A THINLY VEILED PARABLE

And He began to tell the people this
parable ... (Luke 20:9a).

Read Luke 20:9-19

The representatives of the Jewish high
court have been humiliated in front of
the crowd. They just want to slink back
to the high priest's house, but Jesus
isn't done with them yet. Since they
won't be honest enough to say what they
truly feel about John the Baptist, Jesus
uses a parable that answers their
original question and asserts His
authority to carry on His ministry.

In His parable Jesus uses a few brush
strokes to quickly paint a picture of
God's people. He planted them in the
Promised Land, as a man would plant a
vineyard. He lent His nation out to the
priests and religious leaders, who should
use His Word to tend His people and
prepare them to serve one another and
glorify God with their lives.

When the leaders failed to lead His people
correctly, God sent servant-prophets to
call them back to faithfully fulfill their
work of leading the nation in repentance,
faith and good works. But the leaders beat
and mistreated the prophets and sent them
away empty-handed. Finally, the owner sends
His beloved Son-and they plot to kill Him.

The drama is intense. The leaders know Jesus
is speaking about them, and their rage and
fury grow, even as their hidden plan to
murder God's own Son is openly exposed by
Jesus to all the pilgrims, who have gathered
at the temple courts in Jerusalem.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You loved the Jewish leaders and
used a parable they understood to reveal the
enormity of what they were planning to do.
Help me see my sins and run to You for
forgiveness and peace. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT

... "Tell us, by what authority You do these things, or who is it
that gave You this authority?" (Luke 20:2b).

 Read Luke 20:1-8

The Jewish Sanhedrin or high court led by the high priest is the
recognized authority in Jerusalem. They aren't crazy about
Jesus driving the animals and moneychangers out of the temple
and teaching huge crowds right under their noses. So a group
from the Sanhedrin comes to ask who gave Him the authority
to do these things.

They expect Jesus to say His authority came from God. Then
they will demand proof, which they will refuse to recognize, thus
discrediting Him in front of the crowds. Jesus recognizes their
intended trap. He politely answers, "I also will ask you a question.
Now tell Me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?"

Suddenly, their trap is sprung, but they are the ones caught in it!
They could give an answer that would please the crowds, saying
John's authority was from God, but they know Jesus will ask why
then did they not obey him and receive his baptism. If they tell
Him what they honestly think, saying John's authority did not
come from God, they fear the crowd will rise up and stone them
to death because the people held John to be a prophet.

So the only answer they can give is no answer at all: "We don't
know where his authority came from." This is hardly a suitable
answer, since they are considered the leaders who are responsible
for religious instruction in Israel. They are completely humiliated by
the answer they have to give.

Jesus turns it back against them. If you will not answer Me,
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, Your authority indeed came from God Your
Father, the same source of John's authority. Help me accept
Your authority and trust in You always. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

A TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE

And He entered the temple and began to drive out those
who sold (Luke 19:45).

Read Luke 19:45-48

The Jerusalem temple was a reminder of God's presence
with His people, and animal sacrifices were a central
component of the worship there. As the worshipper laid
his hands on the animal's head and confessed his sins,
God transferred his guilt to the animal, which was put
to death in his place. All these sacrifices pointed ahead
to Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who would take our
place and be put to death for the sins of the whole world.
Since Jewish pilgrims travelled great distances for the
Passover feast, they were unable to bring along their
own sacrificial animals. Jesus has no problem with
sacrificial animals being available for sale or with
moneychangers converting foreign currency into temple
currency. His problem is where those animals were being
sold-in the courtyards of the temple.

In holy wrath Jesus drives all of them out. He quotes Isaiah,
"It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you
have made it a den of robbers'" (Matthew 21:13; see Isaiah
56:7). It is bad enough to make themselves robbers by
selling the sacrificial animals at unreasonable prices. But
even worse, they carry on their trade in the very courtyard
of the temple, where worshippers are trying to pray to God
amidst all these distractions

The Jewish leaders are infuriated that Jesus would challenge
their authority and interfere with their trade. But they cannot
destroy Him because the great crowds of pilgrims are
hanging on His words. As we'll see in the coming days, His
 teachings will grow more pointed, and His popularity will
continue to increase.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, Your Son drove out all distractions from Your
temple courts. Clear my mind of all distractions that I may
worship You with all my heart, mind and soul. I pray in
Jesus' Name. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

TEARS FOR THE HOLY CITY

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him,
"Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." He answered, "I tell you,
if these were silent, the very stones would cry out"
(Luke 19:39-40).

