(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. 26 (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. 1-5) Jesus said to the disciples, after a few days “the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” At that time, the chief priests and elders of the people, who had always been opposing him, gathered to discuss how to get rid of Jesus. A number of different events follow immediately after, so let’s read through these together one by one to see what happens in each of them while meditating on the following: if I were present at the time, what would my response have been?
（vv. 6-13）At Bethany, there was a woman who came to Jesus with an alabaster flask of expensive ointment and poured it on his head. The disciples thought it was wasteful, and even gave a seemingly benevolent explanation that the ointment could have been sold for a large sum of money and given to the poor. Jesus, however, declared that it was a beautiful thing that she had done, as she did it to prepare him for burial. Jesus had just told the disciples that “the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified” but they had barely responded, and yet were indignant when they saw what this woman had done for Jesus. Someone was willing to sacrifice their time and offer up their money to the Lord, her motivation and actions may be different from yours. The important thing is: would you see the same as Jesus?
(vv. 14-29) At the Passover meal, Jesus announced before all that the one to betray him was among them. The disciples were very sorrowful and began to ask him one by one, “Is it I, Lord?” Judas eventually also asked the question, then Jesus replied to him, “You have said so.” Why did all the disciples ask him one after another? Is it because nobody could be certain that they wouldn’t betray Jesus? If you had been there, what would your response have been?
(vv. 30-45) On the way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus advised the disciples that he was about to be struck, and thus the disciples would “all” fall away and scatter, but then he would be raised up and will go before them to Galilee. Peter adamantly denied that he would ever fall away, but Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times. Peter said, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” If you had been there, what would your response have been?
(vv. 36-46) At Gethsemane, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him when he went to pray. Jesus began to be sorrowful and troubled, and he prayed to God, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” This is the best prayer we could pray when we face afflictions and injustice. The disciples, meanwhile, ignored Jesus’ request to watch with him as he prayed and fell asleep one by one… leaving Jesus alone as he prayed ceaselessly to the Father. If you had been there, what would you have done?
(vv. 47-56) Those who came to capture Jesus had arrived. The betrayer, Judas, used the sign of a kiss to signal to the captors whom to seize. One of those who were with Jesus drew his sword to try to protect Jesus. If you had been there, what would your response have been? But Jesus said, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
(vv. 57-68) At the court of the high priest, all they heard were false testimonies and false witnesses. If you had been there, what would your response have been? Until the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
(vv. 69-75) In the final scene of this chapter, Peter had been recognized three times as one who was with Jesus: “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” If you had been questioned in this way, what would your response have been? Peter, exactly as Jesus had said, denied Jesus three times! As soon as he remembered the saying of Jesus, he went out and wept bitterly.
When faced with our beloved Lord approaching death step by step, every one of us may not respond any better than the disciples. When we walk with the Lord, we must often face our own weaknesses, but, don’t forget, our risen Lord has already defeated death and overcome the world. We can confidently rely on him to be victorious.
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?”)