(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)
Worship
By singing praises and hymns, awake your soul, open your heart to the Lord, and prepare yourself to welcome the presence of God and receive the Word of God that will be given to you.
Thanksgiving
Petition with thanksgiving to God for a wonderful day and pray sincerely for a focused Scripture reading time! (Do not rush into reading the Bible without starting with prayers!) (e.g., you may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what will you be speaking to me today?)
Scripture Reading
Get the following items ready in advance: your devotional notebook, paper, pen, and/or electronic devotional articles so that you can easily write down the Bible verses, questions, and thoughts you have noticed! You are encouraged to open your Bible and vocally read out the scriptures (Try to practice this reading method daily or once a week)!
Scripture Reading: Matthew Ch. 28 (ESV)
Meditation
Take a moment to quietly reflect on today’s Scriptures. Through such exercises, let God’s Word be gradually written into our hearts and be inscribed to our mind.
Devotional
Read the devotional articles prepared by CBCLWA (*Read the Bible first before reading any devotional materials.)
(vv. 1-15) The Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week. What a joyous event this is, that the Lord is risen! The women present were, understandably, filled with fear and great joy: after all, they were expecting to anoint the body of the Lord with the spices that they had prepared, and yet, an empty tomb was what greeted them. The angel relayed to them the news of Jesus’ resurrection, and where he was headed to. Afterward, Jesus himself appeared to the women, reaffirming that he will meet with his disciples in Galilee, just as he had previously instructed them (Mt. 26:32). Jesus has truly risen in the flesh!
In another corner of Jerusalem, however, others were reacting to the news of Jesus’ resurrection in a completely different manner. Because of the report of the guards to the chief priests of what had taken place, the chief priests and the elders gathered. And they bribed the soldiers with a large sum of money, so that they would spread rumors: that all this happened simply because the disciples came by night and stole away the body of Jesus, while the soldiers were still asleep. They also assured the soldiers that their connections under Pilate would keep them out of any trouble these rumors might cause. This is why the “body snatcher” theory still persists today. Notice in yesterday’s Scripture passage (Mt. 27:62-66), how the chief priests and the Pharisees, in response to Jesus’ claims that He would rise in three days, specifically made precautions that Jesus’ corpse would not be stolen; they did so by requesting Pilate to secure the tomb with stationed guards. And yet here they are now, spreading false rumors that his corpse has been stolen?!
With regards to Jesus’ resurrection, the fact of the matter is this: neither soldiers, nor tombs, nor the stone blocking the entrance of the tomb, nor even death itself could bind Jesus; He is risen indeed, and we have as witness the women who were present that day, along with the disciples, as well as the Bible and history itself. We also have the testimonies of our brothers and sisters in the present time, how each and every one of us have experienced Jesus and come to profess Him. Any claim in which Jesus did not rise from the dead is a lie! Will you believe in a lie, or the truth?
（vv. 16-20）The Great Commission that we are all familiar with comes from the Gospel of Matthew. After His resurrection and yet before He ascended, Jesus commanded his disciples in this way: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This is a command to action, with an eternal promise of His presence, as a commission to magnify His sovereign name. It is only when we are willing to submit to His authority and partake in His commission, that we can experience the full magnitude of the power His authority over all heaven and earth can bring. It is also only then that we can bring more people to Christ, for them to submit to Him, to call Him as Lord, and to become His disciples!
Dear brothers and sisters, what roles have you taken on to partake in God’s plan for all peoples and nations? Are there ways in which you can participate in a greater capacity?
Pray
Give thanks to God for His enabling us to read the Scriptures and for our response for living out the Word of God today! (e.g., You may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what/where are you going to lead me to today?”)