There's no neutral in life. You're either building up or tearing down. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 106 Q. Does the fifth commandment refer only to killing? A. By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness. In God’s sight all such are murder. Summary In many ways, the Sermon on the Mount is the defining blueprint for the Christian life. Jesus teaches that we must have surpassing righteousness, a feat we're not capable of on our own, but which He supplies on our behalf. Although this gift is pure grace, it does come with strings attached: we're now expected to live and look like the perfectly righteous people we've been declared to be. Not only does grace declare us to be righteous and holy, but it also equips us to live accordingly. This means that we no longer view God's law as a black and white list of do's and don'ts, but rather we're to align our attitudes with the Law's underlying principles of godliness. It's these foundational principles that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere that Paul continues to build on in passages like what we're reading today. In this light, murder is not just an act that takes a person's physical life, but it's anything that is not "helpful for building others up according to their needs." This means that murder weapons have expanded from things like guns and knives to attitudes and behaviors like "bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, and every form of malice." Dig Deeper Anybody who's watched any sort of home improvement or remodeling show knows that the first step of a rebab project is demo day, where the old is torn out so the new can be installed. This is the entire premise of this chapter in Ephesians: your old sinful self must be removed so you can come to new life in Christ. Unlike the remodel project where demo day comes and goes, demolishing is an ongoing project for you as often new sins creep in and recontaminate areas you thought you'd already cleaned out. Paul often uses violent language to describe this ongoing process: you are to put to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8:13). But this license to kill comes with a significant restriction: for the most part, you must always be the victim. There certainly are times where it's not only appropriate but necessary for you to help others identify and kill off the sin in their lives, but those times are limited and must be done with great wisdom. Your words, thoughts and attitudes will always result in one extreme or the other: they will either build others up in Christ, or they will "grieve the Holy Spirit of God," as murderous behaviors like bitterness, rage, brawling and slander tear others apart. In general, keep your killing limited to your own sinful self (Sarx), and take advantage of the nearly limitless opportunities to build others up with wholesome talk, kindness and compassion. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father who has forgiven you in Christ; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your thoughts, words and deeds will build others up, even as you kill off the indwelling sin in your own life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 John

If you fail to warn others, their sin becomes your sin. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 99 Q. What is God’s will for us in the third commandment? A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say. Summary The prophet Ezekiel here is giving an account of God’s calling him to be a watchman for the people of Israel. A watchman was an individual who kept a lookout over the entrance of the city, announcing the arrival of messengers and warning of impending attacks on the city. The role of a watchman was an important one; they were there to protect the city. A watchman who failed to give warning of an attack would bear indirect responsibility for those who died. As a watchman appointed by God for the people of Israel, it was Ezekiel’s responsibility to deliver messages which he received from God to the people. Ezekiel was warned that his calling was to do more than just declare condemnation on the wicked, he was to first speak out and dissuade the people from their wicked ways. To fail to encourage his fellow Israelites to give up their sinful ways would leave Ezekiel accountable for their blood. If Ezekiel was faithful in warning others about these dangers and they ignored his warning, the fault would not lie with him. However, to do nothing, to not warn of the dangers of wicked living would leave Ezekiel liable. Dig Deeper Sometimes, as Ezekiel was warned, you can find yourself in violation of God’s law not because of what you have done, but for what you have left undone. One of the ways you can dishonor the name of God is by standing idly by while someone defames the name of God. Arguably, one of the most common curse words spoken in the English language is the misuse of the name of God. The use of terms such as “Jesus”, “Jesus Christ”, or “Oh My God” in a derogatory way is rampant in western media and the broader culture. And unfortunately, this misuse of the name of God can cause others to likewise share in the defaming of the name of our Lord. Many who misuse the name of God in this manner do not understand the defamatory nature of using the name of the Almighty in this way. This is where a gentle reminder can make a difference in someone’s life. Perhaps that person does not care about the misuse of the name of God; if that is the case then the fault of their actions does not lie with you. However, to not share the truth of their actions with someone who does not understand the defamatory nature of their misuse of the name of God would leave you with some level of accountability for their breaking of the third commandment. As you do your best to follow God’s law out of gratitude for all that Christ has done for you, remember to also be a help to those who are seeking to do the same. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the great judge who calls us to warn of His impending wrath; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom and courage to not only live and speak righteously on your own, but to gently call those around you out of their sinful language; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2 Corinthians 12

