Key Verse
2…Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. 3 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
 
Meditation
God is faithful to keep the lamp of His promise lit during dark and difficult days. We can be sure of our hope in Him.
 
Jesus was born under an insecure king (Herod) who hunted every child two years old and under. Our Father protected Jesus (Matthew 2:16-23).  Herod could kill babies but he could not kill our living hope. God is faithful.
 
God promised king David that he would always have a son on the throne (2 Samuel 7:16), a promise reinforced in 2 Kings 8:19 with imagery of a lamp burning no matter how dark the days. Jesus is the fullness of this promise- the Light of the world!
 
In today’s reading, God protects the lamp of His promise during oppressive darkness. Jezebel’s daughter, Athaliah, slaughtered male children like king Herod to eliminate all competition for power. Baby king Joash was secretly taken, hidden in the temple for six years until it was God’s time to appear (vv. 1-3). The plan was executed at the instruction of Jehoiada the priest, a private coronation and public installation for Joash the seven-year-old king (vv. 4-19). Athaliah was killed and the people rejoiced (v. 20).
 
Joash points to Jesus as an embodiment of God’s faithfulness to keep His promise for the true king to reign. Christians can be sure of what we hope for because the true king defeated evil and death so all who belong to Jesus can know God is faithful to His promises. Love has won. Jesus is on the throne! The lamp of hope is burning.
 

Today’s Reading
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. 3 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Joash Anointed King in Judah
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the house of the Lord. And he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord, and he showed them the king's son.5 And he commanded them, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king's house 6 (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards) shall guard the palace.7 And the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the house of the Lord on behalf of the king, 8 shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever approaches the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

9 The captains did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of the Lord. 11 And the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house on behalf of the king. 12 Then he brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the Lord to the people. 14 And when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains who were set over the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to death with the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.” 16 So they laid hands on her; and she went through the horses' entrance to the king's house, and there she was put to death.

17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord's people, and also between the king and the people.18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the Lord. 19 And he took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, marching through the gate of the guards to the king's house. And he took his seat on the throne of the kings.20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the king's house.

Jehoash Reigns in Judah
21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you in today’s reading, especially God’s protection of boy-king Joash?
 
-God is faithful to His promises- always. No matter what we see or are experiencing. How does God’s faithfulness to His word fuel hope in your heart?
 
-Jesus is the fullness of God’s faithfulness and He promises to never leave you or forsake you. Jesus is making all things new and will return to consummate His kingdom.  How does this eternal perspective give you strength for today and hope for tomorrow? Where, specifically, do you need to apply this reality?
 
Key Verse
2…Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. 3 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

​Key Verse
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.
 
Meditation
Security is a basic need for humanity. We live in the most secure period of history, yet fear and insecurity are pandemic. God invites His people to find security in His covenant care by worshipping through today’s Psalm.
 
The supplication for security arises from deep need, knowing God’s character is unchanging (vv. 1-7). David’s petition to be “saved” is an invitation for us to acknowledge our need (v. 1), pray for grace (v. 3, 6, 17), and place trust in our covenant God who abounds in steadfast love. The desperation is great. The steadfast love of God is greater.
 
The only hope for true security is God’s sovereign rule (vv. 8-13). The Lord (His the covenant name mentioned seven times) rules the one who worships and the entire world. David acknowledges seven times he is The Lord’s servant as he celebrates The Lord’s rule over other gods (v. 8), all nations (v. 9), humanity (v. 10), and history (v. 11). Welcoming God’s rule helps us see the greatness of His steadfast love towards those whose trust is in Him (v. 13)!
 
Many will scorn us when our security is in the LORD (v. 14). But God is merciful and gracious (v. 15) and will provide for His servants (v. 16). Christians are confident God will hear our cry and help us (v. 17) because our Savior’s cry from the cross went unanswered, losing the security of the Father’s covenant care by taking the curse of our sin upon Himself. All who belong to Jesus by faith can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence knowing we are secure in Him.
 
Today’s Reading
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;
    save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
    for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
    listen to my plea for grace.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
    for you answer me.
 
