When we think about the week leading up to Easter, the change in the people of Jerusalem is so stunning. On Sunday, they were singing "Hosanna!", and by Friday they were shouting "Crucify!"
Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: "Hosanna!BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!" Mark 11:9-10
And a few short days later:
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. Answering again, Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" They shouted back, "Crucify Him!" But Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify Him!" Mark 14:11-14
The same people who had welcomed Jesus as their King now called for Him to be hung on a cross and crucified.
Are we guilty of the same thing? Do we praise God when the crowd does, and go along with the same crowd when they sin and act in ways that are contrary to His will and command for us? Do we take for granted what Jesus did to purchase salvation for us?
It was my sin that sent Jesus to the cross. I don't ever want to forget that, and I want to live a life that reflects His love and God's powerful resurrection.
Today, I want to shout my praise and adoration to my King, the One who saved me by His death. I want to live in the freedom that He bought for me. I am not enslaved by sin and I choose to live righteously!
My Song is Love Unknown
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
He Came from His Blest Throne
Have you ever thought about God's redemptive plan in terms of His choice to live among us? God, the creator of the Universe, wants to be with His people. In the time of Moses, He met them in the tabernacle and He was a cloud by day and a fire by night. All throughout the Old Testament we see God calling His people to be holy as He is holy and to live according to the plan He has for them. And all throughout these stories, we see sinful people who might get it right for a short time and then continue to turn away from God and His plan.
I've just finished reading through Jeremiah and I know why he is called the weeping prophet. It's truly heartbreaking to see how God's people forsook Him and chose their own way, and the consequences that resulted. And I think of our nation today.
How we need Him! How we need His presence in our every day lives, guiding our decisions and attitudes and thoughts. He desires to be among us, to make His home in our hearts. He sent His Son to live among the people of the Earth, and then sent Him to the cross to die for our sins. Jesus' death was the ultimate bridge to God; the only way to save us from His wrath and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
Colossians 1:21-22
He left His Father's throne above in order to die a criminal's death on the cross. Because of MY need, He spent His life. He is my friend indeed.
My Song is Love Unknown
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
I've just finished reading through Jeremiah and I know why he is called the weeping prophet. It's truly heartbreaking to see how God's people forsook Him and chose their own way, and the consequences that resulted. And I think of our nation today.
How we need Him! How we need His presence in our every day lives, guiding our decisions and attitudes and thoughts. He desires to be among us, to make His home in our hearts. He sent His Son to live among the people of the Earth, and then sent Him to the cross to die for our sins. Jesus' death was the ultimate bridge to God; the only way to save us from His wrath and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
Colossians 1:21-22
He left His Father's throne above in order to die a criminal's death on the cross. Because of MY need, He spent His life. He is my friend indeed.
My Song is Love Unknown
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Monday, April 12, 2010
My Song is Love Unknown
This is a beautiful hymn for meditating on after Easter week. Truly, God's love for us is like nothing we've ever experienced, or will experience here on this Earth. Over the next many days, we'll look at each verse of this hymn as we contemplate our Father's love for us.
There is no love like the Savior's love to us, shown to us in His death on the cross.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
He showed love to the loveless.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
Even when we didn't love Him, He loved us.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. I John 4:10
He loved us and saved us that we might become lovely, having the beauty of a clean heart.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:6-9
Who am I?
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12
Who am I that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. I Peter 3:18
Jesus, we thank You that You humbled Yourself and obediently went to the cross. Father, I thank You for Your love that sent Your Son to die on my behalf that I might be free from sin and reconciled to You. The love that You show me is truly unknown and I give You all the glory today for Your redemption plan that has saved a sinner like me. Amen.
My Song is Love Unknown
Words by Samuel Crossman
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
There is no love like the Savior's love to us, shown to us in His death on the cross.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
He showed love to the loveless.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
Even when we didn't love Him, He loved us.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. I John 4:10
He loved us and saved us that we might become lovely, having the beauty of a clean heart.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:6-9
Who am I?
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:12
Who am I that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. I Peter 3:18
Jesus, we thank You that You humbled Yourself and obediently went to the cross. Father, I thank You for Your love that sent Your Son to die on my behalf that I might be free from sin and reconciled to You. The love that You show me is truly unknown and I give You all the glory today for Your redemption plan that has saved a sinner like me. Amen.
My Song is Love Unknown
Words by Samuel Crossman
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Conqueror
"O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 15:55-57
Happy Easter! I love celebrating Christ's triumphant day of victory over the tomb! Of course, for Christians, every day is Easter for us as Jesus is alive and His Holy Spirit dwells in us. But there's something special about Easter Sunday and rejoicing with other believers that Christ is our Conqueror!
But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. Acts 2:24
The wards of death who guarded the grave where Jesus lay were powerless to keep Him in, and the angel of the Lord would roll away the stone to prove that Jesus was not there anymore!
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. Matthew 28:1-4
When the Marys came to anoint Jesus' body, they were greeted by the angel. Can you imagine? Mourning the loss of your friend and Savior, and then arriving at His burial place to find out He's not there?
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.
Matthew 18:5-8
Great joy! Jesus, their King, had conquered death and triumphed over His crucifixion on Calvary. Truly, this is the Son of God. Truly, He is worthy of our worship and praise.
And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Matthew 18:9
Jesus the Risen King is now alive forevermore!
I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Revelation 1:17-18
The Conqueror
Words by Salathial C. Kirk
O Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Thy triumphant day is come!
Day of glorious victory,
Over the boasting tomb!
All the shame and agony
Of the cruel cross He bore;
Died the Man of Galilee,
But rose the Conqueror!
