Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified. At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. But not during the Passover celebration, they agreed, or the people may riot. Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. What a waste! they said. It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor. But Jesus, aware of this, replied, Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this womans deed will be remembered and discussed. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you? And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you? As you go into the city, he told them, you will see a certain man. Tell him, The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house. So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there. When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me. Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, Am I the one, Lord? He replied, One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born! Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, Rabbi, am I the one? And Jesus told him, You have said it. As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, Take this and eat it, for this is my body. And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my wordsI will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom. Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. On the way, Jesus told them, Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there. Peter declared, Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you. Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, Peterthis very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me. No! Peter insisted. Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you! And all the other disciples vowed the same.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭1‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In these verses we see the best and worst of humanity. A woman anointed the Lord with expensive oil. She was criticized by the disciples but defended by Christ because she understood the ultimate worth of Jesus. There are times when humans, as broken as we are, get it right in our devotion, and our love for Christ shines.

Also in these verses, the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus, Judas planned on betraying Jesus, and Peter claimed to be stronger than he really was. The leaders were afraid of losing their position and power, Peter overestimated his human strength (he had walked on water, after all), and Judas was upset that Jesus did not live up to his expectations for a Messiah. There are times when humans get it so wrong, causing deep damage to ourselves, others, and our relationship with God.

Jesus loves us through it all, and His love includes speaking truth into our lives. He is our Best FriendHe had done nothing wrong to the religious leaders, Judas, or Peter. He continued loving them after they had made mistakes. And He gave His life as a sacrificesymbolized in the Last Supperinviting every single person to accept His sacrifice and take a place at His table.

There are so many lessons in these verses: power, position, expectations, generosity, value, sacrifice, love, unity, friendship, frailty, and many more. These verses reveal the best and worst of humanity. Jesus is our only hope; His light can shine into the darkness inside.

How can you be honest about your shortfalls and allow Christs presence and love to transform you?

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Then these righteous ones will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will say, I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me! Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didnt feed me. I was thirsty, and you didnt give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didnt invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didnt give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didnt visit me. Then they will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you? And he will answer, I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭31‬-‭46‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus is the King and judge of the world. In this final parable, Jesus described the final judgment of the worldincluding Christians. Yes, Christians are judged, too. We know we will not be condemned because Jesus has paid the price (Rom 8:1). Yet the Lord was clear: Christians will give account for their lives; we will be judged (Matthew 7:15-23; 25:19, 32; John 15:5-6; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Pet 1:17; Rev 20:12). To put it another way: our character matters, our choices matter, and how we respond to God matters. We cant live the Christian life without Christ, which is why He lives inside of us; it is only His presence that transforms us and produces fruit (John 15:5).

We are saved by Gods grace, and we must respond to His powerful grace. In this parable, those who go to eternal life didnt realize they were serving Jesus, but they responded to His love and forgiveness and graceliving lives of love and forgiveness and graceand serving others. Those who are sent to eternal punishment called Jesus Lord but had not responded to Him, served Him, or truly followed Him. This parable has a strong point and warning: the final judgment will not be based on what you say or know, but how you live out the love of Christ inside of you. Will you feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, and give clothes to the naked? The things you own do not belong to you; they were given to you by the Lord and meant to be used to help others. Will you visit the sick and those in prison? Your time is not your own; it is a gift from God that is meant to be used to serve Christ. Serving Christ may include shame and inconvenience, but it is the path to freedom and joy.

How have you responded to the grace of God? How are you allowing His love and truth to lead your life? How can you serve others with Jesus this week?

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didnt take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were roused by the shout, Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him! All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out. But the others replied, We dont have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves. But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, Lord! Lord! Open the door for us! But he called back, Believe me, I dont know you! So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the lastdividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the masters money. After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more. The master was full of praise. Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Lets celebrate together! The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more. The master said, Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Lets celebrate together! Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didnt plant and gathering crops you didnt cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back. But the master replied, You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didnt plant and gathered crops I didnt cultivate, why didnt you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it. Then he ordered, Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭1‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The words of Christ are not just meant to be read; they are meant to be lived. It is not even enough to understand them; you must put them into practice. If we are willing to live them out, with His help, our lives will be transformed.

The point of the first story is that you need to be ready for a long wait before Christ's return, and you can't borrow the faith or endurance of others to make it to the finish line. Be ready! Put that into your life practically. Are you ready to endure the hard (but wonderful) road of faith? Are you trying to live off the faith of others? Do you have reserves built up? If not, come up with a plan to make that happen.

