Category: Daily Devotions

Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.
Luke 24:47

Marvelous Message

Jesus had some pretty interesting things to say. He found people who thought they were living their best lives, and he told them that it wasn’t good enough. They had to repent. He found people who were despairing that they would ever be able to live good lives, and he told them that their sins were forgiven.

Anyone could have said the things that Jesus did. People have talked about living better lives in a variety of ways, but you have to wonder whether their ideas are better than anyone else’s. People can assure you that you should feel better about your life for various reasons, but you have to wonder if those reasons are really valid.

Jesus said that his ideas about how to live were really what God wanted. Jesus said he would earn forgiveness of sins by sacrificing himself on the cross. Then Jesus rose from the dead to prove that what he said was really true.

Jesus told his disciples that the message continues to this day. He calls you to repentance, that is, to stop thinking that your own works can get you to heaven to be sorry for what you have done wrong. He calls you to faith, that is, confidence that your sins are really forgiven through the work of Jesus.

It’s a marvelous message.

Prayer:
Lord God, we give you thanks for clearly calling us to repentance and forgiveness through faith in Jesus. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see, a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.
Luke 24:39-43

Real Resurrection

The early disciples must have wondered if Jesus was a ghost when he rose from the dead. It would have made sense to them. They had seen him die, and they had seen him buried, so if he were to come back from the dead, it would have to be as a spirit.

Jesus demonstrated to them that he had risen from the dead in far more than spirit. He had them touch his body. He showed them the hands and feet that had been nailed to the cross. He ate real food. Jesus had risen from the dead with both soul and body.

In these modern days there are people who insist that Jesus could not actually have risen from the dead. After all, no one does that, right? People are willing to consider the possibility that there are ghosts and even willing to consider the idea of zombies, but they are unwilling to believe that people can rise from the dead, body and soul.

Jesus did rise from the dead, body and soul, and he made it clear that everyone who believes in him will do the same. On judgment day, believers in Jesus will have their real souls reunited with their real bodies in a glorified form, unable to sin anymore.

Because Jesus lives, we too shall live.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for your promise of real resurrection. Amen.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Luke 24:36

Perfect Peace

In the Middle East, it is common to greet one another by saying, “Peace.” That was true already at the time when Jesus rose from the dead. So when he appeared to his disciples and said, “Peace be with you,” it could have been understood as a simple greeting.

But it was far more than that. The disciples were unsettled. They were not sure that Jesus had really risen from the dead. They were uncertain whether they had done the right thing at the time of his trial and crucifixion. They did not know where they stood with one another, much less where they stood with Jesus.

All those uncertainties made it important for Jesus to greet them by saying, “Peace be with you.” He needed to assure them that his relationship with them was good. Because he had died to take the punishment for their sins because he had risen from the dead to prove that his promise of forgiveness was true, he could calm a whole range of anxiety with those simple words, “Peace be with you.”

We also live with uncertainty. We wonder whether we have done the right thing. We don’t know how we stand with one another, and we waver in our confidence that Jesus loves us. Because Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins because he rose from the dead to prove that his promise of forgiveness for us is true, we rejoice to hear Jesus say it to us, too. “Peace be with you.”

Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, for calming our anxiety by assuring us that we have perfect peace with you. Amen.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.”
Acts 3:19,20

The Ultimate Refreshment

A multitude of products promise to quench our thirst: A variety of teas and juices, sports drinks, and dozens of brands of soda ranging from caffeine-loaded to caffeine-free all claim that if we drink them, we will find refreshment.

Interestingly, many of these products actually deprive the body of the refreshment it needs. Despite flashy marketing techniques and new and exotic tastes, some beverages fall flat when it comes to delivering the refreshment the consumer is paying for.

The same can be said of the many religions that promise spiritual refreshment. Not many deliver what is promised. Not many deliver what the soul needs: peace, hope, joy, contentment, and freedom from fear.

In fact, only one product delivers true, lasting spiritual refreshment. The only thing that refreshes is the forgiveness of sins.

Only the forgiveness of sins gives peace—peace of conscience and the peace of knowing that we are no longer enemies of God. Only the forgiveness of sins deals with the guilt and scarring left by sin and failure. Only the forgiveness of sins, won for all by Jesus’ death on the cross, gives lasting spiritual refreshment.

