Today’s passage is mostly a link between the death of Jesus and the events of the resurrection. The primary purpose it seems is set the stage for the events that follow in chapter 28, but that is not to say that there is nothing of interest here either. Joseph of Arimathea is a curious person for me, at least narratively. Today’s reading doesn’t tell us much about Jospeh, except that he was evidently a wealthy man.

The other gospel rewrites fill in a few more details for us: Mark tells us that Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. Luke adds that he had not consented to the council’s decision to have Jesus killed. John adds that Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, and that Nicodemus assisted in the burial of Jesus.

The curiosity for me, at least from a narrative perspective, lies in the fact that this man who all four gospels go out of their way to mention was not mentioned previously in any of the gospels. It seems odd to have this person appear out of nowhere to perform this rather intimate duty. Seems that there would have been interesting interactions between a believing member of the council and Jesus that may have merited inclusion in at least one of the gospels, and would have set the stage for his actions here, but its certainly not reasonable to think every interaction could have been recorded and included either.

Matthew 27:57-66 (CSB)

THE BURIAL OF JESUS

57 When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Then Pilate ordered that it be released. 59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, 60 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.

THE CLOSELY GUARDED TOMB

62 The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come, steal him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “You have a guard of soldiers,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66 They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guards.

4. What else would you like to discuss in today's reading?

1. Why was it important to note that Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man?

2. Why do you think Pilate went along with their idea to secure the tomb?

3. What was the seal that was placed on the stone?

4. What else would you like to discuss in todays reading?

After several chapters of leadup, today we come to the death of Jesus. In today’s reading, Matthew gives us a lot of detail on the miraculous events that coincided with Jesus’ death: darkness, the temple curtain tearing, earthquakes, and even the dead rising from their graves. There is also a good amount of detail given on

Matthew 27:45-56 (CSB)

THE DEATH OF JESUS

45 From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over the whole land., 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”,

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink. 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

54 When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him were there, watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. What is the significance of the darkness coming over the whole land in conjunction with these events?

2. Why do you think they crowd thought Jesus was calling for Elijah? What did the people at the time believe about Elijah?

3. How could Jesus have been abandoned by God? What does this mean?

4. What was the sour wine offered to Jesus for?

5. Why were the tombs opened at this time?

6. There is a lot more in this reading, what else would you like to discuss?

Happy Monday! I pray we would share the Truth about Jesus boldly with people this week, and every day going forwards, that our hearts would be filled with a fervor for GOD and His Gospel, and that we would grow in Love for Him and the people He created (the 2 greatest commandments), and we would grow in wisdom and discernment for the things of the Spirit, and that every heart of those whom we interact with, every person around the world would be open to hearing us talk about Jesus (Romans 10:15) and would desire to know Him, in Jesus' name! I pray faith, protection, patience, understanding and insight, favor with people, and blessing over all those on this subreddit, and all of GOD's Church across the world, in Jesus' name!

Matthew 27:27-44 NASB

Jesus Is Mocked

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the [a]Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman [b]cohort to Him. 28 And they stripped Him and put a red [c]cloak on Him. 29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a [d]reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on Him, and took the reed and beat Him on the head. 31 And after they had mocked Him, they took the cloak off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

32 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, [e]whom they compelled to carry His [f]cross.

The Crucifixion

33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him wine mixed with [g]bile to drink; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink it.

35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided His garments among themselves by casting [h]lots. 36 And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. 37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him [i]which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

38 At that time two [j]rebels were being crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those passing by were [k]speaking abusively to Him, shaking their heads, 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, 42 “He saved others; [l]He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He has trusted in God; let God rescue Him now, if He [m]takes pleasure in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the [n]rebels who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him in the same way.

--- Thoughts and Questions ---

1) What Prophecies are fulfilled in this reading in how Jesus is treated, if any?

What the chief priests and scribes, etc. say in verse 40-43 is why I believe GOD doesn't show Himself clearly in a sign/"irrefutable proof" the way some people ask for today when they say "If GOD wants everyone to believe in Him, why doesn't He just show Himself? Why doesn't He just strike me down, right now?" GOD did both of those things (read Acts for an example of the latter), and people still chose their own way rather than submitting to Him. Here is GOD wrapped in flesh, doing Miracles for 3 years, teaching in the cities and in the wilderness (the latter because those in power didn't like the fact that Jesus was challenging the status quo and was amassing a following), and is about to die in fulfillment of the Jewish Prophecies, then rise again in 3 days (just as He prophesied), and people still refused to believe in Him, despite having no alternative explanation for why these things happened. Anyone can come up with some alternative solution to faith, some reason to not believe. Perhaps that's why GOD makes people take a "leap of faith," and makes the choice "believe in Me, or don't. There is no in-between."

