"Then Jesus asked them, 'But who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.'"

–Matthew 16:15-16

DCC Students Fall Retreat  

Fall Retreat was a blast! Our students, along with a few churches, came together for time of worship and fun! Our middle schoolers got to take a look at the big picture of the Bible (Creation, Fall, Redemption and Restoration). Our high school students were challenged to consider what is prayer and why we pray.

Along with the spiritual growth of our students came several moments accompanied by fun memories and laughter!

Written by: Pastor Jordan Miller (aka Pastor JDawg)

LUKE: Cost of Discipleship

Luke 19:45-20:18

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In our final portion of the Gospel of Luke, we enter the climactic week in the life of Jesus. We’ll slow way down and dive into some CORE moments for Christ followers, including the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. We’ll also learn why we can be certain that the Gospel is true and it's the only way that leads to eternal life.

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The Big Idea

(What is the author's point?)

Jesus is God's beloved son, the one who was rejected to save us and with authority to judge. What we do with this truth is imperative.

Why It Matters

(Why is this relevant to us?)

Imagine you're watching the news and a bizarre story comes on air. A group of adrenaline chasers have gone to a national park during a crazy week of weather. The news has been warning, "Don’t make unnecessary journeys, don’t take risks on treacherous roads and don’t swim in the sea!" 

Instead, this group of daredevils went out. They're choosing to tent camp in the middle of a storm. Park rangers and emergency services come to warn them that they won’t be safe. 

Instead of heeding these warnings, they stick out the storm and endure the damage caused by their choices. 

The story would be a bizarre one because the people ignored every warning sign that was given to them. 

This is a simple depiction of what Luke is communicating in today's passage. Jesus continues to reveal His authority and His identity through both word and action. He communicates that He is the coming Messiah by cleansing the temple, and He makes His authority clear by challenging the religious leaders. 

One step further, these themes of authority and identity come together in the parable of the wicked tenants. Jesus reveals God as long-suffering, patient and compassionate toward the tenants. God has been so patient with Israel as He sent them the Old Testament prophets, and still they were rejected. So God sends His beloved one and only Son, and He is ultimately rejected as well. 

Jesus knows that God's plans will ultimately triumph (He knows He will be resurrected), but He communicates the urgency and serious weight of the coming judgment if He is ignored. 

We know God has been patient, long-suffering and compassionate toward us. What we do with the knowledge of who Jesus is and the authority He has in our lives is crucial. 

Good to Know

(What are some helpful insights into this passage?)

Verse 45: The temple leaders had lost their way, their purpose was to be the center for worshipping God.

Verse 46: “It is written” here would have pointed the listeners back to Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 56:7 & Jeremiah 7:11) that they would have understood to be part of eschatological judgement.  

Moving into the next section, we have to note that the cleansing of the temple courts has clear messianic implications. Jesus is revealing more of who He is.  

Verses 2-8: Jesus responds to the hostile leaders with a question that stumps them. Jesus knows that the leaders did not recognize John the Baptist’s authority as being directly from God, and they knew he wasn’t a priest or scribe either. When they admit that they don’t understand they are also confessing that they don’t understand Jesus’ authority either. Jesus is affirming that His authority is divine and beyond them.  

Moving into the parable of the wicked tenants, we see the themes of identity and authority come together. As you read the parable, keep these things in mind:  

• The owner is the main character, representing God.
• The servants are representing Old Testament prophets.  
• The son is representing Jesus, God’s beloved son.  

Verse 9: The imagery of Israel being God’s vineyard would have been familiar to the people (see Isaiah 5:1-7). 

Verses 10-12: The treatment of the servants reflects how the prophets were harshly treated.  

Verse 13: “Beloved Son” should give us a sense of deja vu. These words call us back to Jesus’ baptism when the Father speaks over Him. Jesus is the son who came to be ultimately rejected.  

Verses 14-15: Jesus alludes to His coming death. He will be executed, crucified outside of the city.  

Verse 16: The people’s response in saying “surely not,” means they grasped some of the serious weight of the coming judgement.  

Verse 17-18: Jesus, the rejected son, will become the head of the church. Jesus is quoting Psalm 118:22, which would only make sense in light of the resurrection to come. Jesus knows that triumph is in store! But He ends with a sobering reminder in verse 18—everyone who rejects Christ as Lord will be judged.

Group Guide

Following the series with your group? 

• Start with some icebreaker questions.
• Read the passage together before you dive in. 
• Share any insights from the message. Use the questions below to get your conversation started.

Conversation Starters

1. Read verse 48 again. The language is vivid–picture the people “hanging on Jesus’ words.” Do we do that? Explore the whys and why nots.  

2. What does the parable teach us about Jesus’ own role in the fulfillment of God’s purposes?  

3. How do you view Jesus’ authority in your life? 

4. How have you experienced God as patient and long suffering? 

5. If we truly grasped Jesus’ divine authority and identity, how might our lives change? 

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for being the rejected son for us. Give us grace to see you more clearly and to follow your commands. Thank you for being a God of compassion and patience. Amen.

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