Scripture
Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny portion of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has to live on.”

Observation
Jesus teaches in the Temple. He asks, why do the religious leaders say the Messiah is the Son of David when, in Psalm 110, David calls him “my Lord?” Jesus is not denying that the Messiah is David’s son. but he is stating that he is more than this.

Jesus also warns the people to be aware of the teachers of the law. They love to have the acclaim of people, but they cheat widows of their property.

At the offering box Jesus observes rich people putting in large quantities of money, and a poor widow who puts in two small coins. He tells the disciples that the rich people gave a small portion of their surplus, but the widow gave all that she had.

Application
We can get excited about a businessman who donates a million dollars to the church, but a person who owns very little and gives all that they have is the one who gives sacrificially.

Greatness in the kingdom of God is not measured by dollars given or even by converts made. It is about being faithful with what God has given us.

If you are a billionaire, it must all be surrendered to God. If you are a pensioner, the money that you have must also be surrendered to God.

Prayer
Lord, I thank you for all that you have given me in this life. I yield it back to you to be used for your purposes. Amen.

Scripture
Realising how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

Observation
Hearing how well Jesus had answered the question from the Sadducees, a teacher of religious law asks Jesus which is the most important commandment.

Jesus replies by saying the most important commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus adds a second equally important law to love your neighbour as you love yourself.

The leader replies that he understands that loving God and loving your neighbour are more important than all the sacrifices and burnt offerings.

Jesus sees the man’s heart and says that he is not far from the kingdom of God.

Application
Many rabbis tried to condense the entirety of the law to just a few key commandments. Jesus says there are just two – to love God with all your heart and your strength and to love your neighbour as you love yourself.

Faith is not about following rules and regulations, sacrifices and offerings. No, it is about our love for God. If we love God, we must also love people, who carry the image of God.

The teacher of the law saw this. He saw that the law of Moses was meant to show us how the love of God plays out in the life of the nation. Jesus said that because of this, he was not far from the kingdom.

Listen
Lord, what do you want to say to me about this passage?

Keith, it is my love that makes it possible for people to carry out these commandments. When a person receives and knows my love, then they know how to love me back and how to love others.

The reason why some people fall down in this area of love is that they never receive my love in the first place.

Be baptised in my love. Submerge, immerse and absorb my love. Let my love transform your heart and mind.

Scripture
“So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”

Observation
The Sadducees now try to trap Jesus in a theological error. They pose a question based on the law of Moses.

In their hypothetical, the Sadducees tell a story of the oldest of seven brothers who marries but dies without children. Under the law of Moses, the widow is passed down to the next brother with the idea of providing descendants for the first brother. However, the same thing happens again and so on down through all of the brothers.

The Sadducees then ask whose wife she will be in the resurrection. Jesus says that they are wrong to think that there will be marriage in the next life.

Jesus also says that God has described Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the God of the living not the dead. So therefore their disbelief in the resurrection is incorrect.

Application.
The Sadducees were the pragmatists of Jesus’ day. They controlled the temple and the Sanhedrin. They controlled both the civic and religious power in Jerusalem and they were concerned to keep on good terms with the Romans. They only accepted the five books of the law as being inspired Scripture. They did not believe in eternal life.

Jesus showed them that their objections to the resurrection were false on two counts. Firstly, they had a wrong concept of the nature of life after death. Secondly, their objections were wrong because the doctrine was implied in the law by God’s self-description of “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Since God is a God of the living, these men must still be alive.

Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for the assurance that I will live forever with you. Amen.

Scripture

“Well then,” Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.”

Observation
Some Pharisees and supporters of Herod try to trap Jesus. They pile on the flattery before springing the trap. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” they ask.

If Jesus says “Yes”, then he will lose support from amongst the people. If he says “No”, then they can have him arrested.

Jesus asks for a Roman coin. He asks the people whose image is on it. They reply “Caesar,” and so Jesus tells them to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God, what belongs to God.

Application

Most people hate paying tax. It was even worse back in Jesus’ day, when the taxes were going to an occupying power that treated the people of Israel as scum.

If we are to prosper in finances or in business, we are to give to the government the right amount of money that we owe them in taxes. This does not mean we have to be generous to the government and give them more than is due. It just means that we have to be open and honest in all of our dealings.

More importantly, we must give to God that which is God’s. Just as a Roman coin carried the image of Caesar, every single person carries the image of God.