Frivolous warning signs are easy to ignore, but not all warnings are frivolous. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 82 Q. Are those to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper who show by what they say and do that they are unbelieving and ungodly? A. No, that would dishonor God’s covenant and bring down God’s anger upon the entire congregation. Therefore, according to the instruction of Christ and his apostles, the Christian church is duty-bound to exclude such people, by the official use of the keys of the kingdom, until they reform their lives. Summary The celebration of the Lord's Supper in Corinth had become a farce. Earlier in this chapter, Paul writes of how some would go hungry while another would over indulge until he was drunk. After reiterating the instructions Jesus gave for participating in His body and blood, Paul lays down a stern warning: those who come to the table in an unworthy manner are guilty of sinning against the body and blood of Jesus! So serious is this sin that it may even cause the entire congregation to get sick and even die (v30)! This seems really harsh, but we're reminded that the Lord disciplines us now so that we will not be condemned with the rest of the world. The Lord's discipline, though sometimes painful, is actually an act of His grace! One important key to coming to the Lord's table in a worthy manner is given in v28: you must examine yourself beforehand. That means, as one lexicon put it, "to try to learn the genuineness" of your faith. This is why most Reformed churches announce their communion celebration well in advance, and then spend time corporately as also individually preparing, so that each member of the congregation can examine their faith, hope and love to make sure it's firmly rooted in Christ alone. Dig Deeper We get so used to warning signs being slapped on to everything due to the overabundant caution manufacturers exercise as the result of often frivolous lawsuits stemming from people who hurt themselves by abusing the company's product. We see WARNING, DANGER & CAUTION placards so often now that we rarely take the time to read them or understand the dangers they communicate. It's easy to convey that lackadaisical attitude toward scripture. Certainly there are all sorts of warnings, especially in the Old Testament but also in the New Testament, about the repercussions God's covenant people can expect if they transgress God's commands. But as Christians we're so accustomed to downplaying and flat out disregarding these warnings because we know in the end our sins have been atoned for and forgiven in Christ, and that somehow that makes us exempt from God's discipline. Don't make that mistake. Take the Bible's warnings against sin, and especially this warning regarding unworthy participation in the Supper seriously. Don't let it scare you away, but as you prepare for it, examine your life for indwelling sin and root it out as you ensure your faith is placed squarely in Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who lovingly disciplines His children to save them from eternal condemnation; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you take all of the Bible's warnings against sin seriously; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Luke 22

The final promise Jesus made before dying is the most comforting of all. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 57 Q. How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you? A. Not only my soul will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but even my very flesh, raised by the power of Christ, will be reunited with my soul and made like Christ’s glorious body. Summary This is a story of two criminals, one hanging on either side of Jesus, but both looking at their present situation from vastly different perspectives. To call them 'criminals,' or even 'thieves' as the older translations put it, is an understatement. In modern parlance, these guys would be classified as terrorists or insurrectionists guilty of murdering multiple people and fomenting violence wherever they went. Regardless of how they're referred to, they represent two different types of people in this world. The one insults and belittles the Son of God hanging next to him, since God is not giving him exactly what he wants. The other better understands the reality of the situation: God is giving the both of them exactly what they deserve. It's this ability to look past the lies that come from within - an ability given by the Holy Spirit - that results in the proper attitude as he approaches his maker: This second, humbled criminal fears God. But notice this properly grounded fear of God doesn't result in terror and dread, rather it brings about one simple request to the Savior innocently suffering the same punishment as him: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus' reply, likely coming between gasps for air as he hung, forms the foundation for one of the most comforting doctrines in the Bible. He says to this sinner turned saint, "Today you shall be with me in paradise." Dig Deeper Although this criminal's theology was spot on in his dying moments, it certainly wasn't well developed or comprehensively applied to life. He'd likely never read the Bible, and the only thing he knew about God's law was how to break it. But he obviously wasn't saved because of his lifetime of faithful service or good deeds, nor because of what he knew about the man hanging in the middle. Rather, his salvation came because of what Christ remembered of him, that he was a child of the God he ultimately came to fear, chosen before the creation of the universe to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Today we're focusing on the immediacy of the criminal's salvation. Because of this short conversation between two dying men, you can have absolute certainty that those you've known who placed their faith in Jesus Christ instantly were welcomed into paradise upon drawing their final breath. In addition, you can live the life of gratitude that this criminal would have most certainly lived had he been given the chance, knowing that you're last day in this life will instantly give way to your first day in eternity. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father God, who judges justly and calls all sinners to account. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live with the assurance of and gratitude for your sure salvation. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Romans 10

