Jesus' Final Stories from Matthew's Gospel

LENTEN STUDY GUIDE FOR 2017

JESUS' FINAL STORIES FROM MATTHEW'S GOSPEL

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A STING IN THE TALE: JESUS' FINAL STORIES FROM MATTHEW'S GOSPEL

Adam Lowe & David Browne Family Devotions by Stephen Urmston & Bettrys Lowe

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Readings ...... ii

Introduction ...... 1

WEEK 1: Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:1-32) ...... 4

WEEK 2: Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46) ...... 10

WEEK 3: Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14) ...... 19

WEEK 4: Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 22:41-25:13) ...... 27

WEEK 5: The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) ...... 36

WEEK 6: The Judgment of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46)...... 45

WEEK 7: Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (Matthew 27-28) ...... 53

i TABLE OF READINGS

Each weekday during Lent, a reading will be provided in the study guide. On Saturdays, we’d encourage you to read directly from the Bible. Sundays (which are not part of Lent) are designed to join at church as part of our sermon series.

WEEK 1 WEEK 5 DAY 1: MAR 1 Matthew 21:1-17 DAY 23: MAR 27 Matthew 25:14-18 DAY 2: MAR 2 Matthew 21:23-27 DAY 24: MAR 28 Matthew 25:19-27 DAY 3: MAR 3 Matthew 21:28-32 DAY 25: MAR 29 Matthew 25:28-30 DAY 4: MAR 4 Family Devotional DAY 26: MAR 30 1 Peter 4:7-11 WEEK 2 DAY 27: MAR 31 John 4:34-38 DAY 28: APR 1 Family Devotional DAY 5: MAR 6 Isaiah 5:1-7 DAY 6: MAR 7 Matthew 21:33-39 WEEK 6 DAY 7: MAR 8 Matthew 21:40-44 DAY 29: APR 3 Daniel 7:9-14 DAY 8: MAR 9 Matthew 21:45-46 DAY 30: APR 4 Matthew 25:31-33 DAY 9: MAR 10 Acts 4:8-12 DAY 31: APR 5 Matthew 25:34-40 DAY 10: MAR 11 Family Devotional DAY 32: APR 6 Matthew 25:41-46 WEEK 3 DAY 33: APR 7 Matthew 26:1-5 DAY 34: APR 8 Family Devotional DAY 11: MAR 13 Matthew 22:1-6 DAY 12: MAR 14 Matthew 22:1-7 WEEK 7 DAY 13: MAR 15 Matthew 22:8-10 DAY 35: APR 10 Isaiah 53:1-6 DAY 14: MAR 16 Matthew 22:11-14 DAY 36: APR 11 Matthew 27:11-26 DAY 15: MAR 17 Isaiah 61:10-11 DAY 37: APR 12 Matthew 27:27-31 DAY 16: MAR 18 Family Devotional DAY 38: APR 13 Matthew 27:32-44 WEEK 4 DAY 39: APR 14 Matthew 27:45-56 DAY 40: APR 15 Family Devotional DAY 17: MAR 20 Matthew 22:41-46 and Matthew 28:1-10 DAY 18: MAR 21 Matthew 23:1-12 DAY 19: MAR 22 Matthew 25:1-5 DAY 20: MAR 23 Matthew 25:6-13 DAY 21: MAR 24 Revelation 19:5-9 DAY 22: MAR 25 Family Devotional

ii INTRODUCTION

Over the coming weeks we will be exploring six of the most amazing stories told by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. These six stories sit between Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (21:1-10) and the beginnings of the passion narrative in chapter 26 (i.e., the part concerned with Jesus’ sufering and death). You will note that they all reveal something of Jesus as Messiah, the shape of his Kingdom, and what is required of those who desire to follow him.

What Jesus has to say is challenging to hear as he (sometimes provocatively) calls people to: respond to his call through repentance, live fruitfully for him, await his return in readiness, urgently seek out the lost, and be prepared to sufer alongside him. God’s Kingdom stands in stark contrast to that of the world and we can rejoice that we can be part of it because of his death and resurrection.

The six stories which we will explore (along with the cruciﬁxion and resurrection accounts) are: • The Parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32); • The Parable of the Wicked Tenants (21:33-46); • The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (22:1-14); • The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (25:1-13); • The Parable of the Talents (25:14-30); • The Judgment of the Nations (25:31-46); and • Jesus’ Death & Resurrection (26-28). Each week we will focus on these stories. However, where possible, we will also take time the opportunity to explore the broader context. Together this means we will cover most of the text in Matthew’s Gospel from Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21) through to his death and resurrection. It is in these chapters that Jesus draws a critical connection between his mission to the cross, the role of those who follow him, and the news of God’s Kingdom bursting into the world. Jesus will, often in a very sharp manner, challenge those around him, and no doubt we should be challenged too!

A Roadmap As you read through Matthew’s Gospel, you will notice the sharp rise in conﬂict between Jesus and the religious authorities, that begins almost immediately upon his entry into Jerusalem. With all of the conﬂict with the religious and

1 political leaders, it’s no wonder that chapter 26 begins with the plot to kill Jesus. Up until this point, Jesus’ identity as Messiah has only been completely clear to the reader, but as he speaks and acts more freely in accordance with his true identity, many of the power holders become increasingly threatened. As this dramatic climax of Jesus’ ministry unfolds, people are faced with the choice to accept or reject him as Messiah. This is a theme that we should take note of, right up to the criminals hanging beside Jesus on the cross.

With that in mind, as you read and hear these stories, keep a close eye on how people respond to Jesus’ identity – it’s often very surprising and reminds us of what it means to truly follow him as our King. There are three questions that I would love you to reflect on over the course of this Lenten study: • How is the authority of Jesus – as Messiah and God – made real in your life? • What is the shape of his Kingdom and how was it made possible? • How do we faithfully await Jesus’ return? How to Use this Study Guide This study guide is intended to be used every single day during Lent. It’s not necessary to be a member of a Small Group, but if you are, I’m sure you will get even more out of the readings, reflections, and questions. • Weekdays (Monday to Friday): Each weekday there is a reading (usually from Matthew) printed in the guide along with a brief reflection and some questions to ponder. A short prayer is provided to help guide you to prayerfully ofer up everything that you’ve been studying that day. • Saturdays: Each Saturday we’ve provided a brief family devotion, but this can be used with any group of people. If possible, it would be great to connect with another person (whether or not they live with you or are your ‘family’) and complete this. The Bible reading has not been printed for these days and there is an activity (especially designed for children) to do together as well. • Sundays: Sundays are not traditionally part of Lent – they are feast days on which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Each Sunday you are encouraged to connect with your local church and reflect upon a key point from the studies that week in light of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and imminent return. We’ve provided a few reflection points for your consideration. Finally, If you have an opportunity prior to Lent commencing, try taking some time to read the entirety of Matthew in one or two sittings. This exercise will provide a terrific grounding in the overall narrative of Matthew, and prepare you to go deeper in the weeks ahead.

2 My hope and prayer is that this study will be of immense blessing to you, helping you to grow in your relationship with God, your understanding of his Kingdom and your role in it, along with a greater appreciation of the signiﬁcance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Lent is a time in which we prepare to celebrate all that God has done in Jesus. I pray that this Lent will help us all to more meaningfully celebrate the phenomenal news that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again.

Adam Lowe St Bart’s Toowoomba

Acknowledgments I’m thankful to my co-contributors (David, Stephen, and Bettrys) who have made this study guide possible. I’m also very thankful for our proof readers (Jenny Carter, Penny Fuelling, Barry Stone, and Denise Wright) for generously assisting with the development of this resource.

3 WEEK 1: PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS (MATTHEW 21:1-32)

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, teaches in the Temple, and challenges the establishment, everyone is wondering who this man is! The answer? He is the long-awaited Messiah through whom God’s Kingdom is bursting into the world. This is great news that beckons everyone to respond.

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY MARCH 1

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will ﬁnd a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulﬁll what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:1-11)

Reﬂection This section of chapter 21 forms part of the context for the story (i.e., the Parable of the Two Sons, vv.28-32) we will be exploring on Sunday. There are two key parts to take note of: a) In verses 1-11, Jesus enters Jerusalem ‘triumphantly’. As he enters on a donkey (fulﬁlling prophecy, see Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9) and people praise him with glorious exclamations of ‘Hosanna’ (meaning ‘O save!’), the whole city is

4 asking the most important question of all time: “Who is this?”. Is this the long- awaited Messiah? The crowds seem to think so, yet even they could hardly fathom the significance of what lay ahead. Jesus comes not as a mighty warrior, but as a humble servant who will die for the world. That’s a far cry from the political Messiah that some had hoped for. But this Messiah brings something even more important – true and eternal salvation. b) Immediately after his entry (vv.12-17), Jesus’ first action is to go to the Temple and cause quite the raucous! The Temple is the physical centre of the Jewish faith and here Jesus comes to perform the symbolic act of clearing it out – pointing to his own authority and identity AND the failings of Judaism (in the following story about the fig tree, we see further judgment). You will also note that he heals the blind and lame to the delight of the children and the disdain of the chief priests and the Teachers of the Law. Jesus’ actions are judgment upon the Temple and the elite leaders that will be fully realised in the destruction of the Temple in 70AD by the Romans. As Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11, he is attacking the corrupt elite who oppress the poor but seek to look good in the Temple. As Jesus becomes the new Temple in which God’s presence and forgiveness is found, there will no longer be need for such a building. These are incredibly dramatic scenes that remind us that Jesus was not just a meek teacher that some make him out to be, but a person of real authority who also brings judgment. And thus we begin to see the judgment that Jesus brings upon the unbelieving, and their judgment upon him. Friends, let’s keep striving to recognise the full authority of Jesus, resting assured that in him we find complete forgiveness and access to God – not by our own eforts, but through his death and resurrection.

Questions 1. What are the two diferent types of responses to Jesus? 2. Who is Jesus identiﬁed as? 3. What is the response of the city? Is this question still important today? Prayer Almighty Lord, thank you that through Jesus you bring mercy and judgment together. We thank you that you long to set the world right, and that through Jesus’ death and resurrection you open up the way to life. Please help us to bring more of our lives into line with your authority. Amen.

