial show His kingdom “is not of this world”? Which kingdom do you feel most at home in; this world’s or Jesus’?

Father, how prone I am to reacting quickly rather than wisely.

Show me Your will for my life so that I will purposefully choose the path You have laid out for me.

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THE

Truth PILATE IGNORED

DAY 14

WHAT IS TRUTH?

TODAY’S READING: JOHN 18: 2 8– 3 8

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t was the closest Pilate would come to life’s greatest discovery. Jesus had just told him that He had come into the world to bear witness to the truth. This prompted Pilate to ask, “What is truth?”

(JOHN 18:38). The shrewd Roman politician had asked the right question of the right Person, and his answer was standing before him. But instead of falling to his knees in repentance, confession and faith, he could only pass off the answer by concluding, “I find no fault in Him.” Sooner or later, all of us find ourselves in Pilate’s position, where we must decide about the unusual Man who claims what no other can claim— that He is the truth.

Throughout history many religious leaders have come and gone, but not one has claimed to be the truth and

“WHAT IS TRUTH?” RETORTED PILATE. JOHN 18:38 then proved it by rising from the dead.

Millions of people down through the centuries have found Jesus’ life, His words and His resurrection to be convincing evidence of His credibility. And they have concluded that knowing the truth must begin with a personal relationship with Christ.

Have you found the answer to life’s most important question: “What is truth?” If not, consider Jesus’ statement in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” o

DENNIS J. DEHAAN

What do you think Jesus meant in John 14:6?

How does His claim to be “the truth” encourage you?

Lord Jesus, You are the way—the only way—to the Father.

Thank You for being everything that I need.

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DAY 15

THE

Example JESUS GIVES

GRACE EXEMPLIFIED TODAY’S READING: MA RK 15 : 16 – 2 0

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n the late 1940s, a young mother was stricken with polio and became an invalid. She astounded people by the way she accepted her affliction and ran her household from her bed. Her brotherin-law said to me, “I have heard a lot of talk about ‘grace’, but I never knew what it was until I saw it shining through her.”

We often do not know the full meaning of grace until we see it lived out in a person’s life. Think of how Jesus responded when the soldiers mistreated Him. They pressed a crown of thorns into His head, struck Him repeatedly, and mocked Him by clothing Him in a purple robe and bowing before Him in jest (MARK 15:16–20). They were unaware that He had the power to kill every one of them by speaking a single word.

Some years later, Peter vividly remembered that scene. He told his

AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY STRUCK HIM ON THE HEAD WITH A STAFF AND SPAT ON HIM. MARK 15:19 readers that Christ had set an example for them as they faced persecution (1 PETER 2:18–25). In Jesus, God became a flesh-and-blood human being to show what He is like. Because Jesus lives in us

by His Spirit, He expects us to exemplify His goodness and grace.

Whether we suffer like that invalid mother or endure persecution like our Saviour, we can demonstrate the same grace He modelled on the cross. o

HERB VANDER LUGT

Who have you witnessed living out Jesus’ grace? How can you extend that same grace in the face of opposition and persecution?

Heavenly Father, give me strength in my soul and a deeprooted compassion for others so that I too may be an example of grace, no matter what comes my way.

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DAY 16

STRENGTH IN SUFFERING TODAY’S READING: 1 PET ER 2 : 11– 2 3

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hen eighteen-year-old Sammy received Jesus as Saviour, his family rejected him because their tradition was of a different faith. But the Christian community welcomed him, offering encouragement and financial resources for his education. Later, when his testimony was published in a magazine, his persecution intensified.

But Sammy did not stop seeing his family. He visited whenever he could and talked with his father, even though his siblings cruelly prevented him from participating in family affairs. When his father fell ill, Sammy overlooked his family’s slighting and attended to him, praying his father would get well. When God healed him, the family began to warm up towards Sammy. Over time, his loving witness softened their attitude towards him—and some of his family members became willing to hear about Jesus.

Our decision to follow Christ may cause us difficulties. Peter wrote, “It is

CHRIST SUFFERED FOR YOU, LEAVING YOU AN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU SHOULD FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS. 1 PETER 2:21 commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God” (1 PETER 2:19).

When we undergo discomfort or suffering because of our faith, we do so because “Christ suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example, that [we] should follow in his steps” (V. 21).

Even when others hurled insults at Jesus, “he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (V. 23). Jesus is our example in suffering. We can turn to Him for strength to continue. o LAWRENCE DARMANI

Have you ever faced injustice because of your faith in Jesus?

How does Jesus strengthen you to bear it?

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to follow Your example in my conduct and in suffering for You. 27

DAY 17

THE

Burden JESUS CARRIED

A PIERCING THORN

TODAY’S READING: ISA IA H 5 3 : 1– 6

T

he thorn pricked my index finger, drawing blood. I hollered and then groaned, drawing back my hand instinctively. But I shouldn’t have been surprised: trying to prune a thorny bush without gardening gloves was a recipe for exactly what just happened.

The pain throbbing in my finger— and the blood flowing from it—demanded attention. And as I searched for a bandage, I found myself unexpectedly thinking about my Saviour. After all, soldiers forced Jesus to don an entire crown of thorns (JOHN 19:1–3). If one thorn hurt this much, I thought, how much agony would an entire crown of them inflict? And that’s just a small portion of the physical pain He suffered. A whip flogged His back. Nails penetrated His wrists and ankles. A spear pierced His side.

But Jesus endured spiritual pain too. Verse 5 of Isaiah 53 tells us, “But

BUT HE WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS . . .

AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED. ISAIAH 53:5 he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him”. The “peace” Isaiah talks about here is another way of talking about forgiveness. Jesus allowed Himself to be pierced—by a sword, by nails, by a crown of thorns—to bring us spiritual peace with God. His sacrifice, His willingness to die on our behalf, paved the way to make a relationship with the Father possible. And He did it, Scripture tells us, for me, for you. o ADAM HOLZ

Are you tempted to take your peace with God for granted?

