Passion Week Devotional - Thursday
Passion Week Devotional - Wednesday
Passion Week Devotional - Tuesday
Passion Week Devotional - Monday
Partners with Christ in His Suffering
Good morning, Parkside!
I hope you were able to watch the live feed yesterday as I preached the sermon, “The Pursuit of Holiness.” If not, it is posted in the church’s Facebook page. The audio version is also available on the church website.
Today, we continue with our weekly devotional. The devotionals align with "The Cross: 10 Studies For The Easter Season" by Christianity Today. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday!
For the week of March 30-April 5, please read: 1 Peter 4 & Luke 9.
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SUBJECT: Partners with Christ in His Suffering
*Following our crucified Lord means willingly following him into persecution.*
“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” – 1 Peter 4:12-13
The devotional today leans toward persecution and suffering at the hands of other humans, but I couldn’t help but stop and think how the lesson also applies to the suffering we endure by the fallen world itself.
READ: 1 Peter 4:12-13
QUESTION #1: Are you surprised at the suffering we are currently enduring? Why?
QUESTION #2: Should we rejoice in suffering? Why? Why not?
QUESTION #3: How are suffering and joy related according verse 13?
Terms for deeper reflection: Doxa, Already & Not Yet
Faith in Christ does not shield us from suffering or pain. In fact, Scripture assures us that our faith in Jesus will often BRING suffering. Our natural instinct is to avoid pain, yet when Jesus foretold his crucifixion, he linked his suffering directly to our discipleship: “The Son of Man must suffer many things…and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life…Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:22-23).
Jesus wants our idea of suffering and pain to be transformed to such an extent that we begin to see it as a positive way of life. Our human view of happiness as the absence of suffering, sorrow, and pain must give way to Christ’s perspective. “People who believe that Christians should enjoy life on earth free from suffering or persecution of any kind do not fully understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus” (from the “Africa Study Bible” notes).
READ: Philippians 3:7-11
REFLECT: What things grab your imagination? What do you naturally think on when you are alone?
If we see suffering only as a terrible thing that we must resist or avoid, we fail to grasp its significance. Suffering is meant to help us find the secret of real joy and true happiness – the kind that can be attained only through persecution. Suffering exposes our vulnerability but also causes us to dare greatly. In this sense, suffering can be an expression of God’s love – a method of pruning, refining, and purifying us. And Jesus – the Son of the Father of all creation, God’s Chosen One – has majestically displayed the significance of suffering by taking away its pains, curses, and shame and replacing them with blessings, honor, and eternal glory! What Christ has done on the cross can transform our perception of human suffering into a rich experience with far-reaching implications for this life and the life to come.
REFLECT: In what ways has your life changed since COVID-19/Coronavirus began?
SING/RECITE: What song, poem, work of art, or other creative outlet comes to mind?
SCRIPTURE: What verse or verses sustain you in times of suffering?
Blessings,
Roger Sharp
I hope you were able to watch the live feed yesterday as I preached the sermon, “The Pursuit of Holiness.” If not, it is posted in the church’s Facebook page. The audio version is also available on the church website.
Today, we continue with our weekly devotional. The devotionals align with "The Cross: 10 Studies For The Easter Season" by Christianity Today. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday!
For the week of March 30-April 5, please read: 1 Peter 4 & Luke 9.
********************************************************
SUBJECT: Partners with Christ in His Suffering
*Following our crucified Lord means willingly following him into persecution.*
“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” – 1 Peter 4:12-13
The devotional today leans toward persecution and suffering at the hands of other humans, but I couldn’t help but stop and think how the lesson also applies to the suffering we endure by the fallen world itself.
READ: 1 Peter 4:12-13
QUESTION #1: Are you surprised at the suffering we are currently enduring? Why?
QUESTION #2: Should we rejoice in suffering? Why? Why not?
QUESTION #3: How are suffering and joy related according verse 13?
Terms for deeper reflection: Doxa, Already & Not Yet
Faith in Christ does not shield us from suffering or pain. In fact, Scripture assures us that our faith in Jesus will often BRING suffering. Our natural instinct is to avoid pain, yet when Jesus foretold his crucifixion, he linked his suffering directly to our discipleship: “The Son of Man must suffer many things…and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life…Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:22-23).
Jesus wants our idea of suffering and pain to be transformed to such an extent that we begin to see it as a positive way of life. Our human view of happiness as the absence of suffering, sorrow, and pain must give way to Christ’s perspective. “People who believe that Christians should enjoy life on earth free from suffering or persecution of any kind do not fully understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus” (from the “Africa Study Bible” notes).
