Editor’s Note: The devotions for March 21st, 22nd, and 23rd focus on elements of Passover, which Jesus celebrated with His disciples the night before His crucifixion.
For thousands of years the Jewish people had a special script for their most important event of the year—the Passover. Brimming with drama and intensity, the Passover included a carefully prepared order of words, symbols, foods, tastes, smells, and actions. So if the father of the household went off script as he led the Passover meal, everyone present would immediately notice.
And that’s exactly what happened when Jesus gathered His band of followers as death loomed. The evening started like a typical Passover meal—they were celebrating the way Jews had done for centuries ... until Jesus intentionally went off script and started talking about Himself. As the Savior took the Passover bread in His hands, He said something utterly shocking: “Take, eat; this is My body” (Matt. 26:26).
At every step, it is Jesus who initiates.
The Passover was all about deliverance for a particular people (the Jews) from bondage and into true freedom. But the entire storyline of the Bible pointed to an even deeper liberation from a more tragic bondage—deliverance from sin for the entire human race. As He held the bread in His hands, Jesus calmly announced that His broken body would be the one and only source of that deeper, universal deliverance and freedom.
“This is My body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19)—some church historians call this sentence “the words of institution” because our Savior was instituting, or inaugurating, a new chapter in the story about God and the human race. But notice that Jesus went off script so we would know this new chapter comes through His initiative, not ours.
Even as He was handed over to death, the Lord was graciously acting to save, forgive, and bless us. At every step, it is Jesus who initiates. Jesus writes (or revises) the script. Jesus gives us the Lord’s Supper, a meal to share with Him—the one who said, “I am the bread of life.”
And with a simple piece of bread, Jesus declares how salvation comes—not by our striving but by His grace, not as a human project but as a divine gift.
Editor’s Note: The devotions for March 21st, 22nd, and 23rd focus on elements of Passover, which Jesus celebrated with His disciples the night before His crucifixion.
Bumblebees and badgers, lions and skunks, black bears and beagles all have one thing in common: If threatened, they will sting, bite, spray, or maul you. But there’s this predictable trait about lambs: They never attack; instead, throughout history wolves and other predators have attacked them. When lambs are mentioned in the Bible, it’s usually in the context of a sacrificial offering. For example, in the Passover—the central event of the Old Testament—God rescues His people through the blood of a lamb.
So you can imagine the disciples’ shock when John the Baptist introduced Jesus, their Lord and Messiah, as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The God of all creation, the one “through [whom] all things were made” (John 1:3 NIV), comes to the earth as ... a lamb?
Someone had to find us and rescue us—even if that meant dying in our place.
It’s a strange story. Christianity is the only view of life that presents a vulnerable God—a God who, in love and for love, subjected Himself to be mauled by His own creatures. Of course, it’s important to note that Jesus the vulnerable Lamb is also the mighty Lamb who rules on the throne, judges the earth, and triumphs in war (Rev. 5:6; Rev. 14:9-11; Rev. 17:14)—but even then He is the lamb “who was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13:8 NIV).
It’s also a daring and original story, the story of us all—broken people who have wandered so far in the wrong direction, sunk so deep in the morass of sin, that we cannot find our way home or lift ourselves out of the pit. Someone had to enter those dark woods of our own making; someone had to descend into our self-chosen chasm; someone had to find us and rescue us—even if that meant dying in our place. And that is the story of Jesus, the lion who came as a lamb. Unlike the millions of sacrificed Passover lambs slaughtered throughout history, Jesus willingly gave His life “to take away the sin of the world.”
God comes to us as a lamb, as the Lamb of God, to prove that He is for us, not against us. Why would you not place your whole life in His hands?
by Matt Woodley
The Lord Jesus Christ—God’s only begotten Son—has been given the name above all other names. Jesus has complete authority over heaven and earth, and He exercises that authority according to His Father’s good purposes. Christ’s position as Lord over all of mankind will never end.
Most of the people in our world have not acknowledged Jesus’ right to rule. They reject His lordship and do whatever they think is best. As a result, sin abounds, wreaking havoc in the lives of many. The good news is that the Father has a plan, which cannot be stopped. One day every person will acknowledge the authority of Jesus. Just as God promised, all created beings in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will kneel before Him (Phil. 2:10)—including those who have rejected the Son of God. What a triumphant and glorious time that will be!
Even before that day, we who follow the Savior are to live with our wills bent in submission to His. If Jesus is Lord over us, then we will acknowledge that life revolves around Him and we exist for His purposes, not the other way around. We’ll also make His priorities our own, giving the Lord’s plans precedence over all others. We will furthermore confess His Lordship over us (Gal. 2:20), proclaim that He is our Savior, and testify to what He has done for us. Our choices will reflect the desire to be a living testimony to His lordship in our lives.
Surrendering control to Jesus Christ is the wisest decision we can make. Is He truly Lord of your life?
Procrastination can be a big problem: Important tasks are neglected, and the benefits of finished work never come to pass. Even worse, though, procrastinating in spiritual matters can be disastrous.
Every person is going to spend eternity somewhere. The destination is determined in this lifetime by a choice to either accept or reject Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. But eternity seems distant, and there is so much to enjoy in this life, so some people feel that they can delay this decision until later. They assume, I’ll just wait until I’m closer to death. Then I’ll ask Jesus to save me.
The problems with this reasoning are obvious. First of all, there is no guarantee that you will have any warning before death. Second, by spending a lifetime rejecting Christ’s offer, you run the risk of developing a hardened heart. Hebrews 3:13 says, “Encourage one another ... so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Saying no to God frequently throughout your life may result in being unable to say yes when death comes knocking at the door. In fact, you may not even be interested in Christ’s offer anymore.
There is great danger in abusing the grace of God. All people who are not protected by salvation in Jesus Christ will face the terrifying reality of judgment, as they stand before God without a Savior. (See Heb. 10:26-27.)
By putting off a decision for Christ, you not only lose the immediate blessings of a deeply personal relationship with God now; you also risk future separation from Him for all eternity. Don’t procrastinate! Come to Christ today: Acknowledge your sin, ask His forgiveness, and trust Him as your Savior.
Peter’s interaction with Jesus by the Sea of Galilee illustrates three important principles.
1. Compliance in small matters has eternal significance and leads to blessings from God. As we read yesterday, a seemingly small act—loaning a boat to Jesus—resulted in Peter being called to become a fisher of men.
2. Following Jesus is always beneficial to others. For one thing, Peter’s action made it possible for more people to hear Jesus’ words of truth and life. Later on, when Peter lowered nets back into the water at Jesus’ request, his obedience meant a big catch for his coworkers. In a similar way, when we live out biblical principles, our families will be enriched, and those within our circle of influence will be encouraged to follow our example. And as we share how God responds to our obedience with His goodness, others may be motivated to seek after His Son Jesus.
3. God may tell us to respond or act in ways that make little sense. The Lord told Noah to build an ark, instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, and directed Joshua to conquer Jericho through silent marching on six days and shouting on the seventh. All of these men agreed to God’s plan even though it did not make sense. Their trust in God overruled any concerns and led to great reward.
God has a plan for our eternal good, and it is foolish not to obey Him. Like Peter, we have no idea what God will do in and through us if we commit to living a life of obedience.
