Luke 20:1-47 The Inspection of the Passover Lamb

Intro: Tonight we are continuing our look at the gospel of Luke that we have been studying on Sunday morning

  1. Sunday began looking at the Passover week – Jesus Triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem
  2. Preparing our hearts for Easter – We are going to devote Sunday mornings & Wed. Evenings to looking at the Events that led up to
  1. Our Lord’s Death & Resurrection.
  1. The traditional calendar for the events of our Lord’s last week of

ministry would be the following :

Sunday—Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

Monday—Cleansing the temple

Tuesday—Controversies with the Jewish leaders

Wednesday—Apparently a day of rest

Thursday—Preparation for Passover

Friday—Trial and Crucifixion

Saturday—Jesus rests in the tomb

Sunday—Jesus raised from the dead

Keep in mind that the Jewish day went from sundown to sundown, so that our Thursday evening would be their Friday, the Day of Passover.

  1. Now on Sunday we noted that Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem to the Cries of the crowd – HOSSANNA …… LORD
  1. THERE He was Presenting Himself as KING !!!!
  1. Also noted that on Monday – Jesus went into the Temple & drove out the money changers & those who were ripping off the People
  1. In that Action / He was fulfilling His Role as HIGHPREIST – taking care of God’s temple !!!!
  1. In Ch. 20 we now come to Tues / Jesus is back at the Temple Mt. Area – Matt. Gospel tells us He didn’t stay in city – went out each night – safety
    2.
  2. But here on Tues – He is on the Temple Mt. Area & his enemies are going to bring questions to Him - TRAP HIM

    3. 1) JESUS is seen here answering their questions w/ great WISDOM as a

    Prophet like no other –

  3. Thus . Jesus is scene holding 3 offices simultaneously Prophet / Priest & King – He ALONE HOLDS

 

Also note that TUES was the 10th day of Nisan

  1. It was required that the Jews carefully examine the Passover lambs from the 10th day to the 14th day to make sure they had no blemishes (Ex. 12:)
  2. So here we see Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God being carefully examined scrutinized 7 put under the Microscope / watched and tested
  1. by His enemies during that final week;

 

They QUESTION Him in 3 Areas – HIS AUTHORITY / HIS INTEGRITY / HIS THEOLOGY – Conclusion Pilate – find no fault

1ST – HIS AUTHORITY v. 1,2

  1. So they Ask – Reaction to His cleansing of the temple – by Who’s Authority do you do these things?
  2. Authority was a big issue to these men / They went through a great deal of training to obtain their authority as Religious Leaders
  1. The chief priests claimed their authority from Moses, for the Law set the tribe of Levi apart to serve in the sanctuary.
  1. The scribes were students of the Law and claimed their authority from the rabbis whose interpretations they studied.
  1. The elders of Israel were the leaders of the families and clans, chosen usually for their experience and wisdom.
  1. All of these men were sure of their authority and were not afraid to confront Jesus.

See They wanted to push our Lord into a dilemma so that no matter how He answered, He would be in trouble.

  1. If He said that He had NO AUTHORITY , then He was in trouble with the Jews for invading their temple and acting like a prophet.
  2. If He said that His authority was as the MESSIAH then He would be in trouble with the Romans
  1. who were always alert to would-be messiahs, especially during Passover season
  1. Now as I mentioned Jesus is acting at this time in the role of Prophet the Prophets job is to Declare the Word of God.
  1. It is to Reveal the Will of God to the People
  1. In His response Jesus reveals 3 things Concerning these Men –
  1. Their Past REJECTION / THEIR PRESENT REBELLION / 3RD THEIR FUTURE RUIN .

1ST PAST REJECTION- HE TAKES THEM BACK TO JOHN V. 3,4

  1. Here Jesus turns the tables on them –
  2. Understand Jesus was not seeking to AVOID THE QUESTION of Authority – He said on many occasions CAME FROM GOD
  3. But He perceived the Trap that they were seeking to lay & He was about to get caught in It !!! So turn tables – they were stuck V. 5-8

Now Jesus took them back to John because John had come on the scene as the fore runner – prepare the way for the Messiah

  1. And they REJECTED JOHN & in rejecting John they were also REJECTING JESUS – whom John pointed to.
  2. So because they had rejected the first REVELATION – THEY would not be given any further REVELATION .
  3. That is a true Spiritual Principle – Note this : If you are not Obedient w/ the direction or the instruction that the Lord has given you
  1. Don’t expect any further or New Revelation
  1. Been Said that "OBEDIENCE IS THE CONDUIT FOR FURTTHER

