Jesus' authority continues to be in question as the religious leaders are hellbent on getting rid of him. They can't put him away by their own authority, so they reach for a few other options.
In Luke 19-20, Jesus comes face to face with the religious leaders in Jerusalem, when he rolls into the temple and starts cleaning house. The leaders at the temple are no doubt unimpressed, and they have one major question for Jesus: "Who do you think you are?!" It begins a conversation about authority – where it comes from, who holds the keys, and who you will follow.
After 3 years of ministry, at the end of the 80-100 miles journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus crests the Mount of Olives on his way into the city, the crowd breaks into song, and he breaks into tears.
Two men from very different situations in life have a desire to see Jesus. He meets them both in very different ways, but the outcome is the same: Your faith has saved you.
A wealthy man comes up to Jesus looking for the key to eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell everything, and the rich man is extremely disappointed. The idea that you can’t work or earn your way into heaven wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
A widow is faced with what seems insurmountable. She can only receive justice from a particular judge who doesn’t care about her, God, or justice. Yet Jesus points out something about her that’s worth emulating.
In this message from Luke 17, Jesus warns that when the kingdom comes in full, it’ll come without warning, like lightning across the sky. The warning is now. The time to be ready is now.
Walking out our faith looks like taking Jesus’ words and putting them to action. Forgiveness, for example. Serving, for example. It’s where the rubber meets the road.
Jesus tells a parable about a rich man and a poor man who had very different values and purposes in their lives, and their experience of the afterlife told the story.
Jesus begins a conversation about wealth, and how his followers should think about possessions and riches.