Elevate Devotional
Day 1
Read Matthew 26:69-75
Shortly after Jesus was arrested, the life that the disciples knew no longer existed. The teacher they had been following could no longer give them the direction they so desperately relied on for so long. We see interaction with Peter and three other people that came as a surprise to him. Never did he think that he would deny the connection to his Savior.
At the end of this section of scripture, it says this, “And he went outside and wept bitterly.” The brokenness you see in the image as he slowly believes he failed his Savior.
Fast forward a few days, and we See another interaction, but it’s between Jesus and Peter this time.
Read John 21:15-25
A few days later, Jesus takes Peter back to his denial and allows him to answer again. Jesus asked him, “Do you love me?” And three times over, Peter’s heart starts to break because he realizes what Jesus is referring to.
Something you see in the Bible is Jesus’ incredible ability to take people back to their decision. He also walks them through what they did and allows them to make a different choices. It’s a covering of the past and pointing to a new future.
In this season of Easter:
1) Where are you in this story? Do you feel the loss of Peter? Have you felt like a failure because of a decision? Or are you in the process of redemption that Jesus beings?
2) What decision do you need to walk back through today to allow Jesus to redeem it?
3) Something to think about: What does Jesus’ intentional redemption mean for this current day?
Day 2
Read Luke 22:7-38
Jesus in the Last Supper with his disciples covers all sorts of information. But, there is a specific part in the middle where the disciples seem to get this elitism amongst themselves. They start to talk about who is considered the greatest amongst them.
Jesus responds with the exact opposite of what they were thinking. Jesus says, “The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”
Service is the posture at which we make a change. Service is the posture in which we lead.
How often in the midst of Jesus do we think of ourselves? How often do we lead and rule over what God has given us selfishness? It seems that God blesses service overrule.
1) If we want to be the greatest, what has God given you to influence over?
2) What type of influence are you currently doing? A controlling ruler? Or a ruler that leaders with service?
3) Something to think about: God has given us so much. As Americans, we have an abundance of so much. If you say off social media and don’t watch much of the news, there is little worry in our day-to-day life. How do we take what God has given us and lead with service?
Day 3
Read Luke 23:26-43 (The Crucifixion of Jesus)
Jesus on the cross has a quick but powerful interaction with another criminal that he placed on the cross. There is a broad debate on theology regarding salvation through this interaction on the cross. But, we can see an understanding of wrong, an acknowledgment of the earthly punishment, and a reliance on Jesus for eternity.
As we get closer and closer to Easter Sunday, the entire point of the “Holy Week” is just a reminder of how much we need Jesus. How we need to entirely rely on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior and the incredible gift of Grace.
Eternity can only happen through Jesus and nothing else. We can put as many restrictions on it, but at the end of the day, it’s about Jesus and not about us.
- As you get closer to Easter, remember Who is about.
- Remember the Sacrifice.
- Remember the Gift of Grace.
Something to think about: How often do you play the +/- game in your head? How often do you try to counteract the bad by doing more good things in your life? Jesus, at this moment, showed that the +/- game does not work with eternity. The only way to heaven is going through Jesus. JESUS is the only one that can save, and we have no power in that field.