Holy Week, A House Abandoned - Disciple Makers Series #23Sample

The King rejects His House  

Thoughts on the message

Jesus came to the city and declared Himself as King. The people did not accept Him, the spiritual leaders rejected Him and challenged His right to lead, His house was not ready and He had to clean it Himself. Now Jesus does one more thing. He mourns for His city, rejects it, and declares judgment on it. However, He gives it another chance. He will come back again, but only when they are ready to receive Him as King.

The disciples of Jesus are so shocked by what Jesus said. “Jesus, how can You abandon this temple – the place that God promised to dwell in?” Jesus goes even further - “this house will be destroyed.”

This passage is important because it sets the stage for Jesus to describe what will happen before He returns. Matthew 24 and 25 describe what must occur before Jesus comes back and what we need to be aware of so we are ready.  The city of Jerusalem and the people of God were not ready for His first coming – Jesus is telling us how to be ready for His second coming.

Prayer

Father, You prepared the people of Israel for Jesus’ first coming, but they would not listen. Jesus laid out the consequences for this and the cost to the city and the people. Am I ready today? Is there something in my life that is stopping me from accepting what Jesus says? Do I have a focus on life that Jesus would reject – and have Him disqualify me? I ask that You show me today. I do not want Jesus to reject my life’s work or my preparation for His coming. So show me today, I pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.