In our Bible reading today, the apostle Peter’s call to repentance echoes across the centuries to our hearts. Rather than take forgiveness for granted, we confess our sins and are refreshed with God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness of sins is the ultimate refreshment. It’s free, and it’s yours through Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in you I am forgiven and refreshed. May I always cling to you, my perfect Savior. Amen.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
John 20:19

Peace Be With You

What causes you to lock the doors? What makes you afraid?

For Jesus’ first disciples, it was fear of what the Jewish leaders might do to them, fear that they might do to them what they had done to Jesus. You might also say it was fear of the future—fear of an unknown future. That fear caused them to hide and huddle. It paralyzed them.

How about you? What causes you to huddle and hide? What keeps you from taking action in life and in the name of the Lord? Is it fear of what others might say or do? Is it fear of an unknown future? What causes you to lock the doors?

When situations that have the potential to fill you with fear rise around you, Jesus stands next to you and says, “Peace be with you!”

After Jesus spoke those words to his first disciples on Easter evening, he said to them, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you,” and went on to talk about the work of the Holy Spirit and the gift of forgiveness. Jesus was not only the extender of peace—he was the provider of peace. This is why he had come—to seek and to save the lost, to offer himself in perfect payment for sin, and to offer his living hands and side as positive proof of his victory. Jesus came to bring the forgiveness that disarms fear and opens the way to true, lasting peace.

This peace does not dictate what others might say or do to you, but it keeps you secure no matter what others might say or do. This peace does not determine what the future holds for you, but it does uphold you no matter what the future holds. All of this is wrapped up in Jesus’ words: “Peace be with you!”

Prayer:
O blessed Savior, I thank you for your death and resurrection. Through your faithful work, I know I have peace with God. Continue to bless me with this peace. Use it to calm my fears, remove my doubts, and give me a never-failing joy. Amen.

Then Jesus told [Thomas], “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29

Proof of the Unseen

There’s an old adage: Seeing is believing. It means you need to see something to accept that it is true. That saying, however, is not always true. People believe in all sorts of things they have not seen. For example, do you believe that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?

Of course! Even though you didn’t see it happen, you know that it did. Why are you sure of it? Because there is proof of what you yourself did not see. Other people met him and gave eyewitness testimony about him, so you believe it happened.

What about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Do you need to see Jesus to believe he rose from the dead? Thomas thought that. He had missed Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples after he rose from the dead. When the others told him they had seen Jesus alive again, Thomas did not believe them. He said, “Unless I see, I will not believe it.”

Like Thomas, you have never seen Jesus alive after being dead for three days. Should you bet your life and eternity on something you have never seen? Not if seeing is believing.

Thankfully, seeing is not believing—there is proof of what you have not seen. Jesus answered Thomas’ doubt by physically appearing to him and giving him the proof he wanted. He gives you proof, too, but in a different way.

Jesus only appeared in person for forty days after his resurrection. After that, people relied not on seeing him with their own eyes but on the eyewitness testimony of those who did see him. In fact, Jesus calls you blessed if you believe even though you have not seen.

You don’t need to see or touch Jesus’ wounds to believe. You don’t need to see Jesus to know he’s real. When it comes to believing in Jesus and his resurrection, he has provided you with proof of the unseen that is just as blessed as witnessing it yourself.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for blessing me, through the testimony of your witnesses. Amen.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
John 20:21-23

Salvation Delivered

When Jesus came into our world, he lived a perfect life, completely fulfilling God’s law. Then he died a sinner’s death, paying the price for your sins. Finally, Jesus rose from the dead, guaranteeing your sins are forgiven. By his life, death, and resurrection, he accomplished your salvation.

But how does that accomplished salvation get to you? If Jesus lived, died, and rose for you, but you didn’t hear about it, would it do you any good? If God has forgiveness for you but you don’t receive it, how can it help you?

Thank God for today’s Bible passage! On the evening of the first Easter, the risen Christ appeared to his disciples and commissioned them to preach the results of his work to the world.

They told people about the sin that would damn them. Why? Because they wanted their listeners to turn from their sins and live forever with Jesus in heaven. If the people acknowledged their need for forgiveness, the disciples forgave them. If they refused to admit their sin, the disciples refused to forgive them. In all this, they simply announced what Jesus had accomplished, and God did the work of convicting and forgiving.

He continues that same work to this day—sending Christians in every time and place to preach and teach his Word. And by that Word preached, taught, and read from the Scriptures, the salvation he accomplished on the cross is delivered to you.