8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
    nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
    and worship before you, O Lord,
    and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
    you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
    and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
    you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
 
14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
    a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
    and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
    give your strength to your servant,
    and save the son of your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
    that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out in today’s reading, especially David’s cry for security and trust in God’s steadfast love? 
 
- Where do you know you need God’s security and, in all honesty, where do you look for security? How is that working for you?
 
-Jesus lost security so in Him we can always be secure in God’s sovereign grace. Great is god’s steadfast love for you in Christ! Take time to celebrate the security you have in Christ alone as you ask Him to overwhelm you with His rule over everything. 
 
Key Verse
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.

​Key Verses
16 …Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
 
Meditation
Bold faith will flourish through frustrations and fears of living in a fallen world when, despite our circumstances, our trust is in God and His faithfulness to keep His promises.
 
In today’s reading, Habakkuk physically trembled when he saw the troubles of his time (v. 16). Yet the prophet’s faith flourished by focusing on God and His promises. The Lord is faithful, working all things according to the council of His will. 
 
Habakkuk’s prayerful song includes one petition: “Lord, revive your work! In wrath, remember mercy” (v. 2). Habakkuk celebrated God’s past salvation when He executed His wrath against Egypt (vv. 3-15), a reminder that God’s just wrath against the wicked is never the end of the story. 
 
“Yet I…” is repeated to refocus the eyes of Habakkuk’s heart on heavenly realities. Circumstances were dire: God’s people continued to do injustice and God’s enemies were bearing down! “Yet I will quietly wait for the Lord…” (v. 16) There is no fruit on trees or vines, food in the cupboards, cattle in the stalls, or flocks in the fold! “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (v. 18). Faith in God forms our posture during pressured and problematic times.
 
Ultimately, God shows mercy through Jesus who satisfied God’s just wrath on the cross, His substitutionary sacrifice offering salvation to all who trust in Him. Bold faith looks beyond circumstances to focus on God’s sovereignty, feasting on His faithfulness.  God remembers mercy! God will keep His promises! And God is working to revive His people and renew His world.
 
Today’s Reading
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you,
    and your work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years revive it;
    in the midst of the years make it known;
    in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman,
    and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
    and the earth was full of his praise.
4 His brightness was like the light;
    rays flashed from his hand;
    and there he veiled his power.
5 Before him went pestilence,
    and plague followed at his heels.
6 He stood and measured the earth;
    he looked and shook the nations;
then the eternal mountains were scattered;
    the everlasting hills sank low.
    His were the everlasting ways.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction;
    the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord?
    Was your anger against the rivers,
    or your indignation against the sea,
when you rode on your horses,
    on your chariot of salvation?
9 You stripped the sheath from your bow,
    calling for many arrows Selah

    You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw you and writhed;
    the raging waters swept on;
the deep gave forth its voice;
    it lifted its hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their place
    at the light of your arrows as they sped,
    at the flash of your glittering spear.
12 You marched through the earth in fury;
    you threshed the nations in anger.
13 You went out for the salvation of your people,
    for the salvation of your anointed.
You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
    laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah

14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors,
    who came like a whirlwind to scatter me,
    rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
    the surging of mighty waters.
16 I hear, and my body trembles;
    my lips quiver at the sound;
rottenness enters into my bones;
    my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
    to come upon people who invade us.

Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you in today’s reading, especially Habakkuk’s bold faith exemplified in his trust in God and His promises.
 
-Where do the eyes of your heart look for hope? How does God’s gracious invitation to look to Him, trust His sovereign grace, and remember His faithfulness offer fuel for the flourishing of your faith?
 
-What do you need to give to God, to trust Him and His faithfulness to revive and restore?... a relationship, circumstance, problem, or situation that you need to let go of in order to more faithfully focus on God? Be specific.
 
Key Verses
16 …Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

​On Wednesdays we “walk in the Word” through study & application of Biblical doctrine. Rightly understanding Biblical doctrine fuels doxology, delight in Jesus, & gospel centered discipleship. Today we continue our short survey of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology): Knowing the Holy Spirit. See week 1 HERE.
 
The Holy Spirit is a person, not a power (though He is a powerful Person!). And He wants you to know Him personally. How well do you know someone if you do not know their story? How well do you know the Holy Spirit if you do not know His-story?

