Following Jesus

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

The Road to JERUSALEM

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.

“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

What were the disciples feeling? Why?

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” (Matthew 20:29-31)

1.Would you have been like the disciples, hurrying by on your way to more important things? 2.Or would you have been just one of the crowd, trying to silence the blind men so that you could get Jesus’ attention yourself? 3.Or what if you had been one of the blind men? Would you have had the humility to cry out for help or would you have remained silent and let the chance of a lifetime pass you by? 4.Or would you have been more like Jesus?

Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:32-34)

SUNDAY: Who is This?

The great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (John 12:12-13)

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 20:10-11)

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40)

 No Hollywood-style entrance, no fireworks, no loud music, no dancers  Riding on a little donkey  “Gentle” and “humble”  Not celebrating -- weeping

Why would Jesus weep?

MONDAY: House of Prayer

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:12-13)

What made Jesus so angry?

The “blind and lame came to him at the temple and he healed them” (Matthew 21:14) One witness added this chilling detail: The religious leaders “began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching” (Mark 12:18)

How on earth does this apply to us today?

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

TUESDAY: Faith & Figs

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:18-22)

1.What was Jesus trying to convey with the fig tree? 2.What was Jesus trying to convey about prayer?

The Plot THICKENS

Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him 30 silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” (Matthew 26:14-16)

1.What on earth is going on here? Why did Judas and the religious leaders want to kill “humble” and “gentle” Jesus? 2.What lessons can we learn from this?