NT Fire Starters – Day 156: John 19:17-42
READ: John 19:17-42
THINK: Have you ever been in a situation so stressful or intense that you pretty much forget about everything and everyone else around you because you were completely caught up in your own issues and concerns? Consider the fact that Jesus endured as much pain, agony, humiliation and isolation as anyone ever has, as He took our punishment and bore the weight of sin for all humanity when He died on the cross. Yet His mind was not focused on His own pain, but on others’ needs. He forgave His accusers and even had the presence of mind to arrange for His mother’s care. To the very end of His earthly life, Jesus brought help and healing–through His own perseverance and pain–to those around Him. And because of His sacrifice, you too can find help and hope in your most trying times.
RESPOND: What did Jesus’ statements from the cross to His mother indicate about His character and concerns? (See 19:26 note.) What do the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus crucifixion and death (vv. 24, 28, 36, 37) prove about His life and claims? (See chart of Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ, p. 794). What was the full significance of Jesus’ statement, “It is finished”? (See 19:30 note.) In what way was this a statement of victory as much as it was of completion? In what way is Jesus’ “finished” work also ongoing? How has Jesus’ completed work impacted your life, and how does it continue to do so? How does John’s own eye-witness account (v. 35) add validity to His Gospel account?
PRAY: Thank Jesus for suffering in your place and for finishing the work He started, showing you the way to God and opening the door for you to enter a personal and eternal relationship with Him.
ACT: Do something practical to help or show appreciation to every member of your immediate family. If any of these relationships are broken or strained, you may need to be more deliberate or discreet in the way you handle this. Still, an act of kindness and compassion may help in healing a wounded relationship. If they know about your faith, then these actions may influence family members to consider Christ in a way they never have before.