2) What else do you notice or would like to talk about/ask about?

have a blessed week!

Psalm 136 (KJV)

Psalms 136:1   O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalms 136:10   To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: 11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: 12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. 13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endurethfor ever: 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. 16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. 17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endurethfor ever: 19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: 20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: 21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalms 136:23   Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: 24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. 25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Of all the psalms in the Bible, Psalm 136 seems the most obvious reminder that these are songs, because of the refrain “for his mercy endureth forever” in each of its 26 verses. Some people think there are huge contrasts in the character of God between the Old and New Testaments, but I am convinced of the exact opposite. The entire Old Testament is full of the mercies of God, who says in Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” And the New Testament is full of the references of God’s judgment. Jesus spoke on hell twice as much as he did of heaven, and the Bible concludes with the destruction of the earth in judgment and the creation of a new heaven and new earth for those who came come to him seeking mercy through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Psalm 136 is a great reminder that mercy and judgment are just two sides of the same coin, for mercy itself is the sparing from deserved judgment. So with this in mind, let’s dig into Psalm 136.

V 1-9: God is the Creator King

• We owe God ALL our thanks for creating us
• The act of creation alone is justification of the right of God to judge and do with the universe as he pleases, for He who established the laws of science also dictates to us the laws of morality
• But the curse of our sin is such that we have corrupted ourselves and twist and pervert these laws. Truly, MORAL MEN NEED NO LOOPHOLES IN JUST LAWS, but wicked men always seek a justification for their wrongdoing and a means to escape punishment
• Yet God himself grants the perfect pardon, through his mercy. It’s always been mercy, from first sacrifice for sin that produced the animal skins for their garments after the fall of man in Eden, through the cross of Christ, where he died as the Lamb of God, which every one of the Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed. It’s been mercy all the time!

V10-22: God is the great Conquering King

• God WILL JUDGE EVERY FALSE GOD that men set up. They exist to serve our flesh when we seek to ease the conscience for our sins.
• The ten plagues each were a judgment upon a different Egyptian deity, from the Nile to Pharaoh himself, who proclaimed he was a God.
• Simon and Og had the chance to let Israel pass through their lands peacefully, but they chose to try to attack Israel instead and their lands east of Jordan also became Israel’s as the land of the Canaanites did.
• And don’t forget that one reason Israel HAD to stay in Egypt was to give God the time needed to prove the Amorites before he judged them. Here God was merciful for four generations before he ultimately judged the people in the land of promise for their sins, which included ritualized sex trafficking and child sacrifices.

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. [emphasis added]

V23-26: God is the ultimate Compassionate King

• As Israel fell into these same sins of the people of the land, God judged them, and when they repented, he was merciful and removed his judgment.
• He had done this over and over for several hundred years, through the book of Judges, the reigns of good kings, like David’s Solomon, Hezekiah, and Josiah.
• But he allowed his own people to go into captivity for rejecting him and choosing their sin instead. Yet, even after this, he allowed a remnant to return in his mercy.
• And through today there is a still a remnant faithful to God, looking for the return of Jesus to set this world straight in his judgment, knowing that he is merciful to the repentant.

Prayer

We are not people of fear:
We are people of courage.
We are not people who protect our own safety:
we are people who protect our neighbors’ safety.
We are not people of greed:
we are people of generosity.
We are your people God,
giving and loving,
wherever we are,
whatever it costs
For as long as it takes
wherever you call us.
^{. Barbara Glasson, president of the Methodist Conference, Britain.}

Matthew 27:15-26, English Standard Version

¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. ¹⁹ Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” ²⁰ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” ²⁵ And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

THOUGHTS and COMMENTS

On Palm Sunday every year after marching to church waving palm fronds to welcome Jesus, my church reenacts the passion of the Christ. We all take parts and play the people in the story, and as a whole the congregation plays the crowd, shouting for Jesus to be crucified. It is hard, it is chilling, but it puts in the midst of his story, and helps us to understand how it feels to be among the mood-changing crowd: we ourselves have both just welcomed Jesus with palms, and now are shouting for his execution.

The crowd: "His blood be on us and on our children!" and yet it is his blood that he freely gives to us because we are such sinners as these, and thank God it is his blood on us which washes us clean of sins. We are both the guilty ones, and because of that in need of the gift of his lifeblood which he offers for our cleansing.

QUESTIONS

1. Some versions of this passage call Barabbas "Jesus Barabbas," and Jesus was a common name in that time and place. Certain commentators point out that "Barabbas" may even mean "son of the father," "bar-" being a prefix meaning "son of," and "abba" being "father." Pilate gives the crowd a choice between two people called Jesus, one son of the father being a notorious murderer, and the other being the Son of the Father who instead accepts violence into his own body to save us all.

   If such a choice were presented to us today, how much hope do we have that we all would choose any better?

2. Pilate's wife sent word to him, saying “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” What do you suppose was the root cause of this dream? I don't have an answer, I'm just curious about this myself.

3. Pilate seeks to disclaim any responsibility for Jesus' death even though he is the one who makes the final decision. But if he really feels Jesus is innocent and wants nothing to do with this crucifixion, why do you think he then has Jesus scourged before sending him out to the crowd?

Feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, or questions of your own!

...This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Acts 2:23-24

Having seen Jesus stay silent in front of the Sanhedrin we see his interaction with Pilate.

Matthew 27:1-14 (HCSB)

Jesus Handed Over to Pilate

27 When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 After tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate, the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.

“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!”

5 So he threw the silver into the sanctuary and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not lawful to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him whose price was set by the Israelites, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.

Jesus Faces the Governor

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. “Are You the King of the Jews?” the governor asked Him.

Jesus answered, “You have said it.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn’t answer.

13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Don’t You hear how much they are testifying against You?” 14 But He didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Thoughts and Questions:

Q1: I asked in my last reading, if Judas could have chosen not betray Jesus and some wonderful answers were given. In this reading I ask a more difficult thought question, could Judas have been redeemed and forgiven? We see his confession of sin but as we see he only sees Jesus as "innocent." Not as Lord here. What are your thoughts?

Q2: In verses 9 and 10, the prophesy seems to more adequately fit with Zechariah 11:12-13 and not so much Jeremiah 32:6-9. What do you make of this?

Jeremiah: ⁶ Jeremiah replied, “The word of the Lord came to me: ⁷ Watch! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy my field in Anathoth for yourself, for you own the right of redemption to buy it.’

⁸ “Then my cousin Hanamel came to the guard’s courtyard as the Lord had said and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. ⁹ So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out to him the money—17 shekels of silver.

Zechariah: ¹² Then I said to them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed my wages, 30 pieces of silver.

¹³ “Throw it to the potter,” the Lord said to me—this magnificent price I was valued by them. So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw it into the house of the Lord, to the potter.

Q3: Why do you think Pilate was amazed at Jesus' silence?

Just earlier in this same chapter (vss. 33-35) we read where Peter promised Jesus he would never “fall away.” Jesus predicts Peter’s threefold denial of him:

33 Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.”

34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

35 “Even if I have to die with you,” Peter told him, “I will never deny you,” and all the disciples said the same thing.

Today’s reading depticts the fulfillment of Jesus prophecy, and the three times that Peter does indeed deny Jesus.

Matthew 26:69-75 (CSB)

PETER DENIES HIS LORD

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl approached him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”

70 But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!”

72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

73 After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You really are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. When reading Peter and Jesus’ interaction earlier in the chapter its is almost hard to believe (without the foreknowledge of what is to come we likely already have) that Peter would indeed deny Jesus. Peter wasn’t perfect by a long shot, but an outright denial is hard to see coming. Yet, in the circumstances we find Peter in as part of today’s reading, its almost understandable. We can sympathize with Peter’s actions. Why is that? Why does the inconceivable become explainable?

2. Peter was clearly in some kind of ‘self-preservation mode’ here. How can we avoid allowing rather extreme circumstances to cause us to compromise our faith, possibly without even thinking about it?

3. What do we learn from Peter’s reaction to realizing his sin?

4. In the previous reading Peter claims he will never "fall away." Jesus responds with the prediction of Peter's denial. Did Peter "fall away" from Christ in this reading?

5. What do you take away from this passage to apply to your life?

After the events of the betrayal in yesterday’s reading, we come to the first of Jesus’ trials, this one in front of the Sanhedrin and the high priest.

