The One Thing The Wealthy Young Man Didn't Have

By Mary Vee
Mark 10:17-31

Jesus left the crowds and continued his journey. As He and His disciples walked down the road a man ran up to him and fell on his knees.

Jesus, full of compassion stopped and waited for the man to speak.

"Good teacher," the man said. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus asked, "Why do you call me good? No one is good--except God alone. You know the commandments. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother."

"Yes, Teacher. All of these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at the man and loved him. He said, "One thing you lack. Go. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. When you are finished, come. Follow me."

The man looked to the ground. He closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. How could he sell everything and give it all to the poor? He had such great wealth. The man turned and walked away, filled with sadness.

Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "It is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God."

The disciples were surprised to hear this. So Jesus said it again, "It is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. It is actually easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The disciples were amazed and said to each other, "If this is so, who can be saved? No one?"

Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God."

Peter, one of his disciples said, "We've left everything to follow you. What will there be for us?"

Jesus answered, "When the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 

"But keep in mind, many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

Come back to read more.


*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.

*Photos for today's post are courtesy of Sweet Publishings
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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Day Jesus Blessed the Children

By Mary Vee
Mark 10:13-16

On this day, many men and women brought their children to Jesus for a blessing.

The disciples thought this to be a terrible idea. They shooed the people back, after all Jesus had more important things to do than to waste it on children.

Jesus said to his disciples, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them or their guardians from bringing them. The kingdom of God belongs to children such as these.

"Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 

Wood carving made in Bethlehem
Photo by Mary Vee

So Jesus opened his arms and welcomed the children. They giggled and ran to him. He touched each child and blessed them.

Come back to read more.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Pharisees Question to Trap Jesus

By Mary Vee
Mark 10:2-9

Photo by Mary Vee
Jerusalem

Usually when one or more Pharisee asked Jesus a question, they didn't want to be taught. No. Their goal was to trap Jesus or get Him to say a wrong answer.

But He never did. 

Like the time a group of Pharisees approached him near Jerusalem and asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"

These men had studied the Law of Moses. They knew the answer. 

Jesus, God's Son, answered this way. "Haven't you read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife? The two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. What God has joined together, let man not separate."

The Pharisees didn't like the answer. They tried to trap him again with this question. "Why then, did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"

Jesus said, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. Anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

By this time they'd entered a house. The Pharisees stayed with Jesus and his disciples ready to fire more questions. "Explain your answer."

"All right," Jesus said. "Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against his previous wife. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery against her previous husband."

The Pharisees thought about His answer then said, "If this is so, it is better not to marry."

Jesus said, "Not everyone is mature enough to handle living the married life. Marriage isn't for everyone. Some, from birth, never even give marriage a thought. Other never get asked or are accepted. And some never get married for kingdom reasons. If you are capable of living the married life, then do it."

Come back to read more.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Pharisees Plot

By Mary Vee
John 11:28-45

A tomb in Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

Mary and Martha's brother, Lazarus, died. They put him in a tomb with spices. But when Jesus arrived, he performed a miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead.

...Some of the Jews went to the Pharisees and complained about what Jesus did.  

When the Pharisees heard the news, they called a meeting, inviting the Sanhedrin.

In the discussion, they said, "What should we do? Here is this man performing many miraclous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation."

Caiaphas served as the high priest at this time. He listened to the arguments then said, "Think about this. Wouldn't it be better for one man to die for the people than the whole nation perishing from Roman hands?"

Caiaphas didn't openly tell the Pharisees and Sanhedrin he'd prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and all the scattered children of God, or that his death would unite them, making them one. 

"There is only one thing we can do. We must find a legal way to take his life."

The men at the meeting agreed.

Jesus, God's Son, knew what the men planned. He no longer moved about publicly in Jewish villages and cities. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim where he stayed with his disciples.

Come back to read the next part.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Those Who Are Thankful and Those Who Complain-Jesus Tears part 2

By Mary Vee
John 11:28-45

A tomb in Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

There was a man named Lazarus from the town of Bethany, the same village where his sisters, Mary and Martha lived. At this time, Lazarus was very sick.  

The doctors tried to help Lazarus, but he died. His sisters wrapped his body and put him in a tomb. They wept sorely for their brother, and when their news reached Jesus, he too wept.

Before he left his location to visit Mary and Martha, Jesus told his disciples the sickness Lazarus had would not end in death. He then journey with his disciples to where Mary and Martha lived. 

After speaking with Martha, Jesus sent for Mary. Mary ran to where Jesus waited. She fell on her knees at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."