5 DAY 2: THURSDAY MARCH 2

23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’— we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (Matthew 21:23-27)

Reﬂection In this little section, the authority of Jesus is directly questioned by the chief priests and elders. They’re questioning him because his actions indicate that he thinks he has authority over the Temple. Thus, the religious hierarchy probably want to ask the question, ‘So you think you’re the Messiah?’ – because that’s the only person who could possibly have the right to do this sort of thing. That is, the Messiah – God’s anointed king – is the only possible person who might have greater authority over the Temple than the High Priest. Plenty of so-called messiahs have come and gone, but Jesus is the true Messiah. Why? Because his authority does not come from earthly sources, but from God.

As Jesus often does, he responds with a question (read the second part of the response tomorrow), this one concerning the source of John the Baptist’s baptism (from heaven or from man?). The religious hierarchy are in a pickle because either answer will get them into trouble! If they answer ‘heaven’, then they give authority to John; if they answer ‘men’, then they’ll have a riot on their hands. Therefore they take the safe option – they give no answer at all and thus Jesus too refuses to answer them. That said, the parable he shares with them next should give them a huge clue (but you’ll have to wait for tomorrow)! How tragic it is that the so-called religious people – the very ones who claimed to know God – could not recognise him when he was right there before them. What a great reminder for us: to accept Jesus as any less than Messiah and God is to miss the point completely. Our salvation comes not from a mere person, but from the one who was appointed by – and is – God himself.

6 Questions 1. What were the religious hierarchy really asking of Jesus? 2. Why were they not willing to ask him outright if he was the Messiah? Why wouldn’t they give him an answer about John the Baptist? 3. What does it mean today, for you, to recognise Jesus as Messiah? Prayer Loving God, thank you that in Jesus we have one who is completely worthy of our trust and allegiance. Thank you that we can be free from trying to earn our salvation, and that you entered the world to save us. Please help us to increase our trust in you, and decrease our trust in ourselves. Amen.

DAY 3: FRIDAY MARCH 3

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the ﬁrst and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The ﬁrst,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. (Matthew 21:28-32)

Reflection In this simple parable about the two sons, Jesus is making a point clear to the religious hierarchy: the person who belongs to God is not the one who (insincerely) responds to God and fails to act, but the one who truly responds (even despite saying ‘no’ in the first instance) with their lives (i.e., the first son). Jesus is making a very strong critique of the religious leaders. He’s saying that whilst they ‘look’ to be living lives as the people God (e.g., observing the Mosaic law), their refusal to hear John and respond in of repentance means that they lag behind even the people they most despise (tax collectors and prostitutes)! Why? Because the tax collectors and prostitutes have believed in John’s message of repentance and turned their lives to the Messiah standing in their midst. It’s not what makes you ‘look’ worthy on the outside, like fulfilling laws and looking good, that qualifies you for the Kingdom of God – it’s belief in the one

7 who makes it possible: Jesus. The religious hierarchy are like the son who says yes (looking good publicly), but walks of in an entirely diferent direction (failing to respond to Jesus).

Let’s never fall into the trap of making all the right noises (like the religious leaders) but failing to actually take any action. The obedient person is not the person who says ‘yes’ and walks of in a diferent direction, but the one who says ‘yes’ with their entire lives. Looking good and fulﬁlling ritual will never qualify us for salvation. Only one thing will: belief in Jesus as our God and King.

Questions 1. How do you react to hearing this story? Is it good news or bad news? 2. What’s the diference in response between the ﬁrst son (the tax collectors and prostitutes) and the second son (the religious people)? 3. How can we fall into the same trap as the religious people? Prayer Gracious God, thank you that you have entered the world with Good News for all people! Please forgive us for the times in which our outward actions are not matched by the sincerity of our hearts. Please convict us whenever we are simply ‘going through the motions’, that we might instead worship you sincerely with our entire lives because of your goodness and mercy. Amen.

DAY 4: SATURDAY MARCH 4: FAMILY DEVOTION: “TWO SONS”

Read Matthew 21:28-32 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: Turning to Jesus should be an authentic act of the heart. Questions 1. Who changed their mind in this parable? How? 2. Who made the better choice? Why was the king happier with the ﬁrst son’s actions?

8 3. Jesus describes how many sinners and outcasts listened to John (and believed) about the right way to live, and yet the righteous did not. What does it mean to truly repent? Activity To repent means to turn around with your whole heart. If you were to make a heart, and give it to someone, how would you make it? Here are instructions for an Origami heart – http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-paper-Heart/

Make one and write your names on it as a reminder that our hearts belong ultimately to the Lord.

Pray for a heart that seeks to follow Jesus.

SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, MARCH 5

In today’s sermon, we will be focusing on the parable of the two sons. What stands out for you in this story? How does it challenge you as a follower of Jesus? How can we ensure as a church that our following of Jesus is sincere?

9 WEEK 2: PARABLE OF THE WICKED TENANTS (MATTHEW 21:33-46)

Jesus warns us to repent and live fruitful lives according to his Kingdom priorities.

DAY 5: MONDAY, MARCH 6

1 I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. 2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. 3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? 5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. 6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.” 7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. (Isaiah 5:1-7)

Reﬂection Have you ever put your heart and soul into something only for it to fall to pieces? Have you ever put all your energy, hopes and dreams into a something only for it to blow up in your face? This is the sort of emotion that is being described in this poem in Isaiah; gut-wrenching disappointment.

Notice the hard work and attention to detail this gardener puts into this vineyard. Notice the anticipation for good fruit. Feel the disappointment and disgust when the fruit comes up bad. Quite rightly the vineyard owner will tear down his vineyard, there is nothing more he could do for it.

The author doesn’t leave us wondering about the meaning of this poetic parable. The vineyard owner is none other than the Lord Almighty and the vineyard is the nation of Israel, the people of Judah. The Lord delighted in

10 them but his chosen nation was meant to bear fruit. God gave his people every opportunity to carry out his work upholding justice, caring for one another and shining God’s light to the world. While Israel did bear fruit, it was bad fruit. Have you thought about the “fruitfulness” of your life lately? In what ways are you bearing bad fruit, or good fruit for God?

Questions 1. Write down three emotions that this passage invokes in you. 2. Where is the vineyard planted? Why is it so shocking that the vineyard doesn’t bear good fruit? 3. The questions in v.4 are rhetorical but how might you answer them? 4. Why do you think the vineyard owner destroyed the vineyard? 5. How can you ensure your life produces fruit today? Prayer Heavenly Father, maker and judge, please forgive me for not always living a fruitful life. Thank you for your son Jesus who came not to condemn the world but to save it through himself. Please help me to live for you and to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Amen.

DAY 6: TUESDAY, MARCH 7

33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the ﬁrst time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. (Matthew 21:33-39)

11 Reflection Imagine you built a house and poured all your time, energy, and savings into building somewhere you could live when you retired. Finally, when the house is finished you rent it out to people who you think you can trust. Time passes and you find out the rent is not being payed. You receive complaints from the neighbours of your house that wild parties are being held. You drive past the house and see that the windows have been smashed, the door has been busted of its hinges, and the garden you planted is overgrown and littered with rubbish. When the land lord went by the house to ask about rent he was abused by the tenants. You decide it’s time for action but what can you do with such abusive tenants holding your house hostage?

Unfortunately, this is an all too common story in our world today. Business deals go south, gangsters take control of people’s lives, con-artists take advantage of trusting people, and the hard work of others is exploited by others. If this makes you bristle with anger, it should. But what if God was the one being taken advantage of, and the person taking advantage of him, was you? Every day we wake up on a planet we didn’t make, breathe air that doesn’t belong to us, and live our lives on time we have been gifted by God. So often we take what we have been given for granted, and ignore God or even criticise him for not doing more for us!

Jesus speaks this to a people who have taken for granted the resources and freedoms God has given them. He writes himself into the story as the son of the vineyard owner who is killed. It is a prophetic act as he anticipates his cruciﬁxion. So often we take God’s gifts for granted and fail to acknowledge his goodness or steward them properly. The parable of the vineyard is a timely reminder to repent and thank God for his goodness.

Questions 1. What are the parallels between Jesus’ parable and the song of the vineyard from Isaiah 5:1-7? How has Jesus used it? 2. Who are the characters in this parable and who do you think they represent? 3. Have you ever experienced wickedness like this? 4. How do you think God feels about this sort of wickedness? 5. What parts of your life apply to this passage? 6. How can this parable inform your prayer life as we look toward Easter?

12 Prayer Great God, thank you for all you have created. Please forgive me for misusing and abusing all you have given me. Help me to recognise your goodness and mercy in my life and the areas for growth and change. Thank you that you have given me the Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me. For the Kingdom, the power, and all I have are yours. Amen.

DAY 7: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” (Matthew 21:40-44)

Reflection Trafc fines, infringement notices, and those hard conversations we have to have with those we love when someone has been hurt. We never enjoy experiencing the consequences of our actions but they come around all the same. In this section of the parable of the wicked tenants Jesus sets out the consequences of the people’s actions. It is important to note the vineyard owner has been unquestionably gracious and patient with the farmers and now is doing what is just. The evil tenants are reaping what they have sown and the vineyard owner will find new tenants who will act justly.

Here Jesus could not be more explicit: he is the stone the builders rejected. A cornerstone is the most important part of the foundation of a building and it was prophesied long before Jesus lived that God would lay a cornerstone upon which his Kingdom would be built (Isaiah 28:16). Here Jesus is telling his audience that they are the ones who will reject and kill him but he is the one upon whom God’s Kingdom is built. Just as the wicked tenants feel the consequences for their actions so God’s ‘building block’ will become his ‘crushing stone’. Now is the time to embrace the cornerstone that God has sent because those who abuse God’s creation and reject his Son will feel the consequences. God is pleased to give his Kingdom to those who live fruitful

13 lives but will remove his blessings from those who treat them with contempt.

All our actions have consequences. When we are honest with God and ask for his forgiveness he is faithful and just and forgives us our sins, purifying us from all unrighteousness. When we embrace God for who he is, the consequences are marvellous!

