Show the World How Much We Need Christ

Saturday, April 11

Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read Matthew 27: 57-66 “The world has known Christ and has turned its back on him, and it is to this world that the church must now prove that Christ is the living Lord” (from Ethics by Dietrich Bonhoeffer). The day of the Christian era in north America is fast coming to an end.  Not only does much of the world now leave Christ in the tomb, but with him any influence he might have on life. How can the world know how much it needs Christ, if we don’t show the world how much we need Christ? Maybe Christ will only become important to others when he becomes important to us.

Whom Are You Looking For?….I Am He.

Friday, April 10

Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 18:1-19:42. “Whom are you looking for?….I am he.”  Three times in the first eight verses Jesus asked and affirmed that he was the one being looked for.  Some stepped back, some fell to the ground and some moved forward to arrest him.  How do we respond when we see Jesus and he ask for whom or what we are looking? How do we respond when Jesus answers us and declares that he is what we are looking for?  Do we believe he is the answers to our searching?  Maybe the search is over and the only question left is how we will respond to Christ.

Living With as Much Hope as Answers

Thursday, April 9

Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John  13:1-7. “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Jesus is God who is infinite and people are human who are not infinite. Why then must we insist on having all the answers right now? Why do we think we could understand the answers even if we had them? And why do we think our answers would be God’s answers? Christians who have all the answers are scary, not holy. Maybe faith means living with as much hope as it does with answers.

Tough Choice for Your Faith

Wednesday, April 8

Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 13:21-32. “Do quickly what you are going to do.”  It troubled Jesus’ spirit what Judas was about to do because Jesus knew what was going to take place. Indeed, Jesus even instructed Judas as to when to move on the betrayal. This is a Jesus who has come for purpose, lived for that purpose and now begins the process of dying for that purpose, all by foreknowledge and choice. When was the last time you made the tough choice for your faith?  Maybe a little more intention in our choices would yield a lot more Spirit.

Diversity in the Body

Tuesday, April 7

Printable version of this week’s devotional

Read John 12:20-26. “Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.” Outsiders (non Jew) wanted to see (stay with) Jesus. That would change everything! The inner circle of “us” would be breeched and after all, Jesus was “our” Christ. Have you considered that might be God’s intention or desire? Maybe your God is too small if he can’t handle diversity in the body.

Celebration of Christ’s Presence

Monday, April 6

Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 12:1-11. “You always have the poor, but you don’t always have me.” The task is great because the mission is huge, but in the midst of the work, don’t forget the celebration of Christ’s presence. Have you let your faith become a burden? Is the joy of Jesus gone? Maybe it is time to splurge a little on the celebration side of the life you share in Him.

Hymn of Promise

Saturday, April 4
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Sing ‘Hymn of Promise’ #707
In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter, there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection, at the last, a victory
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Our Limitations

Friday, April 3
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 12:31-33. Remember that the word translated as ‘lifted up’ can also be translated as ‘exalted’. His offer of salvation is universal. The only limitations placed on Jesus’ love and offer of salvation, kingdom life today and for eternity, are those we place there. Write a few of those limitations on a piece of paper. Offer them to Jesus in prayer. In a symbolic act destroy the paper containing your limitations.

The Hour

Thursday, April 2
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 12:27-33. The ‘prayer of the hour’ is “ Father, glorify your name.” Jesus turns toward the will of God, and leans into his ministry. Courage has been defined as being afraid, and doing what you ‘have’ to do anyway. The ‘human’ Jesus chooses obedience. “He…lays down his life of his own free will and embraces ‘his hour’ as an expression of his love for God. The ‘hour’ is the ultimate purpose of his ministry, the final revelation of his relationship with God.” [NIB] In imagining this act of love, how can we continue to live ‘our own life’?

Let Go, Give it to Him

Wednesday, April 1
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 12:25-26. The Message says: “In the same way , anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal. If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.” Letting go of our agendas, our plans, our expectations….and giving ‘it’ over to God brings abundant life to us. Where are the ‘things’ in your life that you do not wish to ‘give over’? Consider a prayer asking for God’s grace and guidance.