Jesus saw her weep. The Jews who came to support Mary and Martha also wept. Jesus was so deeply moved in spirit. He too wiped tears. "Where have you laid him?"

Mary sniffed. "Come and see, Lord." She walked up a path to a cave where others wept.

The Jews congregating around the cave saw Jesus and the tears he shed. They said, "See how Jesus loved Lazarus!"

Some of the Jews, though, murmured. "He could give sight to the blind man. Couldn't he have kept this man from dying?"

Jesus closed his eyes and wept. So moved, he stepped slowly to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. He swallowed. "Move the stone away."

Martha had walked next to him. She faced him. "Lord, by this time, there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." 

"Martha," Jesus said. "Did I not tell you if you believed, you would see the glory fo God?"

"Yes." She turned to a few men and asked them to roll the stone away. 

Jesus stood before the open cave and raised his head to the sky. "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here so they may believe you sent me."

Jesus looked at the open cave and called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

The Jews, Mary, and Martha watched the cave. Expecting. They glanced at Jesus then back at the cave. When they did, Lazarus came out of the tomb. HIs hands and feet still wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth covered his face.

Mary, and Martha pressed their hands to their hearts, overwhelmed at seeing their brother and fell to their knees in praise to Jesus.

Jesus said, "Remove the grave clothes. Let him walk and move freely."

Many of the Jews who had come to lament with Mary and Martha saw what Jesus did and put their faith in Him. 

...But some of the Jews went to the Pharisees and complained to them about what Jesus did.   

Come back to read the next part.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Jesus' Tears Part 1

By Mary Vee
John 11:1-4

A tomb in Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

There was a man named Lazarus from the town of Bethany, the same village where his sisters, Mary and Martha lived. At this time, Lazarus was very sick. 

There were many women name Mary in those days. This Mary had poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair some time ago. 

The doctors tried to help Lazarus, but he continued to get worse. The sisters sent a message to Jesus saying, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

The messenger rushed to where Jesus stayed and told him the news. His disciples who remained with him heard what had happened as well. Jesus said to them, "This sickness will not end in death. It has happened so God would be glorified and so God's Son may be glorified through it."

The disciples knew Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. They were surprised that He didn't leave immediately. But Jesus stayed where He was for two more days. On the next morning, Jesus told his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."

"But Rabbi," said one disciple, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you there. Are you sure you want to go back?"

Jesus said, "Aren't there twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble since he sees by this world's light. When he walks at night, though he will struggle to not fall without the light. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going there to wake him."

His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better."

The disciples didn't realize at the time that Jesus meant Lazarus had died. They thought Mary's brother slept and would wake after feeling better.

"You are mistaken," Jesus said. "Lazarus is dead and for our sake I am glad I was not there. This way you will believe. Now, let's go to him."

When Jesus and the disciples arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Many of Mary and Martha's friends had already come to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 

On this fourth day after her brother died, Martha heard Jesus was near. She rushed out to greet him, leaving Mary at home. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

Jesus said, "Your brother will rise again."

"I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord," she aid. "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." Martha then returned to her home and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."


There is more to this story!

Come back to read the next part.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Landowner's Harvest

By Mary Vee
Matthew 20:1-6

Photo by Mary Vee taken in Northern Italy

In this last parable explaining the kingdom of heaven, Jesus tells this story:

"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to the place where workers for hired stood. 

"He offered work to those willing to reap harvest in his vineyard then said, 'I will pay you one denarius for a day's work.'

"The price being a good wage attracted many workers. Those who agreed, he sent to his vineyard.

"The workers did well, but by the third hour the landowner saw all the fruit yet to be picked and decided to hire more workers. He went to the marketplace where other men stood waiting to be hired. 'Go work in my field and I will pay you whatever is right.' They agreed and went to his field.

"At the sixth hour the landowner checked his fields. Even with all the workers, the remaining fruit could not possibly be harvested in time. He returned to the market place then and again at the ninth hour, offering work for whatever was a right pay. Workers agreed and went to his fields.

"When the eleventh hour came, the landowner returned to the marketplace and found men standing around. 'Why have you been standing here doing nothing?'

"The men said, 'Because no one has hired us.'

"'Go, work in my field and I will pay you what is right.'

"When evening came the foreman called the workers in from the fields. The landowner said, 'Pay the men starting with the ones hired last then continue on to those hired first.'

"The foreman paid the last ones hired one denarius each. When it came time for the first ones hired to be paid, they assumed they would receive more money since they had worked longer. But each man also received one denarius for his work.

