Judas Betrays Jesus, and Peter Denies Him

Judas Betrays Jesus, and Peter Denies Him Matt. 26:36-75; Mark 14:32-72; Luke 22:39-71; John 18:1-27

Judas, the unfaithful disciple, steps forward and cries, "Hail, Master!" and kisses Jesus on the cheek. THROUGH THE DEEP shadows which fell from the buildings along the streets a silent figure glided along, hurrying toward the assembly-room where the enemies of Jesus were sitting together waiting. That silent figure was the evil-minded disciple, Judas Iscariot, who was hurrying on his way to sell his Lord. Soon the footsteps of Judas fell on the floor of the hall, and his knock sounded on the door of the assembly-room. In the reply to the call, "Who is there?" came the answer, "He for whom you wait," and quickly the door was thrown open and Judas entered. Now there followed a hasty conversation, some argument, and finally thirty pieces of silver were counted out and handed to Judas. Then the assembly broke up, each man hurrying to get a torch or to summon the soldiers who should on their midnight errand. While this was taking place, Jesus and the eleven disciples had left the room up-stairs where they had eaten the last Passover supper together, and had gone outside the city to a garden across the brook Kidron. Here at the entrance of the garden Jesus had told eight of the disciples to wait, and, taking with him Peter, James, and John, he had gone into the deeper shadows of the trees to pray. But while Jesus prayed the disciples fell asleep. They could not understand why he should seem so troubled and they did not know how to comfort him, and just when he longed to have them near to pray with him they slept. Three times Jesus went to waken Peter, James, and John, but not once did they offer him the comfort he sought. Then while he prayed in agony alone God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen and comfort him. For Jesus knew the sorrow that was soon to come; he knew what Judas was even then doing; and he knew his enemies would not cease to torture him till he should be hanging dead upon the cross. Not only that, for Jesus knew also that he must bear the sins of the whole world in order to become the Savior of men. And because he had a body such as we have, he dreaded to suffer the pain of such a death, and he dreaded to be left alone by those whom he loved. So he asked God to take away the suffering from him if such a thing should be possible. But he added, "Let thy will, not mine, be done." When Jesus had roused the sleepy disciples the third time, he told them to arise; for it was time for them to be going on their way. And they rose up to follow him out of the garden. But as they went toward the entrance they saw a band of men coming to them carrying torches as if they were searching for some one. Jesus walked up to the men and asked, "For whom are you seeking?" They replied, "For Jesus of Nazareth." "I am he," answered Jesus. And the men fell backward. When they rose, Jesus asked them the second time whom they were seeking, and again they said, "For Jesus of Nazareth." Judas, the unfaithful disciple, was with the band of men, and he stepped forward and cried, "Hail, Master!" and kissed Jesus on the cheek. But Jesus knew the evil thought that was in Judas mind, and he looked sadly into the guilty face of his unfaithful disciple and asked, "Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?" Judas had told the band of men the sign by which they might know whom to take for their prisoner, and that sign was the kiss he had given to Jesus. Now the soldiers took hold of Jesus roughly and prepared to lead him away. At this Peter was thoroughly aroused from his sleep. Drawing a short sword, which he carried in his belt, he struck at one of the soldiers and cut off his ear. But Jesus seemed displeased, and told Peter to put away his sword. Then he healed the soldier's ear; and Peter, unable to understand how he might now defend his master, sank back into the shadows with the other frightened disciples. The soldiers then bound their prisoner, and the procession started toward the assembly-room where the enemies of Jesus were waiting impatiently. And far behind Peter followed, wondering what he should do, and yet fearing that the soldiers might take him, also. First the soldiers brought Jesus to the house of a man named Annas, who was father-in-law of the high priest, Caiaphas, and there his trial began. John, one of the disciples, gained admittance at the door, for he was acquainted with the household of the high priest. And he went in where Jesus was. But Peter stood outside, for he was a stranger, and the doorkeeper, a young girl, would not let him in. Presently John spoke to the doorkeeper, and she allowed him to take Peter into the court-room, for the night was cold. When Peter was inside the young girl said, "Are you not also one of his disciples?" But Peter was afraid, and he said, "No, I did not know the man." In the open court a fire was burning, and Peter went near to warm himself. Around the fire stood other men, some who were servants in the high priest's house and others who were officers. One of the men by the fire then turned to Peter and asked, "Are you not one of this man's disciples?" Again fear crept into Peter's heart, and he replied stoutly, "No, I am not!" But a soldier standing by who had been in the garden when Jesus was taken had seen Peter use his sword, and he spoke, saying, "I saw you in the garden with him!" Peter denied fiercely, and pretended that he had never known Jesus at all. While this had been happening to Peter, out in the high priest's courtyard, the high priest and others had been asking Jesus questions about his teaching and had been treating him shamefully. Then the enemies of Jesus led their prisoner out of the high priest's house, and as he passed by he looked sadly upon Peter. And Peter remembered how Jesus had told him that before the return of another day he would deny three times that he had ever known the Lord. Now tears filled Peter's eyes, and he turned blindly away from the fire and rushed out of the door, to weep bitterly. He saw himself no longer a true man, brave, and ready to help in the work of his master, but a coward, ashamed to own that he had once proudly followed the innocent man who now stood bound in chains and condemned to die. Tomorrow: Jesus' Trial, and Crucifixion

The Last Supper Jesus Ate with His Twelve Disciples

The Last Supper Jesus Ate with His Twelve Disciples Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:3-39; John 13

Jesus takes a basin of water and begins to wash the disciples' feet. TWO DISCIPLES, PETER and John, were hurrying along the road from Bethany to Jerusalem. They were going on an errand for their master. The day had come when the lamb for the Passover Feast should be killed, and Jesus had chosen these two disciples to go to Jerusalem and prepare the feast that the Twelve should eat with him that evening. After they had passed through the city gate, they looked about to find a man carrying a pitcher of water. Men seldom carried water-pitchers in the streets, for such work was usually left for women to do. But Jesus had told them they would see a man carrying a water-pitcher, and they did. Jesus also told them to follow the man to the house where he should go with his pitcher, so they followed. At the house they met the owner, and to him they gave the message that Jesus had sent. This was the message: "Our master sent us to ask your permission for him to use your guest-room in which to eat the Passover supper with his disciples." And the owner of the house led them to a nice room up-stairs which was furnished with a table and couches on which the guests might recline while they ate. No doubt this owner knew Jesus and was glad to give him the use of the guest-room in his home. When evening came, Jesus and the other ten joined Peter and John and together they sat around the table in that quiet room upstairs. A feeling of sadness crept into the hearts of the disciples, for their Master spoke to them so earnestly about going away soon. It was so hard for these men to believe that Jesus would really be taken away from them. They had seen him do such wonderful things that it seemed impossible to think men could ever kill him. And soon they were talking about other matters at the supper-table. Some were wondering who would be the greatest in the kingdom that they expected Jesus to set up soon. Jesus knew their thoughts, and he wished to teach them more about the kind of kingdom he was bringing to mankind. He rose up suddenly from the table, laid aside his outer garment, and tied a towel about his waits. Then he took a basin of water and began to wash the disciples' feet. The disciples looked at each other in silent astonishment. They could not understand why he should be doing this humble act of service, for they had washed the dust from their feet before coming into that upper room. Finally Jesus came to Peter with his basin. But that disciple pulled his feet away, and exclaimed, "Lord, you shall never wash my feet!" "Then," answered Jesus calmly, "you shall never had a part in my kingdom." At this Peter changed his mind suddenly, and he said, "Lord, you may wash my feet, and even my hands and my head." Very desirous was this disciple of having a part in Jesus' kingdom. But by washing their feet, Jesus did not mean in this way to prepare the hearts of his disciples for his work. He said to them,, "You are clean already, but not all." For he knew which one was not a true disciple. When the strange washing was over, Jesus laid aside the towel and took up his garment again. Then he returned to his place at the table, beside John, and began to explain to his disciples what he had just done to them: "You call me Lord, and Master," said he, "and so I am. If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do to each other as I have done to you. The servant is not greater than his master, and if you would be good servants you will obey my words. If you know my commands, you will be happy when you obey them." Jesus also said that one of them should give him into the hands of his enemies, who would take his life. This seemed hard to believe, but the disciples knew Jesus' words of prophecy always came true, so they were amazed. Instead of looking at each other accusingly, each man thought of himself. And each one said, "Lord, is it I?" John, the disciple who liked to be near Jesus, was reclining next to his master at the supper. Peter motioned to John and whispered, ""Ask which one will do this dreadful deed." So John asked Jesus, and Jesus replied in low tones, "The one to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." John watched carefully, and soon he saw Jesus give a piece of bread to Judas Iscariot. After Judas had taken the bread that Jesus gave to him, Jesus said, "That thou doest, do quickly." Then the desire in his heart to get rid of this master became stronger, and Judas hurried out of the room into the gloom of night. None of the disciples understood what Jesus meant, but they supposed because Judas carried the money-bag that he was going to do something for their master. Jesus then, after supper, took bread and blessed it and broke it in pieces, giving parts to each of the disciples, and saying, "Take this bread and eat it, for it is my body which is broken for you." Then he took the cup and when he had given thanks he passed it to them, saying, "Drink this, for it is my blood, which is shed for you, for I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine with you until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." They lingered a while longer in the upper room, and Jesus talked earnestly to them about the time when he should go away and leave them alone. He urged them to remember his commandment to love each other as he had loved them, and he told them that he would prepare a place for them in his Father's house. Peter insisted that he would not leave Jesus, but would go with him wherever he went. Jesus told him that he could not go now, but that he might come later on. He also told Peter that, bold as he believed himself to be, he would prove himself a coward before daylight should return, for he would forsake Jesus and even deny that he had ever know him. Thus the Lord's Supper had been instituted. Then Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn together, and quietly left the upper room, going out of Jerusalem into a garden nearby. Tomorrow: Judas Betrays Jesus, and Peter Denies Him

