Mark 11
Jesus sends disciples for a donkey verse 1- 3
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem – to Bethphage and Bethany
at the mount of Olives
HE sent forth two of HIS disciples – and said to them
Go your way into the village over against you
and as soon as ye be entered into it
ye shall find a colt tied
whereon never man sat
loose him – and bring him
AND if any man say unto you – Why do you this?
say you that the Lord has need of him
and straightway he will send him hither
Disciples bring donkey to Jesus verse 4- 7
And they went their way
and found the colt tied by the door without
in a place where two ways met
and they loose him
And certain of them that stood there said to them
What do you – loosing the colt?
and they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded
and they let them go
And they brought the colt to Jesus – and cast their garments on him
and HE sat upon him
Crowd sings praises concerning Jesus verse 8- 10
And many spread their garments in the way
and others cut down branches off the trees
and strewed them in the way
And they that went before – and they that followed – cried – saying
Hosanna – Blessed is HE that comes in the name of the Lord
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David
that comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest
Jesus rests in Bethany verse 11
And Jesus entered into Jerusalem – and into the temple
and when HE had looked round about on all things
and now the eventide was come
HE went out unto Bethany with the twelve
Jesus curses fig tree verse 12- 14
And on the morrow – when they were come from Bethany
HE was hungry
and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves
HE came
if haply HE might find anything thereon
and when HE came to it
HE found nothing but leaves
FOR the time of figs was not yet
AND Jesus answered and said unto it
No man eat fruit of you hereafter for ever
AND HIS disciples heard it
Jesus cleanses temple verse 15- 17
And they come to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the temple
and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple
and overthrew the tables of the money changers
and the seats of them that sold doves
and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel
through the temple
And HE taught – saying to them
Is it not written
MY house shall be called of all nations
the house of prayer?
BUT you have made it a den of thieves
Religious leaders plot to kill Jesus verse 18
And the scribes and chief priests heard it
and sought how they might destroy HIM
FOR they feared HIM
BECAUSE all the people was astonished at HIS doctrine
Jesus leaves the Jerusalem verse 19
And when even was come – HE went out of the city
Disciples notice fig tree died verse 20- 21
And in the morning – as they passed by
they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots
AND Peter calling to remembrance said unto HIM
Master – BEHOLD – the fig tree which YOU cursed
is withered away
Jesus claim disciples have the same power verse 22- 26
AND Jesus answering said unto them – Have faith in God
FOR verily I say unto you
That whosoever shall say unto this mountain
Be you removed – and be you cast into the sea
AND shall not doubt in his heart
BUT shall believe that those things which he says
shall come to pass
he shall have whatsoever he says
THEREFORE I say to you – What things soever you desire
when you pray – believe that you receive them
and you shall have them
AND when you stand praying – forgive
if you have aught against any
that your Father also which is in heaven
may forgive you your trespasses
BUT if you do not forgive
neither will your Father which is in heaven
forgive your trespasses
Chief priests question Jesus’ authority verse 27- 28
And they come again to Jerusalem
and as HE was walking in the temple
there come to HIM the chief priests – scribes – elders
and say unto HIM
By what authority does YOU these things?
Who gave YOU this authority to do these things?
Jesus asks a question of them verse 29- 30
And Jesus answered and said unto them
I will also ask of you one question – and answer ME
and I will tell you by what authority I do these things
The baptism of John – was it from heaven or of men?
Answer ME
Chief priest take counsel to answer HIS question verse 31- 33
And they reasoned with themselves – saying
If we shall say – From heaven
HE will say – Why then did you not believe him?
BUT if we shall say – Of men
they feared the people – FOR all men counted John
that he was a prophet indeed
And they answered and said unto Jesus – We cannot tell
and Jesus answering said unto them
Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna, Blessed is HE that comes in the name of the Lord. (5614 “Hosanna” [hosanna] means be propitious, “Save I pray”, ‘help, I pray”, Save us, please!, exclamation of praise, implying rulership, or an exclamation of adoration)
DEVOTION: Remember Jesus wasn’t accepted by the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They wanted to kill HIM. The people knew the feelings of the religious leaders yet still came out to greet HIM and sing a song in HIS honor.
