pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 30 “Follow”

Follow

The call to follow Jesus and be His disciple is not a call to comparison.
Is this why Jesus repeatedly questioned Peter about the measure of his love? Our love for God is not measured by that of others. Nor is this love measured against the love of things. The measure of our love of God is our love for His People. The Gospel calls all people to love God but many will not. We must love all people but our embrace of the Church is a deeper one. “Feed My sheep—tend My lambs—feed My sheep” must ring in our ears and propel our hearts.

John and Peter
As the morning sun continued its climb, Peter saw John standing by. His mind flashed back to their last supper and he remembered John leaning on Jesus. Did Peter envy the relationship John had with Jesus? Something prompted his question.

“But Lord, what about this man?”

It is a sad truth than men compete with each other and it may have been so with these two. Jesus had just predicted that Peter would someday follow Him in crucifixion. Peter wanted to know how John would fare in the days to come.

Jesus would entertain no such competition.

“If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

God’s plan for John was of no consequence to His plan for Peter. Peter’s job was to follow Jesus. Period. End of sentence. It is the same for us.

Rumors
Unauthorized versions of this conversation went out misquoting Jesus to say that John would not die until Jesus returned. This is not what He said; Jesus said, “If…” We know that John was the last of the disciples to die. He lived to see a vision of the end-times and relate that vision to us in the Book of Revelation. In fact, the full record of the Jesus Story as told by John could be considered that book and the three letters John wrote to the church as well as his gospel account.

John’s Summation
There was so much more that Jesus said and did than could ever be written in a single book. Our job and our joy is to read and read and read again the primary resources that tell us the Jesus Story. The whole Bible is about Him.

  • He is the Living Word discovered in the supernatural pages of the Written Word.
  • He is seen in type and shadow in the Old Testament Law and Histories.
  • He is seen in what are called “theophanies” where the “Angel of the Lord” or some other divine, pre-incarnate Son of God visits the earth.
  • He is celebrated as “The Lord” in the Psalms and other poetic books.
  • He is the animating spirit of the prophets as they call the nation back to God and to His Covenant.
  • He is Messiah, predicted to come and arriving on the scene, as the Old Covenant changed into the New Covenant.
  • He is the hero of the Gospels and the book of Acts.
  • His ways are the thesis of the New Testament letters.
  • He is King of kings and Lord of lords in John’s Revelation.

Our job is to know and to follow Jesus.

Do not be ashamed!
Do not shrink back from the Jesus Story. It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. Read it again and again. Seek the Christ of the Story, follow Him in all things. He wants to walk with you and in you by His Spirit. Live His story and others will find Him, too.

Scriptures:
John 21:20-25
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Romans 1:16-17 NKJV
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Psalm 40:6-8 NKJV
Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”
Hebrews 10:5-7 NKJV
“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come — In the volume of the book it is written of Me — To do Your will, O God.'”
John 6:28-29 NKJV
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Prayer: 
Lord Jesus, as the Psalmist and the writer to the Hebrews said, You have come “in the volume of the book written of You.” Thank You for words, for language that narrows truth down to a human tongue and for Your Word, which transcends all human language or thought. Though Your ways are indeed higher than mine and past finding out, Your Spirit enables me to understand holy things and, more than that, to appropriate them into my life. Tune my heart to heaven today so that I might sing with angels as I walk this earth with You. Amen. Alleluia!

Song:
Wonderful Words of Life
Words and Music: P. P. Bliss

1. Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life;
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty, teach me faith and duty:

Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life;
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.

2. Christ, the blessed One, gives to all, wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the laving call, wonderful words of life;
all so freely given, wooing us to heaven:

Refrain

3. Sweetly echo the gospel call, wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior, sanctify forever.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 28 “Breakfast”

Breakfast

Two miraculous appearances of Jesus to the assembled disciples share this factor: We do not know how they ended.
It is safe to assume that Jesus simply disappeared as suddenly as He had appeared. If so, a sweetness in the room must have remained. The words He spoke to His gathered followers must have stayed with them after He left. There was no announced schedule indicating when He would return. All they could do was wait and speculate on what it all meant. What was next? They remembered His announced intention to leave them. Had that already happened? If so, could they rehearse all the things He had told them and mold them into some sort of action plan? Mary had told them that Jesus said to go to Galilee where He had found most of them and He would appear to them. This is what they decided to do.

