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

Which books of the Bible are about Jesus? All of them! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 19 Q. How do you come to know this? A. The holy gospel tells me. God himself began to reveal the gospel already in Paradise; later, he proclaimed it by the holy patriarchs and prophets, and portrayed it by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law; finally, he fulfilled it through his own dear Son. Summary These words of Jesus come as part of his response to those who were upset that he healed a man on the Sabbath. As Jesus pointed out to the crowd, they had been looking for salvation in the Old Testament scriptures. This was not a problem, as God’s plan of salvation can be seen throughout the Old Testament. The issue was with those who look to the words of the Old Testament for salvation while refusing to see the repeated foreshadowing of the coming of Christ. Those who search for salvation in the scriptures apart from Christ will not find it. The patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament foretold that Jesus would come, and so it was not Jesus accusing them, but the words of Moses. Jesus does not quote a specific passage but speaks of Moses writing about him. Even so, it is easy enough to find examples in the Old Testament of Moses writing about Jesus, particularly Deuteronomy 18:15: The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen! Not only does Moses point forward to this new prophet, but also declares that the people shall listen to him. This again puts the critics in the crowd at odds not only with Jesus, but also with the words of Moses. Dig Deeper The five solas are thought of as a rallying cry of the Reformation. The first of these 5 key beliefs is sola scriptura which means 'scripture alone'. In a world that wants to turn everything into a 'gray area', sola scriptura is a reminder that the Bible alone is the source of authority for Christians. In the Bible we see God’s plan for redemption laid out. The Old Testament foreshadows the coming of Christ, the Gospels share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the rest of the New Testament addresses how to live in light of the resurrection. The Bible is authoritative not because it teaches about Jesus, but because it is the inspired Word of God. People are imperfect, we are all prone to mistakes, including your pastor. But the Bible is the inspired Word of God, meaning that the Holy Spirit directed the writings of the authors of scripture. While the Bible has human authors, what differentiates the Word of God is the role of the Holy Spirit in the writing process. The authority we find in scripture comes not from those who wrote it, but from our God who inspired these writings. What that means for you as a believer is that you have a rule of faith to measure against. You do not need to have blind trust in what others teach because you can go to the source and read that which is true. The Bible is a wonderful gift from God; do not rely solely on the word of others when God’s Word is close at hand. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Father, you sent your Son in your name, which we read about so clearly in your Word, which is inspired by your Spirit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the words of Scripture would continue to come to Christ to have life. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 13

God expects ALL of your love, not SOME or even MOST of it. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 4 Q. What does God’s law require of us? A. Christ teaches us this in summary in Matthew 22— Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Summary You are probably familiar with “gotcha journalism”. This is where the interviewer asks questions specifically designed to lead the interviewee to make a statement that is damaging to them or their cause. While prevalent today, this is far from a new tactic. From Matthew 22 we learn that this type of question was around during the time of Jesus. This passage on the question of the great commandment in the Law comes within a series of questions meant to entrap Jesus. In their attempt to discredit Jesus’ authority as a teacher, the religious leaders brought before him questions that were designed to be unanswerable dilemmas. While those present were likely expecting a quote from one of the 10 Commandments, Jesus instead answers the question by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 “5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Jesus does make one change, saying “with all your mind” instead of “all your might." Despite the change, this passage would have been familiar to those listening for it is part of the Shema, which would have been recited every day by devout Jews. Dig Deeper Details matter. Sometimes, however, we can get so lost in the details that we miss what is right in front of us. It is like looking everywhere around the house for your phone, only to realize that it is still in your pocket. By focusing on one thing, we can lose sight of everything else. That appears to be the trap the religious leaders sprung on Jesus. They posed a question hoping he would pick one of the 10 Commandments as greatest, but instead Jesus chose to quote a different passage, citing the necessity of loving the Lord our God. Instead of picking one commandment, Jesus picks what could be considered a summary of the first 5 commandments. The Rabbinic scholars of Jesus’ day recognized the overarching importance of loving God. This necessity has not changed; your relationship with God is not an exchange of goods where you offer your devotion in exchange for salvation. The depth of God’s love for you is beyond your ability to comprehend. God loves you, that is without question. The question Jesus asks you today is, do you fully love God? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Open your prayer today the way God's people have for thousands of years, by reciting the Shema: Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. And as for you, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for an increasing ability to keep this greatest commandment. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Mark 7

no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 3: God’s Preservation of the Today: 1 Peter 3

Romans 8:3-9 (NIV) CONTEXT: Romans 8 is one of the Bible's most powerful chapters. passage contrasts life in the Spirit with the depravity of life in Sarx - that is, sinful human nature. 3   Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Article 3: Total Inability All people are conceived in sin and are born children of wrath,  unfit for

who are pure in heart. 2   But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3   Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Point 4 - Irresistible Grace Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints Article 3: God’s Preservation of the Today: John 3

was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Articles 1-3 Article Summary 'Was when He was not…,' 'Was not when He was not…'  If you lived in the early 300s AD, you could Today: Romans 3

walls and ramparts. 2  Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. 3   Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Point 3 - Total Depravity Today: 2 Thessalonians 3