Matthew 21:20-46, 22:1-46, 23:1-39, Mark 11:20-33, 12:1-44, Luke 20:17-47, 21:11-4
Matthew 21:20-22, Mark 11:20-26 – Where is my faith in God? Am I so confident that I could give orders to nature and believe they would be carried out? I find that I tend to see God on the sidelines for me. Always there, but rarely active. I’m afraid I run a little too close to deism in my practical faith. I intellectually acknowledge an active God, but am skeptical of any evidence that He actually does anything. I long for God to be real and living for me. I too rarely feel His presence in a way that is tangible. I’m not exactly certain how that would play out, but I think that I am missing an aspect of God that is personal, present and able to be felt.
Matthew 21:43 – I am so conditioned to think of evangelism and converting people when I think of ‘fruit’. To bring someone to Christ is an amazing thing, yet I believe that fruit can be so much more. I’m tired of feeling guilty for not sharing enough or baptizing in years. Yet I also fear that I’ve had an overreaction to years of evangelistic emphasis and I am now dismissing the spirit when I’m called to share my faith. Lord, help me hear your voice and find the proper balance.
Matthew 22:15-33 – All this energy spent trying to trap Jesus. They are so convinced of their own knowledge that they don’t bother to listen to Him. I’ve seen this in so many people, and even in myself. Pride is such a powerful and evil thing. It blocks understanding and learning, it prevents us from hearing and acknowledging God. It keeps people divided, so they are prevented from learning from each other’s wisdom. I hate my pride, yet it is ever with me. I think I know enough, I don’t need to read much. I think things are OK, I don’t need to pray much. I think I understand a situation, I can tell you what you need to know. I think I could lead better, manage better, preach better, organize better. It’s sickening how often it is intermingled in my existence.
Matthew 23:23-24 – I see so much of this scripture in the religion of our nation today, including my own church. We religious folk do a good job at playing church, showing up on Sunday and living by the ‘rules’. But how good are we at mercy or justice? When there’s sin in the camp, do we seek justice or a scapegoat? Do we speak up for the voiceless? Jesus did that and he condemned those who’s religion was all ceremony. Isn’t our religion in the US just ceremony sometimes? Personally, what does my religion lead me to do? I too am guilty. I sit here at my wireless laptop in my comfy house and I wonder, is my religion worth anything to God? Or does he weep at my deception?
Matthew 23:25-36 – This section is hard to read and not feel inadequate. I can see my self in these passages and it’s painful. I fall so short of God’s will, it’s scary. Praise God for Jesus and His grace. Yet it feels like a cop out to say that. Yet I must remember that God loves me, not for what I do or how I measure up, nor even for who I am. He loves me because of who he is, perfect, loving. He loves me because he cannot do anything else. Even in my worst sin, he despises my behavior (because of the hurt is causes me and those around me) but loves me. What I do has no bearing on that. As a dad, I can understand that a little, for that’s how I treat my girls, or how I want to anyway.

Matthew 21:1-19, Mark 11:1-19, Luke 19:29-48, John 12:12-36
Luke 19:28-35 – I’ve always been amazed at this scripture. If someone you didn’t know came up and asked for something of yours – your car, bike, scooter – saying “The Lord needs it.”, would you just let them have it? I can say that I wouldn’t. Perhaps in the context of the hoopla of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem it would make more sense. I’ve always thought of this happening away from all that, well up ahead. It does say “go to the village ahead of you”
Luke 19:39 – Did these Pharisees rebuke their disciples when they were praised?
Luke 19:40-42 – Though the people are rejoicing at his coming, they don’t understand the significance of it. But the creation does, and if man could not rejoice at Jesus coming to achieve what had been foretold, the rocks and trees would. This is most significant event of history, He’s finally here to bring peace to the war between God and man. And God would sacrifice Himself in the name of providing man peace.
Mark 11:15-17 – He had seen it the day before, but decided not to deal with it then because it was late (Mark 11:11). But he did not just let it slide, he returned to deal with this desecration of the temple.
Matthew 21:14-16 – Boy, the Pharisees have got their short in a bind over this, don’t they? (Mark 11:18 and John 12:19 too) They were so concerned about doing things right, following the letter of the law, that they missed the Messiah. It’s quite easy to get caught up in that. I see people that look just like these Pharisees; angry, offended at doctrinal ‘mistakes’, consumed with doing things right, going to great lengths to deal with those who are ‘wrong’, but missing Jesus.