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Daily devotionals are a good introduction, helping to explain the main of ideas of the text without getting overly technical. As devotionals, they aim to enrich our relationship with God rather than turn us into academics!
Jesus lived with a profound sense of purpose. He spoke and acted as the One who was the culmination of the story of Israel, as the One through whom God’s purposes would be achieved. In Jesus, God was finally acting to restore the world— now distorted by sin, death and decay— just as he promised Abraham long ago.
But this restoration would come at a cost. Jesus knew restoration could only happen if he faced death himself, overcoming its sting, and demonstrating his victory by coming back to life. In all the Gospels, the cross stands at the centre of history – the pivot point around which everything revolves.
The remainder of the New Testament explores the significance of the cross through many lenses, in differing contexts, explaining in various ways all that Jesus achieved for the world and for us. As you read the gospel accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection this month, consider what the authors are trying to tell us about the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. What does it mean? What is its impact? According to the Bible, how is your life different now because of what Jesus did on the cross then?
The Last Supper stands in all the gospels as an event fore-telling the significance of all that follows in Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. The Passover – the Jewish feast celebrating the exodus – was infused with so many ‘types’ and symbols which found their fulfilment and completion in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
His death will be a new exodus in the way that a new covenant comes about. As you read, consider all the ways in which the Old Testament foreshadows these events. List them down so that you can continue to meditate on them. Remembering that these are actual historical events, place your yourself in the shoes of the disciples who watched Jesus go to his death. What would they have felt and thought?
Imagine their cascading “ah ha!” moments as they reflected back on all that took place so quickly in those hours. What do we learn in this passage about their understanding of Jesus’ death?
The apostle John brings fresh insights to the events of Jesus’ crucifixion. Undoubtedly, he is describing the same event on Golgotha Hill just outside the city walls, but his personal ‘eyewitness’ account supplies additional details and perspectives to that of Matthew, Mark and Luke– which share common sources.
Exercise: Compare each of the four gospel accounts, noting their differences and similarities. Notice how each brings fresh nuance, highlighting particular themes or perspectives. What conclusions do you draw from each?
Resurrection Sunday was the first day of the week, most appropriate for making all things new. Jesus’ defeat of death is more than the defeat of Satan and sin. Jesus is also crowned king of God’s kingdom, the ruler of Life which will ultimately restore all creation. Early on that Sunday morning, beyond all hope, the tomb was empty.
John paints the scene beautifully: the confusion of Mary; turning to a dawning acceptance among all the disciples. All the details of this passage tell a particular part of the story. None are accidental or incidental, as each is added to the next building a cumulative case that cannot be thwarted. What is John trying to tell us about Jesus’ resurrected body? What possible misunderstandings is John trying to guard against?
Two of Jesus disciples are walking away from Jerusalem in despair. With Jesus execution, all their hopes have been dashed. A stranger appears beside them, walking with them. By retelling the whole story of Israel, he explains why Jesus had to die, and why he must then enter into glory.
Over a shared meal that evening, before suddenly departing, the stranger drops the hint that he is actually the resurrected Jesus! What is the significance of this Emmaus Road conversation for understanding both the resurrection, and the biblical story?
Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae speaks about Jesus’ death and resurrection, combining the personal and the cosmic. The significance of the historical events are now applied to the lives of people far from Jerusalem, who likely never met Jesus in the flesh. The impact of the death and resurrection of Jesus is the same: death is swallowed up by his life. These conclusions also issue a challenge to us today to live in the new reality created by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Consider: According to Paul, what did God achieve through the cross?
The writer of Hebrews sees that in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God is fulfilling his promises to Abraham. Further, we see that, in Jesus, God has entered into our struggles, and shares with us in them.
What encouragement do you take away from this portrayal of Jesus? When might this perspective become especially relevant for a believer?
This passage includes what is probably an early Christian hymn of worship. It establishes the implications of Jesus being both fully Divine and fully Human in his incarnation, death and resurrection.
It wrestles with one of the most powerful questions of the Christian faith: given the dual nature of Jesus (God and human), what does the cross tell us about the life of a Christian? Consider this question deeply. What should this mean for your life today?
Growth Exercises are practical exercises we can try to help us grow as disciples of Christ. They are split into exercises to focus on for the coming week.
Perhaps Christian Praise should not be considered a ‘discipline’ or something to be worked out, practiced and developed. Perhaps it should just arise spontaneously from hearts of wonder and gratitude as we get to know our great God. Maybe we should all just ‘naturally’ pray prayers like Paul’s:
Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Perhaps those sorts of prayers just ‘happen’…. but they don’t. They come from a deep and disciplined life of praise. Our reading of the book of Psalms has already shown us the value of ‘learning to pray’ the prayers of others. The Psalms of Praise act as ‘training wheels’ for our lives of prayer, and especially our lives of praise.
So this month, we are going to intentionally work on our praise of God. We’re going to practice. We’re going to discipline ourselves, all so that we learn the language of praise and so that our hearts know how to overflow with joy in the presence of God.
We have read passages from much of the Bible already in our Growing Disciples program. So this week, take a new page in your journal and write down as much as you can, completing the phrase: “God is the God who…”
For example, Abraham came to know God is the God who fulfilled his promise and gave him Isaac. Moses and the Israelites came to know God is the God who delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
Turn your reflections on God’s great acts of creation and salvation into prayers of praise. Don’t forget to expand your brainstorming to include all that God has done since Jesus, through his people and the church: in your life, your family members lives, and your community’s history.
God has graciously taken the initiative in revealing to humanity not just his plans but his person. The sermon to the Hebrews begins,
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
This week, take another new page in your journal and write down as much as you can, completing the phrase: “I know God to be…” In this way, we will avoid too many abstract ideas which, although excellent theology, may not lead to doxology. As you did in the previous week, use this page in your journal as a springboard for prayers of praise.
As the Psalms reach their crescendo in Psalm 150, you get a sense of highly trained worshipers, at the height of their art, giving their all for God. At the same time, it seems that everyone else is enthusiastically grabbing anything nearby that can be turned to the purpose of worshiping God. All this melds into a wonderful cacophony of praise.
Read Psalm 150 and see if you agree. You may not even be very handy with the timbrel, or even know what it is (Psalm 150:4), but think through your creative talents or outlets in life.
Can you paint? Can you play music? Can you write? Can you design? Can you landscape? Can you cook? Can you make people feel at home? Pick one, and spend some time planning how you could turn it to the purpose of worshiping God for who he is and for what he has done.
Many of us will have had experiences of worshiping God alone. These can be intimate and rewarding times, yet there are essential aspects of worship that can only be experienced and offered to God in community. We are, perhaps, very familiar with ‘our’ community, ‘our’ church, ‘our’ way doing corporate worship.
This week’s exercise is very simple: gather some friends to worship God, differently. Together, plan a time of praise or worship like nothing you’ve ever done before. Find out about some Christian worship practices and styles that are different to those you with which you are familiar. If you’re familiar with practices that are energetic and lively, you might consider something more contemplative.
On the other hand, if you have never raised your hands or sung with enthusiasm, it might be time you did. Be prepared to venture outside your comfort zone. As you engage in worship, try not to critique all the differences. Instead, look for the positives that this unfamiliar worshiping style reveals about the nature of God.
During the month of September we will be praying for, and getting to know, the ministry of the Church Missionary Society (CMS).
Learn more about the vision and values of CMS. Or, learn more about the missionaries, and perhaps pray for one of them each day. Or, check out their other resources.
