ESOCS Devotional 6 April 2026 – The Glory Passes Through the Cross
MEMORY VERSE: “…and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” Matthew 20:19 NIV
TEXT: MATTHEW 20:17-28
Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to Him, “We are able.”
23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
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In Matthew 20:19, Jesus gives His disciples a sobering glimpse into what lies ahead. He would be mocked, flogged, and crucified, but He would also rise again. This verse summarizes a powerful spiritual truth: before the crown comes the cross; before the glory comes the suffering.
The disciples were expecting a Messiah who would rule with power and overthrow earthly oppression. But Jesus redefined greatness, not through dominance, but through sacrifice. He would walk the road of humility, rejection, pain, and death before stepping into the fullness of His glory; and He calls us to do the same.
Following Jesus means embracing the cross in our own lives. This may not mean physical suffering or martyrdom, but it does mean dying to self, letting go of pride, forgiving when it hurts, and serving when it’s inconvenient. It means trusting that the path of obedience, however difficult, is the very road that leads to resurrection life, spiritual power, and eternal reward.
Just as Jesus was raised to life on the third day, we too can be assured that every sacrifice made for Christ will be met with resurrection. The cross is not the end; it is the gateway to glory.
Reflections
- What “cross” am I currently being called to carry in my walk with Christ?
- Have I been avoiding sacrifice in pursuit of a comfortable version of Christianity?
- Do I believe that obedience through suffering leads to greater spiritual victory?
- How can I encourage others to walk faithfully through their own “cross moments” with hope?
Action Step
Identify an area in your life where God is calling you to lay something down or endure something for His sake. Instead of resisting, ask for grace to walk through it, trusting that resurrection and glory are on the other side.
Prayer
- Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me the true path to glory through your cross.
- Help me not to fear the road of sacrifice, but to walk it with faith, knowing you are with me.
- Give me the strength to follow you, even when it’s hard. May I embrace the cross, trusting that your resurrection power will meet me there, in your name I pray. Amen.
Further Reading: Exodus 2:23- End; 3:1-20; Jeremiah 36:1-6 & 27-End; James 3:1-12
ESOCS Devotional 6 April 2026
