Murderer

"Look here - the man!" John 19:5.

That's Pilate, the Roman governor, introducing Jesus to the maddened throng calling for his execution. So we look. Sure enough. There he is. Standing on display. Accused of perverting God's cause. Worse than a rebel murderer. Betrayed. Disowned by his followers. The courts found him heinously guilty. Sedition. Rebellion. Soldiers mocked him. Honored him with royal insults. Crowned him. Robed him. Shamed him. So the crowd looked right there at the governor's object of ridicule, and saw the man. And shouted: Crucify! Kill him on a cross! (Price he paid for the redemption free to us.)

We visit with a brother or sister today and remember who we were. And together we give thanks to Christ for presenting us as righteous saints before God.

Degradation

"They spit in his face," Matthew 26:67.

Well. We get the physical suffering and, with good reason, most commonly, we focus on that. At the same time, a more insidious process was going on with Jesus: his degradation. A prophet indeed, yet he was struck and slapped and in jest called on to prophesy about his striker. Yeah. We thought that God had beaten him, God had afflicted him, we had no esteem for him. But he bore our grief. Carried our sorrow. Wounded for us. Crushed for our iniquities. He was oppressed. Afflicted. By God. For our sin. The cost to him of our redemption.

As we begin to think soberly of our rebellion, we meet with a brother or sister today in repentance. And in thankful hope together we confess our desperate need for the forgiveness he bought for us.

Thorned

"They crucified him there," Luke 23:32.

The place of The Skull, where they drove nails through his hands and his feet onto the wood. They had already flogged him. They had already beaten a crown of thorns into his head. So they stripped him of his clothing to lay him bare for all to see the shame. Hanging on nails between heaven and earth. Blood from his whipped back. Blood from his thorned head. Blood from from his nailed hands. From his bloodied feet. Struggling for every breath. And when he died, blood and water from his spear-pierced side. His life blood: the cost to him for the redemption free to us.

When we meet with a brother or sister today, we remember the cost to him for our ransom. And together we give speechless thanks to God for the atoning sacrifice that yielded our cleansing.

Worthy

"They spit in his face and struck him, and some slapped him," Matthew 26:67.

The cost to Jesus for our redemption. Judged worthy of death. Why worthy? because he said he could destroy God's temple and rebuild it in three days. Why worthy? because he made the good confession to be the Christ, Son of God. Why worthy? because he insulted God. And so he deserved to die. Jesus paid a price with the body that God prepared for him to live.

We visit with a brother or sister today sorrowful for our sin in this darkened world. And mourning together we give thanks for God's love expressing such humility.

Forgave

"They held counsel how to destroy him," Mark 3:6.

Why did they do this? because Jesus forgave a man. and then healed him. because Jesus fellowshiped with tax collectors and sinners. and not with the pretended righteous. because Jesus didn't have his disciples fast properly. instead, said it was time to celebrate. because Jesus did what was not lawful on the Sabbath. and said he was Lord of the Sabbath. because he healed on the Sabbath. and implied it was lawful to save a life against their Sabbath law. Because Jesus, to them, was a despicable godless low life. Jesus: paying the price for our redemption.

We meet with a brother or sister today chagrined at the way we dishonored him. And, belatedly, we give heartfelt thanks to him for putting up with us for life.

Abusers

"They will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him," Mark 10:34.

These are, Jesus said, the elements of his sacrifice. Obedient to God, he yielded divine prerogatives and gave himself over to depraved humanity. He listed out what humans do to each other. Ridicule. Despise. Bully. Kill. That's what we do when we've lost our way. (We're still lost.) Priests and scribes condemned him. Gentiles abused and killed him. The price he paid for our redemption.

As we approach Easter we meet with a brother or sister and remember the cost to Jesus. And together we give humbled thanksgivings for mercy freely given to us, abusers of God.

Wowed

"He did not count equality with God something to clutch on to," Philippians 2:6.

He, who? Jesus. Christ. Christ Jesus decided equality with God was less important than something else. (Amazing! What could be a bigger deal than being like God?!). Yeah. Less important than what? than obedience. Less important than obedience to God. So he did. Did obey God. To empty himself. To look like a slave instead. To be born a human. And as a human he humbled himself. Obedient. Obedient to death. To death on a cross. Wow! The cost to him of our redemption; that's what we're talking about.

In humility with a brother or sister today we bow before our God and Savior who shows us obedience. And wowed together we give worship and thanksgiving to God for such a redeemer as Christ.

Man

"You have prepared a body for me," Hebrews 10:5.

That's Jesus talking to God. He asserts that God didn't want him to make special offerings of animals or grains or any such sacrifices. No. Rather, God intended for Christ to live out his whole life as an actual man, body and all.  A real human being. The price to be paid for our redemption began as an embryo in his mother's womb. And Jesus's response to the body God prepared was: God, I've come to do your will. The ransom he paid for us shows us who we could have been.

We meet with a brother or sister today meditating about the one who paid our price. And together we give thanks to God for love's plan in that man.

Anticipating

"She began to speak about him to all who were anticipating the redemption of Jerusalem," Luke 2:38.

That was the old prophetess Anna speaking of six-week old Jesus in the temple. The baby embodied God's answer to the people's hope for redemption. All Jerusalem, seat of ancient Israel's royalty, throne of the house of David, waited for God somehow to pay the ransom from oppression. For their liberty. And Anna praised God to say, here he is! And in this way, the two doves sacrificed in ransom for this first-born baby boy's own redemption, put him on the path toward his own sacrifice for ours.

We visit with a brother or sister today recognizing our ransom was paid over his lifetime of service. And together we declare with Anna praise and wonder for such a God.

Attention

"All are being justified by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus," Romans 3:24.

We pay close attention to this: All people have sinned. Period. All people have majorly failed God's glory. Period. God is making all people right as a gift by his generosity. Period. His grace stands secure in Jesus's payment of our price. Period.

We cannot but meet with a brother or sister today to speak of our redemption. And together we glorify God for his immeasurable gift of kindness toward us in Christ.

Outstretched

"I will redeem you with an outstretched arm," Exodus 6:6.

So says God to enslaved Israel. God will deliver them from slavery and will take them to be his own people. And they will know that the Lord God is their God. These slaves cannot pay their own ransom. They cannot bring themselves out from under the burden. They cannot deliver themselves. They cannot redeem themselves. But God can. But God will. And God does. Because God loves.

When we visit with a brother or sister today we remember that God also redeemed us when we were helpless. And together we give thanks to God for Christ, our redeemer.

Price

"You were bought with a price," 1 Corinthians 6:20.

And at what a price! The cost of redemption. The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. A free gift to us, but at what price to God? In the Last Leaf the old artist gives hope of life to the dying young woman. She recovers, but at the cost of the painter's health. Our redemption was bought at a high price, but not to us. So we don't belong to ourselves. We belong to another who paid our price. So we yield to our master and live out life in our bodies to bring glory to God.

We meet with a brother or sister today in praise for our redeemer. And together we give thanks to God who paid the cost for our lives.

Exploratory

"It had been founded upon the rock," Matthew 7:25.

So. Customarily New Year's resolutions are changes we identify to make our lives better. In that same spirit these exploratory devos began this year affirming God's new creation in Jesus. We belong to a new covenant. We come into the kingdom of the skies. We hear God's call to life as he designs it, no longer broken by sin. So these exploratories focused on change: Repentance. Jesus calls us to change. And at the heart of the new action, new attitude, new perspective, new thinking we find Jesus's sermon on the mountain. When we do Jesus's teachings, this rock becomes our home's foundation. And no storm fells that house. Ever.

We visit with a brother or sister today in full view of God's heaven. And thankful together we now live so as to touch into his eternity.

Panicked

"He was teaching them as one who had authority," Matthew 7:29.

Ya think? He taught like he knew what he was talking about? So. The Good Book says that Jesus went around the whole country preaching the good news of the kingdom. The kingdom in which God reigns. He started the preaching with the call: Repent! So. When he taught his teachings as in Matthew 5-7, the people were amazed. Astonished. They marvelled. Maybe were a little panicked! Why? because. really. he knew what he said was true. And that people of that day, and we people of today, if they didn't repent, and if we don't repent, if they didn't do, and if we don't do, the will of God, namely, the teachings Jesus gave them, and the teachings Jesus gives us, they would not be part of, and we would not be part of, the kingdom of God. But Jesus wants them, and he wants us, to be part of the kingdom. So he says: Repent. Sky kingdom!

As we visit with a brother or sister today we affirm the kingdom of heaven. And together we give thanks for the saving teaching of Jesus's good news.

Obedience

"He will be like a wise man," Matthew 7:24.

Who will be like that? Any person, man or woman. Anyone at all? No. Not anyone at all. Who then? Any person who hears Jesus's words. Who hears them ... and does them. And does what they say to do. Well, what about those who hear them but don't do them? Well, they're like stupid. Wait, Jesus! Calling people names is kind of harsh, isn't it? Yes, it is. (But it's still what he said.) We soften the word a little by saying, They're like fools. Yah. The wise path leads to life. The foolish path leads to death. New covenant of life! Repent.

We meet a brother or sister today encouraging each other to life. And together we give thanks to Jesus for his words that lead us into life-giving obedience.

Known

"I never knew you," Matthew 7:23.

Woah! Who's Jesus talking about? talking about people who called him Lord, but who didn't do what he said to do. Mind you, these folks did all sorts of religious stuff in Jesus's name, like prophesy, cast out demons, do miracles. Pretty impressive. But they didn't do what he said to do. They didn't do the will of God. Rather, they did lawlessness. They didn't do Jesus's teaching in the sermon on the mount. But they sure did a bunch of religious stuff. But the kingdom of God only opens to any who do the will of God. That's why Jesus went around preaching: Repent! The kingdom's coming!

As we visit a brother or sister today we attend in faith to the will of God. And being known by God together we give thanks for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Pukchi

"You'll recognize them by their fruits," Matthew 7:20.

Recognize who? Fake prophets. Bad religion. Bad actors. So what makes for bad fruit? Well, like, duh! It tastes bad. Sure, it might look pretty like the red fruit of mountain ash, but one bite and it's bad. Really bad. Not good. Besides, we don't pick blueberries from monk's hood. Nor strawberries from pukchi. No. We get tasty cherries off healthy cherry trees. So that's how we can tell. A wolverine remains nasty vicious even if it masquerades as a lamb. So. Beware! They love themselves. Not their neighbors; and sure not God. So. We be fruit inspectors. Says Jesus.

We visit with a brother or sister today recognizing Christ at work changing us into his own image. And together we give thanks to God for continuing to transform us.

Freeway

"Enter by the narrow gate," Matthew 7:13.

Ok. sounds fine. but. the gate to where? if we go in where are we going in to? Oh, says Jesus, the gate to life. Want to end up dead? No prob. A spacious six lane gate opens easy for the crowds speeding down that freeway. Want to live? Repent! Come into life through the careful gate. Hike the much less traveled path. Namely: Love God. Love people. For real. New covenant.

We meet with a brother or sister today in godly care for each other. And together we give thanks to God for Jesus's gate to life's path.

Taste

"This is the Law and the Prophets," Matthew 7:12.

(Wait - What's the Law and the Prophets? It's most of what we often call the Old Testament writings. OK.) So. What's the Law and the Prophets? All those pages and pages, hundreds and hundreds of them, all those teachings find their summary in this line: Treat other people how you want them to treat you. That's it. That's what it's all about. That's life in the sky kingdom. In fact, that was life the way it was designed to be from the beginning. Life the way Jesus lived it out in our time. And life the way it is purposed to be in the forever.

We meet a brother or sister today genuinely attentive to each other. And we give thanks to God for the opportunity to taste eternity in the present.

Quest

"Ask! It'll be given to you," Matthew 7:7.

Yeah. Says Jesus in fact: Quest! You'll find it. Knock! It'll open for you. The kingdom of the skies is the place where all God's Yesses happen. Even we, messed up as we are, know how to give bread (and not rocks), and fish (and not snakes) to our hungry kids; good gifts for them. God, who is not messed up, knows all the more how to give the good things to his kids when they ask him. Every good and perfect gift comes down from His sky kingdom. New covenant. In Christ. Where every spiritual blessing in the skies overflows.

We meet with a brother or sister today to petition our Father. And together we give thanks to God, able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or imagine.

Pigs

"Don't give holy things to dogs," Matthew 7:6.

Wow! What are you talking about, Jesus? Are you calling some people dogs? Or pigs, even? You've got our attention now, because we like dogs and pigs. Well, the Good Book reminds us, dogs and pigs (according to the old covenant) are unclean animals. They represent degenerate behavior. But Jesus calls us to live and talk in accord with the ways of holiness. He plans for his people not to mix up their holiness in the world's filth. Repent, he says. Otherwise, the world's dim-witted mindlessness tramples holy things ignorantly into the mud, wasting not only these but those seeking for God's holiness, too.

Mindfully, we meet a brother or sister today in holiness and truth. And thankfully, together we receive God's life-giving holy Spirit.

Foibles

"Don't you judge!" Matthew 7:1.

Jesus keeps meddling in our favorite social pastimes. Why can't we keep on passing judgment on others' failures and foibles? Well, fact is, we can (and do). Here's the deal, though. If we do, we get judged in the same way, same standard. And that same way and standard by which we're looking for specks in others' eyes blinds us to the 2x4 sticking out of our own. How do we even think to be able to see at all? Jesus keeps calling: Repent! Kingdom of God. New covenant. Different pastime.

We walk with a brother or sister today, true yokefellows in the path of obedience. And together we give thanks to our Father who sees us clearly yet calls us by faith righteous.