Oct 08 2024

Today's Bible Verse

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

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At one point in Jesus' ministry, James and John asked to sit next to Him. This frustrated the other disciples, and Jesus responded with today's verse. He emphasized that the greatest among them is not necessarily the person in authority, but instead the person who serves the most. He said that His life would demonstrate this; He did not come into the world to be ministered to, but to minister and ultimately give His life away.

We are the beneficiaries of Jesus' ministry. He saved us once and for all on the cross, and we are able to have a relationship with Him because He has atoned for our sins.

Jesus was a minister. He modeled for us what ultimate sacrifice and perfect love look like. Now, like James and John, we are supposed to spread Jesus' love throughout the world as servants. Just as Jesus came to minister to us, we are called to minister to other people.

Servanthood is a high and holy calling. Jesus lived a perfect life, and He spent it in service to the lowest of people. If we are truly imitating Jesus, we are making sacrifices to our personal comfort, choosing instead to live as Jesus did and look for opportunities to serve.

Serving others is not primarily about the people we serve. Instead, it is all about being faithful to God. When we serve, we are able to better understand the love that Jesus has for us. It instills humility and teaches us that true greatness is not about authority, power, money, or thrones, but instead in actively loving the people that God has given us the opportunity to minister to.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for coming to this earth as a servant. Thank you for being a God who gives and helps us to be servants who love well just as Jesus did. Please help us as we honor you through serving, and remind us to be humble as Jesus was. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Oct 07 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. :

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this verse from John's gospel, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees. He calls himself a "good shepherd," one who gives life to His sheep, or those who follow Him. This morning we'll consider what it means for Jesus to be a good shepherd, including how that affects our lives today.

In ancient Israel, where Jesus lived, a shepherd would guard the sheep. If a lion came to attack them, a shepherd would scare it away or fight it. If a sheep got lost, the shepherd would find it. A good shepherd was someone who did all these tasks in an exemplary way. This is symbolic of what Jesus does for each of us: He guards us and protects us from our enemies.

Jesus emphasizes that a shepherd gives life to the sheep, and this can be interpreted in several ways. First, Jesus makes us alive. Whereas we were once dead in our sins, now we are alive in Christ. We have been given life and the ability to say no to sin. Our hearts are alive because of the love that Christ has for us, and we are now capable of living holy lives.

Another way of understanding this verse is that a shepherd gives his life for his sheep—and this is exactly what Jesus did. We were hopeless in our sin and there was no way we could ever atone for it. But Jesus made a way. He chose to endure a painful death on the cross. Because Jesus gave His life for us, we are able to know God. Like a good shepherd, Jesus laid down His life so that we might live.

If you ever feel alone, or uncertain, or just lost in a world that is far from God, remember that you have a Shepherd watching over you. He has proven His love for you over and over again, and He will never turn His back on you.

Remember that Jesus is your shepherd. Follow Him with certainty that you can trust Him.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for Jesus. Thank you for being a good shepherd. I could not ask for more watchful or loving eyes to be on me as I live my life. Help me to honor you. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
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