In 1989, a man in Philadelphia purchased an old painting at a flea market for $4. He bought the painting for its frame. So when he got home, he tore the canvas away. Behind it, he found an old, folded document that he recognized as the Declaration of Independence. That was interesting, but he believed it was simply an old copy. He set it aside for a few years until a friend urged him to have it looked at by a professional.

At his friend’s insistence, the man contacted Sotheby’s, a famous auction house and authentication service. They immediately realized the folded piece of paper was an original copy of the Declaration. Only 24 were known to exist, and of those copies only three were held privately. It would sell at auction for $2.4 million.

Continuing on in our salvation story, we read that Jesus challenged his opponents’ understanding about the nature of the coming Messiah. These were scholars who knew the Hebrew Scriptures well. They were correct in their thinking that the Messiah would be a physical descendant of King David. Yet they failed to recognize his complete worth. The Messiah would not only be David’s son. He would be David’s Lord. 

As both David’s son and David’s Lord, Jesus is both fully God and fully man. Most people today readily affirm Jesus’ humanity. They may even believe that he died for their sins. But, don’t sell him short. As the exalted Christ and Lord, Jesus’ value is more than you could ever imagine.

Anticipation of life after death is a universal human hope. Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs would be buried in their tombs with a ship, believed to carry the deceased ruler’s spirit across the cosmos. Ancient Greeks sometimes placed a coin in the mouth of a corpse to pay the deceased person’s fare across the mystic river of death. Vikings would bury dead warriors with their bows, arrows, and horses; useful items that they might need in the next life. Indeed, in the book of Ecclesiastes we read that God has put eternity into man’s heart. 

Yet, there was one influential first-century Jewish sect that believed the soul ceased to exist after death. These were the Sadducees. They denied the resurrection, and as we continue in our salvation story, we read that they attempt to trip Jesus up with a supposed conundrum about the afterlife.

However, just as in the previous episode, Jesus would silence his opponents. First, he attacked the false premise of the Sadducees’ question. For those who are saved, the things of today will be replaced by an exceedingly better existence in the life to come. Jesus then mounted a positive defense for the resurrection and the immortality of the human soul. It was actually the Sadducees' denial of life after death that didn’t make any sense. An exceedingly better existence in the life to come changes how we enjoy the things of today.

Jesus’ response to the Sadducees corrects many of our own misconceptions about life after death as well. From marriage to our use of money, we make sense of the life to come by living for Jesus today.

Mark Twain once said, “Never discuss religion or politics in polite company.”  Yet as we read in our salvation story, Jesus’ opponents attempted to drag him into just such a debate by asking if observant Jews should pay taxes to Caesar or not. 

The Herodians were pro-Roman, a Jewish political movement that supported the Roman leader, King Herod. They wished to adapt to Roman customs and laws in exchange for peace and prosperity. The Zealots, on the other hand, sought to overthrow the occupying Roman government. They were doctrinally aligned with the Pharisees. But in addition to faithfully following the Torah, they called for more active resistance, saying that God was to be their only Ruler and King. 

Jesus' opponents wished to trap him. He would fall out of favor with either one group or the other. However, his response silenced them all: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God’s.”

Jesus' reply contains two important principles. First, to the rebellious Zealots, Jesus says that government is good. It has been instituted by God. Even secular human authorities, godless kings, accomplish God’s purposes in the world. But to the acquiescent Herodians Jesus reminds them that government is limited. The government is limited under God’s supreme authority over all our lives.

Though these particular movements no longer exist today, politics and religion certainly do. Therefore, obey Jesus’ heavenly authority by submitting to the earthly king.

From a very early age, we tend to resist authority. A toddler will stubbornly run in the opposite direction when mother calls. A teenager will wear certain clothes or listen to certain music in defiance of the established norms. As adults we don’t like anyone telling us what to do either, whether our boss, spouse, or even a friend. Like Frank Sinatra famously sang, “I did it my way.” 

Upon his arrival in Jerusalem with his disciples hailing him as king, Jesus immediately went to the temple, drove out the merchants, and began teaching. As we continue in our salvation story we read that representatives of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, then came and challenged Jesus’ authority. Who exactly did he think he was?

The religious leaders’ questions weren’t sincere. Their opposition would lead to Jesus’ execution just days later, which he foretells here in the parable about a vineyard and some wicked servants. 

While the story vividly illustrates Israel and her rebellious leaders, its significance lies primarily in the revealing of Jesus’ identity. He was the owner’s son. Jesus is the Son of God by whom everyone will be either saved or judged. Disciples acknowledge Jesus’ authority by listening and aligning their lives to his teaching.

On June 15, 1775, George Washington was named the first commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He then assumed his command on July 3 in Cambridge, MA where the troops were assembled for General Washington’s review. He later publicly commented that what he found was an army in disarray. Dirty, independent, defiant, discipline scattered among regiments depending on individual commanders, and noncommittal – many coming and going as they pleased. 

Continuing to read in our salvation story we come to Jesus’ climactic arrival in Jerusalem. Jesus was the Messiah, the one through whom all the promises of God would be fulfilled. He would inherit the throne of King David and rule over God’s people. And now he approached the holy city, riding on a donkey as throngs of his disciples shouted, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” 

But like troops being found in disarray upon the review of their general, the people of Jerusalem were not prepared for the arrival of their King. Jesus wept over the beloved city before entering the temple and asserting his authority. He conducted a frontal assault upon the religious leaders and their corrupt system, driving out the merchants before beginning to teach in the temple.

