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Devotional

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

– John 18:37-38

It’s a shame that Pilate did not wait to hear Jesus’ answer to his simple question, “What is truth?” We can’t know for certain what Jesus would have said, but we know that the night before, He told His disciples, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Perhaps that would have been part of His answer.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

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Devotional

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

– John 16:33

Yesterday we read “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” Now Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.” Peace and Joy, are those not two distinct things that every human being would love to secure? The aim of our Lord is to bring us into the experience of both, in full! This is what the Gospel brings. That’s why it is “good news.”

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

– John 14:27

There are a lot of troubled people in the world. Why wouldn’t there be? It often feels—especially in our day and age with a constant flow of news and information from around the world—that the world we live in is in continual chaos. Whether it be terrorist attacks, earthquakes, wars, viruses and potential pandemics; there are a lot of things to be troubled over. Yet Jesus says, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Twice in John 14 He says, “Let not your heart be troubled.” How can we live like this? Simple. Rest your heart completely upon the peaceful assurance given to us of a life beyond this life through Jesus Christ.

“I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

– John 12:9-11

The incredulity of the chief priests is stunning. In Luke 16 Jesus tells a story (which I believe is a true account and not merely a parable) of “The rich man and Lazarus.” In the story Jesus speaks of a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen who died at the same time as a beggar named Lazarus. In the story Jesus gives insight into the afterlife wherein the rich man was in torment and Lazarus in paradise. As the story unfolds the rich man, tormented in a hellish state, calls out to Abraham, who was comforting Lazarus in the paradise of eternity. He plead with Abraham to send Lazarus back to speak to those of his fathers house (he had 5 brothers) so that they repent and not end up on torment after death too. To which Abraham responded, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” But the rich man continued, “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”

I’m convinced that Jesus was giving us advanced insight into this actual Lazarus, who died here in John 12. And upon his return from death, what was the response of the wealthy, ruling, religious class? “The chief priests plotted to put lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”

I guess the assumption of the rich man of Luke 16 was incorrect. Interestingly, the clothing the rich man wore (purple and fine linen) indicates (to me at least) that he may have been of the family of the chief/high priests, as linen was the clothing of the priests and purple the color of the upper class and royalty.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

– John 10:11

One of the keys of Christlikeness is the willingness of an individual to lay down their lives for others. I’m not necessarily speaking about actual sacrificial death, but rather a laying down of our will, our opinions, our rights, our preferences, our selfishness for the sake of others. This is especially important for those upon whom the Lord would grant the privilege of being an “under-shepherd” within His church (i.e. pastors). Pastors are (chiefly) to be servants, laying down their lives for the sake of “the sheep.”

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim