April

For us to benefit from Jesus’ flesh and blood, we need to exercise faith in the ransom. (Eph. 1:7) Those Jesus referred to as “other sheep” do not and should not partake of the bread and the wine at the annual Lord’s Evening Meal. (John 10:16) Nonetheless, they benefit from the flesh and the blood of Jesus Christ. They do so by exercising faith in the redeeming value of his sacrifice. (John 6:53) In contrast, those who should partake show that they have been brought into the new covenant as prospective heirs of the heavenly Kingdom. Consequently, whether we are of the anointed or of the other sheep, we need to exercise faith and thus gain everlasting life. w24.12 13 ¶14, 16

During the Lord’s Evening Meal, Jesus offered unleavened bread to his apostles and told them that it represented his body. Then he gave them the wine and said that it stood for the “blood of the covenant.” (Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:24) The new covenant is made with “the house of [spiritual] Israel”​—who will be “in the Kingdom of God.” (Heb. 8:6, 10; 9:15) During the Lord’s Evening Meal, Jesus focused on the “little flock.” That small group started with his faithful apostles who were physically present with him in the room. They are the ones who will receive a place in heaven with Jesus. w24.12 11 ¶9-10

Jesus was betrayed, arrested, verbally abused, slandered, convicted, and even tortured. Soldiers led him to the site of execution and nailed him to a stake. As he faithfully endured all that agony, there was Someone who felt even more pain. That was Jehovah God. He held back his infinite power and refrained from intervening. Why? In a word, love. Jesus’ sacrifice is the ultimate proof of how much Jehovah loves you. He went to great lengths, subjecting himself to the worst pain imaginable in order to rescue you from sin and death. (1 John 4:9, 10) Yes, he wants to help each one of us to fight against sin​—and to win! w24.08 6 ¶13-14

We can better understand how much Jehovah loves us if we consider what the ransom cost him. Satan claims that no servant of God will remain loyal to Him when it is hard to do so. To refute that charge, Jehovah allowed Jesus to suffer before he died. (Job 2:1-5) As Jehovah looked on, Jesus was mocked by religious opposers, whipped raw by soldiers, and nailed to a stake. Then Jehovah watched as his dear Son was left to suffer a painful death. (Matt. 27:28-31, 39) Jehovah had the power to stop the process at any given point. (Matt. 27:42, 43) However, if God had stepped in, no ransom would have been paid and we would have been left without hope. So Jehovah permitted his Son to endure suffering until he drew his last breath. w25.01 22 ¶7

It is Nisan 16, 33 C.E. Jesus’ disciples are numb with grief and paralyzed by fear. Two of them leave Jerusalem and head for Emmaus. A stranger approaches and walks with them. The disciples relate their disappointment about what happened to Jesus. The stranger then begins a life-changing discussion with them. “Starting with Moses and all the Prophets,” he explains why the Messiah had to suffer and die. When the three men arrive at Emmaus, the stranger reveals who he is​—the resurrected Jesus! (Luke 24:13-35) Jesus appeared to his disciples a number of times throughout his final 40 days on earth. During that time, Jesus’ grief-stricken and fearful followers were transformed into a joyful, confident, and courageous army of Kingdom preachers and teachers. w24.10 12 ¶1-3

We may grow to physical adulthood naturally over time, but no one grows to spiritual maturity automatically. For instance, the brothers and sisters in Corinth accepted the good news, got baptized, received holy spirit, and benefited from the personal instruction of the apostle Paul. (Acts 18:8-11) Yet, some years after their baptism, many were still immature. (1 Cor. 3:2) To reach maturity, we must first cultivate the desire to become mature. Those who “love inexperience,” preferring to remain as spiritual infants, will fail to make progress. (Prov. 1:22) We do not want to be like those who are fully grown physically but continue depending on their parents to make decisions for them. Instead, we want to take responsibility for our own spiritual growth. If you are still working to reach maturity, pray that Jehovah will give you “both the desire and the power to act.”​—Phil. 2:13. w24.04 4 ¶9-10

