Abiding in Easterనమూనా

ABIDING IN EASTER - LENT DEVOTIONAL by BRYAN CRAIG

DAY 41

And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

Mark 14:60-65 ESV

This scene in Jesus’ journey to the cross is one of the most disturbing to me. It’s one thing to be accosted by Roman soldiers and those who don’t know God, but to be among the religious leaders as they bring false accusations against Jesus and heap abuse upon Him, seems unforgivable! These are the ones who studied the scriptures and claimed to know God. The question they asked Him is the question that people are still asking today. Is He The Christ, the One foretold of in the Old Testament, the Holy One, the Rescuer of Israel, the Savior of the world? He said the same two words in response that God said to Moses (Exodus 3:14) when he asked God to give him His Name thousands of years before… “I Am.” Yes, Jesus was the Son of God, a part of the triune God, the One destined to sit at the right hand of God, the One who would return to get His people someday. He was the great “I Am!” The sin nature of man is so evil that even in our religious pursuits, we can become prideful and blind and miss God when He is right in front of us.

APPLICATION:

Do you believe Jesus is Who He says He is? Do you believe He sits at the right hand of the Father and is coming on the clouds to rescue us and take us to be with Himself? Did you know He left us His Spirit to teach us all things through His Word and to guide our consciences and our hearts into Truth? Has He become “religion”, a set of rules and regulations or a routine to be followed? If so, you are not seeing Jesus as He is.