➡️ The Parable of the Tenants

Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner who leased his property to tenants.

At harvest time, he sent servants to collect his portion of the fruit, but the tenants beat and killed them.

Finally, he sent his son, but they killed him too, believing they could take the inheritance.

Jesus asked, "What will the owner do? He will destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others."

Then he quoted Psalm 118: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

The religious leaders knew Jesus was speaking about them, and they were trying to arrest him.

But what's truly striking is what God was seeking to collect — not your good works or religious achievements, but your sins.

➡️ What About Taxes?

Then, Pharisees and Herodians (normally enemies) joined forces to trap Jesus with a
question about taxes: "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?"

Jesus asked for a coin and said, "Whose image is on this? Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

This goes beyond just paying taxes.

Caesar claimed divinity, putting his image on coins to assert ownership. Roman citizens idolized him.

Jesus established proper boundaries: earthly rulers have legitimate but limited authority, while God's authority is ultimate.

We make the same mistake today, turning political leaders into idols, believing our safety depends on "our side" winning.

We forget all rulers are temporary, and God works His saving purpose even through imperfect governments — remember, Jesus "suffered under Pontius Pilate."

Whether you have a good government or bad, pray for it — but we never want to confuse which kingdom ultimately matters.

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Executive Director of Missions and Theology.

Mark 11:12-25: Cursing the Fig Tree, Cleansing the Temple & Moving Mountains

➡️ Jesus curses a fig tree for bearing no fruit, even though it wasn’t fig season. At first glance, this seems unfair.

Some interpretations:

Creation is Broken: Some suggest the act reflects Jesus’ grief over a broken creation.

In a perfect world (like Eden), fruit trees would always bear fruit.

The fig tree’s barrenness symbolizes how sin has disrupted creation..

Symbol of Israel: The fig tree also represents Israel.

Its lack of fruit reflects the spiritual barrenness of God's people.

This ties to what follows.

➡️ Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Jesus enters the temple & violently clears out the money changers.

The fig tree & the temple are likely connected.

Fig Tree = Israel's False Peace: Like the tree, Israel gives the appearance of health but bears no spiritual fruit.

It represents a religious system that had become transactional, abusive, and no longer a source of the forgiveness of sins.

Temple System Coming to an End: Jesus' actions show that the entire temple system has run its course.

Jesus fulfills the temple, and it is no longer necessary — He is the new temple.

➡️ Faith That Moves Mountains

What does this mean when Jesus says, “If you have faith, you can say to this mountain, ‘Be thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done?”

The "mountain" may symbolize the Temple Mount

It doesn’t mean God is a "vending machine" where faith is a currency to get material things.

Nor is it about manipulating God to get what you want.

The call to “move mountains” is not about miracles or material gain, but faith in Jesus.

Prayer, then, is about aligning our hearts with God's will — seeking the kingdom and finding comfort in His promises, not worldly outcomes.

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Executive Director of Missions and Theology.

Contributor Eli Lietzau is the pastor at Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #jesus

Season 6 (or seis, whatever!) of the Uncultured Saints is HERE!

We're diving into Mark 11:1-11, the Triumphal Entry, and it's more than just a parade.

Here's the lowdown:

➡️ The Colt: Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt, not a warhorse. Why? It's a sign of humility, showing His victory isn't about earthly power, but divine grace. He's not there to conquer like a typical king, but to offer a different kind of salvation.

➡️ "The Lord has need of it": Jesus sends his disciples to get the colt, telling them to say "The Lord has need of it," but he’ll return it when he’s done. How did the owner feel about this? It hints that Jesus knew the owner, not just some random person.

➡️ Hosanna!: The crowds shout "Hosanna!" meaning "Save us!" They're looking for an earthly king, someone to overthrow Roman rule. But Jesus's mission is far greater: to save them from sin and death.

➡️ OT Fulfillment: This connects to prophecies in Zechariah 9 and echoes Solomon riding a mule at his coronation.

➡️ The same crowds praising Jesus will later call for His crucifixion. It's a stark reminder of how quickly opinions can change and how easily we can misunderstand God's true purpose.

➡️ The Temple Visit: Jesus enters the temple, looks around, and leaves. It's a moment of quiet observation before the storm, perhaps contemplating the temple cleansing that would soon come.

The triumphal entry is a reminder that Jesus's way of saving us is not what they expected.

He comes in humility, not power, and His kingdom is built on grace, not force.

Contributor Eli Lietzau is the pastor at Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Executive Director of Missions and Theology.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #jesus