Fishing
The sight, smells, and sounds of the sea were too much for the fishermen among them. Peter, as per the well-established pattern, spoke what the others were thinking,

“I am going fishing.”

They all agreed it was the thing to do. A boat was handy so they boarded her and began a fruitless night of fishing. The fish were somewhere else but still it felt good to be back at the old job even with nothing to show for it. The night blossomed into the early morning as the sun inched over the horizon but all they had was blistered hands and sore backs.

A Stranger on the Shore
As they pulled for land, a figure waved to them from the beach. At that distance, they did not recognize the Lord. He called to them.

“Children, have you any food?”

Their negative report brought a surprising bit of instruction.

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”

To some a sense of deja vu stole over them. This had happened before, hadn’t it? At any rate they obeyed, casting on the right side of the boat, something they had done repeatedly without result. This time it was different. Immediately the net started filling and was soon to the danger point with the men straining to hold it and propel the boat to shore.

John, also experiencing deja vu, realized the identity of the stranger and told Peter it was Jesus. Peter could not wait for safe passage. He plunged into the sea and started for his Jesus; things were not settled between them.

The men brought the boat and the catch—153 large fish!—to shore and found a fire with fish already frying and bread on the side. Jesus invited them,

“Come and eat breakfast.”

Their weariness forgotten, their joy returned, they consumed the meal Jesus had prepared for them.

A Meal for Us
It is not a breakfast, but Jesus has prepared a meal for us. We call it the Lord’s Supper. Like all meals shared by family and friends this one is a time of bonding in sweet fellowship. It is a renewal of the Covenant we share. It is a thanksgiving for past blessings and an anticipation of great things to come. We gather at His table because He has invited us to “Come and dine.”

Scriptures:
John 21:1-14
After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” — knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Luke 5:3-6 KJV
And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Prayer: 
Lord Jesus, I marvel at Your invitation! As the Psalmist said, “You prepare a table for me…” even in the presence of my enemies and certainly in the presence of my friends and family. Your Word itself is a feast! Food and drink like manna from heaven, sourced in another world to give strength to those of us in this present world. Joyful new wine is at this table, Your life outpoured for us and then poured into us. There is living water at this feast. To drink it is to know in our hearts that we need never thirst for any other. I will feast today at Your Table. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song:
Come and Dine
Words and Music: C.B. Widmyer

1. Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God are fed.
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine.”
With His manna He doth feed and supplies our every need.
Oh ‘tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time.

Refrain:
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine.”
We may feast at Jesus’ table all the time.
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

2. The disciples came to land, thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called to them, “O come and dine;”
There they found their heart’s desire, bread and fish upon the fire;
Thus He satisfies the hungry ev’ry time.

Refrain

3. Soon the Lamb will take His Bride to be every at His side,
All the hosts of heaven will assembled be;
O ‘twill be a glorious sight, all the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus they will feast eternally.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 27 “Thomas”

Thomas

Jesus had told them before, “The Work of God is to believe in the One who was sent.”
The time came to obey that word. One week later, the disciples were again gathered, this time with Thomas attending. This was so different. The testimony of the women and the two disciples was now a shared experience—they had all seen the Lord! He had appeared among them, shining with an inner radiance that could only be sourced in the heavenly Zion, His ruling and dwelling place. None of them would ever look at closed doors and windows the same way again.

Absenteeism
Among them this time was one of the original 12 men chosen by Jesus, Thomas. Our brief glimpses of Thomas in the gospels indicate him to be a man of sharp intellect and prodigious reasoning skills. If Thomas had a favorite scripture it was probably, “Come, let us reason together…” On this night, he found the testimonies of the others insufficient. They had seen Jesus; he had not.

He knew the story.
Perhaps Thomas had watched from a safe distance as Jesus carried His cross through the streets of Jerusalem toward the Place of the Skull. It could be he was close enough to hear the sound of the Roman hammers or even see the nails driven mercilessly into the hands and feet of Jesus. Maybe he had stayed after Jesus cried, “It is finished” to see the Roman soldier spear Him in the side. Thomas knew of these things. The resurrection witnesses reasoned with him:

“We have seen the Lord.”

Thomas needed more. His reluctance to believe had become more a will-set than a mind-set.

