Daily Devotion, April 7, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, 27.

This is one of my favorite scriptures. The apostle Paul writes beautifully of his image of the church in that we are all parts of the body of Christ. I love that he animates the foot and the ear with speaking voices! I can almost see Paul smiling as he writes this letter to the church at Corinth!

Paul often writes in an attempt to help the new Jewish Christians and the new Gentile Christians to get along with each. Sometimes they had differences which kept them from functioning at their best to carry out Christ’s mission for the church. He’s calling them to work together!

Paul reminds them that they are all many parts, but that they are ONE body, by their baptism and by the gift of God’s Spirit. Then he reminds them that they are each different for different purposes and functions.

Paul declares that God has arranged the body of Christ, the church, with these different parts to function at it’s best for God’s mission.

There are various analogies to further illustrate Paul’s image of the body of Christ: orchestras, team sports, machines, computers, vehicles, and puzzles. But I simply love pondering just a few of the ways in which our church has functioned over the last year to help others; providing food for the Mustard Tree ministry, providing supplies for the Bethlehem Center, helping area schools, helping with the Tornado clean-up from 2020, helping with projects at Camp Lookout, and financially helping with mission projects around the globe. Others have worked in our church’s nursery and preschool, and with our children and youth. Others have taught Bible studies, led Sunday school and small group classes. And others have worked to bring us worship services through the gifts of technology into our homes!

Each person’s gifts are vital as a part of the Body of Christ and important in fulfilling Christ’s mission for the world. Individually, the mission would be an insurmountable task, but together, by God’s grace, and the power of God’s Spirit, it’s possible!!!

Personal Worship Option:

Life-giving God, we celebrate the gifts which you give into the life of the people to carry out Christ’s mission in the world. Thank you for the gifts you have given to each of us. Help us as a church to work together, in love, to give our best to serve others in this world. Amen.

Daily Devotion, April 6, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Joshua 6:8-16.

The strategy to conquer the city of Jericho was unique. In order to make the city fall, God told Joshua to lead his men around the walls of the city for six days straight without anyone talking. It was a seemingly foolish plan. Imagine this group walking for six days in circles wondering if anything was ever going to happen. Isn’t that the way it feels sometimes? Couples decide to work on their marriage but don’t see any progress. Churches begin new ministries but don’t see much growth. Families work to have more harmony but don’t see much change. We feel as if we are going in circles. The Israelites must’ve felt that way also. God said keep walking. Take another lap. Keep going in circles. On the seventh day God told them to walk around the walls again and give a huge shout. And then it happened: the walls fell. Everyone worked together in unison following their leader Joshua who was obeying God‘s instructions. The message for us is clear. When you keep struggling with life‘s issues, keep walking in faith. Follow God‘s instructions, work together, keep the faith, and watch the walls come tumbling down.

Personal Worship Option:

Are you dealing with issues that make you feel as if you are going in circles? If so, make sure you are following God‘s plan for your life, using biblical principles, praying fervently, and seeking wise godly counsel from someone. Then take another lap of faith and look for God to work.

Daily Devotion, April 5, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Nehemiah 3:1-8.

Some of the exiles had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. Not only was the beautiful temple destroyed, but the entire city was in disarray. Nehemiah rode around the city wall to survey its damage and learned that the wooden entrance structures or gates had been burned, and there were huge gaps in the stone wall. This was a defining disgrace for a city, signifying that it was weak and without resources. Having already procured the construction materials, Nehemiah called the people, priests, and officials together and asked them to join in the work of the tremendous project rebuilding the wall and the gates. Today’s passage lists some of the families and groups who took on the work of rebuilding each gate, along with a section of adjoining wall. The work would continue until the restored sections joined and the wall, towers, and gates were completely rebuilt. A task that had seemed impossible for a group of humbled, returning exiles had been completed because everyone stepped up and did their part.

One of our staff members often reminds us that “many hands make light work” as we join together, working alongside and supporting each other on our projects. This passage reminds us of the power of many hands working together.

Personal Worship Option:

Pray today for the ministries of Christ Church and for the people who serve in those. If you are looking for a new ministry, contact the church office and describe your interests. Give thanks for the opportunity to work alongside others in serving God.

Daily Devotion, April 4, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 20:1, 11-18, 30-31.

It’s Easter! The day we celebrate our risen Savior and Lord!

