Reading Scripture: New Testament In A Year

Christ was crucified according to the plan of God for criminals like you and me. Let us look at him and say, Truly, this is the Son of God.

##### I. Chief priests/elders bind Jesus lead him away to Pilate

##### II. Judas hangs himself

- "composite quotes"

##### III. Jesus and Pilate

- Christ gives no answer -

- Mt. 12 - the Gentle servant

- Isaiah 53:7-8 - He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he opened not his mouth.

##### IV. Pilate and the Crowd, Barrabbas

- Exchanges a criminal for Christ.

- Let Him be crucified!

- His blood be on us and on our children

- Mt. 23- "so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth...all these things will come upon this generation"

##### V. Christ is mocked by the Roman battalion

- Hail, King of the Jews!

##### VI. The Crucifixion

- Roman Crucifixion was one of the worst ways to die.

- Not only was Christ flogged, laying him open and creating great blood loss.

- They would drive nails into his wrists locking into the bone. and his feet. His limbs would be stretched out of joint.

- Hanging on his nailed hands, he would have to pull himself up in order to breathe.

- Slow, painful, humiliating death.

- Like a billboard on the highway at Golgotha.

- The Irony of their mockery

- This is Jesus King of the Jews

- He saved others; he cannot save himself?!

- If he saved himself, he could not save others.

- Christ alludes to powerful psalm - Psalm 22.

- All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

- I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

it is melted within my breast;

my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

For dogs encompass me;

a company of evildoers encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—

I can count all my bones—

they stare and gloat over me;

they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

##### VII. Christ yields his spirit, curtains tear and the tombs open.

- Temple curtain separated the common people from the holy of holies - the most intimate and sacred place in the temple, where God's presence would rest over the seat of atonement of the ark. Only the High priest could enter in only once a year.

- Torn -access to the holy presence of God through the atoning blood of Jesus.

- Resurrection of OT saints - Christ power destroyed the power of death. This is a foreshadow of the future resurrection of the saints.

- Centurion - gentile - Truly, this was the Son of God.

- Pilate - perceiving his innocence, washing his hands of it.

- Faithful women who ministered to Christ.

##### VIII. Buried

- Joseph of Arimathea

- Isaiah 53: And they made his grave with the wicked

and with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

IX. Tomb guarded by his enemies

- Roman guard or the temple guard. Sealed.

- "You have a guard of soldiers" or "take a guard of soldiers".

* guarded by a roman or temple guard - probably Roman, if escaped, punisheable by Death. 

* Which is a perfect setup for a miracle.

##### Truth: Christ was crucified according to the Will and Plan of God for our salvation.

He truly is the King of the Jews.

Application: The Great exchange - Barrabas for us

- great illustration - Christ took a criminal's death so that I might be set free. This great exchange - what we believe as Christians, we call "substitutionary atonement".

- We can say with the Centurion - Truly, this is the Son of God.

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

Have you ever let Christ down? As disciples, we are called to follow but without Christ we ultimately fail. This is why we completely need Christ's body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

##### I. Jesus predicts his death,

- the elders and chief priests plot to kill Christ.

##### II. Jesus is anointed

- woman prepared Jesus for burial

##### III. Judas set up betrayal

##### IV. The Passover meal

\* The Passover meal marked the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread. This meal and festival was a reminder of when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. On the night they would be set free, they were instructed to take a lamb and kill it. They would put the blood of the lamb on their door posts, because the Lord said he would pass over that house when he went out to strike the Egyptians and judge the gods of Egypt. Then they would eat the lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The bitter herbs reminded them of their bitter slavery in Egypt, and the unleavened bread was to remember they didn't have time to let their bread rise because of their quick exodus from Egypt. It is important that Christ gave us communion at this meal, to show that He is the sacrificial lamb for God's people, so that all who trust in Him would be spared from God's wrath against his enemies.

##### V. Communion

- this is my body

- this is my blood, of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

- covenant - binding contract or agreement with God.

- Jesus foretells his return here, we are to look forward to sharing drink at his return in God's Kingdom.

##### VI. Christ tells disciples they will fall away

##### VII. Prayer at Gethsemane

- Struggle of Christ in prayer

- Son of Man, Son of God

- has two wills

##### VIII. Arrest, betrayal

- all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.