​In this interview, Dr. Guy Richard states that in his teaching at RTS on the Holy Spirit he begins  by emphasizing the Spirit is a person. “Where do you begin? The Holy Spirit is a person. A “He” who is ascribed personal traits- comfort, grief, groaning, love… God who intimately dwells with His people…” The Holy Spirit is a person who is personal (John 14:26; Romans 8:11, 16, 26) and who is God- fully divine, possessing attributes such as omniscience, omnipotence, and eternal wisdom.

                      The Holy Spirit is God

“God is One and Triune, and Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct and divine. In the unity of the divine nature there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.” (WCF 2.3)

The eternality of God the Holy Spirit is contra to Modalism, a false doctrine teaching that the Holy Spirit is a mask of God in the NT church (as if God appears in different modes in different periods of redemptive history).  But it is an invitation for God's people to know the Holy Spirit through knowing His-story.

              "You Must be Born Again"
Knowing the Holy Spirit begins with being “born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:1-15). This is more than being identified as a Christian through your family name or history, this means you know God personally. Nicodemus’s story in John 3:1-14 illustrates what this means. Initially, the religious leader came to Jesus in the darkness of night, seeking understanding (John 3:1-2). Jesus explained the necessity of being born again to enter God’s kingdom. Those born of the Spirit move from darkness into the light, freed from condemnation to live in God’s love (John 3:16-21). Eventually, Nicodemus demonstrated extravagant devotion to Jesus (John 19), showing the Spirit’s work in moving even Pharisees from night to light (as Paul in Philippians 3:4-11).

RC Sproul writes, "The Holy Spirit brings us the application of redemption, enabling us to respond in faith to Christ’s work. Without His regenerating grace, the gospel would fall on deaf ears" (The Mystery of the Holy Spirit). 

The gospel compels us to know God the Holy Spirit through grace alone, and Nicodemus helps us see why we need to know the Holy Spirit’s story.  The OT background for John 3 is Ezekiel 36:25-27 and even the religious leader clearly did not understand who God revealed Himself to be. Do we? A quick survey of Redemptive History helps us see the larger story of the Spirit:

           Redemptive History is His-Story
The Bible reveals the eternal story of the Holy Spirit, His presence and work revealed from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 (not to mention God’s Word itself is written by God’s Spirit! - see "inspiration" in this post on the Necessity of Scripture). Here is a quick outline of Scripture’s revelation of the Spirit’s eternal story:
​

• The Holy Spirit has been at work since before the creation of the world, sealing the saints for eternal life (Ephesians 1:13-14) in what we call the Covenant of Redemption.
• In Creation, The Holy Spirit hovered over the waters to bring order (Genesis 1:2) and give life (Psalm 104:30).
• In Redemption, The Holy Spirit guided Israel out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the wilderness (Isaiah 63:7-14). The Holy Spirit was always God’s promise for regeneration (Ezekiel 36:34-36) and renewal (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
• In New Creation, the Holy Spirit filled Mary’s womb to form divine life (Luke 1:35) anointed Jesus for His ministry (Matthew 3:16), resurrected Jesus from the grave (Romans 1:3), regenerates believers, and renews us to make us more like Christ in our sanctification (Romans 8).
• In the indwelling of believers, The Holy Spirit fills Christians individually (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and corporately (Ephesians 2:21-22).
• In eternity future, the Consummation reveals the Holy Spirit’s invitation for believers to partake in the new creation (Revelation 22:17).

The Spirit’s empowering presence is not an impersonal force but God’s powerful-presence among His people (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4). Sinclair Ferguson argues that believers do not require a “personal Pentecost” to experience God’s power, only needing to recognize the Spirit as a divine person. The Spirit is more than electricity; He is a distinct person within the Godhead, inviting us to know Him intimately.

Richly Dwelling
-Do you lean more towards believing the Holy Spirit is a power for personal use or a person to know? How well do you know His story?

​-What does it mean to you that God the Holy Spirit has been alive and working since before creation, will be working after the consummation, and wants to work in your life today? Where, specifically, do you want knowledge of Him and HIs work to transform you to be more like Jesus?

-Take a minute to sit in silence, asking God's Spirit to reveal Himself to you. Then, read Romans 8.