First, he does it. Then he delivers it. You need both! Thank God he has done both!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for delivering the salvation you accomplished to those you need it, including me. Amen.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
John 20:19

Jesus’ Resurrection Brings Peace

The disciples were in hiding. Their teacher had been arrested and executed, and they had acted shamefully. They abandoned Jesus when they should have helped him. Now, he was dead, and they couldn’t apologize or make it up to him. The guilt they felt must have been astronomical.

Worse than that, though, was the fact that the people who killed Jesus were probably going to arrest and kill them, too. So they locked themselves in a room and waited for the inevitable.

They were not, however, visited by the vindictive Jewish leaders. Instead, they were visited by Jesus. He who had been crucified, dead, and buried was now very much alive and standing among them. He entered without using the door. The surprise they felt must have been astronomical.

Do you think they were also afraid when they saw him? After all, they had wronged Jesus when they abandoned him. Now, he was standing right in front of them. The locked doors had not stopped Jesus from getting to them. Neither had death. Would Jesus hold a grudge?

No! His first words to them were, “Peace be with you.” He didn’t punish them or coax an apology out of them. He gave them peace. It was more than freedom from enemies who wanted to kill them. It was the peace that comes from knowing everything was right between them and God.

The risen Savior gives that same peace to you. What does it take to get peace? Peace with God comes at a cost, but Christ has paid it for you.

Sin makes everything wrong between you and God, but Jesus paid the price for your sin. You can be certain because after Jesus paid that price, he rose from the dead with a message of peace on his lips.

So, what guilt burdens your conscience? What sins keep you up at night? Know that Jesus’ resurrection brings you peace. In Christ, you have the unconditional pardon of everything that you’ve ever done wrong. You are forgiven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, give me peace from the certain fact of your resurrection from the dead. Amen.

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
1 John 1:3,4

Joy Made Complete

What brings you joy? Does it come when you run a mile in under ten minutes? Perhaps it is when you are flush with cash. Or it may simply be when you are with the people you love. Interestingly, in all of these examples, joy is the product of outward circumstances in your life.

Unfortunately, that makes this kind of joy fleeting—doesn’t it? You can lose your family, money, athleticism, and joy along with them. When joy comes from your ever-changing circumstances, it is here today and gone tomorrow.

God wants you to have something better. That’s why the apostle John wrote today’s Bible passage. He gives you a cause for joy that will stay with you no matter what happens in life: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

That is what John saw and heard. With his own eyes, he saw Jesus’ empty tomb. With his own ears, he heard Jesus speak to him and the other disciples on the first Easter evening. They spent decades telling others about the risen Christ, and that good news united everyone who believed it. More importantly, it also united them to God.

It does the same thing for you! The reality of the resurrection gives you forgiveness of sins, fellowship with God, and eternal life. These are promises, and Jesus’ resurrection is the promise kept that guarantees all the rest.

This means Easter is a source of joy that is always with you, no matter what your ever-changing circumstances are. Remember: God is good, his Son lives, and your name is written in heaven. Nothing can take that away, as long as one thing is true; and it is always true: Christ is risen!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, use the message of your Son’s resurrection to make my joy complete—this day and every day. Amen.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
Acts 18:9-11

Courage To Speak

It takes courage to speak the Word of God. The apostle Paul knew this from experience. Once, in a city called Lystra, his audience pummeled him with stones and left him for dead. He was flogged and imprisoned in Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica and Berea, and sneered at in Athens.

Now, Paul had come to Corinth, and his reception was mixed. Some people believed the Word that he preached, but others were abusive to him. You can imagine what he thought: “Will I only be laughed at, or will this turn ugly? Should I go before something worse happens?”

You probably don’t need to try very hard to imagine that inner monologue because you’ve thought something similar. Although you haven’t traveled the Mediterranean world on a preaching tour like Paul, you have been in situations where sharing the Word of God could have led to unpleasant results.

Perhaps you’ve stood by a friend burdened with a guilty conscience, a relative mourning her dead husband, or a colleague shocked at the state of the world. In the Bible, God has things to say for all those situations. But when you speak them, it could cause a hostile reaction.

However, rather than being silent, remember the encouragement that Jesus gave Paul: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you.” The risen Lord promised to be with him, and he kept that promise. He blessed Paul’s work in Corinth for a year and a half!

Did you know that God is with you too? After his resurrection, he gave a similar promise to everyone who believes in him: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). How encouraging to know that the risen Lord is with you to support you as you speak his Word!

Prayer:
Lord, give me the courage to speak your Word when it needs to be spoken. Amen.