The Final Week of Jesus - Thursday

The Final Week – Thursday

⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:9

A good reputation is difficult to create, but easy to destroy. I heard that years ago and every now and then I read something that reminds me just how true that is. Mark 14 is like that because here three reputations are made, and the reputation of an unnamed woman stands out like a shining star.

Here is a woman who decides to be extravagant with a gift of perfume worth a year’s wages. Some people look on this as a waste, but Jesus doesn’t. In fact, he declares that where the gospel is preached what she has done will also be told. 

But she isn’t the only character in the chapter. There is also a disciple named Peter who spoke with great promise when he said he would never run away from Jesus or deny him even if he had to die. But the chapter ends with him weeping when he realises this is exactly what he has done. 

Between these two is Judas – one of the twelve, as Mark describes him. He was a disciple of Jesus too. He had heard what Jesus was teaching and witnessed what Jesus was doing, but it wasn’t enough. He is remembered as the betrayer. Not a great reputation to carry around. 

Which of these three reflects your reputation? One who gives all to Jesus, one who promises much but fails (though that’s not the end of his story), or one who rejects Jesus. 

Let your reputation be one that points people to Jesus, not one that leads people away.

The Final Week for Jesus - Wednesday

The Final Week – Wednesday

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:30-31

What did happen on the Wednesday in this final week? I’m not sure I can tell you. The scriptures give some clarity on what was happening on certain days of this week, but Wednesday seems to be a day that nothing was recorded. 

Jerusalem would be very crowded as people arrived for the Passover and maybe Jesus knew it would be dangerous for him to go into the city? We seem to be living in such a time right now where people are afraid to go into the city, not because of a religious plot but because of a virus. For now we need to stay home. 

In my mind I can picture Jesus saying, “come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” and finding such a place in Bethany. I wonder if Jesus used this time with his disciples to rest, to grab a few hours of peace before the terrors of the next 48 hours, to ‘stay home’.

We live in such a time when we need to stay home and we need to find rest in doing this, which is not something most of us will be good at. So before the busyness of this weekend coming up, rest. Rest with Jesus as your companion, your teacher, and your friend.

Soon he will be your Saviour.

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.