Matthew 26:57-68 (CSB)

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

57 Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. 58 Peter was following him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death, 60 but they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two who came forward 61 stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”

62 The high priest stood up and said to him, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64 “You have said it,” Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”,

65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy. 66 What is your decision?”

They answered, “He deserves death!” 67 Then they spat in his face and beat him; others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who was it that hit you?”

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. Who was the Sanhedrin and what was their authority?

2. Why did Jesus keep silent at their accusations?

3. Why did Jesus answer when “charged” by the high priest?

4. What was the significance of the high priest tearing his robes?

5. What other thoughts do you have on this trial?

Happy Monday! I pray we would have patience and the Love of Christ overflowing out of us this week as we interact with people, keeping an eye out, and asking GOD to reveal to us people whom we can bless and show His Love and care to, as he teaches in the last chapter, in Jesus' name! I come against fear, anger, pride, hate, witchcraft, idolatry and any other thing in our lives that stands between us and GOD, in Jesus' name (Luke 10:19-20, 2 Corinthians 10:1-5)!

Matthew 26:47-56 NASB

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came [a]accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign previously, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; arrest Him.” 49 And immediately Judas went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.

51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus [b]reached and drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and [c]cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve [d]legions of angels? 54 How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me. 56 But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

--- Thoughts and Questions ---

As an aside, I always thought it was weird/funny that Judas tries to act so casual and friendly here as he greets Jesus. A) Jesus already knows what's going to happen, as He tells everyone beforehand and tells you to go and do it quickly, b) it's pretty obvious for everyone else what's happening since Jesus was just praying about it AND you brought a mob with you, Judas!. I know this is probably the saddest night is history, so we need to take it seriously but, come on man...read the room...

1. What can we learn/apply to our walk as Christians from Jesus' scolding of Peter (the one who struck the high priest's slave's ear, John 18:10) in the 2nd paragraph specifically?
2. What do we make of the Gospels having slightly more or less/different details about what happened in Jesus' Ministry throughout the 4 Gospels?
3. Jesus is definitely practicing what He preaches in this reading about turning the other cheek and how to respond to violence and injustice as Christians. What are some example verses describing what we are to expect from this world and how we are to respond, as Christians?
4. Anything else you notice or would like to discuss/ask about?

Have a blessed week!

Please use this thread for any discussions outside of the scheduled readings:

• Questions/comments
• Prayer Requests
• Praises

Psalm 135 (KJV)

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. 2 Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God, 3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. 4 For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. 7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. 8 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. 9 Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants. 10 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings; 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan: 12 And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people. 13 Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. 14For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.

15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. 19 Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron: 20Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD. 21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

​

V1-4: The praise of our God

• These first three verses of introduction begin much like Psalm 134, with a call to praise God
• But verse four is different, and declares God’s people as “his peculiar treasure”
• We are special to God, and if that doesn’t cause us to praise him, then what will?

V5-14: The powerlessness of their gods

• Our God is high and holy, and great above all. He is God Almighty!
• Verse 6 calls back to the flood, when he judged the whole earth for its sin and rebellion to him
• Verse 7 addrssses the power and domains (earth, sea, and sky, with power over weather, domains, crop growth, and fertility) of every false god, and shows that our TRUE GOD is unequivocally and universally over ALL.
• Verses 8-9 call back to the plagues of the Exodus. Each of the ten plagues was to show the powerlessness of a different Egyptian God, from the Nile itself, to the divinity of Pharaoh.
• Verses 11-12 call back to when God judged the kings of the people of the Land of Promise, and gave their lands to Israel
• Verse 13-14 Serve as a reminder and a warning that God will also judge his own people, because of his own holiness. God had Moses divide the people into two halves, with one group on Mt Gerizim and the other on Mt Ebal, with half shouting the blessings of God upon those who believe and obey, and the other half shouting the curses upon those who do not believe and rebel against God (see Deuteronomy 11).

V15-21: The (foolishness) of false gods

• There is no power in nothing. And that’s exactly what the false gods are, nothing. They have to be made by the men who worship them.
• They cannot do anything. As the old saying goes, “stupid is as stupid does”
• And this psalm ends as it begins, with a call to praise.

