March 23, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 13 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.1 through 5.4 (pages 134-137)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
Every time I read a Palm Sunday account it is so revealing of human nature that one week later the same crowd mentality that is crying “Hosanna, Hosanna” will be shouting “Crucify Him”. We must be careful and guard our hearts against being picked up in crowd mentality and rather hold the truths of God close to us as a firm foundation!
I love Jesus’ simple response to the priests that ask Him to quiet the crowd that even if they quiet the rocks will praise Him! So true all of creation rings true His glory in their design and function. and the power of prayer…Jesus explains to the disciples that God hears our requests and can give us what we ask, however, He also reminds them how easily we are distracted from true belief in the power of our prayers. The state of our hearts is important. We can not be harboring ill will to others, or holding on to worry and doubt. We must come to Him confident in His power and ability to do ALL things!
On lent 2023 day 13
How much excitement there must have been about Jesus. All His miracles created quite a stir and now He is coming into Jerusalem. He knows exactly what He is doing riding on a donkey into Jerusalem and that just affirms that He knew who He was and He was not just believing the hype about Him. And like He needs people to praise Him….rocks and stones will cry out if the people didn’t. So Jesus is also accepting of praise which also speaks to His knowledge of Himself. And how heart broken He is that the Jews are not going to receive Him. He says it with such clarity that the judgement coming on them in the destruction of Jerusalem is because they didn’t receive Jesus the way they were supposed to. Jesus also expresses His authority over things by throwing the money changers out of the temple area. The problem was not what they were doing, but where they were doing it. Most likely they were buying and selling in the court of the gentiles and hence the reason why Jesus mentions the temple being a place of prayer for all nations. And the fig tree is another lesson in something actually being fruitful when it appears to be. It also give Jesus an opportunity to talk about the power of prayer and the power of faith in our prayers. We can accomplish great things as we pray in faith according to God’s will. Prayer is not about getting our will done in heaven, but getting God’s will done on earth. (not sure who I am quoting, but got it form someone else..)
Day 13 5:1-5:4
That is so true Kelly. Our human nature is desperately wicked and who can know it. But God does know our heart. Thank God when we came to Him ,He made us a new creation. Jeremiah 17; 9,10a [The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it/ I the Lord search the heart , I try the reins, ………….] We need to walk as wise men. We are to follow Jesus no matter what and not follow the crowd. Jesus should be not only our Saviour but also our Lord. We need to guard our hearts and to keep short accounts with Him . What I mean is that when we sin we did to bring it to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. If you are like me it is many times in a day. I am so glad that God is so patience with us even when we are not patient with ourselves. It`s us surrendering our will to His and letting Him use us for His glory.
Day 13
5.1-5.4
Jesus tells his followers “Have faith in God when you pray”. Believe that he will give it to you, and it will be done according to God’s perfect will and purpose for our lives. Also, it’s important that we have a clean heart when we pray. If we are angry with another and are harboring bitterness and resentment, it’s important that we forgive them. For our heavenly Father forgives us for the wrongs we do against him. We must not forget that when others have hurt us.
Matthews 21: “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”
The portion “you have taught children and babies to give praise” really struck me. It must have been something to hear children praising Jesus. Nursing babies….praising Jesus.
This is from Psalm 8
“O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.”
Ordained – foundation, established, lay
strength – power, might, strong
God uses the mouths of babes and nursing infants to establish the strength to silence the enemy.
It’s funny and awesome to think of babies having a voice of power.