HE was riding a donkey that HE had taken from a near-by village. The people there wondered why HIS disciples were taking the donkey. One of the traditions of a king was that he would ride a donkey into town as a conquering hero. Jesus rode one into town to fulfill prophecy. At HIS second coming HE is going to ride a white horse.
Now the people are singing praise to Jesus. They are excited that HE has come to town. Many thought HE was going to come to overcome the Roman government of the day. That was not HIS purpose. HE could have done it but HE was there for a more important reason. HE was going to die on the cross for our sins.
We should be singing praises to HIM will all of our heart every day that we are alive. We shouldn’t wait until Sunday. We shouldn’t wait until HIS return to start really singing. We should be singing everyday with joy in our heart for our free gift of salvation.
Too many people who say they are Christians don’t have the joy of the LORD in their heart. Our joy should show to those around us that don’t have Jesus. They need to see something different in our life that they should want.
CHALLENGE: Show those around you that you are different. You have praise regularly for the LORD!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves. (4335 “prayer” [proseuche] means to ask, beseech, invocation of God, to vow, to dedicate, or earnestly)
DEVOTION: The temple was open to all nations. There were Jews all over the world. They all came for the feast of the Passover. This was one of three feasts that the children of Israel were to attend by command of the LORD. The city of Jerusalem was full of worshipers. They were to bring tithe and offering to the temple.
What was happening? The ones who didn’t bring sheep had to buy some before going into the temple. The sales people were charging high prices. Those who did bring sheep were told that they were not pure enough. It was a group of people who were stealing from those who came to worship.
The second way they were cheating the worshipers was to charge more for exchange of currency. Here we find that those who come from Canada have an exchange rate that they have to pay for receiving American money for Canadian money. This exchange rate changes for day to day. This was true for those coming from other countries to worship the LORD. The money changers were charging more than they should. Again the religious leaders were cheating those who wanted to serve the LORD.
Jesus turned over their tables to show HIS displeasure with their actions. The priests were allowing this to happen to make more money off those who were coming to worship. Jesus didn’t want the worshipers cheated. HE did something about it that didn’t please the powers that be.
Today we have many in and out of the church that are taking advantage of people who want to support the LORD’S work. There are people who send letters in the mail saying that the LORD told them to send a letter to you so that you could support their ministry. They even put the person’s name in the letter to make it look real. There are others who say that if you give them money the LORD will bless you ten times as much. Some even send gifts that have been anointed for people to realize they are blessed of the LORD. These types of letters don’t please the LORD.
Our churches today have fewer people in prayer meeting or don’t have a prayer meeting because of lack of attendance. It is hard to find a church open during the week to go into and pray if you want to. The prayer life of the normal church person is sometimes nonexistent.
There are still some churches who keep the prayer meeting going. There are some that even have all night prayer meeting once a year. The LORD wants us to be coming to HIM in prayer regularly. HE would like the church to gather together for prayer regularly as well. If we wonder why there is so much confusion and fighting in our churches we might look at this as a reason. Prayer does change things and people. It is hard to argue with someone you have just prayed for. It is hard to argue in business meetings if there has been a genuine time of prayer before you start. God wants us to have churches that consider prayer important. The leaders of the church should be in every prayer meeting.
CHALLENGE: Pray for your church. Attend prayer meeting if you are a leader in the church. Pray for your church leaders by name each day.
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: 22 And Jesus answering said to them, Have faith in God. (611 “answering” [apokrinomai] means to give an answer to a question proposed, to begin to speak, but always where something has preceded to which the remarks refer, respond, declare, to react verbally, reply, or reply to a statement)
DEVOTION: Jesus demonstrated HIS power over a fig tree. Why would HE do such a thing as to curse a fig tree? It wasn’t time for the tree to have figs but it had leaves. Remember that HE was in HIS final days on this earth. HE had some more lessons to teach HIS disciples.
Here we have HIM demonstrated what can happen if the disciples had faith. HE wanted their faith to grow. HE wanted them to understand what power was available to them if they only believed. HE didn’t want them to doubt anymore. HE didn’t want them to have a hard heart. HE wanted them to believe that their faith statements would come to pass.