Jesus' Teaching on the Mount of Olives

Jesus' Teaching on the Mount of Olives Matt. 23:37 to 25:46; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-38

In the parable that Jesus told, the foolish young women came after the door had been shut. They had come too late. AS JESUS LEFT the temple for the last time, his disciples spoke to him about the beauty of the Lord's house. Like all other Jews, they took much pride in the temple where God was worshiped. And they were surprized to hear Jesus say, "The time is coming when the stones of these buildings shall be torn apart." On the Mount of Olives, Jesus rested for a while before going on to Bethany. And his disciples gathered around him there to ask when the time should come that the beautiful temple would be destroyed. No one else was near to disturb them, and Jesus talked long and earnestly to his disciples about the things that would happen to Jerusalem, and later to the whole world. He told them that men would come who would claim to be the Christ of God, and what many would believe in them. He said that great wars would be fought among the nations of the earth, and that troubles of different kinds would come upon the people. Then he said that before the end of time the gospel of the kingdom would be preached, not only among the Jews, but to all people in every part of the world. How strange these things must have sounded to the disciples! for they had always believed that salvation belonged to the Jews only. Then Jesus told the disciples the parable of the ten young women, called virgins. Five of these young women were wise and five were foolish. All had been invited to the marriage of a friend, and they started to meet the wedding-party. They took their lamps with them to give light, for the wedding would take place at night and only those carrying lights would be allowed to join the wedding-party. But the wedding-party was slow in coming, and the young women grew tired waiting. So they fell asleep. At midnight a cry was made that the wedding-party was coming, and the young women aroused and began at once to trim their lamps to be ready to join the procession when it came by. Now the five who were wise poured more oil into their lamps; for they saw the light was growing dim, and they had brought an extra supply of oil with them. But the five who were foolish had brought no more oil, and they, too, saw that their lights were growing dim. "What shall we do?" they asked each other. Then they spoke to their wise friends and said, "Please give some of your oil to us, for our lights are going out!" The wise young women did not have enough to give to their friends in distress, so they answered, "You must go to them who sell and buy for yourselves. We do not have enough to share." And while they hurried away to buy more oil, the wedding-party came, and the five wise young women joined the party and went to the home where the marriage festivities would take place. When all the guests had entered, the door was shut, and no other persons could enter. The foolish young women came after the door had been shut, and they knocked; but the bridegroom would not let them in. They had come too late. By this story Jesus wished to teach his disciples to watch and be ready, for they should not know the time when he would call for them to leave this world and go to be with him. If they should not be ready when he should call, they would have no time left in which to make ready, but, like the foolish young women, they would be shut out of heaven. Jesus told the disciples what will happen at the end of the world. He said that then the Son of man will come in his glory, bringing all the angels with him. And he will sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him all nations of the earth shall be gathered, and he will divide the good from the evil. Those who have believed in him he will place on his right, and those who have disobeyed he will place on his left, just as a shepherd in that country divided his sheep from his goats. The disciples no doubt had watched the shepherds come in from the fields and separate the sheep from the goats in their great flocks, and they understood how this separation will be. "Then shall the Son of man be King," said Jesus; "and he will say to them on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed of my Father, and dwell in the kingdom which has been prepared for you. For I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you gave me shelter; I was shivering with cold, and you gave me clothes to keep me warm; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to see me even there.' "And the ones on his right will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you in need and help you thus?' And the King answer, 'whenever you helped one of my needy brothers, even the least of them, you helped me.' "Then the King will turn to those on his left, and will say to them, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, and go away into everlasting fire, which has been made ready for the devil and his evil spirits. "For I was hungry, and you did not feed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me no water; I was a stranger, and you gave me no shelter; without clothes, and you did not give clothes to me; sick, and you did not visit me; in prison, and you did not come to me there.' "And the ones on his left will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or without clothes, or a stranger, or sick, or in prison,, and not help you?' And he will say to them, 'Whenever you refused to help one of my brothers, even the poorest of them, you refused to help me.' "And those on the right," said Jesus, "will go into life eternal in heaven, while those on the left shall be turned away into everlasting torment." Tomorrow: The Last Supper Jesus Ate with His Twelve Disciples

Jesus' Last Days in the Temple; The Widow's Mite

Jesus' Last Days in the Temple; The Widow's Mite Matt. 22:1 to 24:1; Mark 12:13 to 13:1; Luke 20:20 to 21:4; John 12:20-36

