kreilly

According to Jesus' teaching here, how is the destruction of Jerusalem related to the time of his return? (21:20-24a) This event precedes Jesus' return. What are the Times of the Gentiles (21:24b). What significance does it have for the return of Christ? This also appears to precede the return of Christ. What words are used in verses 25 and 26 to describe what will take place at the very end? What effects will these have upon people? Upheaval in the heavens and in the seas will occur. These will likely cause all manner of death and destruction, especially to people and cities along the coasts. The people will be terrified, but I wonder if they will recognize these signs or find some other excuse to blame it on so that they can continue to deny the existence of the One True God. What will be the direct sign of Jesus' return? (21:27) What Old Testament Scripture passage is Jesus referring to when he describes his coming? He will come on the clouds with great power and glory, as prophesied by Daniel 7:13-14. Everyone will recognize what is happening at that time, believer and unbeliever alike. If fear will characterize unbelievers at these terrible signs, what emotion should characterize believers? (21:28) He tells us to lift up our heads because our redemption is near. We will have joy because victory is at hand and our suffering is finally coming to an end.

What kinds of signs will be seen that do NOT portend the immediate return of Jesus? (21:7-19) Why are people tempted to see them as signs of the end? Wars, and rumors of wars, earthquakes, plagues and famines. I think people are tempted to see them as signs because they want to know what the future holds. This has been going on since the beginning of time-people seeking to know what the future holds through omens, oracles, divination. People want to know for sure what is going to happen even though Jesus makes it clear that there is no way to know "it will come like a thief in the night" and our purpose is to be ready at all times. These things have been happening always so I don't think they mean that Jesus won't come back today or tomorrow just because they are going on. He will come back at at time that will unexpected to us. His teachings for us were always to be ready and expectant of His return at all times. I think one of the most important things He said here was not to be afraid. This is so important. I know many people who are very afraid and preparing for a tribulation by stocking up food and other supplies rather than preparing spiritually for His return. What good results from a disciple's persecution and death, according to verse 13? It is a testimony. If someone is ready to die for their belief in Jesus, it is a true demonstration of faith. Unbelievers take notice of that and some will come to faith because of this witness. Why will people hate Christians? (21:17) People hate Christians, because people hated Jesus. Those who align themselves with the enemy can't help but hate us. We are the "aroma of death" to them. What does the phrase mean, "By standing firm you will gain life." (21:19) Is this "faith by works" or something else? I agree with Irmela's answer to this question. Faith is action. We see a person's faith by the things they do and decisions they make.

In what way are church leaders, both clergy and laity, susceptible to the sins of the "teachers of the law" that Jesus criticizes in 20:45-47? How can a leader walk in humility? What are the keys you've discovered? I think the ways people are susceptible to these sins has been discussed already without me adding anything more. I think Katy made a valuable point in saying we need to walk closely with God. Also, I think staying in the Word and taking it at face value so that we remember our place as servants and the Lord's place as the Exalted One. How does the widow demonstrate the principle of sacrificial giving? What did that mean for her? What would sacrificial giving mean for you? I find it interesting that Joseph Hallam popped into this Bible study just for this topic only and went on a rant. I never have seen him participate with any of the other topics. I would agree 100% with Pastor Ralph that Jesus is praising the widow for her sacrificial giving, not just condemning the leaders for their corruption. That would be supported by the fact that Jesus, Himself, told the rich young ruler to sell all he had and follow Him. It sounds like there is a false teaching being used to support the idea that Christians don't need to give sacrificially or give at all because this is just something the church is using to manipulate them. This is in direct conflict to the verses we are studying just now, including 1 Cor 16:2 stating we should give a portion in accordance with our income on the first day of the week. Not only that but it is a great temptation easily fallen into to keep our money for ourselves, which then turns it into an idol, as well as keeping the church from being able to help the needy. Imagine all the good that could be done if Christians tithed and leaders used the money faithfully...many would be helped and saved. I believe it is easier to give sacrificially when you have less. When I had less and I gave, it often put us on the brink of not having enough for ourselves. Now that I have some money saved up, I can pull from my savings. How does the widow demonstrate the principle of faith-filled giving? Is this the same kind of faith you and I exhibit in our giving? Why or why not? I have never given everything I had. I truly admire the widow's faith.