“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

In the Presence
Without warning, just as He had done a week before, Jesus was among them without benefit of door or window. Let us imagine that He materialized behind Thomas and the first indication of His presence was the two-fold witness of

  1. the looks on the faces of those who saw Jesus first, and
  2. the sweetness of the Lord’s presence among them.

Thomas ceased his internal and external debates, closed his mouth, and opened his heart. Turning a full circle, he saw Jesus, smiling and offering hands, clearly scarred, for Thomas’ inspection.

“Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

Such inspection was no longer required. As Mary Magdalene had done, Thomas fell at Jesus’ feet, clinging to Him in worship.

“My Lord and my God!”

Jesus lifted Thomas to his full height to look him full in the eyes. He had to reach deeper than the man’s mind, all the way to his heart.

“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Believing
It is good to ask questions when done in faith and not in cynicism. It is proper to reason together for the Lord, through Isaiah, invites us to do this. But the beginning and ending of our questioning and reasoning must be faith, believing in “Him who was sent.” To question in doubt leads to more questions. To reason in our own strength leads to dubious conclusions. Believing is the work of God.

Scriptures:
John 20:24-31
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Isaiah 1:18-20 NKJV
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
John 6:26-29 NKJV
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your wonderful presence. As on that night, You have no need of doors for our thanksgiving is the eternal gateway to Your presence. The recognition of Your nearness comes to me through my mind, my heart, and my spirit–my whole, redeemed being! Your blood has cleansed my soul. Your Spirit has raised my mind and body to new, resurrected life. Your amazing grace has healed me completely. I once was blind, but now I see—You! And I know You are with me always. Thank You, Lord! Alleluia!

Song:
I Live
Words and Music: Rich Cook

I live, I live because He is risen.
I live, I live to worship Him.
Thank You, Jesus! Thank You, Jesus!
Because You’re alive,
Because You’re alive,
Because You’re alive, I live!

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 26 “Breath”

Breath

Fear and hope were a discomfiting mixture for the followers of Jesus. 
They gathered in the evening, all except Thomas, to hear again the stories of the witnesses. With what they had been through, they needed more than excited women and men who had failed when the moment of testing came—they all fit that category!—to dare to believe that Jesus was alive. The Jews were still in power and Roman soldiers patrolled every street and alleyway on full alert, all looking for the followers of Jesus. There were plenty of crosses available for rebels such as these misguided fools.

For this feast, fear was the only menu item and there was plenty to go around. All of them feasted, except for Mary and the other women—they had no doubt. Other sources tell of us of other encounters between women and the corporeal figure claiming to be Jesus in the garden of the tomb. Peter seemed on the verge of believing but they all knew he could change directions at a moment’s notice. Who could believe John, the dreamer, the mystic, whose overriding love for Jesus could lead to error as likely as to truth?

Gathered together that evening as the same watching full moon, only somewhat reduced in size from the night in Gethsemane, looked down, lighting the world around their closed windows and tightly shut doors. There was no singing, no mirth, only fear and faith doing an uncomfortable dance.

“Jesus Came and stood in the midst…”
With no suspended cymbal roll or trumpet fanfare, (We would add those things much later.) Jesus suddenly stood among them. Mary Magdalene may have, for an instant, heard a chorus of angel voices singing in that same strange harmony employed by the two angels in the tomb, but we cannot be sure. Jesus had breached no door nor any window, but there He was—very present and very real. It seemed there was no air to be had in that room though each observer sought in unison to breathe. Could their eyes deceive them? In their hearts, the combat between fear and faith rose to a heretofore unseen violence. Into this pitched battle Jesus spoke, His voice clear and unmistakable.

“Peace be with you.”

Fear, like a defeated foe, forsook this battleground and faith took the field. Jesus held out his hands for inspection. He pulled back His shining white robe for their eyes to see scars where nails had pierced them marking his graceful hands and where a deep gash marred His side. These were all they needed to completely believe—Jesus was alive and He was with them!

Slowly at first and then with a rush, they closed the circle around Him, hesitantly and joyfully touching Him—again. With each touch, faith mounted in each heart. With faith, a solemn call to mission began to sound in each of them. Jesus confirmed this inner impulse,

“Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Remembering His Words
Each of them, as the Spirit led them, remembered in unison all the words of Jesus predicting their joy after their sorrow. It was only the beginning of such an inborn education. He had told them about the Holy Spirit’s ministry to come. When the sounds of wonder receded a bit, Jesus, gathering their complete attention, breathed on them, saying:

“Receive the Holy Spirit.”

