Author: Kerry

“Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Mark 16:7

The Living Savior Provides a Fresh Start

Daily Devotion – April 9, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 16:7

See series: Devotions

At first glance, it might seem strange that the angel sent the women who saw him on Easter morning to tell Jesus’ disciples about Jesus’ resurrection. After all, they had deserted him when he was arrested. Why not leave them behind? Wouldn’t it have been better to send the first witnesses of the resurrection to Caiaphas, Herod, or Pilate for a little “I told you so”? Actually no. “I told you so” was not the mission Jesus had come to accomplish, and it wasn’t the message that he wanted to send.

Besides, Jesus’ disciples needed to hear this good news of the resurrection more than anyone else. After all, their fall from grace had made the loudest crash.

Regardless of what they deserved to be called, the angel did not call them “traitors,” “cowards,” or even “underachievers.” After all that had happened, they were still called Jesus’ “disciples.” It’s not because they’d merited the moniker. They were disciples by grace.

The same is true for all of Jesus’ disciples. The truth is we have all given Jesus good reason to distance himself from us, to make a clean break from us and leave us behind. And we need so desperately to hear the good news of a living and gracious Savior, who in his mercy still rejoices to call us his disciples.

The empty tomb was so many things to Jesus’ disciples. Evidence of promises kept, of Jesus’ divinity, of victory over death. Here’s one more thing the empty tomb meant for them: a fresh start.

So also for Jesus’ modern-day disciples! Because of the forgiveness he won for us, every day is a fresh start—an opportunity to follow him more closely and serve him faithfully.

Prayer:
Send me your Holy Spirit, living Savior, that I may rejoice in the new life of Easter and live each day in your service and to your glory. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
Mark 16:6

The Living Savior Prepares You For Death

Daily Devotion – April 8, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 16:6

See series: Devotions

“You’re going to die; here’s how to deal with it.” That was the headline of an online news article that caught my attention recently. The article proceeded to offer all sorts of advice on ways for a person to ease their anxiety about death. Have open conversations about dying. Get your paperwork in order. Declutter and downsize now so that others won’t have to do it later. Don’t wait to achieve your goals. Don’t put off reconciling with people from whom you’re separated. All practical ideas, however, in some way missing the point.

If you want to know how to deal with the inevitability of death, look at Jesus’ empty tomb and see the place where they laid him.

The devil definitely doesn’t want you to see this! He wants you to see the yawning pit of your own grave. He will point his finger and cackle that your final bed has been made up for you. He wants you to think that the grave will be the end for you.

But the devil can’t change history. He can’t change Calvary. And he sure can’t stuff Jesus back in the tomb. See the place where they laid him? He’s not there. And that means that everyone who trusts in him for forgiveness and eternal life will have both.

We’re not so naïve as to think that dying is ever easy or that coping with the death of someone dear is a breeze. It’s not easy, but it is inevitable. How do you deal with it? It’s thoughtful to declutter now so that others won’t have to later. It’s smart to have your paperwork in order. But if you really want to be prepared to die, trust in Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, although death is real, your resurrection changes everything. Remind me each day of your empty tomb and draw me to yourself in faith that I may ever be prepared for this life to end and life eternal to begin. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
Mark 16:5

The Living Savior Keeps His Promises

Daily Devotion – April 7, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 16:5

See series: Devotions

After someone dies, they’re pretty easy to keep track of: They don’t run errands; they don’t go on vacation. They pretty much stay put. The women in our Bible reading for today knew that Jesus had been placed in the tomb on Friday. And so they had every logical reason to assume that he was still going to be there on Sunday.

But when they arrived, they found nothing as they had expected it. The tomb was open. A man in white sitting in the tomb, and the body of Jesus nowhere to be found. So Mark tells us, “they were alarmed.”

They were understandably alarmed that Jesus’ body was not there. But, it would have been much more alarming if it had been.

Consider that possibility. If Jesus’ body was there when the women arrived, that would have made Jesus a liar, a hoax, a fraud that duped thousands of gullible people. Because, after all, he had said, “The Son of Man…after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9:31) And it’s not like he just let it slip out one time. He promised three different times in Mark’s Gospel alone: I am going to rise from the dead.

And then he did.

Jesus’ resurrection means he is able to keep his promises. He promises to always be with us (Matthew 28:20). He promises that his work of saving us from our sins is finished (John 19:30), that he’s preparing a place in heaven for us, and that he will come back for us (John 14:2,3). The fact that Jesus can do what he has promised means everything for the child of God.

Thank God the tomb was empty on Easter morning!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I build my life on your promises and do so confidently because I know you always keep them. Your empty tomb is proof. Send me your Holy Spirit to preserve me in faith that when my last hour comes, I will hold fast to your promises and be found in you. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

They asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
Mark 16:3,4

The Living Savior Calms Your Heart

Daily Devotion – April 6, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 16:3,4

See series: Devotions

The women came to Jesus’ tomb that first Easter morning with a lot on their minds. Jesus had been the center of their lives. And now he was gone. How would they spend their days? Who would take care of them? Being such open followers of an outlaw like Jesus, was their own safety and wellbeing now in question? Those were big questions. But of course, the women had a more immediate question uppermost on their minds that morning: “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” You might bring a heart full of questions with you to this day. Will things ever get better? Will my job be something I can count on? Will my marriage survive? Will my family be happy and successful? Will I outlive my savings? Will my health take a turn for the worse?

