Overcomers

-

 


Scripture: John 16:33 (ESV)

I [Jesus] have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world.”

Devotion:

            In today’s scripture Jesus is talking with his disciples in the upper room just prior to his arrest and execution. He has just warned them that they will all desert him. So, here he seeks to comfort them. He tells them to have peace in him. To know the peace which passes understanding. He does not want them to be sad or anxious because of their desertion of him. He rather wants them to be calm and at peace knowing that, as he has just finished explaining to them, their actions are foreseen and do not result in a withdrawal of his love and grace from them.

            Jesus declares to them that trials and sorrows must come their way as long as they live in the world. Jesus wants them to have courage and face their trials bravely because just as Jesus has overcome the world. (Although the world may see his crucifixion as the ultimate defeat.) Jesus knows that his resurrected life is assured and that even death will not bring his defeat but rather his ultimate victory. As John would later write in his letter to encourage the disciples:

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5 (ESV)

            We, by faith in Jesus Christ, have overcome the world. Just as Jesus overcame all the suffering and eventually his own death on the cross. So, we as his disciples are empowered by our new birth into the family of God will overcome our own trials, sorrows, and temptations. We have in the words of the old hymn won the Victory in Jesus:

            “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” (E.M. Bartlett)

           
            We will certainly have trials and sorrows in this life. But just as Jesus defeated death, so we will defeat death and live forever in paradise with him. Our trials may seem unbearable and even unfair. We may cry out “why me Lord?” We may never find a satisfactory answer this side of heaven. However, we must continue to have faith in the one who defeated death and will one day in heaven wipe every tear from our eyes then we will know then beyond faith with absolute certainty that he loves us and cares for us deeply. Let us pray for that day:

 

Prayer:

            Lord we long for the day when our faith will no longer needed because we are present with you in heaven. Yet teach us to attend to strengthening our faith while we are here on earth. May we be your faithful followers. Help us in both word and deed to proclaim Jesus our hope of heaven. May we be as lights brightly burning in this cold dark world, heralding a new kingdom that is coming on earth as it is already in heaven. May we praise your name together as one people united in the new life we have found in Jesus. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcoming the Unwelcome

-
  Scripture: Luke 7:36-38 (NIV) 36  When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37  A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38  As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Devotion:             First of all, some warnings to my readers. This post will exceed the 500 words I try to limit my posts. Second, this post will contain content people may find offensive or otherwise unfit for print. Please understand that my purpose is neither to offend nor upset but to provoke thought and, hopefully, respectful dialog.             We will use Luke chapter seven as an aid to interpreting the events that occurred last Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. On that da
Read more

Father Forgive Them

-
  Scripture: Luke 23:33-34 (ESV) 33  And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34  And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Devotion:             The situation Jesus finds himself in here in today’s scripture is difficult for us to even imagine. A sham trial, no credible accusations of any kind, let alone any deserving of death, and yet here he is. A brilliant Rabbi, a teacher of the people who never led even one person astray from God’s will. This Holy One of God soon to be food for vultures.             This man who had done nothing wrong had no one in all the crowds who would speak up in his defense lest they be next to face the cross. An innocent man hung between two scoundrels. No voice from heaven declaring that this was the man that they were killing was actually the true Son of God. (See Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, John 12:28) No the heaven
Read more

Transgenderism letter

-
  This is a copy of my letter to my senators, representative, and President Biden. January 15, 2024 Dear President Biden, Senators T. Duckworth, R. Durbin, and Representative D. LaHood             I am writing to you because I am concerned about the situation affecting our children and grandchildren, namely transitioning them from one gender to another. This nation must adjust course concerning these “interventions” because they are dangerous, irreversible, and life-changing. Our country should not be permitting these procedures on minor children under any circumstances. We must also make sure that adults who seek this care are given informed consent as to the risks versus benefits of sex reassignment treatments.             There are many drawbacks to gender-affirming care for minors. Besides the loss of any ability to give or receive sexual pleasure and sterility these treatments cause, there are social and psychological effects that we have no way of identifying because these
Read more