Questions 1. When Jesus asks the question, “what will he do to those tenants?”, who responds to him? 2. What kind of people will the Kingdom be given to? What do they look like (see Galatians 5:16-24)? 3. What parallels or diferences does the ending of this parable have with the song of the vineyard in Isaiah 5:1-7? 4. Why is it marvellous that the stone the builders rejected becomes the cornerstone (v.42, and Psalm 118:22-23)? Prayer Lord of all creation, thank you for all you so richly provide. I’m sorry for taking what you given me for granted. Help me to accept your love and live life in the knowledge that all I have is yours. Thank you for your Son, the stone the builders rejected. Help me to make Jesus the cornerstone on which my life is built and to glorify you with all that I am. Amen!

DAY 8: THURSDAY, MARCH 9

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. (Matthew 21:45-46)

Reﬂection Have you ever tried to hide the evidence? Perhaps it’s that chocolate cake smear on your lip? Perhaps you’ve broken something and then tried to throw it away, hoping that no one will notice? Perhaps something has happened at school or at work and you’ve tried to keep what has happened from someone else? When the Pharisees and chief priests heard Jesus’ not-so-subtle parables

14 they knew he was talking about them! They were the wicked tenants, they were the builders who had rejected the cornerstone, they were the ones who were living fruitless lives in deﬁance of God.

Rather than admit they have a problem and confess their sins to God they begin to look for a way to dispose of Jesus. They have been confronted by their sins and their injustices and they don’t like it! They look for way to get rid of Jesus but they have a problem. Jesus is too popular! People are swarming around him and his enemies realise that if they try to arrest him the people will resist them. The chief priests and the Pharisees know that their power over the people is shaky, and arresting Jesus in public would be political suicide.

They will have to wait for an opportune moment. They will have to infiltrate Jesus’ friends and convince one to betray him. They will need to find out when he is alone and arrest him under the cover of dark. This plan to cover their guilt will take them to a garden in the middle of the night where they will find Jesus calling out to his Father in anguish. This plan will be the biggest backfire in history, even the best laid plans are no match for God’s plan!

Questions 1. How have Jesus’ parables ofended the chief priests and the Pharisees? What are they trying to achieve by arresting Jesus? 2. What examples do you see in the world around you of people trying to sweep the truth under the rug? 3. How will the plans of the chief priests and the Pharisees backﬁre? Prayer Living Lord, you are mighty, holy, and true. You thwart the plans of the wicked and bring justice and truth where there is none. Help us not to try to dispose of Jesus when he ofends us but to embrace him as our King instead. Thank you for Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Amen.

DAY 9: FRIDAY, MARCH 10

8 Then Peter, ﬁlled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you cruciﬁed but whom God raised from the dead, that this

15 man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12)

Reﬂection Just like Matthew 21:42, we see here a reference to Jesus being the rejected stone that has now become the cornerstone. In this scene in Acts, Peter and John are before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high council) answering questions regarding the power behind, and nature of, their proclamation and healing. From verse 8 onwards, Peter – in the power of the Holy Spirit (just as had been promised to them!) – bursts out to clearly identify that the reason and power behind everything they do is nothing less than Jesus Christ himself. Peter clearly articulates that it is this Jesus who was raised from the dead, and it is through him alone that God’s Kingdom and salvation is to be found. Whilst the council had rejected Jesus, many have now gone on to follow him and make him the Lord and Saviour of their lives. If we ever read of Peter’s boldness and think that we could never do that, we should be reminded that it is only ever through God’s power and Spirit that we are able to proclaim and live his way. The disciples could have been on the defensive, shrinking into the corner, but they instead pointed to the truth behind all that was happening. I’m thankful for their faithful proclamation, and hope that some who heard them turned to Christ!

The image of Jesus being the cornerstone is absolutely central to our faith and life, keeping in mind that a cornerstone underpinned and held two walls of a building together. Peter is saying that Jesus is the one who brings the church together and without him the church could not stand or exist. What a great reminder to us today that as a church, it is only in the power of Jesus, for Jesus, and in Jesus that we can have conﬁdence of salvation and take part in God’s great mission to the world. That means in practice there is no more important endeavour, than for every one of us to be growing in our relationship with God through Christ, seeking that the whole world might do the same.

Questions 1. What was meant by Jesus being the stone that had been rejected becoming the great cornerstone? 2. In what ways are we ever tempted to think we don’t need Jesus as our cornerstone 3. How is it apparent that Jesus is the cornerstone of your life?

16 Prayer Gracious God, we thank you for the great gift of Jesus! Please show us the areas of our lives in which we are tempted to have unhelpful things as our cornerstone. Please help us to make Jesus the cornerstone of our lives and our church. Amen.

DAY 10: SATURDAY, MARCH 11 FAMILY DEVOTION: “RENTERS”

Read Matthew 21:33-46 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: How we respond to Jesus’ call, matters. Questions 1. Have you ever responded to something badly or ignored something/ someone you shouldn’t have? What were the consequences? 2. How did the renters treat each of the messengers? How is this similar to the way the Pharisees treated Jesus? 3. How can we show God that we accept the responsibility of ‘bearing fruit’ for his Kingdom? Activity Play a game of ‘Simon Says’ as a family. On the ﬁrst round, those who are copying do the opposite of what is being asked (e.g., “Put your hands on your head” = put your hands on your feet; or “jump up and down 5 times = squat down in one spot”). On the second round of the game, play the traditional way, where those who are copying ‘Simon’ do exactly what he/she is asking. At the end, discuss how the responses difered and which was the better response. How is it better for us to be obedient to God when he asks something of us?

Pray that we would respond well to God’s Word and Gospel.

17 SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, MARCH 12

As you gather at church today, think about what it means to be faithful to Jesus in every aspect of our lives and our church. How do you see the fruit of the Gospel alive and well in the people around you? How can you orientate your heart more openly to God through worship?

18 WEEK 3: PARABLE OF THE WEDDING BANQUET (MATTHEW 22:1-14)

How amazing that God’s Kingdom is like a fantastic wedding banquet to which everyone is invited! Our invitation is not dependent upon our ancestry or how good we are, but the goodness and graciousness of Jesus. As we look closer at the parable this week, we’re challenged to respond to the invitation, gather other guests in, and put on our wedding clothes – which Jesus himself provides for us.

DAY 11: MONDAY, MARCH 13

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went of—one to his ﬁeld, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them (Matthew 22:1-6)

Reﬂection Over the last two weeks we’ve witnessed some challenging encounters between Jesus and the religious hierarchy. In the parable of the two sons, we saw that what matters to God is how we respond to Jesus – to repent and believe. Last week as Jesus continued his conversation with the religious elite (in ‘the parable of the tenants’) we saw that the consequence for those who rejected the Son of God was that the Kingdom of God would be taken away from them. These sharp parables weren’t particularly well received by those listening (i.e., the chief priests and the Pharisees). Why? Because they knew that Jesus was talking about them. This immediately serves as a great reminder

19 to us that sometimes when we read or hear the Word of God, we can be so challenged by it that our ‘gut reaction’ is to be indignant and close our ears (let alone our hearts). We must keep encouraging each other – especially during this series – to truly listen to what Jesus is saying, even when we ﬁnd it hard.

In this week’s parable of the wedding banquet, Jesus again provides a sharp and provocative critique of the chief priests and Pharisees. The story begins innocently enough – a king is holding a wedding banquet for his son and has invited guests. But something odd is at play. The king has sent his servants – in fact he sent two rounds of servants – and the invited guests respond in three ways. Some refuse to come (v.3), some pay no attention at all (v.5), and others are enraged and kill the servants (v.6)! It’s hard to believe that people would respond to such an invitation in this manner – yet they do. The wedding banquet is representative of the Kingdom of God and we’re therefore reminded that despite being invited to the biggest party of all time (God’s Kingdom!), people sometimes respond in surprising ways. Some say no, others are too busy or indiferent to care, and others are enraged. Whilst in the coming days we will look at the consequences of these responses, we are to be reminded of one thing especially today: how we respond to Jesus does matter.

Questions 1. What surprises you most about this parable and why? 2. Who are these people representative of in the parable (think of who Jesus was speaking to)? 3. How has responding to Jesus mattered in your life? Prayer Lord, thank you for welcoming us into your Kingdom like an invitation to the perfect wedding banquet that never ends! Please help us to respond with a sincere ‘yes’ that rejoices in all that you have done for us. Please also help us to share this great news with others and give them the opportunity to respond to your great invitation. Amen.

20 DAY 12: TUESDAY, MARCH 14

Please read yesterday’s reading again, followed by verse 7:

7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. (Matthew 22:7)

Reﬂection It’s not entirely what we want to hear, is it? It would be easier to hear of a party where everyone comes, has a great time, and there’s no judgment necessary. But as mentioned, we know that for whatever reason (disinterest, distraction, or dislike) some people do not want to say yes to the king. What we read therefore in the additional verse (v.7) is challenging – the actions and decisions we make have consequences. Israel’s leaders in Jesus’ day, and the many people who followed them, were like guests invited to God’s party, the party he was throwing for his son. But they had refused to come. God had sent messengers (the prophets, John the Baptist) who were abused and killed, and now even with the Messiah in their midst, some are still not interested. Just like in the ‘parable of the tenants’ last week, we’re reminded that the rejection of God’s son has consequences – in the parable here, the king has two main responses.

The ﬁrst response (we’ll explore the second tomorrow) is to execute justice on those who murdered the servants (v.7). The mention of the city is most likely a reference to the destruction of the Temple that occurred in AD70. In fact, it would have been near impossible for the post-70 readers of the Gospel not to see the destruction of Jerusalem alluded to in these words. These people were meant to be God’s elect, yet because they had rejected God’s son they would be excluded from God’s Kingdom. What a sobering reminder for us that there is a sharp delineation between those who are part of God’s Kingdom and those who are not. The criterion for membership has nothing to do with how good we are or the particular ancestry we hold – it’s all about whether we accept God’s invitation in Christ.

Questions 1. The king sends his messengers twice to call people to the banquet. Why do they refuse? Why was it important for the guests to come straight away? 2. Do you think that we ever respond to God in the same way? Do things ever get in the way of your relationship with God? 3. Do you think that other people in the world refuse God’s invitation for similar reasons? How might we encourage them to respond with a heartfelt ‘yes’?

21 Prayer Gracious God, please help us to understand more of how your mercy and judgment go hand-in-hand. We thank you that you are a just judge and that you desire all to be saved through your son. Please soften hearts everywhere, that people will respond to your invitation – not by their merits – but through your invitation in Christ. Amen.

