When Jesus entered Jersusalm, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." Matthew 21:10-11
As Jesus made his final march into Jerusalem toward the cross, the people of the city were asking the right question "Who is this?" Unfortunately the excited pilgrims who shouted "Hosanna" were giving an incomplete answer. Jesus is indeed a prophet but the term prophet alone falls far short of an adequate answer. Peter got it when He answered Jesus' similiar question with this declaration: "You are the Christ, the son of the living God" (16:15-16). From a prophet we can receive wise words. From the Son of God we can receive salvation and life. Our answer to this question makes all the difference. Do we really know who the One we are praising is?
Father, I thank you that you have allowed me to see and know Jesus as Your Son and my Savior. Continue to increase my knowledge of Him that I might not fall short of embracing Him fully for who He is.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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Jesus prepares to enter Jerusalem on a colt of a donkey. This is a simple act but powerful in that it fulfill yet another prophecy. The crowd paved the way with their clothing and branches. With loud praises they welcome Jesus as the Son of David. Remember, the blind men in Chapter 9 used the same address. The crowd continues with Jesus into the Temple where He drives out the money changers and those who had turned God’s house into a “den of robbers.” It is interesting that Jesus refers to Isa 56:7 as God’s House being a house of prayer; not of worship, or singing, or reading. Prayer seems to be the central focus or maybe it was the focus for the court where the “robbers” were. The Bible refers to our bodies as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. I wonder if there is a connection here? Does this mean we should be more in prayer...than we are? Jesus goes to Bethany for the night and returns in the morning to Jerusalem. Being hungry, He approached a well-formed fig tree but without any fruit on it. He uses this as another teaching opportunity. Because the tree had only lovely leaves and no fruit, He pronounces the destiny of the tree. When the disciples see the tree wither quickly, Jesus has their attention to share with them a powerful lesson. “If you have faith and do not doubt,” you can do the impossible. I have never seen this repealed in Scripture but I also have not seen many that have used it to do the impossible. Saturday, I met with a man who had a closed artery in his neck. He told me that he prayed very specifically about the problem. The day before, the Doctor called and told him that the last test showed the artery had opened up and was 100% cured (and there was no blood clot passing to the brain). If you have faith and do not doubt... What might life be like if we operated in this realm? While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, the leaders of the people came and asked Him by what authority He was doing these things. Jesus said He would tell them if they would tell Him whether or not the Baptism of John the Baptist was from heaven, or fo men. Because they feared the people, they said they did not know. Jesus now presents two parables with very pointed messages. The first exposes their stubborn unbelief and the second identifies Jesus as the Messiah. God is looking for those who will produce fruit, not those who have a good show. With this, they wanted nothing more than to arrest Jesus, but again they feared the people. Jesus bluntly tells them that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God ahead of them. These were the Pharisees, full of righteous acts but no repentance to back it up. We could easily tie the fig tree example to the condemning words Jesus uses here for the Pharisees.
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