Nothing to Prove
We are most prone to needing to prove ourselves when we are wracked with insecurities. Whether we’re the new guy on the team, the new kid on the block, or the runt of the litter, we have an inborn, irresistible urge to prove that we have what it takes to fit in and rise to the occasion.
The disciples were no different. Often, we are told that they argued among themselves as to who was the greatest, who would be most honored in the kingdom — even whether they were Jesus’s favorites! The pettiness of the argument is not lost on us — but are our own petty squabbles any better?
How often do we subtly or explicitly puff our chest, humbly brag, or imply to each other how great and accomplished we are?
But all the pettiness of our own self-promotion distracts us from the only person worth focusing on. And he demonstrates how we can live in genuine, humble service to one another.
John tells us in John 13:3-4 that “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.”
It was precisely because Jesus had nothing to prove to us that he was able to love and serve with abandon and self-forgetfulness. He had no issue with being dressed as a house slave — he had already been willing to be dressed in mortal flesh (Philippians 2:7-8)! Whether others perceived him to be of low status or not was of no consequence to him (Romans 12:16). He knew that his Father had already settled the matter: “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psalm 2:6). What would he gain by man’s empty praise? He already knew how empty we are (John 2:24)!
The opinions of people are like the weather — always changing and rarely in your control. Far better for us to entrust ourselves, our lives, our esteem, our leadership, our notoriety to the only One worth pleasing.
There is nothing to prove to others — and only everything to prove to ourselves: “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matthew 23:11), and “The first shall be last and the last shall be first” (Matthew 20:16).
May we look to Jesus, who out-served us all and has now been exalted at the right hand of the Father, enthroned above all things!
Ryan Lunde
High School Pastor
How Should We Then Live?
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example, so that you may follow in His steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)
In 1976, a book entitled How Should We Then Live? was published. The book detailed the rise and decline of Western culture and posed that question to believers. It was written by Francis Schaeffer, a philosopher, evangelical Presbyterian pastor, theologian, author of 23 books, and a key figure in the 1970s Jesus movement. It is still a question we need to address within the culture we currently live in.
The 1 Peter 2:21 verse is the answer to the question, “How do we then live?” We live by following Jesus’ example and following in His footsteps. As Pastor Ryan explained, the Greek word used for “example” is hypogrammos, meaning "tracing over." It reminded me, as a former primary school teacher, of how children were taught to write. Children trace over lines and circles, and eventually trace the letters of the alphabet to learn to write them without a pattern. Recently, I learned that the best way for children to learn is to use a grooved pattern, allowing the child to embed the pencil more easily and stay on the pattern. Evidently, this creates muscle memory that makes writing easier to learn. It is a good metaphor for following Christ’s example. We believers must embed ourselves in Him so our following His example becomes our natural thing to do.
Let us look at just a few of Christ’s examples for us to follow:
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:5-7)
Jesus emptied Himself of all that is rightfully His so that God’s plan for our redemption could be fulfilled. So, I ask, what do I need to empty myself of so I can follow Your example?
In John 13, before the serving of the Last Supper, we read of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, and He says, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done.” (John 13:15)
The King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world, washed their feet! I have no words for this act of servanthood, but may I be embedded in this example: “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example, so that you may follow in His steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)
Peter details more examples in verses 22-24, and may we embed ourselves in these examples. Take some time to ponder how those verses speak to you!
Prayer:
Father, I want to live for Your glory, following in the steps of Jesus. Show me how to embed myself more deeply in Him. Draw me closer to You and thank You that if I get out of step with Jesus, I know You will direct me back to His path.
In His name I pray! Amen.
Francie Overstreet
EFCC Member
For Further Reflection This Week
In his sermon on Sunday, March 22, Pastor Dennis Keating referred to and sang or quoted a few bars from the Paul P. Bliss hymn, Man of Sorrows, What Name. Also referred to at times by its other common title, Hallelujah! What a Savior, the hymn paints a powerful picture of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross on our behalf.
To close out our week of devotionals, please slowly read (or sing) through the lyrics of Man of Sorrows, What Name. Let the words wash over you as you ponder what Jesus has done for you. Consider making your declaration this week be: “Hallelujah! What a Savior!ˮ
If you’re unfamiliar with the tune, CLICK HERE to play a sample version that you can sing along with (from YouTube; several versions are available, and the song lyrics may vary slightly from version to version).
