"Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." - John 19:28-30  I...  Read More

"About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' (which means 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?')." - Matthew 27:46   In the midst of His crucifixion, Jesus uttered a cry of anguish that resonates with the depths of human suffering. His words, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" reveal not only the intense physical pain He was experienc...  Read More

"When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, 'Woman, here is your son.'" - John 19:26   As Jesus hung on the cross, bearing the weight of the world's sins, His eyes fell upon His mother, Mary, and the disciple whom He loved. In the midst of His agony, He didn't forget His earthly responsibilities. Instead, He demonstrated profound compassion by ...  Read More

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:43   Imagine the scene: Jesus, hanging on the cross between two criminals, one on each side. In the midst of His own suffering, He extends a promise of hope and salvation to one of them. "Today you will be with me in paradise," He declares. This interaction between Jesus and the repentant criminal is a powerful reminder of the bo...  Read More

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." - Luke 23:34   Pause for a moment and consider the profound words in today’s key verse that Jesus spoke while He was hanging on the cross. In the midst of unimaginable suffering, He utters a prayer of forgiveness for those who have crucified Him. It's a moment of unparalleled grace and compassion, demonstrating the depth of His love...  Read More

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5   Reflecting on the portrayal of the crucifixion, it's easy to recognize how our modern depictions often fall short of capturing the true horror and brutality of the cross. We may have grown up witnessing Passion Plays, wher...  Read More

"He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem." - Isaiah 53:3   Today, I want us to take a look at the emotional suffering that Jesus endured before the cross. As we reflect on his journey, we gain insight into the depth of his love and the significance of his sacrifice...  Read More

"In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'" - 1 Corinthians 11:25   Today, let's take a moment to reflect on the significance of observing the Lord's Supper. It's not just a routine part of our church service; it's a profound act of remembrance. Taking the Lord’s supper should be a time o...  Read More

"Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem: 'May those who love you be secure; may there be peace within your walls, security within your fortresses.'" - Psalm 122:6-7    In a world inundated with news and information, it's easy to become passive observers, merely absorbing the latest headlines without taking action. But as believers, we're called to more than just being informed by the news; we're cal...  Read More

"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem..." - Isaiah 40:1    In Isaiah 40:1, God's command to comfort His people resounds with urgency and insistence. He doesn't merely suggest or recommend; He emphatically declares, "Comfort, comfort my people." This double imperative underscores the gravity of His expectation for us to stand with and comfort His chosen people, I...  Read More

"Salvation comes through the Jews." - John 4:22   Today’s key verse is a profound statement uttered by Jesus Himself: "Salvation comes through the Jews." In these simple words, He encapsulates the foundational truth of our faith—that our redemption, our hope, our very salvation originated from the Jewish people. Long before Jesus walked the earth, the Prophet Isaiah foretold of a future where Isra...  Read More

"…and from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen." - Romans 9:5    It's essential to remember our Christian roots are deeply intertwined with the rich history of Israel. Jesus, our Savior, wasn't a Christian as we commonly think of today; He was a Jew. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this truth, affirming that Christ, the Messiah, descended from the Jew...  Read More