The forgiveness of Jesus through their witness to the Jesus Story would change the world one heart at a time.

Scriptures:
John 20:19-23
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Romans 6:5-11 NKJV
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the Victor—You conquered death; there is no doubt. You are the Redeemer—You destroyed sin, the destroyer. You are the King—You rule over death, hell, and the grave. You hold the keys to them all! I will follow You because by faith I have seen the scars in Your hands and feet and in Your side. “Draw me nearer, nearer, Blessed Lord!” Somehow, Your open wounds still heal those who are sick and release those who are bound. Your blood, poured out once and for all, still flows to our salvation, healing, and to our victory over evil. Amen and amen.

Song:
I Am Thine, O Lord
Words: Fanny Crosby; Music: W. Howard Doane

1. I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice
And it spoke Thy love to me.
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord
To the cross when Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine.
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine.

Refrain

3. O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend.
When I knee in prayer and with Thee My Lord
And commune as friend with friend.

Refrain

4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 25 “Magdalena”

Magdalena

Deep in her heart, Mary still had faith in Jesus.
Standing by the empty tomb as Peter and John disappeared on the road out of the garden, her mind raced with possibilities. What did she know for sure?

  • The soldiers were gone. It looked like they had been frightened away.
  • The stone was rolled to one side. How many men and tools did it take to do that?
  • John and Peter reported that the grave clothes were there but the body wasn’t.

She could not yet entertain the idea of resurrection, even though she had witnessed Lazarus emerging from his tomb. The only fact to be sure of was that Jesus’ was not in that tomb.

Angels
Scarcely breathing, Mary stooped down and looked into the tomb. A pearly white light glowed deep inside the vaulted space. She stared at the light as it morphed into the forms of two tall men in shining white clothes, one at each end of the slab where the linens lay. Speaking at the same time but in a strange harmony, the men asked her,

“Woman, why are you weeping?”

She was fascinated by the multiple pitches in their voices and now her heart was racing faster than her mind. Perhaps they knew…

“Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Dead or alive, present or absent, Jesus was and always would be her Lord.

Jesus
The two angels looked past her toward the low opening of the tomb. Suddenly, they began to worship, whispering in a language Mary had never before heard. Their constant focus on a single point behind her prompted her sense that someone else was in that tomb. Slowly she turned around to see a man standing in the morning light as it streamed into the tomb. The light was so bright she lowered her eyes assuming He was a worker in the garden. He spoke and there was something familiar about His voice.

“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She turned her face away from the shining light, caught her breath, and somehow managed to answer.

“Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him,
and I will take Him away.”

At this Jesus called her name. She turned to look at Him and called Him “Teacher!” He was smiling with the same smile that thrilled her heart and terrified the demons the day He set her free. Mary was transfixed by Him. Was this a vision? No, this was real. Tears flowed freely as soft notes of wonder issued from her lips. She rushed forward and fell at His feet embracing Him in complete submission and joy. After a moment, Jesus lifted her to her feet saying,

“Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'”

Her Jesus was back and He had called her name! All was right with the world again, her world, at least. As if waking from a dream, she remembered that Jesus had given her a mission. With one long look at Him, she turned and ran from the garden to find the men who had gone home too soon.

Scriptures:
John 20:11-18
But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, teach me perseverance. Help me hold on to the facts of my faith until the answer comes. Help me bear up under the strain when events or people turn against me. Holy Spirit, keep me focused on Jesus and the promises made to me. Help me to never give up until victory is mine. Lord, You are alive in me and You rule this day. Give me strength to persevere to the end. For the end of this day is the dawn of a greater one. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Song:
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Words: Charles Wesley; Music: from Lyra Davidica

1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2. Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

5. Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

6. King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 24 “Empty”

Empty

The world has never been as empty as it was that weekend.
The disciples congregated in small groups with nothing to say to each other. Brief attempts at conversation all ended in mumbled apologies or sudden silences. There was nothing to be said. They didn’t accuse each other—they had all failed Jesus and felt like cowards. Peter was the worst among them. He didn’t want to be there and wore his silent shame like sackcloth. As much as he hated being there, he could not be anywhere else. Each man was trying to figure out what to do next. Go back home? They had families and lives which they had suddenly left to follow Jesus. Follow Him to what? This?—Enemies of Rome and the Temple? What would they do now?