Read Luke 19:39-44

Jesus enters Jerusalem with a large crowd joyfully singing
His praises. Some Pharisees come out of Jerusalem and
urge Jesus to silence His supporters. But Jesus refuses;
this King will have His rightful praise. Even if the people
remain silent, the stones themselves will cry out.

In a few days the Pharisees will have their way. These
praises will fall silent as the crowds begin shouting,
"Crucify, crucify Him!" Reaching the ridge of Jerusalem
Jesus begins sobbing. If only the city realized how easily
it could escape disaster. All its citizens have to do is turn
from their wrongs and trust in Jesus. Woefully, that great
peace is hidden from their eyes.

Jesus' tears flow because His all-knowing eyes see what
will happen here in 40 years. He sees the Roman legions
arriving, encircling the city, and cutting down the trees to
build their siege weapons. He sees violence and disease
breaking out through the doomed metropolis. He sees
starvation and plague ravaging those who remain. He sees
the Romans breaking through the city walls and savagely
attacking the last defenders at the temple walls. He sees
the temple in flames and the defenders being slaughtered,
as they turn from their Roman attackers in a desperate
attempt to extinguish the fires. He sees the temple
reduced to rubble, with not one stone left upon another.
And He weeps bitterly because all this is so needless. If
only they would recognize God graciously visiting them
through His Son.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, Your heart broke at the senseless devastation
Jerusalem would suffer because of its foolish unbelief.
Guard my heart and mind against unbelief, so I may live
with You in heaven, and not suffer eternally in hell. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

THE KING ENTERS

... the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and
praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that
they had seen (Luke 19:37b).

Read Luke 19:28-38

Jesus has travelled to Jerusalem many times in His life, but
this trip will be the last time. Every other time He walked
through its gates, but not this time. Today He rides into the
city as Jerusalem's King, its Messiah. But the King of kings
does not ride a splendid war horse, instead He sends His
disciples to bring Him a humble donkey, a lowly beast of
burden. This animal fits Jesus' entire earthly life. He came
as the meek, humble Baby born in Bethlehem's manger;
He will lay down His life in humility on the cross.

The crowds are caught up in excitement. They shout
"Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of the Lord."
The term "blessed" points to the Father, who chose this
King and continues to bless Him. Even though He rides a
humble donkey, Jesus enters Jerusalem as our King,
coming to conquer our great enemies-Satan, sin, death
and hell.

The crowds add "peace in heaven and glory in the highest,
" the same words the angels shared with the shepherds at
Jesus' birth. Peace in heaven celebrates God's peace
coming down upon the earth through the Messiah. His
victory brings praise to God from His angels in heaven and
from all of us who have been saved by His mighty Son.

Jesus accepts this praise sweeping through the crowds
because it is right and true. He is the King riding into
Jerusalem to prepare to fight to the death to defend His
people. In a few days He will stagger out through the city
gates, carrying His cross to the battlefield.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, our great conquering King, You rode into
Jerusalem to wage war for Your people. Receive my
thanksgiving for the victory You won through Your suffering,
death and resurrection. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

NOT YET - BUT SOON

(Jesus said) "But his citizens hated him and sent a
delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man
to reign over us'" (Luke 19:14).

Read Luke 19:11-27

Jesus' choice to stay with the chief tax collector
 Zacchaeus divides the crowd. Some are upset Jesus
is associating with such an open sinner. Others think
God's kingdom will appear at once when He reaches the
Jewish capital Jerusalem. Jesus tells a parable that
answers both ideas.

The people have no trouble picturing His story of a
nobleman traveling to a distant country to have himself
proclaimed king. That was the way the Roman Empire
worked. Herod the Great left the land of Palestine and
travelled to Rome before Emperor Augustus proclaimed
him king. Only then could he return to rule.

