Essential Connection to Christ’s Passion

Week Five

Day 1 - Known by the Scars:  Psalm 22:12-18

Day 2 - The Man in the Middle:  John 19:16-22

Day 3 - Mission Accomplished:  John 19:23-30

Day 4 - What Money Can’t Buy:  1 Peter 1:17-21

Day 5 - Me, You, and Everybody Else:  1 John 2:1-6

Day 6 - Come a Little Closer:  Ephesians 2:11-16

Day 7 - The Slain Lamb:  Revelation 5:11-14

 

Day 1 - Known by the Scars:  Psalm 22:12-18

One of my first memories as a child was getting lost in a store. It has become a story repeated at every family dinner with much laughter; but, at the time, it was a pretty scary experience for a four-year-old.

I was on vacation with my family in Florida when we stopped at a store to get rain gear for a day at the theme parks. I remember following my mom around the store, but I was preoccupied by all the neat toys. I was frightened and embarrassed when the person I was following turned around and I realized “You’re not my mom!” What a sweet reunion when Mom reclaimed me at the customer service area.

Have you ever known someone so well that you could recognize them only by their voice? Have you ever been in a crowded room and smelled a scent that reminded you of someone you loved? Do you have a friend you would recognize anywhere, no matter how long it had been since you had seen them last? There are many things that remind us of the people we love the most.

There will be no mistaking Jesus when He comes back for us. Psalm 22:16 reminds us that we will recognize Jesus by His pierced hands and feet. There will be no mistaken identity!

Today’s passage shows us the pain, suffering, and humiliation Christ had to endure for our sins. I’m thankful that He loved me enough to take my scars.

·          Real Choices - Christ endured so much physical abuse during His death on the cross.  David clearly described much of this abuse in today’s passage. Using these verses, make a list of ways in which Christ suffered for us.

·          Pray - Thank God for sending His Son to endure such pain on the cross for our sins.

 

Day 2 - The Man in the Middle:  John 19:16-22

Last September, I watched athletes from all over the world come together for the Olympics. One of my favorite parts of the Olympics was the medal ceremony. Sometimes I even had tears in my eyes when a gold medalist took his or her place between the silver and bronze winners. Some of these athletes were underdogs who beat the odds. Before the event, no one could have imagined they would earn the title of Olympic champion, but they did.

Think about another person in the middle—Jesus on the cross. He never heard a patriotic song sung for Him or saw a banner raised over His head. Instead, He heard  insults and was marked by a sign mocking Him. He had no proud parents in the stands, just a heart-broken mother watching Him die. He didn’t even know a nation clapping and applauding His effort and hard work. Instead, He got an angry crowd calling for His blood.

On the cross, He was the Man in the middle. That’s why He deserves to be at the center of your life.

·          Pray - Jesus, I pray that You will be at the center of my life. Help my life to revolve around You.

 

Day 3 - Mission Accomplished:  John 19:23-30

Several weekends ago, I went to see a movie with some friends. I sat through two hours worth of movie thinking it was the best movie I had seen in my life. It was great: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy and girl marry. It had everything I could ask for in a film—until the end. That was when the girl died of a rare disease with no cure.

What a horrible ending! The movie deserved an Oscar until the last two minutes.

It is finished. The greatest, yet saddest words ever spoken. Jesus’ life had been marked with such triumph: great preaching, wonderful miracles, changed lives. Why’d it have to have such a horrible ending?

Well, you probably know as well as I do that His suffering was for us. He died in our place, and He accomplished everything He had come to earth to do. You also probably know that His death wasn’t really the end of anything. He didn’t stay dead. So, what seemed like a hideous ending turned out to be a wonderful beginning!

·          Pray - Lord, I thank You for the greatest ending ever written. Continue to reveal the sin in my life that you suffered to wipe away.

 

Day 4 - What Money Can’t Buy:  1 Peter 1:17-21

Sarah has everything she ever wanted. She is a high school junior, driving a brand new SUV, wearing clothes fit for royalty, and living lavishly with more money than she knows what to do with. Sarah has people flocking around her, and everyone wants to be her friend. (Who wouldn’t, when it’s a public fact that her parents allow her to take her best friends on vacation with them in the Caribbean?)

Lindsey, on the other hand, watches and wonders what it would be like to live Sarah’s life for a day. See, Lindsey is also a junior, but she rides the bus to school because her parents can barely afford the one car that gets both of them to work. Her mom makes her clothes; and they live in a well-kept, but very small, house. Lindsey doesn’t have many friends, which works out OK because she doesn’t have much time to socialize. She had to take an after-school job to help her parents out, and she’s been studying hard to get a full scholarship to college next year.

And there is one other difference. Sarah doesn’t know Jesus, while Lindsey is a child of God. Sarah doesn’t know God paid a ransom for her. Meanwhile, Lindsey understands that she is an heir to God’s kingdom. Sure, Lindsey may never have a lot of silver and gold, but she’s already inherited the blessings of Christ—stuff money can’t buy, including eternal life.

