Christ Church Daily Devotion Nov 25 2023

The Daily Devotion for November 25th, 2023, focuses on a passage from John chapter 18, where Pilate questions Jesus about being the king of the Jews. Jesus explains that his kingdom is not of this world and that he is not interested in ruling by force. Instead, he seeks to be invited into each person's life and rule in a different way. The devotion encourages readers to consider what this kingdom looks like in daily living and how they can be agents of this kingdom each day. The suggested personal worship option is to pray to Jesus, acknowledging him as the ruler of one's life and asking for wisdom and courage to represent his kingdom better. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for November 25th, 2023. Today we will be reading from John chapter 18, verses 33 through 36. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus, and asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? Is that your own idea? Jesus asked. Or did others talk to you about me? Am I a Jew? Pilate replied. Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done? Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place. This is probably not a passage you expected to be reading on Thanksgiving Day weekend. Tomorrow is Christ the King Sunday on the Christian Church calendar, so our readings this week have been selected with that in mind. My focus from this scene comes from what Jesus says in verse 36. My kingdom is not of this world. I am reminded here of the temptations Satan presented to Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. One of those temptations was an offer of all the kingdoms of this world. Jesus rejected that temptation at the beginning of his ministry and was therefore prepared to reject it throughout his ministry, including in this moment as he stood before Pilate. He certainly had the power to take over the Roman Empire and all the world, but that was not his mission. He is not about ruling the kingdoms of this world by force. He seeks to be invited inside each person to rule their life in a much different way. Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. How would you describe it? When we pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, what do you picture that to be in daily living? How do you seek to be an agent of this kingdom in your life each day? Today's personal worship option, offer a prayer to Jesus, letting him know that he is the ruler of your life and asking for wisdom and courage on how to better represent his kingdom each day.