What can be the result in a person's heart if he feels there will be no reckoning in the life to come for the things he or she has done during this life? A person will live a sinful, selfish life-living to fulfill his/her own desire's, not caring who they hurt, thinking their will be no consequences to their actions beyond the here and now. In what way does Jesus' reply destroy the Sadducees' carefully constructed objection? He stated that their will be no need for marriage in heaven. Jesus is our bridegroom. He will be the primary object of our affection. What effect does Jesus' question about the son of David being David's Lord have? Of whom did he ask the question? Why? I loved reading everyone's answers to this and thought all of the answers were so insightful. They were things I never thought about. I agree with all the different perspectives. I think Hanks made a great point that Jesus being David's son and also being David's Lord is a beautiful illustration of His humanity and deity. I also never thought about how He may be pointing out to the Pharisee's that their knowledge is just as incomplete as the Sadducees. Additionally, He is pointing out that He is Lord, the Messiah. What things should we be doing to be able to live both in the present age and be ready for the age to come? What should we cease doing? We should be living for Jesus and sharing the gospel as though every day is our last. We should cease sinning and bringing embarrassment to our Lord or wasting our time distracting ourselves with unimportant things.

What was the strategy of the scribes and chief priests that involved trick questions? What did they seek to accomplish? First, they sought to flatter Him and make Him believe they agreed with Him. Then they produced the trick question, in hopes they could produce some evidence to provide to Pilate of sedition against the Roman government. In what way did the "spies" act as hypocrites, that is, pretending they were something that they were not? They were pretending that they agreed with His teachings and just wanted to know more. Can flattery ever be used to accomplish righteous purposes? Why or why not? Flattery is a sin so I don't know how it could be used to accomplish righteous purposes. Why did Jesus ask his opponents for the coin? Why would they have in their possession a coin that carried blasphemous inscriptions? So He could point out that Caesar's picture is on there, bringing home His point. They paid tribute to the Roman government. How does Jesus' answer affect our attitude in paying taxes? Are we ever to resist civil government? When they asked Him the question about taxes, they clearly weren't familiar with His teachings, which were all about not valuing money, but instead valuing God. Their question reflects their own selfish desires, and they assumed He would feel the same way about money. We should be fine with paying taxes because we are not to hold onto money tightly anyway. When governments are repeatedly involved in unjust, evil, unrighteous, ungodly acts and we have the power to come together to resist, we should come together to do so, always remembering to maintain justice, righteousness, and integrity in the ways that we resist. What does Jesus mean when he says to render to God what is God's? How do we do that? How do we live that out? Our whole life belongs to God, including our money. We live that out by making every decision in light of His Word and will for us.

How did tenant farming work in Jesus' day? In our day? What did the owner of the vineyard expect of his tenants? I have some land that I rent to a farmer and it pretty much works the same way it did back then. He gets 2/3 since he does all the work and I get 1/3 since I own the land. I have to pay 1/3 for fertilizer. When he harvests the crops, my 1/3 gets put into storage at the co-op and I can sell it when I think the price is right. In what ways did the Pharisees and Chief Priests stumble on the stone and were broken to pieces? In what ways are they crushed by the "falling stone"? I was always confused by this verse before. I always thought the part about being broken to pieces meant that when we come to Christ we are broken and He puts us back together when we submit to Him and receive salvation, but at least we are not crushed by the weight of our sins. But after doing this study, I would agree with Hanks and Irmela that it relates to the fate of unbelievers in the present and coming age, due to the word stumble being used. Those who believe and accept Him don't stumble over Him. I'm so grateful for this verse-by-verse study that clarifies confusion I have had and delves into questions that many commentaries do not address. How can we detect when our hearts are rebellious against God? What should we do when we are angry at God? How can we prevent "a root of bitterness" against God to grow in our heart? Is this only hypothetical or is there any danger of the Stone crushing us to powder? When I start feeling that distance and like I don't want to spend time with my Lord, I know my heart is rebellious. When I am angry at God, the first thing I need to do is admit it. I often like to pretend it's not true because I know it's wrong, but He knows my heart. If I don't admit it and talk to Him about it that will allow a root of bitterness to grow against God. It is important to examine my true feelings and where they are coming from, then repent and ask God to change my heart. I can't change my feelings, but I can try to figure out where my unrighteous anger at God comes from. God is sinless, so any anger I feel toward Him is unrighteous. Examining my own selfish desires that lead me to feel that I have somehow been wronged by God will lead me to a place of repentance, before bitterness can take hold. This is not hypothetical. If I allow bitterness to take hold it can destroy my faith and ultimately cause me to walk away from the Lord. Better to repent early and easily, than let sin and bitterness take root and destroy your faith.