How does Isaiah 53:5 help you understand the cost of this peace?

Father, I can’t imagine the pain Your Son endured to wash away my sin. Thank You for sending Him for me, to be pierced for my sins that I might have a relationship with You. 28

DAY 18

HE CARRIED OUR BURDEN TODAY’S READING: 1 PETER 1: 18 – 2 5

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t’s not unusual for utility bills to be surprisingly high. But Kieran received a water bill that would make your heart stop. The notification said that he owed £70,000! Confident he hadn’t used that much water the previous month, he jokingly asked if he could pay the bill in instalments.

Owing a debt that big would be an overwhelming burden, but it pales in comparison to the real—and immeasurable—burden sin causes us to carry.

Attempting to carry the burden and consequences of our own sins ultimately leaves us feeling tired and riddled with guilt and shame. The truth is we are incapable of carrying this load.

And we were never meant to. As Peter reminded believers, only Jesus, the sinless Son of God, could carry the

“HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS” IN HIS BODY ON THE CROSS. 1 PETER 2:24 heavy burden of our sin and its weighty consequences (1 PETER 2:24). In His death on the cross, Jesus took all our wrongdoing on Himself and offered us His forgiveness. Because He carried our burden, we don’t have to suffer the punishment we deserve.

Instead of living in fear or guilt—the “empty way of life handed down to” us (1:18)—we can enjoy a new life of love and freedom (VV. 22–23). o

MARVIN WILLIAMS

What burden of guilt and shame are you carrying at the moment?

How do these words in 1 Peter reassure you that Jesus can lift it from you?

Lord, sometimes my guilt and shame can feel so heavy.

Help me to release my past and its pain to You and experience Your peace, knowing You have carried it all and have set me free.

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DAY 19

THE SCAPEGOAT TODAY’S READING: LEVIT ICU S 16 : 1- 10, 2 0- 2 2

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he company was losing money. The price of its stock was sliding, and the corporate board was grumbling. So the president, desperate to do something, fired the vice-president in charge of sales.

In a similar situation, a football team was stuck in a losing streak after six consecutive successful years. Attendance was down and the fans were howling. So the club fired the manager.

In both cases, good people were released because the organisation needed a scapegoat. They focused the blame on one person, even though in reality many were at fault.

That’s what happened to Jesus. The high priest Caiaphas, without knowing the full truth of his words, said it would be best to sacrifice one man, Jesus. He thought it would save the nation from the oppressive Romans (JOHN 11:47-50).

IT IS BETTER FOR YOU THAT ONE MAN DIE FOR THE PEOPLE THAN THAT THE WHOLE NATION PERISH. JOHN 11:5 What he didn’t realise was that Jesus was bearing the guilt and penalty for the sins of the world in fulfilment of the Old Testament picture of the two goats (LEVITICUS 16). One goat was a sacrifice for the people’s sin to pay for it, the other became a scapegoat which symbolically carried their sins away. Jesus takes on both roles for us: He pays for our sin and He takes all the blame.

We deserve eternal death. How grateful we can be that God made Jesus our scapegoat. o DAVID C. EGNER

How does it encourage you to see the sacrifice of Jesus planned out in God’s Word thousands of years before it took place? What is your response to Jesus taking the blame for your sin?

Thank You, Jesus, not just for paying for my sin but for taking the blame for it as well.

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THE VALUE JESUS

Bestows

DAY 20

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE TODAY’S READING: ACTS 5 : 2 7– 4 2

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aised by a single mum, Tim worked hard to become a star football player, successful entrepreneur and have a career in politics (all at the same time!).

He’s also a devoted follower of Jesus. He told an interviewer, “There is nothing special about me. I’m an ordinary guy serving an extraordinary God. And that makes the difference.”

Jesus creates extraordinary value out of ordinary things. Consider the centre of our faith. Crucifixions were common in the first century, as Rome routinely stamped down uprisings by torturing the leaders. A group of Jews were crucified about the time Jesus was born. Others would be crucified in ad 69, when Rome crushed the Jewish rebellion. In Acts 5, Gamaliel reminds the Jewish council about Theudas and Judas who were killed—almost certainly crucified—for leading a revolt (ACTS 5: 36–37).

What was one more? Jesus’ death was

THEY NEVER STOPPED TEACHING AND PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH. ACTS 5:42 not unusual.

But Jesus is God, and He transformed His ordinary fate into something supremely special (JOHN 1:1–14). Jesus took a common tool of torture and used it to accomplish history’s most powerful and loving act. The weapon that brought Him death brings us life (ACTS 5:30–31).

Does your life seem common? Do you yearn for more? Remember your salvation. The ordinary becomes extraordinary when Jesus is in it. o

MIKE WITTMER

Do you give God the ultimate credit for your achievements?

In what ways has Jesus made your ordinary life extraordinary?

Jesus, Your presence brings significance, and You are here.

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PART 3

JOURNEY TO

Forgiveness 32

I

THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED

magine being plunged into total darkness. No sun, no moon, no electricity, no oil lamps; not even the flicker of a candle. People and animals would hardly dare move for fear of stumbling into danger.

The world would grow cold. Plants would wither. And soon, life itself would cease.

Light is the source of life.

“Let there be light.” Genesis 1:3-4 introduces God’s first work of creation. He didn’t just speak into the void to illuminate its gloom; He was creating an environment where life could be sustained. As with all artisans, God was putting something of Himself into His creation:

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

1 JOHN 1:5

The light wasn’t just helpful; it was “good.” Light, then, becomes symbolic of God and His life-giving truth and goodness. And His next act confirms it—He separated the light from the darkness. It is as though light and darkness are rivals; one must overcome the other.

And that is a theme we can trace right the way through Scripture. In fact, we can follow it together right into the heart of Easter.

John, in his gospel, describes Jesus’ incarnation saying, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (JOHN 1:9).

Jesus is the embodiment of all that light represents; and He came to bring light to the darkened world. Jesus confirmed it when He said:

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

JOHN 8:12

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How did the world respond to the light? Did the people who had been blindly stumbling through life run to Jesus overjoyed that their night had finally ended?