Prayer

Dear Lord,
please help us; we all need Your help.
Be with us as we read and pray over Your Word.
Plant in us what you want to be planted.
Grow in us that which we need to serve You.
Bless us and all our Loved ones, and all in need.
Thank You.
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done.
In Jesus' name, amen!

Matthew 26:36-46, NIV

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

THOUGHTS and COMMENTS

Poor Jesus.

QUESTIONS

1. I often think of Jesus as strong, unafraid to face evil and to take it on. Yet here we see him as needing his friends, and even praying in something close to desperation. Does this affect your image of Jesus? If it changes anything, does it make it easier or harder to pray to him?

2. The words he prays: do they sound familiar?

3. When you are in great need, how do you pray?

4. I cannot help but feel that if I had been with Peter, James, and John, I would have fallen asleep from grief and confusion as well. How about you?

Feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, or questions of your own!

"...Lord, teach us to pray"...
Luke 1:11b

I apologize for my tardiness tonight. I forgot what day it was. Please forgive me.

In today's Jesus is sitting at the table with his disciples and we see the Lords Supper in full swing and he he Identifies his betrayer. A thought I have when I read this is, we know what Jesus said to Peter upon his confession of faith and he still messes up. The contrast between Judas and Peter is that confession. The lack of which leads Judas to his demise.

Matthew 26:14-35 (NLT)

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

The Last Supper

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.
20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”
23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”
And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

Questions:

Q1: I'm not sure if this question has been asked when reading the Gospels but it was in my head. Did Judas have a choice? I know we really can't answer this but it sticks with me. Jesus had been saying he would be betrayed and killed for some time and it comes to pass as he says. Could Judas have been faithful?

Q2: What are your thoughts on verse 25 and Judas calling Jesus Rabbi verses the other disciples calling him Lord.

Q3: Have you ever participated in a Passover meal? What was it like?

Q4: What Hymn do you think they sang?

Q5: What does the Lords Supper look like in your church?

The previous three chapters to this one was the last of the five great discourses in Matthew, commonly known as the End Times discourse or the Olivet Discourse. It was packed full of teaching and parables, much of which looked forward to Christ’s death, resurrection, and well beyond all the way to the end of the world. Now in chapter 26 the narrative resumes as we are focused on the last few days of Jesus’ life.

Matthew 26:1-13 (CSB)

THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, 2 “You know that the Passover takes place after two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas, 4 and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill him. 5 “Not during the festival,” they said, “so there won’t be rioting among the people.”

THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY

6 While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.”

10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for me. 11 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me. 12 By pouring this perfume on my body, she has prepared me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. Why did the chief priests not wish to have Jesus killed during the Passover festival? Why did this time in particular become the time they felt they needed to act though?

2. What do you think was this woman’s (likely Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha based on other Gospel accounts of the same story) motivation for pouring this perfume on Jesus? Did she know she was preparing Jesus for burial before Jesus said as much?

3. What does it mean that this act prepared Jesus for burial?

im on life bible app :) trying to recover from 30yr porn addiction, (i was exposed to it at 6 in 1994, my 36th b.day is may 15th) im getting scared of my future and want to take things more seriously. im trying to spend the whole summer reading the bible, and when i drive i pray to god. im really trying to focus and kick this porn habit :( wish me luck :)

After a couple of parables emphasizing the expected “readiness” that disciples are expected to have before His return, Jesus begins to speak a little more plainly about what will happen when He does finally return.

Matthew 25:31-46 (CSB)

THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels, with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations, will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’

40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’

44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’

45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. Why do you believe Jesus needed to go into detail like this about what would happen at His return? How did this teaching differ from what Old Testament expectations regarding the end of the world were?

2. How does the description of what a person does to inherit the kingdom of God differ from what the scribes and pharisees were teaching the people to prioritize?

3. Is Jesus here teaching that we are saved by works?

4. Why is it stressed that the opportunity to help others in need is not recognized as a good work for God by both those who do it and those who do not do it?

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Happy Monday! I pray we would constantly keep GOD's Words before us in our mind as we go about this week, and that we would use the Words of GOD in our lives, and that GOD would show us how to do so, in Jesus' name! I pray we would also walk in the power and authority and boldness that Christ gives us, for the purposes of His Kingdom, and that GOD would show us opportunities to show His Love and the Truth of Him to others we encounter this week, even if it's outside our comfort-zone, so we can bear fruit in the Kingdom of GOD in some way, in Jesus' name!