God's depending on you to change the world by using your gift to build Christ's Church. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 55 Q. What do you understand by “the communion of saints”? A. First, that believers one and all, as members of this community, share in Christ and in all his treasures and gifts. Second, that each member should consider it a duty to use these gifts readily and cheerfully for the service and enrichment of the other members. Summary We just read the first half of chapter 12 two weeks ago as we were reminded that as Jesus rules all things as head of His Church, He does so by pouring out gifts on us His members through the Holy Spirit. Although these are truly gifts in that we've not earned them and they come with absolutely no cost, the Spiritual Gifts you've been given do come with strings attached. Because you've been gifted, you're now obligated. The gift you've been given as an individual is not meant to be used alone. In fact, Paul here reminds you that your overall purpose in life isn't just taking care of yourself and meeting your own needs, or even your family's needs. Rather, your primary purpose is building up the body of Christ. Follow the logic that the catechism is reflecting these last few weeks: God rules all things through Christ; Christ is the head of His Church; Therefore, God rules all things through the Church (this does not mean that the Church is called to have authority over every sphere of life, but rather that the Church must point everyone and all things to the truth revealed in God's Word). And... The Church is the body of Christ and is made up of a diverse membership; The Church depends on you using the gift you've been given to function properly (v14, 18, 27); Therefore, Christ depends on you using your gift to build the Church through which God rules all things. Dig Deeper You likely have a whole list of things you wish that were different in this world, and you've likely wondered why God doesn't just change this or that. Certainly God does have the power to miraculously change circumstances, and He does do that from time to time, but ordinarily God brings true blessing and shalom to the world by equipping His saints (that's you) to build His Church. So if you want things to get better, know and use your gifts. The Apostles' Creed refers to the Church as a communion. You can see the similarity there with the word community. As our passage points out today, every saint plays a different role, but each part of the body is critically important. There's a tension in today's text. On one hand, be content with the gifts you've been given and do not be jealous of what appears to you to be a more glamorous gift. But on the other hand, "eagerly desire the greater gifts (v31)" - literally seek them out. Work just as hard in your own life and especially the lives of our kids to develop their gifts as what we do to develop their academic and athletic gifts. One of the biggest needs we have moving forward as we bring reformation to our Reformed denominations is for solid men to step up into the roles of elder and minister. How is God calling you to either support of fulfill this need in Christ's Church? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be (v18) ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the gifts He's given you, and pray that you'll know what they are, how to use them and that you'll be content with your gift even as you eagerly desire greater gifts. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Romans 6

Jesus' sheep listen to His voice, so make sure your ears are directed to Him! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 45 Q. How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us? A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death. Second, by his power we too are already now resurrected to a new life. Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection. Summary The 'Feast of Dedication' is better known to us as Hanukkah, and Jerusalem would have been decked out for this winter festival in the same way our communities are for Christmas. But not everyone was in a festive mood; Jesus had shown up, and the Jewish establishment had had just about enough from Him. Their request sounds so pure and noble: tell us plainly if you're the Messiah, Jesus! But it's really a trap, and in their eyes Jesus falls right into it. But Jesus is much more coy than they think He is. He knows right off that He's dealing with wolves, not sheep. He knows the wolves will never listen to Him. Jesus' concern is only for His sheep. Jesus knows His sheep, which have been given to Him by His Father, and His sheep have two primary characteristics that can be easily seen: They listen to Jesus' voice; They follow Him. But the big idea we want to focus on today are the massive guarantees Jesus gives His sheep: He gives them eternal life; They shall never perish / be destroyed; No one will ever snatch them, because they are held forever not just in Jesus' hands, but in His Father's as well. Since Jesus is talking with wolves, they don't listen to His voice, rather they hear only what they want to hear, and all they hear is Jesus claim that God is His Father, so once again, they pick up stones and are ready to kill Him. Dig Deeper This week we've been focused on the benefits we gain because of Jesus' resurrection. Since He has overcome death, you have overcome death. Since accomplished perfect righteousness, you have perfect righteousness. Since He is already resurrected, so you too already are resurrected to a new life. All of these resurrection benefits are guaranteed for Jesus' sheep. Your only comfort in life and in death is knowing that you're a sheep belonging to Jesus. Consequently, make every effort to know for sure that you belong to Him! Do you hear His voice? To hear it, you must be listening. You're listening to God's Word right now, so that's a great start. Plan on joining the flock as they gather on the Lord's Day to listen to Him as His Word is proclaimed. Surround yourself with good Christian teaching all week long (our Christian podcast site, Drive.Faith, is a great place to start). Then follow the commands you hear from Him. Repent & believe. Know the Father's expectations and do all that you can to meet them. Live with the peace of comfort of the resurrection that's been guaranteed to you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has you securely grasped in His hand; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will take comfort in the guarantees of new life you've been given as you listen to Jesus and follow Him. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 15