Jesus teaches the people that God looks at the heart of the giver, for God saw that the poor widow gave her all because she loved him. WHILE JESUS WAS teaching in the temple he told the people by a parable that the kingdom of heaven is like a king who made a feast at the marriage of his son. The king prepared a great feast and invited guests from a city near by. When everything was ready, the guests failed to come. He sent servants to remind them of their invitation to the wedding-feast, still they would not come. They made fun of it, and went on about their own work. Some of them even treated the king's messengers cruelly and killed them. The king heard about the conduct of those people, and he was much displeased. He called out his army and sent his soldiers to destroy them and to burn their city. Then he invited other guests to the marriage feast, and the place was filled; for every one came who was bidden this time. Among these guests were the poor and the rich, and the good and the bad, and the king furnished each one with a garment to wear. He wished to have them appear well in his presence. When all had arrived and put on their clean garments, he came in to see them and give them a welcome to the feast. One man was present who refused to put on the clean garment that the king had provided for him. There he stood among all the others, clothed in his dirty rags. The king saw him and said, "Friend, why did you come in here without putting on the clean garment that I had provided for you to wear?" And the man hung his head, for he had no excuse to offer. The king was displeased with him because he had disobeyed orders, so he commanded his servants to seize the man, bind him hand and foot, and take him away to a dark place where he should be punished. The Pharisees and other enemies of Jesus knew these parables were showing the people how they, the Pharisees and the other enemies, had refused to obey God, and they determined to put a stop to his teaching. They decided to ask questions of him, and prevent him from teaching in this way. So they sent some men who pretended to be good, and told these men to ask him whether it was wrong or right to pay the tribute money, or tax money, which Caesar, the Roman ruler, demanded to them. The Jews disliked to pay this money, and Jesus' enemies knew that if he should say it was right for them to pay the tax then the people would no longer care to make him their king. They would no longer follow him so eagerly and listen to his words, for they hated the Roman government. But if Jesus should say it was wrong to pay this tax money, then his enemies planned to tell the Roman officers that Jesus was unwilling to obey the Roman government, and they knew Jesus would be punished. So the men came to Jesus and said, "Master, we know you are true, and that you teach the way of God in truth without caring whether men will be pleased with your teaching or not." Thus they flattered him, thinking he would be delighted to hear such favorable things said of himself. Then they continued: "Tell us just what you think, Is it right or wrong to pay this tribute money which Caesar demands of us Jews?" They thought Jesus would answer either yes or no. But they were mistaken. Jesus could see the hearts of these evil men who were questioning him. He paid no attention to their flattering words, but said, "Why do you tempt me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute money." And they brought him a penny. Jesus looked at the coin on both sides, then asked of them, "Whose image is this on the one side? and whose name is written her?" On one side of the coin was a picture of Caesar's head, and his name was written above it. The men replied that the image and the name of the coin were both Caesar's. "Then," said Jesus, "give to Caesar the things that belong to him, and give to God the things that belong to God." This answer greatly surprised the men, for they had thought they surely would catch Jesus in a trap where he would need to say yes or no. But he had replied so wisely they could not accuse him to any man. Others came to question Jesus, and among them was a lawyer who asked, "Which is the greatest commandment of the law?" Jesus replied that the greatest commandment of the law was, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second greatest is this: Thou shall love they neighbor as much as thyself. No other commandments are so important as these two." The lawyer answered, "You have well spoken, for to love the Lord God in this way and to love one's neighbor as much as one's own self is surely more pleasing to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices." Jesus was pleased with this reply of the lawyer. He saw that the lawyer understood the meaning of God's Word better than did many who pretended to be teachers of it. And he told the lawyer that he was near to the kingdom of God. While Jesus was in the temple, some men came to Philip, one of the twelve disciples, and asked permission to see Jesus. These men were Gentiles, they were Greeks by birth, and they had come to worship the God of the Jews, so they were called proselytes. Because they were Gentiles they could not enter the part of the temple where Jesus sat teaching the people who thronged him there. They could come no farther than the outside court, called the court of the Gentiles. But they had heard much about this wonderful teacher from Galilee, and they wished to see him. Philip told Andrew, another disciple, and together they hurried to tell Jesus that strangers from Greece, a country far away, were waiting in the court of the Gentiles to catch a glimpse of him. When Jesus heard about the inquirers from distant Greece he said to Philip and Andrew, "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified." He spoke to them about his coming death for the sins of the people, but the disciples could not understand his words. And because Jesus could feel pain just as we do he shrank from the thought of dying on the cross. He felt troubled because the time was drawing so near when he should die. And he said, prayerfully, "Father, save me from this hour." Then he remembered that his life-work would not be finished if he did not die for lost sinners, so he added, "Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." The people standing by heard the voice but could not understand the words that were spoken. Some thought the voice sounded like thunder; others said, "An angel spoke to him." But Jesus said the voice had spoken to prove to them that God had heard him. After teaching, Jesus had sat down near a place in the temple called the treasury. Here were money-boxes in which the people's offerings were received. And Jesus saw the rich pass by the boxes and throw in large offerings. Finally he saw a poor widow come into the treasury and stop beside a box to throw in her small offering of only two little coins. Together these coins were worth less than a penny. But Jesus told his disciples that the poor widow had given more than the rich people, for they had given out of full purses whereas she had emptied the last of her money into the box. He wished to teach them that God looks at the heart of the giver, for God saw that the poor widow gave her all because she loved him, whereas the rich people gave their offerings because it was their duty to give. Then Jesus and his disciples left the temple, and went out to the Mount of Olives. Never again did Jesus walk in the courts of the Lord's house on Mount Moriah; for soon afterwards his enemies took him and did to him all they had wished to do. Tomorrow: Jesus' Teaching on the Mount of Olives

The Teachings of Jesus in the Temple; The Moneychangers

The Teachings of Jesus in the Temple; The Moneychangers Matt. 21:12-46; Mark 11:12 to 12:12; Luke 19:41 to 20:19

Jesus teaches in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes are there also, not willing that he should teach the people. EARLY IN THE morning Jesus and his disciples started away from Bethany to go again to the temple in Jerusalem. As they went, Jesus became hungry, and seeing a fig-tree by the roadside he stopped to eat of its fruit. But there were no figs on the tree, only leaves, and Jesus turned away disappointed. As he walked away he said, "Never again shall man eat fruit from this tree." When Jesus came to the temple he saw men in there who were buying and selling animals for sacrifice-offerings, and others who were called money-changers. Once before he had driven such men out of the temple, and now he drove them out the second time, saying, "In the Scriptures it is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of thieves." For these men demanded more money for their sacrifice-offerings than they should have asked. The wave of excitement was still running high in the city, and every one was eager to see Jesus. The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them there. And little children came singing, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" No doubt they had heard the glad songs of the grown people who had come with Jesus from the Mount of Olives, and they, too, wished to praise this great man, who took little ones in his arms and blessed them. The chief priests and scribes in the temple saw Jesus heal the blind and the lame, and they heard the children sing his praises. They were angered by these things, for they saw that every day the multitudes were becoming more excited about this Jesus. They came to him and asked, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" And in the Scriptures, 'Out of the mouths of little children thou has perfected praise?" In the evening Jesus returned again with his disciples to Bethany, to be with his dear friends, and in the morning he went back to teach the eager people who gathered early to hear him. As they passed along the road by the fig-tree that he had found only leaves on, the disciples saw that the tree had withered and now stood dry and dead. They were surprised that it should have changed so soon, and they spoke about it. Then Jesus taught them a lesson from the fig-tree. He said, "Have you faith in God. If you have faith to believe that God hears you when you pray you shall do greater things than I have done by my words to this fig-tree. For if you ask anything of God in prayer, and believe in your hearts that he hears you, the thing for which you ask shall be given." When they came to the temple many people had already gathered to hear Jesus teach. The chief priests and the scribes were there also, ready to ask him a question; for they were not willing that he should teach the people. They demanded of him, "By what authority do you teach and work miracles? Who gave you this authority?" Jesus knew how to answer them by asking a question of them. He said, "Was the baptism of John from heaven or of men? Tell me this and I will answer your question." Now the enemies of Jesus did not know how to answer. They had not received John's baptism as of God, and they feared to tell Jesus because many people were listening, and the people all claimed that surely John was a prophet of God. If they should not own John as a prophet they feared that the people would turn bitterly against them. Yet if they should say that John's baptism was of God they knew Jesus would ask why they had not believed him. So they said, "We can not tell whether John's baptism was from heaven or of men." Then Jesus answered, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things, or who gave this authority to me." Again Jesus began to teach by story-sermons, called parables. He told them about a man who had two sons. This man called his elder son to him and said, "Son, go and work today in my vineyard." The boy answered his father roughly, saying, "I will not go!" But afterwards he became sorry, and repented of his unwillingness to obey his father's command. Then he went to the vineyard and worked. To the second son the father spoke the same words of command, and this boy replied politely, "I go, sir." But he did not. "Now," asked Jesus, "which of the two boys obeyed his father?" The people answered, "The first." Jesus said the two boys were like the two classes--the people whom the Pharisees and such called sinners, and the Pharisees and other leaders themselves. All these leaders claimed to be obedient, and yet they were not doing the things God had commanded, while the other people whom they called sinners had listened gladly to John's words and had been baptized by him. Another story which Jesus told was about a man who planted a vineyard, and built a hedge about it, digged a winepress in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he hired some men to care for it, and went away to another country. When the time came that the fruit of the vineyard should be ripened, he sent servants to get some of the fruit and bring it back to him. But the keepers of the vineyard treated the servants roughly. The first one who came they beat, and sent him away without any fruit. The second one they threw stones at and wounded him in the head. The third one they killed. Later other servants were sent; but the wicked keepers of the vineyard treated them all shamefully. The owner of the vineyard was very sad, and he decided at last to send his own son. "They will know he is my son," he reasoned, "and they will respect him." But when the keepers looked out from the watch-tower and saw the son coming, they said to each other, "The owner has sent his son. This vineyard will belong to him, because he is the heir, let us kill him, and take the vineyard for our own possession." So they caught him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard. "When the owner of that vineyard comes what will he do to those men?" asked Jesus. And the people answered, "He will cause them to be miserably destroyed, and he will give his vineyard into the care of better men who will give him some of its fruits. Then Jesus looked boldly upon his enemies standing near and said, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to another nation, which will bring forth fruit." The chief priests and scribes knew he had spoken the parables against them, and they were angry. But they were afraid to seize him because they knew all the people standing round believed that Jesus was a great prophet. Tomorrow: Jesus' Last Days in the Temple; The Widow's Mite

