March 9 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

John 2:12-22:

¹²After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
¹³And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
¹⁴And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
¹⁵And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
¹⁶And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
¹⁷And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
¹⁸Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
¹⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
²⁰Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
²¹But he spake of the temple of his body.
²²When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Devotional

The Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands. The tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple at Jerusalem were not the true habitation of God. They were only types of Christ, who is the true temple. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelled (tabernacled) among us." In him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily. When Jesus was raised from the dead his disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scriptures, and the word which Jesus had said. When Jesus hung on the cross, they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and said, "Ah! thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross." But how gloriously did Jesus build this temple of his body, when He rose from the grave the third day! He is the first fruits of them that are asleep. And them, that are fallen asleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. They have life through him. "Unto whom coming, as unto a living stone . . . ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." May we also offer up such sacrifices to the honor and glory of his name.

Prayer

O God, our Father, as we see Jesus in his lowliness, as He is despised and rejected of men; as we behold him in his utter humiliation, help us to realize that He is nevertheless the eternal Son of God, in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and that out of his fulness we receive grace for grace. We thank Thee that Thou hast highly exalted him, and that all who believe on him shall share his glory with him. Help us to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Thee through Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Acts 7:48; John 1:14; Mark 15:29; 1 Cor. 15:20; 1 Thess. 4:14; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5.

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