##### IX. Trial before Caiaphas

- Confession - v.63-64

##### X. Peter denies Jesus

### Truth - Christ is our passover lamb, betrayed that his body and blood would make a new covenant with God for the forgiveness of sins.

Disciples - Our utter failure to follow Christ

##### Application:

See our failure and total need for Christ's sacrifice

We are not the hero of the story, Christ is.

And Christ suffered and died alone.

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

##### I. Parable of the Ten Virgins

- Bridegroom

- wise virgins

- oil in lamps

- [ ] v. 13 - Watch for you know neither the day nor the hour

- [ ] what does it mena to have no oil

- Master is delayed in coming

Delay

24:48

25:5

25:19

##### II. Parable of the Talents

talent - $ - 20 years wages

$1/2 - 1 Million

good faithful servant

wicked slothful servant

"Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with little, I will..."

##### III. The Final Judgment @ Christ's Coming

- my brothers 12:50

##### Truth -

Christ the King will settle with his servants and separate the righteous from the wicked.

Righteous will go into the Kingdom, and the wicked to eternal punishment.

##### Application:

- Be watchful

- Be faithful

- Know the Christ

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

Christ gives signs and instructions to his disciples so that they will be ready for his return.

context - Jesus gave a warning to Jerusalem of desolation. Predicts that the temple would be destroyed.

**Introducing Questions:** 

1. ​ when will these things be? (destruction of the temple)
2. ​ what will be the sign of your coming?
3. ​ and of the end of the age?

* As if the three questions are interconnected. That Christ’s coming is tied to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple… 

The analogy of giving birth...

Overview - 4 Series of signs.

**I. The Beginning of Birth Pains v.4-8**

_3 Signs - Deception, War, Natural Disaster.

_ - \*The Context of False prophets and false christ’s - seem to arise out of times of crisis, distress and trouble. Satan seeks to deceive us when we are weak and needy. When we are vulnerable. We are to wait for the Savior.

**II. Persecution, Betrayal, Apostasy v.9-14**

**Signs of Christ’s Coming: Hard Labor.**

**III. The Great Tribulation v.15-28**

- The Abomination of Desolation - **The pattern/ Type in the book of Daniel is a wicked person who takes away the sacrifices, sets up an abomination, and brings desolation.** 

- the pattern of the abomination of desolation in Daniel is Three things: 1 - the removal of proper worship - ie. the taking away of sacrifices. And 2. the setting up of “appalling sacrilege” - or idolatrous worship. 3. This brings total desolation. 

- Sacrifice, Sacrilege, Slaughter.

**IV. Cosmic Signs and Christ’s Coming v.29-31**

Different perspectives among Christians on how to take this passage.

- Preterists - see all the signs of Matthew 24 fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem... so that the only sign remaining is Christ's return.

- The Futurists - see all of these signs to have yet to happen.

- **I personally would see Christ touching the fall of Jerusalem - which would come some 40 years after this - as a pattern of a future event that will be intense and right before Christ's return.**

- Interestingly - when Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70 AD, the Christians, remembering Christ's words, fled the city to a stronghold called Petra. Christians were notably absent in Jerusalem during its siege.

My Theological Crockpot. slow cook.

### Truth:

God knows the sufferings of His people. His times are fixed for his purpose.

Christ will come back for his own.

### Applications:

Endure Trouble and persecution. Keep your love for Christ and others...

Beware of Deception - False Christs.

- you won't miss Christ's coming v.27.

Stay Awake and Expectant - Know the Season and Part of the Night

Be Wise and Faithful.

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

Christ confronts the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. When it can be tempting to idolize human teachers or hero

es, we must remember that we only have on Teacher.

I. sit on Moses' seat - had Moses' authority and taught the Law. archeology found a chair at the front of a synagogue where a person would teach the OT law.

- phylacteries - small strip of parchment on which portions of the law were written and worn on the forehead and next to the heart. x. Dt. 6:4-9 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart... These words that i command you today shall be on your heart... you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes..."

- fringes - tassels on clothes to remind people of God's law. Commanded in Dt. 22:12.