SPIRITUAL REVELATION" TRUE

 

We are told in Psa. 119 Your word is a Lamp unto my feet….path

  1. Many times the Lord leads us one step at a time – not going to get new Direction until we have been taken 1st steps
  2. DEVOTIONS – DRY ? / FEEL A BLOCK ? QUESTION – have you been obedient to what the Lord has already been showing you.
  1. Wants to take you further but you need to deal w/ the issue / He has already been ministering to your Heart about !!!

 

So first Jesus deals w/ PAST REJECTION / now moves on to PRESENT REBELLION – Parable of the Vineyard v. 9-16

  1. These men knew the Scriptures and recognized that Jesus was speaking about the "vineyard" of Israel (Ps. 80:8ff; Isa. 5:1-7).
  2. God expected great things from His Spiritual Vineyard/ He desired that they would bear fruit pleasing to Him & be a Light to the Gentiles
  1. But they turned their Hearts against Him
  1. The servants sent before the Son would represent the Prophets of old whom Israel rejected – Parable was No exaggeration
  1. Elijah was driven into the Wilderness / Isaiah was sawn asunder / Zech was Stoned to death / John was Beheaded

Heb.11: 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

  1. of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

 

This Parable also illustrates the Progression of Sin: Note – started by beating the first two servants / wounding the third / killing the son

  1. Listen No one falls into Sin / Now unto Him… falling
  2. But we walk into sin one step at a time by the choices that we make !!!!
  1. Gets worse & worse – all the while the Lord is sending Messengers to bring warnings & Conviction
  1. MATT. 21 NOTES THEIR REACTION –
  1. They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."

D) Their reaction was similar to David’s Nathan’s story – Tell me who it is He will die / UNTIL – you are the man !!!!!!

    1. They saw the injustice that Jesus was describing in this Parable but didn’t catch right away that He was referring to them
  1. But in v. 17,18 Jesus in affect says YOU ARE THE MEN !!!!

17 Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'?

  1. "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

Jesus is quoting here from Psa. 118 which is the most often quoted O.T. verse in the N.T.

  1. He is Drawing their attention to the time when King Solomon was Building the temple
  2. 1 Kings 6 told that there was to be No Hammering or Chiseling of these stones on the Temple Mt. / Huge Stones/ 45 ft. long 5 ft. high
  1. Done in the rock Quarry below – several miles away – Perfect fits one stone upon another / couldn’t get a Knife Blade between
  1. Builders sent an odd shaped stone early in the construction / not realizing it was the Cornerstone – tossed it over the wall – Kidron Valley
  1. Later realized a the Cornerstone was missing / sent word to the Quarry where is it ? / Sent it a long time ago
  1. Stone that was rejected became the Chief Cornerstone !!!!

 

By the way the Bible says in 1Peter 2 We are Living stones being built up as a spiritual house

  1. You know what this world is / earth is ? – ROCK QUARRY
  2. It is the place where we are being Chiseled & hammered on so that when we get to Heaven & all us stones are Assembled together
  1. No more Hammering No more Chiseling / ALL BEING DONE NOW !
  1. Trials / Test are all part of the Preparation God is seeking to do in us !!!

 

Well when These guys heard this they understood that Jesus was making reference to them . they were those Builders rejecting Him

  1. He uses this Parable & this Analogy of the Cornerstone to say YOU ARE THE MAN - but they didn’t REPENT LIKE DAVID
  2. But instead they – get MADDER / DESTROY HIM !!!!/

V.19 19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people; for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

Verse 18 heavy verse

  1. "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

C) Jesus is Corner stone Whoever falls on Him – Broken

    1. In order to become a Christian you need to be Broken – realize you are a sinner need Him !!!

D) Picture – Massive Stone – Fall weep / Rest

E) But Falls on You Crushed - Every knee Bow - Question is When .