Why does Jesus weep at the sight of Jerusalem? Because of their blindness or because of their fate? I agree that it was both. He is saddened that the leaders are blinded by their own selfishness and reject Him, but He also sees into the future what will happen and is saddened by that, also. What I find fascinating and never really thought about before is His statement that if they had only come to Him they would have been spared this fate. I wonder how that could have turned out differently, as He ultimately had to atone for our sins through the cross in order for us to be saved? In what way is the Triumphal Entry a royal "visitation" or inspection tour? Why are the leaders unwilling or unable to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the King? Satan has blinded them through their own selfish desires for money and power, cloaked as zeal for the law. Why does Jesus drive the money-changers and sacrifice-sellers out of the temple? What reason does he give? He is truly disturbed that the temple is not a God-honoring/glorifying house of prayer. How does Jesus' action to cleanse the temple make his crucifixion more inevitable? (Hint: At whose home was his mock trial held?) Prior to entering Jerusalem, much of Jesus teaching and miracles have taken place in surrounding areas. Once He enters Jerusalem and begins to assert His authority as the Messiah, the religious leaders cannot ignore Him, confrontation is inevitable, resulting in the crucifixion. The chief priests are prejudiced toward Jesus because they have corrupted themselves with proceeds from temple sales and Jesus threatens their revenue. How can tithing serve to challenge the shallowness of our Christianity? How can we Christians be corrupted by money? I'm not really sure about the direction of this question--if it is directed at only bringing a tithe and thinking you are "all done" and can let yourself off the hook and spend the rest as you please, or if it's about not bringing the full tithe in to begin with. Either way, the desire for material wealth can be a huge temptation. It takes a lot of prayer and self-discipline to begin to view the income you have as God's money and not your own and to ask Him where He wants it to go. A better question may be how can we not be corrupted by money. How can we protect ourselves from falling into that temptation--only through the Spirit's power.

What was the reaction of the pilgrims to Jesus' glorious entry? What was the reaction of the Pharisees? Why the difference in reactions? The pilgrims were excited and recognized Jesus as the long awaited Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies. He had proved himself by his many miracles and authoritative teachings. The Pharisees were angry that Jesus was accepting the praise and title of Messiah. They considered it blasphemy because they did not believe He was the Messiah. He did not fit the mold they had imagined because He did not come up through their ranks, nor was He born into some kind of powerful position, which in their eyes would have made Him more worthy.

What do the unproductive servant's words tell us about his character? (19:20-21) Why was the master so disgusted with the unproductive servant who never traded with his portion? (19:22-23) I always thought the unproductive servant was fearful and that was the reason he laid his treasure away. However, a good point was brought up that if it was out of fear, how could he speak that way to the master, if he was truly afraid of the master? Hanks made a good point that the unproductive servant actually blames the master for his poor performance. It seems strange because the whole kingdom seems to treat the master the same way, like they feed off each other in disrespecting him. The delegation that went to protest his being made king encourages general discontent. It reminds me of the way people treat Jesus today--refusing to follow Him and yet blaming Him when things go wrong in their lives. The master is disgusted because the unproductive servant could have at least safely deposited the money in the bank to earn interest but didn't even do that, and then turned around and blamed the master for his not doing so. I also notice that the people who refused him as king were killed. I think this is allegorical as to what will happen to unbelievers at the second coming. When you talk about the fruit of your service for God, do you sound more like a victor or a victim? Why? How will that change? I think back to the last study when I confessed I often feel discouraged at people's lack of response when I try to share Christ with them, so clearly I feel more like a victim. If I trust Christ and stay in the word, He will change my attitude, regardless of others' responses. We are in this for the long game, just because we don't see short term immediate responses doesn't mean God is not at work.