These actions would lead to Jesus’ arrest, trial, and execution later that very week. Jerusalem would be destroyed because she rejected her king at his first visitation. May we be found ready awaiting his second.

In this bonus episode of our salvation story, we are reposting Pastor Tim's sermon from Palm Sunday 2024 where he jumped ahead to Luke 19:28-40. 

Palm Sunday is celebrated by Christians all around the world. It’s significance can hardly be overstated as all four gospel writers record Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the people’s chants of praise. However, Luke omits the palm branches and the famous cry of “Hosanna!” In fact, there are a number of significant differences in Luke’s retelling of this well known story. Luke presents Jesus as the King and his disciples as loyal subjects, distinguishing their response from that of the Pharisees. 

Back in 2024, at the beginning of Passion Week, we jumped ahead in our salvation story to learn about the timing of a not yet kingdom and how we should respond to our already King.

Dads, kids grow up fast. If you blink you’ll miss it. One minute you’re teaching that little boy how to throw a baseball or cast a spinning reel, playing tea party with that little girl and attending dance recitals. The next thing you know you’re watching them speed off into the sunset on their honeymoon. 

We have only a certain amount of time with our kids. Therefore, maximize the moments that you’ve been given. Invest those moments well to reap the benefits decades, even generations from now.

Time and investment is the subject of this next episode in our salvation story. Nearing Jerusalem, Jesus’ listeners incorrectly supposed that the kingdom of God would appear immediately. So he told them the parable of a nobleman who went away to a far country, entrusting resources to his servants. When he returned, he rewarded those servants who were faithful, rejected those who were false, and exacted retribution on his foes. 

Jesus, the nobleman in our story, is coming back, though we don’t know the day or the hour. While we await his return and the consummation of his kingdom rule here upon the earth, Jesus has given us, his servants, a job to do along with the resources to do it. When he returns, we will be rewarded for faithfully applying his resources to the job that he commanded us to do. Therefore, invest well to maximize the time, talent, and treasure that Jesus has given you.

Who do you know that is so far from Jesus you can’t possibly imagine them ever darkening the doorway of a church? It could be an old high school friend who’s belligerent against the very idea of God, or a coworker whose cursing and off-color remarks would make a sailor blush, maybe a gay relative, or perhaps even your spouse. You can’t imagine that person ever getting saved.

That is just the kind of person that we read about in this episode of our salvation story. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Tax collectors were notorious fraudsters, gangsters who imposed their will on people by physical coercion. Worse than that, Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in Jericho, an important hub of commerce and trade. He was the worst of the worst. In addition to all of this, Zacchaeus was rich. Just two episodes ago Jesus had said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved. 

However, what is impossible with man is possible with God. Jesus intentionally sought out and radically saved the sinner Zacchaeus. That Zacchaeus was saved is evident from his radical transformation. He publicly declared that he would make restitution to those he had wronged and give half his possessions to the poor.

Luke uses this story to again answer Jesus’ question posed at the beginning of chapter 18, “Who are the ones that will be found faithful when the Son of Man comes? Who are the ones that will escape judgment? Who are the ones that will be saved?” The ones who will be found faithful when the Son of Man comes are those whose life gives evidence that they’ve been radically changed by Jesus.

There are a total of eight special telephone short-code numbers established by the Federal Communications Commission. These numbers provide callers quick and simple access to special services. For example, before you dig dial 811 for underground public utility location. 511 provides traffic and road conditions from the Department of Transportation. Though it’s now going out of use, dialing 411 connected the caller to directory assistance. From a very early age, you were probably taught to dial 911 in the event of an emergency. It’s important to call the correct number, especially when someone’s life might depend on it.

In our salvation story, we read about a blind beggar who makes a desperate call, crying out to Jesus that he might recover his sight. Despite being rebuked by others, the blind man persisted in his plea for mercy, recognizing Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Not only was the man healed of his blindness, he was eternally saved and followed Jesus. Luke uses this miracle story to again answer Jesus’ question posed at the very beginning of chapter 18, “Who is the one that will be found faithful when the Son of Man comes?” Those who desperately call out to Jesus, confessing him as Lord.

To "bet on something" means to wager something or stake something on the outcome of an uncertain event. Farmers have been out in the fields planting. They’re betting on a good harvest so they can pay for the seed, fertilizer, and equipment with hopefully some money left over to feed their family. You might be betting your retirement income on the stock market going up. Dad would joke with us kids that we were his retirement plan. He’s betting that we’ll take care of him in his old age. Maybe you put off doing yard work this weekend betting that it won’t rain when you finally get around to it later.

Have you ever made a bad bet?

Continuing in our salvation story we read that a rich ruler came to Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. This knowledgeable, religiously observant man was betting on his good works but Jesus hit him where it hurt; his wealth. Jesus always requires from us just that one earthly security upon which we might lean, that one thing that keeps us from following Him. 

The one who gives up everything and follows Jesus is the one who will be saved. To give up everything in this life to gain access to the blessings of His kingdom is the greatest wealth imaginable. It’s the best bet anyone could ever make.