Lutheran Devotional – 4 April 2025, Friday Message
TOPIC: Worshipped
Then the soldiers … gathered the whole battalion before [Jesus]. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head. (Matthew 27:27-30)
I wonder what Jesus thought as the soldiers knelt before Him. It was the second time in His life that had happened. The first time was when He was tiny, only a year or two old, and the wise men came to visit Him in Bethlehem. Matthew tells us, “They saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11b).
Please support 5dailydevotional.com so we can continue publishing impactful and uplifting content daily. GIVE HERE
These soldiers don’t intend worship but mockery. And yet, this looks forward to a third time when people will kneel before Jesus, including us. Paul describes it this way: “Christ Jesus … 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, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5b-11).
WE PRAY: I look forward to that day, dear Lord. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* What does the act of kneeling mean to you?
* Why did the soldiers choose this action to mock Jesus?
* Why do those who love Jesus choose it?
Today’s Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 30-31 Luke 8:1-25
Lutheran Devotional – 4 April 2025 – Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