We must therefore offer every part of ourselves back to God for him to use as he wishes. We are to be living sacrifices to our heavenly Father.

Prayer
Lord, please help me to discern what I should offer back to the government. What areas of my life am I holding back from you? Amen.

Scripture
“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see.”

Observation

Jesus tells a parable about a man who planted a vineyard, dug a pit for pressing the grapes, built a wall around it, and a watch tower. He then rented it out to tenants in exchange for a share of the crop

When harvest time comes, the man sends a servant to collect his share of the crop. But the tenants beat him and send him away with nothing. The man sends more servants, but the tenants beat some and kill others. Finally he sends his son, but they kill him.

The religious leaders realise this parable is aimed at them. They want to arrest Jesus, but they are afraid of the crowds.

Application
The New Testament quotes this verse from Psalm 118, more than any other verse from the Old Testament. It is a description of how God takes those who are rejected and raises them to a position of honour. The stone that had been deemed unworthy of use in the building turns out to be perfect as the cornerstone, that is, the most important stone of all.

We see this scenario played out right through the scriptures. David, Moses, Joseph and many others come to mind.

Of course Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders and put to death on a cross. He was raised from the dead, ascended to heaven and now he is the King of kings and Lord of lords. People continue to reject Jesus, but they do so at the risk of eternal punishment.

Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the most important of all.

Listen

Keith, I honour the way you are welcoming the people who are “the stones that the builders rejected.” Don’t give up on them.

You have heard the expression, “diamond in the rough.” This refers to an uncut diamond that looks like any other rock. When it is cut and polished by an expert tradesman, it becomes a thing of beauty and value.

My diamonds in the rough are like that. Some of them will reject me and you also. But the ones who go on and embrace all that I have for them, they make it all worthwhile.

Scripture

They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

Observation
.Jesus and His disciples return again to Jerusalem. As they walk through the temple precinct, the Jewish religious leaders come to Jesus and demand to know by what authority Jesus had cleared the temple.

Jesus replies that He will tell them His source of authority if they will tell him whether John’s authority came from heaven or from man. This confounds the leaders because if they say that John’s authority was from God, Jesus would rebuke them for not listening to John. On the other hand, they would lose credibility with the people if they said John’s authority was merely human.

They confess they do not know the answer to his question. Jesus answers, he won’t answer their question either.

Application
After three years of powerful teaching, amazing miracles and even raising several people from the dead, it should have been clear to most people that Jesus had special power and authority from God.

In fact, that authority had been evident since the time when he was in the temple at the age of 12 years questioning the teachers of the law. Genuinely godly authority is obvious to those who are truly full of the Holy Spirit. There are some teachers who are wrong at some points, but they still carry the authority of the Lord despite their faults.

The problem with the Jewish leaders was not that they were unsure of Jesus’ mandate to preach and to represent the Lord. The problem was that they did not like that Jesus was rising above them in influence and power. If Jesus truly was from God, then where did this leave them?

They could see the truth that refused to confess it.

Listen
Lord, what would you say to me today about the source of authority in your kingdom?

Keith, to be a leader in the kingdom, means to be a servant to all. Authority is not about popular acclaim, fancy uniforms, or having a title. Authority comes through laying aside your own desires and ambitions in order to serve the least in the community.

A monk named Brother Lawrence was more influential than all the other monks in his order, because he chose to seek me at the kitchen sink. He wasn’t eloquent or highly educated, but he loved me with such a passion that he found me in the halls of the kitchen and showed others how to do the same.

Scripture:

“I tell you you can pray for anything, and if you believe you have received it,it will be yours.”

Observation
As they are leaving Bethany, Jesus sees a fig tree in full leaf. When he goes to see if there are any figs on it,he curses it saying, “May no one ever eat from you again.”

In Jerusalem, Jesus enters the temple and drives out the people buying and selling animals for the sacrifices. He stops people from using the temple precinct as a marketplace, saying, “The Scriptures say my temple will be called a house of prayer for the nations, but you have turned it into a den of thieves”

Jesus and the disciples leave the city for the night.

The next morning, they see that the fig tree Jesus had cursed, has withered from the roots. Jesus explains to the disciples that if we have faith in God, we can command mountains to move. If we have faith, believing that we have received something, then it will be given to us

Application
Jesus shows by words and actions that the words we speak can have powerful effects.