DAY 13: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (Matthew 22:8-10)

Reﬂection In today’s passage we read of the king’s second response to the guests refusing his invitation – invite EVERYONE ELSE! This open invitation of course reminds us that with the coming of Jesus, anyone can be a member of God’s Kingdom by trusting in him. The use of the term ‘ready’ (the banquet being ready) is a strong hint that a critical time in the history of humanity is culminating right now (in the following chapters Jesus will share some woes and signs of the end of the age). I love that as the servants go out, we don’t hear of anyone rejecting the invitation. I also love that the people gathered were both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ – once again we see that being part of God’s Kingdom is only dependent upon our response to Jesus (think back to ‘the parable of the two sons’ and the prostitutes and tax collectors being ahead of the ‘righteous’ because they had repented and believed). At the time that Matthew was written, Christians would have been going out all over the world to share the amazing fact that the good news is for everyone – even the people who had been most rejected by society and the religious elite. And so we have the situation in which the ﬁrst people invited are deemed ‘not worthy’ and the second group of people have been made worthy by Jesus. Friends take some time to rejoice that if you trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, you have a seat at this incredible banquet that is the Kingdom of God. If you haven’t yet responded to the invitation, remember that today is the time to respond. You haven’t been invited because you have earned it – you’re invited because God loves you and has made you worthy through Jesus.

22 Questions 1. The king’s response to the original guests not coming is to invite EVERYONE else. Why is this great news for us? 2. What was the basis for an invitation? Was it something earned, or something given? 3. Think about at least one person who you could invite along to church this Sunday. Pray for them and invite them along. Prayer Loving God, we thank you that you desire your Good News to go out into the entire world that people everywhere might hear your invitation. Please help us today to announce this wonderful invitation so that many will come. Amen.

DAY 14: THURSDAY, MARCH 16

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:11-14)

Reflection We finished yesterday’s reading with the spectacular image of a hall bursting at the seams with guests. Today we get a final surprise at the end of the story concerning a guest who has not come appropriately attired. At first glance this can seem harsh! Isn’t it a bit of an over-reaction for the king to throw out a guest (who has only been invited at the last second to the party) “into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”? This extra part of the parable balances the point in verse 10 (concerning ‘good’ and ‘bad’) that it is expected that those in Christ should be yielding fruit (‘putting on’ the appropriate garment), like the giving of fruit in its season by the new tenant farmers (21:41, 43). This does not mean that we earn salvation. It simply reflects the reality that those who truly repent and believe with their heart, will show the fruit of that in their lives (unlike the son in the earlier parable who says yes, but has no intention of really living it). This doesn’t mean that we’re perfect, it just means that we’re willing to put on the clothes of salvation (Isaiah 61:10).

23 The final phrase “for many are invited, but few are chosen” is exciting news. It is best understood as everyone is invited, but not everyone becomes disciples of Christ (“the elect” became a shorthand for disciples of Christ). The openness of this statement aligns with the king’s decree to gather “anyone you find” (v.9). The implication is tragic: the people who had long been known as the “chosen”, have lost their privilege through unresponsiveness. And so we’re reminded again that God does not look for records of good deeds, but the sincerity of the human heart. A ‘yes’ to Jesus isn’t just a meaningless word – it reflects a sincere desire of the heart to repent, believe, and follow him.

Questions 4. It can be very surprising to read of the guest who is thrown out into the darkness (vv.11-13). Why was this person treated in this way? What had they failed to do? 5. How is ‘putting on the wedding clothes’ like ‘putting on salvation’? How do we do that every day of our lives? 6. Verse 14 reminds us of the great privilege of being called by God but the great tragedy that many people fail to respond. How can we sensibly encourage people not to delay responding to God? Prayer Heavenly Father, please help us to ‘put on our salvation’ everyday, that we might live diferently because of the security of salvation that we have in Jesus. Please help us to share this good news; and sensitively encourage people to respond to your invitation. Amen.

DAY 15: FRIDAY, MARCH 17

10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. (Isaiah 61:10-11)

24 Reflection This is a wonderful chapter in Isaiah, in which the prophet alludes to an amazing time in which those captive will be free and God’s time of judgment will follow. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus reads the beginning verses of the chapter (“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners… Luke 4:18) and incredibly declares that this prophecy has now been fulfilled in him! What is left for those who hear this news? To receive it by putting on new garments – right relationship with God made possible through Jesus. These are garments of righteousness (i.e., right relationship) and salvation (i.e., forever rescued). That’s what the imagery of the wedding (as per our focus on Matthew 21) points to as well. Regularly throughout the Bible, the Messiah is depicted as the bridegroom and God’s people are depicted as God’s church. Because of Jesus, we are brought into an intimate and permanent relationship with God, not because we’ve earned it, but because of God’s phenomenal love and sacrifice.

For the prophet, there is a strong relationship between proclaiming this great news and an immense joy. Do you have a sense of the way that God has clothed you with his glorious riches that last forever? The more we grow in our understanding of what he has done for us, the more we will desire to tell the world of this great news, in turn being ﬁlled with an overﬂowing joy that pervades our lives.

Questions 1. What does it mean for you to be clothed in righteousness and salvation? 1. What diference does it make to you to be wearing these ‘new clothes’ wherever you go each day? 2. Who is someone that you could share something of this good news with this coming week? Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you for your faithfulness! Please help us to grow in our understanding of what it means for Jesus to fulﬁl this promise of salvation and that we have been clothed beautifully because of him. May our thankfulness give way to a desire to share this good news with those with whom we connect each day. We praise you for the joy we have because of Jesus. Amen.

25 DAY 16: SATURDAY, MARCH 18

FAMILY DEVOTION: “WEDDING BANQUET”

Read Matthew 22:1-14 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: God invites absolutely everyone to be one of his disciples. Questions 1. Have you ever had free tickets to something? 2. If you had a large supply of free tickets to your favourite concert/movie/event, with whom would you share them? 3. What did the king’s invited guests have to do to accept his invitation? What do we need to do to accept God’s invitation to be one of his disciples? Activity Imagine the king had sent out an ofcial invitation in the mail to everyone who was invited. Design what you think it would have looked like, remembering to include who it is for (everyone), what they need to bring (nothing – everything provided), etc. Decorate your invitation and place it on the fridge for the whole family to see – reminding you that God invites us all to be a part of his Kingdom.

Pray that we might share the Good News of Jesus with everyone, not just those we feel comfy sharing with.

SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, MARCH 19

Before Sunday, think about who could you invite along to church to hear the great news of Jesus’ invitation to the greatest wedding banquet of all time? As you gather to worship together to worship, how do you see God’s grace at work through your brothers and sisters in Christ?

26 WEEK 4: PARABLE OF THE TEN BRIDESMAIDS (MATTHEW 22:41-25:13)

In the lead up to the parable of the ten bridesmaids, we will this week be exploring some of the episodes in chapters 22 and 23. Having entered Jerusalem, the tension around Jesus is increasing as his identity as Messiah comes more sharply into focus. Jesus will teach on what it truly means to be great and the surprising way through which we become members of God’s Kingdom as it bursts into the world through him. God’s Kingdom is coming and he’s calling us to be ready.

DAY 17: MONDAY, MARCH 20

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:41-46)

Reﬂection Whilst we may at ﬁrst glance think that this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees is some sort of riddle, there is actually much more at stake. The Pharisees are actually attempting to put Jesus to the test with their questions. However, very quickly the tables are turned on the Pharisees, who have been busy asking questions, as Jesus efectively now asks them who they think the Messiah was. In fact, Jesus’ response is a direct challenge for those gathered to recognise him as the Messiah. It was commonly anticipated that the long- awaited Messiah would be a descendant of David, however no one expected the Messiah to be God. Yet, as Jesus quotes Psalm 110 (i.e., “The Lord says to

27 my Lord…”) he’s making it abundantly apparent that the Messiah would indeed be even greater than David (after all, David calls him Lord!). This is a shocking revelation to those gathered, and as Jesus challenges their understanding of who the Messiah would be, it must have crossed at least some of their minds that Jesus was the one. No one dared to say anything in reply. No one dared to ask any more questions. Perhaps this great and glorious news was just too much for them to process, or perhaps they simply couldn’t accept the reality of God when the truth was outside of their expectations. What’s clear is that they were far more comfortable in discussing God in theory, than submitting to God with their lives.

The challenge for humanity is not only to recognise the true identity of the Messiah, but to actually submit to Jesus with our lives. The Pharisees, at this stage, couldn’t bring themselves to do that, but many others saw Jesus for who he was and decided to make him the Lord of their lives. How wonderful it is that God not only desires us to know about him in theory, but that we would know him personally and submit our lives to him. Knowing Jesus as Messiah requires a response.

Questions 1. What do you think were the motives of the Pharisees as they were quizzing Jesus? Do you think we ever try to put God ‘to the test’? 2. How was Jesus’ quoting of Psalm 110 a major challenge to those gathered? 3. How would people around you recognise that Jesus is your Lord? Prayer Loving God we thank you for the faithful way in which the stories of Jesus’ life have been preserved in the Bible. We thank you that you desire for us to know you and make you the centre of our lives – not just to know about you! Please help us to more clearly see Jesus for who he is, that we might rightfully enthrone him in our hearts. Please help us to point to the true identity of your Son, so that people wouldn’t simply avoid the question, but embrace Jesus as Lord. Amen.

28 DAY 18: TUESDAY, MARCH 21

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a ﬁnger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:1-12)

Reﬂection Following his challenge to the Pharisees to recognise him as Messiah, Jesus now turns to the crowd and pointedly warns them about hypocrisy. This must have got the religious power holders talking! That the religious leaders of the time failed to practice what they preached is at the heart of Jesus’ critique. The problem, as Jesus makes clear, is not with the Law or their Scriptures, but with the hearts of those who have been entrusted with God’s truth. God demands not just a reciting of his Word, but for our lives to authentically reﬂect his rule and reign. According to Jesus, the Teachers of the Law and Pharisees were not motivated by obedience to God’s will, but accumulating social capital for themselves. They were motivated by their own glory instead of God’s glory!

