Scripture

“And the Good News about the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it, and then the end will come.”

Observation

As Jesus and His followers leave the Temple precinct, Jesus points back at the Temple and says that all of the buildings will be completely destroyed.

Later, at the Mount of Olives, the disciples come and ask Him when these things will happen, and what will be the signs of the end of the age.

Jesus warns them that there will be many who come and claim to be the Messiah. There will be wars and rumours of wars, and many disasters. The disciples will be hated and persecuted all over the world. There will be rampant sin, but those who endure to the end will be saved.

The Good News about the kingdom will be preached throughout the world, and then the end will come.

Application

The end times are always popular, but there is very much confusion about these issues.

The phrase “the end of the world” should be translated as “the end of the age.” The destruction of the Temple was a real event that happened in the year 70, and it really marked the end of the age as far as Israel was concerned.

People have been confusing the end of the age with the end of the world for years, while overlooking the most obvious sign of all.

The end will come after the gospel is preached to all nations. Even when the gospel has gone to all nations, and the nations have heard it, there is no promise here that the end will come immediately.

We don’t have the time and date for the return of Christ, because that is for God alone to know.

We do know that God intends for every nation to hear the Good News. Instead of speculating and worrying about events that we cannot control, we should pray for the nations to receive the gospel.

Prayer

Lord, I pray for my nation of Australia. Send revival, Lord, and let this nation be transformed by your gospel. Amen.

Scripture

“I tell you the truth, this judgement will fall on this very generation.”

Observation

Jesus continues to condemn the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and religious leaders.

He condemns them for scrupulously washing the outside of their cups and plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

The teachers and Pharisees are like white-washed tombs- clean on the outside, but full of corruption on the inside.

They build monuments to the prophets whom their ancestors murdered. They claim that if they had been alive at the time they would have never got involved in killing them. Jesus will send prophets and teachers, and the Pharisees will persecute them. They will be held accountable for all of the deaths of godly people.

Jesus finishes with a lament for the people of Jerusalem. He wishes to gather them together and protect them but they would not let Him.

Application

This sounds like a very harsh judgement on the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. Yet, it is true that those who trust in their own deeds of righteousness and not in the blood of Christ to save them will be judged. There is one way, and one way only, to be saved from hell, and that is through faith in Christ.

Jesus warns them that the generation at that time in the world would face the judgement of God. This is not about the end times.

In the year 66, a group of revolutionaries managed to force the Romans out of Jerusalem and several other cities and established a free state of Israel. Rome responded in force, and in 70 AD besieged Jerusalem. Eventually they were able to retake it, and the city, including the Temple, was destroyed. Thousands of people were killed.

When God’s judgement falls on a people, it falls quickly and terribly.

Prayer

Lord, search my heart today. Convict me of any hypocrisy and false religion. Help me to trust you entirely for my salvation. Amen.

Scripture

“You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the  more important aspects of the law –  justice, mercy, and faith.”

Observation

Jesus launches into a condemnation of the religious teachers and the Pharisees. He warns them of God’s judgement for their sins.

Jesus accuses the Pharisees and teachers of shutting the door of God’s Kingdom in the faces of people. They themselves won’t go in, but they make it hard for others to go in as well. 

The teachers and Pharisees cross the land and sea to make a convert, and then they make that person twice the child of hell that they are. They corrupt the intention of the Law by teaching that a vow made “ by the altar” is not binding,, but a vow  made “ by the gifts on the altar”  is. 

Pharisees are diligent to tithe from the herbs in the garden, but they neglect the more important aspects of the law –  justice, mercy, and faith.

Application

God is not impressed by our virtuous tithing, if our hearts are not surrendered to him .

The problem with the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, and many Christians today, is that they see pleasing God as a matter of keeping rules scrupulously. They dot their i’s and cross their t’s only to discover that God is not reading their book.

Tithing is important. More important, though, is to love God with all of our heart, strength, soul, and mind.

Living righteously is important. More important, however, is that we love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

Prayer

Father, I confess that I sometimes feel morally superior to others because I don’t sin the way they do. Please help me to surrender myself completely to you and to seek your face in everything I do. Amen

 Scripture

“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Observation

The teachers and Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses, Jesus says, so follow their teaching. But do not follow their example, because they don’t practise what they teach. They are proud and do things for show and to be honoured by the other people. We should not call people” Rabbi”  or “ Father” or “teacher”.