What do we learn about Zacchaeus in verses 1-4? Limiting yourself to these verses, what do you know about Zacchaeus? About his life, his hopes, his desires? This is hypothetical, but I wonder if Zacchaeus was a little person. He obviously had no hope of seeing Jesus through the crowd even if he got there first or edged his way to the front, so he must have been really short. He must have been intelligent and ambitious because he had climbed the tax collector ladder to be chief tax collector, which I would imagine would be even more difficult back then as an extremely short person. Also, he was very persistent, he planned ahead and made sure he had a way to see Jesus when He came through town. How do you think Jesus knew Zacchaeus' name? By divine knowledge? From the bystanders? I think the Holy Spirit revealed this knowledge to Jesus. Why do you think Jesus said that he MUST stay at Zacchaeus' house that very day? What risk did Jesus take in doing this? What were the implications of this action to the bystanders? To Zacchaeus? Haar gave a great answer that I would agree with. How does our cynicism about people keep us from presenting Christ to them? Can we be open and loving without being vulnerable and overly trusting? What's the balance? How do we achieve this? I am so guilty of this. Many people I encounter seem to have their guard up when it comes to hearing about Jesus. In turn, that has discouraged me and made me feel like witnessing about Jesus is a lost cause because nobody wants to hear about Him. I know this is from the devil, but it is hard to break out of this thinking. Some wonderful mentors explained it to me like this, we are just there to scatter the seed, God provides the harvest. Sometimes I think we get caught up in perfectionism, thinking if we share Jesus, we are a failure if people don't accept the message. That is not true, regardless of their reaction, be it hostile, apathetic, avoidant, or possibly gladly accepting the truth; we can rest assured that we did our part. God gave us the job to share the gospel, not insist that others see the truth. He will send others to till the soil and water the seed for those who don't accept the truth right away. Plus, He never forces Himself on anyone, so there will always be those who choose to reject Him and be their own god. I think we always make ourselves vulnerable when we share the gospel, but that's okay because we trust God, not man.

What motivates Blind Bartimaeus to call out to Jesus? What motivates the bystanders to try to stop him? He wants to be healed and he won't let anyone stop him from getting Jesus' attention. They try to stop him because he is being loud and embarrassing. Why did Jesus ask the blind man, "What do you want me to do for you?" What was Jesus' purpose in asking the question? I think He asked that because He wants people to evaluate their commitment to their desire for healing. They need to think about whether or not they are really ready for the accompanying changes this will bring. Kind of like when He talked about putting one's hand to the plow and not looking back. People need to know what they are committing to when they choose to follow Him. In what ways is the question, "What do you want Jesus to do for you?" a good question for disciples today to ask? See answer above. What was the blind man's response after being healed? In what ways is this a good model for us? He followed Jesus. We should follow Jesus. What area in your life needs a dose of Bartimaeus' unstoppable faith? What's stopping you from asking God for that quality of faith right now? Probably the way I use my time. I need to serve Jesus with my time. I spend too much of my spare time relaxing or taking care of my possessions when I should be serving God and serving others.

Why is impossible for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God? Is it really impossible? Is Jesus speaking in hyperbole in order to make a point? Why or why not? (18:24-27) It is impossible for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God, as well as poor people or anybody else. It is only made possible by God through Jesus' death on the cross and placing one's faith in Him. How is Peter's question in 18:28 similar to Jesus' direction in 18:22? In what sense must disciple give up everything to follow Jesus? How literally should we take this? Jesus repeatedly teaches on this topic, so it appears we should take it pretty seriously. It also mirrors the first four of the ten commandments. We can't love anything more than we love God, otherwise, we become idolaters. We should pray and strive to root out anything in our heart that competes with or pulls us away from our love for God. Are the rewards Jesus promises in 18:29-30 literal or figurative? I think they are literal. They are eternal salvation and the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Some worldly people might view these as figurative as they are desiring more earthly blessings. How do Jesus' sacrifices to follow the Father's will parallel our own sacrifices to follow Jesus? What are the points of comparison? What are the points of contrast? (18:31-34) Irmela and Katy gave great answers to this question.