Religious hypocrisy by those who follow Jesus is of course still alive and well today. Social research in Australia notes that hypocrisy is one of the biggest ‘belief blockers’ for those who don’t yet follow Jesus. In recent years, it has been absolutely heartbreaking as it has been revealed of the abhorrent ways in which people entrusted with leadership in the church have betrayed and abused people whilst hiding behind positions of power. We should be greatly grieved by this, yet we should also take heed of the hypocrisy in our own lives. Often our hearts can be full of mixed motivations as we seek to serve God, sometimes seeking to fulﬁl our own agendas above God’s. As we look to Good Friday and Easter, take some time today to ask God to show you any areas of hypocrisy in your own life. Lay it before the cross, seek his forgiveness, and ask

29 for help that we might more clearly live lives that sincerely – in heart and action – follow the Lord Jesus.

Questions 1. Have you ever encountered hypocrisy in people who follow Jesus? How does this make you feel? 2. Are there any areas in your life that may be incongruent with the faith in Jesus that you confess? 3. Why can we have conﬁdence to come before God in confession, and know that he desires a work of ongoing transformation in us? Prayer Merciful God, please forgive us for the times in which we have been motivated by our own agenda instead of yours. Please forgive us for the ways in which we can outwardly be seen to ‘doing the right thing’ yet in reality, our hearts are far from you. Thank you that you are merciful and that because of Jesus we can be assured of forgiveness. Please refresh us with your Spirit that we might more clearly orientate our hearts and lives sincerely for your glory. Amen.

DAY 19: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22

1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and ﬁve were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. (Matthew 25:1-5)

Reflection Having announced a series of woes against the religious leaders of the day (23:13-36) and reminded them that no one knows when the final time of judgment and redemption will arrive (24:36-51), Jesus now instructs them on how they should prepare for those end times. In this parable of the bridesmaids, the image that Jesus presents is that we should faithfully await his return. Whilst we’ll look at verse 6 onwards tomorrow, we see in these five verses that the church is to be like the bridesmaids waiting with their lamps full of oil. To a twenty-first century reader this might seem a tad puzzling, but the message

30 for us is pertinent. In the ancient setting of the Gospels, the bridegroom would go to the bride’s house on day of the wedding. They would then return to the groom’s house for a feast that could last a week! (And we think weddings today can be protracted!) The bridesmaids would have been waiting to join the procession and take part in the feast, but when the groom doesn’t show up in their expected time frame, their oil runs out and they miss the procession.

What does this say to us today? As we live in between Jesus’ ascension to the Father and his return to the world, we are to be a people whose lives are shaped by a great anticipation of his return. A return that could occur at any moment! Does that mean we simply sit around with the porch light on? Of course not! It means that we should keep on pressing into our relationship with God and share the light of Christ – the Good News – with those who don’t yet believe whilst there is still time. The light in our lamps that we must seek to burn bright is faithful, active, and obedient discipleship.

Questions 1. Do you ever find it frustrating, or find yourself wondering when Jesus will return? 2. As we await Jesus to return, what does faithful, active, and obedient discipleship look like in your life? What helps that light burn brightly in your life for God? 3. How can we together spur one another on in God’s purposes for us (as individuals and as a church) as we await Jesus? Prayer Patient God, we thank you for the great confidence we can have in you and the truth of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Please help us to live faithful, active, and obedient lives as disciples as we await your return. Please prevent us from taking our eyes of you, and that we might constantly be awake to your Kingdom purposes at work through us and in us for your glory. Please help us as a church to spur one another on and share the light of the Gospel until that great and glorious day when you return. Amen.

31 DAY 20: THURSDAY, MARCH 23

6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:6-13)

Reﬂection I remember being perplexed to hear someone say that when the Lord returns, they will have one hand back (to those who have rejected God) and one hand forward. Whilst at one level this is well-intentioned, it actually misses the point of what Jesus is saying here. He’s challenging us that our relationship with God must be our own (we can’t rely on someone else’s trust in Jesus) and that there will come a time in which it will be too late to share the Gospel. The most important question for every single person on earth is ‘who do you say that Jesus is?’ Our entry into God’s Kingdom cannot possibly be bought on the merit of someone else, because it’s only through relationship with Jesus that we’re saved. Because of this, and because no one knows the hour nor the day (cf. 24:36-50), it also means that we must have a sense of urgency as we seek to share the Gospel. We can often put of praying for someone, or inviting someone, loving someone, or sharing the Good News with them, but we must not delay. Who are the people in your life who you are praying will come to know Jesus? What is one way this week that you can encourage one of them to take a step closer to the Lord?

Questions 1. What do you ﬁnd most challenging about having a sense of urgency to share the Good News? How do you think you can increase a healthy urgency? 2. Who are the people that you long to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour? Pray for them today. 3. Who can you invite to church this weekend?

32 Prayer Gracious God we thank you that you include us in your mission to the world! Please help us to have a greater appreciation of what a privileged position we have as stewards of your Good News. Please also help us to have a greater sense of urgency, that we would be moved from complacency to recognise the Gospel opportunities that you place before us today. Amen.

DAY 21: FRIDAY, MARCH 24

5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” 6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:5-9)

Reﬂection This section of Revelation is an amazing hymn that celebrates the coming of the Kingdom of God and the rule of the Lord. (Hymns are actually a common feature in Revelation as John shares his visions of God’s coming Kingdom and triumph over evil.) This is an amazing vision, of a vast crowd gathered to celebrate the victory of God and the in-breaking of his Kingdom. Once again, as we saw in Matthew 25, we see that the relationship between God and God’s people is compared to a wedding banquet. That means as the people of God, we are to make ourselves ready by shaping our lives today in great anticipation of God’s reign. We can with great excitement look forward to this day, and therefore are to ask ourselves: what does it look like to live today as if Jesus could return at any moment? How can our lives announce this victory and what does it look like for us to be prepared for Jesus’ return?

Questions 1. In what way does this vision – of God and his people being so intimately united – excite you?

33 2. When we gather together as God’s people, how does this celebrate God’s great victory through Jesus’ death and resurrection? 3. What can you do today to show people the shape of God’s Kingdom? Prayer Gracious God, thank you for the beautiful vision of the future in which nothing can stand in the way of our relationship with you. We thank you that this is all possible because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. As we await that day, please help us to be ready for when you return and show us what your Kingdom looks like through the shape of our lives today. Amen.

DAY 22: SATURDAY, MARCH 25 FAMILY DEVOTION: “TEN BRIDESMAIDS”

Read Matthew 25:1-13 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: We should wait expectantly for Jesus and be prepared for his return. Questions 1. Have you ever had to wait for something? A birthday? The trafc lights? Your turn next in a game? How hard is it to wait for something that we really want? 2. In the parable, both groups of bridesmaids were waiting, however some missed out on the wedding at the end? What went wrong? 3. How can we make sure we are ready and waiting for Jesus when he returns? Talk as a family about things you can start/continue doing to make sure you are prepared. Activity Prepare a meal together as a family this week. As you prepare and cook the ingredients, discuss how sometimes we must WAIT until things have ﬁnished cooking. Getting distracted while we wait means we might spoil our dinner. Think about how you can be prepared to enjoy it when it is ready? (i.e., set the table). As you do this, discuss what helps you to wait patiently for Jesus.

34 Pray that God will help us to wait for Jesus, help us to tell others, and look forward to Jesus coming back.

SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, MARCH 26

If you are bringing a friend along to church today, try to introduce them to some other members of St Bart’s. As we reﬂect on the parable of the bridesmaids, consider what it might look like in your life – and in the life of our church – to be living in readiness for Jesus’ return. How can we as a church have a greater sense of urgency in sharing the Gospel with every person in Toowoomba?

35 WEEK 5: THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (MATTHEW 25:14-30)

God has entrusted us with so many gifs, the greatest of which is his Gospel! As we think about God’s phenomenal love, this week we will especially consider what it means for God to have entrusted his Gospel to us as individuals and as a church. What does it practically mean to be faithful stewards of God’s Good News?

DAY 23: MONDAY, MARCH 27

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went of, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. (Matthew 25:14-18)

Reﬂection This week we continue exploring part of a larger section of teaching by Jesus to the disciples (it spans from chapter 24 with the signs of the end of the age, to chapter 25 with the judgment of the nations). Last week we heard the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids and the necessity to wait in readiness for Christ’s return. This week the Parable of the Talents challenges us to be fruitful with what God has given us whilst we wait. (That’s the summarised version!) God expects us to not only be ready for Christ’s return, but also fruitful with the gifts with which we have been entrusted in the meantime.

The situation seems somewhat simple at first glance: a master was leaving on a journey and had accordingly entrusted his slaves with his property each to his ability. Thus we see that one slave receives five talents, another two talents, and the final slave one talent. But these weren’t small amounts of wealth! A talent

36 was a unit of money worth approximately what a labourer could earn in 15 years – it’s somewhat akin to a million dollars in today’s currency. So even though amounts varied, each slave was left with a considerable sum. But of course, they weren’t just ‘left’ with the money – they were entrusted with it. This is an important point to make – it indicates that the expectation of the master is that the slaves would act responsibly in his absence. He trusted them to make the best use of what was ultimately his. (He was the real owner!)

In the past, Israel has been entrusted with considerable ‘talent’ – that is gifts from God. The Pharisees had been given the Law of Moses, the Temple (the sign of God’s presence), and the promises about how God would bless not only Israel but also the whole world (through Israel). Yet, instead of shining on a hill to all people (cf. Isaiah 49), they were like the slave who buried what God had given them. It’s with little doubt that the readers of Matthew’s Gospel – who were awaiting Jesus’ return – would have been greatly challenged and reminded of their responsibilities to be good stewards of the gifts that they had (not least the Gospel) whist they awaited for Jesus’ return. Likewise, as Jesus’ return took longer than expected, readers would have been heartened by the fact that the master in this story returns after a long time (v.19). But of course it’s important to remember that it was with the disciples with whom Jesus was speaking. Jesus was encouraging them to be responsible with their gifts, whilst also being warned of Jesus’ imminent departure and the failure of Israel in the past.

Take some time to think about what ‘talents’ God has entrusted you with? (Our modern word for talent – relating to particular gifts and abilities – is derived from the word used here.) Are you using them fruitfully for him? Every talent entrusted comes with responsibility in the Master’s absence.

