April 14, 2019
Evening Service

This morning we were able to celebrate the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem.  As the crowd celebrated and worshipped, Jesus did not quiet them but let them openly praise Him.  I picture Jesus riding along the rode as the people threw their coats into the road showing honor to Him.  They all cried “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”  He had to be looking at each one knowing each one’s story and whether they would turn on Him by the end of the week and cry out for His crucifixion.  Jesus had to have mixed feelings as He traveled through the crowd.  In Luke’s account of the Triumphal Entry these events followed.

Luke 19:41-44 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, (42) saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  (43)  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, (44) and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

            Jesus’ heart is pricked by the whole scene and His love for these people is apparent as He wept displaying the compassion He has for them.  He quickly turns from His role of entering King to prophet as pronouncing the judgement that will come to pass in 70AD.  The city will be destroyed on that date by the Romans Leader Titus.  The city was burned and over 600,000 Jews were killed in the four-year onslaught.

 The Messiah was here in the midst of His people and many of them missed it because they were so absorbed with what they thought would happen.  As we said this morning, many of Jews thought Jesus would free them from the bondage of Rome.  God allowed them to be blinded to the truth, but it was their choice to reject Him, because there were some who did believe.  Regardless of the why, the fact that they reject Him drives Jesus quickly to tears shortly after He was being praised.

            After entering the city, Jesus travels directly to the temple and yet another emotional peak is reached.

 

 

Luke 19:45-48 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, (46) saying to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a 'DEN OF THIEVES.' "  (47)  And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, (48) and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

            The next emotion we experience is anger as Jesus clears out all those who are taking advantage of others inside of His temple.  There were those who were selling animals for sacrifices and exchanging money from other areas, which in itself was not a bad thing.  The problem was that they were charging exorbitant prices and cheating worshippers in the money exchange.  This angered Jesus to the point of action.  His anger did not result in sin as it was righteous anger that came from His passion for truth and honesty.  It was directed at those who deliberately cheated sincere worshippers who came to the temple to praise their God.  That exposes the true heart of God.  He is angered by those who abuse others for their own gain especially those who are after His heart.

            Jesus did not then hide but taught openly to huge crowds that hung on His every word.  These actions added further to the hate that the chief priests and scribes had developed towards Jesus.  Their desire to destroy Him grew quickly, but they could do nothing with everyone showing Him great attention.  Their next plan was to begin to question Him and catch Him in something, anything that they could use against Him.  (Switch to Mark Chapter 11)

 

Mar 11:27-33 Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  (28)  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  (29)  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: (30) The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me."  (31)  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  (32)  But if we say, 'From men' "—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  (33)  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

            I am not sure the religious leaders knew what they were in for as they question the Lord.  He quickly reverses the roles and places them on the hot seat.  This causes Jesus to speak to them in a parable that spoke of them.

 

Mark 12:1-12 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  (2)  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  (3)  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  (4)  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  (5)  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  (6)  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  (7)  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  (8)  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  (9)  "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.  (10)  Have you not even read this Scripture: 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.  (11)  THIS WAS THE LORD'S DOING, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'?"  (12)  And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

            In this parable the one who planted the vineyard is God and the vineyard refers to the nation Israel.  The Tenant farmers are the religious leaders, the servants are the prophets, and the Son Jesus.  This reveals that Jesus knew of the plot to kill Him and that it would be successful.  Now the Pharisees try to question Him.

 

Mar 12:13-17 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.  (14)  When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?  (15)  Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."  (16)  So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's."  (17)  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.

            “They marveled at Him.”  His wisdom is total and complete and He has the answer for all, but not he Sadducees take their turn with the same result.

 

Mar 12:18-27 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: (19)  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  (20)  Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.  (21)  And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.  (22)  So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.  (23)  Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife."  (24)  Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?  (25)  For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  (26)  But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB'?  (27)  He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken."

            Jesus is quick to judge that they are only trying to catch Him in anything they can use against Him and just as quickly puts them in their place.  Finally, it appears that one of the scribes actually asks a true heart felt question.

 

Mar 12:28-34  Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"  (29)  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.   (30)  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' This is the first commandment.  (31)  And the second, like it, is this: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."  (32)  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  (33)  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  (34)  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.

        Notice how it seems Jesus’ tone eases as this scribe agrees with Jesus and is able to see the wisdom in which He speaks and openly acknowledges it.  The leaders quickly learned their lesson and refrained from asking any more questions.  Jesus close Chapter 12 with this condemnation of these leaders.

Mar 12:38-40 Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, (39) the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, (40) 

who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

            Jesus has very little compassion for these leaders who are living hypocritical lives; as they act one way but their heart is driven by only personal exaltation.

 

This evening with Jesus we have wept, been angry, patient with questions, and even truthful about sharing the truth.

 

Father help us to use these words to understand your love for us on a different level.