The second story is about how God, our Creator and Master, invests in our livesand expects a return on His investment. Like so many of us with God, the lazy servant misunderstood the master. He wasnt stingy; he gave each person a huge amount of money (a talent was 80 pounds of gold, roughly 6,000 days wages!). He celebrated with the faithful servants and invited them into his happiness. The lazy servant misunderstood his masterand missed the invitation into significance and celebration. It is so important that we understand the expectations of God. We must let go of our own thoughts, honestly study the Bible, and know the real God.

Knowing something about Jesus in your mind isnt enough; faithfulness must be lived out. What are the gifts God has given you, and how does He expect you to use them?

So if someone tells you, Look, the Messiah is out in the desert, dont bother to go and look. Or, Look, he is hiding here, dont believe it! For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the worldfrom the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noahs day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didnt realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. So you, too, must keep watch! For you dont know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, My master wont be back for a while, and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭26‬-‭51‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In these verses, Jesus answered the disciples second question: what is the sign of Your coming? Christ instructed His disciples not to follow false claims; His appearance will be obvious to the whole world. The Lord will come on the clouds in glory, hailed by angels and the mighty sound of trumpets. He will gather His people from around the world, and they will meet Him in the sky and live with Him forever (1 Thess 4:18). The Lord will not leave earth againHe will judge and re-create it (Rev 20:12; 21:1). This is the fulfillment of new creation, which Christians are beginning to experience inside themselves, even now (2 Cor 5:17).

God tells us about the futureeven the hard partsso we can live in confidence, not fear. Our Father has not told us the day and hour so that we learn to trust Him, always living like His coming is near. We are called to be prepared, be on guard, and to keep watch. Keeping watch means being aware of the times, staying on guard against temptation and deception, and living faithfully as His servants. We are supposed to live as if Jesus was by our side every moment (He is!).

We don't have to be afraid, but we can live expectantly. We can know that there is more to this world than what is in front of our eyes now. We can know the future plan, in part, and that changes everything about how we live now. This is HOPE, and it changes everything. We can live His hopeeven in the midst of stress, disease, death, worries, and endless problems. This world is not the way it is supposed to be, but He is returning to re-create the world, and the new creation has already begun. Live hopefully and keep watch!

How can Gods real hope help you in the hardest times? What does it mean for you to keep watch for Jesus?

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another! Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? Jesus told them, Dont let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah. They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but dont panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end wont follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke aboutthe sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place. (Reader, pay attention!) Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of Gods chosen ones. Then if anyone tells you, Look, here is the Messiah, or There he is, dont believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even Gods chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Matthew 24-25 are known as the Olivet Discourse, where Jesus taught on the impending judgment of the nation (due to the disobedience of the leaders, see Matthew 23), the suffering of His people, and His second coming to judge and renew the world. This is the fifth and final major teaching section in the Gospel of Matthew. The Lord revealed this information for us to have HOPE (not to obsess over or fear). Even in the midst of a broken world, we can have hopeGod has a plan, our King is in control, and Jesus is coming again.

The disciples asked two questions: when will the destruction of the Temple happen, and what will be the sign of Your return? Christ answered both questions (24:30, 34), and told His disciples to be prepared for suffering. The words of Christ (and Daniel) were fulfilled: the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. The destruction of that great city is a foreshadowing of the final battle that will be raised against Gods people. Christ will return and bring the final victory, the end of the beginning and the beginning of a new forever.

Jesus warned His followers not to be misled; when the Romans marched in, they remembered the words of the Lord and fled to the hills (v.16). Dont be misled! People will try to mislead us, false prophets will come, and the world will be constantly unsettled with war, struggles, and natural disasters. These are called the birth pangs. Things will get worse before He returns, and those who stand firm to the end will be saved. Dont be misled, dont let your love grow cold, and be prepared to suffer.

Why do you think God tells us about the future? How can you personally prepare for what Jesus describes in these verses?

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but dont follow their example. For they dont practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi. Dont let anyone call you Rabbi, for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And dont address anyone here on earth as Father, for only God in heaven is your Father. And dont let anyone call you Teacher, for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in peoples faces. You wont go in yourselves, and you dont let others enter either. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear by Gods Temple, but that it is binding to swear by the gold in the Temple. Blind fools! Which is more importantthe gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say that to swear by the altar is not binding, but to swear by the gifts on the altar is binding. How blind! For which is more importantthe gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? When you swear by the altar, you are swearing by it and by everything on it. And when you swear by the Temple, you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. And when you swear by heaven, you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the lawjustice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you wont accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthyfull of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombsbeautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead peoples bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. Then you say, If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets. But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell? Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all timefrom the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones Gods messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldnt let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭10‬, ‭12‬-‭13‬, ‭15‬-‭39‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This chapter is known as the Eight WoesJesus list of criticism against the hypocritical leadership of the scribes and Pharisees. In their day, they were seen as the good guys, and they wielded huge influence over the lives of others. They knew much and had very strict religious lives. Yet they missed the point of Scripture while seeking to enforce those mistakes on others. Unfortunately, religious people (including Christians) have repeated many of the mistakes listed here.

