The Bible Recap - Day 306 (Luke 19) - Year 3

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible recap. In Luke's account, Jesus hasn't yet entered Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, so you'll just have to do a little time traveling your head to a few days ago. He's on his way to Jerusalem and he's passing through Jericho, which is about 10 miles to the northeast. It's called the City of Palms, and when you pass it in the desert, it looks like an oasis. It's also considered to be possibly the oldest city in the world. There's a big crowd heading into Jerusalem for the holiday, and Jesus is just one of them any.

Starting point is 00:00:44 But a tax collector named Zacchaeus is super curious about him, and is hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he's passing through town. What I love about this story is that Zacchaeus doesn't need anything tangible from Jesus. He's not sick, he's not demonized, all seems to be well in his world. In fact, he's one of the most wealthy, powerful men in town. He's just deeply curious. It's easy to realize our need for God when we have a tangible, real need, but for a wealthy businessman to be curious about Jesus is a different thing altogether. He's so intrigued that he climbs a tree to see Jesus. What do you think prompts a person like Zacchaeus to have curiosity like that?

Starting point is 00:01:17 Jesus looks up at him, calls him by his name, and is like, I'm coming for dinner tonight. I hope you have dried digs and chicken minis in the pantry somewhere. While the very act of inviting himself to dinner anywhere might shock some people, the locals are more shocked that he wants to eat with Zacchaeus at all. He's a sinner. Jesus is quick to remind them that sinners are his priority. He came to seek and save the lost, not those who think they're found.

Starting point is 00:01:42 After being found by Jesus, Zacchaeus sets out to do everything in his power to make right what he's done wrong. It's clear he has a heart of repentance. Remember the story we read a few days ago about the Rich Ruler in chapter 18? It's interesting to compare and contrast him with Zacchaeus. They're both wealthy and powerful, but the Rich Ruler thought he was asing life and morality, whereas Zacchaeus is fully aware of his own wickedness. Despite their financial wealth, they have different levels of awareness of their spiritual poverty, square one. Because of that, Zacchaeus sees how much he has to gain in following Jesus, while the rich ruler only saw how much he had to lose.

Starting point is 00:02:22 As Jesus and his followers continue on the journey, they approach Bethany, a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. He sends two of his disciples into the village to go get a cult. His instructions are somehow precise and vague at the same time, and they almost certainly require divine arrangement. Jesus even tells them how their conversation will go. You'll go get the cult, then they'll be like, hey, why are you still in that cult? And you'll tell them, Jesus needs it. And they'll say, By all means, me cult as so cult. In Matthew's account of this story, there's also a donkey involved, two for the price of free. What's up with this cult situation, though? Jesus has been walking all this way.

Starting point is 00:02:56 So why now at the end of his very long journey to see finally asked for a lift? That's like hiking the Appalachian Trail, then taking an Uber to your campsite. But this is all very intentional. There are so many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, and Jesus is fulfilling them all. D it by bit. This particular prophecy comes from Zachariah 9.9, which says, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold, your

Starting point is 00:03:24 King is coming to you. Righteous in having salvation as he humble and mounted on a donkey on a cult, the bowl of a donkey. And this is exactly how he enters Jerusalem. When he arrives, the people fulfill a prophecy he spoke over them back in chapter 13. That's where he told them he wouldn't be back to Jerusalem until the time when they said, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. And that's exactly what they're saying as they walked on the Mount of Olives and into Jerusalem. Other accounts also tell us they're shouting, Hosanna, which means, save us. Most likely this was a cry to save them from Roman oppression, not a cry to save them from their sins. We don't know the exact path they took down the Mount of

Starting point is 00:04:04 Olives, but for 3,000 years, much of that hillside has been covered with tombs and burial plots. They're still there today. Estimates say they're anywhere from 70,000 to 150,000 tombs on that hillside. They're mostly above-ground grave plots with limestone markers. As the disciples are shouting their praises, the Pharisees don't like the uproar, so they tell Jesus to review his people. He says that if they were silent, the very stones would cry out. And here's where knowing the landscape of Israel helps a bit. It's possible Jesus was referring to actual rocks, but I'm more inclined to think he wasn't

Starting point is 00:04:38 referring to Flint or Graniter Shail, but to Fred or George or Sheila, to the thousands of gravestones they were passing on that hillside. I imagine him sweeping his hand past all the cemetery plots and basically saying, if you try to stop the living from praising me, the eternal souls of the dead will do it instead. My praise will echo through the universe regardless. They didn't get it, though, and it's heartbreaking for him. In the verses immediately following that, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. He loves Jerusalem and its people, but they don't have eyes to see him for who he really is. And he prophesies the destruction of that city that will happen in approximately

Starting point is 00:05:15 40 years. Then, remember a few weeks ago when we read John's account of Jesus making a whip and cleansing the temple? John's disregard for chronology through our timeline off a bit, so I want to point out that this is where it really happens. It's in his final, passionate week where everything gets dialed up a few more notches. What was your God shot today? Mine was in verse 10 where Jesus points out his mission. The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Starting point is 00:05:42 It may not be immediately evident, especially since I wasn't alive back then, but I'm in that story. Do you know what I'm doing in it? Nothing. I'm just lost. That's all. But Jesus is doing a lot of stuff in that story. He comes, he seeks, he saves. He is the active agent in my salvation. And thank God, because I never would have found my way out. Honestly, I probably wouldn't even know when I was lost until he showed up. I was lost and foolish, and I desperately needed his rescue. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me. He's where the joy is.

Starting point is 00:06:17 If you think Israel is primitive and seapietoned, boy, do I have exciting news for you? It's one of the most modern, stunning places on Earth. I lead small Bible-based tours to Israel once or twice a year, and I want you to come walk down the Mount of Olives with me, past all those rocks that could sing his praises. The trips are usually 10 days total, which are spent not only seeing places of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, but also eating the best food in the world, and staying in some great hotels. If you want to find out more about our trip, visit thebibelrecap.com and click on the

Starting point is 00:06:47 Israel link. Just fill out the interest form, then we'll send you details. You can also check for link in today's show notes. The Bible Recap is brought to you by D-group, discipleship and Bible study groups that meet in homes and churches around the world each week. and churches around the world each week.

The Bible Recap - Day 306 (Luke 19) - Year 3

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