|
Teaching God's Word to God's People |
|
|
|
Welcome to Church Focus Ministries
Equipping, Encouraging, and Educating
God’s People by Providing Resources that are Uncompromisingly True to God’s Word
Church Focus Ministries is your trusted source for biblically sound materials
Special Easter study . . .
The Last Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived
An 8-day reflective journey in the steps of Jesus
There is no way to say too much about how important the events of Holy Week were in the history of the world. This week, from Palm Sunday to Easter, Jesus fulfilled God's purpose for the world for all time. Holy Week, which is also called Passion Week, lasts from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday). Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are also part of Passion Week. The name "Passion Week" comes from the fact that Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay for the sins of His people with immense passion. The events of Holy Week are told in Matthew 21–27, Mark 11–15, Luke 19–23, and John 12–19. The triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, as foretold in Zechariah 9:9, marks the beginning of Passion Week.
From Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem to His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection, each day of Holy Week has a lot of meaning. We can think about Jesus' journey, how prophecy came true, and the wonderful love God showed through His Son by going through an 8-day devotional. This devotional will help you read the Bible, pray, and think about things in a way that will bring you closer to Christ and let you feel the power of Easter in a more personal and life-changing way.
From Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem to His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection, each day of Holy Week has a lot of meaning. We can think about Jesus' journey, how prophecy came true, and the wonderful love God showed through His Son by going through an 8-day devotional. This devotional will help you read the Bible, pray, and think about things in a way that will bring you closer to Christ and let you feel the power of Easter in a more personal and life-changing way.
Day 1: Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:1-19)
Available March 29 
Day 4: Holy Wednesday (Mark 14:1-11)
Available April 1 
Day 7: Holy Saturday (John 19:38-42)
Available April 4 |
Day 2: Holy Monday (Mark 11:12-19)
Available March 30 
Day 5: Holy (Maundy) Thursday (Matthew 26:20-75)
Available April 2 
Day 8: Resurrection Sunday (Matthew 28:1-20)
Available April 5 |
Day 3: Holy Tuesday (Mark 11:20-25; 11:27-13:36)
Available March 31 
Day 6: Good Friday (Matthew 27:1-61)
Available April 3 |
April's Encouraging Word
Come on, you can do this . .
Treasure in Jars of Clay
A short story by Mark Wash
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." ~2 Corinthians 4:7-8
A short story by Mark Wash
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." ~2 Corinthians 4:7-8
The rain had been falling steadily all afternoon, a soft but persistent rhythm against the cracked window of the small café where Daniel sat, nursing a lukewarm coffee. Outside, the streets shimmered with puddles reflecting the dull gray sky, yet inside, the quiet murmur of conversation wove a fragile cocoon around him. He studied the chipped clay mug in his hands, its rough surface ordinary, unpretentious—much like himself.
Daniel’s life had never been easy, and lately, it felt heavier than usual. The crushing weight of endless challenges—his mother’s illness, the job that barely paid the bills, the loneliness that crept in during the long nights—it all pressed down on him. He’d been thinking a lot about the words he’d read that morning, from an old letter stamped with the passage of time: “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that all this extraordinary power comes from God and not from us.” There was a strange comfort in knowing that the light they spoke of wasn’t something he had to create or carry perfectly, but something shining through him, no matter how cracked his vessel.
As the door chimed, a woman stepped inside, brushing rain from her dark curls. She looked around, eyes hesitant, before settling across from Daniel at the empty table beside his. “Mind if I join you?” she asked.
He shook his head, offering a small smile. “Not at all.”
Her name was Mara, a member of the nearby church's small group that Daniel attended. She had bright eyes, the kind that seemed to see beyond the surface, and a voice that held a gentle strength. They talked at first about trivial things—the weather, the stubbornness of the café’s coffee machine—but soon the conversation turned deeper.
“I see you’ve been carrying a lot,” Mara said softly, her gaze steady. “It’s funny how life seems to pile on more chaos than calm sometimes. I’ve been there.”
Daniel nodded, suddenly surprised at his willingness to share. “I keep wondering why we go through all these trials.” Why the hardships seem endless. It’s hard not to feel like the light is dimming inside.”
“But what if the light doesn’t come from us?” Mara leaned forward. “What if it’s there because something much bigger shines through, even when the jars are cracked? I remember Paul’s words in the New Testament—he called it ‘treasure in jars of clay.’ It means the brightness isn’t about how perfect we are, but Christ's power behind us.”
Daniel looked at his mug again, the chipped edges sharper under the café’s soft glow. Suddenly, he felt an ache that was nearly a revelation. “Sometimes I think I’m just broken and weak. How could anything good shine through something so fragile?”
Mara smiled, a quiet certainty in her voice. “That’s precisely why the light matters. It’s when the jar is cracked that the treasure spills out. And the world sees it not in our strength, but in the power of what fills us.”
The warmth of their conversation lingered in Daniel’s chest long after Mara left, like a faint, steady beacon in the depths of a dark sea. He stayed after the café emptied, staring out at the rain-slick streets, thinking of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
His mind wandered back to his troubles—his mother’s worsening condition, the lonely nights, the mounting bills—but with each thought, the weight seemed to ease slightly. He realized that, like the apostle Paul, he could choose not to be crushed, not to despair, even when life knocked him down. His brightness wasn’t about avoiding struggle but about holding onto the promise that in weakness, Jesus was alive and working through him.