Doing things for show, loving titles of honor, and seeking the praise of people, not God

Shutting the door of heaven in others faces, claiming to be the gatekeepers

Being willing to travel and teach others, but not willing to take the time and trouble to self-inspect

Having a false priority system, swearing by the gold but not the Temple, and missing what is most important while making superficial rules about God

Following the details of the law to the smallest detail but missing the biggest points: justice, mercy, and faith (doing so misrepresents God)

Being full of greed and self-indulgence yet covering these sins with religious show, refusing to be truly cleansed by God

Being spiritually dead on the insidehypocritical and lawlesswhile looking good on the outside by following the rules

Remembering the holy people who have been killed, while acting in the same way as the people who killed them

The last woe is especially tragic; in it, Jesus predicted His own death and the people who would make it happen. They would condemn the God whom they claimed to be serving, and so they would be condemned. They would not listen, and they wouldnot change. True change happens when our lives are rooted in Jesus. We dont change on our own or earn His love; we only have to receive His strength. He starts with our hearts: our attitudes, motivations, and desires. He changes our behavior and gives us self-discipline. The discipline is not the goal, as the Pharisees mistakenly thought; being closer to Christ is the goal. Athletes don't work out to brag about their workouts but to be better at their sport.

What is on the list above that needs change in your life? How can you make sure you work with the Savior (not on your own) to have true change?

That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadduceesreligious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: Teacher, Moses said, If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brothers name. Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. Last of all, the woman also died. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her. Jesus replied, Your mistake is that you dont know the Scriptures, and you dont know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the deadhavent you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So he is the God of the living, not the dead. When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching. But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses? Jesus replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he? They replied, He is the son of David. Jesus responded, Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah my Lord? For David said, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet. Since David called the Messiah my Lord, how can the Messiah be his son? No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭23‬-‭46‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These verses show Christ answering every question brought by different groups of people. He answered every question well, then asked a question they could not answerthough the answer holds a powerful truth. The Sadducees were very involved politically, held many positions of power, and only believed in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). They did not believe in the resurrection. They asked Christ a hypothetical (and slightly ridiculous) question about a woman who married seven brothers. Christ answered their question by teaching that there is no marriage in eternity. He also quoted from Exodus 3:6 to show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive now (I am their God, not I was their God), thus proving the resurrection from the Torah.

The scribes academically studied and taught the Old Testament and rabbinical writings. They loved to debate, and this scribe brought a common debate, attempting to trap Christ. He was trying to trap God using His own laws! Jesus answered by citing the Shema from Deuteronomy 6, which was the daily prayer and creed of all Jews. He added on Leviticus 19:18to love your neighbor as yourselfbringing this law to a place of priority as well. You cant do one without the other.

Christ asked the Pharisees a closing question: How can the Messiah be Davids son, if He is Davids LORD? The Pharisees understood that the Messiah was Davids son and expected the Messiah to be a conquering king. They didnt understand the Messiah would also be the Lord. Even when Jesus showed it clearly written, they refused to believe.

Jesus has the answers to our questions. What are some hard questions you have for Jesus? How are you pursuing the answers? What hard questions is God asking you?

Jesus also told them other parables. He said, The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! So he sent other servants to tell them, The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet! But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited arent worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see. So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasnt wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. Friend, he asked, how is it that you are here without wedding clothes? But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. Teacher, they said, we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and dont play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But Jesus knew their evil motives. You hypocrites! he said. Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax. When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, Whose picture and title are stamped on it? Caesars, they replied. Well, then, he said, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God. His reply amazed them, and they went away.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There are two stories here, and both require reflection to understand. The story of the Banquet is about God preparing a Kingdom celebration for His people (Israel), yet they rejected His invitation. The people in the parable refused to come, busy with their own lives or hostile to the messengers; they refused to make time for the kingeven though he was throwing a party!

Then the king invited everyone, like Christ reached out to the outcasts and sinners, yet someone snuck in and refused to change into celebration clothes (either from home or provided by the host). This was a huge insult to the king, revealing that the personlike many who claim to be Christianstook the invitation for granted and refused to change. Faking faith doesnt work with God; every person needs to be changed by Christ.

