Holy Week Devos

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A resurrection story!

Matthew 28:1–10 (ESV) Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But…

There will be no resurrection story

Matthew 27:62–66 (ESV) The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than…

I will never, I will not

Matthew 26:30–35 (ESV) And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”…

Silver for (someone) Gold

Matthew 26:14–16 (ESV) Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. For three years now, he has followed Jesus. Leaving behind family and friends, work and all that he had, because he believed that Jesus was the One. At least…

It must have been the pigeons

Matthew 21:12–16 (ESV) And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests…

Palm branch parades

Matthew 21:6–9 (ESV) The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the…

Let the good times roll (the stone away) – Easter Sunday

In 2021, Emily and I had a vow renewal celebration on our anniversary. We invited almost exclusively family, and a few of our LONGTIME friends, and had a tiny little ceremony and a HUGE party at a friends local farm. We hired a square dance caller lady, wore fancy clothes and ate lots of really great food. It was a really special time, filled with great conversations, tons of awkward dancing, and some really important words spoken between two people…

The honeymoon is over

Honeymoons are made for fun. Planning and executing a wedding can be an extremely stressful time. People are usually moving out of their current place and into another. Even getting ready for the trip and packing your bags can turn into quite the adventure. If we’re being honest, getting married is like picking all of the most stressful moments of your life, and saying, “let’s cram them all together in one week and see who’s still standing at the end…

King of the Jews (Good Friday)

John 19:16–19 (ESV) So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” What kind of king is He? Broken and battered, bloodied and bruised.…

Awkward family dinners (Thursday)

If you ever come to my parent’s house for dinner, you’ll probably be surprised that you’re dining with a pastor. In my defense, there are also two worship leaders and a current church elder at the dinner. It’s not that we’re irreverent or “bad in any way, it’s just that sarcasm happens to be a Steffen trait that has been passed down through the generations like that hutch that no one wants but also won’t get rid of. We know…