Posted on Mar 10, 2016 in General |
Read Luke 20:20-26
PAYING TAXES
These spies, pretending to be honest men, flattered Jesus before asking Him their trick question, hoping to catch Him off guard. But Jesus knew what they were trying to do and stayed out of their trap. Beware of flattery. With God’s help you can detect it and avoid the trap that often follows.
This was a loaded question. The Jews were enraged about having to pay taxes to Rome, thus supporting the pagan government and its gods. They hated the system that allowed tax collectors to charge exorbitant rates and keep the extra for themselves. If Jesus said they should pay taxes, they would call Him a traitor to their nation and their religion. But if He said they should not, they could report Him to Rome as a rebel. Jesus’ questioners thought they had Him this time, but He outwitted them again.
Jesus turned His enemies’ attempt to trap Him into a powerful lesson: As a follower of God, you have legitimate obligations to both God and the government. But it is important to keep your priorities straight. When the two authorities conflict, your duty to God must always come before your duty to the government.
Posted on Mar 9, 2016 in General |
Read Luke 20:9-19
THE PARABLE OF THE EVIL FARMERS
The characters in this story are easily identified. Even the religious leaders understood it. The owner of the vineyard is God; the vineyard is Israel; the tenant farmers are the religious leaders; the servants are the prophets and priests God sent to Israel; the son is the Messiah, Jesus; and the others are the Gentiles. Jesus’ parable indirectly answered the religious leaders question about His authority; it also showed them that He knew about their plan to kill Him.
Quoting Psalm 118:22, Jesus showed the unbelieving leaders that even their rejection of the Messiah had been prophesied in Scripture. Ignoring the cornerstone was dangerous. A person could be tripped or crushed (judged and punished). Jesus’ comments were veiled, but the religious leaders had no trouble interpreting them. They immediately wanted to arrest Him.
Posted on Mar 8, 2016 in General |
Read Luke 20:1-8
RELIGIOUS LEADERS CHALLENGE JESUS
This group of leaders wanted to get rid of Jesus, so they tried to trap Him with their question. If Jesus answered that His authority came from God – if He stated openly that He was the Messiah and the Son of God – they would accuse Him of blasphemy and bring Him to trial. Jesus did not let Himself be caught. Instead, He turned the question on them. Thus, He exposed their motives and avoided their trap.
Posted on Mar 7, 2016 in General |
Read Luke 19:45-48
JESUS CLEARS THE TEMPLE
There were not only merchants in the Temple, but also wealthy leaders in politics, commerce, and law. They had several reasons for wanting to get rid of Jesus. He had damaged business in the Temple by driving the merchants out. In addition, He was preaching against injustice, and His teachings often favored the poor over the rich. Further more, His great popularity was in danger of attracting Rome’s attention, and the leaders of Israel wanted as little as possible to do with Rome.
Posted on Mar 6, 2016 in General |
Read Luke 19:28-44
JESUS RIDES INTO JERUSALEM
By this time Jesus was extremely well known. Everyone coming to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival had heard of Him, and , for a time, the popular mood was favorable for Him.
The people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They expected Him to be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory, and thus they were deaf to the words of the prophets and blind to Jesus’ real mission. When it came apparent He was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against Jesus.
Christians celebrate this event on Palm Sunday. The people lined the road, praising God, waving palm branches, and throwing their cloaks in front of the colt, as it passed before them. “Long live the King” was the meaning behind their joyful shouts, because they knew that Jesus was intentionally fulfilling prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. To announce that He was indeed the Messiah, Jesus chose a time when all Israel would be gathered at Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds could see Him, and a way of proclaiming His mission that was unmistakable. The people went wild. They were sure their libertarian was at hand.
The Pharisees thought the crowd’s words were sacrilegious and blasphemous. They didn’t want someone challenging their power and authority, and they didn’t want a revolt that would bring the Roman army down on them. So they asked Jesus to keep His people quiet. But Jesus said if the people were quiet, the stones would burst into cheers. Why? Not because Jesus was setting up a powerful political kingdom, but because He was establishing God’s eternal kingdom, a reason of great celebration of all.
The Jewish leaders had rejected their King. They had gone too far. They had refused God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ when they were visited by God Himself, and soon their nation would suffer. God did not turn away from the Jewish people who obeyed Him however, and He continues to offer Salvation to the people He loves, both Jews and Gentiles. Eternal life is within your reach; accept it while the opportunity is still offered.
