Key Thought

With mere human words, Jesus cannot help them understand. His best efforts can only give them words to remember and to put into perspective, for a later time—a time after he has been crucified and has been raised from the dead. Jesus' destiny in Jerusalem was simply incomprehensible to them. They had seen the good he had done. They had experienced his life-changing presence first hand. They believed him to be the Messiah. How could God's Messiah be crucified? How could he be executed for the deeds of kindness he had performed and the words of truth he had spoken? We, on the other hand, must grasp this truth. Jesus is going to Jerusalem knowing full well that he will be persecuted, rejected, and tortured. Yet he goes anyway, to honor God and to pay the price for our sin. We must not let this loving sacrifice be hidden from our hearts!

Today's Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you for going to the Cross knowing that it was coming and yet enduring it for the sake of my salvation. To you, O Lord and Christ, belong all glory, honor, blessing, and praise. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Then Jesus talked to the twelve apostles alone. Jesus said to them, "Listen! We are going to Jerusalem. Everything that God told the prophets to write about the Son of Man will happen! His people will turn against him and give him to the non-Jewish people. The non-Jews will laugh at him, insult him, and spit on him. They will beat him with whips and then kill him! But on the third day after his death, he will rise to life again." The apostles tried to understand this, but they could not; the meaning was hidden from them. Jesus came near the city of Jericho. There was a blind man sitting beside the road. The blind man was begging people for money. When this man heard the people coming down the road, he asked, "What is happening?" The people told him, "Jesus, the one from Nazareth, is coming here." The blind man was excited and said, "Jesus, Son of David ! Please help me!" The people that were in front, leading the group, criticized the blind man. They told him not to speak. But the blind man shouted more and more, "Son of David, please help me!" Jesus stopped there and said, "Bring that blind man to me!" When the blind man came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said, "Lord, I want to see again." Jesus said to him, "You can see now! You are healed because you believed." Then the man was able to see. The man followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people that saw this praised God for what happened.

Related Scripture Readings

In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. Christ was equal with God. But Christ did not think that being equal with God was something that he must keep. He gave up his place with God and agreed to be like a servant. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused him to die. And he died on a cross. Christ obeyed God, so God raised Christ to the most important place. God made the name of Christ greater than every other name. God did this because he wants every person to bow for the name of Jesus. Every person in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth will bow. Every person will confess (say), "Jesus Christ is Lord (Master)." When they say this, it will bring glory to God the Father.

We should always follow the example of Jesus. Jesus is the leader in our faith. And he makes our faith perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But Jesus accepted the shame of the cross like it was nothing. He did this because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.

Jesus said to them, "Now is the time for the Son of Man to receive his glory. I tell you the truth. A grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die. Then it grows and makes many seeds. But if it never dies, then it will always be only a single seed. The person that loves his own life will lose it. But the person that hates his life in this world will keep it. He will have life forever. The person that serves me must follow me. Then my servant will be with me everywhere I am. My Father will give honor to people that serve me. "Now I am very troubled. What should I say? Should I say, 'Father save me from this time {of suffering}'? No, I came to this time so that I could suffer. Father, do what will bring you glory!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have already brought glory to myself. I will do it again."