Month: April 2023

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:10,11

A Greater Type of King

Daily Devotion – April 3, 2023

Devotion based on Matthew 21:10,11

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It’s uncomfortable. The person that called you wasn’t in your contacts. No name appeared when the phone rang, just a number. After you answer with a hesitant, “Hello?” the other party begins talking to you rather comfortably as if you should know them, but you don’t. You finally interrupt and ask, “Who is this?”

That was the question of the day in Jerusalem. The people that lined the streets to welcome Jesus on Palm Sunday knew him. He was already in their “Contacts” list. But not everyone in the city knew him. And for those who didn’t know him, it was uncomfortable. They were “stirred.” And so they asked, “Who is this?”

The crowds who knew him answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet…” That is no small thing to say about Jesus, and it is one of many ways that shows Jesus to be a greater type of king. When we see someone march into town with a lot of fanfare as a king, we may expect them to make a lot of demands. “Fetch me this. Get me that.” Or if the person is a stereotypical king, we may expect them to issue a decree or give some kind of edict.

But who is this Jesus? He’s not someone who comes making demands for himself. He’s not one who comes with a list of edicts. No, he’s a prophet, someone whose concern is to proclaim God’s Word. Not an opinion or a tweet but the very Word of God.

As you read this devotion, appreciate that Jesus is still acting as “the prophet.” Right now, as you meditate on God’s Word, Jesus’ concern is for you to know what God says. He wants you to hear about the seriousness of your sin. But he also wants you to hear about God’s solution to your sin, and that solution is Jesus, a greater type of king who meets all of your greater needs.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for being the prophet and showing me God’s Word today. 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.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Zechariah 9:9,10

Jesus Gives You What You Need

Daily Devotion – April 2, 2023

Devotion based on Zechariah 9:9,10

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Quick, get a picture in your head. Someone rules the entire world: What does he look like? Like Napoleon riding on his trusty steed with his army surrounding him? Like a business tycoon who dominated his field and now the world? Powerful? Self-confident and self-reliant? What does a world ruler look like?

Like a humble man riding on a lowly donkey. That’s what the Old Testament prophet Zechariah said. Zechariah spoke of the Savior who was to come. The Savior, your King, would come “gentle and riding on a donkey.”

On the Sunday before he died on the cross, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah. He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. What was most impressive about Jesus wasn’t his ride; it was what he brought. Your King is holy and righteous. He brought the salvation you so desperately need. Jesus didn’t fight with a sword and army to overcome the curse of sin, but with his perfect life and innocent death on the cross for you. By his holiness and his death, your sins are forgiven. And with the salvation he brings you, he gives the accompanying gift of peace. Peace that your sins are forgiven; you have peace with God.

You might not choose a donkey as your favorite mode of transportation, and that’s alright. But don’t let that lead you to overlook the King who rode a donkey and fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy. You don’t need his ride, but thank God that he gives you what you do need—his salvation and peace.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, don’t let this world deceive me into placing my hope in the wrong kind of kings. Only my King, Jesus, gives me true and lasting spiritual salvation and peace. Keep my faith in him strong and growing. Lead me to follow my King in all I do and say today. 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.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
John 11:38-44

Limitless

Daily Devotion – April 1, 2023

Devotion based on John 11:38-44

See series: Devotions

We all deal with limits. There are limitations to our abilities. As much as we try, we cannot go beyond our finite natures. We can make better and bigger machines to improve ways things get done, but one day they will prove inadequate and have to be replaced. We can push ourselves physically to go faster and harder and farther, but finally there is a limit to what we can do. We strive in many ways to live longer, but the truth is that there is a set limit to our life on this earth. All the graves in cemeteries are signs of that serious limitation.

We are limited, but Jesus is not. He is God, who is limitless in his power and abilities. Even death is not a limit for him. His commanding voice demanded that death release its grip on Lazarus—and it did!

There is no limit to Jesus’ love. He loved us in such a limitless way that he surrendered himself to death and the grave for us. But death could not hold him. He came out of the grave; he rose from the dead to prove that he is almighty God. By his resurrection, he assures us he is limitless in his love for us as our living Savior.

One day, he will shout again, “Come out!” and graves will lose their limited grip. Jesus promised, “Because I live, you also with live.” Only the Son of God has the limitless ability to accomplish what he said. Count on it, and you will see the glory of God!

Prayer:
Jesus, strengthen my faith in you as my living Lord and loving Savior. Fill me with the confidence that you are limitless in your power and love, and assure me with your promise that you will raise me from death to live with you forever. 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.