The next morning, rain still falling in a quiet drizzle, Daniel took the chipped mug home with him. In the kitchen, as he washed it carefully under the running water, he made a decision. He would keep carrying his brokenness—his fears, his pain, his doubts—but he would also surrender to the light that shone through the cracks. He would let that power be seen in the way he cared for his mother, in his patience on the crowded bus, and in the kindness offered to strangers.
Later that week, an unexpected visitor came to his door—a neighbor from down the hall who’d noticed the growing shadows in Daniel’s eyes. “I’ve been meaning to check on you,” she said quietly, her hands tucked nervously in her coat pockets. “I didn’t realize how much you were carrying.”
Daniel invited her in, and as they talked, he found new strength in the simplest exchange: shared stories, a cup of tea, and the steady affirmation that no one is truly alone in their struggles. The cracked jars all around him—his neighbor’s heart, his mother’s frail body, his own weary soul—were vessels for the Light of Jesus Christ that was brighter than any darkness they faced.
In those moments, Daniel understood something vital: life’s difficulties did not diminish the brightness; they revealed it. Through the cracks, the power of hope, faith, and love glowed unmistakably. As the rain eased that evening, the wet streets reflected the streetlamps; Daniel’s light shone quietly but brilliantly, like a city on a hill refusing to be hidden.
Daniel’s life had never been easy, and lately, it felt heavier than usual. The crushing weight of endless challenges—his mother’s illness, the job that barely paid the bills, the loneliness that crept in during the long nights—it all pressed down on him. He’d been thinking a lot about the words he’d read that morning, from an old letter stamped with the passage of time: “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that all this extraordinary power comes from God and not from us.” There was a strange comfort in knowing that the light they spoke of wasn’t something he had to create or carry perfectly, but something shining through him, no matter how cracked his vessel.
As the door chimed, a woman stepped inside, brushing rain from her dark curls. She looked around, eyes hesitant, before settling across from Daniel at the empty table beside his. “Mind if I join you?” she asked.
He shook his head, offering a small smile. “Not at all.”
Her name was Mara, a member of the nearby church's small group that Daniel attended. She had bright eyes, the kind that seemed to see beyond the surface, and a voice that held a gentle strength. They talked at first about trivial things—the weather, the stubbornness of the café’s coffee machine—but soon the conversation turned deeper.
“I see you’ve been carrying a lot,” Mara said softly, her gaze steady. “It’s funny how life seems to pile on more chaos than calm sometimes. I’ve been there.”
Daniel nodded, suddenly surprised at his willingness to share. “I keep wondering why we go through all these trials.” Why the hardships seem endless. It’s hard not to feel like the light is dimming inside.”
“But what if the light doesn’t come from us?” Mara leaned forward. “What if it’s there because something much bigger shines through, even when the jars are cracked? I remember Paul’s words in the New Testament—he called it ‘treasure in jars of clay.’ It means the brightness isn’t about how perfect we are, but Christ's power behind us.”
Daniel looked at his mug again, the chipped edges sharper under the café’s soft glow. Suddenly, he felt an ache that was nearly a revelation. “Sometimes I think I’m just broken and weak. How could anything good shine through something so fragile?”
Mara smiled, a quiet certainty in her voice. “That’s precisely why the light matters. It’s when the jar is cracked that the treasure spills out. And the world sees it not in our strength, but in the power of what fills us.”
The warmth of their conversation lingered in Daniel’s chest long after Mara left, like a faint, steady beacon in the depths of a dark sea. He stayed after the café emptied, staring out at the rain-slick streets, thinking of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
His mind wandered back to his troubles—his mother’s worsening condition, the lonely nights, the mounting bills—but with each thought, the weight seemed to ease slightly. He realized that, like the apostle Paul, he could choose not to be crushed, not to despair, even when life knocked him down. His brightness wasn’t about avoiding struggle but about holding onto the promise that in weakness, Jesus was alive and working through him.
The next morning, rain still falling in a quiet drizzle, Daniel took the chipped mug home with him. In the kitchen, as he washed it carefully under the running water, he made a decision. He would keep carrying his brokenness—his fears, his pain, his doubts—but he would also surrender to the light that shone through the cracks. He would let that power be seen in the way he cared for his mother, in his patience on the crowded bus, and in the kindness offered to strangers.
Later that week, an unexpected visitor came to his door—a neighbor from down the hall who’d noticed the growing shadows in Daniel’s eyes. “I’ve been meaning to check on you,” she said quietly, her hands tucked nervously in her coat pockets. “I didn’t realize how much you were carrying.”
Daniel invited her in, and as they talked, he found new strength in the simplest exchange: shared stories, a cup of tea, and the steady affirmation that no one is truly alone in their struggles. The cracked jars all around him—his neighbor’s heart, his mother’s frail body, his own weary soul—were vessels for the Light of Jesus Christ that was brighter than any darkness they faced.
In those moments, Daniel understood something vital: life’s difficulties did not diminish the brightness; they revealed it. Through the cracks, the power of hope, faith, and love glowed unmistakably. As the rain eased that evening, the wet streets reflected the streetlamps; Daniel’s light shone quietly but brilliantly, like a city on a hill refusing to be hidden.
Current Events . . .
|
|
"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given me; for they are Thine." (John 17:9)
|
|