March 25, 2025
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:
Lent 2025 – Day 5 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.3 through 5.5 (pages 136-137)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told 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.
Jesus turns over the temple tables. They’re lucky that’s all he did. Price gauging at its worse and done outside the temple of God. Greatly angered Jesus Any practice that interferes with the worship of God. Counting. Should be stopped. The fig tree. How many people look good on the outside. But are dead not producing any fruit. Fruit for the kingdom of God. Life’s purpose. Have a hard time calling these next group of guys religious leaders. Religious stooges. Trying to trap Jesus. Trying to trap God. Better off walking away. With closed lips. .
Lent 2025 – Day 5
Jesus was angry that the people had made the Temple area a den of thieves. It was supposed to be a house of prayer. Yes, God can get angry, but this was a righteous anger. God can be angry but not sin, but we most likely would sin in our anger. God is always angry at sin. Jesus healed people that were crippled that came to Him in the Temple area. Then children started to shout praises to Jesus calling Him the Son of David. In other words, they were calling Him the Messiah. The priests and teachers of the law were angry that they were calling Jesus the Messiah. They spoke to Jesus and asked Him what He heard. He answered with scripture and asked them if they knew scripture? They didn`t want to acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ but instead insisted on holden to their traditions and teachings. Even though they were in error thinking that Christ would only come as a conquering King. By being legalistic they thought that this would bring them to God, but like all generations of people whether Jews or Gentiles, mankind cannot earn their way to Heaven. They left out the part where only a perfect sacrifice could take away their sins. Jesus Christ is the only person that could do that, because He was the Son of God, and became human to take our place on the cross. The priests didn`t believe that Jesus was the Messiah but out of the mouth of babes came the truth. Jesus calls us all to come to Him with childlike faith. God bless.
How much faith do we have? Jesus told the disciples that they had the power to kill the fig tree just like He did and in fact they have the power to move mountains and have them fall into the sea! We don’t typically operate with that kind of faith though. We put God into a box and say we believe He can do things but do we really believe it?? Times get tough or we wait too long for something and next thing you know we are back to doubting. I pray that I can let go of my doubt and see this power active in my life. I pray to not just say I believe but truly trust that He is always working and know that He can and will move my mountains!
Lent Day 5
Lent day 5
The cleansing of the temple shows Jesus’ passion to protect the right way to worship God because these people were misusing the temple both in what they were doing and how they were doing it. It is believed they were doing these things in the court of the Gentiles because they thought little of Gentiles worshipping their God. But God’s intent was the temple was to be a house of prayer for all people. And how powerful faith is when mixed with the power of God. To think of the things we don’t have or haven’t done because we don’t believe. If only we would truly embrace the kind of trust which recognizes all that God is and all that God promises and all that God wills for us. Because He is the One with the authority to do what He wants, when He wants and how He wants. And we have no need to question where He gets that authority, but once again these Jewish leaders show their desire to do things there own way and not God’s way by rejecting John’s ministry but then being afraid of the people not to express what they believe. It is no wonder why Jesus asks them this question before answering their question, so they could hear themselves how foolish they sounded.
Lent 2025 – Day 5
Day 5
It is interesting the contrast (or should I say, juxtaposition?) between these events and people. You have the merchants/money changers trying to sell people the right/ability to worship God. Jesus kicks them out and corrects the purpose and use of Gods house. “A house of prayer.” Then you have the children praising Jesus in the temple area unabashedly. The priests are angry. 🤦♀️ why weren’t they angry with the merchants? Then you have the Jewish leaders questioning Jesus’ authority. One wonders, if they claim to have spiritual authority, why don’t they recognize Him? They want to remain in authority.
The fig tree/mountain moving story made me think of an incident I had on Tuesday. While doing my goats I fell face forward when I caught my foot while carrying two 5 gallon buckets of water. I hyperextended my hand nearly backwards and I thought it was going to be very swollen if not worse. I held it under the outdoor spigot as I had to continue the chores. Then I prayed over my hand, asking that it not be broken or sprained, that it would not swell up, etc. I could see a fold line where it had bent! I prayed for a long time and then thanked God as I continued to finish my chores even able to milk without pain. I went inside and did hold an ice pack for a while. My hand is a little puffy but not what the injury truly warranted. The fig tree story reminded me of it because i feel like it really was an immediate answer to prayer. So thankful!
Glad you are ok, Amy. Thanks for sharing!
Day 5
Faith is the cornerstone of all prayer. Pray as if you will get an answer for everything you ask for because you will! And God’s answer is always good because His will for you is to work things out for your good. I love it when Jesus asks a question when he is questioned. He is all wise and he knows how to deal wih people who are hostile towards him. I would like to be able to respond to people that way when they insult me because of my belief in God and his Son Jesus. I hope someday I will be able to respond the way Jesus did.