“Man of Sorrows,ˮ what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood;
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless, we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full redemption—can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished!ˮ was His cry;
Now in heaven exalted high;
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
To His kingdom us to bring,
Then anew this song weʼll sing
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
No Condemnation
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)
At the cross, Jesus says, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). I’m always struck by the fact that Jesus doesn’t defiantly utter this after the pain of the cross has subsided, but right smack dab in the middle of it. Nails in his hands, breath growing shallow, shame on full display, and what flows out of Jesus is forgiveness. Let that sink in for a moment.
That picture reveals the heart of God. But Romans 8 shows us the result of that moment for us.
“There is now no condemnation…”
Not less condemnation.
Not delayed condemnation.
Not “no condemnation, assuming you don’t mess up again.”
No, there is NOW NO condemnation. Right in this very moment, the moment you’re reading this, the moment I’m writing it, and the moment later on today when you’re in the middle of whatever your day holds. There is never any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. None.
This is where many of us struggle. We believe God forgives, but we still feel guilty. We carry shame like a low-grade hum in the background of our lives. We replay failures. We wince at memories. We assume God tolerates us, but that he must, deep down, be very disappointed in us.
But Romans 8 doesn’t just say you’re forgiven, it says you are no longer condemned. Condemnation is more than guilt. It’s the verdict. It’s the sentence. It’s the final word over your life. And in Christ, that word has been completely removed. Why? Because the cross didn’t just cover your sin, it dealt with it fully and removed it completely. The punishment has already been carried out. The verdict has already been spoken over Jesus.
So when you carry guilt and shame, you’re carrying something that no longer belongs to you. Paul goes even further, “The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free…” You are not just forgiven, you are set free. Free from:
The need to prove yourself
The fear of being exposed
The weight of your past
The cross doesn’t just pardon you. It releases you. So when shame creeps in, and it will, you can answer it with truth, “That’s not my verdict anymore.”
Today, bring whatever you’ve been carrying into the light. Name it. Confess it. And then, just as importantly, leave it at the cross. Because in Jesus, forgiveness isn’t just offered. Guilt and shame are finished.
Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
Forgiven
But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. (Luke 23:34)
Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to have lived your life without carrying the regret and shame of things that you’ve done and mistakes that you’ve made. If I can be brutally honest, that is not my story. I frequently find myself replaying my worst moments like an athlete reviewing game footage. What I’ve learned through this experience is that some life events sting much more than others.
I think the best lies that the enemy uses are the ones that are 99% true. It’s much more difficult to argue a case when the facts are stacked against you. The objective faults that we’ve made leave less room to refute. Yet, even the partial truth is a lie.
The whole truth is that the only one who could condemn us chooses not to.
I could say with nearly full confidence that my issues with forgiveness are not against others, but against myself. The goal of forgiveness is to hand the outcome back to God. When Jesus pleads with the Father to forgive, he is asking that their records be wiped by his own blood. What Jesus is asking the Father is, “Don’t look at their sin, look at my blood.” Their records were wiped clean, and so were ours. But what our shame quietly whispers is, “I don’t think the blood is enough.”
What if the point of the blood was not just to cleanse us from shame, but to deliver us from it? To make shame completely powerless and disarmed, like a cat without claws.
Let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22).
Do you think that the blood is enough?
Kassie Lowe
Young Adults Lead
The Verdict and the Adoption
Imagine standing in a courtroom. Your name is called, and the charges are read. The evidence is overwhelming. Every word spoken in anger, every selfish act, every hidden sin is now not so hidden, but read out loud… nothing is missing from the record. The verdict seems obvious… Guilty.
Scripture says something similar about all of us. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In other words, every man, woman, boy, girl, grandma, and grandpa stands in the same courtroom. None of us has a perfect record before God. The law reveals the truth about our lives, and the truth is that each one of us falls short.
But then something unexpected happens. Before the sentence is announced, someone steps forward and stands beside you. You turn to look and notice that it is Jesus. He looks at the judge and says, “I will take their place.”
This is the heart of what Christians mean when we talk about Jesus being our substitute. The punishment that our sin deserves, which is separation from God and death, falls on Jesus instead. As Isaiah wrote centuries before the cross: “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities… and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Because of what Jesus has done, the judge looks at you and declares something astonishing: “No condemnation!”
That is exactly the language Paul uses in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The verdict has been changed. The record of guilt has been dealt with. The penalty has been paid.
But the gospel doesn’t stop with the verdict. In fact, I’d like to add a bit to this old, familiar courtroom story.
