HOLY WEEK Lessons From Jesus
After Palm Sunday, and with Jesus knowing Friday was coming, you think he would take a few days of R&R. The upcoming betrayal and brutal crucifixion were not a surprise to Him. This was part of God’s plan for saving sinful man.
But instead, Jesus was busy this whole week teaching truths to people hungry for truth.
HERE ARE A FEW EXCERPTS FROM THE TEACHING LIFE OF JESUS, THOSE LAST DAYS BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION
Evil tenant farmers, Matthew 21:33-46, a warning about stewardship, rebellion, rejection of God’s messengers
Stone the builders rejected, Matthew 21:42. Build your life on Him. Make Jesus the cornerstone
The Wedding Feast, Matthew 22:1-14. Don’t ignore or excuse away God’s invitation
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”. Mt 22:21. Give Caesar his taxes, but your heart to God
The Widow’s Gift Luke 21:1-4,Jesus teaches us about true generosity. where a poor widow’s small gift in her poverty is greater than that of those who give out of their prosperity.
Note: In my opinion, not much has changed today. The big-money givers are given honor, while those who give from limited means go unnoticed. But truly God knows.
LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
Jesus’ teaching about “the thief in the night” is found in Matthew 24:42-44 and Luke 12:39-40. It is a warning to people to stay ready for his return.
In Matthew 24, Jesus compares his second coming to a thief in the night. Unpredictable; no RSVP, so you don’t prepare for him unless you’re vigilant. Don’t slack off thinking you’ve got time.
This is all about urgency. Earlier in Matthew 24, he’s just described wars, famines, and chaos—signs, but not a timetable. Do not obsess over date, but focus on being right with God. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 echoes it: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS Mt 25:14-30
Jesus tells about stewardship, responsibility, and what we do with what God gives us.
Here’s the story:
A rich man gives to three servants a large amount of money, each according to their ability.”
The first two trade and double their stash—five becomes ten, two becomes four.
The third guy, scared of screwing up, buries his talent.
When the master returns,
he praises the first two: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You’ve been faithful with a few things; I’ll put you in charge of many.”
The third guy admits he hid it, blaming the master’s harshness. The master is angry—calls him lazy, takes the talent, gives it to the five-talent guy, and tosses him out.
This should be a wake-up call:
God’s watching how we handle life. It’s not about equal gifts—five, two, one differ—but equal accountability.
These are a few moments from Jesus' life, recorded during that first Holy Week, showing that Jesus did not let his mind spin with thoughts of his impending crucifixion. Our Lord focused on making these final moments matter. The few teachings I have listed above are cornerstones of Christ's teaching and have been shared for the last 2000 years. Think of it, if Jesus had taken a few days of R&R instead of being busy about obedience to the Father, these lessons would have been sorely missed.
So I end today by praying that we all be busy with The Lord’s Work, faithful in the moments, and led by His Spirit, even through our weary hearts and bodies that are looking for R&R.
Blessings
Jeff
Please SHARE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW regarding HOLY WEEK. What has stood out to you this year and spoken to you above the din of this world of wars, persecution, and divisive politics? It is easy to be distracted and yet a shame when these very real world events that in fact pale in comparison to the meaning of Holy Week where Christ dies and Rose for our sins.