A Kernal of Wheat

Tuesday, March 31
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 12:23-24. When Jesus acknowledges the closeness of his death, he says that a kernel of wheat must die in order to produce life. A familiar hymn begins; “In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed an apple tree…” The image here is one of the solitary seed and its potential to bear great fruit. We are given a picture of the necessary sacrifice of Jesus. [Life Application Bible] Jesus died for our sins. He removed that which can separate us from God. What is this death that produces life? What is this sacrifice that brings forth a different way of living, cleansed and free?

Newcomers to Jesus’ Circle

Monday, March 30
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 12:20-22. In the preceding verses, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Greeks had come to worship at the Passover Feast. Perhaps they had made a pilgrimage. In asking to see Jesus they are asking for more than a meeting…they want to stay with him; to become disciples. Andrew and Phillip, the first disciples to be called are faced with gentiles who wish to follow Jesus. They are asked to widen ‘their circle’…to share the traditional promises of God to the Jewish people with those who were not considered ‘chosen’. What questions might you have of these Greek ‘newcomers’? How would you describe their arrival to Jesus?

Give me Jesus

Saturday, March 28
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Proclaim or Sing ‘Give Me Jesus’

In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.
And when I am alone, give me Jesus.
And when I am afraid, give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.
Traditional – Public Domain Arr. / 1996 Metro One

Choosing a choice each day

Friday, March 27
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 3:19-21. The contrast between belief and unbelief is one of light and dark. We make a decision about where we will live….in the light or in darkness. God has given us free will. We choose. “God’s gift of Jesus begins the judgment of the world; underway at present, initiated by Jesus coming into the world. God has confronted the world with a decision….and making that decision is a moment of judgment.” [NIB] The big decision may have happened at a point in time, but the little daily decisions that are ‘living’ are made moment by moment. Observe today how your actions and behavior are a reflection of a choice for Christ.

Believing is Living What you Believe

Thursday, March 26
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 3:16-18 In Biblical interpretation ‘world’ and ‘flesh’ are considered at odds with God. Yet, God gave Jesus to the world. Those who accept the gift are ‘believers’. Having life or perishing are in stark contrast to one another. You believe or you don’t believe. You accept God’s gift or you reject it. Recently, Cliff said that belief informs behavior. If you do not live out the belief, then you simply don’t believe it. Ouch! Consider a belief you wish to examine in light of this statement.

What God Gave

Wednesday, March 25
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 3:16. In verse 16 the statement of the gospel is encapsulated [Harper Collins Bible Commentary]. Out of love God gave his Son to save us. God gave Jesus to the world. Many other Biblical passages use the word ‘sent’ in speaking of Jesus. What is the difference between ‘gave’ and ‘sent’ in your mind? How do you respond to God’s gift?

Finding Eternal Life in the Present

Tuesday, March 24
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 3:14-15 a second time. The’ lifting up’ of Jesus makes eternal life possible for those who believe. Eternal life has a ‘present’ as well as a ‘future’. “External life is the change in human existence brought about by faith in Jesus. To have eternal life is to live life no longer defined by blood or by the will of the flesh or by human will, but by God. It is life in the unending presence of God.” [NIB] When we think of ‘heaven’ or eternal life, we sometimes imagine being reunited with family and friends, a place of peace and rest. Where is eternal life represented in your ‘present’? Where is your life shaped by obedience to God today?

Exaltation

Monday, March 23
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 3:14-15. The word translated as ‘lifted up’ can also be translated as ‘exalted’. Therefore, the physical act of lifting up is also a moment of exaltation. Imagine the crucifixion scene. How can this time of great degradation and personal suffering be a time of exaltation? The New Interpreters Bible states; “ Jesus crucifixion, resurrection and exaltation as one continuous act. The cross of humiliation is actually a cross of exaltation.”