All people will rise from the grave... the question is what will you rise to? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 45 Q. How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us? A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death. Second, by his power we too are already now resurrected to a new life. Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection. Summary Be thankful for the Jewish establishment that constantly pestered Jesus. We're going to be reading about confrontations Jesus had with them both today and tomorrow. I imagine there was an element of anger and frustration in Jesus' voice as He responded to them, but yet it's these sort of impassioned explanations Jesus gives that form the basis for the doctrines that comfort us the most. In today's passage, Jesus is being hassled because the establishment has concluded that Jesus was breaking Sabbath law by healing people, and even worse, that He was making Himself equal to God by calling God His own Father (v18). In setting them straight, Jesus makes some stunning claims. Jesus here says that "all who are in their graves will hear God's voice and come out (v28-29)." According to Jesus Himself, all of the dead will hear the voice of God and will live (v25)! Eternal life is not just for Christians! But this isn't necessarily good news, for the first thing people will face after coming out from their graves will be a sorting, in which those who've done good will rise to life, while the evil doers will rise to be condemned (v29). Were it not for what Jesus had just said prior to this, even Christians would be tossed about by doubt, constantly wondering what they'll wake up too when God calls all people out of the grave. Will they way they lived be considered 'good enough' to pass God's sorting, or not? That's why you need to know v24 well: Whoever hears my voice and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged, but has crossed over from death to life. Dig Deeper You have a ton of things you're worried about today, ranging from a never ending to-do list to wondering if your relationship with so and so will ever be restored. Certainly all of these sorts of things are important, and you are not only welcomed, but invited to bring them to the Lord in prayer. But knowing what you've been reminded of in these words of Jesus today - that life is really short compared to the eternity you will face when you step out of the grave, and that most of the things you're worried about right now will soon pass away - will help keep you grounded and aligned with these truths that so many people are completely distracted from. If you hear Christ's voice and believe Him, know that not only are you guaranteed that you will be physically resurrected on that final day, and that you already have eternal life and will not be judged. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who raises all to eternal life and who has given Jesus the authority to judge; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be reminded often that salvation is not just a future benefit, so that you will keep your heart and mind set on things above already now. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 15

You can find immense comfort in the fact that Jesus' dead body was buried. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 41 Q. Why was he “buried”? A. His burial testifies that he really died. Summary Following the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea was granted permission by Pilate to take the body of Jesus so that he may be put to rest. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, provided the myrrh and aloes that would be used as part of the burial process. This amount of burial spices, 75 lbs of myrrh and aloes, far exceeded the typical amount used for the burial custom. Using this many burial spices would have been considered a showing of respect towards Jesus; one that came at a very high price, since these ingredients were very expensive. Dig Deeper Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took great personal risk in ensuring Jesus received a proper burial. And while their actions are commendable, the most important aspect of this passage was not their bravery, but the fact that Jesus indeed had died and was buried. Jesus' body created from dust seemed like it was well on the way to becoming dust again. The miracle of the resurrection is that Jesus, who had died and was buried, became alive again. The logical order of events dictates that indeed, if Jesus was going to rise from the dead, that He first be dead. This simple act of the burial of Jesus plays an important part in the Biblical accounts of the resurrection. This importance can be seen in how the burial account is included in all four of the Gospels. The reality of Jesus’ death and burial can also be seen in the chief priests’ response to the burial. Fearing that the disciples might try to steal away Jesus’ body, they asked Pilate to lend them soldiers to secure and guard the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66). Certainly, part of securing the tomb was to ensure that Jesus’ deceased body remained inside. Between the witnesses of Jesus’ death on the cross, those who prepared his body for burial, and those who secured his body in the tomb; there are more than enough witnesses to verify that Jesus really had died. Because Jesus had died and was buried, we rejoice in the miracle that on the third day he rose again from the dead. Today's catechism question, emphasizing the fact that Jesus was indeed buried, seems out of place in a year long study of what your only comfort in life and in death is. But this little question, with its seemingly simplistic answer - that Jesus' burial indicates that He was in fact actually dead - will give you immense comfort the next time you're looking at the casket of a loved one that's about to be lowered into the ground. Just as Jesus' lifeless body was made to live again after it had already been sealed in a tomb, so too will that loved one whose faith was in the resurrected Savior rise from the grave when Christ returns. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who seemed so distant and far away from Joseph and Nicodemus as they placed Jesus' body in the ground; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Both Joseph & Nicodemus had followed Jesus in secret. Pray that you will have the courage to follow Christ in a way that's visible to all. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 9