HE wanted them to trust in the LORD for little things such as a fig tree or big things such a mountain. They needed to know that even in the little things they had to trust the LORD. Once they could do that they would have the power to move mountains.
Doubt is a sin. Trust is genuine faith. We need to realize that we have the same power available to us today. The problem is doubt. The problem is confidence in the power of the LORD. The problem is that churches can run on human power rather than heavenly power and this causes failure. Many churches are existing Sunday after Sunday without a genuine work of the Holy Spirit in their midst.
Business as usual is not what God wants in any church. HE wants the church to be a lighthouse for the LORD in their neighborhood. HE wants people to realize that HIS church has power to move mountains. CHALLENGE: When was the last time your church moved a mountain? When was the last time you prayed for your church to move a mountain?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses (863 “forgive” [aphiemi] means to send away, to bid going away or depart, to send forth, yield up, to expire, to let go, give up a debt, to remit, to give up, or keep no longer)
DEVOTION: It goes against our human nature to let go of a hurt. If someone has hurt us we want to hurt them. Or especially if they hurt a family member, we want to hurt them. Our old nature wants to get even.
However, the LORD is teaching the disciples about how the new nature should act in a bad situation. HE is teaching them about prayer. HE is teaching about the POWER of prayer.
They had just witnessed a fig tree wither at the command of Jesus. Peter was amazed at how quick that took place.
This lesson was about FAITH. Do they really believe what Jesus is teaching them. Do they realize the power that was available to them?
Jesus tells them the key to answered prayer. That key is to give up a debt that others have make against us. They were not to keep score of offenses. They were not to hold grudges. When someone does something wrong against them, they are not to feel that they owe them an explanation. They are not to expect an apology.
Jesus told his disciples that if they want to have power in their prayers, they will have to forget a wrong done to them by others. If they are unwilling to forget the wrong, then the Father can’t forget our wrongs and give us the power we desire of him.
Does that mean that we are not Christians? NO! What does it mean? We will not have power in our lives to serve the LORD. We will not have power in our lives to serve the church. We will not be blessed of the LORD. Our fellowship with him is hindered by our lack of giving up a debt that we think someone owes us.
What do we owe the LORD? How many sins has HE covered with HIS blood? Should we hold on to a debt and hinder our spiritual development? The choice is ours today. What are we doing with those who have hurt us? Are we letting our relationship with them hinder our relationship with the LORD? Are we letting them steal power from us? Are our prayers being answered? Do we see power in our lives? Should we???? YES!
CHALLENGE: Examine your life to see if there is someone or some group that we blame for something that happened in the past. If we discover that we are bitter or holding a grudge – turn it over to the LORD. Ask HIM for HIS help to gain victory of this area of our life.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Temple a house of prayer verse 24- 25
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Hosanna verse 9, 10
Temple verse 11, 15, 16, 27
House of prayer verse 17
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
David verse 10
Is it not written verse 17
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Lord verse 9, 10
God verse 22
Father verse 25, 26
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lord verse 3, 9
Jesus verse 6, 7, 11, 14, 15, 22, 29, 33
Name of the Lord verse 9, 10
Blessed verse 10
Cursing of fig tree verse 12- 14, 20- 22
Cleansing of temple verse 15- 19
Taught verse 17
Astonished at HIS doctrine verse 18
Master verse 21
Authority challenged verse 26- 33
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
All nations verse 17
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Money changers in Temple verse 15
Turning Temple into den of thieves verse 17
Trespasses verse 25, 26
Feared verse 32
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Blessed verse 9, 10
Prayer verse 17, 24, 25
Doctrine verse 18
Faith verse 22
Not doubt verse 23
Believe verse 23- 25, 31
Desire verse 24
Forgive verse 25, 26
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jerusalem verse 1, 11, 15, 27
Bethphage verse 1
Bethany verse 1, 11, 12
Mount of Olives verse 1
Kingdom of our father David verse 10
Scribes verse 18
Chief priests verse 18, 27
Elders verse 27
Baptism of John verse 30- 33
Church (New Testament people of God)
Two of the disciples verse 1
Twelve verse 11
Disciples verse 14
Last Things (Future Events)
Heaven verse 30, 31
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QUOTES regarding passage
33.364 ὡσαννά: (an Aramaic expression meaning ‘help, I pray’ or ‘save, I pray,’ but which had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise) a shout of praise or adoration—‘hosanna.’ ὡσαννά· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου ‘hosanna; blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord’ Mk 11:9; ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις ‘hosanna in the highest’ Mk 11:10; ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ Δαυίδ ‘hosanna to the Son of David’ Mt 21:9. In Mt 21:9 ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ Δαυίδ may also be rendered as ‘praise to you, Son of David’ or ‘we praise you who are the Son of David’ or ‘… a descendant of David.’
