Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Surprise!

READ: EZEKIEL 36:26-27; ROMANS 7:14–8:2; PHILIPPIANS 1:6 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=EZEKIEL%2036%3A26-27%3B%20ROMANS%207%3A14%E2%80%938%3A2%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%201%3A6&version=NLT] I’d been looking forward to the slumber party at our Sunday school teacher’s house for weeks. It was a rite of passage for girls at our church entering middle school. Little did I know the party included a surprise. After living in a rundown house with a leaky roof in almost every room, our family built a new home. For the party, our teacher asked the girls in our class to bring a present for me to decorate the new bedroom I’d share with my sister. I felt so loved opening the unexpected gifts! One girl, who I’ll call Nettie (I’ve changed all their names in this story) brought me a painting of a purple balloon with my name emblazoned across it. Carlotta and Lori gave me presents too. Then Kathleen arrived. She didn’t bring a present, and even though I hadn’t anticipated any gifts when I arrived, I suddenly felt cheated by Kathleen. I didn’t like this self-centered demand I sensed stirring in my heart. I liked Kathleen and didn’t want to hold this against her—after all, Jesus doesn’t hold anything against me. I never asked about the lack of a gift, and we all moved on with the party. But I felt confused by my greedy attitude. Even though we often desire to do the right thing, it’s hard to be consistently loving and kind. None of us can do it perfectly. We need Jesus to provide forgiveness because we continually miss the mark of righteousness. We also need His Spirit, guiding us in the rhythm of repentance and faith so that we can live in God’s good ways. Trusting in Christ, we receive both. He loves us so much that He lived a sinless life on our behalf, then died on the cross and rose from the grave to make the way for us to be forgiven and be part of His family forever. But, like the apostle Paul, we often find ourselves struggling with ungodly thoughts or actions—even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus (Romans 7:21-25). It’s part of living in a broken world. We can be confident, though, that Jesus rescued us from the penalty of sin and has also promised to purify us through and through, making us more Christlike until He returns and makes us whole— never to wrestle with greedy or selfish impulses again. • Allison Wilson Lee • As believers, we shouldn’t be comfortable with our sin. And, because of Jesus, we can experience complete forgiveness. How do these two truths exist together? • Have you ever been surprised by sin? We can bring these confusing and discouraging moments to Jesus in prayer, lay it all out before Him, and rest in His sure forgiveness and great love for us. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12 (NLT)

Two Hills, Two Kings

READ: MATTHEW 2:1-18; 27:27-54 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MATTHEW%202%3A1-18%3B%2027%3A27-54&version=CSB] Two hills stood in ancient Israel. One was the highest peak in the Judean desert where King Herod the Great built his Herodium Palace, a lavish monument to his own fame and military triumphs. The other hill was Golgotha, the “Place of the Skull,” where Jesus—mockingly called the “king of the Jews” was crucified (Matthew 27:29, 33). The Herodium was so massive it took 200 white marble steps to reach the top. Designed for the king’s enjoyment, it was fitted with Roman baths, a theatre, and other comforts fit for royalty. Herod built more grandiose palaces and fortresses in Caesarea Maritima, Jericho, Masada and other places. He craved the opulence, power, and control that he believed would earn him the world’s admiration and respect. Herod was successful in many ways, but in his megalomaniac paranoia, he put to death anyone he perceived to be a threat to his rule: his own family members, Jewish religious leaders, and even innocent infant boys. Herod just had to be number one. In stark contrast, just outside Jerusalem’s city gates, the execution hill of Golgotha was likely plain and barren, except perhaps for scattered skulls and bones—and three crosses. The middle cross held the bleeding body of Jesus, on the day He gave up His life for ours. Herod pampered himself with luxuries. Jesus didn’t even own a pillow for His head. Herod mingled with kings and generals. Jesus ate with outcasts and sinners. Herod surrounded himself with vast armies. Jesus invested in simple folk, changing the history and destiny of humanity. Herod sought to be served and exalted. Jesus served in humility to the point of self-sacrifice. Herod magnified himself on a hill of self-glory. Jesus humbled and gave Himself, and was crucified on an undeserved hill of shame so that we could be forgiven. Herod’s abandoned monuments are in ruins. Jesus’s kingdom endures forever. Two hills, two kings. Which one do you want to follow? • L. C. Nuttall • Jesus is a good king because He leads from a place of self-sacrificial love and humility. Every decision He makes flows from His perfect lovefor us, even when it costs Him greatly. Consider taking some time to praise Jesus for His kind and gentle leadership. (Matthew 11:28-30) • In what situations are you most tempted to put yourself first at the expense of others? This is something we all struggle with, but the good news is, Jesus wants us to bring Him our struggles. [Jesus said,] “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (CSB)

Why Did Jesus Weep?

READ: JOHN 11:1-44 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JOHN%2011%3A1-44&version=CSB] When I was little, I would talk with God, praying, “God, if you’re really up there, please show me a sign!” I think my prayer is one that, at one point or another, we all pray. We want to know if God is there. But we also want to know, “Is He here? Does He care about my thoughts and situations?” In John 11, Jesus’s close friends, Mary and Martha, sent a message asking Jesus to come to their house: their brother, Lazarus, was dying. They sought Jesus’s help and comfort during this difficult time, but Jesus delayed coming. When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus was dead, and the sisters asked Jesus why He didn’t prevent this. They wanted to know: “Don’t you care about us and what happens to us?” Then Jesus went to Lazarus’s tomb and wept. Jesus knew He Himself was the Resurrection and the Life, and that, in a few minutes, He would raise Lazarus from the dead. So why did He weep? The simple answer is Jesus grieves over the things we grieve. He grieves over sin and the hurt it causes—including death. He grieves over the fact that the people He made often reject Him. Jesus wants to rescue us from all that is broken, and He knows He’s the only one who can. When we are hurt by the sin and brokenness in the world, it’s as if Jesus goes to the “tombs” in our lives and weeps along with us. Jesus is Immanuel, meaning “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23). Be encouraged because God has become one of us. God became a human to end sin and the brokenness it causes (John 1:1-14). Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that God is here with us even now. He cares deeply about all the details of our lives. And He promises that we will one day dwell with Him in renewed creation, where we will forever be free from tears (Revelation 21:1-5). • Susan Grant • What specific things in your life haveyou wondered if God really cares about? • Jesus weeps over the things that have hurt you. He weeps over sin and all the brokenness it causes. Have you ever pictured Jesus weeping? How might this help us come to Him in our grief? Jesus wept. John 11:35 (CSB)

