Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven join to say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia! Last Words Love s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened Paradise, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O Death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Dying once He all doth save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! (Words: Charles Wesley, 1739) NashvilleFirst.org 615.664.6000 Visit us on FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram: @NashvilleFirst
Last Words Our culture puts a lot of weight on a person s final words. No last words in history were more important than the ones uttered by a Jewish rabbi hanging on a Roman cross more than 2,000 years ago. The final words of Jesus, as recorded in the gospels, reveal more than just one man s dying wish. They reveal who Jesus was and why He did what He did. Each Easter, Christfollowers have an opportunity to reflect on these seven phrases and discover the depth of their meaning and make application to their lives. May that be your experience with these devotionals this week. Philippians 2:4-11 (CSB) Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Writers: Bob Bunn and Jimmy Hester Layout and Design: Sandra Snyder & Jacob Blount Devotional Service Group: Bob Bunn, Jerry Brown, Martha Kirkland, Fred Linkenhoker, Savannah Payne, Megan Wilson, Grace Wilkinson, Helen Owens (Chair), Shannon Meadors (Staff Liaison) Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the The Christian Standard Bible (CSB). Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers.
DAY 8 Sunday, April 1 A Word That Demands Commitment But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8) The message of Easter is not just about what happened 2,000 years ago on a roadside cross or in a garden grave. And it s not just about what will happen when our salvation finds its ultimate completion in heaven. It s also about what s going on around us right now. The message of Easter demands that we make a choice about how we will live each day. Jesus expects us to be witnesses for Him, sharing the wonder of Easter each day of our life. He has promised us His power and His Spirit to guide us. Remember St. Francis Assisi s admonition to Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words. It s up to us to share the gospel until Jesus comes back. Otherwise, we make Easter an empty holiday. These words in Acts 1:8 are Jesus' last words on earth. What will you do this week to share the gospel message of God s grace in Jesus Christ with those you meet? Close your week of Easter devotions with a prayer of thanksgiving for what God has done for you through Jesus Christ. DAY 1 Sunday, March 25 A Word That Offers Forgiveness Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) As Jesus hung on the cross, He saw His enemies taking delight in His suffering. Some of them were Jews who hated Jesus and His teachings. Some were Romans who simply enjoyed inflicting pain as a sign of power. But while Jesus could have called down an army of angels to wipe them out, He didn t. That s because Jesus never saw them as people who needed to be punished. Jesus saw them as souls who needed a Savior. So, in an incredible act of grace, Jesus practiced what He had preached by praying for those who persecuted Him. Jesus words of forgiveness from the cross extend to everyone, even those who know what they do when they sin. We all need forgiveness and are told in 1 John 1:9 how to receive it: If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do you take time each day to confess to God and ask forgiveness of sin? How do you live as a forgiven person?
DAY 2 Monday, March 26 A Word That Promises Salvation Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43) DAY 7 Saturday, March 31 A Word That Assures Reunion And Jesus called out with a loud voice, Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit. Saying this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46) Jesus said, For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). That was Jesus mission, both during His life and ultimately through His death. So, it shouldn t be surprising to find Jesus offering eternal life to a true seeker, even as death drew near. There is no indication that this man was a follower of Christ or even knew enough about Jesus to believe in him. Nevertheless, He put His trust in Jesus. During crucifixion, the victim would fight for every breath; but Jesus, through God s mercy, chose to use some of His final breaths to promise this man paradise. Jesus actions demonstrate His compassion for the lost and remind us that no one is beyond hope as long as they have life in their body and a willingness in their hearts to accept Christ s offer of salvation. How would you rate your level of trust in Jesus? Are you confident that when you die you will eternally be with Jesus in paradise (heaven)? These words expressed initially by David in Psalm 31:5 are Jesus final words from the cross, and they are incredibly powerful. After the turmoil of the cross, this simple sentence carries all the weight of Jesus authority. The Jews may have plotted against Him, and the Romans may have nailed Him to a cross, but Jesus had the last word on when He released His Spirit to the Father. Jesus was in control to the end, and His words reveal a sense of peace and assurance that He was once again connected to the Father. Jesus final words remind us that one day we will release our spirits to the Father as well. And we can trust God just as Jesus did. What God has promised will be fulfilled just as His promises from the past were fulfilled on Calvary. How do Jesus final words model for us the level of trust we should place in God? Have you put your life in God s hands?
