April 27
After His arrest, Jesus is taken before Pilate and the religious leaders.
INSIGHT
As the power of the Creator of the universe was veiled in human flesh in Jesus of Nazareth, men came with torches and weapons to subdue Him.
He asked, "Whom are you seeking?" They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He." With the force of those words from Jesus, they "drew back, and fell to the ground" (John 18:6).
It must have rattled their confidence to have to arrest Jesus. How much greater significance it lends to Jesus' words: "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself" (John 10:17-18).
For our sakes, Jesus laid down His life that we might take it up. He became what we are so that we might become what He is. Praise and glory to God!
· Offer to the Lord your praise for His willingness to lay down His life for you:
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who only does wondrous things!
And blessed be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen
(Psalms 72:18-19).
· Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving. Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
No temptation has overtaken me except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I am able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that I may be able to bear it (based on 1 Corinthians 10:13).
· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:27-28).
· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater sensitivity to sin,
· the ministry of your local church,
· your activities for the day.
· Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, . . . through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21).
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