Week Two Prayer
Guide:
Walking With the
King to the Cross in John 18-19
READ:
Isaiah
53, John 18:12-24, Mark 14:53-65, I Peter 2: 18-25
CONSIDER:
The
Prophet Isaiah foresaw the suffering of the Christ. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John recount the
reality of the Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. Repeatedly Peter and the other New Testament
writers give us truths that instruct us and encourage us in the reality of
walking with Jesus through suffering, death and ultimately resurrection.
More often
than not we do all we can to avoid suffering.
And should suffering come our way because of the actions of others we
often, and quite naturally, seek retribution.
Yet it was not so with Jesus. And
Peter reminds us it must not be so with us.
As we walk with Christ to the cross it is imperative that we see the
depth of Christ’s suffering and recognize how we are to respond to suffering as
an essential part of our sanctification.
In Matthew
16: 24-25 Jesus said, “If anyone would
come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it”. “This death march following Jesus is to be a
daily shouldering of the cross (Luke 9: 23).
In Jesus’ day, if you saw a condemned man carrying a cross surrounded by
a detachment of Roman soldiers, it was a fair assumption that this was the last
action of his life, and that, unless he lingered overnight, this would be the
last day of his life. But Jesus calls on all his disciples, throughout all
generations and in all nations, to die daily.” [1]
Walking with
Christ means living for Christ. Living
for Christ means following his example, including his example of suffering (I
Pet 2:21-ff).
PRAY:
As you did
last week, pray for the Holy Spirit to make His word alive to you; for you to
have new insight and understanding on the suffering Jesus endured as he faced
the Jewish leaders and received their slaps, spit and their blows.
As you fast and pray ask God to remind you that
"Christ suffered for you” (I Pet 2:21). When Christ suffered—more than you ever have or
ever will—he was standing in your place.
He was bearing your sins. Your judgment
your deserved became his and his righteousness became yours.
As you fast and pray ask God to enable you to follow Christ’s example in suffering. Use the words of I Peter 2: 18-25 as the
pattern for your prayer.
[1] Davis, Dr. Andrew M. (2013-12-15).
An Infinite Journey: Growing toward Christlikeness (Kindle Locations
3568-3569). Ambassador International. Kindle Edition
No comments:
Post a Comment