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1Corinthians 15:21  “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.” 

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life? 

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34) 

How is this a new commandment? It would seem that this instruction had been given in the Old Testament that you were to love your neighbor as yourself. “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18) Jesus applied this to anyone that you came across that needed help. (Luke 10:30-37) We should do this with great care and vigor. This principle is the guiding rule in our charity work today. 

In this new commandment, Jesus is speaking in a more intimate context. Love for each other is given as one of the fundamental aspects of his kingdom. There is a special love for other believers that is to be expressed in our care and concern. Love for each other would be the identifying mark of the followers of Christ. It would not be our clothes or bodily marks. It would be the care that we give to each other. 

Jesus gives us the standard by which we are to live. We are to match him in his love for the disciples. The disciples knew exactly how he had loved them because they had experienced it. 

He spoke kindly to them, concerned himself heartily for them, and for their welfare, instructed, counselled, and comforted them, prayed with them and for them, vindicated them when they were accused, took their part when they were run down, and publicly owned them to be dearer to him than his mother, or sister, or brother. He reproved them for what was amiss, and yet compassionately bore with their failings, excused them, made the best of them, and passed by many an oversight. Thus he had loved them, and just now washed their feet; and thus they must love one another, and love to the end.

-Matthew Henry

This love for each other must be ever ready, freely given, and constant. It must also extend to the protection of each other even unto death. Most often applied in times of persecution. 

The reputation of believers is wrapped up in the love that we show to each other. From it, the world will wonder at what they see expressed. Understanding that love for self is overridden by the love expressed for others. In this, we reflect the nature of God and are obedient to the will of God for us.   

The love of God sent His only begotten Son to the cross. (John 3:16) The Love of Christ went to the cross with Joy. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He humbled himself to become a man, he humbled himself to wash his disciple’s feet, and he humbled himself to give his life a ransom for many. There is no greater love than that. 

 Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the Skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from Sky to Sky.

– Frederick M. Lehman

“God, even our own God.” — Psalms 67:6

— Psalms 67:6

It is strange how little use we make of the spiritual blessings which God gives us, but it is stranger still how little use we make of God himself. Though he is “our own God,” we apply ourselves but little to him, and ask but little of him. How seldom do we ask counsel at the hands of the Lord! How often do we go about our business, without seeking his guidance! In our troubles how constantly do we strive to bear our burdens ourselves, instead of casting them upon the Lord, that he may sustain us! This is not because we may not, for the Lord seems to say, “I am thine, soul, come and make use of me as thou wilt; thou mayst freely come to my store, and the oftener the more welcome.” It is our own fault if we make not free with the riches of our God. Then, since thou hast such a friend, and he invites thee, draw from him daily. Never want whilst thou hast a God to go to; never fear or faint whilst thou hast God to help thee; go to thy treasure and take whatever thou needest-there is all that thou canst want. Learn the divine skill of making God all things to thee. He can supply thee with all, or, better still, he can be to thee instead of all. Let me urge thee, then, to make use of thy God. Make use of him in prayer. Go to him often, because he is thy God. O, wilt thou fail to use so great a privilege? Fly to him, tell him all thy wants. Use him constantly by faith at all times. If some dark providence has beclouded thee, use thy God as a “sun;” if some strong enemy has beset thee, find in Jehovah a “shield,” for he is a sun and shield to his people. If thou hast lost thy way in the mazes of life, use him as a “guide,” for he will direct thee. Whatever thou art, and wherever thou art, remember God is just what thou wantest, and just where thou wantest, and that he can do all thou wantest.

1Corinthians 15:20  “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life? 

“And because of all this we make a sure covenant.”

— Nehemiah 9:38

There are many occasions in our experience when we may very rightly, and with benefit, renew our covenant with God. After recovery from sickness when, like Hezekiah, we have had a new term of years added to our life, we may fitly do it. After any deliverance from trouble, when our joys bud forth anew, let us again visit the foot of the cross, and renew our consecration. Especially, let us do this after any sin which has grieved the Holy Spirit, or brought dishonour upon the cause of God; let us then look to that blood which can make us whiter than snow, and again offer ourselves unto the Lord. We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same. If we ever meet with occasions which deserve to be called “crowning mercies” then, surely, if he hath crowned us, we ought also to crown our God; let us bring forth anew all the jewels of the divine regalia which have been stored in the jewel-closet of our heart, and let our God sit upon the throne of our love, arrayed in royal apparel. If we would learn to profit by our prosperity, we should not need so much adversity. If we would gather from a kiss all the good it might confer upon us, we should not so often smart under the rod. Have we lately received some blessing which we little expected? Has the Lord put our feet in a large room? Can we sing of mercies multiplied? Then this is the day to put our hand upon the horns of the altar, and say, “Bind me here, my God; bind me here with cords, even for ever.” Inasmuch as we need the fulfilment of new promises from God, let us offer renewed prayers that our old vows may not be dishonoured. Let us this morning make with him a sure covenant, because of the pains of Jesus which for the last month we have been considering with gratitude.

