Matthew 26:1-13 - A few days before the Passover, Jesus explained to his disciples what was to come - that he would be handed over to be crucified. The religious leaders had been scheming to have Jesus arrested and killed. Meanwhile, when Jesus was in Bethany, he was at the home of a man named Simon, when a woman took a jar of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head. The disciples were indignant, feeling that this was a waste, that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. But Jesus defended the woman, telling them that she had done a beautiful thing for him, preparing his body for burial.

Matthew 12:38-42 - Some of the religious leaders came to Jesus demanding a sign from him, but Jesus refused to give them any sign except for the sign of Jonah. He said that just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the whale, so would he spend three days buried in the ground before coming back again. He also said that the people of Jonah’s day would come back in judgement because they listened and repented at Jonah’s teaching, but now someone even greater than Jonah was here.Big Idea: Keeping Our Hearts Open To Jesus

Matthew 13:53-58 - Once Jesus went to teach in the synagogue of his hometown, and the people were shocked and offended at what he was saying. They whispered amongst themselves, asking where he could have gotten his wisdom and miraculous powers, since they’ve seen him growing up and knew his whole family. Jesus told them that a prophet is honoured everywhere except in their own hometown, and he went away and didn’t do many miracles due to their lack of faith.

Matthew 4:1-11 - Jesus goes into the wilderness to fast and is tested three times by the Villain. First, he is tempted to turn stones into bread; second, he is tempted to test God’s protection of him by jumping off a high cliff; and third, he is tempted to worship the Villain in order to receive all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus overcomes each one of these temptations by leaning on Scripture and trusting in God.