The unnerving thing about light is its ability to reveal. We sit comfortably in our house until the sun beams in and illuminates the layers of gathering dust we never noticed. The light shatters our comfort. We confidently admire our reflection until someone turns on a bright unflattering light that shows our flaws. Light can be offensive, especially if there are things we’d rather hide.

Some did run to Jesus’ light; most didn’t. Jesus explained:

This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. JOHN 3:19–21

We overestimate our genuine desire for truth. Truth hurts. Light exposes. Shadows and darkness feel safer than the glare of purest light. For those who love darkness, the light is intolerable. It wasn’t enough for the Jewish leaders to reject Jesus. His light offended them so deeply that they scrambled to extinguish it. And it looked

34

as though they succeeded.

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him . . . At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

MARK 15:25, 33

Three hours of darkness as the Light of the world was snuffed out. They buried His body in a tomb cut deep into the rock and rolled a stone over the opening. And night fell.

Good Friday was the darkest day in human history; but the story does not end there. On the third day at dawn, the women discovered that the sun had risen in more ways than one! They were the first to discover that darkness cannot overcome the Light!

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

JOHN 1:4–5

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DAY 21

THE CROSS SIMON

Carried

HIS CROSS OF PEACE TODAY’S READING: MA RK 15 : 16 – 2 4

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ombre eyes peer out from the painting Simon of Cyrene by contemporary Dutch artist Egbert Modderman. Simon’s eyes reveal the immense physical and emotional burden of his responsibility. In the biblical account from Mark 15, we learn that Simon was pulled from the watching crowd and forced to carry Jesus’ cross.

Mark tells us that Simon was from Cyrene, a big city in North Africa with a large population of Jews during Jesus’ time. Simon had probably journeyed to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

There he found himself in the middle of this unjust execution but was able to perform a small but meaningful act of assistance to Jesus (MARK 15:21).

Earlier in the gospel of Mark, Jesus told His followers, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”

A CERTAIN MAN FROM CYRENE . . . WAS PASSING BY . . . AND THEY FORCED HIM TO CARRY THE CROSS. MARK 15:21 (8:34). On the road to Golgotha, Simon literally did what Jesus figuratively asked His disciples to do: he took up the cross given to him and carried it for Jesus’ sake.

We too have ‘crosses’ to bear: perhaps an illness, a challenging ministry assignment, the loss of a loved one or persecution for our faith. As we carry these sufferings by faith, we point people to the sufferings of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. It was His cross that gave us peace with God and strength for our own journey. o LISA M. SAMRA

What ‘cross’ have you been asked to carry?

How can you use this struggle to point others to Jesus?

Jesus, thank You that You understand and sympathise with the pain I experience as I take up my cross and follow You. Give me courage and strength even when the journey is difficult.

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THE LOVE JESUS

Demonstrated

DAY 22

IN THE MOMENT

TODAY’S READING: LU KE 2 3 : 3 2 – 4 6

T

he ambulance door was about to close—with me on the inside. Outside, my son was on the phone to my wife. From my concussed fog, I called his name. As he recalls the moment, I slowly said, “Tell your mum I love her very much.”

Apparently I thought this might be goodbye, and I wanted those to be my parting words. In the moment, that’s what mattered most to me.

As Jesus endured His darkest moment, He didn’t merely tell us He loved us; He showed it in specific ways. He showed it to the mocking soldiers who had just nailed Him to a cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (LUKE 23:34). He gave hope to a criminal crucified with Him: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (V. 43). Nearing the end, He looked at His mother. “Here is your son,” He said to

THE REASON MY FATHER LOVES ME IS THAT I LAY DOWN MY LIFE. . . . NO ONE TAKES IT FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN OF MY OWN ACCORD. JOHN 10:17–18 her, and to His close friend John He said, “Here is your mother” (JOHN 19:26–27).

Then, as He lay His life down, Jesus’ last act of love was to trust His Father: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (LUKE 23:46).

Jesus purposefully chose the cross in order to show His obedience to His Father—and the depth of His love for us. To the very end, He showed us His relentless love. o TIM GUSTAFSON

How do love and obedience fit together?

Which of Jesus’ acts of love touches you the most?

I praise You, Jesus, that Your every word was spoken in love; and Your every action proved it.

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DAY 23

WHY FORGIVE? TODAY’S READING: LU KE 2 3 : 3 2 – 3 4

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hen a friend betrayed me, I knew I would need to forgive her, but I wasn’t sure that I could. Her words pierced deeply inside me, and I felt stunned with pain and anger. Although we talked about it and I told her I forgave her, for a long time whenever I’d see her I felt tinges of hurt, so I knew I still clung to some resentment. One day, however, God answered my prayers and gave me the ability to let go completely. I was finally free.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith, with our Saviour extending forgiveness even when He was dying on the cross. Jesus loved those who had nailed Him there, uttering a prayer asking His Father to forgive them. He didn’t hang on to bitterness or anger,

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. LUKE 23:34 but showed grace and love to those who had wronged Him. This is a fitting time to consider before the Lord any people we might need to forgive as we follow Jesus’ example in extending His love to those who hurt us. When we ask God through His Spirit to help us forgive, He will come to our aid—even if we take what we think is a long time to forgive. When we do, we are freed from the prison of unforgiveness. o

AMY BOUCHER PYE

What do you think it means to forgive others as you have been forgiven (COLOSSIANS 3:13)? Ask Jesus to help you to live out that kind of forgiveness.

Lord Jesus Christ, through Your grace and power as You dwell in me, help me to forgive, that Your love will set me free.

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DAY 24

ENGRAVED ON HIS HANDS TODAY’S READING: ISA IAH 4 9 : 14 – 18

I

n Charles Spurgeon’s many years at his London church during the 1800s, he loved to preach on the riches of Isaiah 49:16, which says that God engraves us on the palms of His hands. He said, “Such a text as this is to be preached hundreds of times!” This thought is so precious that we can run over it in our minds again and again.