DAY 6 Friday, March 30 A Word That Proclaims Triumph It is finished. (John 19:30) These words translate the Greek word tetelestai and indicate the completion of something significant. It might be tempting to think that Jesus was referring to His suffering...pain that would be ending because His death was imminent. But He was actually referring to sin s reign over humanity. The chains that held humanity captive had been shattered once and for all. The power of sin had been broken because the price had been paid. The Apostle Paul would write, But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57). And Eugene Bartlett expressed the significance of Jesus victory when he wrote: I heard an old, old story, How a Savior came from glory, How he gave his life on Calvary To save a wretch like me; I heard about his groaning, Of his precious blood's atoning, Then I repented of my sins; And won the victory. (Victory in Jesus, 1939 ) DAY 3 Tuesday, March 27 A Word That Honors Relationships When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, Woman, here is your son. Then He said to the disciple, Here is your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19:26 27) At a time when most of us would be focused on selfpreservation, Jesus took time to focus on those closest to him. Jesus was a real man flesh and blood, a mother s son experiencing pain in dying. Jesus knew His death was not the end. Jesus would rise, but He would also return to heaven. In His absence, Jesus was concerned about His mother Mary s future; He had a responsibility to make sure she would be cared for. John s presence at the cross demonstrated His love for Jesus, so He was a natural choice to care for Mary. As a man, relationships were important to Him. Jesus was committed to honoring those relationships until the end. What are your feelings for Mary as she stands at the foot of the cross witnessing the death of her Son? What does Jesus concern for His family in such a stressful time say to you about family relationships? How does your life reflect the finished work of Jesus on the cross? How does Jesus victory over sin motivate you to share the gospel with others?
DAY 4 Wednesday, March 28 A Word That Describes Abandonment And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni? which is translated, My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Mark 15:34) Jesus words in these verses were expressed by David in Psalm 22. In that psalm, David expressed intense agony and feelings of isolation. But those feelings could not compare to what Jesus was experiencing on the cross. His intimate relationship with the Father had been severed by the sin of humanity. The darkness and abandonment were unimaginable. Even though the situation was temporary, it was no less painful. This word reminds us that Jesus understands every aspect of our lives. Jesus shares our joys, but He understands what it feels like to be alone and betrayed and abandoned. God abandoned His Son for our sake. Jesus took upon Himself the sins of humankind and experienced separation from God (2 Cor. 5:21). How do you relate to this word from the cross? God provided a Savior who experienced separation you will never have to deal with because He has promised to be with you to the end of the age. How can you demonstrate your gratitude to that act of love? DAY 5 Thursday, March 29 A Word That Admits Distress After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, I m thirsty. (John 19:28) Sometimes we forget that Jesus suffered all the pains and problems of being human. Jesus was thirsty. Crucifixion involved dehydration, and the beatings and abuse Jesus suffered before the cross certainly intensified His physical distress. Although there is no specific reference in Scripture to this incident as a prophecy, John no doubt recalled Psalm 69, verses 3 and 21, when David experienced thirst during persecution and was given gall or vinegar to drink, just as was the case when Jesus was crucified (John 19:29). Jesus words remind us that it is all right to admit when we are weak and under distress. We do not need to fight our battles alone or hide when those battles leave us wounded. We can turn to Jesus and to no one else to find peace and healing. What does this word say to you about Jesus? about yourself? What does this word suggest you do when you see others in need physically or spiritually?