Day 303 – Jesus’ Ministry Before His Betrayal

Readings

  • Mark 12:38-44
  • Luke 21
  • 2 Corinthians 8:1-12

Prayer

Pray… for strength during the difficult times we go through, and for joy when we see the reasons for our suffering.

Day 303 – Jesus’ Ministry Before His Betrayal

The widow’s mite, End Times Prophecy, & giving

 

  • Mark 12:38-40 gives us a reminder of the stinging condemnation of the Pharisees that we read about yesterday. How have the words you studied yesterday made you think in the last 24 hours?
  • What are your thoughts about the widow’s offering in Mark 12:41-44? Why was her gift considered greater, even though other people had put in much more money?
  • The widow gave all that she had. In doing so she was indicating that she had complete dependence on God. How was her heart different from those who argue about what is “proper” amount to give was?
  • The words of Paul in  our third passage, 2 Corinthians, build on this willingness to give. Our giving should come out of our understanding of the gospel. Jesus didn’t just give 10% of what he had, did he? He gave all of himself. You might want to underline verse 9. You might be too young to give much financially, but what could you give generously instead?
  • Luke 21 may have confused you a little, and probably reminded you of the time we studied Matthew 24 (which we read when we studied the book of Daniel). Try reading it in chunks. It’s all about future events, with a focus on the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. It details suffering and difficult events. What does Jesus prophecy in verses 5-9, and in verses 20-24? These local events did indeed occur – do you know when? Look them up if not!
  • Luke 21:25 onwards talk of Jesus’ return – His second coming. The details are brief, but what will it be like, according to these words? What are the warnings in verses 34-36? How can we follow this advice in a practical way?
  • Jesus’ predictions about specific and general events of the future are interesting to read, but don’t spend too much time speculating what they all mean in a literal sense. We shouldn’t second-guess God. What is crucial, however, if that you are alert to God’s mission, and that you are prepared for the challenges that will come, and that you will continue to trust in God’ power to overcome all evil.
  • Luke 21 is similar to Mark 13 (as well as Matthew 24), and it’s not impossible that Luke based some of his account on the words of Mark. Luke added his own content too though, through the sources of information that he had, including verses 12, 15, 18 20-22 and 28. You may, if you find it interesting, like to do a study on the extra information Luke found to include.

 

 

The focus that the One Story reading plan picks up today isn’t that of the end-times prophecy of Jesus, even though we read quite a bit about that in Luke. Instead, it’s the focus on generous giving, building upon the story of the widow. This is what Paul’s words in his second letter to the church at Corinth (passage three today) encouraged.

 

I’ve already mentioned 2 Corinthians 8:9, but it is such a wonderful line of truth that it bears reading again. Think about what each bit means. Christ, with all of Heaven’s riches, became “poor” for us. He chose humility. He sacrificed the “good life”. In doing so, he gave us, His followers, all the riches of Heaven and the status of being part of God’s family. This grace, once fully appreciated, should challenge our hearts to be equally generous.

 

Generosity doesn’t always involve money. You might not have huge amounts. How can you be generous – outrageously generous, perhaps – in other ways? What’s stopping you from being so?


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