When it comes to the way he judges humans, Jehovah kindly reveals to us how he feels. (Ezek. 33:11) Jehovah is not quick to destroy people once and for all. He is profoundly merciful, and he shows mercy whenever possible. What do we know about the people who will not be resurrected? The Bible offers only a few examples. Jesus indicated that Judas Iscariot will not be resurrected. (Mark 14:21; see also John 17:12 and study note.) Judas knowingly and willfully worked in opposition to Jehovah God and His Son. (See Mark 3:29 and study notes.) Similarly, Jesus said that some of the religious leaders who had opposed him would die without a hope of resurrection. (Matt. 23:33; see John 19:11 and study note “the man.”) And the apostle Paul warned that unrepentant apostates would not be resurrected.​—Heb. 6:4-8; 10:29. w24.05 4 ¶10-11

When we remain close to Jehovah, Satan can do us no lasting harm. (1 John 3:8) In the new world, Jehovah will continue to protect his faithful friends not only from spiritual harm but also from death. (Rev. 21:4) It truly is a great honor to be a guest in Jehovah’s tent​—to enjoy a personal and ongoing relationship with him. (Ezek. 37:27) How should we conduct ourselves if we want to continue as his guests? If you were invited to someone’s home, you would want to know what he expects of you. Likewise, we certainly want to know what Jehovah requires of those who want to continue being guests. Our love for Jehovah moves us to do everything in our power “to please him fully.” (Col. 1:10) We should always be in awe of him, never forgetting who he is. Such reverence will help us to avoid conduct that would offend him. We certainly desire “to walk in modesty” with our God.​—Mic. 6:8. w24.06 4 ¶8-9

Jehovah asked Abraham to offer up his own son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham surely found this to be the most painful task imaginable. Nonetheless, he prepared to follow through with it. But God stopped him at the last moment. Still, that example teaches all people of faith a vital truth​—Jehovah would be willing to offer his own beloved Son as a sacrifice. Jehovah loves humans that much. (Gen. 22:1-18) Centuries later, the Law given to the nation of Israel called for many sacrifices to atone for the sins of God’s people. (Lev. 4:27-29; 17:11) Such sacrifices pointed to a greater sacrifice, one that would completely save mankind from sin. God’s prophets were inspired to explain that the promised offspring, who turned out to be a special Son of God, would have to suffer and be put to death in order to save mankind​—including you—​from sin and death!​—Isa. 53:1-12. w24.08 4 ¶7-8

When you do your Bible reading, be sure to look for ways to apply what you read. As you go over a portion of God’s Word, ask yourself, ‘How can I apply this information now or in the near future?’ To illustrate, let’s say that your Bible reading included 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18. After reading those two verses, you could stop and think of how often and how deeply you pray. Also, you could reflect on things for which you are grateful. Maybe you determine that you will thank Jehovah for three specific things. With even a few minutes of such focused attention, you will to some extent become a hearer and a doer of God’s Word. Think of how you would benefit by repeating this process each day with other portions of the Bible that you read! Yes, you will grow as a doer of God’s Word. w24.09 4-5 ¶9-10

Jehovah created us with a special ability. Although we enjoy receiving, we gain even greater happiness when we give to others. We feel good when we are able to help our fellow believers. And we are happy when they express their appreciation. Yet, whether the receiver expresses appreciation or not, we can be glad that we did the right thing. Never forget that whatever you give, “Jehovah has the means to give you much more.” (2 Chron. 25:9) We simply cannot outgive Jehovah! And there is no greater joy than to be repaid by Jehovah himself. Let us be determined, then, to continue imitating our generous heavenly Father. w24.09 31 ¶20-21

Jehovah is merciful and compassionate. (Ps. 103:13; Isa. 49:15) He is empathetic; when we feel hurt, he feels hurt. (Zech. 2:8) He makes it easy for us to draw close to him as a Friend. (Ps. 25:14; Acts 17:27) And he is humble; “he stoops down to look on heaven and earth, raising the lowly from the dust.” (Ps. 113:6, 7) How could anyone not want to glorify our great God? We glorify Jehovah because we want others to know him. Many do not know the truth about Jehovah. Why? Because Satan has blinded their minds by spreading terrible lies about Him. (2 Cor. 4:4) Satan has convinced people that Jehovah is vengeful, uncaring, and the cause of much of the world’s suffering. But we know the truth about our God! We have the opportunity to set the record straight and thus bring him glory.​—Isa. 43:10. w25.01 3 ¶6-7