Though for many early Christians, and especially those of Jewish background, ὡσαννά would be known from its Aramaic background as meaning ‘help’ or ‘save,’ nevertheless, its association with liturgical expressions involving praise and exaltation resulted in the expression acquiring quite a different significance; hence, a phrase such as ‘hosanna in the highest’ became equivalent to ‘praise be to God.’ For growing numbers of Christians without Jewish background, ὡσαννά probably acquired much the same meaning as it now has in English. (Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, pp. 429–430). New York: United Bible Societies.)
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1. This word is usually seen as a transliteration of the Hebrew expression hôšî-ʿâ (-n)nāʾ, which is a cry for help (Ps. 118:25), which with the Hallel Psalms (113–118) comes into liturgical use, which, accompanied by the waving of branches at Tabernacles, then becomes a shout of jubilation in the solemn procession around the altar of burnt offering, and which echoes the messianic hope inasmuch as Ps. 118 sometimes finds a messianic interpretation.
2. The NT uses the term in the story of the entry into Jerusalem. The “blessed is he …” of Ps. 118:25 occurs with it in Mk. 11:9–10, and v. 10 brings out its messianic significance. The repetition of hōsanná points to the fulfilment of the messianic hope in Jesus. Luke omits the hōsanná, which Gentile readers would not understand, but has “peace on earth and glory in the highest” (cf. 2:14). Matthew retains the double hōsanná in shorter form (21:9). In a later repetition he emphasizes the “Son of David” (v. 15). When the authorities object, Jesus defends the cries of the children on the basis of Ps. 8:2; children are a model of true discipleship. In John the cry is the same as in Mark (Jn. 12:13); the addition “the King of Israel” shows precisely that “he who comes” is the Messiah.
3. As a liturgical cry hōsanná quickly finds a place in Christian worship (Did. 10.6). The church probably adopts it from the liturgical tradition of Judaism. It bears a christological and eschatological character (cf. Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 2.23.13–14, where it occurs in the story of the martyrdom of James, the Lord’s brother). The Gentile church, however, is not familiar with its original meaning, as may be seen from the explanation given by Clement of Alexandria in Paedagogus 1.5.12.5. [E. Lohse, IX, 682–84] (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 1356). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.)
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“Hosanna” literally means “save now,” but it had become simply an exclamation of praise. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” is an accurate quotation of Psalm 118:26, one of the Hallel Psalms (Pss 113–18), which were used liturgically at the feasts of Tabernacles and Passover. This quotation was a customary religious greeting or blessing pronounced on pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem for the feast, but as Lane (p. 397) suggests, that did not exhaust its meaning, since “the formulation is ambiguous and Mark may well have intended his readers to detect a deeper, messianic significance in the phrase ‘he who comes in the name of the Lord’ (cf. Gen 49:10).” Mark verse 10 seems to support that interpretation. The kingdom blessed is the “kingdom of our father David,” clearly the messianic kingdom promised to David’s son. Martin (Mark, p. 138) reminds us that not even this statement gives away the secret of Jesus’ person, “since … the cry of Hosanna is related to the coming kingdom and does not directly designate Jesus as Davidic King.” The crowd proclaims the kingdom and not the king. (Wessel, W. W. (1984). Mark. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 725). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Hosanna, a transliteration of the Greek word which is itself a transliteration of the Hebrew hôšî ‘âh nâ’, originally was a prayer addressed to God, meaning “O save us now” (cf. Ps. 118:25a). Later it came to be used as a shout of praise (like “Hallelujah!”) and then as an enthusiastic welcome to pilgrims or to a famous Rabbi. Hosanna in the highest, in highest places, likely means “Save us, O God, who lives in heaven.” Its use here probably reflects a mixture of all these elements due to the nature of the crowd. (Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 156). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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In fulfilling this prophecy, Jesus accomplished two purposes: (1) He declared Himself to be Israel’s King and Messiah; and (2) He deliberately challenged the religious leaders. This set in motion the official plot that led to His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. The Jewish leaders had decided not to arrest Him during the feast, but God had determined otherwise. The Lamb of God must die at Passover.