The women also met together but they did not meet in shared silence like the men. They wept together and remembered. His mother was the leader, it seemed, and she had been storing up memories in her heart since the beginning. The other women listened enraptured to her stories of angels and shepherds and foreign kings bearing gifts and those two strange elderly people in the Temple. Somehow, in their grief they found solace in these histories. Mary and Martha of Bethany told of their adventure with their brother Lazarus. Mary Magdalene was hesitant to speak of her life before Jesus removed seven demons from her ruined soul. Every time she tried to tell the story she dissolved into tears. All of the other women understood and joined her.

The Morning of the First Day
Before dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene could wait no longer. The same full moon that lit Gethsemane led her to the tomb. Those Pharisees, Nicodemus and Joseph, told them the location of the tomb in a garden used by the wealthy. It was no matter. She had to do go there. No one could stop her.

Approaching the tomb in the blue-green moonlight, she could tell that something was wrong. The ground was littered with the equipment of soldiers as if they had left in a great hurry. Shadows covered the impressive tomb. The moon emerged from behind a cloud and the sky brightened just enough for Mary to see that the huge stone had been rolled away. Instead of looking inside she ran, right into the path of Simon Peter and John. Breathless, she reported to them what she had seen,

“They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb,
and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter and John exchanged glances and without a word started running toward the tomb. Mary followed behind them. John, being younger, arrived first and, swallowing hard, stooped down and peered into the darkness of the tomb. When his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he saw the linen cloths lying on the stone slab where the body had been. Simon Peter arrived and carefully entered the tomb. He also saw the linen grave cloths and, oddly enough, the handkerchief that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head lying in a separate place, neatly folded. As Peter tried to understand what he saw, John entered the tomb. When he observed these things, faith filled his heart.

No Place to Go but Home
According to John’s narrative, they went home, leaving Mary Magdalene standing by the empty tomb. John explains the reason; they did not yet know the scriptural prophesy that Jesus would rise from the dead. The tomb was empty but their hearts were not yet full.

Do we really hear the Lord?
Jesus had told them all many times that He must die and then be raised to new life. Did they really hear Him? Do we?

Scriptures:
John 20:1-10
Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know there are things You have said to me in Your Word that have never penetrated my heart. When the situation arises and I need that Word from You, I act as if I had never heard Your voice. Forgive me, Lord. Help me to really listen and believe what You have said. When I read something in the Bible that I do not understand, help me believe it anyway, trusting to Your Spirit to bring it home to me when the time comes for it. Many things You have promised have yet to happen. Help me believe and keep on believing. Amen.

Song:
Lord, I Believe
Traditional

Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe.
All things are possible. Lord, I believe.
Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe.
All things are possible. Lord, I believe.

Jesus is here. Jesus is here.
All things are possible. Jesus is here.
Jesus is here. Jesus is here.
All things are possible. Jesus is here.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 23 “Garden”

Garden

Even the hardened Roman soldiers hated breaking the legs of crucified men.
In this case, at least in the minds of the religious leaders, this gruesome measure was necessary, since to leave men on crosses during the Passover was a violation of their rules. If you are going to kill a man—finish the job! The Pharisees sent a delegation to Pilate asking for soldiers to come and break the legs of the three men dying on Golgotha. This was necessary because strong men could keep themselves alive by pushing down on the nails in their feet so that they could continue to breathe. Broken legs prevented this desperate survival method causing the lungs to collapse. Death hastened in the wake of the soldier’s cruel work. There was no mercy in the minds of the Sanhedrin or in the wooden clubs the soldiers used.

Unbroken
The soldiers were skillful at this duty, having worked out the most efficient way to break the legs of a dying man. When they arrived at Calvary, they saw Jesus was already dead. They took their instruments of destruction and quickly fractured the legs of the other two, each them uttering a final cry of pain before they could no longer breathe.

To make sure that Jesus was really dead, one of the soldiers took his spear and stabbed Jesus in the left side near His heart. A torrent of blood and water poured from the wound and the body of Jesus never flinched; He, indeed, was dead.

Evidently, John was still there at the foot of the cross. In his gospel, he steps back from His role as narrator to comment on these two events. He reveals that they were fulfilled prophecies.

