The Patina of Ordinary Faithfulness
When our last day comes, few of us will be remembered beyond it. The most beautiful Christian lives are seldom celebrated outside the local church. But when all earthly applause has faded, there will be no greater commendation than to know that our Lord’s work in and through us is complete and to hear, “Well…
Authentic Living and Giving
The Pharisees’ spies tried to entrap him, the Sadducees tried to refute him, but Jesus silenced them all. No one spoke but a lone scribe, a Bible scholar, saying, “Teacher, you have spoken well” (20:39). It’s heard as a compliment but given what Luke reveals about the murderous intentions of both the Pharisees and Sadducees,…
The Lord Who Is Lord
In the two preceding passages, Jesus silenced his inquisitors. First, it was the Pharisees’ spies who asked him an entrapping question about the Roman tax. Second, it was the Sadducees who posed a theoretical scenario to disprove the resurrection. Neither were successful. Jesus stumped them both and silenced them all.
He Is God of the Living
Brothers and sisters in Christ, there are indeed beautiful things about this life. But we need not deny the blessings of God today to fix our hearts on the pleasures of heaven. This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it (Ps. 118:24). And we rejoice and are…
The Things That Belong to God
Our passage today answers this question, at least in part: “The scribes and the chief priests . . . perceived that [Jesus] had told this parable against them” (20:19). Notice, they are not confused about what Jesus has said. They understand that he is speaking about them. But like the tenants in the parable, rather…
The Son Rejected for Our Salvation
Such a sobering truth requires a question of us all: What will we do with the Son? God has been patient with sinners and sent his beloved Son in love. And though men rejected him, cast him out, and crucified him, God raised him from the dead and made him the cornerstone of his kingdom.…
When Heaven Has Spoken
There are questions asked that want an answer and questions asked because the answer already received wasn’t liked. I think this distinction is pertinent to our passage today. The chief priests, scribes, and elders approach Jesus with what appears to be a reasonable question: “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who…
When the King Draws Near
Let us not mistake nearness to the things of Christ for receiving Christ himself. The King draws near to us in the gospel, in the preaching of his Word, in the sacraments, in the gathered worship of his Church. These are great covenant privileges. But the question remains: What will you do when the King…
Faithful to the Word
Our great need is not a new word for a new age. God has spoken; the Word we have received is God-breathed. The Word we must preach is sufficient. And the Word to which we must remain faithful is the Word of grace that makes sinners wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore,…
Behold, Your King Comes
There are passages of Scripture so closely associated with a particular day on the church calendar that we struggle to hear them outside that setting. Our text is one of them. We hear of Jesus riding toward Jerusalem, the disciples spreading their cloaks, and the multitude praising God, and immediately we think of Palm Sunday.…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
