Key Thought

Today's Prayer

O Father, thank you for your grace lavished on me through your Son. Thank you for revealing yourself so fully, so intimately, so humanly, in Jesus. Open my eyes and help me see what I need to do to have your Son be the center of my life. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus and his followers were coming closer to Jerusalem. They came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. There Jesus sent two of his followers to do something. Jesus said to the followers, "Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there. No person has ever ridden this donkey. Untie the donkey and bring it here to me. If any person asks you why you are taking the donkey, tell that person, 'The Master needs this donkey. He will send it back soon.'" The followers went into the town. They found a young donkey tied in the street near the door of a house. The followers untied the donkey. Some people were standing there and saw this. The people asked, "What are you doing? Why are you untying that donkey?" The followers answered the way Jesus told them to answer. The people let the followers take the donkey. The followers brought the donkey to Jesus. The followers put their coats on the donkey, and Jesus sat on it. Many people spread their coats on the road for Jesus. Other people cut branches in the fields and spread the branches on the road. Some of the people were walking ahead of Jesus. Other people were walking behind him. All the people shouted, "'Praise Him!' 'Welcome! God bless the One that comes in the name of the Lord!' God bless the kingdom of our father David. That kingdom is coming! Praise to God in heaven!" Jesus went into Jerusalem and went to the temple. Jesus looked at everything in the temple area. But it was already late. So Jesus went to Bethany with the twelve apostles.

Related Scripture Readings

No person can see God. But Jesus is exactly like God. Jesus is ruler over all the things that have been made. Through his power all things were made—things in heaven and on earth, things seen and not seen, all {spiritual} powers, authorities, lords, and rulers. All things were made through Christ and for Christ. Christ was there before anything was made. And all things continue because of him. Christ is the head of the body. (The body is the church.) Everything comes from him. And he is the Lord who was raised from death. So in all things Jesus is most important. God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ. And through Christ, God was happy to bring all things back to himself again—things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace by using Christ's blood (death) on the cross. At one time you were separated from God. You were God's enemies in your minds, because the evil things you did were against God. But now Christ has made you God's friends again. Christ did this by his death while he was in his body. Christ did this so that he could bring you before God. He brings you before God as people who are holy, with no wrong in you, and with nothing that God can judge you guilty of. Christ will do this if you continue to believe in the Good News you heard. You must continue strong and sure in your faith. You must not be moved away from the hope that Good News gave you. That same Good News has been told to all people in the world. I, Paul, help in telling that Good News.

You received Christ Jesus the Lord. So continue to live following him without changing anything. You must depend on Christ only. Life and strength come from him. You were taught the truth. You must continue to be sure of that true teaching. And always be thankful. Be sure that no person leads you away with false ideas and words that mean nothing. Those ideas come from people, not Christ. Those ideas are the worthless ideas of people in the world. All of God lives in Christ fully (even in Christ's life on earth). And in Christ you are full. You need nothing else. Christ is ruler over all rulers and powers.

Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Everything you say and everything you do should all be done for Jesus your Lord (Master). And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.