VERSE OF THE DAY:
LUKE 19:38
Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!
REFLECT
What is one way the reign of Jesus surprises you?
Jesus loves and forgives His enemies
Jesus brings peace through sacrificial love.
Jesus overcomes evil by laying down his life.
SHARE YOUR FAITH
The way Jesus rules invites us to consider how we approach conflict. Today, how can you love and respect a difficult person?
God, thank You for sending Your Son to take on the weight of my sin. Because of His sacrifice, I can experience Your peace and salvation-both in heaven and on earth, This week, remind me of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and how His resurrection changed everything. Allow me to glorify You with every breath I take. In Jesus' name, Amen.
NO SUCH THIS AS A LIFE-SAVING SWORD
On the first day of Holy Week, Palm Sunday, cheering crowds welcome Jesus into Jerusalem like a king, waving palm branches, spreading garments before him, and singing praises. But one week later, on Good Friday, the crowds want Jesus dead. Why? The palm branches and garments give us a big clue.
Nearly 2 centuries earlier. Israel suffered oppression under the Seleucid Empire until a rebel leader named Judas Maccabeus led a successful revolt restoring Jerusalem and the temple, a victory still celebrated today during Hanukkah, When Maccabeus triumphantly entered Jerusalem in 164 BCE, crowds sang praises and waved palm branches. So waving palm branches and laying garments on the ground expressed hope for victory over evil.
Centuries before that, in a story from 2 Kings 9, crowds also lay garments before Israel's King Jehu during his coronation. and right after he takes the throne, Jehu slaughters all his enemies.
The Palm Sunday crowds around Jesus also cry "Hosanna!" which is from Hebrews Hoshi'ah na'. meaning "Save us!" Jesus is receiving a royal welcome from crowds who expect him to mimic the violent, sword-wielding rulers of old.
Jesus leads disciples, though, not warriors. He rides a young donkey instead of a warhorse, fulfilling the prophet Zechariah's prophecy about God sending a peaceful king. Jesus arrives gently, with no violence or domination. Instead, he heals, forgives, and crushes evil by loving his enemies.
Anticipation buzzes through Jerusalem that first day of Holy Week, and Jesus arrives as the unexpected king, inviting all who ask God to "Save us! Save us!" into the nonviolent way he saves.
One week after Palm Sunday, Easter will prove that there is no such thing as a life-saving sword. But there is a life-saving love. It's wielded by Jesus, and it's indestructible.
REFLECTION QUESTION
How does today's lesson either confirm or challenge your understanding of the "good news" that Jesus preached?
DAILY BIBLE READING:
JUDGES 7-8
LUKE 5:1-16
GIDEON DEFEATS MIDIANITES
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.”
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
17“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ”
ZEBAH AND ZALMUNA
GIDEON'S EPHOD
Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”
GIDEON'S DEATH
JESUS CALLS HIS FIRST DISCIPLES
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
JESUS HEALS A MAN WITH LEPROSY
When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,”he said. “Be clean!”And immediately the leprosy left him.
14Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
ISAIAH 55:6-13
INVITATION TO THE THIRSTY
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”
6Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
INSIGHT
Isaiah 55 begins with a divine invitation: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters” (v. 1). God will expound on this imagery of life-giving water in verses 10-11 as He compares His very words to His method of caring for creation: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, . . . so is my word that goes out from my mouth.” Precipitation brings life to the earth; God’s words give life to our spirits. Even in times of grief and doubt, God gives us His peace: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace” (v. 12).
By: Tim Gustafson
TEARS AND HOPE
Although it was Palm Sunday, a day to celebrate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, for Mary Edwar it became a time of deep pain. Leaving their church after the service, she and her husband, Kareem, were holding hands when a bomb went off. The device killed Kareem and injured Mary, causing her to miscarry.
While Mary recuperated, she felt furious while grieving for her husband and child. But somehow reading the Bible calmed “the volcano inside her.” In particular, when she struggled to comprehend why God allowed the atrocity, Isaiah 55:9 helped: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” As she understood that God extends grace even when He’s dishonored, she felt soothed by His Spirit.
Mary considered Isaiah’s message from God to His wayward people. While calling them back to Himself, God sought to expand their understanding of His merciful character. Even as the heavens are “higher than” the earth, so were God’s ways “higher than” theirs (v. 9). So too will God show love and grace, more than they could imagine.
While grieving deeply, Mary was stunned to receive God’s gift of peace. She welcomed Jesus’ consoling love, which He poured out in the events that we mark during Holy Week. He’s eager to give us His peace too; we need only to look to Him.
By: Amy Boucher Pye
REFLECT AND PRAY
How does reflecting on God’s loving nature help you? How have you found peace when reading the Bible?
Creator God, You cherish me. Even when I’m wracked with pain and doubt, you provide hope and love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
LIVE IN HIGH DEF
When the disciples first heard Jesus say, “It is to your advantage that I go away,” I’m sure they had their doubts. In fact, I think they heard it much like a kid who is about to get a spanking hears their parent say, “This is going to hurt me more than it is going to hurt you!”
“Yeah, right! If that’s the case, I will GLADLY trade places.”
It makes sense. The disciples couldn’t imagine anything better than having Christ physically with them. After all, He’s God. Hungry? Feeds 5,000. Taxes due? Coins popping out of the mouths of fish. Friend dead? Not anymore…
How could the disciples make it without Jesus, let alone have it be an advantage to them for Him to leave? What the disciples didn’t understand was that when God came as a human, He accepted human limitations; like a Ferrari with a governor, He could only reach a tiny portion of His potential.
As a human, the disciples enjoyed Jesus’ company. But His plan all along was not to be with them, but in them. As a human, Jesus could only be in one place at one time. By sending God in Spirit, He would be with all believers simultaneously. As a human, the disciples would watch Jesus preach, minister, and serve. But now, they would see Him moving through their hands, mouths, and lips as they trusted Him to work through them.
It took a heavenly perspective to realize that the short-term loss was nothing compared to the long-term advantage.
Similarly, we at various times may sense God doing things that are not in our plans. Maybe it violates our comfort, our happiness, or our 5-year-plan. In those times, we must ask God to reveal what He’s doing and see how it will be used for the better.
Remember: God turns short-term loss into long-term advantage.
JOHN 16
“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
SADNESS WILL BE TURNED TO JOY
You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
