All signs pointed to the end of His earthly ministry.  So, serving others was top of Jesus’ mind as He did the unthinkable and washed His disciples’ feet in preparation to observe the Passover.  They didn’t quite know how to react to that.  In one sense, honored, even loved, but also vastly uncomfortable, even shocked, that Jesus would do this.  For Jesus, it was the important context to this Passover and what would transpire over the next three days. 

Indeed, Jesus felt all the weight of the remembrance and the solemn sacrifice of the Passover lamb.  Jesus’ disciples, too, felt that this Passover was meaningful in a way totally apart from any prior year’s Passover.  They couldn’t identify why, but it just felt different.  Strangely different even from last year’s when they were newer to the discipleship scene and it wasn’t just the foot-washing that made it unusual.

Jesus put words to this atmosphere saying, Luke 22:15, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

The disciples looked at Him gravely.  There He goes again, talking about suffering.  What does He mean He will not eat it again until the kingdom of God?  What does that mean?  He just got through telling us that it’s not going to happen yet.  No kingdom of God is going to arrive with overthrow.  Jesus won’t be observing the Passover until a much later, undetermined date.  Why does He talk like this?  It confuses me, each man thought.  But no one said a word.  To them, it was a private shame and a conflict of faith not to understand.

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Think about it:

• The disciples didn’t have the benefit of what we know on this side of the Cross.  To them, in the flow of events, how might they have understood the new covenant in [His] blood? 
• In  Matthew 26:21-22, Scripture says, “And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?””  How was betrayal something they could all understand?
• Each man asked about whether it was himself.  In what way does that reveal each man must have harbored doubts in some way at some time, perhaps even now? 

Lord Jesus, thank You for the new covenant in Your blood, understood more fully on this side of Your supreme sacrifice.  We thank You, Father, for the Passover for the Jews of Moses’ day and for the forgiveness offered by the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Thank You for loving us first and loving us better and eternally.  We praise You for the gift of salvation for everyone who believes, repents, and follows You.  Thank You that salvation is not up to us, but You have done all that is required.  May we each have wisdom to see the gift You offer and to accept it with humble gratitude.  We will not truly understand until we see You face-to-face, but until then hold us fast, keep us strong, and give us perseverance to the very end.  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

The Twelve had come to accept that Jesus was not in a hurry to overthrow the Romans even if maybe one of the Twelve was not committed to stay the course in the way of the other Eleven.  Perhaps it was Judas’ impatience.  Maybe his heart had long been elsewhere.  

Who knows when a man’s heart changes, and a growing disillusionment replaces faith?  Jesus knew the answer, and it grieved Him that part of the plan would include one “doomed to destruction.”

If the end wasn’t coming soon, at least Eleven who would stay the course wanted to know how to know when it was coming. 

Luke 21::7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”  

It was not a question arising from faith, but from somewhere else.  Human planning? Curiosity? Countdown? Jesus would not answer the former “when” question, but He’d outline the signs.  In a series of warnings and encouragements,

Luke 21:8 Jesus replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.  9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”  10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.  12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.  13 And so you will bear testimony to me.  14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.  

Think about it: 

• Why would Jesus give them both warnings and encouragements as it relates to the signs? 
• Read verses 16-36.  What are the warning signs? 
• Encouragement consists of telling the faithful that if they stand firm, they will win life (v 19), that the times of the Gentiles needed to be fulfilled (v 24), Jesus will come in a cloud with power and great glory (v 27) and if they will be always on the watch prayerfully… “you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (v 36)  Why was it important to include the encouragement following each of the warnings? 
• Had He offered only encouragement without the warnings, what might have happened to their faith?  Had He offered only warnings without the encouragement, what might have happened to their faith?

Thank You, Father, for creating a resilience in our faith through trials and testing.  Thank You for salvation and rescuing us from the powers of evil in this world.  Give us strength to persevere in prayer, more and more as the days draw near to Your return, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

Time was running short.  Only a few days left before His earthly ministry would be completed.  What was good news for some would be very bad news for others.  Either Jesus would be the rock-solid foundation of their salvation or He’d be the stone the builders reject and eventually—after all their chances to repent were exhausted–there would be hell to pay.

Luke 20:1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, … 9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

The people scratched their heads as Jesus strategically paused in the story.  Why would the tenants beat the vineyard owners’ servants and send them away one by one?  Surely the tenants would have understood that this vineyard had been a long-term investment by the owner but that without the tenant farmers, the land would be overrun, and wilderness would take over.  They performed their function and would have received their full share.

The owner was only asking for some fruit for his land purchase and expenses in planting of the vineyard.  So why would they do this awful thing?