He curses a fig tree and it dies overnight.

Jesus tells us that the way to have prayers answered is to believe that God has already granted us what we need.

Too many of us pray wishy washy prayers, hoping for a result, not really believing.

Over and over, Jesus assures us that the Father wants to give us good gifts and that we must trust him for what we need.

This is bold and confident prayer based on a personal relationship with the Lord. It can become presumptuous and fleshly when we demand what we want, without seeking God’s will first.

God is gracious and loving. He wants to pour blessing after blessing upon us.

Listen:

Lord, there is so much to learn about prayer. What would you say to me today about this?

Keith, prayer at its heart is conversation with me. Many Christians believe it’s all one way, but if they would listen to me, they would find great depths in their prayer as well as great power.

This is important. Jesus said, “I only do what I see the Father doing.” You must look to me to see what I am doing and then pray.

Scripture

“Go into that village there,” he said to them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.”

Observation

Jesus and the disciples arrive at Bethphage and Bethany, near the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Jesus sends two of the disciples into the village. He tells him that they will find a donkey at the edge of the village that no one has ever ridden. They are to bring it back to Jesus. If anyone objects, they are to say that the Lord has need of it and will soon return it.

The disciples find everything there as Jesus had said. They bring the donkey back, and Jesus sits on it.

People in the crowd spread garments on the road, while others bring leafy branches. So Jesus is the centre of a huge procession.

People cry out, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus comes into the city and goes to the Temple. After looking around he goes to Bethany for the night.

Application

It seems much longer ago than a few weeks since we celebrated Palm Sunday and then moved through Holy Week to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

While, everyone is going about their business – whether people are minding a donkey or shouting praises in a procession, Jesus is heading relentlessly to the cross.

Did Jesus arrange the use of the donkey? Or did he Just know that there would be a donkey at that place that the owner would lend to him? It’s hard to tell from the text.

In our own lives, it can be hard sometimes to tell the difference between coincidences and answers to prayer. One person said, “I have noticed that the more I pray, the more coincidences happen.”

The key is always to trust everything we have to God – all our plans, our loved ones our church. God can handle it all.

Listen

Lord, is there more you want to say to me about the events we call Palm Sunday?

Keith, from the moment that I sat on that donkey, it was very clear that this was the start of the climax of my whole reason for coming to Earth. We laid the plans for this before we started the world. It was clear that our beloved people would fall into sin and that a provision would have to be made for their salvation. Painful and wrenching as it was, this was the whole purpose. I went to the cross seeing that my death would open the way for millions upon millions of my beloved people to be saved.

So, my time of suffering was infinitely costly, but it brought an infinitely valuable reward.

Lord, I thank you for what you achieved on the cross.

Scripture

Jesus said to him, “Go for your faith as healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

Observation

Jesus and His disciples pass through Jericho. As they are leaving, a blind man called Bartimaeus, calls out to him, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” People tell Bartimaeus to keep quiet, but Jesus tells them to bring him to him. The crowd tells Bartimaeus to cheer up and go to Jesus.

Jesus asks him what he wants and Bartimaeus responds, “I want to see.” Jesus tells him, “Your faith has healed you.” The man is instantly healed and he follows Jesus along the road.

Application

Do not be afraid to seek healing of body or soul.

The word here for healing is the same word for salvation, in Greek sozo. Jesus says, “Your faith has healed you.” In other places the same phrase is translated “Your faith has saved you.”

Salvation and healing are part of the one package. Jesus died on the cross, and we are told that by His stripes we are healed.

There are many reasons why a person is not healed. A lack of faith is one of them. We must trust that God will do what He has said He will do.

Mark loves the word “instantly” or “straight away” or “immediately”. In Greek it is all the one word. When Jesus is a round things happen quickly.

Listen

Lord, there are times when I pray for healing and nothing happens. Why is this?

Keith, the key is faith. Many people believe in the abstract sense of healing. They assent in their heads to the proposition that I can heal people. But when they consider, “Will I heal you?” they are uncertain and unbelieving. Bartimaeus knew in his heart that I was going to heal him right there and then. That is the faith that heals.

It is exactly the same as salvation. A person can believe in the facts of the gospel, they can enjoy the religious dimensions of worship, but they do not believe in their hearts that I will save them.

Faith is always particular. It is always applied to this person and this time.

Trust me for your salvation, trust me also for healing.