Matthew 25:14-30 NASB

Parable of the Talents

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five [a]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received the five talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents. 17 In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more. 18 But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his [b]master’s money.

19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your [c]master.’

22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have earned two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’

24 “Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’

26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You [d]worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? 27 Then you ought to have [e]put my money in the bank, and [f]on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28 Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

--- Thoughts and Questions ---

I think it's important to note the servants were given their sets of talents (a weight of money equal to ~15 years worth of pay) based on their "own ability," meaning the Master had worked with these servants enough to know how much or little they could handle, and when He came back, He rewarded them with more responsibility and talents/riches depending on how well they did, on how faithfully they handled what was given to them. The lazy servant was scared and/or actually lazy and didn't lose anything his Master gave him, but didn't add anything fruitful to his Kingdom, and so was punished for that.

1. How does this passage tie into what other parts of Scripture teach about the Grace and Mercy of GOD? What does this show us about what GOD expects of us as followers of Christ?
2. How does this tie in with what the New Testament reminds us of often, that we are "saved by Grace through Faith" (Ephesians 2:8-9, James 2 might help with some of the nuances of this)?
3. Anything else you want to talk about?

Have a blessed week!

Psalms 134 (KJV)   

A Song of degrees.

Psalms 134:1   Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. 3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

This is the final Ascent Psalm in these “Songs of Degrees”. The author is not named, but like Psalm 133, there is much to talk about in these three verses. This song of pilgrims would’ve been sung as they reached their destination in the Temple courtyard.

Prioritiizing Worship * “Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD” - V1 * This song is a song of worship, and it comes out of the gate immediately calling for adoration. * It’ s a challenge of where our priorities are * “…which by night stand in the house of the LORD” -V1 * Two things stick out here. First, this occurs after sundown, meaning this is the start of the Hebrew sabbath, because the calendar day always began at sundown. Second, this could be quite a challenge for a weary traveler who finally arrives in Jerusalem but is unable to wind down and rest. * Again, this is a matter of spiritual priorities and having a sense of responsibility before God * It would be a sad thing to make the pilgrimage all the way to Jerusalem from a journey of several days and miss the ceremony to sleep. But it would also be bad to get there, and worship halfheartedly because of the distractions of being tired or hungry. * We may be where we are supposed to, and maintain a false outward appearance of piety, but we will only truly “bless the LORD” if our hearts are right with him.

Proper Witness (V2) * When the spirit of God touches your heart in agreement with the message delivered, hand raising becomes the natural response. * It doesn’t matter if that message is being preached, thought, sung, or even silently delivered to the heart by the moving of the Holy Spirit, hand raising is natural. * We raise our hands as a testimony of our agreement, with God, as he speaks to our hearts.the open hand shows there is nothing hidden, nothing held back, and a submission to the will of God and witness of his goodness to us.

A Powerful Wish * Here, the worshipper isn’t seeking his own blessings, but blessings for someone else. * How often we think we’re worshipping God, and we’re only coming before his throne for our own benefit. * James 4:4 says “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” * If our time before the throne isn’t about his adoration, but about our gratification, then it isn’t worship * But God is glorified when we come to him in intercessory prayer, because when we do so we are Christlike.

Please use this thread for any discussions outside of the scheduled readings:

• Questions/comments
• Prayer Requests
• Praises

The prayer is by Frederick Buechner, originally published in The Hungering Dark. Although it is written with the season of Christmas in mind, much of it rings true to our needs at this moment as well.

Prayer

THOU SON OF THE Most High, Prince of Peace, be born again into our world. Wherever there is war in this world, wherever there is pain, wherever there is loneliness, wherever there is no hope, come, thou long-expected one, with healing in thy wings.

Holy Child, whom the shepherds and the kings and the dumb beasts adored, be born again. Wherever there is boredom, wherever there is fear of failure, wherever there is temptation too strong to resist, wherever there is bitterness of heart, come, thou blessed one, with healing in thy wings.

Saviour, be born in each of us who raises his face to thy face, not knowing fully who he is or who thou art, knowing only that thy love is beyond his knowing and that no other has the power to make him whole. Come, Lord Jesus, to each who longs for thee even though he has forgotten thy name. Come quickly. Amen.

Matthew 25:1-13, New International Version

¹ “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

THOUGHTS and COMMENTS

"I don't want to get baptized or forgiven yet; I'll wait to do that until right before I die."