Where can you find peace while wandering through a spiritual desert? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 29 Q. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus,” meaning “Savior”? A. Because he saves us from our sins. Salvation cannot be found in anyone else; it is futile to look for any salvation elsewhere. Summary Near the end of the movie Thor: Ragnarok, Thor’s brother Loki is freed by a group of escaped slaves and expresses to them, “You do seem to be in desperate need of leadership”. Surprisingly enough, the newly escaped group followed Loki’s lead. Leadership is something that we desire. To see this in the world today, look no further than how countries are organized; typically there is an official head of the government known as the president, prime minister, or by some other title. The Old Testament book of 1 Samuel accounts how the Israelites wanted a king and asked the Prophet Samuel to appoint one over them. And in today’s passage we see this desire for leadership in the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. Moses had gone up the mountain to speak with God. After a delay in his return, the people began to worry. Without any confirmation that anything had happened to Moses, they began looking for new sources of leadership. It would be one thing if they were looking for a replacement for Moses, but the reality was far more troubling. At the behest of the people, Aaron fashioned a golden calf; an idol which the people declared as “your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Dig Deeper The errors of the Israelites at Mt. Sinai are plentiful. Believing that Moses may have perished on the mountain, they look towards not someone, but something to lead them. They were not looking to replace Moses so much as they were seeking out a replacement for God. Despite God having saved the Israelites from Pharaoh's army, feeding them manna when they needed food, and leading the Israelites through the wilderness as a pillar of smoke by day and fire by night; it is astounding how quickly they started searching for gods to lead them in the absence of Moses, who had acted as mediator between God and the Israelites. Where do you turn when God feels distant? A prolonged period of time where God feels distant is often referred to as a 'spiritual desert.' While many believers have experienced this at one time or another, experiencing a spiritual desert can be a sad and lonely place to be. When God feels distant, the actions of the Israelites at Mt. Sinai stand as a great example of what NOT to do. Having lost their connection with God via Moses’ absence, the people tried to seek out a replacement. The problem with this approach is that there is no replacement for God. While God may feel distant at times, this does not last forever. Remain faithful during the struggle. Spend time praying and reading scripture, even if it feels like a struggle to do so. Instead of seeking something to replace God, it will be far more rewarding spending that time in pursuit of God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Holy Father, unchanging and omnipresent, even when we can't see Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will keep you from wandering away, even as you experience spiritual drought. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Hebrews 8

The Bible isn't just a book of stories and archaic rules... it's written so that you may have life. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 22 Q What then must a Christian believe? A. Everything God promises us in the gospel. That gospel is summarized for us in the articles of our Christian faith— a creed beyond doubt, and confessed throughout the world. Summary This episode that takes place a full week after Jesus' resurrection is exactly why we often prefix Thomas' name with the word Doubting. Thomas had missed out on Jesus' earlier appearance to the other disciples, and then he dismissed their excited claims by stating that he not only needed to see Jesus alive, but he also needed to touch His wounds before he would believe. Jesus accommodated his request. But this grace quickly transitioned into a command to Thomas, and others like him: "Stop doubting, and believe (v27)." Instantly, Thomas' need for tangible proof disappears. He no longer needs to touch the nail marks on Jesus' hands; rather he simply affirms His Savior's command with a beautifully simple statement of faith: "My Lord and my God (v28)." Jesus accepts Thomas' profession, but as He does so, He broadens the audience He's speaking to. No longer is He just conversing with Thomas, or even with the other disciples in the room; in v29 He's talking directly to you and me: those who've not physically seen Jesus, but yet believe. Throughout John’s gospel Jesus has been talking to us... in fact, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He's been talking to you. He is talking about the faith that you've been given, and here He commands you to stop doubting and believe. Dig Deeper Today we've been presented with a basic, foundational question that you have to know the answer to: What must a Christian believe? The answer is simple and yet profound. We are called to believe everything God promises of in the gospel, and believe it beyond doubt with a confession that reaches out into the world. Is your faith doing that? Martin Luther said that doubt is a place that we will all visit, but we must never build our home there. When you find yourself doubting your faith, reread the gospel of John - it will only take half an hour to read the whole thing. As you do so, underline each time there is a promise for you the reader. After all, John tells us exactly why he wrote these words down in v31: "So that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Strengthen your faith in the gospel so that you would live beyond doubt. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Heavenly Father I confess that there are times that I doubt your work, your mercy, your grace, and your forgiveness. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Bring the fire of faith to burn brightly again that any lingering doubts would be consumed in your glory. Teach me your ways today. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 18