He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?’ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest Him immediately, because they knew He had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

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Jesus tells this parable…and it says that the religious leaders KNEW He was speaking about them. They understood the parable! They knew He was saying He was sent by God. But instead of believing in Jesus they became angry and plotted to kill Him. Can you imagine? Understanding what Jesus was teaching and refusing to believe? Don’t our lives reflect that sometimes? We know what God has required of us in scripture, and yet we pick and choose what to follow and what to ignore. We say I won’t murder but I may hate. I won’t steal but I won’t give. I believe but I won’t talk about it. We become no different than the Pharisees when we believe this way. It’s all or nothing. What’s it going to be?

One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to Him. “Tell is by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”

He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: John’s baptism-was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

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Jesus put them in a corner by asking them what He did. They were fearful of being wrong and also of upsetting the people. Sometimes I think we hold back on serving God in our lives because it either sheds light on the wrong we have done previously, or because we may upset someone. If this is the case, we must reconsider our position with God. Maybe we aren’t as committed and sold out as we thought. Maybe we need to spend more time in prayer and allowing God to reveal our heart. Will you pushed into a corner…or will you stand confident when it comes to Jesus?

When Jesus entered the temple courts, He began to drive out those who were selling. “It is written,” He said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of robbers.’”

Every day He was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill Him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on His words.

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Jesus was very serious about the people using the temple courts to sell things and make it a market place. He put an end to that quickly. It makes me consider the fact that even though we may not be turning our buildings into marketplaces, we must remember that we are the new temple of God. The spirit of God dwells within us. It’s important we strive, then, to be pure. We must strive not to let unwholesome images enter our sight, evil words enter our ears, disturbing images enter our thoughts. We must always guard our hearts from the things of this world. How do you do with this? Do you invite sin into your life through media, song, etc? It seems silly, but it is important to our walk with Jesus. Be smart about what you watch or look at; what you hear; and where you allow your thoughts to wander.

After Jesus had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As He approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Until it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it’s?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as He had told them. As they were untying the colt, it’s owner asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As He went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When He came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

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Jesus said that if they didn’t cry out the rocks would. I went on a hike yesterday, and even though I got rained on, I got to witness a beautiful picture of God’s creation. His creation screams of His existence and His love. We just often times don’t take a break long enough to listen. The birds chirp, the rain calmly taps the roof, the wind shakes the leaves just enough to hear them rattle, the animals care for their young, etc. the list could go on and on. We were created by God as He said that it was very good. We, made in the image of God, should live a life of words and actions that leave no doubt to who God is. What about you? Are you holding up your end? Does your life leave no doubt to the glory of God?

While they were listening to this, He went on to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

The first came and said, ‘Sir, your Mina has earned ten more.’

‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’

His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected in with interest?’

Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

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Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem where He will be praised. It’s short-lived, however, when they they turn and yell crucify Him! Jesus is warning the people to make a decision. Continue to serve Him and be blessed, or turn from Him and not. It doesn’t seem that simple, but that is exactly what He is saying. We have a decision each day. Serve Him as king, or dont. One is much better than the other. Which does your words and actions say you choose? Be careful how you answer…be honest. Choose Jesus as king today. Worship and serve Him today.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zaccaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to see and to save the lost.”

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Luke is quick to point out that Zacchaeus is wealthy. Why? Because on this same journey Jesus had said its easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. He also added that nothing is impossible for God. In other words, if Zacchaeus can change his ways and find salvation, you can too. You’re not too far gone. Your sin is not too great. Your shame is not too big and your guilt is not too deep. God can take any heart and change it for Him. So maybe you have been using the excuse that there is just too much in your past to be saved from. But again I say, if Zacchaeus can be saved, so can you. No excuses. Find Jesus today. Let Him change your heart.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him. When He came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

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Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to go to the cross. It says that this man received his sight, and he followed Jesus. It’s possible that this man followed Jesus all the way to Jerusalem. Then, He witnessed the cross. Could you imagine the emotions and confusion he experienced? Was he confident? Was he doubtful? Angry? Hopeful? In any case, Jesus had healed him and he praised God and gave Him the recognition. How about you? When God has intervened in your life, has He gotten the recognition and praise from you? And here’s the thing…we live in hindsight of the cross. We KNOW what has been done for us…and it’s far greater than just receiving sight. Spend time praising God today. Give Him the recognition He deserves.

Jesus took the twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written in the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again.”

The disciples did not understand any of this. It’s meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about.

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Jesus just finished up teaching about how difficult it is for the rich to enter heaven. Then He shares these words with His disciples. It’s almost as if Jesus needed the reminder Himself of why this was taking place. Could you imagine, knowing what was ahead, and having to battle that in your mind and flesh? It’s almost as if Jesus was sharing this with His disciples to help remind Him of why He is going…He knows it’s impossible for anyone to get in without Him. He lived us enough to battle the fleshly pushback. He did it all for you and for me. Give God praise today.

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good-except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”

“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Peter said to Him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

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What stood out to me is that there was a crowd who was listening to this conversation between the ruler and Jesus. I wonder, how many others felt the same way the ruler felt? I wonder today how many of us struggle when we hear of sacrificing what we have for the kingdom of God. As we read these commands of Jesus, how often do we become disheartened because we just aren’t quite willing to sacrifice it all? The fact is, many of us are in the same boat. Many of us struggle to fully submit to God in every area. Today, let’s stand apart from the crowd. Today, let’s hand over every part of our life. Today, may we strive to be totally committed to Jesus in every single area of our life.

People were bringing babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

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Kids have a sense of awe and faith that adults tend to lose over time. The stories of the Bible begin to be normalized…our faith walk tends to become more routine. But for a child, the stories of scripture put them in awe of God. In fact, they’re usually in awe to the point where they want to tell everyone they know what they learned. They put their faith in God completely…being fearless and loving all at the same time. They truly love others and love God. You want to make it to Heaven? You’ve got to start pursuing a child-like faith. Be in awe of God and what He has done…put your faith in God alone.