Last Minute Lessons

Thank You!

It’s important to say “Thank You” when people do good things for you. So, we need to say Thank you.

To Whom?

As we all know, as the part-timers, renters, Air BNB’ers, VRBO’ers all start rolling in they will help us know where the radar traps are in town.

So, we don’t get radar trapped! Shocked. Tickets!

Recently, the Coconino Sheriff hired 16 new deputies and 2 of them are assigned to Munds Park and the surrounding area.

So, it’s probably going to be more common this summer.

We all know a few favorite places for their traps.

Old Woody’s gas station catching ppl coming into town.

The CC parking lot as ppl are admiring the views and not paying attention to their speed.

And, by the bridge at the bottom of Pinewood Blvd.

Not paying attention to my speed coming down the hill. Almost not fair!

I can coast faster than 25.

We know these spots. And, we will all be reminded again this summer.

How do we know? Some from personal experience and some from observing other’s personal experience.

Are we learning anything?

How do you feel when you see that beige or gray Ford Explorer in your rear view mirror and the red and blue lights are flashing?

How do you feel when you see that

Occasionally, I hear a full-timer complain that the Sheriff is set up in the winter.

Why’s he doing that?! Why is he picking on those of us who are here supporting the community year-around?

The speed limit is still 25 whether there are 600 ppl here or 6000.

A couple of times I’ve been heading up or down Pinewood and it looks like someone is waving at me so I wave back only to realize they want me to slow down.

Am I learning anything here?

Once again I will say “Thank You’ to all of you. I so much appreciate more learning from your mistakes than I do my own.

So, here we are in Passion Week.

Passion Week

Passion Week is the week from Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into town to Easter Sunday when He walked out of His tomb.

Today is Palm Sunday marking the beginning of Passion Week.

However, I taught a lesson of Palm Sunday last week.

Jesus willing rode into town knowing exactly what was going to happen. Against huge opposition, He didn’t run.

B/C He finished the work, He gave us the opportunity to be freed from bondage, not only of our sin but the corresponding guilt that comes w/ it.

God will speak to your head with facts that add up. the dates of these events work. No fact has been proven by any archeologist that contradicts any fact of the Bible. You don’t need to check your brain at the door of the church.

God will speak to your heart. Jesus stopped on the way, on the Mt. of Olives, on the donkey and wept b/c his heart was breaking.

2.7 million ppl will reject him that week and only 125 will be in the upper room when He arrives after his resurrection.

Jesus loves you no matter where you stand on Him. He believes in you whether or not you believe in Him.

This morning I’ll be talking about some things He taught on Wednesday of Passion Week.

This was His last public teaching time.

On Thursday His focus would be on His disciples. They will be preparing and eating the Passover meal. Afterwards, He will go to the Garden of Gethsemane where He will pray and be arrested.

But, Wednesday. At one point He stopped on the Mt. of Olives and for the last time taught some important lessons.

This is the last thing He’s going to say publicly before He’s crucified. During the trial, beating, and crucifixion He says very little.

Obviously, everything Jesus taught was important. But, the last lesson He wanted to make sure everyone got, that’s probably just a little more.

On the Mt. of Olives, the Olivet Discourse, He told 3 parables.

A parable is an illustration, a word picture that illustrates a point He’s trying to make in his teaching.

I use them all the time.

For instance, an illustration about radar traps. We can all relate one way of the other. It’s emotional and logical.

You know you were speeding.

Red and blue flashing lights, guilt, anger and the fear of explaining to your spouse about the fine your about to pay.

Or, maybe, the relationship between full-timers and part-timers.

The parable is an illustration that grabs the listeners emotionally and logically.

Here, Jesus was speaking primarily to the religious leaders who were plotting to kill him. And, the disciples were listening in.

These lessons will affect the disciples and impact their writing and teaching to the church long after Jesus is gone.

Will we learn anything? Will we learn and avoid the same traps that the religious leaders fell into and paid dearly for?

The bible is full of stories like this where Jesus, the disciples, or prophets call ppl out on mistakes they are making.

It is so much easier to learn from others’ mistakes than our own.

It is so much better to learn from the mistakes of others and not get caught in the same traps and pay the same fines.

That’s why they are here in the Bible for us.

Take full advantage today.

We are the observers with the disciples while Jesus taught this lesson using 3 parables or illustrations.

Parable #1

Dip Sticks, Derelicts, & Losers

Matthew 21:28-

Matthew 21:28–32 NIV

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

A little background to this. The religious leaders believed they were in a special position w/ God by virtue of their bloodline.

We all kind of assume we religious leaders are special.