Jesus’ audience understood this particular parable was about them, the Chosen People.  They themselves were the vineyard!  They knew those responsible for nurturing the Chosen People throughout history until the final vindication were the teachers, the leaders, and the chief priests.  Had these leaders failed?

Consider all the blessings!  They’d had the covenants!  They had the promises!  They had the patriarchs!  They had the deliverance from Egypt!  They had Moses and all the prophets!  They had the Law!  And they had all the prophetic writings, and documented history through generations of kings both good and bad.  Why would their experts and teachers throw it all away?

After Jesus held their gaze through a powerful pause, He continued,

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

The people were listening with rapt attention, knowing God was the rightful king of the Chosen People, the owner of the vineyard.  Is Jesus talking about the Messiah?

14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”

Think about it:

• Why did the people say “God forbid”? 
• Was it the treatment of the heir, the tenants’ death, or the reallocation of the vineyard that bothered them?
• Who is God bringing into the Chosen People?
• What is Jesus saying in Luke 20:17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”?
• What are two ways in which anti-Semitism ought to be abhorrent to Christians?  Read Romans 9-11 for insight.
• In what way is it not “God forbid” but God ordained?

Thank You, Father, for Your plan to include the Gentile world and to fulfill Your promise to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being faithful to the end.  Thank You, that we can rely upon You because You are faithful, and we can trust You because Your Word tells us that You are love. We praise You!  Amen and Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

The end of My mission is very near, thought Jesus.  And it was such a shame that those to whom He’d been sent didn’t recognize the time of God’s coming to them.  They would be missing out on so much peace to be had, if only they accepted His teaching instead of rejecting Him.  It was time to clean house and begin His march to the Cross. 

Luke 19: 45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

The zeal for God’s house consumed Him.  He knew the importance of prayer, and He was righteously angered at the way mankind had abused the privilege of coming to God in prayer and worship. What had they done instead? They had turned it into just another commercial enterprise springing from greed.  Over money!  Choosing money over God!  As He drove out the sellers and overturned the tables of the money changers, He knew the point had to be made.  This was wrong, wrong, wrong!  It was abuse of the poorest—a monetizing of worship and making actual worship of the One True and Sovereign God an afterthought.

Rejection of the Father takes many forms, and this was among the worst because the offense was against God and man and abused the most vulnerable.

The chief priests and teachers of the law took umbrage at this action.  How dare He!  Just who does He think He is?  This man has lost His mind!  He is seriously out of control.  He needs to be stopped.  Oh, and He will be.  We’ll see to it, they committed to each other.

Here was the problem though: how to do it. 47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

He was still too popular with the people who would yet come to His defense, the adversaries concluded.  We can’t risk the Romans taking His side.  We’ll need to find a way to divide Him from His followers.  Let’s wait for the right time.

Think about it:

• How is divide-and-conquer still an effective strategy? 
• Read John 17:20-23.  How does unity testify to what is better?

We praise You, God Almighty, for the unity You have in heaven as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  May we be one in purpose and in worship of You so that You will receive all glory!  You are God Eternal and we praise You!  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

The disciples were understandably nervous.  It was both a nervous fear and a nervous excitement.  They could see Jerusalem in the distance.  This was really happening!

Luke 19:28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

Jesus was about to do something remarkable.  He would harken the minds of the observers back to the writings in 1 Kings 1:32-34 and King David’s commissioning of Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet to get a mule for his son Solomon to be anointed as king over Israel.  Jesus was about to do that very thing.  Two were commissioned–in this case disciples–and a donkey no one had ever ridden would bear the King of the Jews.

The disciples, excited to be part of this Messianic fervor, rushed to do their task.  The remaining disciples looked at Jesus, wondering if He knew what He was doing, whether this plan was truly thought out, or how this could be an actual battle strategy.  Was overthrow going to come with a man entering peacefully on a gentle donkey?  Aren’t we supposed to be crowning Him king and getting battle-ready?  Their hearts were pounding as they awaited the arrival of the donkey and return of the two who had been sent.  All the while their minds were a muddle.

Think about it: 

• In 1 Kings 1:32 King David said, “Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, 33 he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon. 34 There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’”
• How did a prophet, a priest, and a king-to-be enter Gihon in 1 Kings? 
• How would Jesus fulfill prophet, priest, and king in His entry to the Holy City of Jerusalem?

Lord Jesus, we crown You as King of our hearts and our lives!  Reign in us today, we pray!  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through on His way to Jerusalem.  When He saw a wealthy tax-collector named Zacchaeus who’d climbed a tree to see His arrival, He said, “Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Zacchaeus welcomed him gladly. 

