Bible Readings and Devotion for March 28, 2020
You are encouraged to read these passages from this page or from your personal Bible. After the readings is a devotion based on one or more of the readings.
Here are the references for the readings. Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or an online Bible – click passage listing for link to online:
Devotion for March 28, 2020
By Pastor David Tinker
One of my favorite songs from my youth up through today is, “They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” I first knew this in my junior high days. We would sing it at youth events, confirmation class, and related events. On my Confirmation Sunday on May 18, 1980, this was played at worship as our “class song”.
Essentially, this song’s message is that others in our world will see our faith in how we live out love for one another and for our neighbors. This is the based on the teaching of Jesus in John 13:34-35, when Jesus says, “34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In a similar way, Jesus teaches that his actions show who he is for the world. In today’s reading from John 10 we hear this: “25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.” Essentially, the glorious good works of Jesus show that he is sent by God the Father. They later complain that he is showing and teaching that he and the Father are One. This is considered blasphemy because they don’t accept that this could be true.
In another place Jesus says, “If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:7). In this he is saying, observe what I say and do. This will show you what God the Father is like.
In Matthew we read, “2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” In this, Jesus is saying, “Look at what I am doing. These are the expected actions of the promised Messiah. So, yes, I am the Messiah.”
In each of these accounts of Jesus’ ministry we see that his actions of mercy, healing, self-giving and more all point to who he is. Together we can see that we will know that he is the Messiah, the Christ, and we know he is God the Son, all by his love.
Prayer
Loving God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: help us to see what you are like through what is revealed about Jesus. Guide us to lives of faithful service to you, to our neighbors in need, and to one another. We pray this in Jesus’ Holy Name.
Martin Luther Lutheran Church 