Matthew 21:17

Matthew 21:17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. During Passover week, Jerusalem was packed with with people coming in for the celebration. Visitors were everywhere choking the streets looking for places to stay the night. But Jesus and his disciples had a place. Mary and Martha and Lazarus lived only two miles away in the suburb of Bethany. And they were always welcomed at their house. After all, Jesus had brought Lazarus back from the dead! Sure, it was crowded. But there was always room at Bethany for Jesus and His followers. Each day of Passover week, Jesus and His followers walked the two miles to and from Jerusalem. And each day they had wonderful conversations on the way. Matthew and John were right there, and they later recorded exactly what happened in the books of the Bible named after them. They remembered each and every word that their Master had spoken. For it was to be His last week on earth. They remembered and we have the words to read for ourselves. We have their books to read – the very words of Jesus Himself!

Matthew 21:12,13

Matthew 21:12,13 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Jesus knew what was right and what was wrong. And these thieving money changers were wrong to be cheating the people. And here they were, right in the Temple itself. God’s House should me a special place – a place of prayer and quiet reverence for God. But here were the money changers, taking advantage of unsuspecting attendees. They cheated while exchanging the foreign money for the Jewish coins. Jesus saw their loud shouting and knew their thieving tricks. And He was mad – really mad! He was embarrassed for His heavenly Father and He had to do something about it. And He did. This was the second time that He had cleaned the Temple out of these wicked, thieving crooks. And Jesus had no mercy for them. Over went their tables with coins flying everywhere. As He ran them off, He shouted, “This is a holy place! But you have made it a hideout for thieves!” And out they went. No one resisted Jesus. They all knew that they were crooks taking advantage of unsuspecting victims. But they were found out. Jesus knew their hearts. And Jesus knows our hearts too. We should repent and ask forgiveness of our wicked thoughts and actions. We shouldn’t be like these money changers. They didn’t repent. They were back a second time cheating and stealing. But Jesus will forgive, if we will but ask.

Matthew 21:8,9

Matthew 21:8,9 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. The Feast of the Passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem with His disciples to celebrate. The disciples were a little nervous for the religious leaders were threatening Jesus. They were jealous of His growing popularity. But as the little band of friends traveled toward Jerusalem, Jesus knew what lay befor them. Jesus knew that He would be betrayed, arrested, tried, convicted, and executed. All of this within the week! And He had so much to teach His disciples before He left this old earth. So very much. Jesus sent a couple of His men ahead to borrow a little donkey for Jesus to ride upon. And when the people saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem, they went wild with joy! Their favorite preacher had arrived. They shouted and waved palm branches welcoming Him in. But Jesus knew their fickle hearts. By the week’s end, these same people would be shouting to crucify Him. But Jesus saw beyond the people’s lusty shouting and saw their need of salvation. And Jesus knew that only He could be their Savior. Only Jesus could save them from their sins. And He did.

Matthew 20:29-31

Matthew 20:29-31 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. The two blind beggars wanted to be healed. They knew that Jesus could heal them and Jesus was finally there in their town. They called out to Jesus for help. But they got no respect from the rest of the people. Everyone told the beggars to be quiet. The beggars were disturbing the happy event that was going on in Jericho. But these beggars didn’t care about anything that was going on. They cared only for one thing: they wanted to get to Jesus; they wanted to be healed. And they were determined. So when the people tried to shush them, they just cried out all the louder. “Jesus! Have mercy on us!” they cried. And He did! Jesus heard them; Jesus had pity on them; Jesus came to them; and Jesus healed them of their blindness. And Jesus cares for you too! Just as Jesus helped these two blind beggars, Jesus will help you too! Don’t give up! Don’t quit! Keep calling to Jesus! He will meet your needs!

Matthew 20:27,28

Matthew 20:27,28 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Yesterday James and John wanted to be important people in Jesus’ coming kingdom. They wanted everybody to serve them. But Jesus was trying to show them that in His coming kingdom, things would be different. During the Last Supper, Jesus laid aside His robe and knelt down and washed the feet of His disciples. Usually, that was the job of the lowest slave in the household. But here was Jesus doing it! And Jesus washed His disciples’ feet to show them that they should serve each other. Jesus was the Son of God, but He came down to earth to die for us. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. And that is our example. We should serve one another. As our verse for today says, the greatest person in the kingdom of God is the one who serves others. After all, isn’t that what Jesus did?

Matthew 20:20,21

Matthew 20:20,21 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. James and John and their mother came to Jesus asking a favor. James and John wanted to sit on either side of Jesus when He became the King of Israel. They didn’t realize that Jesus was going to have a spiritual kingdom and not an earthly kingdom. Neither did they have any clue of the persecution that lay ahead of them. Jesus would soon be executed. But they didn’t know that. Then the Jewish leaders would come after His disciples, trying to stamp out the teachings of Jesus. Jesus knew everything that was going to happen, but James and John did not. And just like James and John, we have no idea as to what lies ahead for us. We may have difficult times ahead. Things may not go as we expect. But one thing we can be sure of: Jesus will be with us. No matter what the future holds, Jesus will be there with us, taking us safely through.