by Jonathan Krause
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Read Acts 26:24 – 27:8
Do you ever get scared of your phone?
Especially around five in the afternoon, when a strange number pops up on your screen. Or rings and rings on the landline while you’re trying to get dinner ready.
You know it will be someone who wants to sell you something.
They pretend they have a connection with you by mentioning your power bill or credit card or a deal too good to be true that they don’t want you to miss out on.
If you make the mistake of being polite and then give them the chance to continue, your next 10 minutes are lost. They have a script with a tailored answer for any question or comment you might make. They pretend they’re your friend, and you’d like to believe them … but, in the end, you know they’re only out to make a profit from you.
They’re trying to persuade you to buy something you don’t want … or didn’t want until they convinced you that you did – or desperately needed it or would be left behind if you didn’t have it.
Do you find it interesting that King Agrippa suggests that if Paul had more than a ‘short time’, perhaps Agrippa could be won with words?
Paul is a brilliant orator, so perhaps he could.
For me, I’ve always understood faith to be the gift of God through the Holy Spirit. Faith may come in a flash (perhaps in a blinding light like it did with Paul himself) … or it may take a lifetime. A death bed. A tragedy. The good news is through the bad news.
So, I don’t think I can write anything in these devotions that will persuade anyone of anything.
All I can do is share my experience and journey and pray the Spirit may use that to touch someone – or may not.
What do you think? Persuaded?
Lord, today, I open my heart to you. Lay myself bare. Stop my talking so I can hear whatever you want to share with me and follow wherever you want to lead. I’m in your hands. Amen.
Jonathan lives south of Adelaide with his wife Julie. Blessed by children and grandchildren, Jonathan enjoys reading and writing, walking by the beach and watching Collingwood win. Author of many devotion books, Jonathan is the Community Action Manager for the Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS).
by Emma Strelan
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They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ they said (Matthew 27:28,29).
Read Matthew 27:24–31
I don’t know if it’s just the corner of the internet I hang out in, but I’ve noticed that online, no topic, event or person is off-limits from becoming the subject of mockery. Whether it’s a silly internet meme that does the rounds or a string of scathing comments on a Facebook post, people on the internet love to mock. I’m almost amazed by the creativity and effort that goes into mocking and making a joke out of things online.
I won’t lie and say I don’t appreciate a tasteful meme that pokes fun at serious issues every now and then. However, I think we can all agree that most of the time, the mockery goes too far, damaging people’s livelihoods and wellbeing.
In our past few days of devotions, we’ve seen Jesus challenged and mocked by a variety of people, from those who consider themselves his intellectual opponents/superiors to his closest friends, and now by these Roman soldiers. And they go to quite creative lengths in their mocking endeavours to bring out the irony of this man who claims to be a king, providing him with all the pomp and circumstance due a king, but in the most twisted and mocking ways they can think of.
As humans, we are gifted with wit, creativity and fun. But with that comes the temptation to turn these into tools for power plays, manipulation and a chance to prove ourselves intelligent and funny to others. A snide, witty comment posted about the latest public appearance of a politician may get a few laughing reactions on Facebook; however, it is a far cry from the purpose for which we’ve been given these skills.
As Charles Spurgeon observed, if only we were ‘half as inventive in devising honour for our King as these soldiers were in planning his dishonour!’
As we read with horror the mockery our Saviour faced on his way to the cross, may we find ways to let our own intelligence and creativity bring him glory and honour instead.
Lord, you know what it is like to be at the receiving end of human cruelty. Please guide us to seek better uses of the creativity you’ve given us than to put others down. Keep showing us how to live with radical compassion. Amen.
Emma Strelan works part-time as a content producer with Lutheran Media and part-time as a freelance videographer around Adelaide. You’ll often find her rummaging through op shops or dreaming of her next camping trip or outdoor adventure. She feels blessed that her current work combines two of her biggest passions – creative media and exploring faith – and hopes the projects she works on will have a positive impact on others.
by Emma Strelan
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor (Matthew 27:13,14).
Read Matthew 27:11–23
I greatly admire those who can speak their truth and leave it at that. I feel slightly jealous of those people because when given a gap to fill, I often rush to defend decisions and the things I want people to understand from my perspective.
As humans, we have an innate desire to defend ourselves. But it seems like Jesus doesn’t. Why is that?
Silence is powerful. Jesus clearly knows that. But also, Jesus isn’t interested in defending himself. That’s not the ultimate reason why he came to us. Yes, the Word was made flesh to reveal God more fully, but even more importantly, it’s what God comes to do for us.
Thus, in the face of one of the most powerful people in that part of the world challenging Jesus to prove his claims, he whose very name was ‘the Word’, was silent.
Jesus has made the truth known – he is the King of the Jews, the prophesied Messiah – and no decisions made by religious or political leaders will change that.
God is who he is, no matter what we try to say about him.
In a time when it is easy to encounter opposition to the gospel we hold onto, and untrue accusations may be made about our faith, we can stand firm in knowing that we have a God whose truth is made known to us daily – in our baptism and through his Word.
Don’t we all wish we had Jesus’ strength of will and patience to stand so firmly in who we are without rushing to defend our sense of self when challenged? I am thankful that I have God’s truth to stand on, instead of my own. That’s a much firmer foundation.
God, our strength, give us the discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent. May we be reminded daily of the truth and weight of the gospel in our lives. Amen.
Emma Strelan works part-time as a content producer with Lutheran Media and part-time as a freelance videographer around Adelaide. You’ll often find her rummaging through op shops or dreaming of her next camping trip or outdoor adventure. She feels blessed that her current work combines two of her biggest passions – creative media and exploring faith – and hopes the projects she works on will have a positive impact on others.
by Emma Strelan
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders (Matthew 27:3).
Read Matthew 27:1–10
Yesterday, we encountered Peter’s failure in the face of Jesus’ faithfulness. Today, we turn to another of Jesus’ closest friends: Judas, who unfortunately doesn’t get a redemption arc like Peter.
There will always be many complexities to wrestle with in the case of Judas. What exactly motivated him to hand Jesus over in the first place? Why was he ‘seized with remorse’ so soon after? What was it that made him realise what he’d just done? And why was he driven to end things the way he did?
One thing’s for certain, though, is that Judas chose to cut himself off from Jesus. Perhaps in returning the 30 pieces of silver, he was seeking absolution from the chief priests, but they did not want or care for his remorse. It seems Judas never quite grasped the message that Jesus, in his ministry, pointed to and went on to fulfil that same evening – that Jesus is the only way to true redemption. Any other way of trying to make things right ultimately ends in death.
Let’s turn back to Peter for a moment. Unlike Judas, Peter accepts Jesus’ forgiveness, the price paid by the innocent king. And God goes on to use Peter to do marvellous things for the kingdom.
Judas had cut himself off from Jesus and couldn’t live with himself. But, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we never have to be cut off from Jesus. His forgiveness is always available. His grace is sufficient.
May we be reminded of this grace every day and trust that because of it, there’s always hope for redemption.
Lord of salvation, thank you that our failures will never be too big for your grace to heal. When we read passages like today’s, please help us wrestle with the complexities they raise, but ultimately remember the simplicity of the gospel – your grace given to us. Amen.
Emma Strelan works part-time as a content producer with Lutheran Media and part-time as a freelance videographer around Adelaide. You’ll often find her rummaging through op shops or dreaming of her next camping trip or outdoor adventure. She feels blessed that her current work combines two of her biggest passions – creative media and exploring faith – and hopes the projects she works on will have a positive impact on others.