THE JERUSALEM MINISTRY Luke, 19: 28 – 21: 38 - CRE FORM 2 Notes

The Triumphant Entry of Jesus to Jerusalem Lk. 19:28 – 40

Jesus death had to happen in Jerusalem.
Hence Jesus went to Jerusalem.
He sent two disciples to a place where there was a colt (young donkey) that no person had ever ridden.
They took it to Jesus.
They threw their garments on the colt, and Jesus sat on it.
As Jesus rode, people spread their clothes on the road.
As Jesus neared Jerusalem, a “large crowd of his disciples began to” praise God (vs37).
The crowd said ‘blessed be the king who comes in the name of the lord’.
The Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke the disciples.
Jesus told them if the disciples kept quiet the stones would start shouting.
Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem in a royal (kingly) procession.
He was Israel’s humble king who came with peace and not a political leader.
He rode on a donkey – a symbol of peace.
This was unlike the political kings who rode on the horses during that time.

When Jesus was near Jerusalem he wept.
He then foretold the coming destruction of Jerusalem due to its rejection of the messiah.
The rejoicing of his triumphant entry to Jerusalem turned to mourning as he foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by Romans in 70 A.D.

The Jewish leaders wanted to know from Jesus by whose authority he was doing all the things he was doing.
In response Jesus asked them “did John’s right to baptize come from God or from human beings?” (Vs4).
They discussed among themselves and decided not answer.
Jesus told them “neither will I tell you”.
In response to his authority being questioned he told a parable.

Read the parable in Luke, 20: 9 – 18.
The tenants refused to pay the owner of the vineyard his share of the harvest.
They threw out the servants he sent to collect his share of the harvest.
When he sent his son, they killed him so that they can own the vineyard.
Jesus asked the people… “What will the owner of the vineyard do to the tenants?”

Pharisees, and scribes (teachers of the law) and chief priests planned to arrest Jesus but they were afraid of the people.
They sent spies to trick Jesus by asking this question -” …is it against our law for us to pay taxes to the Roman Empire, or not?
Jesus used the currency and told them “pay the Emperor Caesar what belongs to him and pay God what belongs to God.” (Verse 25)
This was a tricky question.
Jesus here teachers people to obey the rules of the land and to obey God’s rules.

The Sadducees who did not believe in resurrection tempted Jesus with another question.
They wanted to know this.
When resurrection comes, who shall be the husband to a woman who was married to the first brother and inherited as a widow by the other six brothers?
Jesus told them the men and women who shall be worthy of resurrection shall not marry.
They shall be like angels and cannot die (verse 34 to 38)

Jesus warned his disciples.
Be careful and guard yourselves against teachers of the law, the scribes.
They were hypocritical.
They wore long robes, said long prayers, looked for positions of honor and exploited the widows.

When people were giving offerings in the temple, a widow gave “two little copper coins”.
Jesus said the poor widow had given all she had.
Likewise Christians should give to God not to be seen but from their hearts.
It is not the quantity of the gift that matters but the attitude of the giver.

Eschatology is from two Greek words, ‘eschatus’ and ‘logos’.
Eschatus means end, Logos means study.
Eschatology means the study of the end times or in CRE the last days of Jesus.
For biblical information, read Luke 21:5-38 and Mathew 24: 1 – 36 and Mark 13:1-31.

Jesus gave many signs that will inform Christians that end of the time has come.
These were to happen at different times.
The signs were:
1. Destruction of the temple of Jerusalem by invading armies which shall surrounded it
2. Hatred of disciples and Christians because they were followers of Christ
3. Rejection of disciples by families because they were followers of Christ
4. Betrayal of the followers of Christ
5. Prosecution and imprisonment of Christians.
6. Many false messiahs. People would come claiming to be the Messiah, the Son God
7. Wars as nation rise against nations
8. Eruption of natural calamities such as plagues, earthquakes, famines, great fear among people.
9. Disruption in the sky and seas. Fall of strange heavenly beings from the sky and rise of seas.
10. Natural calamities such as earthquakes, plagues, famines bringing despair and distress in all nations
11. The times shall be announced by signs in the stars, moon, sun and sea
12. Appear of the ‘Son of man ‘ in power and glory at the end of times.

Jesus used the parable of the fig tree to explain more about the end times.
Appearance of leaves in the fig tree and other trees inform us that summer will soon come.
When Christians see signs of the end times, they should know that the kingdom of God is about to come.
Jesus told disciples to be watchful, alert, and praying for strength to endure the coming tribulations.
See the previous teachings on watchfulness and readiness.
Christians are to watch out and be ready for the end times.