Jesus doesn’t give us answers to every question that weighs on our hearts—he wants us to entrust our unknown to him, after all. But his empty tomb does give us the one answer that rolls away our fear and puts all of our other questions into proper perspective. When questions fill your heart, remember that you have a Savior who is alive!

When Jesus met the women that day, he told them, “Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 28:10) And so the living Jesus says the same thing to us today. Don’t be afraid of Satan’s condemnations because Jesus lives to plead your case in God’s courtroom. Don’t be afraid of the future because Jesus lives to direct and support you in the days ahead. Don’t be afraid even of death itself because Jesus lives to share his victory over the grave with you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, my life is filled with unknowns, and my heart is filled with questions. But you are my living Savior, powerful and capable, and so I entrust my today and tomorrow into your capable hands. Calm my heart. Assure me that you are ever near. And give me the strength to face each day with you by my side. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb.
Mark 16:1,2

The Living Savior Exceeds Expectations

Daily Devotion – April 5, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 16:1,2

See series: Devotions

What do you expect to see when you go to a funeral? You expect to see friends paying their respects and loved ones trying to hold it together. You expect to see the deceased person’s body or an urn full of ashes.

That’s what you expect because that’s what you’ve experienced. That’s what the women who visited Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning were expecting, too. They’d been to funerals before. They thought they knew how this funeral was going to go. Only when they arrived, there was no body. That was definitely unexpected!

The women saw Jesus die on Friday. They saw his lifeless body carried down from a cross and put in the tomb. They saw that he was dead. But with Jesus, what you see with your eyes doesn’t tell the whole story.

So it is at the funerals of those who die believing in Jesus. You may see friends coming to pay their respects and see grieving loved ones trying to hold it together. You may see a body. But your eyes don’t tell you the whole story. And they certainly don’t tell you the best part of the story.

The grave could not hold Jesus. And it will not hold the ones who have faith in Jesus either. He promises, “Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19) The grave is where we were supposed to get what our sins deserve. But instead, the grave is where the believer gets what Jesus deserves—heaven, forever. Instead of closing our eyes in death and opening them again to see even greater death, we close our eyes in death and open them to see Jesus. Leave it to our Greatest Friend to take the devil’s greatest weapon and use it as the believer’s greatest blessing.

Prayer:
I praise you, living Savior, for your victory over death and the devil. Even more, I thank you that you share your victory with me. May your victory be my comfort in difficult days and my certain hope for the life to come. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.
John 20:19,20

Loved By God

Daily Devotion – April 4, 2021

Devotion based on John 20:19,20

See series: Devotions

How secure are you? Is your job safe, or is there a lay-off coming? How about your health? Or what if you had a serious car accident, or your home caught on fire, or what if …?

Important questions, but in reality, they are insignificant in comparison to, “What is my relationship to God?” Or this question, “When I die, where will I go?” Now THOSE questions simply HAVE to be answered, or there will be a nagging sense of worry, emptiness, insecurity.

Problem is, as we look into our hearts and minds, we’re not helped. Have we been perfectly patient with those around us? Have we always been an example of Christ-like love toward others? Or do we see in ourselves a rash of impatience, unkindness, and selfishness? That’s more insecurity!

Jesus’ disciples understood insecurity. They locked themselves in a room; they had no idea what was going to happen next, no idea where their life was going, just no idea. And then Jesus miraculously appeared and stood among them.

And what did he do? He showed them his hands and his side. Those pierced hands and side were proof that the disciples were forgiven. Jesus’ suffering on the cross and death was full payment for all their sins. The crucified and now risen Jesus was proof that the favor of God was upon them and heaven was open for them!”

“Look!” Jesus says also to you. “Look at my hands, look at my side! You’re forgiven! Loved by God! Heaven is your home! And you have my peace!”

Prayer:
Jesus, my risen Savior, often I’m nervous and afraid. Forgive me! Focus my attention on your pierced hands and side, that I might see clearly that my sins are forgiven, and you have opened heaven for me. Fill me with your peace. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

“Don’t be alarmed,” the angel said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Mark 16:6,7

Specifically For You

Daily Devotion – April 3, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 16:6,7

See series: Devotions

How did the apostle Peter feel on Good Friday? Just watching Jesus go through all his suffering must have been bad enough, but to know that he had denied knowing Jesus had to make him feel awful. Even worse, he had denied Jesus three times. More than that, Jesus had warned him plainly in advance that he was going to do it! How did Peter feel? So horrible that he wept bitterly.

Then on Easter Sunday, the women who arrived at Jesus’ empty tomb were given a clear instruction by the angel. “Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘Jesus is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Tell Peter. Tell Peter specifically. Why? Because Peter really needed to hear it! Peter really needed to hear that his sins were forgiven, that he had a risen Savior who still loved him and who always would love him.

