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3 February 2017
READING: MARK 11:1-19
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.”’
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig-tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard him say it.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers”.’
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
REFLECTION
Hello, we’re coming to the end of another week of our Foundations daily podcasts. We’re going to round off this week with Mark 11:1-19. This is a great passage to finish our week on. Hopefully it will send us into the weekend with an encouraging message and allow us to pull together some of the strands we have been exploring this week. I’ll read verses 8-10 now. This is the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem. He’s riding in on a donkey, as Kings used to enter cities when they came in peace, and He’s greeted by a huge crowd. Let see what happens:
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Jesus has been travelling all around Galilee and Judea declaring that a new Kingdom has arrived. There have been countless miracles along the way and now He arrives into Jerusalem, the Holy city. As we’ve just read He is met by crowds of people lining the streets. As Jesus passed through the city gates and wound His way up the hills of Jerusalem on a young donkey the tight streets would have felt packed. There would have been people lining the roofs of houses above as well. The atmosphere must have been electric. People were desperate to catch a glimpse of the Messiah, the one who had come to save His people. Coats were tossed into the road, whole branches torn off to wave and line the ground as well. This must have been quite a spectacle. Jesus was right at the centre of it. He was the main act. It was for Him that people shouted out praise as He rode past. If there was ever an ego boosting moment then this was it. I don’t know about you, but if people lined the streets and shouted hosanna at me then I’d have a pretty large ego by the end of the day.
The problem here though, is that Jesus knows this will not last. He knows the crowds will turn against Him. He knows that the shouts of Hosanna will turn to screams of crucify Him. If Jesus is at all swayed by a desire to be loved by the crowds then He could quickly be turned away from His mission. Away from the lonely walk that He must make to the cross. Think back to yesterday. This applies to us as well. We talked about our desire for approval. The way that our desire to be liked by those we meet can change the way we act, the way we talk.
However, Jesus has faced this battle before, and won. This week we have talked about several traps that we can fall into. Namely, our appetite, ambition and approval. These are the three ways that the devil tempted Jesus when He was fasting in the desert after His baptism. Three different lines of attack, right when Jesus is most vulnerable, striking to the heart of what it means to be human. Physical needs, our desire to make an impression, to leave our mark, and the desire to be loved. Jesus was after all, fully human as well as being fully God, which is definitely another talk for another time!
The great news for us is that Jesus defeated these temptations in the desert by doing one simple thing. He reminded Himself that His identity came from the Father, from God. He did this by quoting scripture over Himself. We, you and I, were made by the Father. He loved us when He designed us and He loves us still. In fact He promised to always love us and God doesn’t break His promises. He calls us His sons and daughters. Sons and daughters of the King. He promises to provide for us, He gives us a purpose, His Kingdom. Our identity as children of the Father is crucial not just to understanding who we are, but to allowing us to live to the full and not succumb to the pulls of unhealthy appetites, ambition and approval. Be encouraged by this today!
PRAYER
Father thank you that you love us. Thank you that it is in you that we find our identity. Thank you that you provide for us. As we go about our normal life today we pray that you would remind us that we are your children. Help us to see others in that way as well today. Amen.
Want to get this podcast regularly? See http://stthomascrookes.org/podcast/
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By STC SheffieldREADING: MARK 11:1-19
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.”’
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
‘Hosanna!’
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!’
‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig-tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard him say it.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers”.’
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
REFLECTION
Hello, we’re coming to the end of another week of our Foundations daily podcasts. We’re going to round off this week with Mark 11:1-19. This is a great passage to finish our week on. Hopefully it will send us into the weekend with an encouraging message and allow us to pull together some of the strands we have been exploring this week. I’ll read verses 8-10 now. This is the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem. He’s riding in on a donkey, as Kings used to enter cities when they came in peace, and He’s greeted by a huge crowd. Let see what happens:
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Jesus has been travelling all around Galilee and Judea declaring that a new Kingdom has arrived. There have been countless miracles along the way and now He arrives into Jerusalem, the Holy city. As we’ve just read He is met by crowds of people lining the streets. As Jesus passed through the city gates and wound His way up the hills of Jerusalem on a young donkey the tight streets would have felt packed. There would have been people lining the roofs of houses above as well. The atmosphere must have been electric. People were desperate to catch a glimpse of the Messiah, the one who had come to save His people. Coats were tossed into the road, whole branches torn off to wave and line the ground as well. This must have been quite a spectacle. Jesus was right at the centre of it. He was the main act. It was for Him that people shouted out praise as He rode past. If there was ever an ego boosting moment then this was it. I don’t know about you, but if people lined the streets and shouted hosanna at me then I’d have a pretty large ego by the end of the day.
The problem here though, is that Jesus knows this will not last. He knows the crowds will turn against Him. He knows that the shouts of Hosanna will turn to screams of crucify Him. If Jesus is at all swayed by a desire to be loved by the crowds then He could quickly be turned away from His mission. Away from the lonely walk that He must make to the cross. Think back to yesterday. This applies to us as well. We talked about our desire for approval. The way that our desire to be liked by those we meet can change the way we act, the way we talk.
However, Jesus has faced this battle before, and won. This week we have talked about several traps that we can fall into. Namely, our appetite, ambition and approval. These are the three ways that the devil tempted Jesus when He was fasting in the desert after His baptism. Three different lines of attack, right when Jesus is most vulnerable, striking to the heart of what it means to be human. Physical needs, our desire to make an impression, to leave our mark, and the desire to be loved. Jesus was after all, fully human as well as being fully God, which is definitely another talk for another time!
The great news for us is that Jesus defeated these temptations in the desert by doing one simple thing. He reminded Himself that His identity came from the Father, from God. He did this by quoting scripture over Himself. We, you and I, were made by the Father. He loved us when He designed us and He loves us still. In fact He promised to always love us and God doesn’t break His promises. He calls us His sons and daughters. Sons and daughters of the King. He promises to provide for us, He gives us a purpose, His Kingdom. Our identity as children of the Father is crucial not just to understanding who we are, but to allowing us to live to the full and not succumb to the pulls of unhealthy appetites, ambition and approval. Be encouraged by this today!
PRAYER
Father thank you that you love us. Thank you that it is in you that we find our identity. Thank you that you provide for us. As we go about our normal life today we pray that you would remind us that we are your children. Help us to see others in that way as well today. Amen.
Want to get this podcast regularly? See http://stthomascrookes.org/podcast/