Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
Luke 9:7-27
Psalm 72:1-20
Proverbs 12:8-9
Luke 9:22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
Happy Easter!! Yes, Jesus did suffer, and I reflected on that yesterday and what it must have been like for the disciples. Then I heard this on the radio. The disciples didn't realize Sunday was coming even though Jesus told them this before it happened. I imagine that when Sunday came it was overwhelmingly joyful. When we remember His suffering we do know that Sunday is coming and what that means. The joy we feel is real but I don't think it can compare to the joy of the disciples who were lost, sleep deprived, and scared for their lives. And when Sunday came it changed everything they knew and it changed them.
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
The change in the disciples was a full 180. They were no longer lost. They were able to rest in the knowledge of their eternal salvation. They became bold in the face of the threat to their lives. They were willing to deny themselves and take up their crosses daily. That is what we are called to do. We need to be bold in the face of opposition. There is nothing that we can suffer on this earth that can compare to what Jesus suffered. There is nothing that we can suffer on this earth that can compare to the greatness and glory that we have to look forward to. It is Easter Sunday and we have reason to rejoice and we should but we should also be changed. Sanctification is a continuous process. No matter how much we have grown in our walk it continues. What is it that you are being called to deny in yourself and what cross do you need to take up to better follow Jesus as you rejoice because Sunday is here!!
In getting behind in the blog as usual, God speaks to me this really hit my heart today.