In the first century, Satan’s supporters told one lie after another about the perfect, miracle-working Son of God. For example, the religious leaders told people that Jesus’ power to expel demons was given to him by “the ruler of the demons.” (Mark 3:22) When Jesus was on trial, the religious leaders accused him of blasphemy and incited the crowds to call for his death. (Matt. 27:20) Later, as Christ’s followers preached the good news, those who opposed them “stirred up and wrongly influenced the people” to persecute those Christians. (Acts 14:2, 19) Regarding Acts 14:2, The Watchtower of December 1, 1998, explained: “Not content with rejecting the message themselves, Jewish opposers embarked on a smear campaign, trying to prejudice the Gentile population against Christians.” Today, Satan is still “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” w24.04 11 ¶15-16

A person’s eternal future does not depend on when he happens to die. Jehovah is the perfect Judge​—he renders just and righteous decisions. (Ps. 33:4, 5) We can be confident that “the Judge of all the earth” will do what is right. It is also reasonable to conclude that a person’s eternal future does not depend on where he happens to live. It is unthinkable that Jehovah would automatically label as “goats” millions of people who live in lands where they never had an opportunity to respond to the Kingdom message. (Matt. 25:46) The righteous Judge of all the earth cares even more about these individuals than we ever could. We do not know how Jehovah will maneuver events during the great tribulation. Perhaps some of these people will have an opportunity to learn about Jehovah, put faith in him, and take their stand on Jehovah’s side when he sanctifies himself before all nations.​—Ezek. 38:16. w24.05 12 ¶14-15

Jehovah’s people love to help one another. (2 Cor. 8:4) However, at times, it takes courage to do so. For example, when a war breaks out, the local elders realize that their brothers and sisters need encouragement, support, and perhaps spiritual or physical provisions. Out of love for the sheep, the elders put their own safety at risk in order to provide what is needed. In such circumstances, it is important that we remain united. Cooperate with the direction from your local branch office. (Heb. 13:17) Elders should regularly review local arrangements for disaster preparedness as well as organizational direction on what to do when a disaster is imminent. (1 Cor. 14:33, 40) Be courageous but cautious. (Prov. 22:3) Use common sense. Do not take unnecessary risks. Rely on Jehovah. He can help you to assist your brothers safely. w24.07 4 ¶8; 5 ¶11

King David knew Jehovah and relied on Him. When pursued by his enemies, including King Saul, David prayed to Jehovah for help. After God answered his prayer and rescued him, David declared: “Jehovah is alive!” (Ps. 18:46) With these words, David was not merely acknowledging that God exists. One reference work notes that David was expressing confidence in Jehovah “as a living god who constantly acts on behalf of his people.” Yes, David knew from personal experience that his God was alive, and that conviction renewed his determination to serve and praise Jehovah. (Ps. 18:28, 29, 49) Our being convinced that Jehovah is the living God can help us to serve him with zeal. We will have the strength to endure trials and the motivation to continue working hard in his service. We will also be determined to remain close to Jehovah. w24.06 20-21 ¶3-4

What can we learn from the apostle Paul’s words to the Thessalonians? When we hear something that does not harmonize with what we have learned from the Bible or when we hear a sensational rumor, we need to use discernment. In the former Soviet Union, our enemies once circulated a letter that was allegedly from world headquarters. The letter encouraged some of the brothers to form a separate, independent organization. The letter itself appeared to be genuine. But faithful brothers were not fooled. They realized that the message the letter contained did not line up with what they had been taught. Today, enemies of the truth sometimes use modern technology in an effort to confuse and divide us. Rather than be “quickly shaken from [our] reason,” we can protect ourselves by considering whether what we hear or read is in harmony with the truths we have already learned.​—2 Thess. 2:2; 1 John 4:1. w24.07 12 ¶14-15

The most important decision that any person can make is the decision to dedicate himself to Jehovah and to become part of His family of worshippers. Jehovah desires everyone to do so. Why? He wants them to enjoy a friendship with him and to live forever. (Deut. 30:19, 20; Gal. 6:7, 8) However, Jehovah does not force anyone to serve him. He allows each individual to decide what he will do. What if a baptized Christian breaks God’s law, committing a serious sin? If he does not repent, he must be removed from the congregation. (1 Cor. 5:13) Yet, even then, Jehovah fervently hopes that the wrongdoer will return to Him. In fact, that is an important reason why he provided the ransom​—to make forgiveness possible for repentant sinners. Our loving God warmly appeals to wrongdoers, urging them to repent.​—Zech. 1:3; Rom. 2:4; Jas. 4:8. w24.08 14 ¶1-2