Palm Sunday - Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem as a King

Palm Sunday - Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem as a King Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19

Hearing those who follow Jesus shout praises to him, others rejoice, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!" A TIME OF great excitement was on. People were flocking out of the city gate and hurrying along the road that led down the valley and up the slope of Mount Olivet, just outside of Jerusalem. They were rushing out to meet Jesus, of whom they had heard such great things. Many of these people were strangers in Jerusalem. They had just come to attend the Feast of the Passover, and they had heard about the wonderful miracles Jesus performed. Others lived in Jerusalem and they had heard how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, so they, too, were eager to see him again. As they went they took branches of palm-trees with which to wave in a welcome when they should meet him. On the morning of that same day Jesus had sent two of his disciples to a village near Bethany to loose a colt which they should find tied. He had told them to bring this colt to him, and if the owners should question why they untied the colt they should answer, "The Lord has need of this colt today." And the disciples had gone and found the colt tied by the roadside, and they had told the owners the message which Jesus sent. And the owners had let them take the colt and bring it to Jesus. Then the disciples had spread their garments on the colt's back and had set Jesus on it, while others threw their clothes along the road for Jesus to ride over. And as the crowd from Jerusalem came near to the Mount of Olives, the company which followed from Bethany began to shout, "Blessed is the King who is coming in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!" The people who came out of Jerusalem met Jesus and his disciples on the slope of the Mount of Olives. They heard those who followed Jesus shout praises to him, and they too waved their palms and rejoiced, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!" Some threw their palms in the road for him to ride over, and all along the highway they stood, rejoicing greatly and praising God. In the crowd were some Pharisees who had not come to rejoice but to find fault. When they heard the people shouting they came to Jesus and said, "Master, cause these to cease shouting." Jesus answered, "If these should be still the stones by the roadside would immediately cry out." Jesus knew the time had come when the prophecy of Zechariah should be fulfilled, for Zechariah had said concerning this very time: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, your King comes unto you: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon a colt." So the crowd passed on through the gate into the city, and Jesus rode up Mount Moriah, where the temple stood. And as he went, the people before and behind cried out aloud, "Hosanna to the Son of David." The people in the city were stirred with the excitement. They came hurrying into the streets to ask, "What is the meaning of all of this? "Who is this king you are bringing?" And the multitude answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee." Then Jesus entered the temple and looked about upon the things there. Taking his disciples, he returned to Bethany to spend the night in the house of his friends. Tomorrow: The Teachings of Jesus in the Temple; The Moneychangers

The Journey of Lent

There are many ways for a congregation to mark the journey of Lent. Of course, beginning with a service of worship for Ash Wednesday is always appropriate (see Ash Wednesday: A Service of Worship). During Lent, one of the most effective visual reminders of the season that can be expanded in many variations is to use a rough wooden cross as a focal point in the sanctuary. The type of cross and how it is constructed will depend on exactly how it will be used. The cross is usually erected in the Sanctuary on Ash Wednesday as a visible symbol of the beginning of Lent. It is usually draped in black on Good Friday. The same cross can also become a part of the congregation's Easter celebration as it is then draped in white or gold, or covered with flowers (see The Flowering Cross).
One effective way to make use of the cross is to use it as a Prayer Cross during Lent. A hammer, square nails, and small pieces of paper are made available near the cross. At a designated time of prayer during the Sundays in Lent, or beginning with Ash Wednesday, people are invited to write their prayer requests on the paper, and then nail them to the cross. The quiet time of prayer with only the sounds of the hammer striking the nails can be a moving time for reflection on the meaning of Lent, and a powerful call to prayer. The prayer requests can be removed and burned as part of a Tenebrae or Stations of the Cross service during Holy Week to symbolize releasing the needs to God.
Some churches have a special time of prayer or meditation one night of each week during Lent. Often Catholic and high church traditions pray the Stations of the Cross (see The Fourteen Stations of the Cross). Some Protestant churches have a special series of weekly Bible studies followed by a time of meditation and prayer. Often, in both Catholic and Protestant traditions, the prayer time is followed by a simple meal of soup and bread to symbolize the penitence of the Season.

Reflections on Lent

We enjoy celebrating Palm Sunday. The children get to make paper palm branches and for many it is one of the few times they get to take an active role in "big church." We wave the palm branches and celebrate. And we all love Easter Sunday! It is a happy time, with flowers, new clothes, and the expectation of Spring in the air.
Yet there is something significant missing if we only concentrate on celebration for these two Sundays. It is too easy and promotes much too cheap a grace to focus only on the high points of Palm Sunday and Easter without walking with Jesus through the gathering shadows of Maundy Thursday and the darkness of Good Friday. For us, that journey begins on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a way to recall a larger story than just celebration. It is a way to face the reality of the consequences of sin and the terrible toll it takes on the world. Lent calls us to examine our own lives with the prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me (Psa 139:23-24).
The journey through Lent is a way to places ourselves before God humbled, bringing in our hands no price whereby we can ourselves purchase our salvation. It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before God, to strip ourselves bare of all pretenses to righteousness, to come before God in dust and ashes. It is a way to empty ourselves of our false pride, of our rationalizations that prevent us from seeing ourselves as needy creatures, of our external piety that blinds us to the beam in our own eyes.
Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, our very lives in God’s hands, again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with a fresh victory and hope that goes beyond the new clothes, the Spring flowers, the happy music.
Yet, that celebration begins in ashes. And it journeys though darkness. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that I am convinced we must all make, one way or the other, for genuine spiritual renewal to come.
I have heard the passage in 2 Chronicles 7:14 quoted a lot: ". . .if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." This usually is quoted in the context of wanting revival or renewal in the church. The prayer is usually interpreted as intercessory prayer for others, since we too easily assume that any problem lies with someone else. Yet a careful reading of the passage will reveal that the prayer that is called for here is not intercessory prayer for others; it is penitential prayer for the faith community, for us. It is not to call for others to repent; it is a call for us, God’s people, to repent. It is our land that needs healed, it is our wicked ways from which we need to turn, we are the ones who need to seek God’s face.
Perhaps during the Lenten season we should stop praying for others as if we were virtuous enough to do so. Perhaps we should take off our righteous robes just long enough during these 40 days to put ashes on our own heads, to come before God with a new humility that is willing to confess, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." Maybe we should be willing to prostrate ourselves before God and plead, "Lord, in my hand no price I bring; simply to the cross I cling." That might put us in a position to hear God in ways that we have not heard Him in a long time. And it may be the beginning of that healing for which we have so longed.
O Lord, begin with me. Here. Now.