Spurgeon makes the wonderful connection between this promise of the Lord to His people, the Israelites, and God’s Son, Jesus, on the cross as He died for us. Spurgeon asked, “What are these wounds in Your hands? . . . The engraver’s tool was the nail, backed by the hammer. He must be fastened to the cross, that His people might be truly engraved on the palms of His hands.” As

SEE, I HAVE ENGRAVED YOU ON THE PALMS OF MY HANDS. ISAIAH 49:16 the Lord promised to engrave His people on His palms, so Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross, receiving the nails in His hands so we could be free of our sins.

If and when we’re tempted to think that God has forgotten us, we only need to look at our palms and remember God’s promise. He has put indelible marks on His hands for us; He loves us that much. o AMY BOUCHER PYE

Are you ever tempted to believe God has forgotten you?

How do these words in Isaiah show you that this will never be the case?

Lord God, how vast is Your love for me! You keep me ever before You. I know You’ll never leave me, and I’m grateful.

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DAY 25

THE

Way THAT THE CROSS Opened

CURTAINED OFF

TODAY’S READING: HEBREW S 10: 19 – 2 5

A

s my flight reached cruising speed, the flight attendant pulled back the curtain that cordoned off first class, and I was given a startling reminder of the stark differences between areas on aeroplanes. Some travellers get to board first, enjoying premium seating with extra legroom and personalised service.

The curtain was a humbling reminder of my separation from those perks.

Exclusionary distinctions between groups of people can be found throughout history, including, in a way, even God’s temple in Jerusalem, though not due to one’s ability to pay more.

Non-Jewish people were only allowed to worship in the outer court. Next came the women’s court, and even closer, an area designated for men. Finally, the holy of holies, seen as the place where God uniquely revealed Himself, was concealed behind a curtain and only ac-

WE HAVE CONFIDENCE TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY PLACE

BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS. HEBREWS 10:19 cessible to one consecrated priest each year (HEBREWS 9:1–10).

But, wonderfully, this separation no longer exists. Jesus has completely eliminated any barriers that might hinder anyone seeking access to God— even our sin (10:17). Just as the temple curtain was torn in two at the moment of Christ’s death (MATTHEW 27:50–51), His crucified body has torn away all obstructions to God’s presence. There’s no barrier that need separate any believer from experiencing the glory and love of the living God. o LISA M. SAMRA

How does the truth that Christ’s death provides access to God give you confidence when you worship and pray? What else does His death provide believers?

Jesus, thank You for being willing to die to open up full access to God to all who long for it.

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DAY 26

A GLOSSARY FOR GRIEF TODAY’S READING: LUK E 2 3 : 4 4 – 4 6

W

hen Hugh and Diane released their only child to heaven, they struggled with what to call themselves in the aftermath. There is no specific word in the English language to describe a parent who has lost a child. A wife without her husband is a widow. A husband without his wife is a widower.

A child bereft of parents is an orphan. A parent whose child has died is an undefined hollow of hurt.

Miscarriage. Sudden infant death.

Suicide. Illness. Accident. Death steals a child from this world and then robs the surviving parents of an expressed identity.

Yet God Himself understands such devastating grief as His only Son, Jesus, called to Him while dying on the cross, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (LUKE 23:46). God was Father before Jesus’ earthly birth and remained

JESUS CALLED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, “FATHER, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” LUKE 23:46 Father when Jesus released His final breath. God continued as Father when the still body of His Son was laid in a tomb. God lives on today as Father of a risen Son who brings every parent the hope that a child can live again.

What do you call a heavenly Father who sacrifices His Son for the universe?

For you and for me? Father. Still, Father.

When there are no words in the glossary of grief to describe the pain of loss, God is our Father and calls us His children (1 JOHN 3:1). o ELISA MORGAN

What does it mean to be a child of God? How does this comfort you?

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for being my Father and claiming me as Your child.

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DAY 27

THE

Cost JESUS PAID

THE COST TODAY’S READING: JOHN 19 : 2 5 – 3 0

M

ichelangelo’s works explored many facets of the life of Jesus, yet one of the most poignant was also one of the simplest. In the 1540s he sketched a pieta (a picture of Jesus’ mother holding the body of the dead Christ) for his friend Vittoria Colonna.

Done in chalk, the drawing depicts Mary looking to the heavens as she cradles her Son’s still form. Rising behind Mary, the upright beam of the cross carries these words from Dante’s Paradise, “There they don’t think of how much blood it costs.” Michelangelo’s point was profound: when we contemplate the death of Jesus, we must consider the price He paid.

The price paid by Christ is captured in His dying declaration, “It is finished” (JOHN 19:30). The term for “it is finished” (tetelestai) was used in several ways—to

JESUS SAID, “IT IS FINISHED.” JOHN 19:30 show a debt had been paid, a task finished, a sacrifice offered, a masterpiece completed. Each of them applies to what Jesus did on our behalf on the cross!

Perhaps that’s why the apostle Paul wrote, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (GALATIANS 6:14).

Jesus’ willingness to take our place is the eternal evidence of how much God loves us. As we contemplate the price He paid, may we also celebrate His love—and give thanks for the cross. o

BILL CROWDER

How could each meaning of tetelestai be applied to the cross of Jesus and what He accomplished there?

Which one has most meaning to you?

Father, when I consider the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf, I am humbled and deeply grateful. Thank You for Jesus, and thank You for the cross.

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DAY 28

NEVER FORSAKEN TODAY’S READING: PSA L M 2 2 : 1– 10

R

ussian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky said, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” With that in mind, I read an online article describing “The Top 8 Deadliest Prisons in the World.” In one of these prisons every prisoner is held in solitary confinement.

We are intended to live and relate in relationships and community, not in isolation. This is what makes solitary confinement such a harsh punishment.