Key Verse
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
 
Meditation
United to Jesus, Christians are secure in God’s steadfast love and set apart for His covenantal purposes. Jesus became a curse for us so, through faith in Him, we might receive God’s covenant blessings to share His blessings with our neighbors and among the nations (Galatians 3:10-14).
 
In today’s reading, God’s sovereignly uses both Balak and Balaam as pawns to reveal His purposes- to bless the nations through His people. Balak was a polytheist who believed his best bet to beat Israel was to turn their God against them. Balaam was a seer who chose to leave doors open for potential profit rather than surrendering to God. In their frustration and strategy to manipulate God, each in different ways, we see three clear pictures of God’s covenant promises and purposes:
 
God’s people are secure. The prophet using his power for potential profit cannot curse those whom God has blessed (v. 9) because no one has the power to curse those in God’s covenant care. God is with His people and will protect them (v. 21)!
 
God’s people are distinct, set apart by His work (v. 9). God redeemed His people (v. 22), separating them from the nations because they are delivered by His grace.
 
God’s purpose for His people is to bless the nations (v. 10). The “dust of Jacob” evokes the Abrahamic Covenant, God blessing His people to be a blessing to all the earth (Genesis 12:1-3). God will not lie or change His mind (v. 19). Those who know God’s mercy are set apart for His mission.
 
 
Scripture Reading

And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height,4 and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“From Aram Balak has brought me,
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
    and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
    How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags I see him,
    from the hills I behold him;
behold, a people dwelling alone,
    and not counting itself among the nations!
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
    or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
    and let my end be like his!”

11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

Balaam's Second Oracle
13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.”14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;
    give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
19 God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
20 Behold, I received a command to bless:
    he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
    and the shout of a king is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt
    and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob,
    no divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
    ‘What has God wrought!’
24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up
    and as a lion it lifts itself;
it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey
    and drunk the blood of the slain.”

25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?” 27 And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you in today’s reading, especially the contradiction between the people’s attempts to manipulate God and God’s commitment to keep His covenant promises and purposes?
 
-Are you afraid of being cursed, or feeling cursed? How does this contradict the gospel? Read Romans 8:28-39
 
-How can you respond to God’s mercy by participating in His mission? With specificity, how can you bless your neighbors or the nations in Jesus name today?
 
Key Verse
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?

​Key Verse
43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
 
Meditation
The steadfast love of God opens both hearts and hands in worship, people trusting Jesus with everything. Disciples walking on the ground of God’s grace visibly grow in gratitude and generosity like grapes on a vine. The self-righteous and self-affirming have no space for grace, closing their hearts and hands through using religion as a weapon for protection and self-promotion.
 
In today’s reading, the verbal conflict between Jesus and religious leaders consummated with Jesus telling a parable to emphasize His message to the self-righteous: judgement will come to religious folk who reject grace, killing the Vineyard owner’s son (vv. 1-12).  The verbal sparring was characterized by quick jabs, a series of four questions designed to trap Jesus and get Him into trouble (vv. 13-37). Jesus rolled with the punches, matching blow for blow, before throwing the final uppercut: Beware of publicly pious religious leaders who need to show status for security and personal significance- in pride they devour those they lead. The climax of the verbal conflict comes from neither Jesus nor a religious leader. Instead, a widow who offers the knockout blow, a woman going to worship whose security in God’s steadfast love led her to give all she had in worship (vv. 38-44).
 
On the ground of grace, disciples give everything through a life of worship because we know Jesus gave us all He had to pay for our sin. Jesus died so we can live. Jesus became poor and took our sin so we can receive forgiveness and respond in worship, opening our hearts and opening hands to share the richness of God’s grace and steadfast love.
 
 
Today’s Reading
And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully.5 And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
11 this was the Lord's doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar
13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection
18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying,19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

The Great Commandment
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Whose Son Is the Christ?
35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
    until I put your enemies under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes
38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow's Offering
41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the continued verbal conflict between Jesus and religious leaders?
 
-Are you uncomfortable with the climax, the paradigm of a poor widow being the picture of what a living and growing relationship with God looks like when it is fruitful?
 
-How can you root deeper into the ground of God’s grace, trusting the work of the Son not only for your salvation but also your sanctification? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”