Three months had passed since the Feast of Tabernacles, and the time had come for the Feast of Dedication. Once again, pilgrims from all over the nation of Israel would journey to Jerusalem.
Read MoreJesus had confronted the Pharisees and religious leaders over and over again for more than two and a half years. It was becoming ever more clear that their hearts were not growing softer and more ready to accept their Savior.
Read MoreAs Jesus told a story about a Good Shepherd (see lessons 133 and 134), His listeners understood that He was talking about Himself. They also knew He was claiming to be the Messiah.
Read MoreThe Pharisees were looking for a way to accuse Jesus. If only He would do something that they could use against Him…if only they could get Him to break the Law.
Read MoreJesus sat at the table of a powerful Pharisee. The influential, honored religious men of the region had joined them. Normally, an invitation to dinner is meant to be a sign of friendship, but in this case, it was quite the opposite.
Read MoreAs Jesus went around Perea proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God, great crowds began to follow Him wherever He went. A great line of hostility had been drawn by the most powerful religious leaders in Jerusalem against Jesus, but He was still the most popular teacher in the nation.
Read MoreSometimes when we read about the life and words of the Lord Jesus, He can seem wild and untamed. He is unpredictable. He does what we would never expect.
Read MoreSometimes it is hard to accept Truth...especially if it goes against everything we thought we were fighting for.The religious leaders were upset at Jesus again. As Christ journeyed across the countryside, He spent a lot of His time with sinners and tax collectors, and they didn't like it.
Read MoreAs Jesus continued to travel through Perea on His way to Jerusalem, He gave His disciples more lessons about what it meant to follow Him. His time was growing short, and He knew these men would be the ones to carry on His message after He was gone.
Read MoreJesus and His disciples made their way towards Jerusalem from the region of Perea. Jerusalem was a dangerous place for Him.
Read MoreJesus had traveled throughout the entire nation of Israel, from His early days in the north in Galilee to His proclamation in the south through Judea and Perea. The time had come for Him to take His final journey down to Jerusalem.
Read MoreThe Pharisees of Jesus’ time studied the Old Testament, and so they knew many wonderful truths from it. They also had many questions because the Old Testament had left many mysteries. They believed that God was going to come in power to establish the nation of Israel in a special, powerful way.
Read MoreJesus had a way of turning everything upside down. When the disciples tried to block the crowds from troubling Him with their children, Jesus not only told them to let the children come to Him…He told them that they needed to become more like the children!
Read MoreThe eyes of the whole nation were on Jesus, wondering what the unpredictable young preacher would do next. Everyone knew that the most powerful religious leaders in the land had turned against Him. They were looking for any excuse to get rid of Him.
Read MoreIt was the time of the Passover Feast for the nation of Israel. Over two thousand years before, God had brought the Hebrew people out of their slavery to the Egyptian Pharaoh. The Pharaoh had been given chance after chance to set God’s people free, but he had refused.
Read MoreAs the Lord Jesus moved from Jericho on the path to Jerusalem, the people wondered what would happen when He got there. Would He reveal Himself as the conquering Messiah? Would He usher in the Kingdom of God?
Read MoreEveryone in Jerusalem was preparing for the Passover Feast. Pilgrims from all over Israel would begin to stream into the city. Jews and converts to Judaism from distant lands would travel to the City of David for the annual celebration.
Read MoreThe Lord Jesus and His disciples began their one mile trek from Bethany to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Jesus had raised His friend, Lazarus from the dead only a few days before. Multitudes of people who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast had gone out to Bethany to see Lazarus and Christ.
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