Holy Week, Monday -Confronting Injustice

March 25, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

There are two specific actions Bible Commentaries assign to Monday of Holy Week. Jesus entered the city humbly and triumphantly on Sunday and then cleansed the temple area of money changers and withered a fig tree on Monday. Both actions seem harsh from our Lord but give a picture of the worldly opposition to God’s kingdom. From both we get a glimpse of divine justice. You can read the accounts in Matthew 21 and Mark 11.

Jerusalem at Passover was a bustling city with many pilgrims arriving to make offerings at the temple. They needed to purchase animals for sacrifice and change money so they could pay the yearly temple tax. The exchanges were all being conducted in the outer court of the Gentiles. Here is Matthew’s account from 21:12-14.

^12-14Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text:

“My house was designated a house of prayer;
You have made it a hangout for thieves.“

Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them. (Message)

Jesus was then, is now and will be in eternity the Righteous Judge. He saw the true motives of the people desiring to make money exorbitantly and uprooted and cast them out literally. He placed priority for prayer and worship on coming to God’s house. He got right to the work of his ministry- healing and allowing access to God for everyone.

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As we near the cross, take heart from this short snippet in Jesus’ last week. Know that He came to save and set right relationships and motives towards God. What attitudes do you need adjusted by Jesus today? Do you attend church to make ‘connections’ with people for business or do you come to pray and reflect on your walk with Jesus? Looking at the heart is what Jesus did then and does now in our lives through the Holy Spirit. Let Him cleanse your heart today and put you on the right pathway with right motives. May our hearts be right with God today as suggested in this quote by Charles Wesley.

Prayer: Father God, I come to you today in need of readjusted attitudes and I desire that my motives be made pure. Show me where I have wrong attitudes and motives. Fill me with your Spirit anew today and guide me in your ways. Cause me to walk with you in humility and openness. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Do you desire to have a heart of prayer today? Then lift up your voice and thoughts to Him. He will answer. Proverbs 15:29 “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” Be right with God today.

Linda

Palm Sunday, A Steep Descent He Made for Us

March 24, 2024 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before Passover and His death on the cross is a wild an joyous event. I have walked the Palm Sunday Road and it is a very steep hill leading down from the Mt. of Olives that leads to the eastern gate. As I walked that road, I could see this scene in my mind that is included in all four gospels.

Matthew 21:1-11 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” ⁴This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

⁵“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. ⁸Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” ¹⁰And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Blessings today as we usher in the final week of Jesus’ life on earth with Palms, Shouts of Hosanna and Praises to Messiah, the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world.

Linda

Jesus entered into the city through the eastern gate that is now closed. In later times the gate was blocked to keep Messiah from entering, not realizing that Jesus had already come that Palm Sunday so long ago.

Suggestion: As you praise God today in worship, choose an attribute of God that you are most thankful for and let God know what it means to you. Consider- Savior, His Grace and Mercy, Sovereignty, Faithfulness, His Hope, His Assurance of Salvation in Jesus, His granting Freedom from Sin or His Provision for you. Praise His Holy Name!

Holy Week, Tuesday, Where’s Jesus?

March 30, 2021 nofearlinda1 Comment

Bible scholars attribute many happenings to the Tuesday of Holy Week. Jesus was questioned by the religious leaders as to by what authority was He speaking and performing miracles. Jesus cleverly trapped them with their own questions, and they left him alone. (Matthew 21:23-27) After that confrontation, Jesus proceeded to teach in parables about the tenants who killed the messengers sent by the master, then about the wedding banquet where those invited refused to come and then strangers were welcomed in their place. Both of these pointed to the treatment of Jesus, God’s Son, by the religious leaders and Jews of His day. Jesus also taught about taxes and where we owe our allegiance. He spoke about marriage in heaven and who He really was. (Matthew 21:28-23:39) Later in the evening, Jesus ate at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. There Mary anointed Jesus with pure nard, a very expensive perfume, and the disciples were upset at her for using this costly perfume on Jesus. (Matthew 26:6-12) From morning until night, Jesus used every minute to instruct and build up the faith of His followers as He knew His time was short.

During this day, one of Jesus’ most important teachings was revealed when the Jewish leaders asked Jesus what was the most important commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ³⁷And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV)

This statement about the right priorities for our lives is so simply stated, and yet is so difficult to live out on a daily basis. Putting God first in our lives will keep everything else in balance and then loving others with as much love as we love ourselves comes next. Do you love yourself? Do you take care with what you put into your body, soul and mind? Jesus tells us that He expects us to love and respect ourselves. Out of that love for God will flow and be poured into those around us. Think about your priorities today and the fact that Jesus spent time His last week on earth telling us how to align our lives in the most productive way for ourselves and others.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have His Holy Spirit’s indwelling power that enables me to keep my priorities in line with Him. Putting God first then yourself and others is God’s way. Thankfully, He is able to see this work to completion as promised in Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” He also promised help in Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Praise God! He wants us to show His love to others and will enable us to do so in His time and His way.

Linda