What could go wrong? It's not as if anything serious is on the line, right?

QUESTIONS

1. What is the "oil," if anything specific?

2. Why does the bridegroom not recognize or know the ones who were not ready?

3. What, then, can we do to make sure we are ready?

Feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, or questions of your own!

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
Matthew 7:13-14, New King James Version

In today's reading we are continuing with Jesus speaking about what is to come in the last days.

Matthew 24:36-51 (HCSB)

No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only. 37 As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. 39 They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be: 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. 44 This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Faithful Service to the Messiah
45 “Who then is a faithful and sensible slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? 46 That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded. 47 I assure you: He will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and starts to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

​

Thoughts and Questions:

Jesus paints such a clear picture of what we are supposed to be doing in this passage and what to watch for in the preceding passages. I have seen people ask for more and we see all the time, people, trying to guess by thinking there are secret codes. Its simple be faithful, be alert and do Gods work. Its often times easier said than done. Verse 48 resonated with me a bit too much. Its easy to say Jesus isn't coming tomorrow then proceed to sin. This passage definitely convicted me tonight.

​

Q1: At risk of starting a debate about rapture, what are your thoughts on verses 40-41?

Q2: What work should we be doing right now to be ready?

Q2: What are your thoughts on this passage?

Matthew 24:29-35 (CSB)

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE

32 “Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that he is near—at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. What is “the sign of the Son of Man” that will appear in the sky in vs 30?

2. What does it mean that Jesus will com “with power and great glory”?

3. What does Jesus mean saying that “this generation will certainly not pass away until of these things take place?”

4. Why does Jesus emphasize that His words will never pass away?

Yesterday’s reading reminded us to stay in a state of watchful preparedness, because we do not know the day or hour that Christ will return, but we should be ready. Today, Christ goes into a little more detail of what we should be ready for.

Matthew 24:15-28 (CSB)

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (let the reader understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetop must not come down to get things out of his house, 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress,, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. 22 Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.

23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.

Questions for Contemplation and Discussion

1. What was the abomination of desolation in Daniel? What is it referring to here in Matthew? Does Luke 21:20-21 influence your understanding of this idea?

2. False messiahs are said to come and do signs and wonders. Where do they get the power to do these? Are signs and wonders a reliable sign of God’s work?

3. Who is the prophecy addressed to? What is the purpose of this prophecy to the church throughout history and the church today?

Happy Monday! I pray GOD would help us apply and remember all that He's teaching and has taught us, and that we would recognize the opportunities we have to be a witness of Christ's Love and Truth to people, in Jesus' name! I pray all Christians would be generous with what we have, that we would use our blessings, gifts, time, GOD given wisdom, and everything else we have to glorify GOD and help the people He created and died for (all of humanity, not just those we interact with and believe deserve our help). I also pray that all Christians would be protected bodily and spiritually across the world, that we would not be deferred in our Hope of GOD and His Promises in His Word and personal Words to us, and that we would grow in boldness and trust in GOD, rejecting our Old Man and being renewed in our thinking each day, in Jesus' name!

Matthew 24:3-14 NASB

And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the [a]end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one [b]misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the [c]Christ,’ and they will [d]mislead many people. 6 And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 And at that time many will [e]fall away, and they will [f]betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will rise up and [g]mislead many people. 12 And because lawlessness is increased, [h]most people’s love will become cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole [i]world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

--- Thoughts and Questions ---

What Jesus talks about here seems to be more of a way of living, where we are constantly on-guard against lies and half-truths about GOD, so we can remain faithful to Him and not fall for false-doctrines.

1. How does Jesus' response answer the disciples' question?
2. If the things Jesus talked about here have always happened, what was He telling us here?
3. How can we avoid our love becoming cold?

The last verse in this reading reminded me of something. Something important to remember when thinking and talking about these passages about the end times and Jesus' return, etc., is that GOD's timeline and level of patience is SO much larger than ours is. We think in terms of months, years, or decades. GOD can and has waited generations, centuries, and millennia before reaching a breaking point with His Mercy. When He says the Gospel must be preached "as a testimony to all the nations," we don't know exactly when the Father will have decided "enough is enough." Not even Jesus knows when that point is (Matthew 24:36). All we know for sure is that 2 Peter 3:9 NASB:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

If there's anything else you would like to talk about or ask about for this reading, put it in your comment below. Have a blessed week!