“For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

John’s purpose in writing his account of the Jesus Story was to convince people of the truth of the Gospel. These fulfilled prophecies bolstered his case.

Joseph and Nicodemus
Standing helpless with the crowd on Calvary were Joseph and Nicodemus, secret followers of Jesus. There was nothing they could have done to stop the arrest, trials, and execution of Jesus but now there was something that must be done that was within the reach of their combined means. Risking the wrath of their peers, they took charge of the lifeless body of Jesus.

Joseph appealed to Pilate, bypassing the Temple elders, for permission to remove the body and bury it. Pilate, annoyed by this unending trouble from these strange people, allowed him the honor. Nicodemus appropriated the necessary supplies of linen and spices for a quick but proper treatment of the body. Together they washed the body of Jesus, weeping all the while with a grief neither of them had ever known.

As they did this work, Nicodemus told Joseph of his after-hours interview with Jesus. Even as he shared about the new birth and the winds of the Spirit, the lifeless body in their hands did nothing to diminish the power of Jesus’ words. Dead though He was, His words seemed still alive.

The Garden Tomb
As they finished the preparations, Nicodemus wondered what they should do with the body. Weeping, and barely able to speak, Joseph told his friend of tomb he had recently purchased. He wanted Jesus to occupy the space designed for him. This became their plan as this horrible day melted into a beautiful sunset.

Scriptures:
John 19:31-37
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, there is so much we do not know or understand about the times when Your body was all that was left of You in this physical world. Just as Joseph and Nicodemus serve as examples for us, may we do what we can in Your service. You only hold us responsible for what is within our ability to do. These two men were brave enough to believe in You in spite of the disbelief of their peers. You led them to stand out against their times. You directed them to prepare somehow for events they could never have foreseen. When their moment of service came they were ready. Help me to be prepared and ready to serve You today. Amen and amen.

Song:
Were You There?
Traditional

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh, Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Were you there when He rose up on that day?
Were you there when He rose up on that day?
Oh, Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when He rose up on that day?

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 22 “Finished”

Finished

Those who followed Jesus were steadily diminishing in number.
It seemed the closer Jesus came to the moment for which He had abandoned heaven, the more abandoned He became. John takes the roll for us of those still following as Jesus, suspended between two thieves, suffered for all of us: His mother and her sister, another Mary whose son was a man named Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Jesus had called twelve men to follow Him and lost one of them in the process; now only John remained to the end. If other followers of Christ were present, they were mixed safely into the Golgotha crowd undetectable by John or the leaders or the other disciples.

The Mother of Our Lord
Jesus had brothers and sisters at home back in Nazareth. It is likely the inclusion of such a brother as Jesus must have been too much for them. We know only that two of His half-brothers came to follow Him after the resurrection and the Day of Pentecost. James and Jude became pastors and contributors to the New Testament writings. But they were absent that day, abandoning, not only their brother, but the mother they shared.

From the cross Jesus saw His mother with none of her other children to help her and He saw His friend, John, beside her. He assigned the care of His mother to His friend.

“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by,
He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple,
“Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”

To the end, Jesus cared for His own. From other sources we know He also prayed to the Father, for that bond of companionship was also breaking.

Christ Alone
There were no legions of angels on a mission of rescue. There was no softening of the pain by chemical means. This was raw, human agony in both the physical and spiritual realms. If heaven was weeping, Jesus heard it. If hell was celebrating, Jesus heard that, as well. It is certain He heard the triumphant crowd gathered there in collective abuse at the Place of the Skull. In a brief, final moment of incarnation, He cried out:

“I thirst!”

Soldiers were ready for this common request from the crucified. One last cruel punishment, a jar of old, ruined wine, was among their provisions. Instead of fresh water, they filled a sponge with the sour wine, stabbed it with a spear, and lifted it to Jesus’ mouth. When this final insult was taken, Jesus painfully raised Himself against the biting nails to cry,

“It is finished!”

And He died.

What, exactly, was finished? An Old Covenant of promise was finished, replaced by a New Covenant of Power written in the blood Jesus shed that day. “A new and living way” way was finished that day providing access for a sin-laden humanity to reach a righteous God.

He was alone as no one has ever been alone. He was abandoned as no one has ever been abandoned. He died as no one has ever died. Heaven wept. Hell rejoiced. Earth was oblivious except for a hostile mob, a few remaining followers, and a mother whose heart was finally pierced by the sword of old Simeon’s prophecy.