Many patriotic Jews from the crowd of pilgrims eagerly joined the procession that proclaimed Jesus as the King, the Son of David come in the name of the Lord. The visitors from Galilee were most prominent in the procession, along with the people who had witnessed the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 12:12–18). You sometimes hear it said that the same people who cried “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday ended up crying “Crucify Him!” on Good Friday, but this is not true. The crowd that wanted Him crucified came predominantly from Judea and Jerusalem, whereas the Galilean Jews were sympathetic with Jesus and His ministry.
When welcoming a king, it was customary for people to lay their outer garments on the road, and then add festal branches (2 Kings 9:13). The shout “Hosanna!” means “Save now!” and comes from Psalm 118:25–26. Of course, Jesus knew that the people were quoting from a messianic psalm (relate Ps. 118:22–23 with Matt. 21:42–44 and Acts 4:11), but He allowed them to go right ahead and shout. He was openly affirming His kingship as the Son of David. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 149). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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11:9 Hosanna! Originally a Heb. prayer meaning “save now.” On that occasion it probably served simply as an acclamation of welcome. Blessed is He who comes. See note on Mt 21:9. This phrase is part (Ps 118:26) of the Hallel (the Heb. word for “praise”), comprised of Pss 113–118, which was sung at all the Jewish religious festivals, most notably at the Passover. “He who comes” was not an OT messianic title, but definitely had come to carry such implications for the Jews (cf. Mt 11:3; Lk 7:19; Jn 3:31; 6:14; 11:27; Heb 10:37). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Mk 11:9). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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In this scene, Jesus entered the city as a humble dignitary in a way that recalls the Zechariah 9:9 prediction that the Messiah-King would come into Jerusalem (Zion) riding on a donkey. Jesus rode into the city, whereas pilgrims were supposed to walk. This shows that Jesus intended to be noticed (France 2002:428–29)—his riding a donkey was a sign of his kingship.
The disciples and the crowds began to praise him in the words of Psalm 118, acclaiming Jesus as “the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” They shouted, “Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David.” Their praise was motivated by the promise of a future Davidic rule. Jesus presented himself as a king and was acknowledged as such. He did nothing to prevent this perception of him. This is the second connection of Jesus with David, as Bartimaeus had called out to the Son of David for healing (10:47).
The crowd, of course, did not fully understand what they were acclaiming, as their reaction to Jesus later in the week would show. Nonetheless, the entry was important; it shows Jesus accepting such praise, since he was the one who arranged for the animal he rode into the city. He seems to have intentionally evoked the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. This was Jerusalem’s chance to receive Jesus as one sent from God. It seemed that they were going to do so, but the drama quickly took a dark turn. The one who was welcomed as the Messiah-King would be killed within the week. (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (pp. 497–498). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers)
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The quotations are from Psalm 118:25–26. The word hosanna means “praise now!” Psalm 118 is remarkable for its forecast of the Lord’s rejection. Even as He was riding the crest of the wave, the deep trough on the other side was waiting to receive Him. Within the week, this same multitude would be howling for His death—as well He knew.
Doubtless, tidings of this triumphant entry were reported immediately to both the Roman governor and the Sanhedrin. So far as the Romans were concerned, sarcastic grins must have been seen when the news came. “A king, riding on a baby donkey? How silly! What could you expect, anyway, from a king of the Jews?”
