[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 294-Matthew 21-23; John 19 summary!]
In Exodus 15-17 we read of the Israelites’ first experiences on the freedom side of the Red Sea. The first act of the Israelites as free people was to offer a song of deliverance to God. They remembered what God had done for them. This was a high point for the Israelites. When God delivers us, blesses us, provides for us, the appropriate response is praise. Unfortunately, the people of Israel didn’t get it right for long. Soon after their praise service in the wilderness, they came across a pool of water that was bitter. They complained. God made the water safe to drink. Next the Israelites complained they didn’t have meat to eat. God provided quail and manna. When the water ran low the Israelites complained again. God provided water. Are you sensing a pattern.? The Israelites had seen the amazing power of God through all the plagues in Egypt, through the parting of the Red Sea, and now as He provided time after time for each of their needs. Yet, every time they faced a problem, they complained. What can we learn from this? Don’t complain. Easier to say than to do, isn’t it? God promises when we put Him first, He will provide for our needs. The Israelites in the wilderness are an incredible example of the truth of that. Let’s not learn from their pattern of complaining at every turn, but from their praising God when He provided!
In Exodus 17 God showed the Israelites and us an important lesson as the Israelites fought the Amalekites. The lesson doesn’t come directly from the battlefield, but from Moses, who watched the battle from a vantage point above the conflict. When Moses held up his staff the Israelites prevailed, but when Moses grew tired and lowered the staff, the Amalekites did. Finally, Aaron and Hur stood beside Moses and held up his arms so the staff was always raised. The Israelites prevailed! What’s the point? At least two come to mind: 1) Intercession is vital; and 2) We all need help. Moses’ intercession for the Israelite soldiers had as much impact as those who were in the middle of the conflict. We need to remember the spiritual component of every conflict in our lives. We can’t see it, but there is always a spiritual battle going on around us, and our intercessory prayers are vital to victory. Aaron and Hur ultimately became as important to the victory as Moses. He couldn’t bear the staff alone. Many times, we want to be “Lone Rangers,” but even the Lone Ranger had Tonto!
As we reread Mark 3, we are reminded of Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders on a Sabbath, which as usual was negative. The religious leaders were more concerned about observing their traditions, than with a man being healed. As we remember this moment, it’s vital for us to remember never to let our traditions or pre-conceived ideas get in the way of letting Jesus work in our lives. Massive crowds continued to follow Jesus as His teaching, preaching, healing and delivering ministry continued to impact the region of northern Israel. In the midst of all the activity, Jesus took time out to select the twelve disciples. Mark tells us Jesus called them first that they might “be with” Jesus. Interesting, isn’t it? Jesus needed to train the twelve to take over when He left, but the first thing they needed to do was simply be with Jesus, to be in relationship with Him. This helps us see how important it is for us to have others with us in relationship and in training for future ministry. As Jesus continued to minister, He had another run in with the religious leaders who said He was able to cast out demons by the authority of Satan. Jesus responded by pointing out that no kingdom or house divided against itself can stand. Finally, Jesus’ family got involved. They thought He might be crazy. When some in the crowd told Jesus His family was looking for them, He told the crowd anyone who does His Father’s will is His mother, and sister and brother. What a helpful reminder that Jesus’ ultimate goal was to bring each of us into His family, a family that will continue forever!
Day 295-Matthew 21-23; John 19
Matthew 21 records Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As we have seen in reading through all four gospels, only Matthew records Jesus riding on two donkeys at once. The point is the same: the people recognized Jesus for who He was–the Messiah. But as we know this acclamation wouldn’t continue. By Good Friday, the same crowds called for Jesus’ death. Next, Jesus cleansed the money changers out of the Temple, which was another major challenge to the religious leaders’ authority. The next morning Jesus cursed a fig tree for not having fruit. He used the moment to point out the importance of faith in our lives. After this, the religious leaders went on the offensive asking Jesus to tell them the source of His authority? He responded with a question for them: Where did John the Baptist get his authority–from God or people. The leaders knew they were trapped, because if they said from God, Jesus would ask why they didn’t listen to him, but if they said from people, the crowds would attack them, because the crowds believed he was a prophet. When they said, “We don’t know,” Jesus said He would not tell them where His authority originated. After this, Jesus told a parable of a man with two sons. He asked both of them to do some work for him. One said, “No,” but then did work, while the other said, “Yes,” but then didn’t. Jesus asked which did the will of his father? They responded, “The one who did his father’s will.” Jesus told them in the same way the tax collectors and sinners would go to heaven before them, because of their response to Jesus. The chapter closes with Jesus telling a parable of a vineyard owner whose tenants abused and killed the servants he sent to collect his prophets at the time of harvest. Finally, the man sent his son, thinking they would respond to him, but they killed him, too. The message wasn’t lost on the religious leaders, so they decided it was time to get rid of Jesus.
Matthew 22 starts with Jesus telling the Parable of the Wedding Feast, in which all of the invited guests turn the Master down when told it is time to come. He then invites the poor, the lame, and any who will come. This again shows how the Kingdom of Heaven will be received by those the religious leaders would never have expected. This is followed by three “tests” set before Jesus by the religious leaders. The first was to ask Jesus whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. The leaders thought they had Jesus before, because whether He said yes or no, they “had” Him. The problem is Jesus didn’t say yes or no. He had a coin brought to Him and asked whose inscription and picture where on it? When the leaders responded it was Caesar’s, Jesus told them to give to Caesar what was Caesar’s and to God what was God’s. Next, the Sadducees came with a question about the resurrection. Because we’ve all read it a number of times at this point, we know they didn’t believe in the resurrection, and their question involved a woman who had been married to seven brothers, and whose wife she would be in the resurrection. Jesus pointed out that we are not married in heaven but are “like” the angels. He also pointed out that at the time of Moses’ being confronted by God in the burning bush, God told Moses, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The present tense verb makes it clear the three patriarchs were alive and with God, thus verifying the resurrection of the dead. Finally, Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment in Moses’ Law? Jesus answered without hesitation: It is to love God with everything we have, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This shut up the leaders. Jesus ended this encounter by asking them whose son the Messiah is? He asked this because everyone knew the answer was supposed to be King David, yet David called the Messiah “Lord.” After this no one dared asked Jesus any more questions.
In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounces seven “woes” over the Pharisees. The word used in the original Greek, which is translated “Woe to you” is a strong word that could be translated “damn you”, so Jesus was moving toward His final conflict with the leaders, which would end in His arrest, condemnation, and crucifixion. The chapter ends with Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem. He knows the inevitably of this being the place of His crucifixion, even though it is the center and heart of Israel.
As we return to John 19, we read the record of Jesus’ being handed over for crucifixion by Pilate, even though Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. Then Jesus is crucified, and in John’s account Jesus ensure that John will care for His mother, Mary, after Jesus’ death. When the soldiers go around breaking the legs of those who had been crucified, they found Jesus was already dead, so they pierced His side with a spear, rather than breaking His legs. This is significant, because a prophecy in the Old Testament had said not one of His bones would be broken. Finally, Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, who was a Pharisee, but who had apparently believed Jesus was the Messiah. Nicodemus assisted Joseph as they buried Jesus and started the embalming process. As the chapter ends, it seems all hope is lost. But we know the rest of the story!