He Lives!

Saturday, March 21, 2009
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Proclaim or Sing ‘He Lives, Hymn # 310

I serve a risen Savior, he’s in the world today;

I know that he is living, whatever foes may say.

I see his hand of mercy, I hear his voice of cheer,

And just the time I need him, he’s always near.

He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.

He lives, he lives, salvation to impart.

You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart..

Have You Grown This Week?

Friday, March 20, 2009
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Christian life is our response to God’s love and grace. Where have you grown as a disciple during this week? How do you know Jesus better? How do you love Jesus more?  How do you desire to serve him?

God Was Always There

Thursday, March 19, 2009
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 2:22 ‘In John remembrance is an active reflection on the past in light of the resurrection with the aid of the Holy Spirit. Such reflection leads to faith and deepened understanding, and remembering the past with the aid of the spirit reveals the truth.’ New Interpreters Bible]. Remember a time when God’s presence was seen in hindsight. How did your ‘later’ understanding build your faith?

Asking God for a Sign

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read John 2: 18-21. The Jews demanded a sign of Jesus’ authority . When Jesus talks about the destruction of the temple, he is talking about himself. It is a foreshadowing of his fate. The temple was considered God’s presence here on earth.  Jesus body then was the focus of God’s authority and interaction in the world [New Interpreters Bible]. In looking at the language of the Bible, the word that refers to the raising of the temple can also be translated as resurrection. When have you asked for a sign form God?  How did God answer?  When have you questioned God’s authority?

Open to a Fresh Revelation of God

March 17, 2009

Printable version of this week’s devotional
Read John 2:13-16. The sale of animals and changing of foreign money was necessary if people were to worship at the temple.  But the court of the Gentiles was so crowded that worshippers would have had difficulty entering.   Jesus poses a powerful challenge to the very authority of the temple and its worship.  Where does the business of religion along with rules, regulations and tradition take priority over the purpose of worship itself?  Are we still open to a fresh revelation of God in our lives? What is most important is that worship points us to God, transforms our hearts and changes our lives.

Reclaimed by Christ

March 16, 2009

Printable version of this week’s devotional
Read John 2:13-16.   The picture in our minds of Jesus clearing the temple may be a bit disconcerting.  Righteous indignation might seem as though Jesus were out of control, momentarily too human.  In actuality he is taking control, claiming Lordship over his Father’s house.  Close your eyes and imagine the scene.   How do you feel about what you are seeing?  Are you frightened?  Are you cheering for Jesus ?  What places need to be claimed or reclaimed for Christ?

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Saturday, March 14
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Pray or Sing ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’, Hymn # 298

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ, my God;

all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.

Were that whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small;

love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

Putting Christ First

Friday, March 13
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

In ‘Living Up to the Challenging Words of Jesus’ Rev. Wright says that Jesus spoke the truth even though the truth was not always what we wanted to hear. It is always what we need to hear! Jesus is challenging us to change our way of living. We have to choose, make a decision about what is our first priority, our foundation, our basis for joy. Growing as a disciple means making that choice each day in as many circumstances as possible. Try this today. At the end of the day reflect on how your behavior was informed by your decision to put Christ first.

The Cost of Discipleship

Thursday, March 12
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read Mark 8: 35-38. Harpers Bible Dictionary describes these verses as ‘the cost of discipleship…the radical implications of proper confession of Jesus as Messiah. Would-be disciples must enter the same mystery that characterized Jesus’ life. The following of Jesus, denial of self … , even to the point of losing your life for Jesus and the gospel paradoxically results in making life more secure.’ How do you understand these verses? Explain them to a friend.

Take Up Your Cross

Wednesday, March 11
Printable version of this week’s devotional.

