Week 5: Human Rejection Is Crushed by Divine Exaltation

As we follow Jesus in this world, we know that we will face the same kind of rejection he faced. Jesus has told us to expect this. Yet we also find hope in our own exaltation by God in the exaltation and glorification of our Savior Jesus.

Week 4: Crushed: Condemnation

Condemnation comes in different varieties. There’s the condemnation we deserve because of our sins. And there’s the condemnation we often sinfully direct toward others, and even toward God at times. Today we’ll see how God’s grace to us in Jesus crushes all of that condemnation. In the parable of the prodigal son—or perhaps better named the parable of the loving father—we’ll see the grace the father shows to both of his sons, and we’ll understand the grace that our Father shows to us.

Week 3: Crushed: The Fear of What’s Next

We’ve been through a couple of strange years. With all of the things going on with the pandemic, new variants, new wars … we can get to the point where we’re “waiting for the other shoe to drop.” There’s a lot for us to be fearful of when it comes to the uncertainty of what’s coming next. But even in fearful times, we have absolute certainty of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. Jesus crushes the fear of what’s next, so we can live in the certainty of his promises and his love.

Week 2: Shortcuts Are Crushed by Determination

Last week we talked about temptation. This week we see what is at the center of every temptation: a promise of a shortcut to glory. Even in a world as sharply divided as ours, there is near universal agreement that the preferred path to glory is the shortest and easiest. To walk the path our Savior puts us on, one on which the cross comes before the crown, puts us out of step with the world. Thankfully, the determination required to walk this path starts with our Savior and not with us. Because of his determination, we are offered a glory far superior to anything the world can offer.

Week 1: Our Temptation Is Crushed by Christ’s Obedience

It was a custom known as “battle by champion.” Two opposing armies would each send out their best warrior to fight each other. That is what we see this week. The demons send their champion: Satan. Humanity’s best warrior, Jesus Christ, steps forward to meet him. In this fight he does not use his divine power. He uses the same weapon we have, God’s Word. Because Christ fought the battle against Satan as one of us, he won that battle for all of us. Jesus is our perfect substitute. Even as the devil still seethes in rage against us, we can face him and his temptations unafraid, confident that our champion has already won the victory.