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.
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.
Brandon Schaefer
Five Capitals – Pawleys Island SC
Observation: (v. 23) The Leading Priests and Elders were always fighting with and challenging Jesus! They never accepted (or trusted) His wisdom power or authority as the Son of God.
Action: If I’m honest, I can wrestle with Jesus’ authority as well. I have my own ideas and thoughts a lot of the time… I like my plans and ideas – wishing the world revolved more around me. The reality is, life would be simpler (and probably easier) if I’d more regularly submit, listen and obey… trusting His Authority, Goodness and Plan for my life. Let’s all choose to “settle in our hearts” all the more deeply – God’s truths and plans for each one of us.
Observation: Repent and believe. It is what Jesus says as He begins His ministry and what He says as His ministry ends. It is the way of discipleship, the way the tax collectors and sinners were entering the Kingdom.
Action: Lord, I repent and believe. I continue to repent and believe as I hear Your voice. I will walk in this way of discipleship and I will enter the Kingdom. I will also thank You for revealing this way to me, for inviting me to walk in it, and for speaking both invitation and challenge to me. I always need to repent and believe. I don’t want to he a Pharisee, a disobedient son. Lead more in this, I ask.
Observation: What strikes me here as well is repent and believe.
Action: Help me to see what I need to repent/think differently about today and believe/take action.
observation: 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?” Its not as though Jesus has just rearranged some furniture. He overturned the tables and pulled out a whip! I notice they did no go into the temple – they stood out in the courtyard! Cowards? Or perhaps they felt Your authority and felt a lack of their own, so they did not confront You in God’s house! They waited outside and just ask weak questions that sound like they are big time.
action: Jesus I am going to remember today that when the enemy challenges as though I have no right to stand for truth, I will as Jesus not be shaken by the challenge. The enemy does not even deserve a direct answer. I will stand in my authority as a child of God as I see you doing.
Observation: Working on my lesson plan for Breakout next week on Obedience. I’m thinking obedience comes from trust which comes from relationship (as kids we obey our parents (hopefully) because we trust them, and we trust them because we have a relationship with them). The Pharisees neglected their relationship with God so they didn’t trust the one he sent so they weren’t obedient. What’s needed here is continual renewal of the relationship, going deeper all the time. Then we will know where Jesus’ authority comes from.
Action: The UP of UP/IN/OUT is first for a reason. Get into the word daily and build that relationship so I know who I am and more importantly, who He is.
Observation: It’s easy to look down on the chief priests and elders for their blindness. But am I really that different?
Action: I can search God’s Word to shine a light on my life, to see the dark areas that I usually hide, and expose them to grace and truth, so I can repent and believe in Him.