It was a welcome that brought joy to Jesus’ heart and salvation to Zacchaeus (which is exactly what an encounter with Jesus can do).  But it also brought ridicule from certain people and rejection of Jesus and His ministry which would amplify all the way to Jerusalem.

Why Zacchaeus? Unfair! Stupid! Improper!  Luke 19:7 “All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.'”

Jesus took the rejection and turned it into teaching.  After all, Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Time was running short and these misperceptions of His ministry needed to be corrected.

Luke 19:11 Because Jesus was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once, 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ 14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ 15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. 16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ 20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them– bring them here and kill them in front of me.'”

Think about it:

• Did sending a “rejection delegation” keep the man of noble birth from becoming king? 
• Would anything—even rejection or death—keep Jesus from being crowned King of kings and Lord of lords? 
• Notice the attitude of the wicked servant. How did the people react as the mina was awarded to the richest one?  How does the issue of fairness get addressed? 
• This is high-stakes stuff.  Do you think some people view Jesus as not capable of having enemies put to death?  If death is automatic–apart from being given eternal life through the gifts of faith and grace–how is that materially different than having a death sentence carried out? 
• What does it take to be God’s enemy?

Lord God, please forgive us for the times we presume upon You by viewing You incorrectly: assuming You’re too loving to exert Your judgment on our sin, or considering You too harsh as Judge to be approachable. In so many ways we act like the wicked servant, missing Your goodness and failing to produce fruit for Your Kingdom.  Thank You that You “came to seek and to save the lost.” We praise You for giving us every opportunity to repent and find forgiveness.  Father, in sober awareness of Your power and Your holiness, we each repent of our sins as individuals, and we confess the sins of our nation.  We fall upon Your mercy.  We are sinners and deep down we know it.  We need You, Father.  We need Your grace and forgiveness, Lord Jesus.  We need Your indwelling, Holy Spirit, to inspire our living as wise servants in a wicked generation.  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

Jesus was astonished (and not in a good way) witnessing the audacity of mankind. Human pride was something truly horrid to behold…but people were blind to how awful it is.  Some didn’t see it as a sin at all and yet, it was part of what was driving Him to the Cross.  It had to be paid in full whether people could see it as sin or not.

Luke 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people– robbers, evildoers, adulterers– or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

Some in the crowd nodded approvingly.  They were grateful they weren’t sinners like other people and would keep their distance from getting polluted, too.  Jesus’ gaze pierced their thoughts as He continued,

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

Exactly right!  That’s what those in the crowd thought.  Jesus knew they were tracking along simply human lines, so He continued to the point of the story,

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The people were dumbfounded.  How could He say such a thing?  The righteous man who fasts and tithes and goes to temple to pray doesn’t get justified before God?  “The Pharisee, not the sinner, was doing everything right!” they protested silently.  Why does the sinner get justified?  Jesus never averted His gaze and so He seemed to be analyzing their thoughts all the way down into their souls.  They didn’t get it.  Many of them would never understand.

The disciples were supposed to be different, especially since they’d been following for some time now.  But they too needed a lesson on the beauty of innocent faith and on humility before Jesus could head to the Cross.

Luke 18:15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

The disciples, too, were speechless.

Think about it: 

• The destructive nature of human pride is a very common tale.  What about pride makes it so destructive? 
• When you think about your life, do you ever imagine yourself as primarily sinful or primarily a pretty good person?
• In what ways are the destructive nature of pride and an optimistic view regarding our own state connected? 
• Is it easier to see pride as a sin in someone else’s life?

Thank You, Lord God, for valuing humility and for instructing us in what is good and what You require. (Micah 6:8) Holy Spirit, please give us wisdom to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. Help us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but rather think of ourselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of us. (Romans 12:3)

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

The anger of the Pharisees was growing.  They had been called out publicly for their hypocrisy…by this uncredentialed Jesus, no less!  They were enraged and secretly making preparations to deal with this guy once and for all.

Jesus was doing likewise.  He had His own “once for all time” event nearing.  In an earthly battle in the spiritual realm, both sides prepare.  The disciples would need to carry on after His death and they were getting very nervous about all the people who had Jesus on their enemies list.  Jesus knew they didn’t know the half of it.

Luke 17:1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

It’s bound to come Jesus says, so be prepared…to forgive.  WAAAT?  Prepare to forgive, not fight? 

Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

The disciples looked at Jesus with sober acknowledgement that Jesus never said things He didn’t mean.  He’d said, “You must forgive them.”  Must is unambiguous.  They looked at their own resources to make it happen and realized they didn’t have what it takes.  They looked at Jesus and said the only thing they could. The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (v. 5)

They were catching on.  The ability to forgive is fostered in relationship with God through faith in Christ!  Only this will carry them through the difficult days ahead.  Jesus, appreciating their progress, pushed a step further.

