Tuesday April 11th

 

Mark 12:41-44

                 On Tuesday of Passion Week, we find Jesus facing questions from the Priests, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes.  Their lack of belief in Christ as the Messiah was evident throughout their dialog.  Despite their best efforts, they were not able to stump Jesus.  So they immediately develop a plot to arrest Him (makes sense, right?).

                 In the midst of all that is happening this day, Jesus takes a break from dealing with these men and begins to watch the people that come into the Temple and place their money in the treasury.  Being God in the flesh, Jesus not only knows each of these people intimately, but He knows what their bank accounts look like and He knows what they are giving this day. 

                 As He observes many of these people giving large sums of money, He sees a poor widow slip in and place two small, copper coins in.  Unnoticed by the world, but celebrated by God!  Why?  Jesus explains to His disciples that all of the others gave out of their vast abundance and this widow gave out of her poverty.  This was all she had to live on, and she offered it to God!

                 This widow displays an incredible amount of trust in the Lord.  She wasn’t keeping anything back for a rainy day.  She didn’t have a back up plan.  She completely lays her life in the hands of God. 

                 Our level of trust is evident in how much we give.  I’m not speaking only of money, but of our time, effort, and love as well. 

                 Are you “all-in” for the Lord?  Are there things that you are holding back?  Complete faith requires complete dependence.  

 Pastor Paul Beam

Events of Tuesday:

*Jesus’s disciples see the withered fig tree
(Matthew 21:20-22; Mark 11:20-21)

*Jesus engages in conflict with the Jewish leaders
(Matthew 21:23-23:39; Mark 11:27-12:44; Luke 20:1-21:4)

*Jesus delivers the Olivet Discourse
(Matthew 24:1-25:46; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36)