Refrain
O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, thy victory?
The risen Lord, the Savior-King,
Has conquered death for me.
All in vain the wards of death
Guard the stony tenement;
But a whisper, yea, a breath,
Lo! its bars are rent!
Where is now the taunting reed,
And the crown of thorns He wore?
Ye have made a King, indeed,
And crowned a Conqueror!
O the glorious victory!
Jesus slain awakes again,
Triumphs over Calvary,
And the wiles of men!
Jesus now the risen King
Is alive forevermore!
Earth and Heaven tribute sing—
And hail Him Conqueror!
Happy Easter! I love celebrating Christ's triumphant day of victory over the tomb! Of course, for Christians, every day is Easter for us as Jesus is alive and His Holy Spirit dwells in us. But there's something special about Easter Sunday and rejoicing with other believers that Christ is our Conqueror!
But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. Acts 2:24
The wards of death who guarded the grave where Jesus lay were powerless to keep Him in, and the angel of the Lord would roll away the stone to prove that Jesus was not there anymore!
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. Matthew 28:1-4
When the Marys came to anoint Jesus' body, they were greeted by the angel. Can you imagine? Mourning the loss of your friend and Savior, and then arriving at His burial place to find out He's not there?
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.
Matthew 18:5-8
Great joy! Jesus, their King, had conquered death and triumphed over His crucifixion on Calvary. Truly, this is the Son of God. Truly, He is worthy of our worship and praise.
And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Matthew 18:9
Jesus the Risen King is now alive forevermore!
I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Revelation 1:17-18
The Conqueror
Words by Salathial C. Kirk
O Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Thy triumphant day is come!
Day of glorious victory,
Over the boasting tomb!
All the shame and agony
Of the cruel cross He bore;
Died the Man of Galilee,
But rose the Conqueror!
Refrain
O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, thy victory?
The risen Lord, the Savior-King,
Has conquered death for me.
All in vain the wards of death
Guard the stony tenement;
But a whisper, yea, a breath,
Lo! its bars are rent!
Where is now the taunting reed,
And the crown of thorns He wore?
Ye have made a King, indeed,
And crowned a Conqueror!
O the glorious victory!
Jesus slain awakes again,
Triumphs over Calvary,
And the wiles of men!
Jesus now the risen King
Is alive forevermore!
Earth and Heaven tribute sing—
And hail Him Conqueror!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
40 Days of Prayer: Day 40
Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.' Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how." And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone. Matthew 27:62-66
Dear Lord,
I have to admit I suppress a chuckle when I read these verses, because those of us who know Your story know what was going to happen next. A grave and a stone could not contain You! God, I give You all the praise and glory for in Your resurrection power, You brought Jesus to life again! As we look forward to our celebration tomorrow, I thank You that You, our glorious King lives again, that death could not contain You and that You were triumphant over the bonds of death. I thank You that because of Your death and resurrection, Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King!
In Your Powerful Name,
Amen.
Dear Lord,
I have to admit I suppress a chuckle when I read these verses, because those of us who know Your story know what was going to happen next. A grave and a stone could not contain You! God, I give You all the praise and glory for in Your resurrection power, You brought Jesus to life again! As we look forward to our celebration tomorrow, I thank You that You, our glorious King lives again, that death could not contain You and that You were triumphant over the bonds of death. I thank You that because of Your death and resurrection, Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King!
In Your Powerful Name,
Amen.
Friday, April 2, 2010
40 Days of Prayer: Day 39
Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah." Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. But the rest of them said, "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him." And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:45-54
Dear God,
As I think about the events of this day, I am so thankful. It was a day of pain, agony, and confusion. But it was a day of victory, as Jesus accomplished what You put Him on earth to do. I thank You for sending Him here to die for my sins and I give You praise, Jesus, for humbly obeying Your Father even to death on a cross.
I can't imagine what it would have been like to be there that day; to feel the earth shake and see the rocks split, and to see dead people come to life again! But I know that I am blessed that Jesus' work on the cross reconciled me to You, God; the veil of the temple was torn in two and now I can go directly to You.
Help me to never take for granted the events of this day. And may every day that I live bring glory to You for what You have done for me.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Dear God,
As I think about the events of this day, I am so thankful. It was a day of pain, agony, and confusion. But it was a day of victory, as Jesus accomplished what You put Him on earth to do. I thank You for sending Him here to die for my sins and I give You praise, Jesus, for humbly obeying Your Father even to death on a cross.
I can't imagine what it would have been like to be there that day; to feel the earth shake and see the rocks split, and to see dead people come to life again! But I know that I am blessed that Jesus' work on the cross reconciled me to You, God; the veil of the temple was torn in two and now I can go directly to You.
Help me to never take for granted the events of this day. And may every day that I live bring glory to You for what You have done for me.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
40 Days of Prayer: Day 38
So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." John 13:12-17
Dear Lord Jesus,
I thank You for Your example of service. I pray that I would be humble and selfless in my attitudes and actions toward others, just as You were, and just as You instruct us by Your example and through Your words. Even though I do not literally wash the feet of those around me, I pray that I would act in a like way, serving others and thinking of the interests of others before my own. Lord, give me the strength and grace to minister to others that Your love may be shown through me.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Dear Lord Jesus,
I thank You for Your example of service. I pray that I would be humble and selfless in my attitudes and actions toward others, just as You were, and just as You instruct us by Your example and through Your words. Even though I do not literally wash the feet of those around me, I pray that I would act in a like way, serving others and thinking of the interests of others before my own. Lord, give me the strength and grace to minister to others that Your love may be shown through me.
In Your Name,
Amen.
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