⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers. (Luke 19:45 – 46)

Theme:  The Local Church

Context

A big thank you to those of you who commented yesterday as we reflected on the passion Jesus showed for people.  Today we will reflect on the passion Jesus displayed for God’s mission as performed in the house of God.      

Bible Passage

Our passage today is from Luke 19:45 – 46 (presented above).  This popular passage demonstrates how passionate Jesus was about God’s house being used for its intended purpose.  It is very evident that Jesus is not pleased with the distortion of God’s mission by the those who were selling in the temple courts. 

There are clear lessons here for the local church.  While this passage refers to the temple, we need look no further than the report on the churches in the book of Revelations 2 and 3 to see how important it is for local churches to live out God’s mission.  Evangelism and discipleship are certainly consistent with God’s mission, and over the last month, we have discussed many of the ways that the Disciplines affect these activities.  However, there are times when objectives become distorted in local churches.  For example, fellowship becomes distorted, and the local church becomes a social club.  Or worship becomes distorted, and the local church becomes a house of entertainment.  Or stewardship becomes distorted, and the local church becomes a house of commerce.  The list of possible distortions goes on and on.

Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.

Question

How can you contribute to your local church staying true to God’s mission? 

⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Luke 19:41 – 44)

Theme:  The Local Church

Context

As we have done in prior years, this final week of our journey is dedicated to an inspection of Jesus during the final days of his earthly mission.    

Consistent with our theme this year, we will focus on five key lessons for the local church and we will extract these lessons from five things that Jesus was passionate about during Passion Week. 

We will start with a lesson found in the Palm Sunday story.     

Bible Passage

Our passage today is from Luke 19:4 – 44 (presented above).  This narrative is presented directly after the triumphal entry but instead of basking in the adulation of the people, Jesus displays his heart through his tears.  He was passionate about people who most people would say deserve the horror coming their way because they did not recognize God’s revelation.

Unfortunately, the kind of compassion displayed by Jesus isn’t always evident in our local churches.  Some churches are more prone to criticism than compassion.  Some drown out the deep need of people with undue focus on power, prestige, and personalities. Below are partial lyrics from a song that seeks to direct our focus to where Jesus has his focus.

People Need the Lord by Steve Green

Everyday they pass me by

I can see it in their eyes

Empty people filled with care

Headed who knows where

On they go through private pain

Living fear to fear

Laughter hides their silent cries

Only Jesus hears

People need the Lord, people need the Lord

At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door

People need the Lord, people need the Lord

When will we realize people need the Lord?   

By the way, one of our fellow participants (Gordon) does a beautiful rendition of this song.

Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.

Question

How can you contribute to your local church in its mission to show compassion? 

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55 – 57)

Hallelujah He is risen!

See you next year.

²⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰ come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

³³ At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ³⁴ And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).  ³⁵ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”  ³⁶ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.  ³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  ³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”  (Mark 15:29 – 39)

Theme:  If not You, then Who?

Today we celebrate one of the most important days in the Christian calendar, Good Friday.  As we have examined Jesus’ final week of earthly ministry over the last four days, we have considered His identity, integrity,  investments, and intimacy.  Today, as we look to the cross, we can only conclude that Jesus is incomparable.  Along so many dimensions, what Jesus did for humanity by dying on the cross is matchless.  The grace, mercy, and love He demonstrated changed the course of human existence.  Because of His sacrifice, we now have access to the Kingdom of God, our sins can be forgiven, and eternal life secured.   “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12).  There is nobody like Jesus! 

Please prayerfully read the passage above and respond to the request below.

Request

Please spend some quality time today reflecting on all that Jesus has done for you, and share any reflections that others could benefit from.

³ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.  ⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.  ⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  (Mark 14:3 – 9)

Theme:  If not You, then Who?

Over the last three days we have considered Jesus’ identity, integrity, and investments in the lives of others.  Today we will examine the heart beat of Jesus’ activities – His love for people. We will see examples of His love through powerful displays of intimacy.  Jesus has a tremendous impact on people because he cares deeply for them.  He is not distant.  He is truly Immanuel – “God is with us”! 

Our passage today captures one example of the kind of deep care Jesus practiced.  There are also other stories worth noting.  Starting with the raising of Lazarus just before the triumphal entry and ending with the Lord’s supper, here are 5 powerful summary examples:  

Reference	Occasion	Act of Intimacy
John 11:17 – 43	Jesus raises Lazarus	When Jesus saw the grief of Mary and Martha caused by the death of their brother Lazarus, He felt their pain and wept.
Luke 19:41 – 44	Triumphal entry to Jerusalem	When Jesus contemplated the calamity that would befall Jerusalem, He weeps for the people of the city.
Mark 14:3 – 9 (Today’s passage)	A woman anoints Jesus with expensive perfume	When a woman performing an act of worship is abused, Jesus rises to her defense and tells those who rebuked her to “Leave her alone”.
John 13:1 – 17	Jesus washes the disciples’ feet	Jesus intimately taught powerful kingdom principles with a towel and basin of water.
Mark 14:12 – 26	The Lord’s supper	Jesus hosted a special final dinner with His disciples and brought them into the loop on key events to come.

We are left with no doubt that Jesus loved deeply and established deep relationships. Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.

Question

What lessons do we learn from Jesus about developing deep relationships to advance God’s kingdom?

