Mark 13 is the longest discourse of Jesus in the book of Mark is dedicated to helping us understand what is happening around us as the Father’s eternal story of judgment and redemption unfolds. It is both a somber warning and a sure encouragement to be ready when the day appears.

After a flurry of trick questions that Jesus answers with tremendous success, Jesus takes on the religious leaders with a question of his own, and a poor widow shows us what it takes to live eternity now.

One after another, the religious leaders try to trip Jesus up with questions on theology and politics in hopes of discrediting him. In today’s passage about the resurrection, Jesus points out their arguments are rooted in ignorance of both the scripture and God’s power.

In todays passage, the religious rulers seemed to have trapped Jesus with the question of whether it is right to be paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus however, puts people and things in their place.

Jesus tells the Jewish leaders a story about the source of his authority. It paints a clear picture of who is really in charge but they cannot admit he is right. They won't recognize the owner or his son because their judgment is compromised and their eyes are blinded by their sense of entitlement.

Instead of coming in like a conquering king, Jesus has come in like a lamb. But make no mistake about what is really happening. He is about to turn over the tables on the religious establishment and call to account those who bear his name.

The healing of Bartimaeus will begin a parade that will carry Jesus into Jerusalem on a huge and exciting wave of popularity. But the parade will quickly arrive at a fork in the road and we will have to decide: Do I follow the culture of success and self fulfillment? Or do I follow the more dangerous, unpredictable and often misunderstood way of the living Jesus?

As the disciples approach Jerusalem, Jesus reminds them what he is going there to do. And although many understand what Jesus came to do, sometimes we need to fully understand why he came to do it.

When a rich, young ruler approaches Jesus inquiring about eternal life, he comes across as a disciple-in-the-making. But his story has a sad end that we should be careful not to repeat in our own lives.

In a culture that valued power and position, a child in that day would have had neither. In today’s passage, Jesus tells us that - to get near the kingdom - it’s not what you need to do, it’s what you have to become.