No doubt the crowds were pressing in from all sides as they walked the dusty streets on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus was with his most devoted followers, his disciples. But he was also teaching and healing people along the way. It would have been noisy among all those people, so Jesus took the Twelve aside because he had something important to tell them.
Jesus’ disciples had yet to understand what Jesus’ ministry really entailed. So far, they had seen his power in the miracles he performed. They knew God had given Jesus the authority to heal people and forgive sins. And yet they did not understand that Christ would set aside his equality with God to become, “obedient to death--even death on a cross!”(Philippians 2:6-8)
Today, Jesus still lovingly takes his followers aside, through his Word and through the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us to know, just like the first disciples, what he has accomplished for us. He wants us to understand that he died and rose to life so that we would not die in our sin. This is good news! He made a way for us to be reconciled to God the Father and have new life in him!
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you that you humbled yourself unto death, so that we would not die in our sin, but can have new life in You! Thank you for revealing your perfect plan of salvation through the Bible, and through the Holy Spirit, so that we can be reconciled to God the Father. Amen.
Throughout this Day: How is the Lord Jesus speaking to as he takes you aside today, teaching you through his Word, and in prayer? Is he calling you to repent of sin? To surrender to his will? To seek him first? To trust him in difficulty?
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