The Jewish authorities would not have been so quick to scoff. After all, this had been prophesied: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zech. 9:9). Although the Sanhedrin had no use for a meek Messiah and wanted rather a militant Messiah, one who would make Israel the hub of a new world empire, they were alarmed at the sudden appearing of Jesus of Nazareth in the recognizable role of Messiah. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Gospel of Mark: An Expository Commentary (Mk 11:9–10). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
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Ver. 9. And they that went before, and they that followed, &c.] They that came from Jerusalem to meet him, and they that followed him from Jericho and other parts; which two bodies, the one went before him, and the other followed after him: and cried, saying, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, see the note on Matt. 21:9. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 463). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
Christians are supposed to be peacemakers, not troublemaker. If trouble comes because we bear witness to Christ; our first obedience is to the Lord (Acts 4: 19-20), but even that witness should be given with meekness and love. (p. 147)
When God put us in the furnace, he keeps his eye on the thermometer, and his hand on the thermostat. (p. 147)
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The RADICAL PURSUIT of REST by John Koessler
Worship is active but it isn’t work. Worship is an obligation but it is also a gift. Worship is a verb but its most important dimension is passive. God is the focus of worship, but we are its primary beneficiaries. Worship isn’t work; it is an act of leisure. We think of leisure as something we do in our off time. Leisure is how we spend our weekends. (p. 98)
Worship is “an activity that is meaningful in itself. This is hard for us to accept in a value-added world that believes that production alone give meaning to our existence. Those who do not produce something of value do not count. Coming to church “just to worship” seems unproductive. (p. 99)
James K. A. Smith points out that worship is formative: “Historic Christian worship is fundamentally formative because it educates our hearts through our bodies (which in turn renews our mind), and does so in a way that is more universally accessible (and I would add, more universally effective) than many of the overly cognitive worship habits we have acquired in modernity. (p. 99)
Although the language of “service” is sometimes used in connection with worship, our worship does not provide God with anything he lacks. God is blessed by our worship in the sense that he is pleased to accept it. But he does not need our worship. God is not any better off because we worship him. He does not depend on us for anything, not even for his own happiness (Acts 17: 24-25). We are on the receiving end in worship as much as we are on the giving end. (p. 100)
Congregational worship is designed to benefit the congregation as well as glorify God. Through worship we instruct ourselves and proclaim the gospel to the lost. We find recognition and acceptance as members of the community of faith and the household of God. (p. 101)
In today’s church congregational worship often feels more like a sales conference or a motivational seminar rather than an encounter with the holy God. (p. 102)
Instead of facilitating a true encounter with God through worship and the Word, the church expends most of its resources trying to create an appealing (and often false) impression of what it means to be a follower of Christ and part of the community of believers. The result is an airbrushed picture of the Christian life that is as false as the Photoshop image of a supermodel in a magazine ad. (p. 102-3)
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Ephesians 4
Christians are to live in righteousness and holiness, worthy of their calling in Christ.
INSIGHT
On the basis of who we are in Christ – redeemed, inheritors with Christ, adopted into God’s family, and destined to spend eternity with Him – we are to live a lifestyle that reflects our identity. We are no longer to live as we did before we knew the Lord – or as those who do not know Him. By putting on the “new man” we will preserve the unity of the Spirit and show the world that Christ is real. He makes a difference in the life that is dedicated to Him. (Quiet Walk)
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DELIVERED
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1 John 3:5
When John says that “he was manifested to take away our sins,” he is not stopping at the guilt of our sins, for salvation goes beyond that. We are delivered from the guilt—this first thing is essential; but thank God, the process does not stop there. He delivers us also from the power and from the pollution of sin. His work is such that He takes away our sin in a more vital sense. We are growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord; we are increasingly being made to conform to the image of His Son. We are being delivered—we have been, we are, and we shall be ultimately. The glorification is coming when He will take away our sin altogether, so that we shall be blameless and faultless and spotless and perfect in His holy presence.
The hymn that tells us, “There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin” also tells us this: “He died that we might be forgiven”; yes, but “He died to make us good” is equally true. The apostle Paul, writing to Titus, says: “[He] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar [special] people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14).
So we must never separate sanctification from justification; we must never talk about a kind of series of separate blessings. It is all one—it all belongs together. And it is all a matter of this law that condemns us and from which Christ delivers us through the cross and by the gift of new life. He went to that cruel death on the cross not only so that you and I might have pardon. Thank God, that does come out of it, that is the first thing. But He did it really to separate, to put aside, a people for Himself as a special treasure and possession who, as Paul puts it, should be “zealous of good works,” who should live a holy life.
