Henry: Welcome to immerse, the daily bible reading experience.
Day nine.
After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem,
walking ahead of his disciples.
As you came to the towns of Beth Fiji and Bethany on the Mount of
Olives, he sent two disciples ahead, go into that village over there.
He told them, as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied
there that no one has ever ridden.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks, why are you untying that col?
Just say, the Lord needs it.
So they went and found the cult, just as Jesus had said.
And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them,
why are you untying that cult?
And the disciples simply replied, the Lord needs it.
So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments
over it for him to ride on.
As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.
When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of
his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all
the wonderful miracles they had seen.
Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in
heaven and glory and highest heaven.
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, teacher rebuke your
followers for saying things like that.
He replied, if they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers.
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
How I wish today that you, of all people would understand the way to
peace, but now it is too late and peace is hidden from your eyes.
Before long, your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle
you and close in on you from every side.
They will crush you into the ground and your children with you.
Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place because you did not recognize it.
When God visited you, then Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out the
people selling animals for sacrifices.
He said to them, the scriptures declare my temple will be a house of prayer, but
you have turned it into a den of thieves.
After that, he taught daily in the temple.
But the leading priests, the teachers of religious law and the other leaders
of the people began planning how to kill him, but they could think
of nothing because all the people hung on every word he said one day.
It's Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the good news in the temple.
The leading priests, the teachers of religious law,
and the elders came up to him.
They demanded, by what authority are you doing all these things?
Who gave you the right, let me ask you a question First, he replied,
did John's authority to baptize come from heaven or was it merely human?
They talked it over among themselves.
If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John.
But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they
are convinced John was a prophet.
So they finally replied that they didn't know, and Jesus responded,
then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things.
Now.
Jesus turned the people again and told them this story.
A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another
country to live for several years.
At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect
his share of the crop, but the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up
and sent him back empty handed.
So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him
up, and sent him away empty handed.
A third man was sent and they wounded him and chased him away.
What will I do?
The owner asked himself.
I know I'll send my cherished son.
Surely they will respect him.
But when the tenant farmer saw his son, they said to each other,
here comes the air to this estate.
Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves.
So they dragged him outta the vineyard and murdered him.
What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?
Jesus asked.
I'll tell you, he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.
How terrible that such a thing should ever happen.
His listeners protested.
Jesus looked at them and said, then what does the scripture mean?
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to
pieces and it will crush anyone.
It falls on.
The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus
immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them.
They were the wicked farmers, but they were afraid of the people's reaction
watching for their opportunity.
The leader sent spies pretending to be honest men.
They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman
governor, so he would arrest Jesus.
Teacher.
They said, we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not
influenced by what others think.
You teach the way of God truthfully.
Now tell us, is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
He saw through their trickery and said, show me a Roman coin whose
picture and title are stamped on it?
Caesar's.
They replied, well, then he said, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
And give to God what belongs to God.
So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people.
Instead, they were amazed by his answer and they became silent.
Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees religious leaders who say
there was no resurrection from the dead.
They posed this question.
Teacher Moses gave us a law that if a man dies leaving a wife, but
no children, His brother should marry the widow and have a child who
will carry on the brother's name.
Well, suppose there were seven brothers.
The oldest one married and then died without children.
So the second brother married the widow, but he also died.
Then the third brother married her.
This continued with all seven of them who died without children.
Finally, the woman also died.
So tell us whose wife will she be in the resurrection for all seven.
Were married to her.
Jesus replied, marriage is for people here on earth, but in the age to come.
Those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in
marriage, and they will never die again.
In this respect, they will be like angels.
They are children of God and children of the resurrection.
But now as to whether the dead will be raised, even Moses proved this
when he wrote about the burning bush.
Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the
Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.
Well said.
Teacher remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were
standing there, and then no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Then Jesus presented them with a question.
Why is it he asked that the Messiah is said to be the son of David?
For David himself wrote in the Book of Psalms, the Lord said to my Lord, sit
in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making
them a footstool under your feet.
Since David called the Messiah Lord, how can the Messiah be his son?
Then with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, Beware of
these teachers of religious law for they like to parade around in flowing robes
and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces and
how they love the seats of honor and the synagogues and the head table at banquets.
Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be
pious by making long prayers in public.
Because of this, they will be severely punished.
While Jesus was in the temple, he watched the rich people dropping
their gifts in the collection box.
Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.
I tell you the truth, Jesus said this poor widow has given more
than all the rest of them for.
They have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she poor as she
is, has given everything she has.
Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the temple and
the memorial decorations on the walls.
But Jesus said, the time is coming when all these things
will be completely demolished.
Not one stone will be left on top of another teacher.
They asked, when will all this happen?
What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?
He replied, Don't let anyone mislead you.
For many will come in my name, claiming I am the Messiah, and saying The time
has come, but don't believe them.
And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic.
Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won't follow immediately.
Then he added Nation will go to war against nation
and kingdom against Kingdom.
There will be great earthquakes and there will be famines and plagues and many
lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.
But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution.
You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial
before kings and governors because you are my followers, but this will be
your opportunity to tell them about me.
So don't worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you for
I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents
will be able to reply or refute you.
Even those closest to you, your parents, brothers, relatives,
and friends will betray you.
They will even kill some of you.
And everyone will hate you because you are my followers, but not a
hair of your head will perish.
By standing firm, you will win your souls.
And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the
time of its destruction has arrived.
Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country
should not return to the city.
For those will be days of God's vengeance and the prophetic words
of the scriptures will be fulfilled.
How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days.
For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people.
They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to
all the nations of the world.
And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the
Gentiles comes to an end and there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars.
And here on earth, the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the
roaring seas and strange tides.
People will be terrified of what they see coming upon the earth for the
powers and the heavens will be shaken.
Then everyone will see the son of man coming on a cloud
with power and great glory.
So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up
for your salvation is near.
Then he gave them this illustration.
Notice the fig tree or any other tree when the leaves come out, you know,
without being told that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can
know that the kingdom of God is near.
I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until
all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
Watch out.
Don't let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness
and by the worries of this life.
Don't let that day catch you unaware, like a trap for that day will come
upon everyone living on the earth.
Keep alert at all times and pray that you might be strong enough
to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of man.
Every day, Jesus went to the temple to teach, and each evening he returned to
spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
The crowds gathered at the temple early each morning to hear him.
This concludes today's Immer reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.