Having things is not wrong, and we have to be careful about judging a person’s spiritual condition by their savings account. But, at the same time, there are treasures that reach well beyond houses, cars, and cash. Christ paid a high price for us so we can know His riches.

·          Real Choices - One of the most popular commercials today is a credit card commercial listing several items with a price tag attached. At the end, it lists something that is “priceless.” Remember today that your life is “priceless.”

·          Pray - Lord, remind me daily of the price You paid for my life. Thank You for purchasing me with the blood of Your Son.

 

Day 5 - Me, You, and Everybody Else:  1 John 2:1-6

If you’re old enough, you’ll probably remember seeing the O.J. Simpson murder trial on television. For some reason, many Americans couldn’t tear themselves away from the courtroom coverage on every station. No matter how hard you might have tried, getting away from the trial was next to impossible.

Television. Radio. Newspapers. It was everywhere.

Anyway, whether you’ve watched a real court case or have seen a movie portraying one, have you ever paid attention to the defendants, the people on trial? They sit beside their attorney, seldom saying a word. In a way, they are helpless. All they can do is trust their lawyers and listen to witness after witness coming to the stand and testifying either for them or against them. In the end, it all comes down to the jury’s decision.

Kind of like life if you think about it.

In a way, you have been put on trial, but you’re not alone. Your parents are on trial with you, along with your best friend, the neighbor across the street, your pastor, and Sunday school teacher. In fact, everyone you have ever known (and many more you don’t know) are standing trial for the same crime—sin.

Then, out of nowhere comes a man to testify on your behalf. His testimony covers each of you. He is pleading your case, and He always wins. For two thousand years, Jesus has been defending believers before His Father. When He died upon the cross, He paid the price for every last sin we could ever commit.

He covered my sins, your sins, and the sins of everyone else who has accepted Him as their personal Savior.

·          Real Choices - Are you willing to turn the tables and plead His case? Will you stand up when no one else will?

·          Pray - Thank you, Lord, for testifying for me. Give me the strength to testify for Your name to people around me.

 

Day 6 - Come a Little Closer:  Ephesians 2:11-16

Have you ever felt like an outsider? Have you ever felt like you just didn’t belong? We all face fears and insecurities at one time or another.

One of the things I fear the most is a large group of people. It’s not that I’m anti-social or anything. I love being around people I know and hanging out with my friends; but when it comes to large groups of strangers, I would rather hear fingernails across a chalkboard! Sometimes I go so far as to make plans to do things with people and back out at the last minute. For some reason, I’m just very intimidated by new people and situations.

But sometimes, you can feel like you’re on the outside looking in even among friends. Have you ever been with a group of friends and everyone starts laughing except you? You look all over, making sure your pants aren’t unzipped or that you don’t have some particle of food on your face. It’s not real funny—or comfortable—when you’re the only one who doesn’t get the joke.

In Ephesians 2, Paul reminded his audience that before Jesus died on the cross for us, before He sacrificed Himself for us, we were excluded. We did not belong to God. We “didn’t get it!” In fact, Paul made it clear that we were “far away” from Christ. Talk about being on the outside looking in!

But Christ died to include us. He sacrificed Himself to bring us closer to Him. Jesus’ death is our ticket to join the family of God.

We’re not on the outside anymore. Jesus has brought us in!

·          Real Choices - List some areas of your life in which you have been stubborn and have not listened to God. List some areas in which you have let God have total control.

·          Pray - Ask God to come a little closer to you. Ask Him to help you be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction.

 

Day 7 - The Slain Lamb:  Revelation 5:11-14

“Will I stand in your presence, to my knees, or will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah, or will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine!”

Those are a few lines from a popular praise and worship song that leave me absolutely breathless. Re-read the passage for today. I cannot wait to be there to witness this spectacle. There will be millions and millions of angels around the throne of God, worshiping His holy name.

When I was a junior in college, I attended a conference in Ft. Worth, Texas. College students from all over the United States had come to this one place to do one thing for three days: worship our Lord. I remember standing in awe as I looked around the enormous arena and witnessed 10,000 students worshiping God with all they had in them. At that moment, I knew that I had seen a glimpse of heaven. I can’t even imagine how millions of heavenly angels will compare to those 10,000 students.

Have you ever heard a song that just sent chill bumps up your arms and tingles down your spine? A song that made you want to jump up and sing “Hallelujah!”? Revelations 5:12 says the angels sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain.” Jesus was the innocent Lamb who shed His blood to save our lives. Have you given glory to God for what He did for us?

Don’t be afraid to praise Him with all your heart.

·          Real Choices - You don’t have to wait until heaven to worship Jesus. In fact, you don’t even have to say a word. Make a list of some ways you can worship Him with your life this week!

·          Pray - Lord, today I want to glorify You. I want every word, every action, and every thought to bring glory to You. Help me bring my praises to You.