One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 255
Mark 11
11As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead.G2532G3753G1448G1519G2419G1519G967G2532G963G4314G3735G1636G649G1417G846G31012"Go into that village over there," he told them. "As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.G2532G3004G846G5217G1519G2968G2713G5216G2532G2112G1531G1519G846G2147G4454G1210G1909G3739G3762G444G2523G3089G846G713If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' just say, 'The Lord needs it and will return it soon.'"G2532G1437G5100G2036G5213G5101G4160G5124G2036G3754G2962G2192G5532G846G2532G2112G649G846G56024The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door.G1161G565G2532G2147G4454G1210G4314G2374G1854G1909G296G2532G3089G8465As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, "What are you doing, untying that colt?"G2532G5100G2476G1563G3004G846G5101G4160G3089G44546They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it.G1161G2036G846G2531G2424G1781G2532G863G846G8637Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.G2532G71G4454G4314G2424G2532G1911G846G2440G1911G846G2532G2523G1909G8468Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields.G1161G4183G4766G846G2440G1519G3598G1161G243G2875G4746G1537G1186G2532G4766G1519G35989Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, "Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!G2532G4254G2532G190G2896G3004G5614G2127G2064G1722G3686G296210Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!"G2127G932G2257G3962G1138G2064G1722G3686G2962G5614G1722G531011So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.G2532G2424G1525G1519G2414G2532G1519G2411G2532G4017G3956G2235G3798G5610G5607G1831G1519G963G3326G142712The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.G2532G1887G846G1831G575G963G398313He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit.G2532G1492G4808G3113G2192G5444G2064G1487G686G2147G5100G1722G846G2532G2064G1909G846G2147G3762G1508G5444G1063G2540G4810G2258G375614Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.G2532G2424G611G2036G846G3367G5315G2590G1537G4675G3371G1519G165G2532G846G3101G19115When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,G2532G2064G1519G2414G2532G2424G1525G1519G2411G756G1544G4453G2532G59G1722G2411G2532G2690G5132G2855G2532G2515G846G4453G405816and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.G2532G863G3756G863G2443G5100G1308G4632G1223G241117He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."G2532G1321G3004G846G1125G3756G1125G3754G3450G3624G2564G3956G1484G3624G4335G1161G5210G4160G846G4693G302718When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.G2532G1122G2532G749G191G2532G2212G4459G622G846G1063G5399G846G3754G3956G3793G1605G1909G846G132219That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.G2532G3753G3796G1096G1607G1854G417220The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.G2532G4404G3899G1492G4808G3583G1537G449121Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!"G2532G4074G363G3004G846G4461G2396G4808G3739G2672G358322Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God.G2532G2424G611G3004G846G2192G4102G231623I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.G1063G281G3004G5213G3754G3739G302G2036G5129G3735G142G2532G906G1519G2281G2532G1252G3361G1252G1722G846G2588G235G4100G3754G3739G3004G1096G846G2071G3739G1437G203624I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.G1223G5124G3004G5213G3745G3956G302G154G4336G4100G3754G2983G2532G5213G207125But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too."G2532G3752G4739G4336G863G1536G2192G1536G2596G5100G2443G5216G3962G2532G3588G1722G3772G863G5213G5216G390026G1161G1487G5210G863G3756G863G3761G863G5216G3962G3588G1722G3772G863G5216G390027Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him.G2532G2064G3825G1519G2414G2532G846G4043G1722G2411G2064G4314G846G749G2532G1122G2532G424528They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?"G2532G3004G846G1722G4169G1849G4160G5023G2532G5101G1325G4671G5026G1849G2443G4160G502329"I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied.G1161G2424G611G2036G846G1905G2504G1905G5209G1520G3056G2532G611G3427G2532G2046G5213G1722G4169G1849G4160G502330"Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!"G908G2491G2258G1537G3772G2228G1537G444G611G342731They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe John.G2532G3049G4314G1438G3004G1437G2036G1537G3772G2046G1302G3767G4100G3756G4100G84632But do we dare say it was merely human?" For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet.G235G1437G2036G1537G444G5399G2992G1063G537G2192G2491G3754G2258G4396G368933So they finally replied, "We don't know." And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things."G2532G611G3004G2424G1492G3756G1492G2532G2424G611G3004G846G3761G1473G3004G5213G1722G4169G1849G4160G5023
Mark 12
12Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: "A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.G2532G756G3004G846G1722G3850G444G5452G290G2532G4060G5418G2532G3736G5276G2532G3618G4444G2532G1554G846G1554G1092G2532G5892At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop.G2532G2540G649G4314G1092G1401G2443G2983G3844G1092G575G2590G2903But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.G1161G2983G1194G846G2532G649G27564The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head.G2532G3825G649G4314G846G243G1401G2548G3036G2775G2532G649G8215The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed,G2532G3825G649G243G2548G615G2532G4183G243G3303G1194G1161G6156until there was only one left—his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'G2192G2089G3767G1520G5207G846G27G649G846G2532G2078G4314G846G3004G3754G1788G3450G52077"But the tenant farmers said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'G1161G1565G1092G2036G4314G1438G3754G3778G2076G2818G1205G615G846G2532G2817G2071G22578So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.G2532G2983G846G615G2532G1544G1854G2909"What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.G5101G4160G3767G2962G290G4160G2064G2532G622G1092G2532G1325G290G24310Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.G314G3761G314G5026G1124G3037G3739G3618G593G3778G1096G1519G2776G113711This is the LORD's doing, and it is wonderful to see.'"G3778G1096G2962G1096G3844G2532G2076G2298G1722G2257G378812The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.G2532G2212G2902G846G2532G5399G3793G1063G1097G3754G2036G3850G4314G846G2532G863G846G56513Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.G2532G649G4314G846G5100G5330G2532G2265G2443G64G846G305614"Teacher," they said, "we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don't play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?G1161G2064G3004G846G1320G1492G3754G1488G227G2532G4671G3756G3199G4012G3762G1063G991G3756G1519G4383G444G235G1321G3598G2316G1909G225G1832G1325G2778G2541G2228G375615Should we pay them, or shouldn't we?" Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I'll tell you."G1325G2228G3361G1325G1161G1492G846G5272G2036G846G5101G3985G3165G5342G3427G1220G2443G149216When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied.G1161G5342G2532G3004G846G5101G3778G1504G2532G1923G1161G2036G846G254117"Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." His reply completely amazed them.G2532G2424G611G2036G846G591G2541G3588G2541G2532G2316G3588G2316G2532G2296G1909G84618Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question.G2532G2064G4314G846G4523G3748G3004G1511G3361G386G2532G1905G846G300419"Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother's name.G1320G3475G1125G2254G3754G1437G5100G80G599G2532G2641G1135G2532G863G3361G5043G2443G846G80G2983G846G1135G2532G1817G4690G846G8020Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children.G2258G2033G80G2532G4413G2983G1135G2532G599G863G3756G469021So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her.G2532G1208G2983G846G2532G599G2532G3761G863G846G4690G2532G5154G561522This continued with all seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died.G2532G2033G2983G846G2532G863G3756G4690G2078G3956G1135G599G253223So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her."G1722G386G3767G3752G450G5101G1135G2071G846G1063G2033G2192G846G113524Jesus replied, "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.G2532G2424G611G2036G846G4105G3756G1223G5124G4105G1492G3361G1124G3366G1411G231625For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.G1063G3752G450G1537G3498G3777G1060G3777G1061G235G1526G5613G32G3588G1722G377226"But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven't you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'G1161G4012G3498G3754G1453G314G3756G314G1722G976G3475G5613G1909G942G2316G2036G846G3004G1473G2316G11G2532G2316G2464G2532G2316G238427So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error."G2076G3756G2316G3498G235G2316G2198G5210G3767G4105G4183G410528One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"G2532G1520G1122G4334G191G846G4802G1492G3754G611G846G2573G1905G846G4169G2076G4413G1785G395629Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.G1161G2424G611G846G3754G4413G3956G1785G191G2474G2962G2257G2316G2076G1520G296230And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'G2532G25G2962G4675G2316G1537G3650G4675G2588G2532G1537G3650G4675G5590G2532G1537G3650G4675G1271G2532G1537G3650G4675G2479G3778G4413G178531The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."G2532G1208G3664G3778G846G25G4675G4139G5613G4572G2076G3756G243G1785G3187G513032The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.G2532G1122G2036G846G2573G1320G2036G1909G225G3754G2076G1520G2316G2532G2076G3756G243G4133G84633And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law."G2532G25G846G1537G3650G2588G2532G1537G3650G4907G2532G1537G3650G5590G2532G1537G3650G2479G2532G25G4139G5613G1438G2076G4119G3956G3646G2532G237834Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.G2532G2424G1492G3754G846G611G3562G2036G846G1488G3756G3112G575G932G2316G2532G3762G3765G5111G1905G84635Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, "Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David?G2532G2424G611G3004G1321G1722G2411G4459G3004G1122G3754G5547G2076G5207G113836For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'G1063G1138G846G2036G1722G40G4151G2962G2036G3450G2962G2521G1537G3450G1188G2193G302G5087G4675G2190G4675G5286G422837Since David himself called the Messiah 'my Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with great delight.G1138G3767G846G3004G846G2962G2532G4159G2076G846G5207G2532G4183G3793G191G846G223438Jesus also taught: "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.G2532G3004G846G1722G846G1322G991G575G1122G3588G2309G4043G1722G4749G2532G783G1722G5839And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.G2532G4410G1722G4864G2532G4411G1722G117340Yet 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 more severely punished."G2719G5503G3614G2532G4392G4336G3117G4336G3778G2983G4055G291741Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.G2532G2424G2523G2713G1049G2334G4459G3793G906G5475G1519G1049G2532G4183G4145G906G418342Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.G2532G2064G3391G4434G5503G906G1417G3016G3603G283543Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.G2532G4341G846G3101G3004G846G281G3004G5213G3754G3778G4434G5503G906G4119G906G3956G906G1519G104944For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."G1063G3956G906G1537G846G4052G1161G3778G846G1537G846G5304G906G3956G3745G2192G3650G846G979
Psalms 100
100[A psalm of thanksgiving.] Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!H4210H8426H7321H3068H7762Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.H5647H3068H8057H935H6440H74453Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.H3045H3068H430H6213H5971H6629H48304Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.H935H8179H8426H2691H8416H3034H1288H80345For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.H3068H2896H2617H5769H530H1755H1755
Dublin, OH
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!G2532
