Day 317

Crucified

Read: John 17-19

In the high priestly prayer, Jesus prays for his disciples then and today. It includes a definition of life eternal: “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (17:3 ESV). That verse had a transforming effect upon my life. Previously I had thought of salvation as heaven. This verse caused me to realize that salvation and eternal life start now and last forever, and in essence is a personal relationship to Jesus. Do you have that relationship?

In Gethsemane, Jesus is captured and condemned in an illegal trial. In the meantime, Peter denies him. May we not deny him, either in word or deed. Because the Jews did not have the power to impose the death penalty, they brought him to the Roman governor who, to save his own career, unjustly condemns Jesus to the horrible death of crucifixion. May we not sacrifice our convictions to forward our personal plans.

As he died, Jesus said, “It is finished” (19:30). All that needed to be done in order to redeem us from our lost condition in sin had now been done. The perfect sacrifice had been made, sufficient for our complete salvation. But our task is unfinished. Our task is now to tell the world of this Jesus so that people everywhere may come to him to receive eternal life. Having received the free gift of eternal life, let us devote ourselves to spreading the gospel.

PRAYER
Father, we stand in amazement as we think that your Son suffered such agony for us. In his name. Amen.