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LENTEN DEVOTIONS - Intro#

Lent is the annual season of 40 days where Christians practice privations in preparation for the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. The 40 days echo Jesus' extreme self-discipline at the start of His ministry prior to satan's temptations. (Luke  4:1-13)

Luke 24 records the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples are amazed that their Lord is alive and well, risen from the grave. In words of mild rebuke Jesus reminds them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms’ (Luke 24:44). Nothing that they had seen or heard over the previous three years should have taken them by surprise. It was all written about in the Scriptures.

The Lord Jesus then goes on to give his disciples an important lesson in how to read their Bibles: ‘Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day …” (Luke 24:45–46)

In that moment black and white became color. Suddenly, they began to read the whole Old Testament in a new way. These Scriptures foretold the coming of the Messiah in pictures, poems and prophecies. The Bible is God’s story of how He has won salvation for His estranged, sinful people. At the center of God’s rescue/salvation plan is Jesus.

Of course, we don’t see Jesus as clearly in promise as we do in fulfilment. The Old Testament—Law, history, wisdom and prophets—is as a shadow that points us to the reality.

Some of these ‘shadows’ will be familiar to you; perhaps others less so. My prayer is that these studies will help us to capture afresh the wonder of the cross. May we know more of the length, breadth, height and depth of God’s love for us shown in the gift of His Son. May our reflections redound in praise to the Lamb, ‘because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language …’ (Revelation 5:9).

If the Lord answers this prayer then we will have gained far more in this season of Lent than we will have sacrificed.

#Today's SoulSnack of Lenten Devotions was originally published by Youthworks Media and written by Rev Mike Raiter of The Centre for Biblical Preaching

ENJOY this Lenten series:

  1. THE CROSS IN THE GARDEN
  2. "It is Life acknowledging life"
  3. THE CROSS - as ridiculous as Gideon's 300
  4. WHEN GOD BELLOWED SILENCE