\*rabbi - rabboni - title given to Jewish teachers and instructors. literally means, "master."

II. 7 \*Woes - Sorrow/Grief... used as a warning.... reminds me of the sermon on the mount - where Jesus said, "Blessed" or Happy...

1. ​ Woe - prevent ppl entering the Kingdom
2. ​ Woe - you make a proselyte - twice the child of hell!
3. ​ Woe - blind guides - taking oaths - all oaths are binding.
4. ​ Woe - heed the smallest detail but ignore the more important parts of the law - justice, mercy, faithfulness.
5. ​ Woe - clean up appearances but not the heart.
6. ​ Woe - Outwardly appear righteous but inwardly full of hypocrisy and lawlessness/sinfulness.
7. ​ Woe - decorate tombs of the prophets, but sons of those who killed them - Jesus foretells or predicts they will kill and prophesy the ones Jesus will send to them.

- one of those was Paul

- Guilty of shedding the blood of the righteous.

III. Jesus mourns over Jerusalem.

- His heart to gather them, despite their unwillingness.

- Desolate.

- You will not see me again until you say "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

- x. Psalm 118

**Truth** - Recognize that we have one father - God. One Teacher and Instructor - Christ.

**Application**:

- Hold Christ as the authoritative teacher in your heart. God is your Father, Christ your Rabbi or Teacher. Don't elevate men.

- Worship and honor God from the heart, not with mere outward religion. Don't miss the point.

**Human Teachers**

"It is our human tendency to elevate people. We tend to look at people as icons, saviors, or heros. But We should guard our heart from putting them on pedestals - reserve the throne of your heart only for Christ. Don't put your hope in men or women. When human teachers fall short - let it be a reminder that they are fellow brothers, and that we all have one Rabbi - Christ Jesus."

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

You've received an invitation to the wedding feast. Do you have your wedding garments?

1) Finish parables

2) Christ is tested with questions by the smartest minds of Jerusalem

#### A. Last Parable

##### I. The Parable of the Wedding Feast

\* Wedding feast. So at a Jewish wedding, the bride and her party would parade to the Bridegroom's house, where all the family and friends would be gathered for a feast. Festivities would last a week, sometimes up to 2 weeks. Guests would be issued white robes for the festivities.

- outerdarkness

- v.14 - many called. few chosen.

- invited - the chosen - come with wedding garments on.

#### B. Jesus is questioned

##### II. Taxes to Caesar

- Herodians - family of political rulers, appointed by Rome. Aristocrats of Palestine, more associated with the Sadducees.

##### III. About the Resurrection

- Sadducees - Jewish sect with political influence. Generally held the high priesthood, the temple was the basis for their power. Closely associated with the Herodians, rejected the traditions of the Pharisees.

##### IV. The Great Commandment

- Scribes - Lawyers - professional scholars of the OT law. Often worked a trade. Developed a body of teaching called the "tradition of the elders". Affiliated with the Pharisees.

##### V. Jesus asks a question

- Son of David and Psalm 110.

- "Teacher"

##### Truth

Christ is wise. Outsmarts the Crafty.

##### Application:

- [ ] The Crowed marveled - astonished.

- [ ] Accept the invitation to the wedding feast. Do you have the wedding garments?

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

Even the lowest can find a home in Christ. What does it look like to bear fruit for Christ? Christ confronts the religious leaders of Israel for not bearing fruit, and is received by the lowly.

Outline:

Two Parts:

1.The King of the Kingdom Enters Jerusalem, and cleanses the Temple.

2.Confrontation with the chief priests, scribes and pharisees.

#### I. Jesus enters Jerusalem v.1-11

- v.4-7 - Fulfill Prophecy - x. Zech. 9:9 - 520-540 yrs. earlier

- "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

**humble** and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

...

          - Donkey - 2 things - humility and peace.

          - Different Messiah

**Christ is the King, the Son of David - prophesied in OT.**

- v.9 - Hosanna - _aramaic_ _Hoshia-na,_ "Please save!" - praise.

#### II. Jesus cleanses the temple v.12-17

- Temple - the place given by God for worship, and for animal sacrifice for cleansing from sins. Its laws are talked about in the Old Testament.