READ: Philippians 3:7-11
REFLECT: What things grab your imagination? What do you naturally think on when you are alone?
If we see suffering only as a terrible thing that we must resist or avoid, we fail to grasp its significance. Suffering is meant to help us find the secret of real joy and true happiness – the kind that can be attained only through persecution. Suffering exposes our vulnerability but also causes us to dare greatly. In this sense, suffering can be an expression of God’s love – a method of pruning, refining, and purifying us. And Jesus – the Son of the Father of all creation, God’s Chosen One – has majestically displayed the significance of suffering by taking away its pains, curses, and shame and replacing them with blessings, honor, and eternal glory! What Christ has done on the cross can transform our perception of human suffering into a rich experience with far-reaching implications for this life and the life to come.
REFLECT: In what ways has your life changed since COVID-19/Coronavirus began?
SING/RECITE: What song, poem, work of art, or other creative outlet comes to mind?
SCRIPTURE: What verse or verses sustain you in times of suffering?
Blessings,
Roger Sharp
Renew Devotionals
Free At Last!
*The nature of sin is bondage. The nature of the gospel is liberty.*
I had to chuckle as I was preparing this devotional – Free at Last! It somehow is and isn’t ironic considering our current social distancing environment. Some may soon desire to be ‘free at last’ from the house. Others may wish family members were ‘free at last.’ Haha! Of course, I am being silly – I think…
The United States of America is built upon the ideal of freedom. Though it has not always lived up to the true meaning of its creed, the great struggle in the conscience of America has been the struggle for freedom. On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry spoke the immortal words in defense of free and the American Revolution: “Give me liberty or give me death!” For Henry, it was liberty or death. For Jesus Christ, it was liberty BY death. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ set us free. Yet, as all Americans know, freedom is not free. This is never truer than of the freedom we have in Jesus.
READ: Romans 5:1-12
QUESTION #1: What is the Good News?
QUESTION #2: Should we rejoice in suffering? Why?
QUESTION #3: If we are no longer slaves to sin, why do our actions speak otherwise?
Terms for deeper reflection: Seminalism, Federal Headship, Imputed
Following the Emancipation Proclamation and the formal end of slavery in the United States, there came a new kind of slavery, namely the oppression of Jim Crow laws. In some regards, this was more insidious and demeaning than the first. It gave the IMPRESSION of freedom, yet it systematically and institutionally kept black Americans in bondage. This new slave system was not formal bondage, but it was oppression and bondage nonetheless and, as such, needed to be broken. Similarly, when a person has been set free from the penalty of sin through the cross of Christ, often that person may remain in bondage to the guilt and shame of his or her sin. The Cross sets us free from both slavery to sin and its guilt. This is where the promise and pronouncement of Romans 8:1 is critical to the Christian life.
READ: Romans 8:1
Memorize: Romans 8:1
Live: Romans 8:1
If the enemy can get you to despair and to wallow in your failures, he can keep you from living in the freedom Christ secured for you on the Cross. And thus, he can bind you in a new kind of slavery – daily living below the dignity of your freedom in Christ and the joy of your salvation.
READ: Romans 8:31-35
What comes to mind as you read this short passage?
The Irish hymn writer Charitie Lees Bancroft said it well:
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Blessings,
Roger Sharp
I had to chuckle as I was preparing this devotional – Free at Last! It somehow is and isn’t ironic considering our current social distancing environment. Some may soon desire to be ‘free at last’ from the house. Others may wish family members were ‘free at last.’ Haha! Of course, I am being silly – I think…
The United States of America is built upon the ideal of freedom. Though it has not always lived up to the true meaning of its creed, the great struggle in the conscience of America has been the struggle for freedom. On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry spoke the immortal words in defense of free and the American Revolution: “Give me liberty or give me death!” For Henry, it was liberty or death. For Jesus Christ, it was liberty BY death. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ set us free. Yet, as all Americans know, freedom is not free. This is never truer than of the freedom we have in Jesus.
READ: Romans 5:1-12
QUESTION #1: What is the Good News?
QUESTION #2: Should we rejoice in suffering? Why?
QUESTION #3: If we are no longer slaves to sin, why do our actions speak otherwise?
