Daily Devotional: Friday, April 3, 2020
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 53:9
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah continues to describe the Messiah’s suffering and humiliation. Here in verse 9, Isaiah prophesies the Messiah would make his grave among the wicked and rich.
The Jewish religious leaders hated Jesus so much that killing Him by hanging Him on the cross wasn’t enough. They also planned to bury Him with the criminals He died between; two thieves, one on His left and one on His right.
Part of the punishment of criminals is their burial, and the Jewish leaders planned to humiliate Jesus by making His grave with the wicked.
But as it turned out, Jesus was buried among the rich. You remember how the rich man named Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body and buried Him in his grave (Mark 16:42-46)?
Have you ever seen a rich man’s grave? If you take a walk in a cemetery and look at the graves, you can tell who was rich and proud and who was poor and humble. The rich and proud pay to have huge tombstones carved and hoisted over their graves. Rich people want people to look at their grave and remember how rich and important they were.
Is this what poor people want when they die? Do they want their tombstone to be big and loud?
No, poor people are humble and they want their grave to be humble and quiet like they were.
Jesus was poor and humble, but He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich. Joseph of Arimathea was kind to bury Jesus in his own grave, but it was incongruous. Jesus’ grave didn’t really fit Jesus’ life and character. Jesus’ grave was a contradiction of Who He was because Jesus had been good and humble. He had done no violence and he never spoke lies.
QUESTIONS
- Do you know what the word “incongruous” means?
- Would you want to be buried in a rich man’s grave?
- Would Jesus want to be buried in a rich man’s grave?
SONG OF THE WEEK
Ah, Holy Jesus
Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted!
Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee!
‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied Thee;
I crucified Thee.
Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered.
For man’s atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.
For me, kind Jesus, was Thine incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life’s oblation:
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.
Listen to Ah, Holy Jesus on Clearnote Songbook
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Gracious Father, grant me humility in life and in death; keep me from exalting myself above You or others; produce within me that poverty of spirit which qualifies me for the kingdom of heaven; make me to know the full extent of my inability and weakness, my tremendous need of Your power and grace, the lavish way You have poured these upon me in Christ; so that when I boast, my boast is You. Amen.
OTHER PRAYER NEEDS
- That our palm branches will arrive tomorrow morning!
- That we would meditate much on Christ this Easter season
- That God would use these circumstances to revive and renew us as a church
SCRIPTURE MEMORY THIS WEEK
Isaiah 53:9-10 (KJV)
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