Questions 1. What does it mean in verse 14 that the master ‘entrusted’ his talents? 2. Why do you think it is often hard for us to identify the ‘talent’ that God has given us? What do you think is the biggest talent that God has given you? 3. What does it mean to you that God has trusted you with the Gospel and some very valuable talents? How do you see those talents being exercised? Where might there be more opportunities to ‘put them to work’ for God? 4. What are the biggest blocks to us actually putting our talents to work?

37 Prayer Generous Father, thank you for trusting us with so many gifts, especially your Gospel. Please help me to be a faithful steward of your Good News, actively seeking opportunities to share it wherever I go. Please convict me of the gifts that I selﬁshly retain and help me to obediently share them with the opportunities that you provide. May it all be for your Kingdom and glory. Amen.

DAY 24: TUESDAY, MARCH 28

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. (Matthew 25:19- 27)

Reﬂection In today’s reading we see the response by the master upon his return. The slaves who got a return on the talents received the same accolade from the master: Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness! (v.21/v.23)

38 They are like the ones who hear Jesus’ call and then actually do something with the gift given to them (there’s a strong parallel with the mustard seed in 13:31-32). We don’t know how they worked with what the master gave them, but we do know that they were efective. The one who simply buried the coin responds to the master in a diferent way to the previous two. Instead of simply stating the return (of nothing!), he starts with an excuse! Needless to say, the master is less than impressed; after all, even if the slave had invested the money on deposit, some gain would have been made. The slave was simply unwilling to secure a return, and underestimated the value of what had been entrusted to him.

With all that God has entrusted us, we must be careful that we don’t simply ‘bury it in the ground’. How do you feel about using your gifts for God? Hesitation in using our gifts from God is not always due to selﬁshness. Sometimes we simply lack an appreciation of the gifts that have been given. Other times we’re unaware of what God has entrusted to us. Take some time to ask God to help you yield the most fruit (for his purposes) from all that he has entrusted you with.

Questions 1. Do you think that the master was being overly harsh with his servant? Why? 2. Does this mean that we earn our salvation? 3. In verses 21 and 23, what does it mean for the servants to be put in charge of many things? How about sharing in their master’s happiness? 4. When it comes to using our talents – individually and as a church – how should we pray? Prayer Lord, please show me the gifts in my life that I hide away. Where I am too scared to use these gifts, please give me obedience and courage. Where I am too blind to see the purpose of the gifts, please give me insight and wisdom. Where I am reluctant to take a risk, please help me to trust more in your purposes. Amen.

DAY 25: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:28-30)

39 Reflection The punishment for the slave who failed to gain a return should be very familiar – it’s similar to that dealt out at the wedding banquet to the guest who refused to put on the wedding clothes (cf. 22:13) - but it’s also used elsewhere in Matthew (cf. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 24:51). It can be the source of considerable angst. Does this mean that we have to earn our salvation? Definitely not! It simply reflects the reality that a person who earnestly loves and trusts Jesus as Saviour, will seek to orient their entire life – and gifts – to his service. Will we do this perfectly? Most definitely not! Will we struggle at times and be uncertain if fruit is being yielded? Absolutely. The important thing to remember is that with our gifts comes responsibility. God is not unreasonable with his expectations – they are in accordance with the talents with which we have been given.

It is also critical to remember that this parable comes at the very long section that will reach its climax with the Son of Man giving his life as a ransom for many (cf. 20:28). Thus, even though we fall short, we can have great conﬁdence in our salvation because Jesus entered the darkness on our behalf and paid the price in order that we may be free. Grace is a gift, but a genuine response seeks to earnestly grapple with the responsibilities. We do this not in our own strength, but in God’s.

Questions 1. When it comes to our gifts, what does it look like to earnestly love Jesus? 2. How can we have conﬁdence in our relationship with God, even when it is inevitable that we will fall short in our obedience to him? 3. What does it look like in your life to respond to God in his strength and not your own? How can you grow in this regard? Prayer Heavenly Father, please show me the ways in which I can orient more and more of my life for your purposes. Please prevent me from ever feeling proud or like I can do it on my own. Please help me to increase my reliance in your strength and see your Kingdom-purposes more clearly. Amen.

DAY 26: THURSDAY, MARCH 30

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a

40 multitude of sins. 9 Ofer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11)

Reﬂection Today I want you to turn to a wonderful section of 1 Peter that reminds us that as the end draws near, we are to be focused in how we respond to God’s generosity. Accordingly, this part of the letter implores us to be clear minded, self-controlled, DEEPLY loving, and generously hospitable (no grumbling). If you’re struggling to understand what gifts God has given you (other than the Gospel itself of course), then you can begin simply with this list in 1 Peter. The author of the letter goes on to tell us to make appropriate use of whatever gift we have received, particularly in the form of service. In this way we serve God and yield fruit with what has been entrusted to us. If you’re wondering what that might mean for you, try thinking about the things that you are good at or have to share. If you’re struggling to identify those gifts still, ask a fellow member of our church or someone in your small group.

The passage reminds us that none of this is done in our own strength – it is all done in God’s strength – praise God for that! Take some time to pray for God’s strength and wisdom; that you might know what your gifts are, how he would have you use them, and the strength to actually do it. Not that we earn our salvation, but in a deep reﬂection of our love for God and in anticipation of one day hearing those words: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Questions 1. What does it look like in your life to be more clear-minded, self-controlled, loving, and hospitable? Which of these do you think God is seeking for you to put into practice this coming week? 2. How can you grow more according to God’s strength rather than your own? 3. How is God leading you to use your gifts and life as his servant? Prayer Thank you Lord that you have called us to be your witnesses as we anticipate your return. Please help me to be more clear-minded, self-controlled, loving,

41 and hospitable. Please show me the things that I have to share and give me the willingness to be generous with all that you have entrusted to me. Finally Lord, please help me to grow as a faithful servant, always seeking what will please you and serve your Kingdom purposes. Amen.

DAY 27: FRIDAY, MARCH 31

34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” (John 4:34-38)

Reﬂection Today’s passage is a great reminder of the ultimate purpose to which we put our talents to work! There is so much in life that is ultimately temporary, yet we invest so much in. Yet we’re challenged by Jesus to more clearly see the world as he does. The world is not meant to be a smörgåsbord of opportunities simply for our self-advancement, but instead, a world full of opportunities to connect people with God. Sometimes as Christians we can feel pessimistic regarding the prospects of people coming to the Lord. We need a good dose of Jesus’ perspective: to open our eyes and see ﬁelds ripe for harvest. Wherever we go we encounter people who don’t yet know the Good News of eternal life made possible through Jesus. We of course have not made any of that possible, yet we are privileged in sharing the news and reaping the fruit for God. If you were to look at your circles of people with whom you have contact through Jesus’ eyes, how might you more readily see the potential of God’s harvest?

Questions 1. What joy does it bring to witness someone coming to know, and grow, in the love of God? 2. What might help you to more readily see the potential of the harvest as Jesus sees it? 3. What is your role in reaping the harvest in your circle of contacts?

42 Prayer God of Mission, please forgive us for the times in which we fail to see the potential of the harvest as you do. Please open our eyes and our hearts to your desire to see more and more people come into a saving relationship with you. Please mobilise and motivate us to show and share your Gospel, today and every day, with those whom you have put us into contact. Amen.

DAY 28: SATURDAY, APRIL 1 FAMILY DEVOTION: “THREE BAGS”

Read Matthew 25:14-30 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: God is calling us all to use the gifts he has given us for him! Questions 1. What gifts/talents has God given you? 2. When is a time when you wish you had used your gifts/talents but didn’t? 3. How can you encourage others in your family to give the best of themselves to God? Activity Print a photo/draw a picture of your family onto a large piece of card. Draw a mind map (lines connecting to each member) that describes all of the ways they use their gifts to serve God.

Pray: Dear Lord, help us to be wise with the gifts and the abilities we have. Help us not to be scared to use them for you. Amen.

43 SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, APRIL 2

As we gather for worship today, think about how our services give thanks for Jesus and gloriously anticipate that day when we will be gathered together in his complete presence. At some point today, please also try to encourage someone at our church by telling them the way in which you see them using their talents for God’s glory and Kingdom.

44 WEEK 6: THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS (MATTHEW 25:31-46)

Part of the breaking in of God’s Kingdom is the judgment that Jesus will bring. This week we are reminded that this is Good News (not to be feared!) for all who trust in Jesus, for there is no condemnation in him.

DAY 29: MONDAY, APRIL 3

9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. 11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) 13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:9-14)

Reflection The first half of the book of Daniel is full of great stories. There is the story of Daniel’s friends and the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lion’s den and Daniel interpreting some interesting dreams. The second half is full strange visions and prophetic oracles which don’t go down so well in Sunday school. This is a pity because the vision in Daniel 7:19-14 helps us understand Jesus better.

In this vision, the Ancient of Days (God the Father) sets up a heavenly court to judge powers that have set themselves up against him (the horn and the beast). A great battle between good and evil takes place and the Son of Man triumphs

45 and is given all authority and power. The people of Israel longed for the day when the Son of Man would arrive and deal with sin.

Jesus refers to himself as the ‘Son of Man’ in Matthew 30 times and the Gospels combined use this title 82 times. It might seem strange to modern readers, who might think, “of course Jesus is the son of a man”. Isn’t this a redundant statement? No! Jesus is identifying himself as the one Daniel saw in his vision. In referring to himself as ‘the Son of Man’, Jesus is saying, “I’m the one who has come to bring justice, I am the one who has come to rule and reign!”.

Questions 1. What words are used to describe the heavenly court in vv.9-10? 2. What emotions does this vision conjure in your heart? 3. The horn and the beast are a representation of evil. What happens to them? 4. Read Revelation 1:7-8. What are the parallels between Jesus’ arrival here and in Daniel? What does it mean to you that Jesus is coming to judge sin and put an end to evil? Prayer O Ancient of Days, thank you that you are holy, just, and true! Thank you that you will not allow sin to go unpunished and that wickedness will come to an end. Help us to look to Jesus – the Son of Man – for forgiveness and hope. For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

DAY 30: TUESDAY, APRIL 4

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33)

Reﬂection Nineties rock band, Cake, has as song called: “Sheep go to Heaven (Goats go to Hell)”. Perhaps the lyricist had been reading Matthew’s gospel when he penned these lyrics: “I just wanna play on my panpipes, I just wanna drink some wine, as soon as you’re born you’re dying, so you might as well have

46 a good time”. The futility and apathy in these lyrics reﬂect on the apparent meaninglessness of life and the conclusion that the only thing to do about it is to have a good time. This approach to Jesus’ parable might conclude that our ﬁnal destiny is decided on an arbitrary basis anyway so we might as well enjoy ourselves.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. In the middle east, sheep and goats look almost identical except for one small detail: a goat’s tail sticks up whilst a sheep’s tail ﬂops down. Goats and sheep are often herded together but need to be divided up during the night as goats aren’t as hardy as sheep. Only a good shepherd who knows what they are doing can separate the sheep from the goats when the light is dim at the end of the day. As we learned from yesterday’s reading, the Son of Man is a title given to God’s anointed judge who would come in the end to judge between the righteous and the unrighteous.