Our Scripture passage gives us a portion of what John includes from that day. You can read the full chapter to see all he includes. My focus for this devotional is on the last two verses of the chapter, which also sound like the end of the book. They certainly sound like a summation of the whole book, with a postlude scene coming in chapter 21. Verse 31 in particular gives us the writer’s reason for writing: “so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.”

There it is: Jesus gives life. You can see that emphasis over and over again in this book. From 1:4, “In him was life…” From 3:16, “...everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.” In 6:35, Jesus says about himself “I am the bread of life…” In 10:10, Jesus said “I came so that they could have life - indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.” In 11:25, Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life…” Life that is offered to every person in all the world is clearly the theme for this writer.

So today, we not only celebrate that Jesus is alive. We celebrate the life he offers to you and me and everybody else! Christ is risen! Hallelujah! And because he is alive, we can live forevermore!

Personal Worship Option:

Join us in worship today as we celebrate Easter. Whether in person at 9:30 or 11:15 or online at those times or later, we invite you to give thanks and praise to God for what this day means.

Daily Devotion, April 3, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 3:16.

Last week we focused on the love in this verse. This week we focus on the life in it. When we think about the phrase “eternal life” we tend to focus on the word “eternal” and only think about this phrase as referring to the life we experience after life in this world. But in “The Gospel According To John” this writer brings out Jesus’ teaching that eternal life is something that starts now. It is about a relationship that you can have with God right now, a relationship that can grow each and every day and simply continues in another place after you take your last breath in this world. This is life that is guided by the Holy Spirit and focuses on things like love, peace, hospitality, justice, generosity and healing. This is about living life to the fullest and seeking to share this life with every person you can. It is about “thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” It’s about growing in understanding what life will be like in heaven and putting that vision into practice in everyday life in the here and now as much as you can. It’s about lifting others up instead of putting them down. It’s about saving, not condemning (refer to next verse). It’s about leaving things, and people, better than you found them.

How does one experience this life? By simply believing in, trusting in, Jesus. Trusting that his way of living life and relating to other people is the way that leads to this eternal life. So it’s more than just a belief in your mind and thinking; he is the way that you believe in so much that you put it into practice in your everyday life and in all of your relationships.

Believe in Jesus Christ and have eternal life. It will last forever. It starts whenever you start believing.

Personal Worship Option:

Remember when you started believing in Jesus Christ? What have you learned since then about the eternal life he offers? Celebrate that! (If you have not yet begun that relationship with him, contact our church office and let us help you take that step. What better time to do so than at Easter!) 

Daily Devotion, April 2, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 19.

This chapter completes the story of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. He gave his life so we could have life. Max Lucado writes in his God’s Story, Your Story, “At the cross Christ wrapped himself around us and felt the full force of the fall. He took the unrelaxed punishment of the guilty. He died not like a sinner, but as a sinner --in our place. His sacrifice is a sufficient one. Our merits don’t enhance it. Our stumbles don’t diminish it. The sacrifice of Christ is a total and unceasing and accomplished work.

“It is finished,” Jesus announced. His prayer of abandonment is followed by a cry of accomplishment. Not “It is begun” or “It is initiated” or “It is a work in progress” No, “It is finished.”

Christ’s sacrifice costs everything and changes everything! 

Personal Worship Option:

Spend some time thinking about how Christ’s sacrifice has impacted your life. How will that change how you spend this day?

Daily Devotion, April 1, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 18.

Do any of you remember the play Our Town by Thornton Wilder? It appears to be a simple play line, but there is so much more going on in the big scheme of the plot. There is so much in this chapter of John 18 that it reminds me of that play. The people can’t see Jesus’ big picture. Judas betrayed Jesus to the chief priests. He was arrested and assaulted. Peter denied him. He was sent before Pilate, the governor of Rome to stand trial. Pilate questions why this seemingly non-threatening Jesus would cause the Jewish leaders so much worry. Pilate also found it crazy that Jesus claimed to be a king.

Sadly, Pilate could not see the big picture. He could not see the bigger trauma and issues around him. Pilate could not see beyond the Roman Empire to the kingdom of real life that Jesus was bringing in. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus’ kingdom was not and is not established or maintained by military might. Jesus’ kingdom is built and is maintained on love and grace. It cannot fail. Our lives today are under Jesus’ reign; through him God gave us access to His eternal kingdom. What a great comfort and joy!

Personal Worship Option:

We rejoice that Jesus is King and that His kingdom is established by the power of love. We are so grateful for the life that His kingdom brings for us. O God, equip us for your kingdom work, we pray. In Jesus name, Amen.