"Those who had worked the full day grumbled to the landowner, 'The men who harvested in your fields only one hour were paid one denarius. You made them equal to us who have worked all day in this scorching heat.'

"Once they finished complaining, the landlord said, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. You agreed to work one day for me for one denarius pay, right? Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or perhaps you are envious because I am generous.'

"And so, the last will be first, and the first will be last."



One meaning for this parable is, while there are those who believe in God since their youth, dedicating their lives to serving Him, then there are those who realize their need to believe only seconds before they die, they will both receive the same reward of eternal life.

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

By Mary Vee
Luke 18

Peter

Photo by Mart Vee - The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

Jesus used parables as a way to teach the crowds, or Pharisees, or even the disciples.

Today he told this parable to a specific group of people, the ones who felt confident of their own righteousness and as a result looked down on everybody else. 

This is the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector:

Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisees are a group of highly learned men. They have studied and prepared for their very important role in the Temple for nearly their entire life. They have the sacred scrolls memorized, quote laws, and are the religious teachers for the people.

The tax collectors are Jews who were employed by the Roman government. They are told the amount to collect from each person. They also have the right to require the people to pay more than Rome demanded. This money the tax collectors could keep for themselves as their salary. Most people didn't like the tax collectors because they demanded so much from the people.

On this day when the Pharisee and the tax collector went up to the temple to pray, the Pharisee stood on the highest step and looked out at everyone standing in the court. He held out his arms calling attention to himself and said, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men. I'm not a robber, evildoer, adulterer, and thankfully I am nothing like this tax collector who is standing next to me."

He looked down at the tax collector standing on the bottom step then said, "Oh God, you know I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I receive." He said a few more words and ended his prayer.

The tax collector kept his distance from the lofty Pharisee. He kept his eyes toward the ground, not even looking up at heaven. The tax collector beat his breast and wept then said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." That was all he managed to utter.

Jesus looked at the crowd and said, "This man, the humble tax collector, and not the arrogant Pharisee, went home justified before God. Everyone who praises himself will be humbled. He who humbles himself will be honored."

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Parable Of The Judge Who Truly Cares

By Mary Vee
Luke 18

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee, Arizona

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

The last time I wrote, I shared the answer Jesus gave the Pharisees when they asked, "When will the kingdom of God come?" You can scroll down to the last post for the answer.

After the Pharisees left, and Jesus was alone with us, he told us a parable to explain his answer. This is the story he told:

"There lived a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor cared about anyone he met. 

"There also was a widow in the same town who came to him with a great concern, 'Grant me justice against my adversary,' she begged. 

"He refused to hear her case. 

"She came back the next day and stood in a long line, hoping to be heard. The judge refused to help her again. 

"The widow refused to give up. She returned and stood in the long line day after day.

"Finally, after many pleas, the judge said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about any living person, I will see this woman gets justice if only to make her stop bothering me.' 

"This is how an unjust judge thought 

"But, The Almighty God, the Faithful Judge who cares about his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, will always bring justice. He won't ignore them, and He will help them quickly.

"So, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

This is where Jesus ended this parable. What do you think? Will He find faith on earth?

Jesus told another parable when the crowds returned. Next week I'll tell you this story.

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Did you Know the Kingdom of God is In Those Who Believe?

By Mary Vee
Luke 17

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee, Arizona

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

The Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the kingdom of God come?"

Jesus said, "You won't see the kingdom of God with your careful observations. People won't say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Jesus turned to the other disciples and me and said, "The time is coming when you will long to see the Son of Man, but you will not see Him. Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Don't run off after them to see the man and be deceived.

"The Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. First, though, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

"Think of the days of Noah. That is what life will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage to the very moment Noah entered the ark. The door closed and the floods came, destroying everything not aboard.

"Remember what you were taught about the days of Lot? People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. On the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven, destroying everything in the city.

"This is how the day will be when the Son of Man is revealed to the world. 

"On that day no one who is on the roof of his house will be able to go down and get the goods left in his house. Neither will anyone in the field be able to go back for anything. Do you remember what happened to Lot's wife? She looked back, longing for what she'd left behind. Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life will preserve it.

"On that night, two people will be in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 

"Two women will be grinding grain together. One will be taken and the other left."

We turned to him, confused about what he meant. We asked, "Where will this happen, Lord?"

Jesus answered, "Where there is a dead body, the vultures will gather. Don't give up telling others the Gospel. Keep praying."

To explain what he meant he told us a story. I will share it next time.

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.