Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem for His final period of earthly ministry of teaching and ultimate death on the cross. You can feel the tide turning against Him being led by the religious hierarchy.
Luke 19: Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today."
6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
12 He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Engage in business until I come.'
14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'
15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.
16 The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.'
17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
18 And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made five minas.'
19 And he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.'
20 Then another came, saying, 'Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief;
21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 He said to him, 'I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'
24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.'
25 And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!'
26 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.'"
The Triumphal Entry
28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,
30 saying, "Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.
31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'"
32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.
33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34 And they said, "The Lord has need of it."
35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.
37 As he was drawing near---already on the way down the Mount of Olives---the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,
38 saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
40 He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,
42 saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side
44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,
46 saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers."
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him,
48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
.
Luke 20: The Authority of Jesus Challenged
1 One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up
2 and said to him, "Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority."
3 He answered them, "I also will ask you a question. Now tell me,
4 was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?"
5 And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'
6 But if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet."
7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from.
8 And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 And he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while.
10 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
11 And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.
12 And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out.
13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.'
14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.'
15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!"
17 But he looked directly at them and said, "What then is this that is written: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."
Paying Taxes to Caesar
19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.
20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.
21 So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God.
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"
23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them,
24 "Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's."
25 He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marvelling at his answer they became silent.
Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection
27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
28 and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second
31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died.
32 Afterward the woman also died.
33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife."
34 And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage,
35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,
36 for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him."
39 Then some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well."
40 For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
Whose Son Is the Christ?
41 But he said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is David's son?
42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,
43 until I make your enemies your footstool.'
44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?"
Beware of the Scribes
45 And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples,
46 "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts,
47 who devour widows' houses and for a pretence make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."
Things to think about…
1. Salvation can come to the rich! Look at what happens to Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10. Consider that he gives half his goods, not all, to the poor as was requested of the Rich Ruler. Perhaps he needed the other half to pay the fourfold he offered for anyone he defrauded. But he may not have defrauded anyone. Jesus says he is a ‘son of Abraham’, vs 9. Look at the fruit of the two different responses in these two men. Christians should find joy in giving out of their abundance, whether it is time or money. May the joy of the Lord be our strength.
2. In the parable of the Ten Minas, there is extravagant blessing given to those who have been blessed with a lot and use that blessing for the Lord’s glory, but those who have very little and yet didn’t even use the little for the Lord’s glory, even what they have will be taken away. There is also judgment upon those who flatly rejected the nobleman when he returned with his kingdom. They were slaughtered before him when he returned, vs 27. This is the difference between those who receive heaven and blessing and hell and judgement when the Lord returns with His kingdom. Jesus’ message is to be faithful with our resources and talents in the interim. What talents and resources are you utilising for the kingdom? Are you seeing an increase as the parable suggests you should?
3. When Jesus comes into Jerusalem on a donkey, everyone is praising Him by laying down coats, not only on the donkey, but also on the road. Are these people really praising the Saviour? Jesus says they are and says if they didn’t even the stones would cry out in praise, vs 40. Yet we know that these same people would cry out in just a few days’ time, ‘Crucify, crucify’. Surely Jesus knew this would be the case. Even Peter would be shaken. Praise God for restoration, because we know that after Peter was restored, revival happened among these people where 3000 of them would be saved in a day.
4. What Jesus says here in Luke 19:41-44 was fulfilled in AD70 with the destruction of Jerusalem when it was surrounded by the armies of Titus. AD70 is not the total fulfilment or do the words of Jesus also point to a greater fulfilment where Jerusalem will be surrounded again. We certainly see that to be the case from the book of Revelation that was written well after AD70.
5. How do we keep cleansing our temples Luke 19:45-48? Remember Jesus wants no impurity in His body. He clearly gets very angry when it is present and turns over a few tables!
6. In Luke 20:1-8 Jesus’ authority is challenged. Look at the wisdom of Christ when asked about His authority, He points to the ministry of John the Baptist. John pointed the way to Christ and everyone knew John was killed unfairly. They lifted him up as a prophet and people were no doubt still grieving over his loss. No-one would dare speak out and say his ministry was not from God and Jesus knew these weak chief priests, scribes and elders would buckle. Do you ever feel you have to justify what you do or what you believe before those who have no respect for your faith? Jesus did and not resort to personal attacks or self-justification, but pointed out the obvious hypocritical flaws in His opponents’ argument? The challenge is not to point score but to make critics reflect on their own belief system.
7. Look at this parable of the Wicked Tenants Luke 20:9-18. The Chief Priests to personal accountability and to foster an environment of accountability with those they lead. If this doesn’t happen, the leadership starts to believe their own agenda, above God’s word. The leadership, the Scribes and Elders knew Christ was saying that they were the ones who were the tenants who were to look after the spiritual ‘vineyard’. They had killed the prophets who were sent and now they intended to kill the son. It’s interesting that after this parable was spoken it was from this point on that they sought an opportunity to trap Him in His words so that He could be put to death. Anyone who is in spiritual leadership needs to be open to foster an environment of open accountability within the church?
8. What would you consider is Caesar’s and what do you think is the Lord’s as you read Luke 20:19-26? How do you discern the difference? A good place to start is to consider these basic principles – paying tax is Caesar’s (the Australian government) and tithing/offerings are the Lord’s.
9. In Luke 20:27-40 Jesus says in the resurrection that there will be no marriage in the Kingdom of God. One of the reasons He gives, apart from saying we will be like the angels, is that there will be no more death, vs 36. What does He mean by this? Yes we die here on earth and won’t die in glory, but what has this to do with whether we marry or not in glory? Didn’t the Lord marry Adam and Eve before the fall, even before they had death working out in their bodies? So what does Jesus mean? Hint:- Will Jesus be married in heaven? He will indeed. To His bride, the church.
Vision Point
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for thepresent turmoil going on with the riots in America. Pray for Christ’s peace.
2. Pray for wisdom and clarity with some restrictions are being lifted this week.
3. Continue to pray for our government for wisdom and economic management.
4. Pray that as restrictions are lifted that businesses may return and people who have lost their jobs may return to gainful employment..
5. Sunday’s fb live messages for Kids church and – “Nobody likes a bad tenant” Luke 20.
6. Our online Chuwar Kids at church program – that our kids still feel connected to church and love worshipping Him.
7. Pastoral care. Pray people feel connected in this isolation period. Been great catching up with people at the Bean Redeemed café.
8. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
9. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times. Pray especially for people to be stable with respect to mental health.
Praise Points.
1. Restrictions being lifted – cell groups can now meet up.
2. Finances being maintained and donation to Café roof. Thankyou!
5. Streaming and fb live being done very well by Dan and the technical team. Thanks Doug, Dan, Jesse and Peter. Thanks worship team.
6. Infection curve continues to drop below 1% infection levels. as a response to the virus in Australia
7. Praise the Lord churches are functioning well in this environment and the gospel is going out in the media.
8. Encouraging online comments – the church is still functioning well and people are being cared for.
Announcements
1. Pray about offerings to help with putting a roof over the café. Our temporary white shade is coming to the end of its life. $6k required for a new roof. $2k has been donated.
2. Cell groups can meet up – Ask for details as to how and what is required.
3. New church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church now streamed live at 9:00am every Sunday morning via CBC’s fb page.