Mary Anoints Jesus and Shows Her Love for Him

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Mary Anoints Jesus and Shows Her Love for Him Matt. 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11; John 12:1-11

While the guests are eating Mary goes to the couch where Jesus is reclining, she breaks the box and pours its contents of expensive perfume upon Jesus' head and feet. SIMON THE LEPER was a friend of Jesus. He lived in the village of Bethany, not far from the home of Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus. But "Simon the leper" was no longer a leper, for Jesus had made him well of that disease. And once more he could live in his own home with his family, in Bethany. No wonder Simon was a friend of Jesus! News reached the village folk of Bethany that Jesus and his disciples were coming over the road from Jericho and would soon arrive. Glad news this was to the friends who loved him so dearly, and they began to plan at once how they might give him a welcome. "Simon the leper" arranged to make a supper at his home for the tired guests, and Martha, the sister of Lazarus, went to help prepare and serve the evening meal. Simon invited Lazarus to eat with the other guests at the table; for since he had risen from the grave, Lazarus was looked upon with much wonder by the people. Mary also knew about the supper. At last the guests arrived, and they were welcomed at the home of Simon. Then the food was placed on the table and the guests were brought into the dining-hall to eat. Curious onlookers crowded in, for news of this supper had quickly spread through the village, and even as far as Jerusalem. And uninvited folk had come, not only to see Jesus, but to see Lazarus also, whom Jesus had called out of the grave after he had been dead four days. While the guests were eating, presently Mary arrived with a box in her hand. Going directly to the couch where Jesus was reclining, she broke the box and poured its contents upon Jesus' head and feet. Now this box had contained some very rare perfume, which had cost much money, and Mary had poured it all upon the body of Jesus to show her love for him. Then she bend low and wiped the feet of Jesus with her long hair. Just as soon as the box was broken the odor of the sweet perfume filled the room. And every one present knew this perfume had cost much money, for it was of the very best kind. At once the disciples began to whisper among themselves about what Mary had done. One of them, Judas Iscariot,who carried the money-bag for Jesus and the other disciples, became angry and said, "What a waste of money this foolish woman has made! Instead of pouring it all upon Jesus she might have given that money to buy food for the poor." Jesus knew the thoughts and whisperings of his disciples. He saw them question Mary about her deed, and speak unkindly to her. So he spoke to them all and said, "Let this woman alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work, for she has come before my death to anoint my body with sweet perfume. The poor you have with you always, but I shall not be with you much longer. And by this deed Mary has shown her love for me." And Jesus said also that wherever the gospel should be preached in the whole world this deed which Mary had done to show her love should be told in memory of her. Perhaps Mary understood what the disciples were unable to believe--that Jesus soon must die--for she had sat at his feet and listened to his words while he visited in her home. She had heard him tell about many things, and she had believed them. And now she had poured out the costliest gift her money could buy, to anoint Jesus before he should have to lie cold in death. She had done all she could to show how great was her love. Judas Iscariot was even more displeased when he heard Jesus' words. He was no longer a true disciple, for he had allowed Satan to plant wrong desires in his heart. And sometimes he took money from the bag to keep for himself, for he loved riches and he had hoped some day to be a rich ruler in the kingdom he expected Jesus to set up. Now a wicked thought crept into his heart, and he planned to go as soon as possible to the enemies of Jesus in Jerusalem and promise them to give Jesus into their power if they would give him money for his work. So after the supper was ended he left Bethany and went to see the chief priests and scribes who lived in Jerusalem. For many days the enemies of Jesus had been talking together about how they might capture Jesus. After Lazarus had been raised from the dead they were stirred more than ever, because many other people had begun to believe in Jesus, too. When Judas Iscariot came to them they were glad, and they promised to give him thirty pieces of silver money if he would bring them to Jesus when the multitude of believing friends were not near. Tomorrow: Palm Sunday - Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem as a King

Zacchaeus - The Little Man who Climbed into a Tree to see Jesus

Zacchaeus - The Little Man who Climbed into a Tree to see Jesus Luke 19:1-28

"Zacchaeus," said Jesus, "come down at once, for today I must stop at your house." THERE WAS LIVING in Jericho at the time a rich man named Zacchaeus, and he was chief among the publicans. He had never seen Jesus, and when the news came that Jesus was passing through Jericho on his way to attend the Passover Feast in Jerusalem, Zacchaeus determined that he would try to see this wonderful man. So down to the highway Zacchaeus went, hurrying along with the gathering crowd; for Jesus was to pass that way. But Zacchaeus did not stop when the crowd stood still. He hurried a little farther on, and there he climbed into a sycamore-tree, which grew by the roadside. From this place he knew he could surely see Jesus when he passed by. If he had remained in the crowd he could not have seen the wonderful man from Galilee, for Zacchaeus was not so tall as the other people about him. Soon the travelers bound for Jerusalem came down the road, and the people of Jericho, who had gathered to watch them pass looked eagerly to catch a glimpse of Jesus. On the travelers went till they came to the sycamore-tree, and here Jesus and his disciples stood still. Then Jesus looked up into the tree and saw Zacchaeus clinging to its branches and gazing down upon him. "Zacchaeus," said Jesus, "come down at once, for today I must stop at your house." How surprised Zacchaeus was to hear these words! He had hoped to catch at least a glimpse of Jesus; now he could take this wonderful man into his home and talk face to face with him. With a joyful heart Zacchaeus led the way to his home, to entertain Jesus and his disciples there. And as they went, others followed, some finding fault because Jesus was going to stop in the home of a publican, whom they called a sinful man. The Pharisees would not enter such a house, for they despised people they called sinners and would not be friendly with them. Although Zacchaeus was a publican his heart had been changed by the kind words of Jesus. So he stood up before Jesus and said, "Behold, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor, and if I have in my business dealing taken more from any man than I should have taken, I give him back four times as much as I took from him." Jesus was pleased with Zacchaeus; for he knew this publican really had been changed in his heart. And he said, "Today salvation is come to your house, for the Son of man is come to seek and to save those who are lost." He had known about this publican who longed to see him, and he had sought for Zacchaeus. Now he would grant him forgiveness because Zacchaeus had received him gladly, and had confessed his willingness to make his wrong right. Others stood by listening, and Jesus took this time to teach them another parable, or story-sermon. He knew the people were expecting the kingdom of heaven to be set up soon like an earthly kingdom, so he told them a story to show them what the kingdom of heaven is like. He said: "A certain nobleman went away to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to be made the ruler of it. Before leaving home he gave a sum of money, called a pound, to each of his ten servants and commanded them to use the money till his return. "After some time the nobleman came back again, having received the crown and the kingdom in that far-away country. Then he called his ten servants and asked them how they had used the money he had given to them before he went away. "The first servant came to him bringing ten pieces of money, and saying, 'I traded with the pound you gave me, and I have gained these ten pounds.' The nobleman was pleased with that servant and said to him, 'Because you have done this, I will give you the rule of ten cities in my kingdom.' "Next came a servant who had gained five pounds by using the money the nobleman had given him. And the nobleman was pleased with him also, and said, 'To you I will give the rule of five cities in the kingdom which I have received.' "Then came the third servant, bringing only one pound, the same one that the nobleman had given him before he went away. 'Here is your pound,' the servant said, 'I have kept it wrapped in this napkin all the while you were away for fear I might lose it. I know you are a harsh master, taking up what you do not lay down and reaping what you do not sow.' With this servant the nobleman was much displeased. He answered, 'If you know I am a harsh master, why did you not put my money into a bank that I might have it and its gains at my return?' Then he commanded those who stood by to take the one pound away from the unfaithful servant and give it to the one having ten pounds. "The servants were surprised, and they said, 'Lord, he has ten pounds, why give him more?' But the nobleman answered, 'To every one who uses what he has, more shall be given; but those who refuse to use what is given to them shall have their own taken away.'" After speaking this parable, Jesus, with his disciples, left Jericho and went on the way over the mountains toward Jerusalem. Tomorrow: Mary Anoints Jesus and Shows Her Love for Him

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight; On the Way to Jerusalem

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight; On the Way to Jerusalem Matt. 20:17-34; Mark 10:32-52; Luke 18:31-43

