Lent Devotional

My name is Dave Waldrup. My wife and I have been attending Fellowship Dallas for a little over three years. Becky is the volunteer Serve Coordinator, and I am the volunteer Men's Ministry Director. Our daughter, Laura Enwere, and her husband, David, lead a Life Group in their home, and Laura sings with the music team. We love being at Fellowship and serving together as a family.

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This passage finds Jesus debating with the Jewish leaders during Passion Week — His last week on earth before His crucifixion. The setting is Jerusalem, likely in the temple courts. Jesus had just been barraged by many tricky questions from the Jewish leaders, who were trying to catch Him in His own words to find a reason to accuse and kill Him.

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Jesus poses a question that stumps the Pharisees by quoting Psalm 110:1: "The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.'" In this psalm, David is writing the words God gave him regarding the Messiah and His relationship to the Father.

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The phrase "my Lord" refers to the Messiah (Jesus Christ), and "The Lord" refers to the Father. As the Father tells the Messiah to sit at His right hand, "sitting" refers to a task being completed or accomplished. The position at the right side of the throne refers to honor. Finally, the Father tells the Messiah to remain seated in honor next to Him until all the Messiah's enemies are vanquished and made to be "a footstool for His feet."

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Jesus' quoting of Psalm 110:1 clearly shows me that He is both the Son of God and the son of David, as prophesied in the Old Covenant. This passage impacts my heart to believe, to repent from the "sins which so easily entangle me" (Hebrews 12:1), and to worship Jesus as the promised Messiah who died to accomplish the payment for my sins, once for all time.

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Jesus is leading the leaders to recognize that He is fulfilling prophecy by being both David's son and, through the virgin birth, the divine and holy Son of God. Since they are either unwilling or afraid to admit this truth, they stop the Q&A session. They're stumped. Jesus knew who He was, and He also knew the hearts and minds of the Pharisees. He was pressing the point that the Messiah was both God and man, descended from King David.

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This passage brings me to a clear understanding of who Jesus is so I can honor Him as God's Son and my Savior. I honor Him through my obedience — loving Him with all I am and my neighbors as myself. Keeping those two "Greatest Commandments" is a lifetime of joyful work and, according to Jesus, fulfills the Law (Matthew 22:35–40). Through the Spirit's leading, I will bless others through my love and care for them.