- Money changers - were bankers that would exchange foreign moneys into the temple currency so people could pay for their sacrifices and tax. They likely made a lot of money for doing this, they were also selling animals... and it looks like they started doing this *inside* the temple rather than merely outside.

- chief priests - this is the High priest according to OT law, but also the priestly family line... at this point they had gained political power and also oversaw the judicial counsel called the Sanhedrin. Religious and Political Power.

- house of prayer - den of robbers - Is. 56:7 and Jer. 7:8-11.

- Malachi 3:1b - "And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple..."

- The book of Malachi was written some 400 years before this... God's word through a prophet against the corruptions of the priests....

- God foretold that he would send a messenger before Him to prepare the way, he would send Elijah, and that the Lord himself would suddenly come to the temple and refine the priests.

#### III. Jesus Curses the Fig Tree v.18-22

- Faith to move mountains

- why this story here? ... keep in mind the setting or context. no fruit - fruit is going to be mentioned later.

#### IV. Jesus' authority questioned v.23-27

- Christ asks about John the Baptist - His Forerunner.

#### V. Two parables of Vineyard v.28-46

- 1st - two sons asked to work in the Vineyard

- one says no, changes mind and goes

- other says yes, but changes mind and doesn't

- only one does the will of his Father

- Tax Collectors/prostitutes enter Kingdom - they changed their minds and believed John.

- 2nd - Master rents out his vineyard to tenants, sends servants to collect the fruit. They mistreat them - kill them... Sends his Son, they kill him. He will kill them and rent out the Vineyard to others who will

- The Master is God, Vineyard is his Kingdom... Tenants would be the chief priests, pharisees,

#### KEY Truths - v. 42-43 -

Christ is the Chosen Cornerstone of the Kingdom of God, though rejected by 'the Builders'.

Therefore - the Kingdom will be taken away from them and given to people bearing its fruits.

#### Application:

- [ ] Say Hosanna!

- [ ] The lowest may come - children, blind, lame, tax collectors and prostitutes...

- [ ] Change your mind and believe Christ - and enter his kingdom - as the tax collectors and prostitutes - the lowest and considered the most sinful.

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

Christ shows us that trying to get first place in the Kingdom doesn't work like in this world. In order to be great - you must become a servant.

I. Parable of the Laborers in the Master's Vineyard

\* For - explaining 18:30 - First last/Last First

- hires laborers early middle late day

- denarius - day's wages

- pays the same

- rewards/wages based in the King's generosity

II. Jesus predicts his death and resurrection 3rd time

- geography - nearing Jerusalem

- Ch. 19 - leaving Galilee in Judea

III. The Great in the Kingdom v.20-28

cup

v.25 - Lord it over, exercise authority

Great = servant, slave

low social status, others focused

Christ - model of service, ransom

IV. Jesus heals two blind men v.29-34

- two sitting

- very similar to story in Mt. 8

- geography - Jericho

- Last place - rebuked by crowd

Truth - The Son of Man came to serve, give his life.

- model of greatness.

Application:

Serve others rather than seeking power and authority

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

Christ shows us that true reward comes from having Him alone as our Master. Salvation is impossible with man, but possible with God.

Outline:

I. Divorce, Marriage, & Singleness v.1-12

- context - reconciliation

- Jesus answers the question by pointing to the original design. Genesis 1, 2

- Eunuch - castrated servants for kings

- singleness

II. Children and the Kingdom v.13-15

- Again - God's heart for kids

III. The Rich and the Kingdom of Heaven v.16-30

- great comment in the ESV - rich is the opposite of being a child.

- "Why do you call me good? No one is good" but God

- Being or doing 'good' to enter the Kingdom is impossible with man.

- But with God all things are possible.

- Not saying "try harder" but "change masters"

- Christ winnows.

- Repent

- Window into the future dimension of the Kingdom

- Jesus sit on his glorious throne

- a renewed world

- His 2nd Coming

- the disciples will rule. Alive. Ruling.

Truth - Salvation is impossible with man but possible with God. No one is good but one.

Application:

Follow Jesus.

Read from:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)

© 2001 by Crossway,

a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

All rights reserved.

How do you read the Bible? I've broken down personal Bible reading into 4 main steps: Pray, Read, Think, and Do.