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”  ²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  ³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.  (Mark 12:28-34)

Theme:  If not You, then Who?

Over the last two days we have considered Jesus’ identity and integrity.  Today we will examine His investments in lives. 

In Mark chapters 11 and 12 there are multiple accounts of Jesus explaining vital concepts for life. Just scan the two chapters and you will get a sense of the premium Jesus put on providing vital instructions during the final week of His earthly ministry.  His audiences included his disciples, religious leaders, and the broader public.  When compared to investments in financial assets, investments in people are far more important.  Jesus takes investments in lives to the highest level because He does it with an eternal perspective. 

Our passage for today captures just one of Jesus’ many “investments”.  On this occasion, He invests in the life of one of the teachers of the law, and what a master class it is.  For Jesus, this is not about demonstrating His mental prowess. It is obvious that He has a more eternal purpose. Note Jesus’ parting words to the teacher – “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” You can tell what Jesus is focused on.

Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.

Question

In your sphere of influence, how are you investing in lives with eternity in mind?

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.  ¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” ¹⁸ The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.  ¹⁹ When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.  (Mark 11:12-19)

Theme:  If not You, then Who?

Yesterday we examined the significance of Jesus declaring His identity during the triumphal entry.  Today we will consider Jesus’ commitment to integrity.  The Latin root of integrity is integer, meaning whole or complete and not divided.  When our thoughts and actions are entirely consistent with our God-given purpose and identity we are living lives of integrity.  Of course, Jesus epitomizes integrity, and Mark chapter 11 records two encounters that demonstrate the priority Jesus places on integrity.

In the first encounter, Jesus sees a fig tree with the kind of foliage that promised fruit even though  it was not the season for figs.  On close inspection, the tree didn’t live up to what the foliage promised.  There were no figs and Jesus cursed the tree.  In the second encounter, Jesus shows his displeasure with people in the temple who were distorting the purpose of God’s house and the purpose of God’s people.  I find Jesus’ decision to confront the lack of integrity on the part of the people in the temple particularly interesting.  Jesus had just experienced the adulation of the crowds shouting Hosanna. He could have just played it safe and not upset the apple cart.  Many leaders would have been focused on maintaining a positive image (what do the polls say?).  Jesus was focused on the harmony of life with God’s purpose and identity.  He was focused on integrity.    How about us? Are we more concerned about leaves (appearance) than fruit? Do we distort God’s purpose or abandon our identity for personal gain like participants in a “den of robbers”?

Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.

Question

What are your reflections on Jesus’ commitment to integrity? 

¹As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”  ⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, ⁵ some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ⁶ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ⁷ When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” ¹⁰ “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.(Mark 11:1-11)

Theme:  If not You, then Who?

As we have done in prior years, this final week of our journey is dedicated to a close inspection of Jesus during the final days of his earthly mission.  Even after years of performing this close inspection, we have only scratched the surface of the lessons available from Jesus.  I hope you are as excited as I am to see what God has in store for us. 

We will start with the popular story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on the Sunday before Good Friday.  One of the special aspects of the triumphal entry is the public declaration of Jesus’ identity.  Jesus actively orchestrates this declaration by instructing two of His disciples to bring Him the colt on which He will enter Jerusalem as the messiah.  There had been notable declarations of Jesus’ identity before this occasion.  For example, God the Father declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  Also, when Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?”, Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” However, before Palm Sunday there is no recording of a mass declaration of Jesus’ identity.  In fact, after Peter’s response, Jesus admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the messiah.  No such prohibition occurred on Palm Sunday though and Jesus’ identity as the messiah was on full display.  

Our God is intentional.  It is not an accident that this momentous week starts with Jesus revealing to the masses that He is the messiah and the lamb of God.  As we seek to advance God’s kingdom, we must stay true to the identity of Jesus described in the Bible.  We must vigorously guard against the kind of misidentification that occurs when we create a Jesus to suit our needs, as the crowd in Jerusalem did.  In addition, we must confidently declare our identity in Christ.  

Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.

Question

What are your reflections on the power of Jesus’s identity and our identity in Him? 

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55 – 57)

 

Hallelujah He is risen!

 

See you next year.

 

²⁶ As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.  ²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.  ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.  ²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’  ³⁰ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”  and to the hills, “Cover us!”’  ³¹ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”  ³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  ³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.  ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  ³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.  They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”  ³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him.  They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  ³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.  ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”  ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.”  ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:26 – 43)

 

And so, we come to the crux of the matter, as some would say.  “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  As we think about current world events, a pandemic cure would be great, the eradication of poverty would be spectacular, and the end of all wars and conflicts would be phenomenal.  If all these global problems were permanently solved the world would still need the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to satisfy man’s essential need.  Ultimately, what the world needs is the complete payment for sin so that a right relationship with God can be restored.  Just like the Jewish rulers who sneered, the Roman soldiers who mocked, and the criminal on the cross who doubted, the world doesn’t see that Jesus is the answer to their existential problem.  Praise God, we know that He is and that makes today a Good Friday!

We are God’s ambassadors and through the power of the Holy Spirit we are empowered to let the world know that Jesus saves.

Please prayerfully read the passage above consider the suggestions below.

 

Suggestions

• Publicly share on our blog your gratitude for what Jesus did for you on the cross.
• Recommit to sharing the good news with your corner of the world.