You and I are no different. We’re sinful human beings, just like he was. We’ve denied Jesus in our own ways, whether by blatant statements (like Peter), or not letting our light of faith shine, or failing to trust God fully, or neglecting God’s Word, or other actions sinful before God and offensive to people. We’ve failed. We’ve sinned. We are “Peter.”

Jesus’ resurrection is God’s good news for you. You have a risen Savior! Jesus died and rose again from the dead to assure you that your sins are all forgiven. You have a living Savior who loves you specially.

Prayer:
Risen Lord Jesus, fill my heart with the peace of the forgiveness of sins accomplished by your death and guaranteed by your resurrection from the dead. Assure me of your special love to take away my doubts and fears. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6

Stricken Smitten Afflicted

Daily Devotion – April 2, 2021

Devotion based on Isaiah 53:4-6

See series: Devotions

Why would God strike his own Son? Did he deserve it? Human fathers have sometimes used corporal punishment to discipline their disobedient children. But Jesus Christ, the holy Son of God, was the only son on earth who never once stepped out of line. In fact, his Father publicly declared that he was “well pleased” with his beloved Son. And yet, at his crucifixion, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And seven centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah foretold how the sinless Son of God, the perfect Servant of the Lord, would be punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. He would be pierced and crushed and wounded. And the pain of punishment would not subside until the last breath of life escaped his lips—which even then still spoke only words of trust in the Father who had scourged him for sins he did not himself commit.

Why would God strike his own Son instead of us? Didn’t we deserve it? The prophet tells us plainly: Jesus willingly suffered on account of and in payment for our sins. Although we were the ones who wandered away from God like wayward sheep, our Good Shepherd took up our sin and laid down his life for us because he loves you. Pure, unmerited grace motivated him to do the unthinkable—accepting the punishment that we had earned for ourselves.

Why would God strike his own Son? For what purpose: To bring peace and healing through the forgiveness of our sins. When we view the nail-pierced and bloody body of Christ on the cross, we should see in his wounds our reconciliation with God. We should see in his suffering the cause of our joy. And in his death and resurrection, the sure hope of our own eternal life.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal – 114)
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto thee! Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.
Mark 14:22-24

Life Giving Blood

Daily Devotion – April 1, 2021

Devotion based on Mark 14:22-24

See series: Devotions

Immediately following the horror of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, there was a great need for blood. And the response to that need was greater still. Donors turned out in such large numbers that, within days, the American Red Cross had received more blood than it needed. People knew that giving blood meant giving a chance for life to someone who might die without it.

This understanding of blood as essential for life was behind the sacrifices of the Old Testament. The shedding of sacrificial blood illustrated to God’s people in a very vivid way that forgiveness of sins and an ongoing relationship with God came with the cost of a life. When the Lord made a covenant with the descendants of Israel, that agreement was sealed in the sprinkling of a young bull. God promised to care for them, to bless, guide, and protect them. In return, the people would obediently follow his commands. The problem was that although the Lord kept his end of the covenant, his chosen people did not keep theirs. They acted as rebellious children, like an unfaithful spouse to the Lord.

A new and better covenant was necessary. It required a new and better sacrifice. You and I have also acted as straying sheep. Just as rebellious and unfaithful as the people of Israel, we, too, deserve to be cut off from God. Happily for us, Jesus Christ, the pure Lamb of God, has been offered up in our place. In a new, one-sided covenant, God has punished his Son for our disobedience, and he credits to our account his perfect Son’s righteousness. Lest we doubt this as too good to be true, Christ gave us his very body and blood to eat and drink in the special meal we now call the Lord’s Supper. In his divine blood, we have eternal life.

Prayer:
I praise you, Lord, for you give me life through your Son’s precious blood. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16

Approaching God With Confidence

Daily Devotion – March 31, 2021

Devotion based on Hebrews 4:14-16

See series: Devotions

A story is told of a soldier during the Civil War trying to see President Lincoln. The soldier’s mother was dying, and he wanted to leave to visit her. But, despite his persistence, the guards would not let him through to the president. As the man stood crying outside the White House, a boy came up and asked him what the matter was. After hearing his story, the boy led him by the hand, past the guards, and straight into Lincoln’s personal library. The boy said, “Father, I have brought someone to see you.” Lincoln listened to the soldier’s request and granted him a leave of absence, all because of the intercession of his son, Tad.

Whether this story is true or not, it illustrates the powerful truth of what Jesus has accomplished for us with his death and resurrection.

Our sins had barred us from entering heaven; mankind had lost its access to God because we had denied him first place in our lives. But God showed his eternal love for us by sending his Son. As true man, Jesus suffered with us, understanding what it means to be tempted by sin. And yet, as true God, he was able to resist all temptation. But because he suffered with us, Jesus, our high priest, was also able and willing to suffer for us. His death on the cross was the atoning sacrifice that pays for the disobedience of all people. His resurrection is proof that he was successful in his redeeming work and that he now serves as a mediator between us and our Heavenly Father. As a result, we can be confident that God will hear and answer all our prayers.

Prayer:
Lord, grant me grace and mercy for my every need, for the sake of Jesus your Son. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.