Luke 17:22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.  23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.  24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.  25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

Wait a minute, thought the disciples, I thought the Messiah was going to come—one big battle–and THAT was the end!  But what?  First, He must suffer and be rejected by this generation?  We thought He was going to save this generation.

Luke 17:26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

Think about it: 

• To Jesus’ disciples, they thought He was the Messiah, the King, and overthrow would bring the kind of vindication, redemption, and restoration promised in Scripture.  It bothered them that Jesus is telling them a different plan…one that involved suffering.  Why might that be different than what they thought following had meant? 
• In Luke 17:31-37, Jesus tells them that it will be like the days of Noah and how it will be when the rapture of the saints happens.  He tells them specifically not to go back to retrieve anything?  Why might Jesus tell them that?  Why did He say to remember Lot’s wife? 
• In the two examples Jesus provides (days of Noah and the days of Sodom) people were doing everyday things.  How did everyday things not include faith in God? 
• What are some things you can do to place Jesus Christ and faith in Him at the center of your everyday?

Lord Jesus, forgive us for having expectations of You that aren’t what You’ve planned at all.  Forgive us for arrogantly believing that You must do this or that on our timeline.  Forgive us for failing to keep You at the center of everything we do in these last days.  Increase our faith for the forgiveness we must offer and give us clear awareness of our need for forgiveness which is found only in You.  Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace.  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

Jesus was nearing the end time of His earthly ministry.  It never failed to grieve Him that people felt like there was something they could do to earn by rights (or purchase for themselves) salvation.  A stubborn refusal to listen—always setting up their own barriers to becoming persuaded of their need for God—it was very troubling but inevitable, Jesus reminded Himself.  Worse, they were only deluding themselves.  Money can provide comfort and security here on earth, but it does nothing for a person when it comes to eternity and the final judgment that awaits every last person.

Jesus told the Pharisees and the crowds explicitly, Luke 16:13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”

“Detestable?  How horrible!  What a destructive teaching,” thought the Pharisees!  “We value the Law,” they protested silently.  “We love the Law, we obey it, and we require it of others to the minutiae!  If money comes our way, then it’s a blessing from the hand of God, not a curse!  What does that Jesus know?  We don’t serve money!”  Jesus, knowing the thoughts in their hearts, just shook His head sadly and told them a parable.

 Luke 16:19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades,

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!  What’s the rich man doing in Hades while the beggar is with our father Abraham?” thought the Pharisees as Jesus continued with a steady intensity,

Luke 16:23 “where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”

Jesus looked earnestly at their expression which betrayed a growing hatred, plain and simple.  They caught His meaning and were indignant that this untrained man was trying to tell them a thing or two.  Consumed with hatred and pride, their pattern was set in motion.  They had not been listening to Moses with ears to receive the truth. They failed to see the wisdom of the Prophets predicting the Messiah.   And they weren’t listening Jesus Whom they did not know would rise after they—in their hatred—had put Him to death.

Think about it:

• How stubborn is our belief that we can love both God and money? 
• How likely are we to help others whom we believe are “beneath us”? 
• Why would people not be convinced by someone rising from the dead if they didn’t listen to Moses or the Prophets?

Thank You, Father, for ample places in Your Word in which You outlined Your plan of salvation.  Thank You that it’s Your plan and not one of our own making!  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your faithfulness and grace!  Help us to be free from allowing Money to master us. Help us to reach those we love with Your Gospel and may we preach Your Word boldly so that no one misses out on the grace of God!  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.

The Pharisees couldn’t relate to shepherds and sheep, but they could understand money.  Yet, they failed to acknowledge how it applied to them since they didn’t see themselves as doing anything sinful. Therefore, Jesus turned to a parable which would be unmistakable in meaning to them.

Luke 15:11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'”

Think about it:

• Which son obeyed everything? How might that have contributed to his feeling like he earned his righteousness but only fostered resentment of the other son? 
• Which one was “the sinner”? How did the father (who represents God) treat him? 
• The Pharisees with their conspicuous obedience must have felt like the obedient son. What was really bothering the Pharisees about Jesus’ teaching about God’s love on the lookout for sinners?
• Jesus spoke of the father keeping watch for the lost son and celebrating when he was found. Why might the Pharisees have resented Jesus given His lack of credentials? 
• What about human pride and resentment are offensive to God?

Thank You, God, for Your Law and Your grace.  We can resonate with Your servant, the Apostle Paul who wrote, “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:22-25) We want to love and serve You but we know that apart from Your Holy Spirit’s working, we fail time and again to measure up. For Your forgiveness, we praise You and thank You, Lord.  Amen.

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2019 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this great look at the Easter story to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals remain popular,

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.