Bible Readings and Devotion for April 4, 2020
Here are the references for the readings. Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible:
Devotion for April 4, 2020
By Pastor David Tinker
Football is a surprising game. It may, at first, seem like a bunch of players smashing into each other, along with some who throw or kick the ball around. In reality, a very technical, precise and well-planned game. The players and coaches work together to create a plan of various plays and movements. The work out scenarios of what to do in various circumstances in various games.
One of the things which is quite common is to study to understand the opposing teams. The team will watch videos of how the opposition plays in certain circumstances. This makes it possible to prepare specific plays and defensive actions which will effectively counter the plays of the opposition. In essence, they know what they are getting themselves into in the next game.
In our reading today from John 11 and 12, we are shown that our Lord Jesus knows what he is getting himself into. As he heads toward Jerusalem, and eventually his death on the cross, he does a few things which point this out to us.
1) He brings Lazarus back to life – and points us toward his own rising from the dead.
2) He teaches us that that we can join him in this rising from our own deaths. Thus, he knows there will be people who follow him throughout time.
3) He teaches that the anointing by Mary, the sister or Martha and Lazarus, is done to prepare his body for burial, but he is not yet dead.
Jesus makes these announcements that he knows what is going to happen to him. He faces great opposition, and he deals with it at every turn. Even when he is arrested and put on trial, he is still living out God’s will for the situation. He may be in custody of the powerful Roman Empire, but Jesus is in this situation willingly, and for the sake of the world. In this we learn more about Jesus and what he has done for us. All of this is leading to the cross, and from that cross and Jesus’ rising from the dead, we are granted life with the Lord.
As you prepare for the celebrations of Holy Week, always remember that it leads us to the cross. Then what we do leads us from the cross to life everlasting.
Prayer
Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: we give thanks that Jesus went to the cross willingly for our sake. Help us to have faith in what he has done for us. We pray this in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
Martin Luther Lutheran Church 