The fatalistic approach to life portrayed in the Cake song dramatically contrasts with Jesus’ position that the way we live our lives does absolutely matter. People from every nation will be gathered before the Son of Man and only some will enter into intimacy at his right hand at the end, based on a sincere relationship with him. Your life matters; Jesus said so.

Questions 1. When will this division between goats and sheep happen? Who is with the Son of Man? Why might this be signiﬁcant? 2. What is the signiﬁcance of Jesus using the title ‘Son of Man’? 3. Why do you think Jesus used a parable about sheep and goats to teach about life? 4. Are you ever tempted to think your life doesn’t matter? What things remind you that life does matter? 5. What might you say to a person who felt their life didn’t matter? Prayer Jesus, please remember me when you come into your Kingdom. Thank you for calling me as your own. Forgive me when I stray from your paths and please help me to follow you wherever you go. Amen.

47 DAY 31: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)

Reﬂection Have you ever been unexpectedly commended for something? Perhaps someone publicly thanked you for a kindness you did just for them. Perhaps you received a prize for work you thought no one had noticed. It’s a good feeling to be commended for something you did without expecting anything in return.

This is the criteria upon which the Son of Man from yesterday’s reading divides the sheep and the goats. The sheep come into God’s fold for acts of kindness done to Jesus in other people. Imagine Jesus saying these words to you: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me”. What a fantastic way to be recognised.

This is the sort of compassion and passion for people Jesus is commending that results from a sincere following of him as Lord. When you serve someone, imagine you are doing it for Jesus himself. When you care for someone, imagine it was Jesus you were caring for. Every action is seen by your Father in heaven and his is the commendation that matters into eternity.

Questions 1. Who is the King in this section of the parable? 2. Do you prefer to do your good deeds in public to be recognised or in private? 3. What are the six things the righteous did? Who did they do them for?

48 4. What does this parable teach us about the choices we make and the way we treat our neighbours? Prayer Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, forgive me when I have mistreated those around me. Forgive me when I have ignored the needs of others. Help me to recognise your image in each and every person I come across and to know that in serving them, that I am serving you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAY 32: THURSDAY, APRIL 6

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal ﬁre prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41-46)

Reﬂection We all know someone who is two-faced. Someone who deals with some people with grace and kindness and others with contempt and disrespect. At the end of this parable, those who are judged might say: “If only you had come to me properly Jesus, then I would have served you.” Jesus here exposes the hearts of the two-faced. Of course you can do nice things for the people whom you think are important but what about others? What about the ones no one but God cares about?

While it seems politically incorrect to talk about hell and to preach ‘ﬁre and brimstone’, the reality is that Jesus warns us about hell. He takes no pleasure in warning us about ‘eternal punishment’ but if God is just, then sin must be punished. If we treat people like they don’t matter and ignore the fact that everyone is made and loved by God, Jesus warns us that there will be consequences for our actions.

Jesus, the one who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and cared for the broken also warns us about ‘eternal punishment’ out of his compassion. Fortunately, we

49 can embrace the eternal life found him and reject a two-faced life of only serving those who might be able to repay us. There has never been a better time to repent and receive his forgiveness than today.

Questions 1. Who is saying to those on his left, “depart from me... into the eternal ﬁre prepared for the devil and his angels”? (Hint: see yesterday’s reading.) 2. Where do those on the left go? Why are they so surprised by this? 3. Why was Jesus telling people this parable? What was he trying to achieve? 4. Who are ‘the least of these’ in your community? Prayer Lord of life, hope and strength, please forgive me for sin I have committed and the good I’ve left undone. Thank you for coming to warn us of the consequences of our actions and the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. Help me to see you in all my life and to better serve and care for those around me. Amen.

DAY 33: FRIDAY, APRIL 7

1 When Jesus had ﬁnished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be cruciﬁed.” 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” (Matthew 26:1- 5)

Reﬂection If you’ve been confronted by Jesus’ words over the last couple of days you are not alone. Jesus talks about the judgement of the Son of Man and then tells his closest friends that he will be handed over to be cruciﬁed. His words and parables invite repentance but instead the chief priests and elders of the people are angered and meet to plot Jesus’ downfall.

As in Matthew 21, the problem with killing Jesus was his popularity. The feast of the Passover is coming and thousands of people have ﬂocked to commemorate

50 Passover at the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus’ teachings call out the corruption and immorality around him and he is very popular among the common people who sufered because of the corruption of the religious elite. Tensions are high in the city and Jesus knows that his time is short, yet this does not stop him from preaching about the Kingdom of God. Matthew’s Gospel is about to come to an almighty climax but for now he teaches on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:3) and prepares his disciples for what is to come.

As we draw closer to Easter, it’s vital to remember that Jesus wasn’t just a clean living self-help expert trying to make a name for himself. Jesus was a revolutionary who taught about the Kingdom of God as the only reality worth aligning yourself with. This will always upset the established order of things but, as this passage reveals, the established order of things is will always be in contrast to God’s in-breaking Kingdom. The Son of Man will be handed over and cruciﬁed but rather than put a stop to Jesus’ revolution it will catapult his teachings across the world (even the place where you are reading this right now)! The best laid plans of evil will always be overcome by the goodness of God. As we watch and wait in the days leading up to Easter let us never lose sight of this hope.

Questions 1. Who has Jesus been speaking with in the last two chapters (see Matthew 24:3)? 2. What title does Jesus use of himself in this passage? How might this be signiﬁcant? 3. Why was Jesus such a threat to the established order of things? 4. What does the detail that the ‘chief priests and elders of the people’ met in the palace of the high-priest tell us about the threat Jesus posed? 5. Does Jesus still threaten the established order of things today? Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you that he willingly went to the cross for me. Forgive me for bowing to the powers of this world which resist you. Help me to be part of your vision for humanity and the world. Help me to align my life with you and your purposes. Amen.

51 DAY 34: SATURDAY, APRIL 8 FAMILY DEVOTION: “SHEEP AND GOATS”

Read Matthew 25:31-46 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: The Gospel promotes action – helping others should be a natural reaction to God’s love for us, not just because it’s the right thing to do. Questions 1. Why did the king punish those who were seated on his left? What had they done wrong? 2. What are some of the ways we can show genuine love to those around us? 3. What sort of heart should you have when you are helping others? Activity List ﬁve places where you will spend some of your time over the next week (e.g., school, home, basketball practice, Kid’s club, shops). Next to each location, write down as many ways that you can care for others during in that space (e.g., take turns, help get ﬁrst aid when someone is hurt, share lunch, comfort a friend who is upset, etc.).

Pray that God would help us to love others because of our love for Jesus.

SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, APRIL 9

What action is God’s Good News moving you to? How can you encourage your brothers and sisters as they seek to respond with our lives to God’s Good News?

52 WEEK 7: JESUS’ DEATH AND RESURRECTION (MATTHEW 27-28)

In our readings and reflections this week, we will follow the intense lead-up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. As you read of the events that culminated in the cross, try to spend enough time to deepen your understanding of everything that Jesus has done for us. Rejoice that through his great sacrifice and resurrection, we can be united with God and be part of his everlasting Kingdom breaking into our world.

DAY 35: MONDAY, APRIL 10

1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of sufering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our sufering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and aficted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:1-6)

Reflection No one really expected that the long-awaited Messiah would be enthroned on a cross instead of a throne. Yet here, long before Jesus entered the world (around 700 years earlier), Isaiah wrote these graphic words about the coming Messiah who would sufer for the sins of the world. It is confronting to read these verses and envision Isaiah’s description of the one who had ‘no beauty’ as Jesus, who was beaten, mocked, and crucified. It breaks our hearts to think of Jesus treated in that way, yet I wonder if part of our sadness also reflects the reality that we too are part of the problem for which our Saviour was aficted. Whilst Isaiah

53 speaks of Israel being like ‘sheep who have gone astray’, that is of course true of every single person! There’s rebellion in every single person that draws us away from God. Yet God desires relationship with people even at the greatest cost to himself! When Isaiah speaks of the iniquity (i.e., our brokenness and sin, all that separates us from God) being laid on Jesus, he’s causing the image of the sacriﬁcial system to come to mind. But instead of a lamb or some other animal, in Jesus God ofers himself up as that sacriﬁce once and for all!

Everything Jesus did can seem contrary to the worldly idea of greatness and power, yet how thankful we should be that God acts according to his standards and not our own! Take some time today to think about Jesus’ great sacriﬁce for you. Think about what has been aforded to you through Jesus, and give thanks that because of him we can have no fear of condemnation. Think about how you might demonstrate greatness according to God’s standard, instead of the world’s.

Questions 1. What are the parallels between Isaiah’s descriptions and what you know of how Jesus sufered? 2. Why do you think it was so unimaginable that the Messiah would sufer in such an extreme way? How do God’s ideas of greatness difer to ours? 3. What does it mean that all of our ‘iniquity’ was laid on Jesus? How is this such great and glorious news? Prayer Thank you Lord that your ways are not our ways! Thank you that you love us so much, that you would take all of our sin and brokenness on yourself in order that we might be reconciled to you. Thank you that Jesus chose to carry the weight of the world’s sin so that all evil could be dealt with and a new way to life opened up. Please help to grow in our thankfulness and share this news. Amen.