Imagine the judge steps down from the bench, walks over to you, and says, “Now that the charges are gone, I want you to come home with me as my child and heir. All that I have is now yours.”
This is what the Bible means when it says that we are adopted as God’s children (see Galatians 4:7 and Romans 8:15). God does not merely clear our legal record; He brings us into His family. In other words, the judge becomes our Father.
The gospel is not only about acquittal; it is about belonging. We are not simply pardoned criminals walking out of a courtroom. We are beloved sons and daughters walking into the Father’s house.
So when you think about the cross, remember both moments: the verdict and the adoption. Jesus took the penalty we deserved so that we could receive the welcome we never could have earned.
And now, because of Him, the final word spoken over your life is not “guilty.” It is “child.”
Josh Rose
Family Pastor
Betrayed
Have you ever been betrayed by someone you considered a friend? I have. The initial feelings were hurt, betrayal and anger. I’m sure if they tried to kiss me on the cheek after the betrayal, it just wouldn’t happen, and I wouldn’t call he/she “my friend.” But in Matthew 26:50, we see Jesus say, “Do what you came for, friend.” In verse 46, Jesus tells the other disciples that his betrayer was coming. The crowd was large. Judas and the Roman guards had a prearranged signal. Judas stepped forward and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and then kissed Jesus, which was the signal for the guards to seize Jesus.
Jesus didn’t call Judas a traitor, betrayer, or backstabber; he called him a friend. Jesus wasn’t trying to be nice; he always called things the way he saw them. Even in that moment of betrayal, Jesus did not respond with hatred. Jesus knew his war wasn’t with flesh and blood but against Satan, and looked past that and saw Judas as his friend. He knew the cross wasn’t something being forced on him. He allowed everything because he was determined to save humanity.
In John 17:12, Jesus prays concerning His disciples,“While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” At one time, though, Judas believed Jesus was a prophet, or possibly even the Messiah. Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the gospel and perform miracles (Luke 9:1-6). Judas was included in this group. Judas had faith, but it was not a true saving faith.
Judas made his own choices, and they were the source of his regret and tragic end. Yet the choices fit perfectly into the sovereign plan of God. God controls not only the good but also the evil of man to accomplish His own ends. Considering that Judas travelled with Jesus for nearly three years, we know He gave Judas ample opportunity for salvation and repentance. Even after his dreadful deed, Judas could have fallen on his knees to beg God’s forgiveness. But he apparently did not.
We have to examine ourselves, not judge others, to make sure we aren’t just followers but true believers. God the Father alone is the judge, but we make our own choices. There is no choice of man that can’t be redeemed.
Judas’ kiss led to the death of Jesus, and to the shedding of his blood on the cross to cover our sins and wash us white as snow. There is power in that blood to save, to heal, and to redeem even the betrayers, the murderers, you and I. On the cross, Jesus said, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Even on the cross, he was interceding for sinners. He gives us that same power to forgive when we choose to believe that He died for us.
Deb Hill
EFCC Member
Imaginative Reading of Luke 11:14-22
Find a quiet place and take a few slow breaths. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see Jesus clearly and to speak to your heart through this passage.
Now slowly read Luke 11:14-22. As you read, enter the scene with your imagination.
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
Picture the setting. A crowd has gathered around Jesus. People are curious, hopeful, and skeptical. Some are amazed by what they’ve just seen. Jesus has freed a man who was oppressed by a demon. Others are suspicious and whisper accusations.
Place yourself somewhere in the crowd. Notice what you see. Notice the expressions on people’s faces. Listen to the murmuring and tension in the air.
Now watch Jesus. Notice his calm confidence as he responds to the accusations. Listen carefully as he says, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.” (vv. 21-22)
Imagine the moment when Jesus speaks. Let the image take shape in your mind.
A strong man is guarding a house. He looks powerful and secure. But then a stronger man arrives. The battle is brief but decisive. The strong man’s weapons are taken away. His control is broken. The captives are set free.
Now notice what Jesus is revealing.
He is the stronger man.
Where the enemy once held power, Jesus brings freedom.
Take a moment and reflect: Where in your life do you feel resistance, oppression, or captivity?
Is there an area where you feel stuck, weighed down, or trapped in patterns you can’t seem to break?
Picture Jesus, the stronger one, entering that place.
Imagine him taking away the enemy’s armor and authority.
Hear him say to you: “My kingdom has come.”
Spend a few moments sitting with Jesus in this scene. Let him speak to you.
When you are ready, close with this prayer:
Jesus, you are the stronger one.