I can’t tell you how many times when ppl find out I’m a pastor they change their language, as best they can, b/c they think I’m sensitive, Jesus, or something.

But, Jesus taught that you get a special position w/ God only thru faithful obedience.

And, the first step of obedience is belief in Who Jesus is and what He came to do.

Only the truly obedient are sons and daughters of God.

Irony is these religious leaders thought they were obedient. They were hung up on the rules and laws. But, they didn’t believe. So their efforts to keep the rules were moot.

Faithful obedience proves sonship, not merely a words.

Someone may profess faith, but it must be accompanied by faithful actions.

This is the message of James, Jesus’ half-brother.

“You show me your faith w/out works and I’ll show you my faith by my works.”

Passion Week, James was not a believer. He thought his older brother was crazy with a Messiah complex.

He realized later it wasn’t just a complex and he believed.

So, then, which of the 2 sons loved and respected their father enough to obey what he asked them to do?

The 1st son initially said, “No way!” That’s not the answer of a loving son. But, his actions later did demonstrate his relationship w/ his father.

The 2nd son initially said yes. Giving the appearance of a faithful, loving son. But, his actions contradicted his words proving he didn’t have a good rel. w/ his father.

The leaders there immediately got the right answer.

The bigger question is when did it sink in that Jesus was illustrating they were the 2nd son?

Initially they had responded to John the Baptist’s message to repent. But, then their subsequent behavior contradicted this response.

They had already connected logically with the story. Eventually, they would connect emotionally and be ticked off!

Imagine, too, what Matthew thought and felt. He later wrote this. He was in the crowd as a disciple. He had been a tax collector. No body trusted him. A number of his women friends who had joined them over the past 3 years had been prostitutes. They would have been in the crowd, too.

What Jesus is illustrating here is that it does not matter who you used to be or even who you are now. What matters is whose are you going to be?

Everyone can change that in a moment.

In one moment you can change who you are by changing what you believe..

The tax collectors and prostitutes initially rejected Jesus. But, then, there they were, there lives had been changed by God, and they were in line for the kingdom ahead of the religious leaders.

The dip sticks, derelicts and losers were in the kingdom and these leaders were not.

Jesus demonstrated He was willing to accept sinners who accepted Him, even after an initial rejection.

And, these leaders were unwilling to admit they were sinners.

But, they could have in that moment!

The message was for them, for everyone who listened then, and everyone one of us who is reading this now.

Did we learn anything?

Don’t be surprised and get caught in this trap.

We not special b/c of our bloodline, church attendance, or attractiveness this morning.

Jesus makes us special when we believe.

Then Jesus went on to parable #2.

Something is definitely going to break.

Break or Get Crushed

Matthew 21:

Matthew 21:33–44 NIV

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

Notice the work the landowner did to establish the vineyard before he put anybody in it to work it.

Well-equipped. He made it nicest vineyard around w/ the greatest potential.

He found tenants to do the work. And, they would have had an agreement that the tenants got to support themselves and keep the proceeds except a percentage that would go back to the owner.

The owner should get his due.

At the first harvest time he sent servants to collect. Numerous times. And, each time the tenants beat them and sent them away empty handed.

The owner assumed they would respect his son enough to not treat him the same way they treated his servants.

But, the tenants had no respect for anyone in the owner’s family. They killed his son.

Foolishly they thought that if they kill all the heirs then the owner would have no choice but to leave the vineyard to them as an inheritance.

Like if I kill all your children you will have no choice but to leave me your millions. Right!

No! God is going to remove these tenants and find new ones who will acknowledge the owner and give Him His due.

And the old tenants will will never find another vineyard like this one.

God made a beautiful vineyard w/ tremendous potential and dropped us right in the middle of it.

We don’t get to take credit for any of it.

We work it using the skills He gave us in the environment He set up for us.

The vineyard produces fruit, we enjoy its impact on us and give God all the credit.

The nation had rejected and abused the prophets, soon the disciples, and they were about to kill the Son.

They rejected the Stone.

Something is going to break.

When you accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord you present your will to Him and He will break it to pieces.

No longer do you look to do what you want to do.

From then on you look to do what God wants you to do.

Your will is broken, His will is your desire.

That produces fruit.

By rejecting the Stone, you will be crushed by Him.

No one comes out of an encounter w/ Jesus wholly the way they were before.

Either Jesus breaks your will into pieces and saves you. Or He crushes you.

Very logical. If these tenants don’t work out, get new ones.

Emotionally it clicked this time. This illustration, this parable communicated clearly that Jesus was talking about them as the bad tenants.

They hadn’t even killed the Son, yet. But they were about to.

