The Final Week for Jesus - Tuesday

The final week – Tuesday

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: 

“‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 

the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’?”                Mk 12:9-11

 

This statement of Jesus comes at the end of a parable, and it would be good for you to read it. You’ll find it at the start of Mark 12. Here Jesus is talking to the chief priests and scribes, but we can also see that there is a crowd listening in too.

What was this ‘stone that was rejected’? As Jesus tells the story we become aware that it wasn’t actually a stone but a man who was rejected. Which man? It is the man who is speaking to us all now.

It is Jesus.

The priests and scribes must have understood that Jesus was talking about himself because they understood the parable was all about them, and they were certainly rejecting Jesus. Were they offended? Yes. Did they arrest Jesus? No. Why not? Because they were afraid of the people.

Tragically, the king was right in front of them, but their pride wouldn’t allow them to see Jesus as that king. So they walked away. Have there been times when you were ready to walk away because you didn’t understand something about Jesus?

Please don’t. Maybe others will reject Him, but he is the cornerstone. 

It should indeed be marvellous in our eyes.

The Final Week for Jesus - Monday

The final week - Monday

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. Mark 11:12-14

Image by Ben Kerckx from Pixabay

Let’s be honest, there are some words or actions of Jesus that are a little hard to understand. The story of the fig tree is a story that raises more questions than it answers. Why did Jesus go to the fig tree if it was not the season for figs? And why would Jesus curse a tree for not having fruit? 

The answer to this puzzle won’t be found in just reading these three verses. Like all puzzling statements of the Bible, it is in looking at the whole story of the Bible that you can start to put the clues together.

So, let’s think about the day Jesus comes to the fig tree. It is Monday and he is making his way to the temple. If we read on, we will see that Jesus is not happy with what is happening there. In fact, he’s so unhappy, he turns over the tables and declares “This should be a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers.”

And here is a clue to the story of the fig tree. The temple looks like it might bear good fruit, but there is no good fruit to be found. It should be ‘a house of prayer for all nations’, but what Jesus finds is a ‘den of robbers’.

         

Is your life bearing fruit for the gospel of Jesus Christ? It is terrible to think that we might look like a fig tree but have nothing but leaves. What will Jesus find when he looks at you?

The great value of being the middle generation

In recent months, I've come to value being part of a middle generation. I don't mean being middle aged, though that's probably relevant. What I mean is having both adult children and parents.

My parents are still healthy and enjoying life and we live close by. This means that mum and dad are still there for a chat, for some dinner when Anne's away, and I still seek their guidance and advice sometimes.

I have two adult sons, one of whom is married now. So I can have proper, grown-up conversations with the generations either side of me. And there is something deeply comforting in that.

But there has been a change in this landscape. My father-in-law died last weekend, or as we like to say, he was 'promoted to glory'. He has been dealing with the impacts of dementia for some time now and we have seen him change from what he was to what he became. He had a great impact on my life. After all, he let me marry his daughter, and so my life has been greatly improved.

So there is great value in being the middle generation. Enjoy it while you can, if you get the chance.

With my father-in-law in 2017

My parents and siblings etc - Christmas 2019

Review - The Frog and The Fish

I'm always pleased to read books about youth written by an Australian. Chris Parker's book "The Frog and The Fish" is a book that was recommended to be on a book stall at camp by one of the young people of PYV, so I thought I should have a read.

I'm glad I did.

Chris gives hints of his own story through the book. I've learned that he lost his father as a young child, so he understands grief very well. I learned that he was an atheist whose life was changed. Here's how he describes it -

As an adult I came to discover a profound external reference point . . . I turned form the devout atheism of my teenage years, to a belief and trust in the big picture, hope-filled narrative unfolded in the Bible. I found that not only could this story of the world explain and bring meaning to all things - far more than my science-based atheistic storylines could - it also gave me hope, purpose, and a freedom that I didn't have when all I knew was the water in which I swam. (p19)

This is a book about culture. More than that, it is a book about the culture we live in and the way it influences us without us even being aware of it. This is the image of the fish - so immersed in water that to ask a fish to explain water is an impossible question.

There are chapters that help readers to ask questions about themselves, the world they live in, and what can be done to make some changes to that world. Then he raises specific issues - sex, consumerism, truth, happiness, and more. I found these chapters to be the most helpful.

It is a reasonably short book - only 132 pages - and is written in such an engaging manner that I was able to read it easily while still finding some phrases that made me stop and think. 

If you're looking for a book to give to young people who are trying to find their place in the world, or who are feeling quite despondent about the culture they are living in, this could be the very book they need to help them sort out what is important and what is not.

Chris has also provided more than just a book. If you go to www.thefrogandthefish.com you will have access to a bunch of resources like videos and study guides to help you do more with the book. You can also buy an ebook or audio version if your prefer books that way.

Put it on your bookshelf, read it, and share it around.