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.

Scripture

Tell the people of Jerusalem,

“Look your king is coming to you.

He is riding on a donkey-

Riding on a donkey’s colt.”

Observation

Jesus and His disciples come to Bethphage near Jerusalem. He sends two of His disciples into the town to collect a donkey. This is done to fulfil a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 that Jerusalem’s king would come in humility on a donkey.

The crowd spreads garments and palm branches on the road ahead of Him. They shout “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

People in Jerusalem ask who it is they are making a fuss about. The people in the crowd tell them it is Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet.

Application

When I first came to know Jesus, it was as the loving and compassionate Son of God. At the time I was lost and not sure of where I fitted in the world. Jesus came to me and overwhelmed me with His love and peace.

This is the Jesus we see n the gospels, and particularly in the last week of His life on earth.

Yes, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Yes, He will judge every single person that ever lived. Yes, He will conquer the most tyrannical of political and military rulers.

But He is the Lord of love, and He reigns in gentleness.

Jesus never coerces or instils fear.

He is firstly humble and gentle.

His followers, too, must excel in humility and gentleness. For many of us this does not come easily. We want our way and we want it now.

We follow a King who rides on a donkey not on a war horse. He lives by dying and wins by giving up everything.

Prayer

Father please help me to live a life marked by gentleness and humility. Amen.

Scripture

Jesus answered them by saying, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or left. My Father has prepared these places for the ones He has chosen.”

Observation

Jesus takes the twelve disciples aside and tells them privately about His imminent death and resurrection.

The mother of James and John comes and asks Jesus to allow her sons to sit next to Him when He takes His Kingdom. Jesus replies that she doesn’t know what she is asking for. To follow Him means to drink from the same cup of suffering that He must drink.

He goes on to tell the disciples that anyone who wants to rule in His kingdom must first become a servant. Jesus came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Application

To follow Jesus means that we must be ready to suffer for Him and for His Kingdom.

The path of Jesus has always been as odds with the world and the demonic powers that control it. Suffering is almost inevitable.

The so-called prosperity gospel promises wealth and success to those who believe in Jesus. While it is true that God’s favour can result in earthly advancement, it is also true that the world hates those who follow Jesus.

Persecution has been the lot of the majority of christians in the ages. But their experience has been that there is enormous blessing in suffering. Suffering for the faith brings an added dimension of the presence of Christ that those who follow Him in a place of comfort cannot understand.

We do not go out looking to be persecuted, but when suffering comes we should not flee it. Christ is always with us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, when times of testing come, may I be found faithful. Amen.

Scripture

“Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?”

Observation

Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who needs to hire workers for his vineyard. He goes out at dawn, 9 o’clock, noon, and again at 5 o’clock. He tells the workers at each stage he will pay them what is fair.

After sunset, he calls the workers and pays them all exactly the same amount- a full day’s wage. Those who were employed first argued with this. The landowner points out that they had agreed to work for the usual wage. If he paid the latecomers the same amount they were not cheated in any way.

Application

Everyone who labours in the Father’s vineyard gets the same reward regardless of how long they serve Him. We all get eternal life whether we are born christian, so to speak, or whether we meet Jesus minutes before we die.

To complain that one person does it very easy while another does not is to miss the whole point. We get to live forever with our Father.

We do not serve the Lord for a pay cheque. We serve Him in love.

Jacob served Laban for seven years to get Leah, whom he did not want, and another seven to get Rachel. He effectively worked 14 years for Rachel his beloved and not a day for Leah. Which did he love more?

The idea of working and receiving payment is the opposite of grace. Yet some people cannot help but think this way. “If I do this for God, He will save me.” They fail to see hat the price has been paid and our salvation does not depend on what we do for God.

Prayer

Thank you Father for the promise of heaven. I don’t have to do anything to earn your favour because you already love me. Hallelujah!

Scripture

“Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.”

Observation

A young man comes to Jesus and asks Him what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him he just needs to keep the commandments.

The man tells Jesus he has kept them all. Jesus tells him he just needs to do one thing- to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor, and then come and follow Him.

Jesus tells the disciples that it is very hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle. He goes on to tell them that in the kingdom age, everyone who gives up anything for His sake will be rewarded a hundred times over, and will also inherit eternal life.

Application

The rich man was badly addicted to his money, or to be more accurate, the lifestyle his money made possible. He could not give that up, even for the sake of eternal life.

The pandemic has brought about immense changes to people’s lifestyles because of restrictions imposed by authorities. While many people have lost businesses built up over many years, the biggest question for many seems to be “When can I travel overseas?”

Jesus constantly nails the one thing we are dependent on and asks us to yield it to Him. He promises that whatever we yield to Him He will restore a hundred times over.

Bu tit is always the one thing I have set my heart on or worked hard for. He wants me to give that thing up, and I can’t because it is my identity, my achievement, my idol.

The good thing is that once we have decided that everything is His, we don’t even mind giving it up for Him.

Our idols keep us rooted in this planet. Jesus gives us vision for eternity. When we give it all to Him, He returns it and eternity as well.

Prayer

Lord, please show me the idols of my heart, and give me grace to surrender them to you. Amen.

Scripture

“Some are born eunuchs, some are made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

Observation

Some Pharisees come to Jesus, trying to trap Him (again). The question they pose is about divorce. Jesus says that when God joins a man and woman they become one flesh. They must not be separated. The only exception is in the case of adultery.

The disciples ask if it better not to marry. Jesus says that some are born eunuchs, others are castrated, and yet others become like eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

Application

Jesus has a high value on marriage- much higher, it seems, than many of His followers.

Even so, Jesus sees that some people may observe a life of celibacy for the sake of God’s kingdom. This has been exemplified in the Catholic Church through the millennia by priests, monks and nuns, and others. In Protestant churches, some people experience a definite call to remain single in order to better serve the Lord.

In that sense, it is neither better nor worse to marry nor to stay single, as long as what we do is for the glory of God.

In our hypersexualised culture where it seems that personal pleasure is the highest god, this is a radical departure.

Christians place sexual activity in the context of marriage, which is defined as one man and one woman voluntarily committed to one another for life. This commitment is the opposite of the “If it feels good do it” narrative of our culture.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the gift of sexuality. I give this part of my life over to you to be used for the glory of your kingdom. Amen.

Scripture

Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“Not seven times”, Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.”

Observation

Peter asks how many times he should forgive a brother who sins against him. He suggests seven times, but Jesus says, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.”

Jesus then tells a parable about a king who decides to put his accounts in order. He discovers that one of his servants owes him millions of dollars. He can’t repay the debt, so the master orders him and his possessions to be sold. The servant begs for more time to repay, which the king grants.

The same servant then cones across another servant who owes him a few dollars. He demands instant repayment, but the servant is unable to pay. The first servant has him thrown into prison.

Some of the other servants see this, and they go to the king. The king then orders the first servant to be thrown into prison until the debt is paid in full.

Application

God has forgiven me so much! I am like the first servant in the parable. My debt to God was so huge that nobody could pay it. But God forgave me and continues to forgive me.

So I need to be a person who also learns to forgive others. What people do to offend me is tiny compared to what God has wiped away for my sake.

Peter thought he was being radical by suggesting that he could forgive a brother seven times. After all, the rabbis taught that we should forgive three times.

When Jesus says I must forgive seventy-times seven, He is really saying “Keep forgiving and keep no record of it.”

I need to become a person who forgives automatically, instinctively and freely. I must become impossible to offend so that I can forgive without restraint.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you forgive me without measure. Please help me to forgive those who offend me equally freely. Amen.