Are we learning?

Have you been broken? Are are you going to be crushed?

You do and it does.

Right now, what do you want? What is your highest priority in life?

Is it something you want?

Or, is it something God wants for you?

Your will or His?

They got caught in this trap. I will cost you too much.

And Jesus wasn’t done.

Parable #3. A wedding feast with invitees who refused to come and some attendees who weren’t dressed properly.

Are You Dressed?

I’m going to summarize this last one that comes from .

The king’s son got married so the king threw a banquet and invited all the usual suspects. .

But, nobody came. They just kept busy doing their daily routines and ignored the invitations.

The ppl showed no respect for the king or his son and went on about their business.

Even in the first century it was customary to send out a ‘save the date’ notice. This was new to me when our son got married. Sara and I only sent out invitations.

Then, like now, there is the first invitation which is a save the date.

In this parable the king would have sent out notice weaks earlier when it was going to happen.

Then, he would send out notice that the banquet was ready to begin and it was customary for everyone to drop everything they were doing and come to the banquet.

They would have planned for it after the first notice.

But, none of those invited came.

So, the king sent his army and destroyed the city and killed everyone. Seems harsh. But, that’s the story.

To fill the empty seats around the banquet tables the king instructed his servants to invite everyone they saw who wasn’t on the original invitation list.

The only ones left off the original list were the outcasts. They were nobody’s A-listers. They were never invited to anything special like this.

Now there was a crowd as the chairs all filled up.

Then, there is this:

Matthew 22:

Matthew 22:11–14 NIV

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The ppl showed up but they still had to be dressed for a wedding.

If they weren’t they were forced to leave.

Just b/c the A-listers left the chairs empty it didn’t mean anyone could sit in them at the banquet.

What did Jesus mean?

The OT prophets were the “save the date” invitations.

JB, the disciples, and Jesus announced it was time for the banquet and the A-listers, Israel should drop everything and come to the feast.

But none came.

So, the call has gone out to those who were previously outcasts, that’s us. Nobody special.

But, just b/c the seat was left empty doesn’t mean anyone can occupy it.

Are you dressed?

Yes, obviously.

But, when God looks at you what does He see?

The outside?

When we come to faith in Jesus the HS comes in us and changes how we look on the inside to God.

That’s being baptized by the HS. He changes how we look on the inside.

We can look good on the outside while our inside is still a mess.

If we aren’t changed by God on the inside then we don’t get to attend the banquet even though the A-listers left it empty.

It’s all logical. You invite ppl and they don’t come. You have food then find ppl who will come.

And, if not dressed appropriately you don’t get to stay.

And, emotional both for those who discover what their fate is for not responding properly to the invitation and for those who get to come and come dressed for the occasions.

Never been special before. But now, made special by God and invited to the banquet for the Son.

Are we learning?

Are you dressed and ready for the banquet for the King’s Son?

It doesn’t matter so much how you look on the outside. Are dressed and ready on the inside?

This is the last public lesson Jesus taught.

Some needed to know why they were not included like they thought they were.

You think you’re in, but you’re not. Why not?

Jesus explained it.

And, those who thought they’d never be able to get in, now they’re in.

In line ahead of those who seemingly should be at the head of the line.

Broken people ahead of those who think they’re whole but about t/b crushed.

Poor, no fancy clothes, but beautiful on the inside.

The applications seem pretty obvious today

Applications

Whose?

Are you hung up thinking that who you used to be or who you are right now is not good enough for God?

Trust me that nobody is, not even pastors.

It doesn’t matter who you were or who you are. It only matters whose you will be from now on.

Nobody is special to begin w/.

God makes us special when we believe.

Don’t let your troubled past prevent you from a glorious future.

Broken or Crushed?

Something has to break.

You’re not going to get out of this w/out something important to you breaking.

Even those of us who do believe struggle w/ this one.

Let God break your will, give up what you want and pursue what God wants for you.

You will find it will be better for you in the end.

Dressed?

Are you dressed to kill or dressed to live?

A wedding tux or dress and ppl say you are dressed to kill.

No matter what you have to wear, the HS dresses you up on the inside.

That’s what gets you invited to wedding banquet of the Son.

If you want a seat at the table, let God dress you.

Jesus’ attention was directed at the leaders who thought they were special b/c of all the great things they thought they were doing.

But, Jesus is the ultimate multi-tasker knew who was listening in and who’d be reading it now.

It’s Passion Week. The week of the single greatest act of love ever in history.

Jesus thought it important enough to make sure everybody got this.

It is so much better to learn from the mistakes of others and not get caught in the same traps and pay the same fines.

Are we?