And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
—Matthew 20:17-19 (KJV)
One thing the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) make clear: Jesus' death on the cross was no accident - it was no tragedy outside the will of God. Jesus knew the challenge that awaited him in Jerusalem, and he walked into his horrific challenge to deliver us from the same fate he suffered. His trust in the Father's "third day solution" opened the doorway for God to secure victory for Jesus and all of us who build our futures through our faith in him (Colossians 2:12-15, 3:1-4).
The question for us is straightforward: Will we face our challenges with a faith that the Father's "third day solution" assures us of our triumph in the face of our mortality?
Holy God and Loving Father, thank you for your plan to cover my sin with your grace by the death of your Son. Thank you, Jesus, for assuring me of my victory over sin, death, hell, and the evil one through your "third day" solution! May I live today aware of Jesus' sacrifice and confident of his "third day" victory for me. May my life reflect that coming victory in the way I live each day. In the name of Jesus, my sacrificial and conquering Savior, I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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—Matthew 20:17-19 (KJV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
One thing the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) make clear: Jesus' death on the cross was no accident - it was no tragedy outside the will of God. Jesus knew the challenge that awaited him in Jerusalem, and he walked into his horrific challenge to deliver us from the same fate he suffered. His trust in the Father's "third day solution" opened the doorway for God to secure victory for Jesus and all of us who build our futures through our faith in him (Colossians 2:12-15, 3:1-4).
The question for us is straightforward: Will we face our challenges with a faith that the Father's "third day solution" assures us of our triumph in the face of our mortality?
My Prayer...
Holy God and Loving Father, thank you for your plan to cover my sin with your grace by the death of your Son. Thank you, Jesus, for assuring me of my victory over sin, death, hell, and the evil one through your "third day" solution! May I live today aware of Jesus' sacrifice and confident of his "third day" victory for me. May my life reflect that coming victory in the way I live each day. In the name of Jesus, my sacrificial and conquering Savior, I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Continue reading...
