May 13th

LUKE 19:28 – 22:65 THE KING WHO OFFERED PEACE: 28-48 The traditional calendar for the events of our Lord’s last week of ministry look: Sunday-triumphal entry into Jerusalem; Monday-cleansing the temple; Tuesday-controversies with the Jewish leaders; Wednesday-apparently a day of rest; Thursday-Preparation for Passover; Friday- Trial and Crucifixion; Saturday – Jesus rests in the tomb; Sunday-Jesus raised from the dead! The Jewish day went from sundown to sundown, so that our Thursday evening would be their Friday, the Day of Passover. PREPARATION: The donkey was ready for the Lord’s use…Jesus’ sovereignty expressed in the attribute of God’s FOREKNOWLEDGE…an animal we may see as lowly, the Jew saw as a beast fit for a king. Colt had never been ridden and yet submitted to the Lord indicates His sovereignty over His creation as well. The laying of garments on the animals and on the road and the waving and spreading of branches were all a part of a traditional Jewish reception for royalty. Many of the participants probably thought that now Jesus would get rid of the Roman invaders and establish the glorious kingdom. This happening fulfilled prophecy and forced the Jewish religious leaders to act before they planned. The Father ordained that His Son be slain ON Passover as the “Lamb of God, Who taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) LAMENTATION: While the crowd was rejoicing, Jesus was weeping! V. 41-44 He looked at Jerusalem and wept because it had destroyed itself. He looked BACK and saw the nation that had wasted its opportunities; He looked WITHIN and saw spiritual ignorance and blindness in their hearts. He looked AROUND and saw religious activity that accomplished very little…hearts heavy with sin and life’s burdens. He looked AHEAD and wept as He saw the terrible judgment that was coming to the nation, the city and the temple. Yes…the Lord was among them but they did not know that God had visited them…”He came unto His own, and His own received Him not (John 1:11). “We will not have this man to reign over us!” 19:14 DENUNCIATION: v.45-48 At Bethany (Matt 21:17) He cursed the fig tree Mark 11:12-14 and cleansed the temple for the 2nd time. The court of the Gentiles was the only place in the temple that was available to the Gentiles….the Jews could have witnessed and shared the good news of the one true and living God. Instead it became a “religious marketplace” … exchange money and purchase approved sacrifices. Priest profited. Instead of PRAYING for the people, they PREYED on the people. Not a house of prayer but a den of thieves = a place to run and hide after committing evil deeds…Using the services of the temple to cover their sins. TODAY: Do we go to church and participate in religious worship just to give people the impression that we are Godly? This is an appropriate time to ask ourselves – WHAT KIND OF TEMPLE AM I? I Corinthians 3:16 Do you not discern and understand that you are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you…as a church and also individually? LUKE 20: The Lord had been telling the 12 to expect conflict and suffering when they arrived in the Holy City. “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain, and be raised the 3rd day.” 9:22. He knew what was coming and He ‘set His face like a flint and kept going! The word REJECTED in 9:22 and 20:17 means ‘to reject after investigation.’ It was required that the Jews carefully examine the Passover lambs from the 10th day to the 14th day to make sure they had no blemishes. Jesus – the Lamb of God was watched and tested by His enemies during that final week; and yet in spite of what they saw and learned, they rejected Him. QUESTIONS: “What authority do You have to do these things? And if you do have authority, who gave it to You.” No matter what His answer, He would be in trouble with one group or the other…Jews or Romans. His response…He asked a question v.3-8, He gave a parable 9-16 and He quoted a prophet 17-18. In doing so, He revealed the sins of the nation of Israel. Their past was one of rejection…John the Baptist pointed to Jesus…rejecting him was actually rejecting the Lord. 2nd there is the spiritual principle that if we disobey truth we already know, God cannot reveal new truth to us. (John 7:14-17) The Lord put them in a dilemma … they played dumb. v.17-18 The “stone” is a familiar symbol of God and of the promised Messiah…Because the Jews did not believe, they stumbled over Him and were judged. Those who trust Jesus Christ find Him to be the Foundation Stone and the Chief Cornerstone of the church I Cor. 3:11, Eph 2:20. When the rulers rejected John the Baptist, they sinned against the Father Who sent him. When they crucified Jesus, they sinned against the Son. Jesus had told them that when they