Isolation is the agony Christ suffered when His eternal relationship with the Father was broken on the cross. We hear this in His cry captured in Matthew 27:46: “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).” As He suffered and died under

JESUS CRIED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, . . . “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” MATTHEW 27:46 the burden of our sins, Christ was suddenly alone, forsaken, isolated, cut off from His relationship with the Father.

Yet His suffering in isolation secured for us the promise of the Father: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (HEBREWS 13:5)

Christ endured the agony and abandonment of the cross for us so that we would never be alone or abandoned by our God. Ever. o BILL CROWDER

When you feel lonely, what difference does it make to know God will never leave or abandon you? Who else can you encourage with this truth?

Father, thank You for making it possible for me to be Your child. I am eternally grateful for the price Jesus paid to make that relationship possible. Thank You for the promise that You will never abandon me.

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DAY 29

WOUNDED FOR ME TODAY’S READING: ISA IA H 5 3 : 4 – 12

W

hen you study the painting of the crucifixion by the famous Dutch artist Rembrandt, your attention is first drawn to the cross and to Jesus. Then, as you look at the crowd around the cross, you are drawn to the faces of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes drift to the edge of the picture and catch sight of another figure—almost hidden in the shadows.

This, we are told, was a self-portrait of Rembrandt, for he recognised that by his sins he helped nail Jesus there!

Someone has aptly said, “It is a simple thing to say that Christ died for the sin of the world. It is quite another thing to say that Christ died for my sin! It may be an interesting pastime to point fingers at those who crucified Jesus, but it is a shocking thought that I

SURELY HE TOOK UP OUR PAIN AND BORE OUR SUFFERING. ISAIAH 53:4 can be as indifferent as Pilate, as scheming as Caiaphas, as cruel as the soldiers, as ruthless as the mob or as cowardly as the disciples. It isn’t just what they did—it was I who nailed Him to the tree.

I crucified the Christ of God. I joined the mockery!”

Think again of Rembrandt’s painting. If you look closely, you will see that in the shadows you too are standing with bloodied hands, for Christ bore the penalty of your sin! And you will say, “By his wounds we are healed” (ISAIAH 53:5). o

HENRY G. BOSCH

How do you respond to the realisation that Jesus personally took up your pain, sin and suffering upon the cross?

How can you give Him the honour He deserves today?

Lord Jesus, what a wonderful Saviour You are. I don’t have the words to express my awe and worship that You would lay down Your life for me. I simply give You all that I am.

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THE

Bravery JESUS’ FOLLOWERS SHOWED

DAY 30

FAITH-STAND TODAY’S READING: JOHN 19 : 3 8– 4 2

D

esmond Doss was drafted into World War II as a non-combatant.

Though his religious beliefs prevented him from carrying a gun, Doss ably served as a combat medic. In one battle, he withstood intense and repeated enemy fire to pull seventy-five soldiers in his unit to safety after they had been injured A roll call of the heroes of Christian faith includes such courageous characters as Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter and Paul. Yet there are some unsung heroes like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who risked their standing with the Jewish leaders to take Christ’s crucified body and give Him a decent burial (JOHN 19:40–42). This was a bold move from a fearful, secret disciple of Jesus and another, Nicodemus, who had previously dared to visit Him only at night

TAKING JESUS’ BODY, THE TWO OF THEM WRAPPED IT, WITH THE SPICES, IN STRIPS OF LINEN. JOHN 19:40 (VV. 38–39). Even more impressive is that they took their faith-stand before Jesus rose victorious from the grave. Why? Perhaps the manner of Jesus’ death and the events that immediately followed (MATTHEW 27:50–54) crystallised the fledgling faith of these fearful followers. Maybe they learned to focus on who God is rather than what man could do to them. Whatever the inspiration, may we follow their example and exhibit courage to take risks of faith in our God—for others today. o REMI OYEDELE

In what ways have you lived courageously for your faith in Jesus?

What can you do differently that might show your faith to the world?

Heavenly Father, give me the courage by Your Spirit to stand firm in my faith and encourage my fellow believers today.

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PART 4

JOURNEY TO

New Life

PASSING THROUGH THE WATERS

T

he streets were unsafe even in daylight. News from elsewhere brought increasing reports of violence, corruption and immorality. Everyone lived to please themselves, trampling whoever got in their way. Victims became abusers feeling justified in their cruelty; and the cycle spun out of control. The days grew worse until nearly the whole world had turned its back on God. Every wrongful act—large or small—brought more disorder; a pandemic of sin and corruption. He is patient; but God will not allow evil to continue indefinitely.

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth”.

GENESIS 6:7

Yet before God sent a worldwide flood to wash away humanity, He delayed judgement for 100 years in order to rescue Noah, a righteous man; and give him an opportunity to preach to others.1 In that time Noah built his famous ark; a giant vessel that would hold his family and a whole zoo of animals.

At last the day came when God’s mercy ended and the waters began.

God shut Noah, his family and the animals into their dark, floating tomb for nearly a year. A year! Months and months of darkness, in the pressing heat of hundreds of living creatures. Being in total lockdown in that ark was undoubtedly difficult; they surely longed for dry land, sunshine and fresh air. But the only other option was to face the waters on their own.

The ark was the only salvation God had provided to keep them safe from the awesome judgement swirling underneath.

1 See Genesis 5:32; 6:9; 7:6; 2 Peter 2:5

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But one glorious day, it was over. “God said to Noah, ‘Come out”

(GENESIS 8:15). He squinted as sunlight finally hit his eyes; his heart fluttered

as he took that step from the cramped ark to the freedom of God’s renewed creation. Noah had passed through the waters of judgement. In fact, for him in the ark, they were the waters of salvation, making everything new.

And that’s the story of Easter.

No, we haven’t confused our Bible stories! Noah’s Ark is the story of Easter, told thousands of years beforehand!

The sinful world in which Noah lived was under condemnation: judgement was coming. But God provided the ark as a means of salvation for anyone who would come. But if they didn’t believe God would judge, or didn’t believe the ark could save them, they had to face the flood on their own.

