Following Jesus on His Farewell Tour to Bethany      DailyTruthbase.Blogspot.com
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The footsteps of Jesus leading up to His final week in Jerusalem reveal important lessons for disciples who follow Him today.

I. Galilee Lk 4:16  So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 18  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim forgiveness/deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed (gap);  28  So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29  and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.  Mt 13:57  So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

LESSON: Jesus is Lord of the Second Chance, who gives people multiple opportunities to accept Him and His message

II. Capernaum Mk 10:1; Lu 4:31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. Lk 10:15; Mt 11:23 (17:24 last mention in Mt)  "And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

LESSON: Jesus is Lord of the Second Judgment who holds us accountable for what we should know and do

III. Jericho (Mt 20:28-29) Mk 10:52  Then Jesus said to Bartimaeus "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. [Meets Zacchaeus – see IV. B.] Lk 19 Parables of Faithfulness

LESSON: The route to rulership and glory passes through the valley of self-sacrificial service.

IV. Bethany Mk 11:1  they drew near Jerusalem, to…Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples…colt           
Lk 24:50  And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

A. Fellowship Mt 26:6 when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, (Lazarus was there too –Jn 12:2)   7  a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat  13 "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her
Lk 19:7 when they saw [Jesus dining w Zacchaeus], they all complained, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."

LESSON: Jesus saves & heals us so He can have fellowship with us. Honoring the person Jesus takes priority over  programs for Jesus

 
B. Fruitfulness Mk 11:12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13...nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it
Jn 15:5  I am the vine, you  the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

LESSON: Jesus expects fruitful lives and provides all we need to produce. Crop failure is failure.

 
C. Faithful to the end Jn 11:53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54  Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
Jn 12:1 six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus…whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death 11  because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

LESSON:Following in Faith means we will encounter the same opposition Jesus did, but death is not final

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:
1.What does it mean to follow Jesus? Do most forgiven believers follow as His disciples? If not, why do you think that’s so?
2. Which of the above “Lessons” are most readily embraced or quickly dismissed by modern day disciples?
3. Do you tend to be more of a “Mary” or a “Martha”? Why? Why did Jesus include the preaching of perfume with the gospel of peace?
4. How many of the “purposes” of Jesus in Lk 4:18 (#I. Above) are “fulfilled” in your life? How can you enter more deeply into them?
5. Which of the lessons would yield the most benefit if ingrained more deeply into your life the next couple of weeks?