 

2nd Question : INTEGRITY v.20 –22

  1. So they come to Him w/ Question Do You Attend to Pay taxes
  2. This is still an Issue today – those who think it is unconstitutional to pay TAXES .
  3. In Jesus day it was even More CONTROVERSIAL – PEOPLE felt that paying taxes to Caesar was supporting a man who claimed to be God
  1. So to do that many Believed that you would be participating in IDOLATRY
  1. So if Jesus said yes – they would accuse Him of being an Idolater
  1. But if He said No – then they would turn Him over to Rome as an Anarchist

Watch what He does v.23-26

  1. Jesus takes the whole issue to higher Level -

B) Caesar’s image and name were on the coins, so it was basically his currency.

    1. To pay the tax meant simply to give Caesar back that which belonged to him.
  1. God’s image is stamped on us; therefore, He has the right to command our lives as citizens in His kingdom.

 

What about those who say that it is unconstitutional to pay taxes & that since we are Citizens of Heaven we shouldn’t have to worry about this corrupt Babylonian system we are Living in.

  1. Listen to what the Lord said in Jer. 29:4-7

4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.

6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters; that you may be increased there, and not diminished.

  1. And seek the peace of the city BABYLON where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
  1. NOTE THIS The Lord is telling HIS PEOPLE – who were in this foreign Land for 70 yrs
  1. I Have planted you in Babylon – Be responsible for Babylon
  1. Pray for it be a part of it – oh not Compromising your Morals / but be responsible Citizens seeking to make the city a better place

 

So too we are in this BABYLON for 70yrs give or take 10 or 20

It is a Short time compared to Eternity / Real Home is Heaven

  1. The Lord says to us In the meantime we have a responsibility in this Babylon in which we live to be a part of it & make it a better place
  2. Not to compromise our morals or to sink our roots down deep / but to Pray for it / Pray for our Leaders
  1. to Participate in those legal areas & to be obedient in the Govt. that is over us .
  1. Jer. Babylon / Jesus day Rome – Both worse than ours

 

In the Book of Romans Paul was writing to the Christians that were living in the city of Rome under Roman Rule.

  1. Paul told them in ROMANS 13 to be in subjection to those in authority

over them

B) NOTE: There is only ONE area where that would NOT apply

  1. That would be if Caesar demanded something of me something that would violate my conscious towards God

EXAMPLE: Acts 4:18-20 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

C) Peter says We have to answer to a higher authority than man

  1. IF the human authorities violate our conscience towards God, THEN

we MUST obey God

EXAMPLE: Acts 5:28 "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!"

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.

D) So we MUST render to Caesar to the point where obedience to God would DEMAND civil disobedience

  1. In the early Church, millions of believers were martyred because they REFUSED to say that "Caesar is Lord"

 

Lastly : theology – Hypothetical Question : V. 38

  1. The Saducees were that Religious group / MATERIALIST - they didn’t believe in Angels / Heaven or a Resurrection. / SAD –U – SEE

  2. They brought this Hypothetical situation - Law of Moses stated – man died His brother had to take His wife –

  1. First Child would be considered the Child of the Husband who died in order to Carry on his Line

  1. Made for Interesting Discussion around the dinner Table – Eldest Brother announced He was getting married

  1. Brother 2,3 Want to Know – TO WHOM ?

  1. Talking full inspection – since the younger brothers could end up w/ her - / they wanted to approve .

  1. This woman went through 7 brothers - bit suspicious after the First

3 First time Fathers waiting room in city Hospital in Minneapolis Minn.

  1. Smith – Congratulations / Twins- Minn. Twins / Brown Triplets wow I work for 3 M – Minn. Mining & Manufacturing

B) Jones – I’m getting out of Here I drive a truck for 7 UP

So their Question one woman 7 husbands – who’s wife ?

Jesus responds in two ways : First clears up confusion about Heaven

  1. No marriages - Great news to some / Bummer to others

  2. Know this we are going to be so incredible fulfilled in Heaven it is not going to matter

 

2nd thing Jesus does – He goes to the part of the Bible they accepted & shows that their theology is Wrong !!! ( Only first 5 books Moses)

  1. Quotes from Ex. 3 God called Moses says

  1. "But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

  1. Note He doesn’t say I was the God of Abe / Isaac & Jacob until they died & were Gone

  2. No He says I am the God of Abe ….. / present tense – 500yrs after the death of those men

  1. Because they were alive – they were in Abe’s Bosom – now – in Heaven

D) Because Jesus declared

38 "For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."

39 Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well." 40 But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

Are You Alive / He is the God of the Living – ALIVE in Christ –

 

COMMUNION // REZ – HE LIVES