And the same is true today. Our world is characterised by sin, selfishness and ultimately rebellion against God. And God has promised to bring final judgement. The fact that God chooses to deal with sin proves His goodness; but judgement isn’t good news for those of us who aren’t perfectly sinless. We need an ark that can withstand the flood and carry us through unharmed. And that is exactly what Jesus came to do; this is the very heart of Easter.

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. JOHN 3:18

As the ark was for Noah, so Jesus is for us!

Just as Noah’s ark endured the waters of God’s righteous judgement, Jesus bore God’s judgement against sin. Just as only those who chose to shelter within the ark were saved, so it is in our day; only those who choose to take refuge in Christ will benefit from His salvation and the new life He offers. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” (2 CORINTHIANS 5:17) 48

We have been given a new, cleansed life through Jesus. We no longer need to fear God’s coming judgement against sin because, by faith, we are sheltered “in Christ.” Just as God assured Noah that he would never endure another flood of judgement, He also gives this assurance to us: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (ROMANS 8:1).

This is why Christians rejoice at Easter! We are truly saved through the death of our Lord—His resurrection proves it. By rising from the grave, Jesus demonstrated that the price for our sin was fully paid. If Jesus was still in the grave, we would be right to wonder whether the job was finished; to ask if God had some judgement reserved for us still. But now, through the resurrection, all such fear is put to rest.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

ROMANS 6:4

As we have seen through this booklet, our journey to the heart of Easter is a journey to the safe covering of Jesus, to forgiveness from all sin, and to the light of new life. We no longer need to seek ‘fig leaves’ or darkness to cover us. Instead we can live confidently before God. Unashamed. Righteous. Renewed. Restored.

The journey to the heart of Easter is, in fact, the journey through the story of the Bible. From the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane, we can trace the battle between darkness and light. Between the two gardens, the questions are asked again and again, in various forms and in various stories: “How can humanity return to God?” “Who will save us?” “Who will shelter us from the storm of God’s righteous judgement?”

Wherever you turn to in your Bible next, try reading that passage with the Easter story in mind—that’s the story it’s part of. Ultimately, to journey to the heart of Easter is to discover the heart of Christ, the Hero of the Bible’s story who provides for our deepest needs, calms every fear, and gives victory and hope to all who shelter in Him.

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DAY 31

THE

Empty Tomb THE WOMEN FOUND

EMPTY EXPLANATIONS

TODAY’S READING: MAT T HEW 2 7: 6 2 – 2 8 : 15

N

o element in the Easter story is more troubling to unbelievers than the report that the followers of Jesus found the tomb empty that Sunday morning.

Some simply deny it, saying that the women and others went to the wrong tomb. Others think that Jesus was not quite dead when He was buried, and somehow He revived and got out of the tomb—even though the Roman soldiers had declared Him dead (JOHN 19:33), an eyewitness saw blood and water flow from the pierced body (V. 34), and His body had been wrapped tightly with strips of linen containing 100 pounds of spices (V. 39).

In the first century, even Christ’s enemies agreed that He had died and the tomb was empty. They bribed the

DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:54 guards to say that the disciples stole His body (MATTHEW 28:11-15).

Jesus rose from the grave in a real body, and that means everything to us.

When a Christian friend or loved one dies, we can be confident that we will meet again. The body may turn to dust, but God will not forget it. It will be transformed into a body perfectly designed for heaven (1 CORINTHIANS 15:35–50). This is not wishful thinking. It is an expectation based on solid evidence.

Thank You, Lord, for the empty tomb of Jesus. o

HERBERT VANDER LUGT

How is your life different today because of the empty tomb?

Lord Jesus, I praise You for the empty tomb!

Death is defeated; the victory is Yours alone!

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DAY 32

IS THERE HOPE? TODAY’S READING: MAT T H EW 2 8: 1- 7

I

sat quietly at the graveside of my father, waiting for the private family burial of my mother to begin. The funeral director carried the urn that held her ashes. My heart felt numb and my head was in a fog. How can I handle losing them both within just 3 months? In my grief I felt loss and loneliness and a little hopeless facing a future without them.

Then the pastor read about another graveside. On the first day of the week, early in the morning, women went to Jesus’ tomb, carrying spices for His body (MATTHEW 28:1; LUKE 24:1). There they were startled to find an open and empty tomb—and an angel. “Do not be afraid,” he said to them (MATTHEW 28:5). They didn’t need to be afraid of the empty tomb or of the angel, because he had good news for them.

HE IS NOT HERE; FOR HE IS RISEN, JUST AS HE SAID. MATTHEW 28:6 Hope stirred when I heard the next words: “He is not here; he is risen, just as he said” (V. 6). Because Jesus had come back to life, death had been conquered!

Jesus reminded His followers just a few days before His death: “Because I live, you also will live” (JOHN 14:19).

Even though we grieve at the loss of our loved ones, we find hope through the resurrection of Jesus and His promise that there is life after death. o

ANNE CETAS

What hope does Jesus’ resurrection give you in any grief you are experiencing? How does the empty tomb help calm your fears?

Thank You, Lord, for comfort and hope. What would I do without You? Your death and resurrection provide all I need for this life and the next.

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DAY 33

RUNNING TO TELL TODAY’S READING: MAT T HE W 2 8: 8 – 10

T

he modern-day marathon is based on the story of a Greek messenger, Pheidippides. According to legend, in 490 bc he ran approximately twenty-five miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks’ victory against their formidable foe, the invading Persians. Today, people run marathons for charitable causes and for the personal satisfaction of an athletic achievement.

Pheidippides’ effort was also full of joy: each of his steps brought him closer to delivering good news to his kinsmen!

Some five hundred years later, two women also ran to deliver good news—the most pivotal news in all of history. When Mary and Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb where Jesus had been placed after His crucifixion, they found it empty. An angel told them

SO THE WOMEN . . . RAN TO TELL HIS DISCIPLES. MATTHEW 28:8 that Jesus had “risen from the dead” and to “go quickly and tell his disciples” (MATTHEW 28:7). The women, “afraid yet filled with joy,” ran to tell the disciples what they’d discovered (V. 8).

