Daily text, for Friday, March 18. 2016

[Queen Esther]

See, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!—John 1:29.

Jesus explained that he came, “not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matt. 20:28) The “many” who would benefit from Jesus’ ransom were not to be limited to repentant Jews. Rather, it is God’s will that “all sorts of people should be saved,” since the ransom “takes away the sin of the world!” (1 Tim. 2:4-6) Did those early disciples of Jesus have the needed courage to keep on witnessing about him? Indeed they did. (Acts 5:30-32) Some 27 years after Pentecost 33 C.E., it could be said that “the message of truth of the good news” had reached Jews and Gentiles “in all creation under heaven.”—Col. 1:5, 23. w14 7/15 4:7, 8

Memorial Bible reading: (Events after sunset: Nisan 9) Mark 14:3-9