Scriptures:
John 19:25-30
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
Hebrews 10:19-24 NKJV
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You said that if You were to be lifted up, all would be drawn to You. This was said indicating the death You would die on the cross. Indeed, You were lifted up and over the centuries people from every nation and every tribe and every tongue where Your story has been told have been drawn to You. Satan’s plot to end Your influence has instead spread Your story around this world. Thank You that someone told Your story to someone who then told it to another and on and on through these 2000 years until someone told my Mother who told it to me. Now my life must be spent in lifting You up so that all people may know of You through my life. Make it so, Lord. Make it so. Amen.

Song:
O, Sacred Head Now Wounded
Words: Bernard of Clairvaux; Music: Hans Leo Hassler

1. O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown.
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

2. What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ‘Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

3. What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this, Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever! And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never, outlive my love for Thee.

4. Be near when I am dying, O show Thy cross to me!
And, for my succor flying, come, Lord, to set me free.
These eyes, new faith receiving, from Thee shall never move;
For he who dies believing dies safely in Thy love.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 21 “Golgotha”

Golgotha

John continues his narrative in sparse but well-chosen words:

And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull,
which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him,
one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

For the soldiers it was all just another day’s duty. They were hardened to the sight of blood and unmoved by the suffering of the guilty. Guilt and innocence were not their business; their job was killing those whom others judged worthy of death. Some of the soldiers had seen Jesus in action teaching, working miracles, and healing sick people with a touch. Those soldiers decided not to trouble themselves about how such a man as He should end up here at the Place of the Skull.

Pilate
Pilate hated what he had done as much as he hated the Jews. In what can be seen as a passive aggressive protest, Pilate ordered a sign to posted on the cross above Jesus’ head:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS

When the leaders who incited this injustice read this sign, they protested to Pilate but it was a useless protest.

“Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.”

Pilate had had enough of them and would not allow the subject to be opened.

“What I have written, I have written.”

Unable to stop the shameful treatment of an innocent man, Pilate watched as the soldiers drove Jesus with whips and threatening swords, bearing His cross to the place of execution. This ominous rock formation resembling a human skull was to be the scene of the demise of three men, two guilty and one innocent. Unable to reconcile these things, we learn from other sources that Pilate washed his hands of the matter and retreated into his chamber.

Crucifixion
The skillful, practiced soldiers made quick work of the three crucifixions at that horrible place and soon three bleeding men were lifted to the sky to pay for sins; two of them paying for their own deeds and one of them paying for yours and mine.

Their duty done, these wards of Rome took the clothes of the crucified ones as prizes rightly theirs. They separated their spoils into four equal piles except for the seamless robe of Jesus. It would have been a shame to tear such a fine robe.

“They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be…”

Tossing dice to see who might take it home as a memento of this duty, they gambled for its possession. This fulfilled an ancient prophecy:

“They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

John does not tell us if any of the elders or disciples who must have known this prophecy took note of this event. The soldier who won the game took the robe Jesus had worn and closely inspected it. This was the outer garment of the miracle worker who fell just one miracle short. It was stained with blood from the scourge but those stains would wash away. He felt richer for this prize and won the envy of his fellows.

The soldiers waited for the crucified ones to suffer enough for them to finish the job with clubs and spears. It was all so routine for them. There was no indication that these crucifixions would be memorable in any way.

Scriptures:
John 19:17-24
And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.”‘” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You were faithful to the end of that mockery of a trial. You will judge all someday but on that morning You submitted to the judgement of Pilate. There was so much at stake! Redemption for sinners, victory for those embattled, healing for those who are sick or injured, and eternal life for those sentenced to eternal death. I rejoice that Your story did not end on that hill. You gave Your life for me and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, You took it up again, no longer reduced to a human life, but expanded back to a divine one. Such a story! Such a truth! Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song:
Calvary Proves His Love for Me
Words and Music: Steve and J. D. Phifer

1. There are times when I just cannot feel
God’s love way down inside.
So I run to the Book and there I read
How Jesus, my Lord, was crucified.

Refrain:
And Calvary proves His love for me.
Why should I ever doubt Him?
I will place my trust in Christ, you see,
For Calvary proves His love for me.

