Friday Devo
Scripture:
Luke 9:23
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
John 6:9-11
9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” 10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
John 6:9-11
9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” 10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.
Commentary:
9:23 Come after me means to become a disciple (cf. 14:27) and requires that a disciple: (1) deny himself (not simply denying certain things but denying personal control of one’s life); (2) take up his cross (cf. 14:27; notes on Matt. 10:38 and Mark 8:34; make a commitment that will lead to rejection and possibly even death); and (3) follow me (following the example and teachings of Jesus). In Jesus’ day, “follow me” also meant joining the company of his disciples who traveled in ministry with Jesus around Palestine.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1972.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1972.
Questions:
Many people assume they will get serious about following Jesus later in life. They think, "When I'm older, I'll spend more time with God. Then I'll serve Him. Then I'll make my faith a priority." But Jesus calls us to follow Him today. In John 6, a young boy offered Jesus the little he had; five loaves and two fish. It wasn't much, but he placed it in Jesus' hands, and Jesus used it to feed thousands. God isn't asking you to wait until you have more knowledge, more confidence, or more experience. He simply asks you to bring what you have and trust Him with it. Following Jesus is not a future decision, it's a daily one.
- If someone looked at how you spend your time, attention, and energy, what would they conclude is most important to you? Would they see evidence that following Jesus is a priority in your life?
- The boy with the loaves and fish offered what he had, even though it seemed small. What gifts, abilities, opportunities, or resources has God already placed in your hands that you could offer to Him right now?
- Jesus said that following Him means taking up your cross daily. What do you think that looks like in your life right now? How is following Jesus different from simply believing certain things about Him?
Prayer Topics:
- Ask God to help you follow Him faithfully today instead of putting off spiritual growth for some future season of life.
- Pray that God would reveal any areas where you are holding back and give you the courage to trust Him more fully.
- Thank God that He delights in using ordinary people who are willing to trust Him and place what they have in His hands.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
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