Terms for deeper reflection: Seminalism, Federal Headship, Imputed
Following the Emancipation Proclamation and the formal end of slavery in the United States, there came a new kind of slavery, namely the oppression of Jim Crow laws. In some regards, this was more insidious and demeaning than the first. It gave the IMPRESSION of freedom, yet it systematically and institutionally kept black Americans in bondage. This new slave system was not formal bondage, but it was oppression and bondage nonetheless and, as such, needed to be broken. Similarly, when a person has been set free from the penalty of sin through the cross of Christ, often that person may remain in bondage to the guilt and shame of his or her sin. The Cross sets us free from both slavery to sin and its guilt. This is where the promise and pronouncement of Romans 8:1 is critical to the Christian life.
READ: Romans 8:1
Memorize: Romans 8:1
Live: Romans 8:1
If the enemy can get you to despair and to wallow in your failures, he can keep you from living in the freedom Christ secured for you on the Cross. And thus, he can bind you in a new kind of slavery – daily living below the dignity of your freedom in Christ and the joy of your salvation.
READ: Romans 8:31-35
What comes to mind as you read this short passage?
The Irish hymn writer Charitie Lees Bancroft said it well:
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Blessings,
Roger Sharp
SAINTLY and SINFUL
Click on Image to Download Document
*We are justified by his grace - and called to extend that grace to others.*
Folks will use and abuse you if you let them. People are takers, and loving them demands more than I have or care to give. Unfortunately, living in Christian community sometimes corroborates these old messages. There are needy members within the household of faith. These people take up space in my thoughts, my phone, and the chairs around my kitchen table. From my perspective, I'm constantly checking on, meeting with, praying for, forgiving, encouraging, challenging, and feeding people whose responses don't always deliver the fruit I want for my labor...perhaps I can be friendly at a distance. Loving your neighbor as yourself is a hard practice. It is difficult to be self-sacrificial.
Many of us are disconnected from people who are not across the country but cross the pew.
READ: Romans 3:10-31
QUESTION #1: What is the bad news? (v23)
QUESTION #2: What is the greatest news ever?
QUESTION #3: How is it possible for the Judge to also be our Justifier? (v26)
In "Knowing God," J.I. Packer calls Christ's coming "a great act of condescension and self-humbling." For the sake of our atonement, God the Son descended to take on humanity. He was made like us in every way but sinfulness (Hebrews 2:17; 4:15)...Jesus' great act of condescension culminated on a cross. There, he humbled himself to the point of death (Phil. 2:6-8). Out Justifier became sin "so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21).
Brothers and sisters, may we remember "the Son of Man [who] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). He doesn't stand at a distance but is ever drawing us closer to himself and to each other.
WHAT HAS GOD TAUGHT YOU THROUGH THESE VERSES?
****************************************************
As we spend time away from the church building, let's challenge ourselves to find ways to draw closer to each other as a body of believers.
IDEAS:
Pray for me and Doug as we look for ways to stay connected to you.
Blessings,
Roger Sharp
Folks will use and abuse you if you let them. People are takers, and loving them demands more than I have or care to give. Unfortunately, living in Christian community sometimes corroborates these old messages. There are needy members within the household of faith. These people take up space in my thoughts, my phone, and the chairs around my kitchen table. From my perspective, I'm constantly checking on, meeting with, praying for, forgiving, encouraging, challenging, and feeding people whose responses don't always deliver the fruit I want for my labor...perhaps I can be friendly at a distance. Loving your neighbor as yourself is a hard practice. It is difficult to be self-sacrificial.
Many of us are disconnected from people who are not across the country but cross the pew.
READ: Romans 3:10-31
QUESTION #1: What is the bad news? (v23)
QUESTION #2: What is the greatest news ever?
QUESTION #3: How is it possible for the Judge to also be our Justifier? (v26)
In "Knowing God," J.I. Packer calls Christ's coming "a great act of condescension and self-humbling." For the sake of our atonement, God the Son descended to take on humanity. He was made like us in every way but sinfulness (Hebrews 2:17; 4:15)...Jesus' great act of condescension culminated on a cross. There, he humbled himself to the point of death (Phil. 2:6-8). Out Justifier became sin "so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21).
Brothers and sisters, may we remember "the Son of Man [who] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). He doesn't stand at a distance but is ever drawing us closer to himself and to each other.
WHAT HAS GOD TAUGHT YOU THROUGH THESE VERSES?
****************************************************
As we spend time away from the church building, let's challenge ourselves to find ways to draw closer to each other as a body of believers.
IDEAS:
- Send a random text of encouragement to someone
- Call a friend or family member
- Offer to pickup groceries for an elderly neighbor
- Create a personal prayer list
- Volunteer your time
- Read & share your thoughts online
Pray for me and Doug as we look for ways to stay connected to you.
Blessings,
Roger Sharp