May we have the same joyful exuberance at the resurrection of Jesus, and may it invigorate us to share the good news with others. We may not even need to ‘run’ further than next door to find someone who needs to know about our Saviour. He won the battle against death so we might live victoriously with Him forever! o KIRSTEN HOLMBERG

Who shared the good news of Christ’s resurrection with you?

How will you share it with others today?

God, I rejoice because of Your victory over death.

Thank You for allowing me the privilege of sharing this good news with those You’ve put in my life.

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THE MAN WHO

Called MARY’S NAME

DAY 34

GRIEF OVERTURNED

TODAY’S READING: JOHN 2 0: 11– 18

A

ccording to Jim and Jamie Dutcher—filmmakers known for their knowledge of wolves—when happy, wolves wag their tails and romp about.

But after the death of a pack member, they grieve for weeks. They visit the place where the pack member died, showing grief by their drooping tails and mournful howls.

Grief is a powerful emotion that we’ve all experienced, particularly at the death of a loved one or a treasured hope. Mary Magdalene experienced it.

She had belonged to Christ’s supporters and travelled with Him and His disciples (LUKE 8:1–3). But His cruel death on a cross separated them now. The only thing left for Mary to do for Jesus was to finish anointing His body for burial—a task the Sabbath had interrupted. But imagine how Mary felt upon arriving at

I HAVE SEEN THE LORD! JOHN 20:18 the tomb and finding not a lifeless, broken body but a living Saviour! Though she hadn’t at first recognised the man standing before her, the sound of her name spoken by Him told her who He was—Jesus! Instantly, grief turned to joy. Mary now had joyful news to share: “I have seen the Lord!” (JOHN 20:18).

Jesus entered our dark world to bring freedom and life. His resurrection is a celebration of the fact that He accomplished what He set out to do. Like Mary, we can celebrate Christ’s resurrection and share the good news that He’s alive! Alleluia! o

LINDA WASHINGTON

When have you experienced sadness turning to joy?

Who can you share the good news of Jesus with this week?

Jesus, I celebrate Your resurrection and the new life I can experience in You.

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DAY 35

THE MAN THE DISCIPLES DIDN’T

Recognise

EVERY STORY WHISPERS HIS NAME TODAY’S READING: LU KE 2 4 : 17– 2 7

I

opened the whimsically illustrated children’s Bible and began to read to my grandson. Immediately we were enthralled as the story of God’s love and provision unfurled in prose. Marking our place, I turned the book over and read the title once again: The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name.

Every story whispers His name.

Every story.

To be honest, sometimes the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is hard to understand. Why do those who don’t know God seem to triumph over God’s own? How can God permit such cruelty when we know that His character is pure and that His purposes are for our good?

After His resurrection, Jesus met two followers on the road to Emmaus who didn’t recognise Him and were struggling with disappointment over the death of their hoped-for Messiah (LUKE 24:19–24). They had “hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem

BEGINNING WITH MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, HE EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT WAS SAID IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES CONCERNING HIMSELF. LUKE 24:27 Israel” (V. 21). Luke then records how Jesus reassured them: “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (V. 27).

Every story whispers His name, even the hard stories, because they reveal the comprehensive brokenness of our world and our need for a Rescuer.

Every act, every event, every intervention points to the redemption God designed for His wayward loved ones: to bring us back to Himself. o

ELISA MORGAN

How is God’s rescue at work in your life? What difficulties are you experiencing? In what ways (however small) can you see God at work in them?

Dear God, help me listen as You whisper Your name through the stories of Scripture. Every story.

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THE

Doubts THOMAS EXPERIENCED

DAY 36

TO BELIEVE TODAY’S READING: JOHN 2 0: 2 4 – 3 1

“L

och Ness Monster Caught on Camera” exclaimed the headline, reporting how the webcam of a “Monster Spotter” had picked up a “very large dark shape” swimming across Loch Ness. It was big enough to be considered the year’s fifth official “sighting” of Nessie. But as a commentator noted, considering the low quality of the footage, “I want this to be Nessie, but I reckon it’s natural phenomena.”

I wonder if Thomas had his own “I want this, but I reckon” moment when the disciples reported, “We have seen the Lord!” (JOHN 20:25). Despite Jesus’ empty tomb, Thomas needed evidence, saying emphatically: “I will not believe” (V. 25). Thomas wasn’t unreasonable in doubting Jesus’ resurrection. After all, his friends’ story probably sounded just as fanciful to him as a monster in a Scottish loch would to us. But then Jesus showed up. Understanding Thom-

THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD. JOHN 20:31 as’ doubts, Jesus wanted to deepen his faith in Him and to strengthen their relationship (V. 27).

We may have our own “I want this, but I reckon” questions about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection—or even of His love for us. We can trust that just as Jesus turned up for Thomas, He’ll reveal Himself to us too. As we dwell in the Scriptures, our faith will be strengthened so “that [we] may believe” (V. 31).

Then we will gain the confidence to respond: “My Lord and my God” (V. 28). o

CHRIS WALE

Do you feel guilty when you have doubts or do you feel free to take them to Jesus? How does Jesus’ reaction to Thomas reassure you?

Lord God, thank You for knowing and understanding my doubts and questions. Where my faith feels small and weak, strengthen me with Your presence and the truth of Your Word.

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DAY 37

SCAR STORIES TODAY’S READING: JOHN 2 0: 2 4 – 2 9

T

he butterfly flitted in and out of my mother’s panda-faced pansies. As I child, I longed to catch it. I raced from our back garden into our kitchen and grabbed a glass jar, but on my hasty return, I tripped and hit the concrete patio hard. The jar smashed under my wrist and left an ugly slash that would require eighteen stitches to close. Today the scar crawls like a caterpillar across my wrist, telling the story of both wounding and healing.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples after His death, He brought His scars. John reports Thomas wanting to see “the nail marks in his hands” and Jesus inviting Thomas to “put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side” (JOHN 20:25, 27). In order to demonstrate He was the same Jesus, He rose from

SEE MY HANDS. REACH OUT YOUR HAND AND PUT IT INTO MY SIDE. STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE. JOHN 20:27 the dead with the scars of His suffering still visible.

