PART 2: DEDUCTIVE LESSON ONE In this session, we will cover the final days of Jesus earthly ministry, beginning with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and continuing through His ascension. We will also take a look at the coming of the Holy Spirit and the early church in Acts 2. On Day Six of each lesson, we will look at one of Jesus I AM statements, examining His claims and what they mean to us personally. Be sure to read each passage carefully, more than once, before you answer the questions. But before you start your reading each day, ask the Holy Spirit to direct your study and illuminate the truths that He wants you to learn for the day. Day One Read Luke 19:29 44. (This account can also be found in Matthew 21:1 11, Mark 11:1 10, and John 12:12 19.) 1. In a few sentences, summarize what happened in this passage. 2. When Jesus sent His disciples to retrieve the colt, He told them that if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to tell them, The Lord has need of it. That s just what the disciples did. No coercion, no bargaining, no Jedi mind-tricks the owners of this colt were active and willing participants, and all they needed to hear to relinquish their claim on their possession was, The Lord has need of it. Perhaps the owners had read or memorized Psalm 24:1 and Psalm 50:10 12. What do those verses say? 3. Look up the word steward in a dictionary or online. What is the definition? 1
4. What about you? Are you acting as the Lord s steward? Do you go through life with open hands? Do you have a loose grip on your possessions? If the Lord had need of your car or your home, would you give them to Him? What about your paycheck? What about your time? What if the Lord asked you to relinquish one of your relationships? There may come a time when the Lord may ask you to let go of something (or someone!) close to you. Will the fact that He knows what He is doing be enough for you? Write a short prayer to the Lord after thinking about these things. 5. The Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke those who were worshipping Him, but He answered, If these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out. What message was He giving to the Pharisees? 6. Rocks crying out praise to God? What do Isaiah 55:12 and Psalm 96:11 say? 7. This was the one time that the world hailed Jesus as the King He is. This is the one time when the people were giving Him the praise He is due. But He isn t basking in the glory. He s not wallowing with pride in the applause. His thoughts are not turned inward. What was on His mind instead (Luke 19:41 44)? 8. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because of His compassion. What makes you weep? Are you filled with God s compassion for people who are blind to the truth? Ask God to fill you with His compassion for others. Write down the names of three people who come to mind after you ask Him this. 2
Scripture Memory: Each week, you will have a Scripture Memory passage. Read it out loud several times, use flashcards, or put it somewhere that you can see it throughout the day. This week s verse is John 4:26 (NKJV). Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am He. John 4:26 (NKJV) Day Two Read Mark 11:15 17. 1. In a few sentences, summarize what happened in this passage. 2. Jesus refers to Isaiah 56:7. According to that verse, what was the intended purpose of the temple, and what should happen there? 3. Jesus also quoted the prophet Jeremiah. Read Jeremiah 7:3 11 and give a summary of what you find there. 4. Can you think a modern-day example of the type of activity that was taking place in the temple? 5. Now make it personal. Have you made the sacred profane? Have you commercialized, secularized, or minimized spiritual things? Made the holy mundane? Treated the things of God with contempt or indifference? How? 3
6. Your body is like a temple, and your times of devotion and prayer are like entering a holy sanctuary. Ask the Lord to cleanse the temple of your heart now. Scripture Memory: Fill in the missing words from memory. Jesus said to her, I who speak! John 4:26 (NKJV) Day Three Read Mark 11:12 14, 19 25. 1. In a few sentences, summarize what happened in these passages. 2. Mark 11:12 contains a simple statement that is easy to pass by: Jesus was hungry. Isn t it a comforting thought to know that Jesus understands our human experiences and emotions, because He shared them? Jesus got hungry, tired, and dirty. He enjoyed a cool drink of water on a hot day. He had to trim His fingernails. When He woke up, He yawned and stretched and had to rub His eyes. His muscles were sore after a hard day s work. The smell of fresh hot bread made His stomach growl. He enjoyed humor and liked a good tune. He was 100% man, even while He remained 100% God. What do these verses say? Philippians 2:7 8 4
Hebrews 4:15 3. The episode of the fig tree can seem rather odd at first. Cursing and withering a fig tree because it didn t have any fruit seems a little extreme. Was Jesus just cranky because He was hungry? Was He being vindictive to the poor old tree? No, like everything else Jesus did, His action was intentional and purposeful. What do you think He was teaching the apostles that day? 4. This story frames the episode that we read yesterday, of the temple cleansing. Do you see a connection? Explain. 5. What do these verses tell us? Matthew 7:17 20 Psalm 1:1 3 Psalm 92:12 14 5
6. Write out a prayer based on what you read in Mark 11:22 26. Scripture Memory: Fill in the missing words from memory. said to her, I who speak! John 4: (NKJV) Day Four Read Matthew 21:23 27. (This account can also be found in Mark 11:27 33 and Luke 20:1 8.) 1. In a few sentences, summarize what happened in this passage. 2. The priests and elders asked Jesus who gave Him authority to do the things He was doing (such as overturning tables in the temple). Of course, the answer is God the Father. What do these verses say about the authority of Jesus? Philippians 2:9 11 Colossians 1:16 19 6
3. Jesus turned their question back on them, asking about the origins of John s baptism. Imagine them whispering among themselves about the best way to answer. Thinking they were out of His earshot, they reasoned and schemed. Don t we do the same thing? We justify, and rationalize, and make excuses in our own minds because we don t want to confront the truth sometimes. Can you think of a time in your own life when you have done this? If so, share it here: 4. What was the motivation behind the answer that the priests and elders gave (Matthew 21:26)? 5. What did John say about fear in 1 John 4:18? Did you notice how, in His response, Jesus changed their answer from the lie We don t know, to the truth, We won t tell you? 6. Write out a prayer asking the Lord to give you courage, despite your fear, to speak the truth at all times. Scripture Memory: Fill in the missing words from memory. said to her, speak! : (NKJV) Day Five Read Luke 20:19 26. (This account can also be found in Matthew 22:15 22 and Mark 12:13 17.) 7
1. In a few sentences, summarize what happened in this passage. 2. Verse 20 says that these spies pretended to be righteous. What is the definition of pretend? 3. In verse 21, they give flattering compliments and attempt to stroke Jesus pride, a tactic that would be more effective among themselves. What do these verses say about flattery? Proverbs 26:28b Psalm 5:6 9 Psalm 12:3 4 4. So, is it lawful to pay taxes to a government such as Rome, a government that may not be friendly toward biblical values? What do we read in these verses? Romans 13:1 2 8
1 Peter 2:13 17 5. We are to render unto God that which is God s. What bears God s image (Genesis 1:27)? 6. Write a prayer to the Lord based on the verses you ve read today. Scripture Memory: Write out the entire Scripture Memory verse in the space below. : Day Six 1. What is the significance of the title Messiah? What does it mean? Do a little research if needed to explain this role. 2. What were some things that were prophesied about the Messiah? Zechariah 9:9 9
Micah 5:2 Isaiah 9:6 7 Isaiah 53:9 Isaiah 61:1 2 These are just a few of many prophetic verses that were fulfilled in the life and ministry of Christ. Set aside some time to study more of them! 3. What does Jesus claim to be the Messiah mean to you personally, and how should it affect the way that you live? Scripture Memory: From memory, write out the Scripture Memory verse below. : Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. 2013 Brian Joel Jackson. All rights reserved. Express permission granted for use and reproduction by Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, CA. www.harvest.org 10
Message Notes 11
Message Notes 12