Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
Audio PlayerIs your greatest hope for wealth? Success? Love? Hear about “hope that out-hopes even our best hopes,” and find out why genuine Christian hope is joyful and confident even in difficult circumstances. That’s our focus on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.
From the Sermon
A Hope That Stands the Test of Time
1 Peter 1:3–5 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 36:29 • ID: 2736
No Ordinary Death
The events surrounding Jesus’ death were largely routine motions of Roman jurisdiction. The trials, the beatings, the humiliating procession, and the painful crucifixion were all a part of business as usual for soldiers involved in executing criminals. What wasn’t routine, though, was the darkness that descended over the whole event in the middle of the day (Matthew 27:45), as though God had closed His eyes on the sorrowful scene. This was both a routine execution and the greatest turning point in all eternity.
What made it so important was the identity of the man hanging on the middle cross: none other than God incarnate. Our minds should never cease to be amazed by this:
Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut its glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man the creature’s sin.[1]
Scripture does not place much emphasis on Christ’s physical sufferings on the cross. He surely did suffer grievous physical pain, but “the sufferings of his body were nothing to the sufferings of his soul; these were the soul of his sufferings.”[2] Jesus fully experienced all of the pain and agony of being separated relationally from God the Father—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Whatever you face in your life, know that Jesus has gone through worse and therefore understands how you feel. Not only that, but the unimaginable anguish He endured was for you. Only when the time was right did Christ triumphantly proclaim, “It is finished”—tetelestai: the debt is satisfied and done with.
Christ’s crucifixion is often portrayed with the cross erected high above the onlooking crowd. In reality, though, once the cross was lowered into its setting, His feet were likely very close to the ground. In the same way, Christ’s life, death, and resurrection do not stand high above our lives but intimately close to them. No, Jesus’ death was no ordinary death, but rather a death that promises to give, through faith, true life. Everything changes when we consider all that took place on that cross and say to ourselves:
Wounded for me, wounded for me,
There on the cross He was wounded for me;
Gone my transgression, and now I am free,
All because Jesus was wounded for me.[3]
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
The Passover with the Disciples
7zThen came athe day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8So Jesus1 sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11and tell the master of the house, b‘The Teacher says to you, Where is cthe guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12And he will show you da large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13And they went and found it ejust as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Institution of the Lord's Supper
14fAnd when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you I will not eat it2 guntil it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17And he took a cup, and hwhen he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18iFor I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine guntil the kingdom of God comes.” 19jAnd he took bread, and hwhen he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, k“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, k“This cup that is poured out for you is lthe new mcovenant in my blood.3
Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.
The Importance of Prayer
So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
The prayer of Moses was so mighty that everything depended upon it. The petitions of Moses disconcerted the enemy more than the fighting of Joshua. Yet both were needed. In the soul's conflict, force and fervor, decision and devotion, valor and vehemence must join their forces, and all will be well.
You must wrestle with your sin, but the major part of the wrestling must be done alone in private with God. Prayer like Moses' holds up the token of the covenant before the Lord. The rod was the emblem of God's working with Moses, the symbol of God's government in Israel. Learn, praying saint, to hold up the promise and the oath of God before Him. The Lord cannot deny His own declarations. Hold up the rod of promise, and have what you seek.
Moses grew tired, and then his friends assisted him. Whenever your prayer loses vigor, let faith support one hand, and let holy hope lift up the other, and prayer seating itself upon the stone of Israel, the rock of our salvation, will persevere and prevail. Beware of growing faint in your devotion.
If Moses felt it, who can escape? It is far easier to fight with sin in public than to pray against it in private. It has been observed that while Joshua never grew weary in the fighting, Moses did grow weary in the praying; the more spiritual an exercise, the more difficult it is for flesh and blood to maintain it.
Let us cry, then, for special strength, and may the Spirit of God, who helps our weaknesses as He helped Moses, enable us like him to continue with our steady hands "until the going down of the sun," until the evening of life is over, until we shall come to the rising of a better sun in the land where prayer is swallowed up in praise.
Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.
Daily Bible Reading for April 16
Punishment for Child Sacrifice
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Say to the people of Israel, oAny one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3pI myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary qunclean and rto profane my holy name. 4And if the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not sput him to death, 5then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in twhoring after Molech.