By the time the apostle John wrote his third letter, some individuals were spreading false teachings and causing divisions. However, others continued “walking in the truth.” They obeyed Jehovah and were “walking according to his commandments.” (2 John 4, 6) These faithful Christians brought joy not just to John but also to Jehovah himself. (Prov. 27:11) What is the lesson for us? Faithfulness leads to joy. (1 John 5:3) For example, we have the joy of knowing that we make Jehovah happy. He rejoices to see us reject the temptations of the world and accept the truth. Others in heaven also rejoice. (Luke 15:10) We too can find joy in seeing one another remain faithful. (2 Thess. 1:4) Then when this system passes away, we will have the satisfaction of knowing that we demonstrated our loyalty to Jehovah even in a world dominated by Satan. w24.11 12 ¶17-18

How long should you observe the person before you express your romantic interest? If you approach someone too soon, you could come across as impulsive. (Prov. 29:20) On the other hand, if you take too long, you could come across as indecisive, especially if the other person has perceived your interest. (Eccl. 11:4) Remember, before approaching someone, you do not need to be convinced that you will marry that person. But you should be convinced that you are ready for marriage and that the other person could be a suitable mate for you. What, though, if you sense that someone is interested in you? If the feeling is not mutual, try to make that clear by your actions. It would be unkind to make the person think that there is a possibility of a relationship when that is not the case.​—Eph. 4:25. w24.05 22-23 ¶9-10

Only genuine, faithful anointed ones will be received by Jesus into the heavenly Kingdom. Any anointed ones who do not remain spiritually alert will not be gathered with the “chosen ones.” (Matt. 24:31) By extension, all of God’s people, regardless of their hope, should view Jesus’ words as a warning to keep on the watch and remain faithful. We have come to know Jehovah well, so we trust his judgment. We are not concerned if Jehovah has chosen to anoint some faithful ones in more recent years. We recall what Jesus said about the 11th-hour workers in his illustration of the vineyard. (Matt. 20:1-16) Those who were invited to work in the vineyard later in the day received the same wage as those who began working in it earlier. Likewise, no matter when anointed ones are selected, they will receive the heavenly reward if they are judged faithful. w24.09 24 ¶15-17

Jesus set a perfect example of how to cope with injustice. Consider the unjust treatment he experienced, both from family and from outsiders. His unbelieving relatives accused him of being out of his mind, the religious leaders accused him of collaborating with the demons, and Roman soldiers mocked him, physically assaulted him, and eventually killed him. (Mark 3:21, 22; 14:55; 15:16-20, 35-37) Yet, Jesus endured all that injustice and more without retaliating. What can we learn from his example? (1 Pet. 2:21-23) Jesus left us a perfect model to follow when we are dealing with an injustice. He knew when to remain silent and when to speak. (Matt. 26:62-64) He did not reply to every false statement made about him. (Matt. 11:19) When he did speak, he did not insult his persecutors or threaten them. w24.11 4-5 ¶9-10

Imagine giving someone you love a special gift that is both beautiful and practical. How disappointed you would be if that person simply put it in storage and gave it no further thought! On the other hand, you would surely be pleased if he or she put your gift to good use and expressed appreciation for it. What is the point? Jehovah has given his Son in our behalf. How happy Jehovah must be when we show gratitude for that precious gift and for his love, which moved him to provide the ransom! (John 3:16; Rom. 5:7, 8) As time passes, however, we could begin to take the gift of the ransom for granted. It would be like putting God’s gift in storage. We are happy to have it, but we keep it out of sight. To prevent that from happening, we must regularly renew our gratitude for what God and Christ have done for us. w25.01 26 ¶1-2

A brother who qualifies as an elder is not a newly converted man. Although you do not have to be baptized for many years, you do need time to become a mature Christian. Before you are appointed as an elder, you must demonstrate that, like Jesus, you are humble and are content to wait on Jehovah for any assignment. (Matt. 20:23; Phil. 2:5-8) You can prove that you are loyal by sticking to Jehovah and his righteous standards and by following the direction given through his organization. The Scriptures clearly state that overseers must be qualified to teach. Does this mean that you must be an excellent public speaker? No. Many well-qualified elders, though not the best public speakers, teach effectively in the ministry and on shepherding calls. w24.11 23-24 ¶14-15

