Fulfilled | Day Four

Silent Before His Accusers

Devotional by Abigail O’Neel

Read Isaiah 53:7, Matthew 26:59-63, Matthew 27:12-14, John 10:7-18

Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.

Matthew 26:59–63

59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’”62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Matthew 27:12-14

Jesus Before Pilate

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

John 10:7–18

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Devotional

Isaiah 53:7 offers a compelling glimpse into the steadfast resolve of the Suffering Servant:

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”

Centuries later, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy with breathtaking precision. As He stood before the Sanhedrin, falsely accused of blasphemy (Matthew 26:59–63), and before Pilate, charged with sedition (Matthew 27:11–14), He offered no defense. Pilate marveled at His silence, asking, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” Yet Jesus, the Lamb of God, remained silent. Why?

 Adrian Rogers seeks to understand this mystery: “Had Jesus justified Himself, He would have condemned me.” He stood in our place, and in doing so, he had to bear the weight of our sin. A defense from Jesus would have unraveled the very purpose of His mission: to lay down His life willingly and vicariously for His sheep (John 10:11–18). Instead of defending himself, he became guilty in the sight of God—not guilty actually, but because he bore our guilt in our place, becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21)—so that we might become the righteousness of God.

His silence was not weakness or defeat; it was a deliberate act of the Good Shepherd to lay down his life for His sheep and secure their redemption (John 10:11-18). Charles Spurgeon reflects on the submissive silence of Jesus, noting that while we are like sheep in our foolishness, Jesus is like a sheep in His perfect patience. Stripped of honor and glory, Jesus endured the cross so we might enter through Him—the door—and find abundant life (John 10:9). Romans 8:1 declares the result:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” 

In His silence, Jesus fulfilled prophecy and revealed the depth of his grace, ensuring our guilt is silenced forever.


Action Step: Serve with Us on Easter Sunday!

Easter Sunday is just around the corner, and we need your help to make it a memorable experience for everyone, especially in Kids Ministry. Whether you’re at our Champions or North Klein Campus, there are opportunities to serve and be a part of what God is doing in our church. Click the appropriate link below to sign up to serve on Easter Sunday, or visit our general serve page to find other ways to get involved.

We’d love for you to be part of this special day as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!

Fulfilled | Day Three

Abandoned by His Disciples

Devotional by Raegan Wolff

Read Zechariah 13:7 & Matthew 26:31-56

Zechariah 13:7

The Shepherd Struck

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
    against the man who stands next to me,”
declares the Lord of hosts.

“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;
    I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Matthew 26:31-56

31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Devotional

Betrayed by one, now abandoned by the rest. In a garden, in the darkness of night, Jesus is left without His followers and closest friends. He is left alone to endure the coming hours of trials, beatings, mocking, and, eventually, the cross—alone, with no one to stand up for Him or stand with Him.

In the Garden of Eden was where betrayal against God started, and now, in the Garden of Gethsemane, betrayal and abandonment against Jesus fulfill prophecy, revealing He is our awaited Redeemer.

Just hours before the arrest of Jesus and the scattering of His disciples into the night, Peter boldly proclaimed that even if all the others left Him, he never would. He would die for Jesus. Where is Peter now? Where are the others who claimed they loved Him, who saw firsthand the miracles and signs of the promised Messiah? Where is their faith in their Lord? Fear overcame their faith—but only for a moment in time.

He had just told them, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Yet they slept while He prayed.

Even when Jesus knew what was coming—the betrayal, the abandonment, the trials, torture, and crucifixion—He was thinking of His disciples.

He gave them a final encouragement: “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee” (Matthew 26:32).

They would see Him again. He would rise from the dead. Their faith would be restored.

When you think you’ve lost your faith in your Lord and Savior, Jesus, look for encouragement in His Word. Not all is lost in the darkness. Fear cannot steal your faith. It is only the beginning of the end. We will see Jesus again. No matter how dark it gets, watch and pray. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.


Action Step: Start preparing your heart now for the weekend ahead! We’ve put together a playlist of the songs we’ll be singing on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Whether you’re driving, walking, or doing dishes, press play and let these songs fill your week with anticipation. Click here to listen.

Fulfilled | Day Two

Betrayed by a Friend

Devotional by Louis Miori

Read Psalm 41:9; John 13:1-5, 12-26; Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 26:14-16

Psalm 41:9

Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
    who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

John 13:1-5, 12-26

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

Zechariah 11:12-13

12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.

