The rulers and authorities sent spies that they might seize Jesus with their words. The question was "should we pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" Paralleling this scene and King Solomon's wisdom, we cover the gift of discernment and the gift of word of wisdom.
Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26, Luke 12:12-12:13, 1 King 3
According to Luke 20:20, the chief priests sent spies who pretended to righteous to Jesus to catch him at his words. As a consequence of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and to reveal the age to come, Jesus tells the Parable of the Wedding Feast. The parable reveals the ignorance and judgment of the religious leaders, the age to come, and the wedding supper of the lamb.
Matthew 22:1-14, Revelation 19:7-9, Revelation 21:1-2, Romans 13:14, Ephesians 5:24-25, 2 Corinthians 11:2
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The religious leaders sent spies among Jesus followers to try to trick Jesus with complex questions. In this context and the turning of the tables, Jesus tells two parables about a vineyard and the wickedness of the religious leaders. .
The parable of the two sons is about two sons. One is wicked, honest, and repentant and the other is religious, deceitful, and unrepentant. Which one did the will of the father?
The parable of the wicked vinedresser speaks to the love of the God, that would send prophet after prophet to Israel followed by his own son which would be rejected and killed. The parable was a condemnation of the religious leaders as much as it is was a prophet annotation of the days to come.
Matthew 21:23-22:14, Mark 11:27-12:12, Luke 20:1-19
In the morning, Jesus goes to Jerusalem and sees a fig tree. Even though it wasn't the season for figs, he curses the fig tree "may you never bear fruit again." In the evening, the disciples passed by the fig tree and saw it withered and dead. They were amazing and asked Jesus about it. In this episode, we discuss the withered fig tree, intercession, and the future death of the religious mountain in Jerusalem.
Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-24, Hosea 9:10, Jeremiah 8:13, Micah 4:4, 1 Kings 4:25, John 1:48-50, Luke 13:6-9
Passion Week
Monday: Cursing the Fig Tree, Cleansing the Temple
Jesus started the day cursing the fig tree which represents Israel and preceded to the Temple Mount. He stepped into the Court of the Gentiles and created a whip and drove out the money changers interrupting the Passover weekly procedures. The scribes and chief priests were so angry, they met to discuss how to destroy him. In this episode, we consider their language and the divine justice that will occur in this place of the Court of the Gentiles, per Josephus in the Siege of Jerusalem in 70AD.
Matthew 21:12-17, Mark 11:12-19, Luke 19:45-48
"Why would the stones cry out?"
Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the crowds go wild singing praises quoting psalm 118. The Pharisees asks Jesus to rebuke his disciples, and he replies, "if they don't, the stones will cry out." In this episode, we cover the Triumphant Entry, and why the stones would cry out.
Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19, Zechariah 9:9, Psalm 118
Six days before passover, and the final act before passion week, Jesus is anointed at Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper by Mary, the sister of Lazarus. In this episode, we discuss this anointing for his death, and the other anointings of Jesus' life.
Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-8, Matthew 26:6-13, John 19:38-42, John 3:16
Perhaps Zacchaeus, a short wealthy tax collector, heard the cry of blind Bartimaeus "son of David," and he scrambled up a tree to see Jesus on the road. When Jesus came by on the road, he called up to Zacchaeus, and welcomed himself to his home. Jesus sees him, and calls him by his name which means "pure." In this episode, we cover the salvation of Zacchaeus.
Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 5:8
On the road through Jericho, Jesus encounters Blind Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus cried out "have mercy on me son of David!" Jesus stood still and ministered to him. In this episode, we cover the faith of Bartimaeus and his revelation of the gospel and the face of God himself.
Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-18:43, Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Chronicles 16:9
The mom of the Apostle John and James, the sons of Zebedee, kneels before Jesus. She asks for her sons to be at the right and left side of Jesus. Jesus rebukes her and teaches the disciples about servanthood, going lower to serve others, and how he will pay the ransom for many.
Death to self = serve others
Matthew 20:17-28, Mark 10:32-45, John 13:1-17, Matthew 26:62-64
Jesus is told that Lazarus is sick, but instead of rushing to his aid, he waits two more days. In this account, we cover the delay and the raising of Lazarus from the dead. As a practical note, this account is such, that it speaks to the death to self that we must all experience daily.
Death to Self: (1) It stinks (2) Its painful (3) Its personal and (4) Its purposeful
Raised to Life: when (1) Jesus raises us from the dead (2) to bring him glory!
John 11:1-44
Jesus goes to Jerusalem to celebrate Hanukkah. In this nationalistic setting, the Jews inquire if Jesus is the Messiah. Unfortunately, they cannot see it despite the miracles, the Hanukkah prayer for miracles, and the simplicity of Jesus' teaching "my sheep hear my voice."
Matthew 10:22-39, Luke 19:41-44
In the Parable of the Laborers, Jesus alludes to the end time harvest of souls up to the eleventh hour ministry. In this episode, we cover the harvest and the calling up of the idle workers in five successions. Jesus saved the best for last, and we should rejoice our names are written in the book.
Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 9:38, Matthew 5, John 2:11
A rich ruler kneels before Jesus and says "what must I do to be saved?" In this episode, we compare this encounter with the questions of Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus answers the question from an Old Testament perspective, because it was an Old Testament question...what must I do...
We conclude this episode comparing Old Testament faith with New Testament faith.
Matthew 19:16-30
Mark 10:17-31
Luke 18:18
John 3
Jesus travels down to Judah, from Galilee, to celebrate the Feast of Dedication (or Hanukkah). He arrives and is tested by the Pharisees with questions on marriage and divorce. He answers these questions and proceeds to teach on consecration and the faith of a child.
Matthew 19:1-15, Psalm 139:23-24, Mark 10:1-16
A pharisee and tax collector went to the temple to pray. The pharisee, in self-righteousness, thanked God for not being like other men, that he fasted twice a week, and he was a tither. The tax collector repented for his wicked heart. In this episode, Jesus compared these two to reveal the hearts of men.
Luke 18:9-14, Isaiah 14, Matthew 5:1-10
In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus speaks of a widow who wears down an unjust judge to receive justice. This parable speaks to spiritual warfare and taking back from the enemy. Additionally, Jesus compares it to his judgments and the great faith of his believers.
Luke 18:1-8, Daniel 10:14-12, James 1:2-3
Ten lepers cried out to Jesus to be cleansed from leprosy. They were cleansed as they went, but one of them came back, and glorified God. As he glorified God, he was made whole (most likely receiving back lost extremities). In this episode, we discuss Sozo salvation and how we should never settle for less.
Luke 17:12-19
In response to Peter's question about forgiveness, Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant. In the parable, the Master forgave his servant the equivalent of $3.5 billion, yet he didn't forgive his servant the equivalent of $5 thousand. The message is that the equivalent of what we hang onto when we don't forgive or surrender is nothing compared to what Jesus paid on the cross.
Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus' answer was 'the kingdom of God is within you.' In this episode, we discuss how the kingdom of heaven is within you and how you are revival!
Luke 17:20-21