A Thought to Ponder: He delivers us from the power and from the pollution of sin.
(From Children of God, pp. 56-57 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Active Power of Faith
“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
When God grants the gift of faith that enables us at the point of salvation (Ephesians 2:8), it should not be seen as a static power that merely resides in our minds but rather an empowerment that is expected to grow into a dynamic and demonstrable “divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4-9).
Faith preserves and protects us. Jesus insisted, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). These words are precise. Once faith is exercised, an eternal transaction takes place wherein a person is “passed” from spiritual death to eternal life. This is an absolute change and eliminates the possibility of hell (John 10:28-29).
Faith is power for effective prayer. The “mustard seed” promise in Matthew 17:20 does not refer to size or amount but to quality. The Greek comparative hoce, translated “as” in that passage, refers to the same kind of faith as the mustard seed. Just so, the promise of Matthew 7:7 (that if you ask and seek, you will find) depends on our confidence (faith) in the heavenly Father.
Faith is our “shield” against the Enemy. The seven pieces of God’s armor identified in Ephesians 6:10-18 include “the shield of faith” that provides an ability “to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (v. 16). That shield is defensive in the sense that it only provides protection when we use it to block the “darts.” The active use comes when we “resist the devil” (James 4:7) “in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9).
Do you use faith as God intended? (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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The issue between evangelical Christians and conciliar ecumenists is not that of evangelism versus social compassion. It lies rather in these considerations: (1) Evangelicals champion the authority of the Bible and are critical of pluralism in theology. (2) Evangelicals insist that authentic evangelism centers in the evangel (the good news of forgiveness of sins and personal regeneration on the ground of Christ’s atoning death and bodily resurrection). (3) Evangelicals insist that agape deteriorates to mere humanitarianism if social action leaves out the evangel and promotes material rather than moral and spiritual betterment. (4) Evangelicals insist that social involvement is a Christian duty, but they repudiate the institutional Church’s direct political pressures, endorsements of legislation, and advocacy of specific military positions; and they also repudiate ecumenical effort to sell socialism as a Christian economic philosophy. (5) Evangelicals seek Christian unity but are lukewarm about promoting church mergers for the sake of organizational cohesion, rather than for the sake of theological unity and evangelistic momentum. (p. 97, Evangelicals At The Brink Of Crisis by Carl F. H. Henry)
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DAILY HOPE
Today’s Scripture
Leviticus 1-4
Worship is under scrutiny and debate and much has been written on the importance of worship and prayer for the believer. The clothes we wear, the songs we sing, and the instruments we use can become more important than our attitude of worship.
For Moses and the people of Israel, worship of God and access to God were extremely vital. The wrong step, word, or deed could cause death, separation, or isolation to an individual or a whole community. Moses gave numerous instructions, including many details on how the nation could access God’s presence for fellowship and worship.
Leviticus records the historical fulfillment of the commandments given by God in Exodus 29 and 40. “Leviticus gave the nation of Israel a guide on how to maintain the place where God dwelt with His people and how they would be holy before Him” (Moody Bible Commentary pg. 177).
Why do believers today need to read and understand a book like Leviticus? How does the sacrifices of animals and grain offerings influence us who do not like to see blood and would rather eat bread than gather grain and present it to the Lord as an offering?
The sacrifices and offerings were presented by the people of God, expressing their recognition of inferiority to God and unworthiness to approach Him without a covering or substitute for their sin. Whether Old or New Testament, holiness and purity has always been essential when approaching the Lord.
In the New Testament, Jesus met the holy demands of a sacrifice and His presentation of Himself provided the removal of sin, once for all (Hebrews 9:26,28). Jesus Christ’s sacrifice allows us to boldly enter the throne room (Hebrews 10:19). While there may not be any more blood sacrifices or grain offerings, God still calls upon His people to be cleansed and purified. We now come to Him in prayer, fully trusting Him with a true and sincere heart as Hebrews 10:22 tells us, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water”. Set aside extra time in prayer today, thanking God for the privilege of prayer before a holy God.
Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller
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