Matthew 26:14-16

14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Devotional

Today’s devotional focuses on the betrayal of Jesus by His friend and disciple, Judas Iscariot, as foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

Psalm 41:9 was first written by David, who experienced betrayal from a trusted advisor. But this verse also points ahead to Jesus, who was betrayed by one of His closest followers—Judas Iscariot. In ancient times, sharing a meal was a sign of friendship and trust. The act of eating together was more than just a physical necessity; it established bonds of loyalty. To turn against someone after breaking bread together was one of the deepest betrayals imaginable.

Centuries later, in John 13:18, after Jesus and His disciples had shared the Passover meal—the Last Supper—and He had washed their feet, Jesus quotes this very passage, saying: “The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me.”

Jesus knew what was coming. He wasn’t caught off guard by Judas’ betrayal; instead, He saw it as part of God’s plan. The phrase “raised his heel” suggests a deep act of treachery—like someone preparing to strike. Yet, even knowing what Judas would do, Jesus still washed his feet and shared a meal with him. This moment shows Jesus’ incredible love and obedience to God’s plan, even in the face of betrayal.

Zechariah foretells the exact price for which Jesus would be betrayed—thirty pieces of silver. This detail is directly connected to the moment in Matthew’s Gospel when Judas makes his fateful decision, unknowingly fulfilling what had been written centuries earlier. Even more striking, the prophecy describes the silver being thrown into the temple and used to buy a potter’s field—precisely what happens after Judas, overcome with regret, returns the money (Matthew 27:3-5).

The betrayal of Jesus by a trusted friend set into motion a series of events—rejection, false accusations, humiliation, and unimaginable suffering. Yet through it all, Jesus remained resolute, fully committed to His mission: to bring salvation to the world through His death, burial, and resurrection.


Action Step: Holy Week is a powerful time to reflect, remember, and respond to all Jesus has done. We’ve planned meaningful gatherings across all our campuses to help you do just that. Click here to see the full Easter schedule and make plans to worship, celebrate, and invite others to join you.

Fulfilled | Day One

The Gentle King

Devotional by Michael Neale

Read Zechariah 9:9 & Matthew 21:1-9

Zechariah 9:9

The Coming King of Zion

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
    righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Matthew 21:1-9

The Triumphal Entry

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Devotional

The dusty roads of Jerusalem trembled with anticipation. The air was thick with the scent of palm branches trampled beneath hopeful feet. Centuries after the Zechariah prophecy a great King approaches—not upon a warhorse, not clad in gilded armor, but upon a humble donkey’s colt. The paradox is staggering.  Majesty riding meekness; humility-wrapped power.  This was a warrior King of a different kind.  

The shouts must have risen like a rushing tide. “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9).  The cries of desperation and wonder echoed through the hills.  As they spread their cloaks on the road to welcome the royal One that they believed would restore Israel’s glory, the ignition of the week of weeks unfolds.  If I would have been there, I probably would have misunderstood, too. They expected conquest, but He came with peace. They yearned for a rowdy revolution, but He offered renewal and redemption. They sought a roaring lion, but He arrived as a gentle lamb.   

This moment, prophesied in Zechariah 9:9, is not a fleeting spectacle—it is another piece in the unveiling mosaic of God’s grandest design.  Jesus enters not as an earthly conqueror but as Heaven’s deliverer. He comes not to overthrow Rome but to overthrow sin’s dominion. His coronation will not be in a palace but on a cross. His victory will be written not in bloodshed but in His own blood poured out for the world.   

As they laid down those palm branches, let us lay down our pride, our fears, our disordered ambitions. Let us hail the humble King and welcome Him into the chaotic and weary streets of our hearts, not just for a fleeting moment, but for eternity.  His rule and reign are full and final.  It’s deeper than our eyes can see and more powerful than any sword. Nothing will outshine our King forever and ever.  He comes not just to reign, but to redeem and restore. And His Kingdom will have no end.   

“Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”


Action Step: Holy Week is here, and with it comes a powerful opportunity: to remember that Jesus was the plan all along. As you begin this Fulfilled devotional series, don’t keep it to yourself. Text your group chat. Your cousin. Your neighbor. Invite them to follow the thread of prophecy and promise with you this week. This journey with Christ to the cross is meant to be shared.