2. Who can say what will tomorrow bring?
Our eyes may flood with tears.
Let us look to the Christ of Calvary.
His love will cast out our every fear.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions Uncategorized

November 20 “Praetorium”

Praetorium

Pilate’s judgement hall was a place for trials and for punishment.
It was politically necessary for the Roman Governor to do something to placate the bloodthirsty leaders of this strange and mystical land. They pretended to aspire to lofty ideals but on this morning they wanted blood.

The Scourge
Despite his publicly announced verdict of a faultless Jesus, Pilate sent Him into the skillful hands of the Roman soldiers, the Praetorian Guard, for special treatment. They called it scourging, systematic beating with a whip equipped with many sharpened bits of metal, bone, and stone set into multiplied leather strips. Two soldiers took turns administering this pagan justice while an officer counted the blows. The sharp ends of the lashes bit into Jesus’ back pulling back long strips of severed flesh and leaving surface wounds bleeding profusely. As if this weren’t enough, some clever warrior got a novel idea: fashion a crown for this king, one woven of thorns. No doubt the making of this outrage made the hands of the soldier bleed also. When finished, they pressed it hard and deep into His scalp and more blood coursed down the face of Jesus. Another creative killer found a purple robe and draped it over the Savior’s shoulders.

Public Derision
Thus they prepared King Jesus, beaten, bruised, bloody and his body profaned, for the rabid crowd. The soldiers pounded Jesus with their fists and derided Him with mocking “worship.”

“Hail, King of the Jews!”

Thus prepared according to Roman tastes, Pilate announced his plan to the mob.

“Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”

The soldiers brought Jesus out to the balcony in full view. A roar of approval went up from the people. Pilate announced:

“Behold the Man!”

The roar of the crowd coalesced into a specific demand.

“Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

Once more Pilate tried to shift that duty to the Jews and once again they refused the honor. Pilate needed some way out of this nasty business. He asked Jesus to tell him something upon which to base a release. When Jesus did not answer, Pilate lost all patience.

“Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You,
and power to release You?”

Someone signaled for the crowd to quiet down to hear what Jesus might say. Finally, in this unnatural silence, Jesus spoke the truth. The voice that commanded storms and Satan’s legions, diseases and even death, filled the void.

“You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”

As a moan issued from the crowd, Pilate sensed the truth in this; these strange proceedings were beyond his control. He sought some way to release Jesus. The Temple leaders appealed to political realities.

“If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend.
Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

Pilate had no answer for this appeal. He took his seat on his throne of judgment and said once more,

“Behold your King!”

The people responded as before with even more violence in their voices and blood in their eyes. When Pilate asked the question again, the leaders led the people in a lie that broke their own covenant with Jehovah.

“We have no king but Caesar!”

And the trial before Pilate was over. The soldiers manhandled Jesus away from the palace toward the place of the Skull.

Scriptures:
John 19:1-16
So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I read and consider the story of Your Passion, I find I must be still. So much of Your story races along from the Nativity straight through to the Passion but here I must stop and consider this: “Selah!” Lord, give me a quiet, confident spirit when I face the trials of my life. Like Your peace, this is also a gift from You. Dangerous events may swirl all around me and the future may threaten with fear, but I can have a stillness in me, the way You did before Pilate. My life is in Your hands and there is no safer place to dwell. Amen.

Song:
Behold the Man
Words and Music: Jimmy and Carol Owens

1. Behold the Man, Wounded and bruised
Crowned with thorns
He was despised rejected;
He was despised rejected

2. Behold the Man, Man of sorrows,
Acquainted with grief
We hid our faces from Him;
We hid our faces from Him.

Bridge 1
We didn’t know That it was for our sins He died
That it was for our sins He died
That for us the Son of God was crucified
That in love He bore our sorrow and pain
And in love He willingly suffered.

Verse 3
3. Behold the Man, Suffering in silence,
Bearing our shame.
We hid our faces from Him;
We hid our faces from Him

Bridge 2
We didn’t know that this was God the Father’s plan
Born of love to bring
Redemption down to man
That in love He gave His only Son
So that we might be forgiven

4. Behold the Man, Risen in glory coming to reign.
By the Father exalted,
Crowned with glory and honor.

5. Behold the man, King of kings and Lord of lords!
Through all creation Jesus Christ is Lord
He is Lord! He is Lord! He is Lord!

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.