Bartimaeus rises from his seat by the roadside and began to cry loudly, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!" THE TIME HAD come again for the Passover Feast at Jerusalem, and Jesus knew that his life on earth would soon be ended. He took his twelve disciples aside from the crowd which followed and told them again that soon he should be given into the hands of the chief priests and the scribes, his enemies, and he condemned to die. But the disciples could not understand; for they believed surely he was the son of God and that he would become the king of the Jews. Two of his disciples, James and John, came to him soon afterwards, bringing their mother. She knelt before Jesus and asked him to grant places of honor to her sons when he should receive his kingdom. But Jesus knew these disciples and their mother did not understand that the kingdom of heaven would not be like an earthly kingdom, and he said that places of honor would be given only by God the Father. The other disciples felt jealous of these two, and Jesus knew about their feelings. So he called them aside again and told them that in his kingdom those who would be great must be the servants of all the others. He reminded them of how he had labored hard and long for others, and he told them that they should be willing to serve others, too. Many other people were going to attend the feast at Jerusalem, and they walked along the roadway with Jesus and his disciples. These people had heard Jesus teach and they had seen him heal the sick. They, too, hoped that he would set up his kingdom in Jerusalem at the time of this feast. By and by the multitude came to a city called Jericho. The road to Jerusalem led through the streets of this city, and soon the people of Jericho were much excited because Jesus was with them. News of his coming spread rapidly from one part of town to another, and many who had heard of this wonderful man came rushing to see him. As the crowd passed along the street, a blind man named Bartimaeus, sat by the roadside begging. He heard the sound of many footsteps and he wondered why such a crowd was passing, so he asked the reason. And some one answered, "Jesus of Nazareth is going by." Bartimaeus had heard about Jesus of Nazareth. He had probably heard about the man who had been born blind and who had been healed by this wonderful man from Nazareth, in Galilee. Now he wished that Jesus would have mercy on him, too, so he rose from his seat by the roadside and began to cry loudly, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who stood by were displeased to hear the blind beggar crying after Jesus in this manner. They told him to keep quiet. Perhaps they said that Jesus could not hear him; for the noise of the crowd was great. But Bartimaeus would not be quieted. He only cried louder than ever; for he wished to have Jesus heal his blinded eyes. Jesus knew about the poor beggar, and he knew how the men near by had urged him to keep still. Now he stopped and commanded some one to tell the blind man to come to him. So a messenger hurried to Bartimaeus, saying, "Be of good comfort, for Jesus has heard you and now he is calling for you." Bartimaeus threw aside his garment and ran eagerly to the place where Jesus stood. And Jesus asked, "What do you wish me to do for you?" "Lord, give me my sight," he asked. Jesus answered, "Go your way; your faith in me has made you well." At once the blind eyes opened, and Bartimaeus could see as well as those who had never been blind. And he joined the crowd to follow Jesus. Tomorrow: Zacchaeus - The Little Man who Climbed into a Tree to see Jesus

Parables: Unfaithful Steward, Rich Man & Lazarus, Unjust Judge, Pharisee & Publican

Monday, February 20, 2012

Parables: Unfaithful Steward, Rich Man & Lazarus, Unjust Judge, Pharisee & Publican Luke 16; Luke 18:1-14

According to the parable that Jesus told, the beggar Lazarus sits at the gate of the rich man to ask for crumbs which might fall from the rich man's table. IN THE MULTITUDE which followed Jesus were people of many different villages. Some of his listeners were poor people, some were rich; some were educated and some were not. Jesus knew about their differences, and he wished to teach them all. He knew how well every one likes to listen to a good story, so he preached some story-sermons to the multitude. One of the story-sermons was about An Unfaithful Man who was a Steward "A certain rich man," said Jesus, "hired a servant to take care of his goods. This servant came to live in the rich man's beautiful house and was called his stewards. He was supposed to handle the master's business wisely, but he did not. And after a while the master heard that the steward was wasting his goods. "Calling the unfaithful steward, the master told him what he had heard. And the steward hung his head in shame because he could not deny his guilt. Then the master grew angry and said, 'No longer shall you be my steward!' And he was about to dismiss the unfaithful servant. "Now, the steward had no other home in which to live, and he wondered what he should do. He thought he could not work in the fields like a poor man, and he was too proud to beg for food from door to door. So he decided to make friends with the other servants of the rich man that they might receive him into their homes to live. And he hurried to do this very thing. "By and by the master heard what the unfaithful steward was doing, and he said, 'After all, that man is careful to look out for himself. He shows much wisdom in this one thing.'" By this story Jesus wished to teach the people that they would not always have homes in this world, for some day they would have to go and live in another world. And just as the unfaithful steward had shown wisdom in preparing a home for himself for the time when he should no longer have a home in the rich man's house, so the people should begin to prepare for themselves a home in heaven by trying to please God. Another story which Jesus told was about A Poor Rich Man and a Rich Beggar "There was a certain rich man who thought only of his own comfort and happiness. He wore expensive clothes, like a king's, and ate the best kind of food every day. His many servants were quick to do his bidding, and he did nothing except to live and enjoy himself. "And there was a certain beggar man name Lazarus, who had no home or friends. He was a good man although he was a beggar, and he came to sit at the gate of the rich man to ask for crumbs which might fall from the rich man's table. Finally the poor beggar became sick and sores broke out all over his body. He could not drag himself away from the rich man's gate. As he lay there suffering, stray dogs from the street came to like his sores. But the rich man did not try to help him at all; he let him lie there day after day in his misery. "By and by the poor beggar died, and when he died the angels came and carried him to heaven. No longer was he a poor beggar, for now he could rest in peace and happiness with faithful Abraham and with other good people who had left this world. And the rich man died, too, and his friends buried him in a nice, new grave, and perhaps they mourned greatly because he had been taken away from them. But that was not the end of the rich man, for after death he found himself in a place of torment. Now he was poor, so poor that he could not even get a drink of water to cool his burning tongue. "In this place of torment the poor rich man lifted up his eyes and saw, far, far away, the same Lazarus, who used to sit at his gate and beg. He remembered Lazarus, and now he saw him resting happily with Abraham in a beautiful place. The poor rich man called loudly to Abraham and cried for mercy. He knew he could not hope to rest with Abraham in that beautiful place, but he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus with just a drop of water to cool his burning tongue. "But Abraham called back that he could send no water. He said, 'Remember that you enjoyed good things in your lifetime, while Lazarus had only poverty and suffering when he lived in the world. Now he is comforted, and you are being tormented. I can send nothing to you because no one can pass from this place to your place of torment, neither can any one from your place come to us.' "Now the poor rich man remembered his brothers who were yet living in the world. He did not want them to come to the place of torment, and he asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to the world to warn his brothers about that dreadful place. But Abraham said those brothers had God's law to warn them, and Lazarus need not go. Then the poor rich man pleaded that his brothers might listen if some one rose from the dead to tell them about the place of torment. But Abraham answered, 'If they will not heard the words in God's Book, neither will they listen if one should rise from the dead and speak to them.'" Jesus knew that sometimes God does not answer prayer at once because he wishes to have people call earnestly upon him; he lets them come again and again before he gives them the things for which they ask. And Jesus wished to teach men to keep on praying when at first their prayers are not answered, so he told them this story about A Poor Widow and An Unjust Judge "One time there was a poor widow who had been wronged by a wicked enemy. She could not punish the enemy nor get back what he had taken from her, so she came to a judge who lived in her home city and told this judge about her troubles. The judge, too, was a wicked man, and he did not care to help the poor widow. For a while he paid no attention to her; but she kept coming and crying for him to help her. Finally he grew tired of her coming, so he said to himself, 'Though I am not a good man, yet I will punish this wicked enemy as the poor widow has asked me to do, lest she keep coming to me and troubling me from day to day.' So he punished the enemy." Then Jesus said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. He granted the wish of the woman because she came often to him, and shall not God grant the wishes of those who call upon him day and night? For God is righteous, and he delights to do good to his people." In the multitude were some people who thought they were righteous, and they despised those whom they thought were not. Jesus taught them a lesson in the story-sermon about. The Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple "Two men went up to the temple to pray. One of them was a Pharisee, and the other was a publican. "The Pharisee stood and prayed aloud, saying, 'God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, unrighteous, unjust, unfair in business dealings, nor even as that publican standing over yonder. I fast twice each week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' "But the publican stood in the corner by himself and would not even lift his eyes toward heaven when he prayed. He bowed his head and smote his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner!'" And Jesus said, "I tell you, this publican, and not the proud Pharisee, went home to his house with God's blessing; for whoever lifts himself up in his own sight is not pleasing to God, but whoever humbles himself shall be lifted up." Tomorrow: Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight; On the Way to Jerusalem

