1. Briefly Pray
A. Invite Jesus to be with you in your study. (read more in Scripture below)
Matthew 21
22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."The Authority of Jesus Challenged
23 When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?"
24 "I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied.25 "Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?"
They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn't believe John.26 But if we say it was merely human, we'll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet."27 So they finally replied, "We don't know."
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things.
Parable of the Two Sons
28 "But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'29 The son answered, 'No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway.30 Then the father told the other son, 'You go,' and he said, 'Yes, sir, I will.' But he didn't go.
31 "Which of the two obeyed his father?"
They replied, "The first."*
Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn't believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
Parable of the Evil Farmers
33 "Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.34 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.35 But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.36 So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.
37 "Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'
38 "But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'39 So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.
40 "When the owner of the vineyard returns," Jesus asked, "what do you think he will do to those farmers?"
41 The religious leaders replied, "He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest."
42 Then Jesus asked them, "Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures?
'The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the LORD's doing,
and it is wonderful to see.'*
43 I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.44 Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.*"
45 When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
John 14
Jesus, the Way to the Father1 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.2 There is more than enough room in my Father's home.* If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?*3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.4 And you know the way to where I am going."
5 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.* From now on, you do know him and have seen him!"
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
9 Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 "If you love me, obey* my commandments.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,* who will never leave you.17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.*18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?"
23 Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.24 Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am.29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
30 "I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me,31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going.
James 1
Greetings from James1 This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am writing to the "twelve tribes"—Jewish believers scattered abroad.
Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
2 Dear brothers and sisters,* when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
9 Believers who are* poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong,* and he never tempts anyone else.14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
16 So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.* He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.*18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.*
Listening and Doing
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.20 Human anger* does not produce the righteousness* God desires.21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.23 For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
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