Daily Devotion: April 7

After His resurrection, Jesus met two men on the road to Emmaus and took time to explain that all scriptures pointed to Him.

Luke 24:26-27 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory? 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

The fulfillment of Prophecy is one of the things that makes the Bible unlike anything else. Here are a few verses that point to the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Psalm 22:16 (a millennium before Jesus)
For dogs encompass me;  a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet.

Isaiah 53:4-5 (over 700 years before Jesus)
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace..

Matthew 12:40
For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

When considering all that the Bible entails, one is left dumbfounded and in awe of the fact that though it is complex and rich, it has a very simple universal message. God is love. The God who made everything and could be anything chose to be love.

1 John 4:9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

The well thought out plan of God quickly shows me two simple truths:

1. Jesus was and always will be in control of every situation.
2. Jesus chose with everything in Him to give His life as a ransom for many.

God didn’t have to do anything for us but He wanted to because He is love.
When someone says “God loves you” it can be overlooked and heard as just a nice thing to say. But the reality is that all of scripture screams that anthem over your life. It is true and will always remain true because God is love.

What do we do with all this love? We simply receive it and turn it back to God in the form of worship. Taking time to thank Him for all He’s done and serving Him in all that we do. (Colossians 3:23)

There is one more thing God wants us to do with His love– pay it forward.
1 John 4:11-12 goes on to say, “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.”

This Easter, remember the reason behind why Jesus died and rose again. He did it because God is love and others will see this love by the way we love each other.

Questions

1. How can you love those around you today?
2. What is something unloving in your life that you need to change?

Diving Deeper
Take some time and read more scripture that are prophecies about Jesus.

Here’s a helpful link to help you get started.
https://jewsforjesus.org/answers/top-40-most-helpful-messianic-prophecies


FOR YOUR KIDS

Get to know your kids

1. Would you rather eat cake or ice cream?
2. If you could ban one vegetable forever, what would it be?
3. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Devotional Questions

1. What are some words that describe what love is? (Use 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to help them. Examples: Patient, kind, compassionate)
2. What are some practical ways you can love others?

Have Fun
Click the link below for a fun craft about God’s love.
https://craftingthewordofgod.com/2014/02/06/love-is/