Devotional Thoughts for Today
“When Everything Changed”
Mark 16:1-9
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid
There are certain times when an individual or organization senses that a monumental change is at hand. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, such a moment came when they rehired Tom Coughlin to be their executive vice president of football operations. Before the hire, Jacksonville had just finished a 3-13 season and missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. But when Coughlin came on board, his personnel decisions and leadership brought a heightened sense of excellence. As a result, the Jaguars finished 10-6 the season after and were one quarter away from their first Super Bowl appearance.
In the span of human history, the ultimate turning point—when everything changed—was the resurrection. As N.T. Wright (2016) noted, “It is the resurrection that declares that the cross was a victory, not a defeat. It, therefore, announces that God has indeed become king on earth as in heaven” (p.51). Furthermore, each Gospel provides a unique perspective that adds to the full picture of such a monumental occasion. Wright writes: “The resurrection is from Mark’s point of view, the moment when God’s kingdom comes in power. From John’s point of view, it is the launching of the new creation, the new Genesis. From Matthew’s point of view, it brings Jesus into the position for which He was always destined, that of the world’s rightful Lord…from Luke’s point of view, the resurrection is the moment when Israel’s Messiah comes into His glory” (p.123).
Indeed, through the hope of eternity that the resurrection brings, we have the answer to the longing of our hearts for such a reality (Eccles. 3:11). And because of the promise of Christ’s eventual return, we can look forward to the day when God “will wipe away every tear…and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:5). Through any hardships we may face, let us cling onto the eternal hope that we have.
Prayer: Father, I confess that I have let my present situation cloud the eternal hope that I have in You. Thank You that through Your Son Jesus, death, sin and Satan have been forever conquered. Thank You that final victory is assured, despite the hardships that may come. And thank You that even in those hardships, You are not far away but near. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Titus 1
Lunch Break Study
Read Hebrews 11:13-9: All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
Questions to Consider
- What are some similarities between us believers today and those mentioned in Hebrews 11 (i.e. the Hall of Faith)?
- What is the main difference between us believers today and those mentioned in the Hall of Faith?
- How are you living by faith today?
Note
- All believers, in the past, present and future, are called to live by faith on this earth, while longing for our true home with God. We are to have an exilic mentality, loving and serving this world while knowing that it is not our final destination.
- As Christians today, we have the privilege of having the full revelation of Jesus, including His death and resurrection. Men like Abraham could only imagine such a reality (Heb. 11:17-19), but through the testimony of the Bible and the Holy Spirit, we know that eternal life is a reality.
- Personal response.
Evening Reflection
It is easy to be overwhelmed by the brokenness in our lives or in the world and forget the hope of the final restoration that we have. Take some time to ask God for reminders of this hope we have and for strength to act according to His will.
A word I often heard when I first began serving in church was investment, as in “who or what ministry should I invest in?” I initially felt uncomfortable with the concept (even as a finance major), but over time, I began to understand how applicable it was. Simply put, ministry done well requires investment: whether its discipling someone, preparing for a Bible study or organizing an event, intentional time and effort is required, along with God’s presence and blessing, for fruit to be produced.
In Where is God When It Hurts? (1997), Philip Yancey describes pain as the “gift nobody wants.” To prove his point, Yancey describes a world without physical pain through the eyes of lepers. As leprosy numbs the extremities, lepers are unaware of any accidental cuts or burns, eventually leading to loss of their limbs. Indeed, our body contains “a remarkable network of pain sensors” that keep us from injury. But what if you are exposed to pain and cannot do anything to change your situation? What if pain was not a warning signal but a reminder of your helplessness?
After having worked for a financial corporation in New York City for several years, I have learned that a common theme running through today’s corporate culture is branding. Whether it’s the status of our company or our personal reputation, managing our standing is given high priority. Thus, we meticulously display our best selves on our resumes and social media, and minimize our weaknesses by terming them “areas of improvement.” And if any false accusations are leveled against us—whether through gossip or hearsay—we act quickly to dispel those rumors to maintain our reputation.