The Serpent

READ: GENESIS 3:1-15 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=GENESIS%203%3A1-15&version=NIV] The sign of the serpent had been engraved on the doors for as long as anyone could remember. Every time she went past, she was reminded of their enslavement. It was carved into the wood deeper than the ocean itself, a writhing ribbon of sickening green. One could almost imagine it was moving, undulating toward them with a rasping tongue and obsidian black eyes that were slits in the emerald irises. All who passed by were to bow before it. And then one day, a man defied it. Denied it. The people were amazed, and so was she. Who was dumb enough to ignore the mark of the serpent, the captor of their people? He did it every time he went by, this strange man. Walking as if the green worm upon the doors was invisible. And of course, the inevitable happened. The serpent kings were displeased. They arrested the man and killed him. In her heart, she sorrowed, for she had begun to hope that their slavery was over. There was no hope now, for it was buried with a dead man. The third day after his death, she made her way to the market, heavy inside. As she passed the gates, she dared to look up. Her heart swelled even as the awe of what she was seeing made her gasp. It was impossible. And yet there it was. The snake on the door was gone. The only thing that remained was a small portion of its head, scarred as if an ax had slashed through the image. Her eyes filled with tears. This was no mere man. Somehow, she knew he had done more than just destroy their captors. This freedom was unlike anything she had ever known. And she needed to know more. Hope swelled again, and she turned, running for the place where he had been buried. Something told her she wouldn’t find it occupied anymore. • Macy Walts • Today’s allegorical story echoes Bible passages like Genesis 3:14-15 and Hebrews 2:14-15. When the first humans gave in to the serpent’s temptation, sin and death entered the good world God had made. The serpent—Satan—became the ruler of this world, and we became slaves to sin. But God loved us so much, He was determined to rescue His people and restore His creation. That’s why Jesus, God in flesh, came and lived among us. When Jesus gave up His life on the cross, and then rose from the grave, He crushed the serpent’s head and set us free from sin and death! If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 4:1-11; 11:28-30; 28:1-10; John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9-11 • Satan—who is also called the tempter, deceiver, or accuser—has already been defeated, yet today we are still waiting for Jesus to return and destroy him forever. In what ways have you seen Satan’s influence in your life or in the world? Are there any sins or lies that you feel enslaved to? • As Christians, we are free from the power of sin. The Holy Spirit empowers us to say no to any temptation—what a relief! And when we do sin, the Holy Spirit helps us repent—to turn away from sin and back toward Jesus. What questions do you have about temptation, sin, and forgiveness? Who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to about this? • Jesus paid the price for our forgiveness with His own blood. Consider taking a moment to thank Him for the ultimate sacrifice, dying for us needy sinners that we might be restored to relationship with God and live with Him forever in renewed creation. (Revelation 21:1-5) Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death— that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV)

The Label That Matters

READ: ROMANS 8:14-17; GALATIANS 3:26-28 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%208%3A14-17%3B%20GALATIANS%203%3A26-28&version=NLT] Liar. Drunk. Adulterer. Coward. Scroll through the news on any given day, and chances are you’ll find individuals who have been assigned disparaging labels. These labels are not new. In the Bible, we find that Jacob was a liar, Noah was a drunk, David was an adulterer, and Jonah was a coward. And yet, God worked in and through each of them in mighty ways. What labels do you hear in a day? Theater kid, athlete, gamer? Labels can be positive: all-star, honor student, hard worker. Or negative: loser, cheater, troublemaker. Problems occur when we let labels define us and those around us. We might try to steer clear of people with negative labels to avoid being associated with them, or we might try to befriend those with positive labels to elevate ourselves. However, God is concerned with only one label. Are you His child? Have you received the label of believer by putting your trust in Jesus? If so, in the new creation you will be surrounded by people who were given many different labels while on earth, but in eternity, none of those matter. And today, God helps us treat each other in light of eternity (Romans 12:16; James 2:1-9). Maybe you’ve received Jesus as your Savior, but you messed up big-time. That still doesn’t change who you are in Christ. Our mistakes don’t define us. Sin may have consequences, but it doesn’t change who we are. That’s the beauty and power of forgiveness. God does not look at our mistakes and label us accordingly. Because our sins are forgiven, He looks at us as His unblemished, holy, beloved children. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He took all the labels and sins and threw them away. The only label we need to be concerned with is the one He gives us: child of God—loved, forgiven, and adopted into His eternal family. • Erin Nestico • If you have some time, consider taking a piece of paper and dividing it into three columns. In the first column, list all the labels you think other people give you. In the middle column, list all the labels you give yourself. In the third column, list all the labels God gives you (to get a few ideas, read Genesis 1:27; John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Peter 2:9). As you look at each column, how do you feel? Consider spending some time in prayer, talking to Jesus about the labels in each column and asking Him to help you see yourself the way He sees you. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)