A Crooked Woman Healed; The Prodigal Son

Sunday, February 19, 2012

A Crooked Woman Healed; The Prodigal Son Luke 13:11 to Luke 15:32

In the parable Jesus told, the Prodigal Son is lowered to caring for for a farmer's hogs. JESUS NOW TAUGHT in the cities and villages where the seventy had gone to preach and to heal the sick. In one city he found a crooked woman in the synagog on the Sabbath-day. This poor woman had not been able to straighten herself for eighteen years, but was stopped over in a pitiful manner. When Jesus saw her he pitied her. Calling her to him, he said, "Woman, you are set free from this infirmity, which has bound you so many years." Then he laid his hands upon her bent back and immediately she was able to stand straight again. The woman was very happy, and she praised God because she had been made well. But the ruler of the synagog was displeased with Jesus for healing her on the Sabbath. He said, "There are six days when men ought to work; therefore let the sick come to be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath." But Jesus replied, "You are only pretending to be careful to please God. Do you not loose your ox and your ass and lead them to water on the Sabbath day? And should not this poor woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, be loosed on the Sabbath-day from this infirmity with which she has been bound by Satan for eighteen years?" The enemies of Jesus were ashamed when they heard his wise reply, and the other people praised God with loud voices because they had seen his wonderful works. One day some of the Pharisees came to Jesus and pretended to be friendly. They told him that Herod, the King, was seeking to take his life just as he had caused John the Baptist to be put to death. They urged Jesus to leave the country at once, and go far away, lest herod find him and kill him. They hoped in this manner to be rid of Jesus. But Jesus did not feel afraid of Herod. He knew that his greatest enemies were among the Jews, and among the religious rulers of the Jews. They hated him because he taught the poor people and because he told them about their sins. Now he said to these Pharisees: "Go to Herod and tell him that I cast out evil spirits and heal the sick today and tomorrow, and on the third day, I shall be made perfect. For I must walk today and tomorrow and even the day following, for it can not be that a prophet shall perish outside of Jerusalem." Jesus meant that just as the Jews had killed God's prophets in other days, so they and not Herod would cause him to be put to death. Many publicans and sinners followed Jesus, to hear his words. And the Pharisees and scribes found fault, saying, "This man receives sinners and even eats with them." Jesus knew how they were complaining about him, and he spoke to the people by parables. First he told them the parable about the Lost Sheep. Because the Jews kept many sheep he knew they would understand the story. "What man of you," he asked, "having a hundred sheep would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and seek for the one that was lost? And when he finds it he will bring it back and rejoice more over the sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not wander away. So it is in heaven when a sinner repents and forsakes his sins; there is more rejoicing over him than over ninety-nine just persons who have no sin." There were women in the crowd listening to Jesus' words. And Jesus saw them there, so he told a story which they might understand. "What woman,"he asked, "having ten pieces of silver and losing one of them will not forget about the nine and search carefully through the house until she find the missing piece? And when she finds it she tells her neighbors and friends, and asks them to rejoice with her because she has found the piece that was lost. So also," said Jesus, "there is rejoicing in heaven when one lost sinner comes to God." Both the men and the women were listening very carefully now, and Jesus told the parable about the unthankful son who left his father's house and went to live among strangers. This is the story: "A certain man had two sons, and the younger son was not contented to remain at home with his father and his brother. He asked that his father divide the money which would some day be given to him and to his brother and give to him at once the part that would be his. So the father divided the money, and the younger son took his part and went away. He thought he was very rich, and he spent his money freely. He enjoyed every pleasure that he knew, and he seemed to have many friends. But after a while he spent all his money and he had nothing left. Then he grew hungry; but his friends left him and refused to help. "In his trouble the young man offered to care for a farmer's hogs, but he could scarcely keep from starving. And no man pitied him, or gave him any decent food to eat. "Then the young man remembered his father, and the hired servants who worked in his father's house. He knew those servants were well cared for. He decided to return to his father's house and ask to be made a servant there. So he returned to his home country to beg his father's forgiveness and to ask permission to be only a servant in the old home. "That father loved his wandering boy, and his heart was sad when the boy left him to live among strangers. Every day he longed for the boy to come back. And when at last he saw his son coming, clothed in rags, he ran out to meet him and wept for joy. The boy began to speak; he said, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you--'; but he had no opportunity to tell the father how he wished to become a servant in the old home, for the father commanded a servant to go quickly and bring the best clothes and dress the young man in them, and to prepare a feast of gladness, for the lost had been found. "The elder son was in the field at work. When he returned to the house and saw the excitement he asked the servants what had happened. They told him that his brother had come back again. And the elder son was displeased and would not go in to see his brother. Then his father came out and told him the glad news, but still he was displeased. 'I have served you faithfully all these years and you do not rejoice over me,' said the unhappy man, 'and now when my brother comes back from his riotous living you rejoice greatly over him.' "Now the father understood that his elder son was jealous of his brother. He said, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that I have is yours. Whenever you wished you could prepare a feast; but your brother has been to me like one dead, and now he is alive again. And it is right that we should be merry because he has returned to be with us again; for he was lost, but is found.'" Tomorrow: Parables: Unfaithful Steward, Rich Man & Lazarus, Unjust Judge, Pharisee & Publican

Parable of the Great Supper; Jesus Teaches in a Pharisee's House

Parable of the Great Supper; Jesus Teaches in a Pharisee's House Luke 14:1-24

In a parable that Jesus teaches, a certain man prepared a feast. When all was ready, he sent his servant to call the invited persons to come and eat. JESUS KNEW THE plans of his enemies in Jerusalem and he did not remain long in Bethany, but took his disciples and return again to the country near the Jordan River. While there he continued to teach, and to heal the sick who were brought to him. One Sabbath-day a Pharisee who lived in that part of the country asked Jesus to eat dinner at his house. And Jesus went with him. Other Pharisees and lawyers were present at the dinner, and, as usual, some people were there who had not been invited. These stood about in the dining-hall, looking on while the guests were eating the food set before them. Among the onlookers was one poor man who had a disease called dropsy. No doubt he had come because he heard that Jesus would be there, and he hoped Jesus would have mercy upon him and heal him. When Jesus saw the poor man standing near by, he pitied him. Turning to the Pharisees and lawyers, he asked, "Is it permitted in the law to heal on the Sabbath-day?" But the men would not answer. Then Jesus healed the poor man and sent him away; for he said, "No one of you, if your ox or ass fell into a pit, would allow it to remain there until after the Sabbath had passed, but you would pull the unfortunate beast out at once." And they understood that he meant to teach them to be just as merciful toward the poor man whom he had healed of the dropsy. Those present at the dinner expected to hear Jesus teach, and they were not disappointed. He had noticed how the guests chose the best places for themselves when they arrived, and he taught them a lesson on humility. He said, "When you are invited to a wedding, do not choose for yourself the places of most honor lest a man come who is more honorable than you. Then you will be asked to give your place to him, and you will feel ashamed before all the guests. But if you choose rather to take the lowest place, then you will be called up higher, and you will receive honor from your friends." Then Jesus turned to the Pharisee who had invited him to the house, and said, "When you prepare a feast, do not invite your friends and relatives and rich neighbors; for they will reward you in the same manner. But if you wish to receive a reward at the time when the righteous people are resurrected, then invite the poor and the crippled and the blind to your feasts; for such people can not repay you, and God will bless you for such service." One of the guests heard the words Jesus spoke to the host, and he said, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." Then Jesus spoke a parable to them all about the kingdom of God. He said: "A certain man prepared a great supper and invited many guests. When all was ready, he sent his servant to call the invited persons to come and eat. But every one began to make excuse to stay away. The first man said he had bought a piece of ground and would have to go at once to see it, and he asked to be excused from the supper. Another man said he had bought two oxen and he was going to try them out for driving, so he could not come; and another said he had gotten married, and he could not come. Everywhere the servant went the invited guests begged to be excused, and the servant returned to tell his master. "The feast was ready and waiting, and the master was greatly disappointed to hear how his invited guests had refused to come. He became angry with them, and said they should not be allowed even to taste the supper he had prepared. Then he sent the servant out quickly to gather in the poor people from the streets, and the servant brought in the blind and the lame, and still there was room. Then the master sent the servant to the country places near by to bring in the poor people who had not been invited. And his house was filled with hungry people who enjoyed the good things he had prepared for his unfaithful friends." Tomorrow: A Crooked Woman Healed; The Prodigal Son