6“If ua person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, vI will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. 7wConsecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8xKeep my statutes and do them; yI am the Lord who sanctifies you. 9For zanyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; ahis blood is upon him.
Punishments for Sexual Immorality
10“If a bman commits adultery with the wife of1 his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 11cIf a man lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. 12dIf a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed eperversion; their blood is upon them. 13fIf a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. 14gIf a man takes a woman and her mother also, it is depravity; he and they shall be burned with fire, that there may be no depravity among you. 15hIf a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. 16hIf a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
17i“If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace, and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness, and he shall bear his iniquity. 18jIf a man lies with a woman during her menstrual period and uncovers her nakedness, he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19kYou shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of your father's sister, for that is to make naked lone's relative; they shall bear their iniquity. 20mIf a man lies with his uncle's wife, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. 21nIf a man takes his brother's wife, it is impurity.2 He has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.
You Shall Be Holy
22o“You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not pvomit you out. 23qAnd you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them. 24But rI have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land sflowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, twho has separated you from the peoples. 25uYou shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean, and the unclean bird from the clean. You shall not make yourselves detestable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground crawls, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean. 26vYou shall be holy to me, wfor I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.
27x“A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be ystoned with stones; ztheir blood shall be upon them.”
Teach Me Your Paths
1 Of David.
1To you, O Lord, I olift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I ptrust;
qlet me not be put to shame;
rlet not my enemies exult over me.
3Indeed, snone who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are twantonly utreacherous.
4vMake me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your wtruth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6Remember your xmercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
yfor they have been from of old.
7Remember not zthe sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your asteadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
8bGood and upright is the Lord;
therefore he cinstructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are dsteadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11For your ename's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is fgreat.
12Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him cwill he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13His soul shall gabide in well-being,
and his hoffspring ishall inherit the land.
14jThe friendship2 of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15My keyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will lpluck my feet out of the net.
16mTurn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18nConsider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
oLet me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22pRedeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
A Time for Everything
1For everything there is a season, and la time for every matter under heaven:
2a time to be born, and a time to mdie;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4a time to nweep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to odance;
5a time to pcast away stones, and a time to qgather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to rrefrain from embracing;
6a time to seek, and a time to slose;
a time to keep, and a time to tcast away;
7a time to utear, and a time to sew;
a time to vkeep silence, and a time to speak;
8a time to love, and a time to whate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The God-Given Task
9What xgain has the worker from his toil? 10I have seen ythe business that zGod has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11He has amade everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot bfind out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I perceived that there is cnothing better for them than to be joyful and to ddo good as long as they live; 13also ethat everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is fGod's gift to man.
14I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; gnothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15That which is, halready has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God iseeks what has been driven away.1
From Dust to Dust
16Moreover, jI saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even kthere was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17I said in my heart, lGod will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is ma time for every matter and for every work. 18I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but nbeasts. 19oFor what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.2 20All go to one place. All are from pthe dust, and to dust all return. 21Who knows whether qthe spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22So I saw that there is rnothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for sthat is his lot. Who can bring him to see twhat will be after him?
Instructions for the Church
1bDo not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, cyounger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
3Honor widows dwho are truly widows. 4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn eto show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for fthis is pleasing in the sight of God. 5She gwho is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and hcontinues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6but ishe who is self-indulgent is jdead even while she lives. 7kCommand these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for lmembers of his household, he has mdenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been nthe wife of one husband,1 10and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has nshown hospitality, ohas washed the feet of the saints, has pcared for the afflicted, and has qdevoted herself to every good work. 11But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when rtheir passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also sgossips and tbusybodies, saying what they should not. 14So I would have uyounger widows marry, bear children, vmanage their households, and wgive the adversary no occasion for slander. 15xFor some have already strayed after Satan. 16If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those ywho are truly widows.
17Let the elders zwho rule well be considered worthy of adouble honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, b“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, c“The laborer deserves his wages.” 19Do not admit a charge against an elder except don the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20As for those who persist in sin, erebuke them in the presence of all, fso that the rest may stand in fear. 21In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels gI charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, hdoing nothing from partiality. 22iDo not be hasty in the jlaying on of hands, nor ktake part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23(No longer drink only water, but luse a little wine mfor the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25So also good works are conspicuous, and neven those that are not cannot remain hidden.
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