Why does Jesus challenge the man's seemingly innocent form of address: "Good teacher"? What is Jesus' point? Why does Jesus interrupt answering the man's question to make a big thing about something so small? I like Hank's answer that only God is described as good in the Bible. I never really thought about that. It's so true. When people are commended, it is for their faithfulness, not their goodness. None of us is good, we are all sinners; hence, the need for Jesus' sacrifice. Even though the man had worked really hard to obey the commandments, he still wasn't good. Why does Jesus tell him to sell all his possessions? Is this something Jesus requires of everyone? If not, why single out this man? How are we to generalize about "selling all our possessions"? What application does this have to us? It isn't necessarily something Jesus requires of everyone. However, I have not yet met the person who seemed to think it applied to them. It seems we automatically fall back on the easy answer that Jesus didn't mean this for me. But he clearly meant it for this man, so maybe we ought to examine ourselves a little more thoroughly before assuming it doesn't apply to us. I live in a very rich country, and I have yet to hear anyone in a Bible study or sermon make the suggestion that possibly Jesus could mean for a person to take this seriously. I once moved across the country and didn't take anything with me except clothes, shoes, and a bicycle. I slept on an air mattress and hung cards up on the wall for decoration. It was very freeing. No time spent cleaning the house or taking care of possessions. I didn't buy anything because I was moving back at the end of the year. Jesus knows what he is talking about. I struggle with materialism. Sometimes, abstaining is what one needs to do, because possessions gradually begin to take hold of your life again. It is like any other addiction. Why did Jesus designate the poor to be the recipients of the man's wealth, do you think? Probably because they would benefit from it and God cares about the poor. Also, he couldn't go back and reclaim it, as he might be tempted to do if giving to family members or friends. Finally, we get a good feeling when being generous to the needy which changes us from the inside out. Could the man have followed Jesus without divesting himself of what he held dear? Can you? Can anyone? No, I don't think he could. We all have to give up whatever stands in between us and Jesus (that which we hold dear) whether it be possessions or something else. We may not give it up physically but we must give up our emotional attachment to it. Jesus must come first in our life. He made that very clear. We may continue to struggle, but we must fight the good fight.

Children have lots of endearing (and not so endearing) characteristics. Which characteristics of children is Jesus pointing to in this context that he wants would-be disciples to emulate? I think one of the characteristics Jesus is pointing out in children is their lack of corruption. As children, we often see more clearly right from wrong. As we age, we often rationalize and make excuses for our bad behavior based on cultural norms or comparisons to others. We become corrupted by the culture and messages surrounding us. The more we sin or are exposed to others sin, the more we become numb to it. It doesn't even shock us anymore. We aren't bothered by it as much and sometimes don't even notice it. We are reluctant to point out sin because we aren't living an upright lifestyle. It's like "The Emperor's New Clothes". Only the little child was willing and able to recognize and state the truth because he was not yet influenced by the sin (lies) surrounding him.

In what ways do twenty-first century Christians look down on others? Who are the people we look down on? How does this grieve Jesus' heart? How does it injure the cause of Jesus' church? I think most of us look down on others who are different from ourselves. Anyone who is not like us, we look down on for being different from us. It is the universal sin of pride. Even the poor look down on those who are rich for being materialistic, greedy, and selfish. As a middle class person, I find myself looking down on people who commit sins I do not struggle with such as drug addiction, rape, murder. I also find myself looking down on the rich and famous for their materialistic, ungodly lifestyles. This grieves Jesus' heart because he never told us to look down on people but rather to reach out to them with the hope of the gospel. Looking down on them only drives them away from Jesus, therefore, injuring the cause of the church, which is to expand His Kingdom. Extra Credit. In what way can the forgiveness of gross sin feel like a threat to the righteous person? How can the righteous person avoid feeling threatened? Should Christians consider themselves righteous persons? Is this consistent with humility? This reminds me of the elder brother in the prodigal son. He was angry when his brother came back and was received joyfully. We should be reminded of the advice given him-Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. We are blessed beyond measure, not threatened because someone else receives salvation. We are blessed all the more because one more has entered the Kingdom of God. It is not for us to shut the gates. As mentioned earlier in the discussion, we are imputed with Christ's righteousness so I guess we can consider ourselves righteous once we have trusted in Him for salvation. This is consistent with humility because it is Christ's righteousness and not our own. Our own righteousness is filthy rags. In what way (if any) does looking down on a sinner constitute a sin? Does forgiveness from this sin require humbling? What kind of humbling is appropriate? If Jesus were in the confessional speaking to you about this, what penance should he prescribe for your sin? Looking down on others is sinful because it is prideful. Since it is prideful, it does require humbling. As I mentioned earlier, I think people look down on others they find different. I think Jesus would say go and love those different people. Take care of them and share the gospel with them so that they may receive salvation. He did say these things.