Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
My grandson had the thrill of his life last week. This year he is finally tall enough to ride “The Rattler”, the big roller coaster at Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. He’s wanted to ride for a long time, but just wasn’t quite tall enough. His plight reminded me of today’s words from Jesus.
Scripture
John 13:31-35
Jesus: Now the Son of Man will be glorified as God is glorified in Him. If God’s glory is in Him, His glory is also in God. The moment of this astounding glory is imminent. My children, My time here is brief. You will be searching for Me; and as I told the Jews, “You cannot go where I am going.” So I give you a new command: Love each other deeply and fully. Remember the ways that I have loved you, and demonstrate your love for others in those same ways. Everyone will know you as My followers if you demonstrate your love to others.
Devotional
When you were a kid, do you remember those times when your mom or dad or big brother or sister left you behind? “Sorry, you can’t go with me, kid.
Not this time.
You’re not big enough.
You’re not old enough.
You’re not ready.”
How did you feel?
I imagine that’s how the disciples felt when Jesus talked to them about going away.
Closest friends.
Went everywhere with Him
Enjoyed His teachings, His miracles, His company
Wanted to protect Him from the crowds and His enemies
Wanted to be wherever He was
What did they feel
Disappointment
Rejection
Abandonment
Fear
Anger
Confusion
We look back and understand
Know where He was going
Know we can join Him one day
Know how to get to the place He went
Ask His forgiveness
Accept Him as Lord
Follow Him each day
We can’t go there yet, but one day it will be time and we can be with Him forever
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”
Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
How much did it hurt when your friend hurt you by saying or doing something that you didn’t expect. Imagine what it would feel like if they did it and you knew it was going to happen.
Scripture
John 13:21-27
Jesus was becoming visibly distressed.
Jesus: I tell you the truth: one of you will betray Me.
The disciples began to stare at one another, wondering who was the unfaithful disciple. One disciple in particular, who was loved by Jesus, reclined next to Him at the table. Peter motioned to the disciple at Jesus’ side.
Peter(to the beloved disciple): Find out who the betrayer is.
Beloved Disciple(leaning in to Jesus): Lord, who is it?
Jesus: I will dip a piece of bread in My cup and give it to the one who will betray Me.
He dipped one piece in the cup and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After this occurred, Satan entered into Judas.
Jesus(to Judas): Make haste, and do what you are going to do.
Devotional
We’ve all been hurt by a friend at some time or other or we haven’t lived.
It’s the way of relationships in a broken world
Misinterpret actions or words
See things from our broken past instead of God’s perfect lens even if Christian brothers and sisters
Marred by the consequences of past sins and the brokenness of this world
Probably never expected the hurt or betrayal, though
We expect our relationships to be good
We expect encouragement and support from friends
We expect our friends never to stab us in the back or give us up to our enemies
Now put yourself in Jesus’ place
Betrayed by His friend and abandoned by the rest
But knew about it ahead of time
Inspired the prophets to write about it centuries before He came to earth
Lived with the reality every day
Had to eat this last meal with His betrayer knowing what would happen next
Jesus was becoming visibly distressed! No kidding!
Had a human side
We all need others to lean on
They were about to desert Him and one would betray Him
He knew it all and it was coming in just hours
His physical, mental, and spiritual agony was about to begin
We cannot begin to understand the stress Jesus felt
But we can thank Him for His sacrifice
We can praise Him for what He did for us
We can follow Him when He calls
We can love Him because He loves us more than we can know
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 26:26-29 Jesus: Take this and eat; it is My body.
And then He took the cup of wine, He made a blessing over it, and He passed it around the table. Jesus: Take this and drink, all of you: this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you: I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until I am with you once more, drinking in the kingdom of My Father.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
So, I have to ask, how many times have you gone to church, heard the words, and just gone through the motions of taking communion? If you’re like most people, you get into the routine and far too often, the Lord’s Supper become just another ritual instead of a remembrance of His sacrifice for us. So how do we keep it from become routine? How can we make sure we focus on the importance of the symbols the bread and drink that we share together represent and not the action of eating and drinking?
It’s so easy to do. I have to admit that even as a minister, I have been guilty of getting busy with responsibilities, thinking about the next part of the service, and going through the motions. Reciting the words, but not focusing on their personal meaning for me. I wanted to make sure I got the ritual right and didn’t think as much as I should have about what the ritual really meant. Terrible for a minister to do that, huh? But we’re all guilty, whether in the pulpit or the pew, we sometimes let our minds wander and forget just how important this sacred moment really is.
How do we stay focused in the moment? Think about what you’re doing. Don’t let your mind wander. Satan will do his best to distract you with everything he can to take your mind away from the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the symbols of His broken body and shed blood He pointed out to us in this simple act of sharing bread and drink together. Whether your tradition uses wine or grape juice, communion wafers or bread, doesn’t matter so much as remembering the what each of these mean as symbols of Jesus’ personal sacrifice for the redemption of your individual sins.
When we stop and just think about that symbol, bread for His body, drink for His blood, it should cause us to pause and recall the sacrifice He made. I’m not sure we can fully understand what that sacrifice was really like. Many of you have probably seen the movie “The Passion” as I did several years ago and got just a glimpse of what that week was like for Jesus. But seeing His suffering on the screen doesn’t do justice to what the experience was like for Him. We saw Hollywood’s portrayal of the scourging, the crown of thorns pushed down on His head, the beam of the cross lashed to Him as He struggled up the road to Calvary. We experienced some of the sights those in Jerusalem might have seen on those days.
But we have no idea the pain, the humiliation, the cruel punishment inflicted by the Romans, the excruciating agony of the cross. Most of us have no reference points from which to begin to compare the suffering Jesus endured as He faced death as the penalty He paid for us. But from that movie, from studies you might have made of Passion week, from medical reports you’ve heard about crucifixion, when you see the bread in your hand, remember the brutality Jesus endured for you. All that should have been mine and yours as payment for our disobedience to God. As you see the juice in the cup, think about the blood He lost as He felt the whip across His back, crown of thorns on His head, the spear in His side. That blood was shed for my sins and yours so that we would not have to pay with our blood for the sins we commit.
Is it easy to let your mind wander to what’s for lunch as communion is being served? Yes. Is it easy to think of the ballgame starting in a few hours? Yes. Is it easy to think about what will happen at work this week? Yes. But if we try, we can also focus on the bread, a symbol for His body, broken for us. We can focus on the cup filled with the fruit of the vine, a symbol of His blood, shed for us. His sacrifice ushered in a new covenant. One in which we can have a personal relationship with the creator. He promised that if we ask, He will live not just with us, but in us, to help us be the person He created us to be.
Next time you come to the Lord’s table, stop, think about the bread and the wine. What does it mean for you? Really think about it. Don’t let go of the beauty of the moment as you share this special moment with others.