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead John 11:1-54

Jesus looks into the door of the dark cave and cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" LAZARUS WAS A Jew who lived with his two sisters, Martha and Mary. Their home was in the little village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, and Jesus often visited them while attending the feasts of the Jews. Always they made him feel welcome, for they loved him dearly, and they believed that he was the Christ of whom the prophets had written long ago. One day while Jesus was in the country east of the Jordan teaching the people, a messenger came hurrying from Bethany to tell him that Lazarus was very sick. The anxious sisters had sent this message, and they believed that surely Jesus would come at once to help them. They knew of his great miracles of healing, and they longed to have him near in this hour of need. But Jesus did not go at once, for he said to his disciples, "This sickness of our friend Lazarus is for the glory of God." And so the messenger returned without Jesus. And the disappointed sisters lingered near the bedside of their dear brother and saw him grow weaker and weaker until finally his breath left his body and he died. How grief-stricken they felt! Why had Jesus not come to them? they wondered. Still they hoped that he might come, for he had even raised the dead to life; but the day wore on and no signs of his coming appeared. Then at last the neighbors and friends who gathered in to help them wrapped Lazarus' body with linen cloths and carried it to the cave where he should be buried. Martha and Mary followed, weeping bitterly, and they saw Lazarus laid in the dark cave and they saw the great stone rolled over the cave's opening. Still their friend Jesus had not come. Four days passed by, and the sorrow of the sisters grew deeper; for now they believed that even if Jesus should come he would be too late to help them. Many friends from Jerusalem were staying in their home trying to comfort them, but only one Friend could comfort and that Friend was not there. At last, after four days had passed, news came that Jesus and his disciples were nearing the village. Martha rose quickly and ran to meet him. Falling at his feet, she cried, "If only you have been here my brother had not died!" Jesus knew how deep was the grief in Martha's heart, and he said, "Your brother shall rise again." "I know he shall rise in the last day, when the dead shall come forth in the great resurrection," answered Martha. "I am the resurrection, and the life," said Jesus, "he that believes in me, though he were dead yet he shall live. And those who live and believe in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" he asked. Martha answered, "Yes, Lord, I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world." Still Martha did not understand what Jesus meant when he said he was the resurrection and the life. But she left him and hurried to call her sister, Mary; for Jesus had asked why Mary had not come, too. When Mary heard that Jesus had called for her she left the house and hurried out to meet him, for he had not yet come into the village. She found him resting by the roadside where Martha had met him, and she, too, fell at his feet and cried, "Lord, if you have had been here my brother had not died!" The Jews who had come from Jerusalem to comfort the sisters saw Mary rise up hastily and leave the house, and they supposed she was going to weep at Lazarus' grave. So they followed. And they saw her when she met Jesus, and they heard her weep when she fell at his feet. Tears flowed down their cheeks, too, and they cried aloud. Jesus was touched with the sorrow of these sisters and their friends. He groaned when he heard them weeping, and he asked "Where have you laid the body of Lazarus?" So they brought him to the grave. And as Jesus stood near the cave with the sisters and their sorrowing friends, he wept in sympathy with them. The Jews who had crowded near to watch, whispered among themselves, "See how he loved Lazarus! Could not this man, who opened the eyes of one who had been born blind, have caused that Lazarus should not have died?" While they were talking together, Jesus commanded that some one should roll away the stone from the opening of the cave. Martha exclaimed, "Lord, he has been dead four days, and by this time his body is decaying!" But Jesus answered, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you should see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone, and while the people stood by Jesus lifted his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I know that thou hearest me always; but because of the people who stand by I said it, that they may believe thou hast sent me." Then he looked into the door of the dark cave and cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" The astonished people saw the still, white form within the cave rise up and walk out to speak with them. And Jesus told the friends to untie the linen cloths and remove the napkin, which covered his face. And Lazarus was alive once more. After this miracle many of the Jews who had come form Jerusalem to comfort Martha and Mary believed that Jesus was the Christ. And soon the scribes and Pharisees and chief priests at Jerusalem heard what had happened at Bethany, and they were greatly excited. "What shall we do?" they asked, "for it we let him go soon all men will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our nation." And from that time the enemies of Jesus began to plan how they might capture him and kill him. Tomorrow: Parable of the Great Supper; Jesus Teaches in a Pharisee's House

Seventy Other Disciples Sent Out; The Good Samaritan

Seventy Other Disciples Sent Out; The Good Samaritan


Luke 10:1-37



A kind-hearted Samaritan sees the poor man who had been robbed and beaten, and stops to help.







JESUS KNEW THAT he had not much longer to preach, for the time was near when he must lay down his life for the sins of the people. He therefore chose seventy other men who had followed him and received his teachings, and to them he gave power to heal the sick and to cast out evil spirits. Then he sent them out, two and two, into the country east of the Jordan River, to preach in the cities and villages where he would go later on.

And just as the twelve disciples had gone, so these men went forth to heal the sick and to tell people that the kingdom of heaven was coming near to them. And when their errand was finished they hurried back to Jesus, telling him that even the evil spirits obeyed when they commanded them to depart. These seventy disciples rejoiced much because they have received power to command evil spirits to obey them; but Jesus said, "Do not rejoice in this, but rather be glad because your names are written in heaven."



Then Jesus prayed to God, the Father, and afterwards he turned to his disciples and said, "Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, but they did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, but they did not hear them."



Then a wise Jew, called a lawyer, came to Jesus and asked a question, wishing to tempt him. He said, "Master, what shall I do to inherit life in heaven?"



Jesus knew this man had knowledge of the law of Moses, so instead of answering the question he asked the wise man another. He said, "What is written in the law of Moses? Do you not know its teachings?" The lawyer replied, "Moses wrote that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul,, and with all our strength, and with all our mind; and he wrote that we should love our neighbors as ourselves."



Jesus said, "You have answered right; do this and you shall have life in heaven."



But the man was not willing to turn away yet. So he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" And Jesus told him the story about the Good Samaritan. This is the story:



"One day a man started to travel from Jerusalem to Jericho. As he went along the lonely road he met some robbers. These men stopped him, took away his money, tore off his clothing, and beat him until he was half dead. Then they ran off, leaving him to lie by the roadside.



"Presently a priest came along the road, and he saw the poor man lying there. But he did not stop to help the stranger. He did not even speak to the poor man and ask if he might send some friends to aid him, but passed by on the other side of the road.



"After the priest had gone by a Levite came by. When he saw the poor man he also took no second look. He did not offer to help him. He hurried on his way leaving the poor man to die.



"And no doubt the poor man would have died if a kind-hearted Samaritan had not come along the road soon afterwards. When he saw the poor man he stopped his mule, climbed out of his saddle, and bent over the stranger to speak to him. He saw that the wounded man was a Jew, and he knew the Jews were not friendly to the Samaritans, but he knew this Jew was in deep trouble.



So he poured oil upon the wounded places and bound them up. Then he gave the wounded man a drink to revive him, and helped him to climb into the saddle on his own mule's back.



He brought the wounded man to a sheltering-place called an inn, where travelers stopped overnight. Here he took care of him until the next day, and before he started on his journey again he gave money to the keeper of the inn, and said, 'Take care of this stranger until he is well, and if more money is needed I will give it when I come again.'



"Now," asked Jesus of the lawyer, "which of the three men was a neighbor to the one who was attacked by robbers?"



"The man who treated him kindly," answered the lawyer.



Jesus said, "Go, and do as the Samaritan did."



Tomorrow: Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead