Church Blog (Page 13)
Victory Palms
Victory Palms Daily Devotion for Lent | Sunday, March 25, 2018 | Palm Sunday Read Mark 11:1-10. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. (Mark 11:8) Where I grew up, we had palm trees everywhere. There were palms at the beach, palms used as street trees, palm thickets so deep you could lose yourself playing hide and seek. There were even palms trying to grow up through…
The King Of The Jews
The King Of The Jews Daily Devotion for Lent | Saturday, March 24, 2018 Read John 19:18-22. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (John 19:19) When the Romans crucified someone, they often put a notice on the cross over the criminal’s head. This was called the “titulus,” and it was there to tell everybody what crime was being punished. When Pilate wrote the inscription to…
Sponge and Stick
Sponge and Stick and Sour Wine Daily Devotion for Lent | Friday, March 23, 2018 Read John 19:28-30. A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to His mouth. (John 19:29) Just before Jesus’ final moments, He said, “I’m thirsty.” Someone took a sponge and filled it with the sour wine the soldiers brought to drink. Then they put it on a stick…
Pain Killer?
Pain Killer? Daily Devotion for Lent | Thursday, March 22, 2018 Read Matthew 27:33, 46-50. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when He tasted it, He would not drink it. (Matthew 27:33-34) The Roman executioners were not complete monsters. Before they nailed Jesus to the cross, they offered Him wine mixed with gall—a painkiller, probably a bitter-tasting plant like opium poppy.…
Not A Chance
Not A Chance Daily Devotion for Lent | Wednesday, March 21, 2018 Read John 19:23-24. “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”… (John 19:24b) When a man was crucified, his clothes normally went to the executioners. That’s how Jesus’ execution squad wound up gambling at the foot of His cross. There was a single valuable piece of clothing left over—a seamless tunic—and they didn’t want to ruin it. So they played for it. The…
Covering For Shame
Covering For Shame Daily Devotion for Lent | Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Read John 19:23-24. And when they had crucified Him, they divided His garments among them by casting lots. (Matthew 27:35) Most of us know shame. Shame for something we’ve done long ago, something almost forgotten until a chance word reminds us, and we cringe. Shame for something that was done to us, that we know was not our fault, but we can’t shake the memory. Shame for something…
Water And Blood
Water And Blood Daily Devotion for Lent | Monday, March 19, 2018 Read: Matthew 27:24-26. So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd … (Matthew 27:24a) It was so dramatic—and such a waste of time. Pilate’s little act with the handwashing did no good at all. “Innocent of this man’s blood”? Hardly. Everyone knew he was too scared to act justly and…
Crown Of Thorns
Crown Of Thorns Daily Devotion for Lent | Sunday, March 18, 2018 Read John 19:1-5. So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” (John 19:5) Where I grew up there is a little desert plant called “crown of thorns.” It has long spidery branches so covered in thorns you can’t even touch the bark. Bright green leaves grow toward the ends of the branches, and small red flowers—round…
No Regrets
No Regrets Daily Devotion for Lent | Saturday, March 17, 2018 Read John 19:1-5. Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. (John 19:1) “Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.” Such a short sentence for such a terrifying punishment. A Roman flogging was no joke. The victim was stripped and tied facing a pillar to prevent him running or collapsing to the ground. Two skilled men held whips resembling a cat-o’-nine-tails. The limit on the number of strokes? Among Romans,…
Dress-Up
Dress-Up Daily Devotion for Lent | Friday, March 16, 2018 Read Mark 15:16-20. And they clothed Him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on Him. And they began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18) When you were little, did you ever play dress-up with your parents’ clothes? Perhaps you tried on mom’s shoes, or dad’s tie. Perhaps it was an older brother’s graduation cap or a sister’s wedding…
Rope
Rope Daily Devotion for Lent | Thursday, March 15, 2018 Read Mark 15:1-5. And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led Him away and delivered Him over to Pilate. (Mark 15:1) Do you have a coil of rope in your house? What about your car? Rope is a handy thing to have when you’re tying down a Christmas tree…
Burned
Burned Daily Devotion for Lent | Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Read Mark 14:53-55. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. (Mark 14:54b) Choosing a place to sit shouldn’t be a big deal, should it? Jesus was on trial for His life in the high priest’s house, and Peter wanted a place to see what would happen to Him. But he didn’t dare get too close—someone might recognize him as a disciple and arrest him,…