Read Mark 8:34. Consider what the cross represents in this verse. It is not Christ’s ministry, but rather the opposition of the world, the culture to his ministry. In accepting our ministry we may find that our crosses are both internal [self-interest, other priorities, control] and external [friends, family, society]. Jesus is challenging us to voluntarily take up our ministry (and therefore the cross that inevitably comes with it), to be obedient, to meet obstacles head on and to persevere. When we do so, we become authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. Where does God want to use you? Where can you imagine resistance? Prepare to be obedient.

The Suffering Servant Image

Tuesday, March 10
Printable version of this week’s devotionals

Read Mark 8:29;31-33. Peter doesn’t like what he is hearing. In Mark 8:27-30 he has declared that he believes Jesus to be the Christ. Jesus proceeds to tell the disciples what this will mean. Peter ‘rebukes’ Jesus in the same way Jesus ‘rebuked’ demons. Jesus calls Peter ‘Satan’, an adversary. Why does Peter want this image of the suffering servant ‘cast out’? As a follower of Christ, in what ways might you also reject this ‘suffering servant’ image?

Thoughts and Feelings of Gratitude

Monday, March 9
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

Read Mark 8:31-33. These two verses are related to Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the fourth of the Suffering Servant poems in Old Testament. Jesus is the ‘unexpected’ Messiah, the Savior without political power or an army. Here is the first mention of Jesus’ passion. As you sit with these verses, consider Jesus’ ministry and the purpose he is to serve. Where do you experience thoughts and feelings of gratitude?

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

Friday, March 6
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

Pray or Sing ‘Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, Hymn # 351
Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry;
while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.
Let me at thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition; help my unbelief.
Trusting only in thy merit, would I seek thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit, save me by thy grace.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.

Have You Missed The Mark?

Thursday, March 5
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

Place yourself under the authority of God, asking to be shown where you have ‘missed the mark’; seeking forgiveness and cleansing; and accepting your identity as a child of God.  In thinking about the themes of submission and repentance this week, where have you heard God’s call? How will you respond?

Living The Kingdom Life

Wednesday, March 4
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

‘Being saved’ must be accompanied by living out of the will of God.  Our commitment must conform to our confession…there must be evidence of a changed life.  We are asked to go beyond ‘fulfilling obligations’ to  a greater obedience…living a Kingdom life. If we watch how a person lives, we will see the authority to which what he or she submits.   Where do we spend our time, our money?  The answer to that answers the question “which kingdom is mine?”

What Areas in Your Life Need Turning?

Tuesday, March 3
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

Read Mark 1:14-15
Jesus proclaims the good news of God. “The time has come…The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” To repent is to turn around… to take another direction…to ‘turn your eyes upon Jesus’ [Hymn # 349]. In prayer and submission, ask God to show you areas in your life that need ‘turning’. How is God asking that turning to occur?

The Role of Submission in Our Daily Walk

Monday, March 2
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

Read Mark 1:12-13
You may want to read other accounts of the temptation found in Matt. 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. The story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert immediately follows his baptism. In austere circumstances
Jesus acknowledges and submits to God’s authority. Jesus affirms his call to be the suffering servant and denies any other call. At our baptism a choice was made. We must continue to make that choice very day. What is the role of submission in your daily walk?

Consider Your Identity as a Child of God

Sunday, March 1 
Read Mark 1:9-11
Printable version of this week’s devotionals.

Baptism is an act of submission and cleansing in which we bow to God’s authority and claim our identity. At his baptism Jesus’ identity was made evident. He knew himself to be ‘a child of God’, God’s son. Remembering your baptism and claiming your identity before God undergirds your daily walk as a disciple. Today consider your identity as a child of God. How might it be helpful to begin and end each day with this remembrance?

Welcome to Per Serving: Conversations and Experiences during Lent

Join us beginning March 1 at “PER SERVING: Conversations and Experiences” during Lent as we share our journey to the cross this Easter.  Judith Bone and Dr. Jeff Wilson will add their insights and we invite you to add yours too!  We’re also on Facebook. Simply go to pages and search Brentwood United Methodist Church.