The scars of Jesus prove Him to be the Saviour and tell the story of our salvation. The pierce marks through His hands and feet and the hollow in His side reveal a story of pain inflicted, endured and then healed—for us. He did it so that we might be restored to Him and made whole.

Have you ever considered the story told by Christ’s scars? o ELISA MORGAN

How do the Saviour’s scars promise healing for the wounds we’ve endured? What wounds can you bring to Him today?

Oh Jesus, how I love the story Your scars tell me—and to our world. May I learn to love You more and more through the story of Your scars.

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THE

Salvation JESUS’ RESURRECTION

DAY 38

ACHIEVED

THREE-WORD OBITUARY

TODAY’S READING: ROMA NS 8: 2 8- 3 9

B

efore Stig Kernell died, he told the local funeral home that he didn’t want a traditional obituary. Instead, the Swedish man instructed them to publish only three words noting his passing: “I am dead.” When Mr. Kernell died at the age of ninety-two, that’s exactly what appeared. The audacity and simplicity of his unusual death notice captured the attention of newspapers around the world. In a strange twist, the international curiosity about the man with the three-word obituary caused more attention to his death than he intended.

When Jesus was crucified, the Lord’s obituary could have read, “He is dead.”

But after three days, it would have been changed to front-page news saying, “He is risen!” Much of the New Testament is devoted to proclaiming and explaining the results of Christ’s resurrection.

CHRIST JESUS WHO DIED— MORE THAN THAT, WHO WAS RAISED TO LIFE—IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. ROMANS 8:34 “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? . . . We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (ROMANS 8:34-37).

The three-word obituary of Jesus, “He is dead”, has been transformed into an eternal anthem of praise to our Saviour. He is risen! He is risen indeed! o

DAVID MCCASLAND

How would you write Jesus’ obituary?

What hope does His resurrection give you?

Lord, we rejoice in Your great victory over sin and death through Your resurrection. May we live in light of it every day.

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DAY 39

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING TODAY’S READING: 1 CORINT HI A NS 15 : 12 – 2 6

J

aroslav Pelikan, a professor considered one of “his generation’s preeminent authorities on Christian history,” was renowned for his extensive academic career. He published more than thirty books and won awards for his voluminous writing. One of his students, however, recounted what he considered his teacher’s most important words, spoken from his deathbed: “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not—nothing else matters.”

Pelikan echoed Paul’s conviction: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 CORINTHIANS 15:14). The apostle made such a bold statement because he knew that the resurrection was not merely a one-off miracle but rather the pinnacle of God’s redeeming work in human history. The promise of resurrection wasn’t only His assurance that Jesus would rise from the dead but His bold affirmation that other dead and ruined things

CHRIST HAS INDEED BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:20 (lives, neighbourhoods, relationships) would also one day be brought

back to life through Christ. If there’s no resurrection, however, Paul knew that we’re in deep trouble. If there’s no resurrection, then death and destruction win.

But, of course, “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (V. 20). Destroyed by the Victor, death loses. And Jesus is the “firstfruits” of all the life that will follow. He conquered evil and death so that we could live bold and free. This changes everything. o

WINN COLLIER

How does the resurrection of Jesus change everything for you?

Do you experience His resurrection power in your own life?

God, allow me to see how Jesus’ resurrection changes everything about my life now and forever.

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DAY 40

THE ASCENSION TODAY’S READING: ACT S 1: 1- 11

T

he repeated appearances of Jesus after His death brought His followers such joy that they must have wanted the visits to continue indefinitely. But on the 40th day after His resurrection, having given His disciples final instructions, Jesus slowly ascended and a cloud hid Him from view.

Jesus could have vanished instantly, as He had done on previous occasions.

But this time He chose to ascend visibly to impress on His followers that this was the end of His visits. His bodily presence would soon be replaced by something even better. Jesus’ ascension marked the beginning of a new era.

In His glorified human body, the Lord Jesus ascended, entered heaven, sat down at the right hand of God, sent the Holy Spirit (JOHN 14:16-18; ACTS 2:33), began His ministry of intercession for us (ROMANS 8:34; HEBREWS 7:25), and now

IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME BACK AND TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME THAT YOU ALSO MAY BE WHERE I AM. JOHN 14:3 permeates the whole universe with His spiritual presence and power (EPHESIANS 1:15-23; 4:10).

An ancient writing says that Jesus ascended bodily into heaven “our entrance to secure, and our abode to prepare.” That’s true. But it’s also true that as God, He is always spiritually present with us and will be “to the end of the age” (MATTHEW 28:20). What a wonderful Saviour we have! o

HERBERT VANDER LUGT

Do you live with your eyes focused on your earthly life or your eternal home with Jesus? How would an eternal perspective change the way you live?

Thank You, Jesus, for all that Your ascension means for me.

I long for the day I will be with You in Your home.

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If anyone is in Christ,

the new creation has come: the old has gone,

the new is here!

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

Journey to the Heart of Easter

is a journey from the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane. It is a journey that reveals Easter not just to be a key story, but the key story of the Bible, our world and each one of our lives.

All too often the true, life-changing, awesome message of Easter gets lost behind the mundane or trivial. These forty specially selected Our Daily Bread articles offer you a reflective journey to Easter which allows you to consider just what this world-defining story means to you. Soak up the final weeks of Jesus’ work on earth, wonder with the disciples as they witness His agonising death, rejoice with the women at the tomb as they encounter the risen Christ, and discover the shelter, forgiveness and new life He gives to all who put their faith in Him.

Visit ourdailybread.org for more information on our resources. Alternatively, please contact the office nearest to you from the list below, or go to ourdailybread.org/locations for the complete list of offices.

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