Scripture

“Did John’s authority to baptise come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

Observation

Jesus returns to the Temple, and the priests and elders demand to know by what authority He is teaching and performing miracles. Jesus replies with another question: Did John’s authority come from heaven or from men? The leaders are unable to answer this question because they are afraid of people’s reactions.

Jesus then tells a parable about two sons. Their father asks them to go and work in his vineyard. One son says, “Yes” but doesn’t go out, but the other son says “No” but later changes his mind to go out anyway.

Jesus goes on to say that the tax collectors and prostitutes will go into the kingdom of heaven ahead of the religious leaders, because they repented but the leaders refused to do so .

Application

Religious people can get hung up about who can do what in the church. Can women preach? Can lay people lead the sacraments?

We need a certain amount of order in any human organisation, even the church. but that is human authority not heavenly authority.

The Jewish leaders were obsessed with which rabbi Jesus learnt his teachings from. They could not, or would not, see that his authority was not like the rabbis but from the Father.

He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. He passes that authority onto us, the church.

Specifically, Jesus authorises ass to go and make disciples of the nations, to teach them what He has shown us, and to baptise. He has authorised us to heal the sick and cast out demons, as well as preaching the good news.

As believers, we need to claim that authority that Christ has given us and to use it daily for the glory of our Father.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the authority that comes from heaven to me. Please help me to understand this and to use it. Amen.

Scripture

“You can pray for anything, and if you have have faith, you will receive it.”

Observation

This follows on from the cleansing of the Temple. Now, the blind and the lame come to Jesus, and He heals them. The children in the Temple are crying out, “Praise God (literally, Hosanna) for the Son of David!” The leaders are indignant.

The next morning, as Jesus returns to Jerusalem from Bethany, He sees a fig tree. He expects to find some figs. When he discovers the tree has no fruit, he curses it, and it withers immediately.

Jesus tells His disciples that if they have faith and do not doubt, they can do things like this. We can pray for anything by faith and receive it.

Application

Jesus says things that seem too definite, too open-ended for our taste. We always want to hedge His promises and water them down.

Jesus says that we can pray for anything and, if we have faith, we will receive it. There are no limitations, no ifs and maybes. It is like this: Faith → prayer → receive

He isn’t promising to fill our selfish desires or to grant what is physically impossible such as the ability to leap safely from tall buildings.

Faith is about trusting in Jesus, and that is based in relationship. The promise is not a blank cheque to get everything that we think we should have. It is more of a promise that what we need in our walk with Jesus, He will supply.

Prayer

Lord, I believe, please increase my faith. Amen.

Scripture
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed behind shouted,”Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Observation
At the town of Bethphage, Jesus sends two of the disciples ahead to collect a donkey and its colt. He tells them that if anyone asks what they are doing, they should say, “The Lord needs them.”

This is done in order to fulfil the prophecy of Zechariah chapter 9 .

Jesus rides the donkey into Jerusalem, and the crowds cheer him on. They spread their clothes and palm branches on the road.

Jesus goes to the Temple and drives the money changers and sacrificed sellers away. He says to them, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.

Application
The crowds shouted praises to the Lord. Yet shortly, in a matter of days, some of the same people, at the stirring of the scribes and Pharisees, would be calling for his death. How can this be?

Some, no doubt, had no clue about what was really happening or who Jesus was. They were just there for the spectacle. There are people in churches all over the world who have no clue about who they claim to be worshipping. They praise God with their lips, but not with their hearts.

There would have been true followers of Jesus in this crowd. They would be devastated by the events of Holy Week, but then set on fire by the resurrection.

There were some in the crowd who were looking for the wrong Messiah. They were hoping that Jesus would save the nation from its occupation by the Romans. The term “Hosanna” had been used as a nationalistic cry for a long time. The Son of David, of course, was the heir to David’s throne. Jesus was this Messiah also, but his main purpose was to free humanity from the power of sin.

Prayer
Father, your love for us is so great that you keep pouring affection onto us even when we don’t understand it. Please help me to draw near to you by faith. Amen

Scripture

“Lord,” they said,“we want to see.”

Observation

Jesus and the disciples leave Jericho. Two blind men sitting by the road call out to Him.

The crowd tries to quieten them, but they persist in calling for Jesus to have mercy on them.

Jesus asks them what they want from Him. They reply that they want to see. Jesus is moved with compassion. He touches their eyes and immediately they can see.

Application

I am often amused by the way Jesus asks people watch they want of him. These men were blind, so it should be obvious what they want.

By getting them to state there needs, Jesus effectively forces them to focus their faith on the one thing they need. They are not asking for money or food, but for healing. They want to see.

Often, when we pray we ask God in generalities. We don’t see what the real need is, what faith needs to be applied to.

We might have faith to move mountains, but God wants us to state which mountains to move and to where.

Our praying needs to be specific so that we can apply faith to a specific need and a specific action by the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to have the faith to address the mountains in my life and to see them moved. Help me to have faith to open my eyes to spiritual reality. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over the people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.”

Observation

As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, He takes the Twelve aside and tell them what is about to happen to Him. He will be betrayed and handed over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified but then He will rise from the dead.

The mother of James and John comes to Jesus with a request that her two sons sit on Jesus’ left and right in the Kingdom. Jesus says that He has no say in this as the Father has prepared the places of honour.

The Kingdom of God does not work like the kingdoms of this age. People flaunt their authority in all kinds of ways, but in Jesus’ Kingdom the leader must first be the servant of all. Jesus Himself came to serve and not to be served.

Application

Not so long ago, the people who run things in the world were somewhat humble about their role. We have always had the “elites”, people with wealth and influence. It has always been clear that there was an “Old Boys Network” where decisions were made in a kind of parallel universe to the visible systems of government.

