Today as Jesus sits on the Mount of Olives with His disciples, He foretells of 3 future events.

First, Jesus speaks about the temple that will be destroyed in 70 AD when the Roman army will invade and destroy Jerusalem. “Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Second, Jesus says an even more difficult time will occur at His second coming. He warns His disciples not to believe the false christs and false prophets who will rise up to deceive people before His return. Jesus foretells of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes which will occur. “But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”

Third, Jesus tells His disciples that following Him is going to cost them their lives here on earth. However, they will be gathered to Him in heaven for eternity. ”But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls.”

Our salvation comes at a high cost, the life of God’s Son. So following the Son will come at a cost to us, our earthly lives. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

“Immediately after the tribulation…the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Jesus speaks more about His return tomorrow. Keep reading.

(Mark 13:1-23, Matthew 24:1-25, Luke 21:5-24, Mark 13:24-31, Matthew 24:26-35, Luke 21:25-33)

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Yesterday the Lord silenced the Sadducees and today the Lord silences the Pharisees.

”But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” The first command to love the Lord covers the first 4 of the 10 commandments and the command to love your neighbor covers the next 6 commandments which still makes the law applicable to us today.

Then Jesus asks the Pharisees whose Son do they think is Christ. The Pharisees respond that He is the Son of David. But Jesus responds saying how can the Son be from David if David even calls Him Lord (Psalm 110:1). “And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.”

Jesus warns the multitude and His disciples of the hypocritical religious leaders. “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Just bc someone has a leadership position in the church, does not mean that they are pleasing to the Lord. Actually, Jesus is repulsed by these rich, fake, and showy religious leaders. However, there is one in the temple that Jesus sees who catches His heart. Jesus pulls His disciples in to show them someone the world would neglect, but not Jesus. It takes spiritual illumination to see as the Lord sees. “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, ‘Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.’” Jesus never publicly addresses the faithful widow but He saw and He was pleased and that is all that matters.

Tomorrow Jesus tells His disciples what awaits them in the future. Keep reading.

(Mark 12:28-34, Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:35-37, Matthew 22:41-46, Luke 20:41-44, Mark 12:38-40, Matthew 23:1-12, Luke 20:45-47, Matthew 23:13-39, Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4)

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Today Jesus gives 3 parables against the hypocritical religious leaders:

1) The two sons – One son eventually responds to the father’s request for him to work in his vineyard (tax collectors and harlots). The other son says he will work the vineyard but doesn’t (religious leaders). Jesus rebukes the leaders for failing to respond to John the Baptist’s ministry. “For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

2) The evil farmers – A vineyard owner sends his servants to check on his vineyard that was leased to evil vinedressers. The evil vinedressers beat, stone, and even kill some of the servants. The owner eventually sends his only beloved son and they kill him as well. Just as the people of Israel have beaten, stoned, and killed the Lord’s prophets throughout this Story, they are about to kill God’s only beloved Son, Jesus. Therefore, the Lord will take the kingdom of God from them bc of their rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. ”Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’ Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” The church will be the new recipient of God’s kingdom made up of Gentiles and Jews across many nations.

3) The wedding feast – Jesus illustrates the consequences of ignoring the invitation to the kingdom of God. When the invited guests chose to go about their own business instead of coming when called by the king, the king sends his servants out to the highways to invite as many people as they can. ”And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

We are only saved by true faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord knows the hearts of all and He knows who truly belongs to Him. “In short, many hear, few believe: many are members of the visible, but few of the invisible church” (Benson commentary).

Well, the religious leaders don’t care too much for Jesus’s stories rebuking them so they continue to try “to catch Him in His words.” They ask Him if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. “But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, ‘Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?’” “And He said to them, ‘Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.”

Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, ask Jesus about marriage in heaven. Jesus explains there is no marriage in heaven for we will be like angels. ”But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” So basically the Sadducees are wrong in their belief that there is no resurrection of the dead as Jesus will soon prove!

Keep reading.

(Matthew 21:28-32, Mark 12:1-12, Matthew 21:33-46, Luke 20:9-19, Matthew 22:1-14, Mark 12:13-17, Matthew 22:15-22, Luke 20:20-26, Mark 12:18-27, Matthew 22:23-33, Luke 20:27-40)

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God is sovereign over all things, including our spiritual awakening. Jesus performed many miracles so that people could see and believe in Him as the Messiah. However, many did not believe thus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them” (John 12:40, Isaiah 6:10).

Later, Paul will tell us the way to be healed. “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:16-18).

