March 8 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 16:21-28:

²¹From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
²²Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
²³But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
²⁴Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
²⁵For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
²⁶For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
²⁷For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
²⁸Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Devotional

After Peter had made that wonderful confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus began to tell his disciples of his suffering and death, to prepare them for what was to come. He must teach them the purpose and true significance of his mission. He must suffer and die. It is a divine "must." True, He voluntarily took upon himself the work of salvation, and gave his life freely as a ransom for sin. There was no outside compulsion. Yet, having undertaken the work of redemption, He must finish it. His whole life was a divine "must." He must suffer many things. Think of Gethsemane; think of the insults and ill treatments at the hands of Jews and Gentiles; think of the agonies of the cross; think of his humiliating death. Nothing less would do. He suffered all for you and me. But death could not hold him. Having made full satisfaction for sin, He rose again on the third day. And because He lives, we shall live also. Moreover, as followers of Christ, we must also be willing and ready to suffer many things for his sake. If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him. If we are partakers of his suffering, we shall at the revelation of his glory rejoice with exceeding joy.

Prayer

We thank Thee, our heavenly Father, for the gift of Thy Son, for all his sufferings and shameful death. We stand in awe when we contemplate what it cost him to save us from sin and death. We adore Thee and praise Thy name for the full and free salvation through Christ. We thank Thee for the assurance, that because He lives, we shall live also. Make us willing and ready to suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. In his name, and for his sake we pray. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Rom. 8:17; I Pet. 4:13.

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