sinned against Him they could be forgiven, but when they sinned against the Holy Spirit there could be no forgiveness. Matt. 12:24-37. In the parable, Jesus illustrated the insidious nature of sin: THE MORE WE SIN, THE WORSE IT BECOMES. The tenants started off beating some of the servants and wounding others, but they ended up becoming murderers! The leaders PERMITTED John the Baptist to be killed, they ASKED for Jesus to be crucified, and then THEY THEMSELVES STONED SPEPHEN. They sinned against the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a serious thing to reject the message of God and the messengers of God. In the questioning session of v.20-26, they wanted to discuss taxes and Roman authority…hoping to provoke Jesus into offending either the Jews or the Romans. But Jesus lifted the discussion to a much higher level and forced them to think about the relationship between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of men. It is unfortunate that some Christians have the mistaken idea that the more obnoxious they are as citizens, the more they please God and witness for Christ. We must never violate our conscience, but we should seek to be peacemakers and not be troublemakers. (Daniel) v.27 – 40 Sadducees – (because they did not believe in the resurrection, “they were Sad, U see!”) Resurrection is not reconstruction…miraculous granting of a new body that has continuity with the old body but not the same. The Lord’s resurrection body was the same as before His death and yet different! His friends recognized Him and even felt Him; He could eat food and yet He could also walk through closed doors, change His appearance and vanish suddenly. The future life with God is not a mere continuation of the present life only on a “higher scale.” We will maintain our identities and know each other, but there will be no more death – hence, no need for marriage and procreation. Christians do not become angels. In heaven we will share the image of Christ and be much higher than the angels. Angels appear in Scripture as men, but they are spiritual beings without sexuality. It is in this regard that we will be like them…there wil be no marriage or childbearing in heaven. v.41-44 While the Pharisees were still gathered together, Jesus asked them a final question: What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He. This is the KEY question for every generation and each individual Matt. 22:41-42 LUKE 21: The disciples had questions. “The widow’s mite” When it comes to giving: God sees more than the PORTION; He sees the PROPORTION. Men see what is given, but God sees what is left, and ty that He measure the gift and the condition of our hearts. Peter, James and John: When would the temple be destroyed? What would be the sign of His coming? What would be the sign of the end of the age (Matt and Mark) The disciples thot they would all occur at the same time. Actually, the temple would be destroyed first…a long period of time before He would return and establish His kingdom on earth 19:11-27. This is a message given to Jews by a Jew about the future of the Jewish nation. There is application to us today, but the emphasis is on Jerusalem, the Jews and the temple. Not discussing His coming for the church which could occur at any time without a sign preceding. Focus is on the Tribulation. Jesus’encouragement to those who suffer persecution 21:12. NOT what is said about us, but glory to His name. Suffering provides opportunities for witness v. 13-15. Don’t be deceived, don’t be afraid and don’t worry! Wiersbe says that v. 10-24 does apply to Jerusalem NOT the rapture…for the rapture, there will be no time to return to get your coat! v.25-28 His return…29-38 TWO closing admonitions: KNOW and WATCH. The important thing – that the believer knows that God is keeping His promises and that His Word will not fail. v.34-36 WATCH! Be awake, Be alert…don’t be Unprepared. During difficult times, it is easy to give up and start living like the unsaved world. Vance Havner “I am not looking for signs, I am listening for a sound.” (trumpet, archangel shout). “Even so, Come Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20 Chapter 22: 1 – 38 PREPARATION…religious leaders prepared for a crime and the Lord prepared for Passover. Painful revelation…REVEALED His love by words and what He did, washed their feet 22:16 No more Passover on God’s calendar…and He revealed treachery 22:39 A lonely Garden…the disciples fell asleep – DO you fall asleep when many ask for your prayers or your support? The Lord accepted the cup, the betraying kiss, the useless sword. WE must choose: go through life like Judas – pretending; like Peter – fighting; or YIELDING TO GOD’S perfect will like JESUS! Peter’s betrayal – a new day with God’s forgiveness!!!!