In the second story, the Pharisees and Herodianswho were typically enemiesconspired to trap Jesus. If He said to pay taxes to Rome (as the Herodians did), He would be portrayed as a traitor to Israel. If he said not to pay taxes to Caesar (as the Pharisees did), He would be reported as an insurrectionist to Rome. Jesus wisely navigated out of their trap, pushing them (and us) deeper. We should pay our national taxes, but even more we should give everything to God. Give Caesar back his coin; it has his image on it. Give God back YOURSELF; you are made in His image. Jesus said, Give to God what belongs to God. That is everythingfinances, time, transformation, relationships, talent, energy, work, possessions, goalseverything.

How can you make sure you commit time to Gods invitation into transformation and joy? Is there anything in your life you have held back from giving to God?

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right? Ill tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question, Jesus replied. Did Johns authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? They talked it over among themselves. If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didnt believe John. But if we say it was merely human, well be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet. So they finally replied, We dont know. And Jesus responded, Then I wont tell you by what authority I do these things. But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, Son, go out and work in the vineyard today. The son answered, No, I wont go, but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, You go, and he said, Yes, sir, I will. But he didnt go. Which of the two obeyed his father? They replied, The first. Then Jesus explained his meaning: I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didnt believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins. Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same. Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, Surely they will respect my son. But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, lets kill him and get the estate for ourselves! So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him. When the owner of the vineyard returns, Jesus asked, what do you think he will do to those farmers? The religious leaders replied, He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest. Then Jesus asked them, Didnt you ever read this in the Scriptures? The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lords doing, and it is wonderful to see. I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on. When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against themthey were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭23‬-‭46‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our answers to Gods questions determine the course of our lives. The leading priests and elders asked Jesus a question about His authority. They cared about authority because they had a lot of it; they were educated and powerful men in their sixties or seventies. Jesus and His followers were likely in their thirties (or younger)not traditionally educated, not wealthy, not politically powerful, and from the wrong part of the country (Galilee). Christ was unafraid of the power of religious leaders and asked them a question about John the Baptists authority. They refused to answer becauseeven with all their powerthey were afraid of the people. Jesus warned them with two parables: they needed to do the will of God and repent. They understood His parables but refused to see their own hypocrisy and stubborn hearts. They avoided the deep question, instead solving their problem by murdering Jesus.

Jesus will ask us hard, life-defining questions. Will we take the time to answer them, or will we avoid them? The religious leaders were afraid of threats to their power and of the opinions of others, and most of us struggle with the same things. We people please, break our own boundaries, and live contrary to what we believe to make others happy. These priests and elderswho claimed to serve Godcould not recognize that God stood before them, right before their eyes. If we focus more on others than on Jesus, we will miss where He is leading usa life of significance and purpose with Him.

Are there any important spiritual questions that you have been avoiding? How can you be more focused on what Jesus thinks than on what others thinkeven the people who are important to you?

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. Go into the village over there, he said. As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, The Lord needs them, and he will immediately let you take them. This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, Tell the people of Jerusalem, Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey riding on a donkeys colt. The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven! The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. Who is this? they asked. And the crowds replied, Its Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, The Scriptures declare, My Temple will be called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves! The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, Praise God for the Son of David. But the leaders were indignant. They asked Jesus, Do you hear what these children are saying? Yes, Jesus replied. Havent you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, You have taught children and infants to give you praise. Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight. In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, May you never bear fruit again! And immediately the fig tree withered up. The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, How did the fig tree wither so quickly? Then Jesus told them, I tell you the truth, if you have faith and dont 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. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus entered Jerusalem on (Palm) Sunday, hailed as Messiah and King (fulfilling prophecy). This begins Passion week; Christ will teach, be betrayed, suffer, die, and rise againall within this week. He entered the city as the true King, the Son of God who had come to judge sin. Yet Jerusalem judged Him and killed Him, sealing their own fate. Jesus warned them of their coming destruction, symbolized in the cursed fig tree, yet the leaders ignored Himand the Temple was destroyed less than 40 years later. People today are still judging the JudgeJesus is still on trialand the decision we make about Him decides our own eternal fate.

Jesus entered the Temple and cleared out everything that did not belong there. He healed the blind and lame, causing many to give glory to God, yet the leaders only saw their loss of income and power. This act is a symbol for the destruction of the Temple and the end of the sacrificial systemwhich He would fulfill with His own death. Christ is the finaland perfectsacrifice (Heb 7:27). Jesus enters our hearts and works to clear out everything that does not belong. Do you protest or will you listen and follow? Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit; Jesus will work to remove everything that hurts you, everything that does not belong. This is an act of love.

What needs to be removed from your life?