What Jesus Did! 'They All Condemned Him' — Mark 14:63-64

Monday, November 18, 2024

[When Jesus said, "I AM,"] the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?"

"Guilty!" they all cried. "He deserves to die!"

— Mark 14:63-64 NLT

Key Thought

When Jesus said, "I AM," he declared that he is God (Mark 14:62; Exodus 3:14). Jesus now comes to us and demands a decision. He offers us the body of his work, his life here on earth, and his resurrection as the testimony we have to accept or reject. There is no middle ground: He is either the promised Messiah and our Lord, or we reject him. There is no partial acceptance here. It is one or the other. What will you decide to do with Jesus? He doesn't want you to stay on the fence of indecision or in the throes of lukewarm discipleship. To refuse to follow with your whole heart is to reject him as your Lord. In the words of the Scripture, we each need to ask ourselves "What is [my] verdict?" — what do I think about who Jesus is?

Today's Prayer

O Father, I choose Jesus. However, dear Father, you know that I am sometimes weak and fail. You know that I am sometimes sinful and need your forgiveness. However, dear Father, I don't want to be indecisive about my love and loyalty to your Son. Help me live decisively for him. In Jesus' name, I ask for this help. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 1 John 5:1-5, 13
  • Revelation 3:15-22
  • Luke 9:26

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Illustration

Illustration of Mark 14:63-64 NLT — "He deserves to die!"

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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