Where there has been bondage, bring freedom.
Where there have been lies, speak truth.
Where there has been darkness, bring your light.
I receive your victory today.
Amen.
Walking in the Freedom of the Cross
A while back, I read a story Leo Tolstoy told about a farmer who sold his land to search for diamonds. He traveled the world looking for wealth, convinced that somewhere out there was the fortune that would change his life. After years of searching, he died poor and discouraged. But the man who bought his farm later discovered something astonishing: the land he had sold was sitting on one of the richest diamond deposits in the world. The farmer had spent his life searching for what he already owned.
In many ways, this is how Christians sometimes live with the victory of the cross. The New Testament declares that through the cross, Jesus defeated the powers of evil. However, while that victory is fully accomplished, it is not automatically experienced in every area of our lives. It must be received and applied. One challenge for many modern Christians is that we tend to see the world almost entirely through a material lens. When we face seasons of temptation, conflict, or heaviness, we assume the causes are purely psychological or circumstantial. Yet the Bible teaches that some of the resistance we experience may also be spiritual.
The early church took this seriously. Before baptism, new believers were often prayed over for deliverance and asked to renounce former spiritual allegiances. Historian Alan Kreider notes that those preparing for baptism were regularly prayed over by exorcists who helped them name what they were turning away from as clearly as what they were turning toward. Converts renounced practices connected to idolatry, magic, and immorality, things understood to open doors to spiritual oppression. While our context is different today, the principle still matters: freedom in Christ sometimes requires intentionally turning away from influences that once shaped our lives.
Many of us experience patterns we can’t seem to break, lies that echo in our minds, or a heaviness we can’t quite explain. While not every struggle is demonic, the Bible encourages us to remain open to the reality that spiritual resistance exists. If the cross truly is a victory over the powers, then part of walking in that victory is bringing our struggles into the light and inviting Jesus to apply his freedom in our lives.
The early Christians practiced a simple three-step pattern that still serves us today. First, repentance. Jesus’ message began with the call, “Repent and believe the good news” (Matt. 4:17). Repentance means turning away from sin and the patterns that keep us bound. It’s not about shame, it’s about freedom.
Next comes renunciation. Renunciation is the practice of naming and rejecting any allegiance that competes with Jesus. For some people, that may involve turning away from spiritual practices or beliefs that once opened doors they now recognize were unhealthy. For others, it may be the lies they have carried for years: “I’m not enough.” “I’ll never change.” “God could never forgive me.” Renunciation means bringing those things into the light and declaring that they no longer have authority over your life. Often this isn’t a one-time moment but an ongoing act of freedom, because the powers that once had influence rarely let go easily. The good news is that Jesus has already won the decisive victory. When we invite him into the places of our lives that need healing and freedom, he begins to clean house, breaking the grip of lies and restoring us to the life he intends for us.
Finally comes realignment. We declare again that Jesus is Lord and that his victory is our victory. Through the cross, we are not only forgiven, but we are also transferred into a new kingdom. As we bring our lives under his authority, the power of the cross begins to shape how we live, think, and walk in freedom.
One of the main things Jesus accomplished on the cross is your freedom! The question is, are you experiencing it today in the fullness that Jesus has for you? I know that I have room to grow. Let’s repent, renounce, and realign with Jesus and his victory.
Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
The Walking Dead
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:5-7)
I distinctly remember being a freshman in college at San Diego State, sitting in a course called “Death, Dying, and the Afterlife.” This class was a survey of different religious traditions and their stances on these three main topics. Toward the end of the semester, we had a unit on hospice and end-of-life care. It was during that unit that I learned that the five stages of grief were never meant to counsel people mourning a loved one. The five stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) were originally intended to help those with terminal illnesses come to grips with their own mortality.
The point of working through the five stages of grief is to help the dying person come to terms with dying. I think that there’s a similar realization that all of us who are in Christ need to have. How can we understand that we’ve been made alive if we’ve never realized that we were once dead? Even more so, how do we learn that being alive in Christ means being dead to sin?
In light of this, I would argue that the process of sanctification is really similar to the five stages of grief. Over time, we’re learning how to die to ourselves and how to be dead to our sin. The exercise of re-wiring our thoughts to reflect the reality that we were once dead in sin, and we are now dying to it.
Through the process of sanctification and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we’re learning more and more what it looks like to be dead. We are dead people, walking in the light of Christ.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1-2)
Friend, I hope that the realization of your death to sin sets you free today.
Kassie Lowe
Young Adults Lead