So we see that there is a tension there in Scripture between the Lord awakening and our turning. I am not sure exactly how all of that works bc God’s ways are higher than ours but it is clear that salvation is the work of the Lord through His Son Jesus. That is why Jesus cries out that anyone who believes in Him believes in His Father who sent Him into the world as the light. Jesus says He came to save the world and He only speaks from the authority given to Him by God, His Father.

After Jesus drives out of the temple people who were using it as a place of business instead a house of prayer, Jesus’ authority is questioned. “And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, ‘By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?’” They are not only questioning on whose authority did Jesus clean the temple but also under whose authority is He healing people and teaching in the temple since He isn’t a part of the official Jewish authority.

“But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?’” This question exposes the Jewish leader’s ignorance bc if they say John was doing the work of the Lord then Jesus will question why they didn’t believe him, but if they say man, then the people would revolt against them bc many believed John the Baptist was a prophet of the Lord. So they just give the cowardly answer of “We do not know.” 🙄 Therefore Jesus responds, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Tomorrow Jesus calls out the hypocrisy in the Jewish leadership. Keep reading.

(John 12:37-50, Mark 11:12-14, Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:15-19, Matthew 21:12-17, Luke 19:45-48, Mark 11:20-33, Matthew 21:23-27, Luke 20:1-8)

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“Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”

Jesus’s disciple, Judas Iscariot, rebukes her for wasting costly oil under the guise of caring for the poor. Judas is really just a thief wanting the money. So Jesus responds, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” 🙌

When Jesus and His disciples come near Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sends His disciples to bring Him a colt. “All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey’” (prophesy from Zechariah 9:9).

“Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, ‘Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’”

Jesus knows the crowd shouting praises to Him is soon going to turn into a crowd shouting for His crucifixion. Therefore Jesus weeps over Jerusalem bc of their unbelief. He says the day is coming when they will be surrounded by their enemies. This day will come in 70 AD when the Roman army will destroy Jerusalem and the temple.

The reading ends with Jesus predicting His death. “‘Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’” The spiritually blind assume the voice is just thunder bc they have totally missed that the Messiah is right there with them.

Jesus goes on to say that the ruler of the world, Satan, will be cast out. Jesus will die and be raised from the dead, defeating death and putting an expiration date on Satan’s reign. One day Jesus is coming back and when He does “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

Keep reading.

(Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 26:6-13, John 12:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, John 12:12-19, Luke 19:41-44, John 12:20-36)

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Jesus says again, “So the last will be first, and the first last.” He illustrates this with a story about laborers. They all work different amounts of hours but all get paid the same, regardless of how long they worked, and the ones that work the least amount of hours get paid first.

The ones that worked longer hours are not happy about this payment system bc they assume they are entitled to more. Jesus explains that the master can do whatever he likes with what he has. Although we may think we deserve more or are better than others, that is not how Jesus operates. Part of having faith is trusting the Lord with what He has given us and not looking around and comparing it to others (2 Corinthians 10:12). Jesus tends to the whole flock but He knows best what to specifically give to each individual for their good and for His glory.

Therefore, when Zacchaeus, a rich chief tax collector, sought to see Jesus “but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short statue”; Jesus tells him to come down from the sycamore tree bc He is going to eat dinner at his house.

The crowd couldn’t believe that Jesus would want to eat with a disgusting sinner such as Zacchaeus the tax collector. The Jews believe tax collectors are traitors trying to profit off their own people by taking money from the Jews to give to the Roman Empire. But Zacchaeus believes that Jesus is Lord so he “made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully…and said to the Lord, ’Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.’” Therefore Jesus says to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Regardless of Zacchaeus’s position in life or public opinion about him, he is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

While Jesus is journeying to Jerusalem with his disciples he tells them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” Then a couple disciples ask to sit next to Jesus “one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” Again Jesus has to explain that being part of His kingdom isn’t about your own personal power or position; it is quite the opposite from how things run in the world. ”Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

We end the reading with another parable from Jesus “because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.” The parable is about a master and his servants. The master tells the servants to “Do business till I come.” The parable teaches that the Lord expects those who belong to Him to be diligent in doing work for the kingdom until Jesus’s return. The master in the parable wants his servants to make an investment and not just play it safe by doing nothing with what they have been given.

Following Jesus is definitely not dull! Jesus calls His followers to step outside of their comfort zones and serve Him. And why not? We have nothing to lose and someone else has everything to gain by hearing truth. And the beauty of it is that He will give us everything that we need through the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish His purposes. So just do it! 😁

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Tomorrow is Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Keep reading.