Jesus pictures Himself as that nobleman-the great Son of
David and Son of God. Instead of beginning His reign when
He enters Jerusalem, He will be murdered by His enemies.
But after His resurrection He will leave the earth, ascending
into heaven where the Father will proclaim Him King. Then
on the Last Day-and not until that Day-Jesus will return to
reward His faithful servants and establish His kingdom on
the new earth.

Now Jesus turns to His enemies. He has shown great
patience, humility, grace, mercy and love toward them, but
they have hated Him, without cause. He warns that the time
of judgment is coming. He will return with His angel armies
to capture His enemies and slaughter them.

To our ears that judgment sounds harsh. But Christ your
King has given you fair warning. If you will not bow your knee
to Him in faith, you will forfeit your life and suffer eternally
in hell.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, You have established Your Son as the Ruler
of all things in heaven and on earth. Break through my
rebellious heart that I may love Him and serve Him now and
through all eternity. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

WHERE'S MY HOST

... "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay
at your house today" (Luke 19:5b).

Read Luke 19:1-10

Jesus' final week is just a few days away. He has come
to Jericho to spend the night, but His host is not home.
So Jesus passes through town to find him.

Zacchaeus is a chief tax collector and extremely wealthy.
 But he left his tax office when he heard Jesus had come
to town. He knew Jesus' reputation-while the Jews and
their leaders despised tax collectors as traitors and
thieves-Jesus was known as a friend to tax collectors.
Rushing to the far edge of town, he climbed a tree to see
the Lord.

Jesus comes right up to that spot, stops, and looks up
into the tree. Calling Zacchaeus by name, He tells him to
come down quickly. Jesus wants to spend this night in his
house.

Zacchaeus scurries down and receives Jesus with great joy.
The crowd hears this and is terribly scandalized. How
could Jesus choose to stay in the home of a notorious
sinner? What they didn't know is that Jesus had already
begun to change Zacchaeus' heart. The chief tax collector
was repenting of his sins and planning to make amends for
his past wrongdoings.

Jesus points out that Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham just
as are those in the crowd. True children of Abraham share
Abraham's faith in God's promise to send the Christ or
Messiah. Zacchaeus knew Jesus had given him a great
honor by staying in his house. But did he know His Lord
had chosen to spend one of the last precious nights He
had on earth with him?

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, with amazing grace You sought out the
despised chief tax collector Zacchaeus and honored him by
staying at His house that night. Help us appreciate the honor
You give us, by promising to remain with us always. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

A LONE VOICE

And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling
him to be silent. ... (Luke 18:38-39a)
.
Read Luke 18:35-43

Jesus is approaching Jericho. It's one of His last stops
before Jerusalem. Along the road sits a blind man
begging. Hearing a loud commotion passing by, he
asks what's going on. Someone from the crowd answers,
"Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

Immediately, the beggar begins shouting at the top of his
lungs. He knows Jesus is somewhere in that crowd,
which is shuffling past him. But unlike the stranger from
the crowd he doesn't call Him "Jesus the Nazarene.
" Instead, he calls him, "Jesus, Son of David." He is
convinced that Jesus is the promised Messiah, David's
Son.

Jesus indeed is the King marching on to save His people
from their enemies. Some in the crowd try to silence the
blind man, but he shouts all the louder to get Jesus'
attention. That is the character of faith: the more people
and circumstances rise up to silence us, the louder we
cry for our Lord to be merciful to us.

We might expect Jesus to be so preoccupied with His
approaching death that He wouldn't notice a lone voice,
crying out to Him in the midst of the clamor of the crowd.
But His ears are attuned to cries for mercy from His
faithful ones. Now that He has accomplished His mission
and won complete forgiveness, we can be confident He
hears our cries for mercy and pity too.

The man is blind no longer. He rises and follows Jesus on
His way.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, even as You were journeying toward
Your bitter death, Your ears were wide open to the pleas
of the blind man. Give me confidence that You hear my
prayers for mercy too. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries