Category: Prayers

“Since you have been raised up in company with Christ, set your heart on what pertains to higher realms where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. Be intent on things above rather than on things of earth.” –Colossians 3:1-2 Alleluia! Jesus is risen! His tomb is empty! “Death has no more power over Him” (Rm 6:9). Alleluia! Because we’ve been baptized into Christ, we have died with Him (Rm 6:4). “If we have been united with Him through likeness to His death, so shall we be through a like resurrection” (Rm 6:5). This very day we have already “been...

“Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered.” –Hebrews 5:8 Through His suffering and death, Jesus’ appearance was marred beyond that of man (Is 52:14). “He was spurned and avoided by men, a Man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, One of those from Whom men hide their faces” (Is 53:3). Our infirmities He bore; our sufferings He endured (Is 53:4). He was “stricken,” “smitten,” “afflicted,” “pierced,” and “crushed” (Is 53:4-5). Jesus became “an Object of reproach, a Laughingstock,” and “a Dread” (Ps 31:12). Jesus was dreadfully brutalized, tortured, and traumatized for love of us. What will we...

“The Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread, and after He had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you.’ ” –1 Corinthians 11:23-24 God became a man. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14). The Lord “emptied Himself” (Phil 2:7). He became like us in all things but sin (Heb 4:15). God became a human embryo, baby, toddler, little child, teenager, etc. God washed the feet of His disciples (Jn 13:5) and continues to do so today (see Heb 13:8). God emptied and...

“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” –Matthew 26:25 Notice that in St. Matthew’s account of the Passion, Judas addressed Jesus merely as “Rabbi,” not as “Lord” (Mt 26:25; see also Mt 26:49). The other disciples all addressed Jesus as “Lord” (Mt 26:22). Calling Jesus “Rabbi,” that is, “Teacher” (see Jn 1:38), gives evidence that Judas had already stopped recognizing Jesus as his Lord and Master. Since no man can have two masters (Mt 6:24), Judas now had a different master than Jesus; he transferred his loyalty to the Jewish chief priests (see Mt 26:14ff). How tragically sad! Judas betrayed Jesus...