Lent Reading Guide Friday 3/9/18

Reading Guide for Lent

Each day read the Gospel passage for the day and the Psalm passage for the day (you can read them all at once or do one reading in the morning and one in the evening) and use the reflection questions to help process the passage.

The 21st day of Lent

Friday

Gospel Reading:  Luke 21

The Widow’s Offering

21      As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ²He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ³“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

⁵Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ⁶“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

⁷“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

⁸He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. ⁹When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

¹⁰Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

¹²“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³And so you will bear testimony to me. ¹⁴But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷Everyone will hate you because of me. ¹⁸But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹Stand firm, and you will win life.

²⁰“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. ²¹Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. ²²For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. ²³How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. ²⁶People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. ²⁷At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

³²“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

³⁴“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

³⁷Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, ³⁸and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Reflection Questions:  (Today’s reflection questions are from The NIV Quiet Time Bible, IVP)

1. What are your general impressions of Jesus’ discourse on the end of the age?
2. At least three important events are evident.  The first is Jesus’ delivering this discourse to his disciples in A.D. 30 in Jerusalem.  What are the other two (vv.20-24 and vv. 27028)?
3. But Jesus also says some positive things will happen during this time (vv. 12-19).  What in Jesus’ message gives you hope for an otherwise uncertain future?
4. In verses 8-9 Jesus has said that certain activities are not signs of the end.  But what does he say will be signs of the end when he returns (vv. 5-28, and probably vv. 10-11)?
5. How is Jesus parable of the fig tree (vv. 29-31) related to his preceding teachings (for example, 19:41-44; 20:16)?
6. Earthly preoccupation can keep us insensitive to spiritual realities and unprepared to stand before the Son of Man (vv. 5, 34-36.)  What aspects of modern living are temptations for you this way?
7. Which one of Jesus’ promises gives you strong incentive to be well prepared?

Psalm Reading:  Psalm 11

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

¹In the Lord I take refuge.

How then can you say to me:

“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

²For look, the wicked bend their bows;

they set their arrows against the strings

to shoot from the shadows

at the upright in heart.

³When the foundations are being destroyed,

what can the righteous do?”

⁴The Lord is in his holy temple;

the Lord is on his heavenly throne.

He observes everyone on earth;

his eyes examine them.

⁵The Lord examines the righteous,

but the wicked, those who love violence,

he hates with a passion.

⁶On the wicked he will rain

fiery coals and burning sulfur;

a scorching wind will be their lot.

⁷For the Lord is righteous,

he loves justice;

the upright will see his face.

Reflection Questions:

1. Write down the positive affirmations of faith in this Psalm.
2. Consider this Structure of this Psalm:

Statement of faith	1In the Lord I take refuge.
A challenge from someone about Faith concerning what good is it to be righteous.	How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. 2For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. 3When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The answer to the challenge	4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. 5The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. 6On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. 7For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

3. Read the Psalm again but leave out the negative challenge.  In other words read just part 1 and 3 from the chart above.

How is this Psalm and encouragement to you when you think of any uncertain future?

Consider memorizing vs 4-7 so you can remember it during times of trouble.