The greatest among us must be a servant. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Application

The kingdom of God Is upside down by most human standards. We should avoid revelling in titles, and to lead we have to be a servant.

When we try to push ourselves forward, or to call attention to our selves, it is almost certain we will be pulled down. The self-promoters fool very few people.

What inspires people is when they find a leader who is humble. It Is often called being genuine. In other words we  want leaders who show us that they are human and not just a projection of what they think we want to see.

Last weekend, world tennis number 1, Ash Barty, won Wimbledon for the first time. I’m not a tennis fan, but I have always been struck by the simple humility of this very talented athlete. She always takes time to thank her team for their support, something that you don’t hear often in individual sports people.

Jesus was always down to earth in his teaching and in his interactions with people. He did not make big statements such as “ I am the Messiah, worship me.”  He taught, He healed, He performed miracles, and He let people come to their own conclusion.

 If it’s good enough for the Son of God to  act that way, it’s good enough for me.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to remember that any success that I have comes as a gift from you. When I am tempted to be proud, let me humble myself. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Observation

The Pharisees again come to test Jesus with a question, “What is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replies with not one but two commandments: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbour. The entire law and the demands of the prophets rest on these two commandments.

Jesus then asks the Pharisees, “Who is the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They reply that he is the Son of David. Jesus asks how this can be when David himself calls him “my Lord”?

Application

The fundamental instruction at the heart of discipleship is that we love God with all that we are. Whole- hearted worship of the Lord is the only acceptable response to His love for us.

Jesus reminds us that worship of God must also lead us to love for God’s people, and so we must love our neighbours as we love ourselves.

Everything that christians do, then, must be motivated by love for God and for His people.

I must ensure that my heart is clean at this point, because it is so easy to deceive myself.

Do I really worship God with a pure motive?

Do I really serve my neighbour from love of for the approval of other people?

We shouldn’t lose ourselves in introspection, so that we end up loving neither God nor people. Rather we just need to keep our motivations clean.

A life of worship of God and serving the people around us us the life that God has planned for every person.

Prayer

Lord please help me to keep my eyes on you, to love you with all my heart and to love the people you have placed around me. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus replies, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures and you don’t know the power of God.”

Observation

The Pharisees meet together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something that they can have Him arrested for. They come to Jesus and pose the question, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” Jesus asks them whose face is inscribed on the coin. He says they should give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

The Sadducees also try to trap Jesus. They ask Him a long question involving a man with several brothers. The first man dies without leaving a child, so the wife is passed down along the line, but none of them is able to produce a child. The question is this: “Whose wife will she be in the resurrection?”

Jesus replies that there is no marrying or child bearing in eternity. He then addresses the root problem which is the resurrection of the dead. Jesus says that God is the God of the living not the dead, so therefore we will be raised from the dead.

Application

Many christians are like the Sadducees. They do not know the Scriptures or the power of God,

There is beauty and power to be found in the Word of God. In the Scriptures we meet the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are confronted with both the love and holiness of God. In the word we see the power of the gospel to save, and its power to transform lives.

When we come to the Lord we receive the Holy Spirit and the power of God. We can know that our prayers are answered. We can expect to see people healed, the dead raised and the blind to see. We can also expect to see people turn to Jesus as the Holy Spirit works in their lives in response to our prayers.

We need both the Word and the power. If you have the Word but no Spirit you will dry up. If you have the Spirit without the Word you will blow up. If you have both the Spirit and the Word you will grow up.

Prayer

Lord God, I thank you for the Scriptures and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Lead me in my walk with you so that I come to maturity in faith. Amen.

Scripture

“The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet.”

Observation

The kingdom of God is like a king who prepared a great wedding feast. When everything was ready the king sent out his servants to fetch the guests. They all refused to come.

The king sent out more servants. The guests ignored them, and some even killed the messengers.

The king was furious, so he sent his army to kill the murderers. Then he instructed his servants to bring in everyone “good and bad alike.” One man in the feast was not properly dressed and so the king had him thrown out into the darkness.

Application

The last few decades has seen a massive cultural change in the West. A centuries long tradition of adherence to christianity has been overturned by hypersexual individualism. No longer are christians in the majority in many countries, but they are becoming increasingly marginalised and harried by the cultural leaders.

There have been many attempts in the church to reverse this culture war. Christians have been made to feel guilty in many ways. If only we evangelised more or better. If only our churches were more welcoming of Generation Z’s or Millennials.

This parable was originally aimed against the leaders of Israel who failed to see Jesus was the long- awaited Messiah bringing in the promised Kingdom. They were the invited gusts who refused to come to the party.