(Matthew 20:1-16, Mark 10:32-34, Matthew 20:17-19, Luke 18:31-34, Mark 10:35-45, Matthew 20:20-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-19:27)

#bibleliteracymovement #chronologicalbibleteaching

2 men are praying in the temple:

1) A Pharisee – “God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.”

2) The tax collector – “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”

Which one do you think was justified by God?

The tax collector! “…for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus tells us to come to Him as humble as little children. “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Then a rich man asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life and Jesus tells him to keep the commandments: “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

Well the rich man is feeling pretty good about himself and his deeds; so he tells Jesus that he already does all that. However, Jesus knows that he is still clinging to this world. So Jesus says, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” Then the rich man leaves sorrowful for he did not want to give up his great possessions.

Jesus says, ”Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

So the disciples begin questioning who can be saved. Jesus responds, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Peter tells Jesus that the disciples have left all to follow Him. And bc of that, Jesus says “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

To follow Jesus, one must hold loosely to everything else in this world. Keep reading.

(We looked at Jesus’s teaching on divorce from today’s reading in the June 4th post.)

(Luke 18:9-14, Mark 10:1-12, Matthew 19:1-12, Mark 10:13-16, Matthew 19:13-15, Luke 18:15-17, Mark 10:17-31, Matthew 19:16-30, Luke 18:18-30)

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Jesus tells Martha if she will believe she will see the glory of God. Then Jesus cries into the tomb, “Lazarus, come forth!” Lazarus comes out of the tomb, “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.” “Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews…”

The Passover was near and the Jews “spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, ’What do you think – that He will not come to the feast?’ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.”

On Jesus’s way to Jerusalem 10 outcast lepers yell to Jesus to heal them. He tells them to go and show themselves to the priests. “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” The lepers are healed by grace through faith, which is evidenced in their obedience of going to the priests who could not naturally heal lepers. However, only one, a Samaritan, comes back to Jesus “and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.” Remember that the Samaritans are the half-breeds whom the Jews despise. This Samaritan is overwhelmed by the abundant grace shown to him and he doesn’t take it for granted like the other nine. So Jesus responds to his show of gratitude by saying, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” 🙌

We end the reading with Jesus speaking about the kingdom to come. He says that first the Son of Man “must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” However, when He comes again it will be like in the days of Noah and the flood, and Lot and Sodom. The people will be going about their usual business with no regard for the Lord and then God will destroy them all. But those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior will be saved.

More teaching from Jesus tomorrow. Keep reading.

(John 11:38-57, Luke 17:11-18:8)

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Jesus tells the multitudes it is going to cost them something to be His disciple. It will cost them their lives. “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple…So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

Jesus again reveals His heart for the lost with a story about a prodigal son who blows through his inheritance on harlots. When the son finally hits rock bottom and returns humbly home, the father greatly rejoices for the son “was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” See, it doesn’t matter how far away from God you are. The Lord will rejoice over anyone who comes humbly to Him…regardless of what you have done.

We end the reading with 2 different stories about 2 different men named Lazarus. The first story gives us some insight into heaven and hell while the second story glorifies the Son of God.

First Lazarus – There is a rich man who enjoys all his stuff and ignores the suffering beggar named Lazarus lying at his gate. When both men die, Lazarus goes to heaven where he is comforted by Abraham and the rich man burns in hell. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to him for some relief from his torment and Abraham responds, ”Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.” Therefore, now is the time to seek the kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ bc when you are dead it is too late.

Second Lazarus – Jesus’s friends, Martha and Mary, have a brother named Lazarus who is very sick. Jesus says, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” So when Lazarus dies, Jesus goes to his tomb in Bethany. There He is first greeted by Martha and Jesus assures her that her brother will rise again. Jesus says to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” 🙌 Although we are all guaranteed to die, only those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will have eternal life in heaven.

Tomorrow Jesus will raise Lazarus from the grave proving that He has power over death which can only come from the Lord. Keep reading.

(Luke 14:25-17:10, John 11:1-37)

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The only way for salvation is through Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who calls His sheep by name “and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” Jesus says He is the door to life. “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for His sheep…Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again.” Jesus is going to willingly be crucified for us so that we may have eternal life.

When, at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, the Jews question Jesus about whether or not He is the Christ, Jesus says, “But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.”

Jesus goes on to say, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able… you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from…Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.”

Jesus grieves over the people in Jerusalem who are rejecting Him and ultimately rejecting the Kingdom of God. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” Jesus desires for all to repent and turn to Him for salvation before it is too late, before His return. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Tomorrow Jesus explains what it will cost to be His disciple. Keep reading.

(John 10:1-42, Luke 13:22-14:24)

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