Over the past few weeks Pastor Bruce has focused on the final week of Jesus’ life, the final week spent by Jesus there in Jerusalem; as told in Matthew’s gospel.
Pastor Bruce has summarized that last week:
Matthew chapters 21-23: Jesus asserts His authority over Jerusalem
Matthew chapters 23-25: Jesus the Messiah reveals the judgment that will come to the Jews that will come to the Jews because of their rejection. A rejection that was so aptly described by the apostle John in chapter 1 verse 11.
Pastor Bruce has focused on the confrontations between Jesus and the religious elect, the testing of Jesus by that same religious elect, and the questioning of Jesus’ authority. Pastor Bruce focused on the final rejection of Jesus by the religious elect and the final rejection of the Jews by Jesus.
What absolutely amazes me is how all of scripture ties together. Pastor Bruce has always stated that God’s plan is woven into the pages of His Word, both Old Testament and New Testament. Here in these past few weeks Pastor Bruce has pointed out how much the words found in Isaiah 5 mirror the words of Jesus found in Matthew 21. Pastor Bruce also compared the woes of Isaiah 5 and Habakkuk 2 with the woes found in Matthew 23. He also challenged us to compare the Beatitudes found at the beginning of Jesus ministry with the “woes” Jesus proclaimed in Matthew chapter 23.
The blessings and the curses, mentioned way back as the Israelite people waited in the wilderness, now here in His final week of ministry thousands of years later Jesus brings forth that same theme. That theme of blessings for obedience, curses (woes) for disobedience. Those are truths that carry forward for us even today.
The scriptures right at the end of chapter 23 really define for me both the sadness, and the resolve of Jesus to move forward with the final rejection of the Jews and the city of Jerusalem. There in verse 23 we see Jesus weeping over His beloved city; there in verse 38 we hear Jesus issuing a final decree – “your house is left to you, empty and desolate”. This house, God’s Holy Temple, once so full of the God’s presence was now being vacated by Him and left empty and void. Again, we see in those verses both sadness and resolve – Things were meant to be and hoped to be so different.
What lessons do learn as read, as we listen, to the chapters and verses of Jesus last week? We find just how far that Jesus will go to forgive and accept us, however, we also see that in the end that Jesus cannot deny Himself. The choice is truly ours, to accept or reject. Matthew 22:14 reminds us that For many are invited, but few are chosen”.
Thanks Pastor Bruce.