Since the Covid scare, the people who used to be behind the scenes have become more obvious, more blatant. The “elites” have made it clear that they regard us deplorables with contempt and will ignore our opinions, desires, and aspirations.

Jesus says that in His Kingdom, there are to be no elites. Yes, we need leaders and people with the spiritual gifts to provide direction to the church, but they are of a different kind of leadership, a different heart. To be a leader in the Kingdom, you first have to be a servant, and to retain the heart of a servant.

Leadership in God’s Kingdom is relational. We love one another and we serve one another. As a pastor, I get to empty the church dishwasher, put out the chairs, and vacuum floors, not because it is my job, but because serving goes with the job.

Prayer

Lord, please give me a humble and submissive heart at all times. Amen.

Scripture

”He said to one of them, ‘ I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay the last worker the same as you.’”

Observation

Jesus tells a parable to illustrate the kingdom of heaven. A land owner went out early in the day to hire workers. He hires some, but find it’s not enough, so he returns at various times in the day and hires more workers.

At the end of the day, he pays the workers from the last to be hired to the first. He pays them all the same amount, regardless of how long they worked. When those who started early in the morning complain, he says, “You agreed to work for this amount. Take your money and go. Don’t be jealous of my kindness to others.”

Jesus concludes by saying that those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first now will be last then.

Application

Jesus overturns all of our natural expectations. It seems unfair to pay a man who works all day the same as a man who only works an hour. On the other hand, both men need the same money to live on.

When we are tempted to say, “it’s not fair!” to God, we need to realise that God is not about fairness, but about grace. If God gives me enough grace for me, how can I complain when someone else seems to get a better deal? My eyes need to be on God, not on my brother.

Our concept of fairness arises because we live in a world of limited resources. If one person has a lot, it seems to be at the expense of someone who has less.

God is the God of more than enough. He has an infinite supply of everything. So for God to give a billion dollars to one person while giving one million dollars to somebody else, is not a lack of fairness. It is about what we can handle with wisdom and joy .

Prayer

Lord, please forgive me for complaining about fairness, when I should be thanking you for abundance. Help me to focus on what others need from me rather than what I want from you. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Observation

Jesus tells His disciples that it is hard for rich people to enter the kingdom. In fact it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.

The disciples are astounded and ask Jesus how can anyone be saved? He tells them it is impossible by human standards, but with God everything is possible .

He goes on to tell them that in the age to come, these disciples will sit on twelve thrones. Many who are now the greatest will then be the least in the Kingdom, and many who are now unimportant will be the greatest.

Application

It is impossible for anyone to be saved through human effort alone. The disciples were amazed at Jesus’ words that rich people find it hard to enter the Kingdom. There was an assumption that being rich was a sign of God’s favour.

Jesus reminds them that the rich will be poor and the weak will be strong in the age of the Kingdom of Heaven. God overturns all of our expectations.

Nobody can be saved – rich or poor. But with God, the impossible becomes possible Jesus would soon die on the cross to open wide the gates of Heaven to all who would lay down their own lives and follow Him.

With God, all things are possible. The dead come to life; lepers are cleansed; money is provided; incurable diseases are cured.

We should never abandon hope. Rather, we need to trust the God who does the impossible.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your ability to save people who seem beyond redemption. You truly are the God of the impossible. Amen.

Scripture

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had many possessions.

Observation

Some parents bring their children to receive Jesus’ blessing. The disciples want to send them away, but Jesus says,”Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like this.”

A rich man comes to Jesus to ask him what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to obey the commandments. The man says he has done this and asks what else must he do?

Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. The young man goes away sad, for he has many possessions.

Application

Jesus has a way of putting his finger on people’s addictions and idols. For this man, the idol was his wealth.

Jesus, at the man’s request, gives him a fundamental choice. He could enjoy the benefits of wealth in this life or he could give them up for now in order to enjoy eternal life.

It is a bit like the challenge for young children – have one lolly now sitting in front of you on a plate or wait half an hour for five lollies. Many people, adults and children alike, are unable to exercise discipline and patience to wait for the better thing.

This man was obviously aware he was lacking something. He was looking for the relationship with God that just obeying commandments can never satisfy. Jesus says, in effect, that his wealth was standing in the way.

It doesn’t have to be possessions, of course. People make idols of all kinds of things – power, sexual immorality, approval by others and more.

If we are not prepared to give up the thing that blocks our relationship with God, we will never get to Heaven.

Prayer

Lord, please show me the idols that get in the way of my relationship with you, and please give me the grace to surrender them to you. Amen.

Scripture

“Haven’t you read the scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.'”

Observation

Jesus leaves Galilee and travels to Judea. Some Pharisees ask him if a man should be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason.

Jesus replies that the scriptures teach that God made people male and female, and for this reason a man leaves his parents to be united with his wife. Therefore, no one should separate those whom God has join together.

When pressed by the Pharisees, Jesus goes on to say that divorce was given because our hearts are hard. Anyone who divorces for any reason other than adultery by their partner is themselves guilty of adultery.

Application

In the beginning God created people male and female.

Jesus repeat this passage from Genesis because it is foundational to what it means to be human. It is basic biology.

Western culture at the moment is being assaulted by people who want to tear down all distinctions in nature, but especially those between men and women.

Biology teaches us that our sex is hard coded into our DNA. Every cell in our body carries the code – you are a man or a woman. We cannot overwrite this with surgery, hormones, and feelings.

In the same way, marriage is undermined when people say,”Love is love” to justify a form of marriage in which the sex of the people is irrelevant.

God made us male and female. To deny this basic truths is to make God a liar.

Prayer

Father, please help people to understand the basic truth. I reject the claims of those who deny you and I declare that your word is true. Amen.