The AMI QT Devotionals from April 30-May 6 are provided by Jabez Yeo. Jabez, an alumnus of University of Pennsylvania, just graduated from Columbia International University with a M.A. in Muslim Studies. He is currently working in NYC and serving at Remnant Church-E. He hopes to become a missionary.
One of the strongest ethos of Western society is the self-made person. We are trained to think that if we just work hard, educate ourselves and persevere, we will overcome any obstacles and achieve success. I, of course, am no exception. Yet, many of us live unaware of how our decisions are undoubtedly influenced by others. The explicit or subliminal messages you received from those who have gone before you in your family, church, school or workplace affect the “big-picture” decisions in your relationships, ministries, education and career. Even the most trivial of choices, such as where to eat or what movie to watch, can be made through consulting reviewers on Yelp or Rotten Tomatoes. As human beings, we innately trust someone who has been where we want to go.
Today’s AMI QT Devotionals is provided by Jon Moon, who serves as Children’s Ministry Director at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.
I remember the first time when someone came up to me and asked me to pray over him, not giving me anything specific to pray for. I recall getting nervous, thinking about what I would pray for and how I would pray for this person: How can I make my prayer sound good? What can I say to make it sound like I’m praying a good prayer over this person? You see, somehow I grew to think that ministering over someone through prayer—not just praying for someone’s prayer requests—and letting the Spirit speak was something that only seasoned pastors, really mature Christians, or those who could speak in tongues could do. I believed that I wasn’t good enough to pray over people—especially those who were older or more spiritually mature than I was.
As I was reading a blog that I wrote in 1998, I don’t really remember what led to writing this at that time: “The other day my wife confessed that raising three kids has changed her personality for the worst. Why? Well, when you have to yell as often as my wife and I do to prevent my young ones from hurting themselves, not to mention breaking up ‘fights’ between them, you would become a Dr. Jekyll and Hyde too.”
As all parents already know, raising children is very hard work. That could be one reason some folks opt to not have any kids. One aspect to raising children—that is a real stinker (for me, at least)—is the constant feeling of guilt. An undeniable truth is that children do many things wrong. Just the other day, I told Joshua that if he does to another person what he did to his sister when he is grown up, he might end up in jail. (Now, some 20 years later I have no clue as to what Joshua did; therefore, I am thinking, If it was that serious of an offense, how come I don’t remember any of it? Maybe I over reacted.) Only a few days earlier his sister got an earful from me for saying mean things to Joshua. (Again, I don’t remember what she said.) In both cases, they got disciplined pretty severely! But afterwards, I wasn’t sure whether I went about it the right way in terms of the severity of the discipline. Then I heard Ephesians 6:4a echoing in my ear: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children.” I couldn’t help but wonder whether I did that.
The AMI QT Devotionals for April 26-27 are provided by Jon Moon, who serves as Children’s Ministry Director at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. Jon, currently a student at Fuller Theological Seminary, is married to Stephanie, and they have one son (Elijah) and another one on the way.
This past March, I had the privilege of, once again, accompanying Dr. Ryun to Cuba to teach at Seminario de La Gracia. During this trip, as I witnessed how the seminary students lived out their lives and how fervently they studied God’s Word, I was reminded once again of the importance of reading and studying the Word of God. In a country where people survive on one or two meals a day, since resources are scarce, and hopes for a better life are almost nonexistent, I was amazed at the joy and hope that these 78 seminarians expressed through their singing, prayers, and study of the Word.
The AMI QT Devotionals for April 23-25 are provided by Myra Huang. Myra, a graduate of Juilliard School (BA) and The Manhattan School of Music (M.A.), lives in NYC with her husband Ed Huang and two lovely daughters: Elie (9) and Abby (7). She has been a member of The Remnant Church since its inception in 1995. Myra travels the world performing concerts with opera singers.
In yesterday’s blog, I mentioned that my last album with my colleague Nick was nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Classical Vocal Solo” category (2017).