DAY 36: TUESDAY, APRIL 11

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

54 15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have sufered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. 22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” 25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus ﬂogged, and handed him over to be cruciﬁed. (Matthew 27:11-26)

Reflection Jesus has now shared his last meal with the disciples, wrestled in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, been arrested, and already faced the questions of the Sanhedrin. Jesus has confirmed the high priest’s accusation of his claim to be the Messiah, the Son of God, and it is becoming certain that he will face death. The truth of who Jesus is was within their grasp, yet, instead of receiving it, they sought to destroy him. Yet now, as Jesus faces the governor and Pilate, he has few words to say (fulfilling the words of Isaiah 53:7), embracing his fate as the way through which all sin and evil can be defeated.

When we read this account, we should be aware of the various politicking unfolding during the trial. Whilst Pilate’s wife warns him that Jesus is innocent, factions of religious leaders seek to influence the outcome through stirring up the crowd. As was the custom at this time, a prisoner could be released. Yet instead of Jesus, the crowd desires a guilty man (i.e., Barabbas) rather than an innocent one. It seems that Pilate is more interested in his own safety and expediency, rather than truth and justice! Pilate had several opportunities to yield, but he’s too afraid of the crowd. He’s finally compelled to even grant crucifixion, for he does not want to be reported to Caesar (cf. John 19:12). And so Jesus’ fate is sealed. The man who was innocent was unjustly found guilty,

55 in order that the guilty could be set free in a reversal of justice. It was because Jesus accepted this fate, that judgment and mercy could come rushing together for our beneﬁt.

Questions 1. The charge of the religious leaders difers from that for which he was arrested. Can you identify how they difer? 2. How does it make you feel to know that Jesus was innocent, yet so many desired that he would be found guilty and destroyed? 3. Why was it necessary for Jesus to die? How are we made innocent through his great sacrifice for us? Prayer Merciful God, we thank you that at great cost you opened up a way for us to know and love you. Please forgive us for the times in which we shun you from our lives, dodge our guilt, and try to shift blame elsewhere. We thank you that in Jesus we find perfect love. We thank you that, in Jesus, your judgment and mercy come flooding together for our benefit. Amen.

DAY 37: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staf in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staf and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. (Matthew 27:27-31)

Reﬂection The public events in the Praetorium would have been physically excruciating and psychologically humiliating. If the gathering of soldiers was a regiment, it could have included up to 200 men. What unfolds is deeply shameful as they take the Son of God and subject him to all manner of things in order to mock his claims as the true King of the world.

It’s shocking that, despite everyone knowing the gravity of the claims regarding

56 Jesus’ true identity, they choose not to even consider them, instead turning to mock him. They fail to see who Jesus is. They fail to see that what he is about to do is even for them. As these people looked at Jesus, they considered him pathetic and weak. He didn’t look like a king to them – in fact they thought the entire proposition was laughable. Yet tragically they have it wrong. What they see is not weakness, but the strength and power of God at work. Still today people look at Jesus and mock him for his claims. Yet we’re challenged here to lovingly show people that whilst Jesus does not look like a king by the world’s standards, he is indeed the true and proper King of the universe. In fact, he’s the only King who matters, and his is the only Kingdom that will last forever.

Questions 1. Why is it Good News that the shape of Jesus’ kingship is not according to the standards of the world? How does Jesus display power in weakness? 2. Why do you think people today are sometimes quick to deride and mock Jesus and/or his claims? 3. How can we lovingly and gently point people to the true identity of Jesus? How might we encourage them to consider Jesus’ claims, rather than immediately dismissing them? Prayer Gracious God, we thank you that you endured all manner of sufering and mocking for our beneﬁt. Thank you Lord that your love knew no limits. Please soften the hearts of those who reject and mock you. Please help us to lovingly point people to the truth of who you really are. Amen.

DAY 38: THURSDAY, APRIL 13

32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they ofered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had cruciﬁed him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the king of the Jews.

38 Two rebels were cruciﬁed with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save

57 yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were cruciﬁed with him also heaped insults on him. (Matthew 27:32-44)

Reflection It was common for prisoners who were condemned to crucifixion to have to carry their own cross to the place of crucifixion. As they carried the cross, they were paraded through crowds of people as a symbol of the power and might of Rome. As Jesus carried his cross, he would have been weak from the physical punishment – of beatings and floggings – that he had already received. The flogging he had received was enough in some instances to kill someone. Yet here, the carrying of the cross was the penultimate humiliation, second only to the crucifixion itself. As Jesus endures all of this, wine with gall is ofered to reduce his pain, yet Jesus refuses. It’s clear that Jesus wants to face his death with a clear focus on his mission and purpose right until the very end.

We might ﬁnd it surprising that even as Jesus hangs on the cross, he faces mocking, not only from the crowd, but even from a fellow prisoner cruciﬁed besides him. His mocking sums up much of what others have been saying. If Jesus is God, if he’s the Messiah and is meant to save the world, then surely his death must be a failure. Yet what the criminal and everyone else can’t see, is that it is through his death that Jesus’ mission of salvation will be realised. He could of course save himself, yet he willing faces death (hence no wine with gall), in order that those who trust in him will be saved.

Questions 1. Why do you think it is often easier for people to make fun of Jesus rather than to really face up to his claims? 2. How do you think Jesus would have felt as he endured such mockery? 3. In light of all that Jesus faced, why should we not be surprised when we face mockery too? How are we best to respond to this? Prayer Loving Saviour, thank you that nothing would deter you from the cross. Thank you that you endured all agony and humiliation, that through your death we

58 might receive eternal life. Please help us to be inspired by your example, especially when we face mockery for our trust in you. May all our identity and strength be in you and you alone. Amen.

DAY 39: FRIDAY, APRIL 14

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He ﬁlled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staf, and ofered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terriﬁed, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:45-55)

Reﬂection Right up to the end, people are testing Jesus in order that they might know if he really was who he said he was (although it’s likely that for many, their intention was far less sincere). There has already been all the evidence necessary, yet it seems clear that so many people only desire to come to God on their own terms rather than God’s. But right at the last, a strange darkness falls over the land. We don’t know how it occurred, but Matthew wants us to have a clear sense that Jesus’ death is of cosmic consequence – with Jesus’ death there is both a physical and spiritual darkness as the true light is extinguished. As Jesus cries out from the cross (quoting Psalm 22), he is not despairingly questioning God. His cry reﬂects that as he carries the sin of the world, he is completely cut of from the Father.

We cannot even begin to imagine what this would have been like for Jesus. This is what he would have been most dreading as he prayed in the garden. Jesus and the Father had been in perfect relationship forever. Yet in this moment on the cross, as he carries the guilt of the world upon his shoulders, that perfect

59 relationship is broken, in order that the judgment for sin and punishment of death can be carried in him. It’s sobering to recognise that it was all our sin that put him in that position. Yet it is in that moment that a new way is opened up for relationship with God. That’s what the Temple curtain being torn in two is all about. This giant curtain separated the Most Holy Place where only the High Priest could enter once a year to make sacriﬁces to atone for the sins of the nation. Yet in Jesus’ death, that barrier is now torn open to allow anyone to come to God through Jesus. This is such marvellous news! We don’t need to earn relationship with God – in fact it’s impossible to do it on our own! Yet because Jesus took all sin on himself, we’re ofered the amazing gift of grace through him.

Uniquely in Matthew, Jesus’ death is not only accompanied by darkness and the Temple curtain being torn, but also by an earthquake and people rising from the dead. In Matthew, we see Jesus’ death and new creation come rushing together, in order that we might have a clear picture that Jesus’ death opens up the way to life. As Matthew recounts the events, we’re reminded that the life of the universe all pivots on and in Jesus. It’s only because of Jesus that a way is opened for new creation and his Kingdom to come bursting into the world.

Questions 1. What is the most signiﬁcant aspect of Jesus’ death to you? What diference does it make to you that Jesus actually died? 2. Take some time to think about how Jesus must have felt to be cut of from the Father. How valuable does that make our potential for relationship with God? 3. In Matthew’s account of the cruciﬁxion, how do Jesus’ death and new creation come rushing together? Prayer Loving and merciful Lord, thank you that you loved us so much that you would die for us. Thank you that Jesus’ death is not the end, but that through it, life has been opened up to all who trust in him. We thank you for new creation bursting into the world. We pray that we would grow in our appreciation of all that you have done for us. Amen.

60 DAY 40: SATURDAY, APRIL 15 FAMILY DEVOTION: “GOOD FRIDAY”

Read Matthew 27:11-46 from your Bible.

Today’s Big Idea: Jesus died for us, but that is good news! Questions 1. What is the best thing someone has ever done for you? 2. How does it make you feel, that Jesus did this for you, so that you could be in God’s family again? Activity With some paddle-pop sticks, make the shape of a cross. Write on the front ‘Good Friday’, on the other side ‘Jesus showed his love for us, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us’. Keep this on your fridge and make a second one to give to a friend.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for showing us how much you love us. Thank you for Jesus, who was fully God and fully human. Thank you for showing us why this day is good. Thank you that we can be in your family. Amen.

SUNDAY REFLECTION POINTS, APRIL 16

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to

61 tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:1-10)

Jesus’ death was not the end! One of the great and ancient traditions of the Christian church is to greet one another on Easter day with the refrain “Christ is risen”, to which we respond, “He is risen indeed, alleluia!”. This is the great and glorious news of Christianity that Jesus is alive and that his sacrifice was acceptable and perfect. It is great and glorious news that, through him, death could not be held down – his death broke the power of evil and even death itself.

We live in an amazing age, awaiting the next age that will be brought to completion when Jesus returns. Yet God’s Kingdom is already bursting into the world, inaugurated with Jesus’ death and resurrection. As his Kingdom bursts in, he’s calling people everywhere to respond and follow him. He’s calling people to live in readiness for his return, demonstrate the shape of his Kingdom, urgently calling others to repent, and yield fruit for God’s purposes.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, new life is unfolding in him and for all who trust in him. Sin and death have been defeated and we await their destruction.

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

62 FAMILY DEVOTION: “EASTER DAY”

Today’s Big Idea: Jesus was raised for us, showing us who he really is and breaking open eternal life. Questions 1. What is the most amazing thing you have ever seen? 2. How do you think you would have reacted, if you were one of the people who saw Jesus after he had risen? Activity Write a superhero list. List as many superheroes as you can. List how they helped people. List how, because Jesus came back to life, he helps us.

Pray: Dear God, thank you that Jesus came, lived an amazing life, and showed us that death is not the end. Thank you for how he was raised from death to life, showing us that he really is everything he said he was. Amen.