Day 9: Resurrection Life

Anonymous

John 11:25-27

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[d] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Martha was at one of the lowest moments of her life when this conversation with Jesus took place. Her younger brother Lazarus—whom she loved deeply—had died only days before. When his illness became serious, she sent word to Jesus, confident he would heal him. But Jesus did not arrive in time. Lazarus died, and their home soon became filled with mourners. Amidst the grief, questions surely swirled: Why hadn’t the miracle worker come? Why had he stayed away when his dear friends needed him most?

I imagine Martha managing the steady stream of guests, ensuring Mary was cared for, attending to the demands of hospitality – all while quietly wrestling with disappointment. She had seen Jesus give sight to the blind and strength to the lame. She knew he had even raised the dead. Why, then, had he not come to save Lazarus?

Four days after the burial, Martha heard that Jesus was approaching the village. She went out to meet him privately. She spoke directly, voicing both sorrow and faith: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Yet she added that even now, she believed God would give Jesus whatever he asked.

Jesus replied, “Your brother will rise again,” to which Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” This was the promise Israel had been anticipating for more than 500 years—the future renewal of all things, when God would right every wrong and raise his people to life. But it was cold comfort to someone whose broken heart wanted only to have her brother back.

Then Jesus made a staggering claim: “I am the resurrection and the life,” identifying himself as the Messiah—the fulfillment of God’s promises, and the power of life itself. What had been a national hope in a far-off future event suddenly became a present reality and a personal promise given to her from Jesus.

When Jesus asked, “Do you believe this?” Martha responded with remarkable clarity: she confessed him as the Messiah, the Son of God. In the middle of raw grief and unanswered questions, she entrusted herself to him. What she did know of Jesus was enough to move away from doubt and step into faith.

Martha’s story invites us to do the same. Bring your questions to Jesus. Name your disappointments and doubts. Affirm what you know to be true about him, ask for courage to trust him with your doubts, and for wisdom to help you overcome them. Don’t wait for every answer before taking a step of faith – let him take you by the hand and lead you into a deeper relationship with him one step at a time.

Prayer Prompts:

• Take some time to be honest with God about your questions, doubts, struggles, and disappointments.

• Thank God for what stands out to you of his character (goodness, faithfulness, love, etc.) that you can rest in even while grappling with doubt.

Day 11: The King Arrives

Written by Brandon Picone

Matthew 21:1-11

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

It certainly sounds crazy when Jesus tells his disciples that if anyone asks why they need the donkey, say, “The Lord has need of it.” Hard to imagine taking a bike from a random porch and using that same line. Yet in our own lives, God has a way of asking us to have faith and walk out on the water to meet Him. He has the power to open any door or change any heart. He does not need us to accomplish His plans, but He takes joy in inviting us to build and accomplish His plans with Him.

Matthew 21 is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. The reference to Israel as the Daughter of Zion implies a special covenantal relationship with God. We are children of God, vulnerable yet protected, who receive tender care even in times of judgment. For those with children, think about the great lengths we go to love and protect them. Now imagine how much further our all-powerful God will go to love and protect His children.

The laying of cloaks and branches on the ground was a symbolic gesture to honor kings and conquerors. The crowd recognized the prophecies in Scripture and believed Jesus was the Son of David and that He came in the name of the Lord. However, they still referred to him as the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee (a small, poor town). They expected the Messiah to be a powerful King and conqueror, not a servant.

It’s amazing that Jesus—being seemingly the opposite—could cause such massive ripples and leave the biggest impact in human history. The Bible is full of stories about the most unlikely of heroes. God loves to use those who society may view as a failure or outcast and change the world. He loves to take our biggest hurts and failures and use them for His glory.

Jesus chose to gradually reveal his identity throughout his ministry via miracles, teachings, fulfilled prophecies, and conversations. We see this gradual revelation evidenced daily in our own lives. We see God’s love, grace, and sovereignty revealed through our own trials, tribulations, and recognition of immense love and grace that we receive undeservedly.

In Luke 7:47 Jesus said that “whoever is forgiven little, loves little.” Every day when I look at my wife and my kids, seeing their smiles, hugging them, I am overwhelmed by God’s love and grace. Although we may not always see huge miracles like the ones Jesus performed, we can recognize the little miracles that God does for us every day.

Prayer Prompts:

• Ask God to help you see the pride that is in your life, and ask for a heart of humility, service, and love for others.

• Pray that the Lord would continue to reveal himself to you, and that he would change your heart and desires to be more like his.

Day 8: Who Do You Say That I Am?

Anonymous

LUke 9:18-27

8 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

There is a painting by William Holman Hunt painted in the early 1850’s in England which pictured Jesus knocking at the door which is titled “The Light of the World”. The vegetation around the door gives one the impression that it had not been opened for a long time. The door was also painted with no door knob on the outside, so it could only be opened from the inside. Hunt was illustrating the need for us on the inside to open our hearts to the Lord.

Now, who in their right mind would open a door without first answering the question “who is at the door,” or in other words for today’s scripture who do you say that I am? Most, if not all of you, reading this today have answered this question and have invited Jesus to come into your heart as Lord and Savior. The “Great Room” behind the door is now well swept, clean, and not full of clutter.

But there is a deeper question that I have for you, and it involves the many rooms in our heart. Have we placed a door on a room or two where we tell the Lord, “Please Lord I am not ready to show you, or give up what is in there, to you”? Because this gets to the root of “Who do you say that I am”?

Do we believe that Jesus knows the number of hairs on our heads and everything about us? Have we turned over all things to Him who loves and adores us? Or have we placed a few strategic things behind closed doors in our heart?

This passage also speaks of taking up your cross to follow Jesus. I recently read the following, which reminded me of this passage: “In a world that includes misguided and unflattering sentiments towards Jesus, those who believe in Him can show how precious He is by honoring Him through thoughtful, caring actions that may cost us time, money, or things we value. Honoring Christ by loving others is still a beautiful thing.”

Prayer Prompts:

• Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there are any closed doors in your heart, and how those doors can be opened to him.

• Pray for God’s insight on how to love others well today.