When you find a passage in the Bible that you do not fully understand, do research. Then throughout the day, meditate on what you have discovered and what it tells you about Jehovah, his Son, and their love for you. (Ps. 119:97, ftn.) Do not be discouraged if you do not find something new or exciting every time you sit down to read or to do research. In a sense, you are like a person who pans for gold. Patiently, prospectors spend hours or days before finding even the smallest nugget of gold. Yet, they persist because every bit of gold is valuable to them. Of how much greater value is every gem of Bible truth! (Prov. 8:10) So be patient and stick to your Bible reading schedule.​—Ps. 1:2. w25.01 25 ¶14-15

Jehovah expects us to be ready to forgive those who hurt us. (Ps. 86:5; Luke 17:4; Eph. 4:32) We may be deeply hurt because of what someone says or does to us, especially if that person is a close friend or family member. (Ps. 55:12-14) At times, the emotional pain we suffer can be likened to being stabbed. (Prov. 12:18) We may try to suppress or ignore our hurt feelings. But doing so might be like getting stabbed and then leaving the knife in the wound. Similarly, we cannot expect our hurt feelings to get better if we simply ignore them. When someone offends us, our initial reaction may be to get angry. The Bible acknowledges that we may become wrathful. However, it warns against allowing that emotion to dominate us. (Ps. 4:4; Eph. 4:26) Why? Because anger seldom leads to good results. (Jas. 1:20) Remember, getting angry is a reaction, but remaining angry is a choice. w25.02 15 ¶4-6

Jesus illustrated the foolishness of storing up money without being “rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21) No one knows what tomorrow will bring. (Prov. 23:4, 5; Jas. 4:13-15) We face a particular challenge as followers of Christ. Jesus said that we must be ready to “give up” all our belongings to be his disciples. (Luke 14:33, ftn.) First-century Christians in Judea accepted such a loss with joy. (Heb. 10:34) In modern times, many brothers have had to sacrifice their financial security because of refusing to give allegiance to a political system. (Rev. 13:16, 17) What has helped them to do that? They have absolute confidence in Jehovah’s promise: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.” (Heb. 13:5) We do our best to plan for our future needs, and if unexpected events befall us, we trust in Jehovah’s support. w25.03 29 ¶13-14

Jehovah does not expect us to grow to maturity on our own. Those who serve as shepherds and teachers in the Christian congregation are prepared to help us in becoming “full-grown” in a spiritual sense, “attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-13) Jehovah also provides his holy spirit to help us have “the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:14-16) Further, God inspired the writing of the four Gospels to show us how Jesus thought, spoke, and acted during his earthly ministry. By imitating Jesus’ way of thinking and acting, you can reach your goal of Christian maturity. But in order to advance to maturity, we must also move “beyond the primary doctrine about the Christ,” that is, basic Christian teachings. w24.04 4-5 ¶11-12

Every day we need to make decisions. Some are relatively easy to make, such as what to have for breakfast or when to go to bed. Other matters are more difficult to decide. They may affect our health, our happiness, our loved ones, or our worship. We want our decisions to benefit us and our family. Above all, we hope that our decisions will please Jehovah. (Rom. 12:1, 2) An important step toward making a good decision is to get the facts. Why is this important? Imagine that a patient consults a doctor regarding a serious medical problem. Would the doctor make a decision about a course of treatment without first examining the patient or asking him questions? Certainly not. You too will make better decisions if you first consider the facts that have a bearing on the situation at hand. w25.01 14 ¶1-3

What do we know about Jehovah’s mercy? How has he demonstrated that he “does not desire anyone to be destroyed”? (2 Pet. 3:9) Consider his mercy toward some who committed serious sins. King David got involved in a series of gross sins, including adultery and murder. Yet, David repented, so Jehovah mercifully forgave him. (2 Sam. 12:1-12) King Manasseh was profoundly wicked for much of his life. Even in that extreme case, however, Jehovah responded favorably to that man’s repentance and found a basis for extending mercy and forgiveness. (2 Chron. 33:9-16) These examples remind us that Jehovah shows mercy whenever he sees that there is a basis for doing so. He will resurrect such individuals because they realized that they had committed terrible sins and they repented. w24.05 4 ¶12