Romans 10:9,10  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Write this verse down on a 3×5 card and carry it with you. Throughout the day, pull the card out and try to memorize it. Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

— Romans 8:37

We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins. Paul thus rebukes us, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Take your sins to Christ’s cross, for the old man can only be crucified there: we are crucified with him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus. To give an illustration-you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go to work? It is very possible you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it. How did I get salvation? I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted him to save me. I must kill my angry temper in the same way? It is the only way in which I can ever kill it. I must go to the cross with it, and say to Jesus, “Lord, I trust thee to deliver me from it.” This is the only way to give it a death-blow. Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil so long as you please, but if it be your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any way but by the blood of Jesus. Take it to Christ. Tell him, “Lord, I have trusted thee, and thy name is Jesus, for thou dost save thy people from their sins; Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it!” Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification. Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears-the whole of them put together-are worth nothing apart from him. “None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good;” or helpless saints either. You must be conquerors through him who hath loved you, if conquerors at all. Our laurels must grow among his olives in Gethsemane.

1Corinthians 1:18  “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Write this verse down on a 3×5 card and carry it with you. Throughout the day, pull the card out and try to memorize it. Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life? 

 Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples, eating the Passover meal. He knew that this was the end of his time on earth. He tells them that one of them will betray him and deliver him into the hands of his enemies. For the Apostles, this is a hard thing to understand. All but one have the greatest of respect for him as a friend and teacher. It is unimaginable for them to think there is one of them that does not feel this way about Jesus. This thought brought fear to their hearts and minds to imagen that they might be the one. What could make them do such a thing? 

One of them looked the same as the rest and pretended to act the same as the rest. Judas knew Jesus was talking about him. What did Judas think at that moment? He was a skilled liar, and we are told that he was a thief. After the fact, they must have found out that funds went a lot farther when an honest person was managing the funds. He played along with the rest. Perhaps he thought someone had told Jesus that someone was betraying him, but he had not been told who it was. 

If one can live in such great contact with the Savior, and can still turn the heart from Him. Is it possible that many in churches today look like children of God but are, in fact, children of the devil? Pretending to be what they are not claiming to know the truth that they have never experienced themselves. We can ask questions, but we never know for sure if someone else is saved or not. We must take their word for it. We are as clueless in this matter as the apostles were concerning Judas. The church must be a place of personal examination. It is easy to think someone else needs the message, but the reality is that every sermon is for the person that hears it. God always has something He wants you to get a hold of and implement or improve on in your life. We must examine our hearts and listen for the voice of God instructing us. The only salvation we can be sure of is our own.  

Jesus identifies the traitor and sends him out to do what was in his heart. Judas leaves the house, and the rest think that he is going out to do business. Jesus is left with the eleven disciples who had believed. Those who remained were His own dearly loved disciples. Now, he can continue with the last instructions and encouragement that these men need for the next few days. 

“Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.” (John 13:31-32)

Jesus knew that there was not years, months, or days left before the purpose of his coming would be done. There were only hours left before he would be arrested, tried, and crucified. The final events had now been set in motion. 

How would he be glorified? He will is glorified because his purpose will be fulfilled. He was speaking of the cross; this is how Jesus was to be glorified. When the sinless God-man died for sinful men.

Jesus glorified the father in the cross by his obedience to His will, by establishing the New Covenant with his blood, by finishing the work that God had sent Him to do, and by the satisfaction of God’s justice.

God glorified Jesus in the miracles at the crucifixion. These include the captors falling back at his arrest, the darkness at midday, the earthquake, the dead rising, the temple curtain tarring top to bottom. Jesus was glorified in the resurrection, ascension, and by taking His place at the right hand of the father. 

 “… who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrew 12:2) This speaks of all of the glorification to come for Jesus. The brutal beatings, the scourging, the thorns piercing, the burdened walk, the nails driven, and the agonizing hours. What we see as horror, Jesus met with joy. What we see as humiliation Jesus saw as glory. (John 19:16-37) With the cross came the forgiveness of sins, victory over death, new life in Christ, the defeat of Satan. The cross was the glorification of Christ. 

“Him hath God exalted.”

— Acts 5:31

Jesus, our Lord, once crucified, dead and buried, now sits upon the throne of glory. The highest place that heaven affords is his by undisputed right. It is sweet to remember that the exaltation of Christ in heaven is a representative exaltation. He is exalted at the Father’s right hand, and though as Jehovah he had eminent glories, in which finite creatures cannot share, yet as the Mediator, the honours which Jesus wears in heaven are the heritage of all the saints. It is delightful to reflect how close is Christ’s union with his people. We are actually one with him; we are members of his body; and his exaltation is our exaltation. He will give us to sit upon his throne, even as he has overcome, and is set down with his Father on his throne; he has a crown, and he gives us crowns too; he has a throne, but he is not content with having a throne to himself, on his right hand there must be his queen, arrayed in “gold of Ophir.” He cannot be glorified without his bride. Look up, believer, to Jesus now; let the eye of your faith behold him with many crowns upon his head; and remember that you will one day be like him, when you shall see him as he is; you shall not be so great as he is, you shall not be so divine, but still you shall, in a measure, share the same honours, and enjoy the same happiness and the same dignity which he possesses. Be content to live unknown for a little while, and to walk your weary way through the fields of poverty, or up the hills of affliction; for by-and-by you shall reign with Christ, for he has “made us kings and priests unto God, and we shall reign for ever and ever.” Oh!, wonderful thought for the children of God! We have Christ for our glorious representative in heaven’s courts now, and soon he will come and receive us to himself, to be with him there, to behold his glory, and to share his joy.