But now we have a new culture where people have rejected the gospel. We are the invited guests living in the privilege of a culture that was dedicated to God’s values. We said “No” to the king’s invitation, and now the Spirit of God is calling people in Asia, Africa and South America to “Come.”

A faithful remnant intercedes for their nations and share the gospel. Will we see the invited guests change their minds and join the feast?

Prayer

Lord, I pray for Australia. Bring this nation back to a place of repentance before you. Revive us! Amen.

Scripture

“Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

Observation

Jesus tells a story about a land owner who develops his land and then leases it out to some farmers. At the time of the harvest, he sends servants to collect his share. The farmers kill one of the servants and beat the others.

Finally he sends his son. He reasons that they will surely respect him. The tenants, though, think that if they kill the son, they will keep the estate. So they kill the son.

Jesus then asks the religious leaders what they think he will do to the farmers. They say that he will kill them and put different tenants in. But they know that He is speaking this parable against them.

Application

Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23 which says that the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. He is that stone. He adds a new twist when He says, “Anyone who stumbles over the stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush anyone who it falls on.”

We can see in this saying that people have a choice about how they relate to Jesus, the stone.

Firstly, we can stumble up against Him and be broken. That means we allow Him to break our selfish ways, our sinful self-determination and our rebellion. In breaking us, God always rebuilds us. He recreates us in His image.

If we don’t stumble into Jesus, then the stone will fall on us, crushing us. In the end, everyone who refuses to worship Jesus will be judged by Him.

The Pharisees understood that Jesus was speaking this to them. He was offering them an opportunity to repent.

He still offers us that chance to turn to Him.

Prayer

Lord, I come to you now and acknowledge my sins. Please break me and mould me into your new creation. Amen.

Scripture

Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get to the kingdom of God before you do.”

Observation

The priests and elders come to Jesus as He teaches in the Temple precinct. They demand to know in what authority Jesus teaches. He responds by asking them if John’s authority came from heaven or from himself.

The leaders recognise the trap in this question. If they say John’s authority came from heaven, Jesus will ask why they rejected John. If they say it was human authority, then the people will turn on them because John was recognised as a prophet.

Jesus goes on to tell a parable about a man with two sons. He asks them to go out and work in the vineyard. The older son says, “No”, but then goes anyway, and the younger one says “Yes” but stays inside.

Application

The truth is that many people whom we look down on will turn to Jesus and be in God’s kingdom. Those who claim to be righteous but refuse to obey God will not enter into God’s kingdom at all. They will end up in the torment of hell.

There are many people who claim to be born again, even Spirit-filled, but they have not surrendered their hearts and their wills to Jesus. They have said the “sinner’s prayer,” but their heart was untouched by the grace of God.

To be a wicked person is a terrible thing, but it does enable a person to recognise they need a Saviour. To be a self-righteous person may lead to disaster, because such a person thinks they are right with God when they really are not.

Prayer

Father, grant me a humble heart that I always live in dependence on you. I pray for everyone I know who is not yet right with you, both the wicked and the self-righteous. Lord bring them to the place of true repentance. Amen.

Scripture

Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea’, and it will happen.”

Observation

Jesus enters the Temple and drives out the people buying and selling animals for the sacrifices. He rebukes them for turning the house of prayer into a den of thieves.

The blind and lame come to to Jesus in the Temple. He heals them there. Even children are shouting praise to God, but the leaders are indignant.

The next morning, Jesus sees a fig tree with no fruit, so He curses it. It immediately withers. He tells the disciples that with faith they will do much greater things than this.

Application

With faith and prayer we can achieve impossible things for God’s kingdom. Jesus gives the example of commanding mountains to relocate to the sea, but there are many other things that we can achieve through constant, passionate and prolonged prayer.

Physical healing comes to mind. Verse 14 says that Jesus healed the lame and blind in the Temple. The people of God should be healers of the sick, especially in the context of worship.

Lately we have been re-viewing the “Transformations” videos produced by George Otis Jr thirty years ago. In these productions, Otis documents how cities and regions have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. At the heart of all these cases, there was passionate prayer born from desperation for their community. This is surely a greater miracle than a mountain being moved.

Whatever the issue, Jesus reminds us that breakthrough miracles happen in response to faith and prayer.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the power of the Holy Spirit, unleashed when people pray in faith. Please help me to see where you are at work and to be faithful in prayer. Amen.