(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: Luke Ch. 23 (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.1-25) Once the Jewish council was able to use Jesus’ own words against Him, Jesus faced a series of questioning by authorities. First, He was brought before Pilate, then to Herod (vv.8-12), only to faced Pilate again. While Jesus faced different interrogators, a crowd of people who eagerly wanted Jesus’ death was always present. Have you noticed them? When Pilate concluded in his first meeting with Jesus, “I find no guilt in this man,” this crowd urgently replied, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.” Before Herod, Jesus remained silent, but verse 10 said, “The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.” Neither Pilate nor Herod could find in Jesus, any guilt deserving of death under Roman law. Pilate had planned to release Jesus, but the crowd shouted, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas,” “Crucify Him!” The crowd’s loud cries prevailed, and Pilate ultimately decided to sentence Jesus to be crucified and release Barabbas instead.
During His questioning by authorities, Jesus was found to be innocent (vv.14-15). Yet He was crucified nonetheless. Who was responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion? Was it Pilate, the Jewish council, and the crowd? Anyone else is responsible? In fact, Jesus was crucified for you and me.
1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Every time we read the Scripture about Jesus’ road to suffering, we need to make a sincere effort to appreciate every step the Lord took, to empathize with the shame and pain He endured.
Romans 5:7-8 “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The closer to the Lord’s suffering we can feel, the more we can appreciate God’s love for us. Thank Jesus our Savior who went to the cross for you and me!
(vv. 26-43) Jesus was walking toward suffering and death, but as long as He had breath, He did not stop caring for those around Him. He turned to the women who were mourning for Him to warn them of Jerusalem’s pending destruction. He prayed for the soldiers who were crucifying him, asking the Father to forgive them, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” To the criminal next to Him, who said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” Jesus replied, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Each one of us is like the two who were crucified next to Jesus. When facing Jesus, we have to make a choice. Those who believe in the Lord receive the forgiveness of sins. And as for those who choose not to believe, they are condemned already. One choice is to “die to sin” and receive eternal life. (Romans 6:11 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”) The other choice is to “die in sin” and be destroyed. (John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”) How you choose will decide where you go for eternity. Praise God for the hope and certainty to everyone who believes in the Lord!
(vv. 44-56) The end of this chapter describes the death and burial of Jesus. At the moment of Jesus’ death, many extraordinary things occurred: darkness covered the land, day turned to night, and earthquakes (Matthew 27:51). Also, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” This signified that Man no longer had to be separated from God, for Jesus’ sacrifice became the new and living way of salvation.
Hebrews 10:19-20 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.”
Let us offer up thanksgiving to God for our high priest Jesus, who brought us out of death and into life. May He lead us to live a new life.
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?”)