March 8th
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
Action: What was the theme of Jesus’ last sermon? We would expect love, family life or witnessing to be high on the agenda. Preparedness was the theme! In Matthew 24 and 25, through five direct commands and seven parables he tells his disciples to “keep on the watch,” “be ready” for His coming again. Keep focused on the person of Christ and His coming in glory.
Interestingly, Jesus’ first and last sermons have a similar message. In the Sermon on the Mount he speaks of the decisive choice to make between the rock or the sand, the narrow road or the wide, the good fruit or the rotten. Now in his last sermon we are faced with the choice of being a faithful slave or an evil slave, a prepared or unprepared bridesmaid, a worker or burier of talents. We must choose Christ for salvation now.
Application: Ernest Shackleton left some of his men on Elephant Island with the promise of returning for them. He was delayed three times by the frozen sea and he had no access to the island. Finally, he broke a narrow channel through the packed ice. He found the crewmen waiting for him, supplies packed and ready to board to return to England. They told him they didn’t know exactly when he would get back but they knew he would keep his word. Every morning the leader rolled up his bag and packed his gear and told the crew to do the same, saying, “Get your things ready, boys, the boss may come today.”
JESUS’ FINAL WEEK
TUESDAY – Temple Controversies (d)
TUESDAY – Temple Controversies (d)
Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming
Matthew 24:42, Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Matthew 24:42, Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Action: What was the theme of Jesus’ last sermon? We would expect love, family life or witnessing to be high on the agenda. Preparedness was the theme! In Matthew 24 and 25, through five direct commands and seven parables he tells his disciples to “keep on the watch,” “be ready” for His coming again. Keep focused on the person of Christ and His coming in glory.
Interestingly, Jesus’ first and last sermons have a similar message. In the Sermon on the Mount he speaks of the decisive choice to make between the rock or the sand, the narrow road or the wide, the good fruit or the rotten. Now in his last sermon we are faced with the choice of being a faithful slave or an evil slave, a prepared or unprepared bridesmaid, a worker or burier of talents. We must choose Christ for salvation now.
Application: Ernest Shackleton left some of his men on Elephant Island with the promise of returning for them. He was delayed three times by the frozen sea and he had no access to the island. Finally, he broke a narrow channel through the packed ice. He found the crewmen waiting for him, supplies packed and ready to board to return to England. They told him they didn’t know exactly when he would get back but they knew he would keep his word. Every morning the leader rolled up his bag and packed his gear and told the crew to do the same, saying, “Get your things ready, boys, the boss may come today.”
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One-twentieth of the NT speaks about his return. Are you ready?
One-twentieth of the NT speaks about his return. Are you ready?