The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)

Spencer Cary

Transcript

Thank you. Good morning. My name is Spencer. I'm one of the pastors here. It's the last time you're going to see that bumper, you guys. This is the last sermon in the Matthew series.

We're at the end, the final verses of the Gospel of Matthew. We have been in this book for 58 weeks over the last year and a half. Now, I know some of you were like, I want 80 weeks. No. No. No, most of you guys are tired.

The reason why we teach through books of the Bible is the Bible has a ton of depth. When you search the Scriptures, you can read a lot and you will miss a lot. And you can sit in a passage and go deeper and deeper. And the well goes deeper and deeper. And we like to sit in passages of the Bible, slowly work through books. We think it is good for our souls to patiently journey through a Gospel like this.

So thank you for being patient. Thank you for riding the journey with us. We will be starting the book of Proverbs next week. Over the next few months, we'll be walking through the Proverbs. But today is the final sermon for the Gospel of Matthew.

These are the final words of Jesus to His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. He's getting ready to ascend into heaven. These final words have importance. What He's about to say is heightened because it is the last few words that He's going to say. If someone is on their deathbed, some of the things they have to say towards the end, it heightens the importance. It elevates the importance of what they're going to say.

When the coach goes into halftime on the title game and he has his team, the speech that he gives, the final words before they go out to play one last time together, it matters. It heightens how important the message of what He's about to say. And the church has called these final few words the Great Commission. For hundreds of years, we refer to this as the Great Commission. What I want us to see this morning is two things. I want us to see why.

By looking at the authority that is in Christ as He's commissioning out the church. And then I want us to sit in the details of the Great Commission and be molded and shaped by this. So let me pray for us. And then we will jump into this final passage in Matthew. Lord, we love You. We thank You for Your Word.

We thank You that we get to open it and read it. That we get to sing songs about it. That we get to read Scripture. And that we get to sit under the authority of Your Word and be molded and shaped into Your image. Because Your Word is powerful. It is like a sword that pierces the heart.

It is like a hammer that breaks the rocks to pieces. God, I pray that right now that You would instruct us. You would teach us. That You would train us. And You would send us out as a church that is obedient to Your Great Commission. We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen. Alright, let me read through it and then we'll walk through it. Verse 16. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Now here comes the commissioning. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Alright, so. Like I said, we're going to look at this in two parts. Really the set up to the Great Commission itself.

And then we're going to walk through the Great Commission piece by piece. Alright, so. Those first two verses. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped, but some doubted. Alright, so let's give some context for where we are.

Just a few days before this, the disciples abandoned Jesus. When He was arrested, they fled. And Peter, who stuck around, well, he denied Jesus three times. So, their head's spinning a little bit. Then all of a sudden, on Sunday morning, Mary bursts into the room and says, He's risen!

He's alive! And we've got to go to Galilee, because He's going to be just there. Now, from Jerusalem to Galilee is a few days' journey. Alright? And on that walk back to Galilee, I can assume that a lot of doubts are starting to creep in. There's some shame and some guilt, because they abandoned Jesus.

What is He going to say to them? Right? Maybe some doubts on it. Is He really risen? Is He really alive? Their faith is being questioned.

Their doubts are arising. And they finally get to Galilee. Verse 18, Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Jesus answers their doubt by displaying His power. His fully resurrected, glorified body. And He tells them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

So I want us to look at this from two different ways. The first part that I want us to see what is bound up in this statement is that this is the ultimate flex of His power on Satan. This shows dominance over the powers of evil. Because of what happened at the cross and the empty tomb, He is flexing His power. If you go back to Matthew 4, when Satan was tempting Jesus in the wilderness, there was a final temptation that He gave. And He said in verse 8, Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

And He said to them, All these I will give to you if you will fall down and worship Me. He understood what Jesus was doing in part. He understood His arrival meant. And He's trying to keep the mission from happening. He says, If you will just bow down and worship Me now, I'll give you some of My power. You want some kingdoms here on earth?

I'll give it to you. And Jesus says, No. He's obedient to the will of the Father because He wants to save sinners like you and me. But it's not just that. He didn't just come for the earth. Look what He says.

He says, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. He is the sovereign king and ruler over all existence. From the heavens, that is this galaxy, in all galaxies, that is the invisible heaven where God rules and reigns from all the way down to earth and in the earth and everything on the earth and under the earth. Everything is under the authority of Jesus. He has won the war against sin and death. He has disarmed the rulers and authorities.

I think even the geography is a flex on Satan. I mean, think about it. Satan takes Him to a very high mountain to show Him the kingdoms. And Jesus goes to a very high mountain and says, No, no, no. I didn't just come for the earth. I came for everything.

I'm the king over all of it. Now, the text doesn't say this. Alright? And this may have never happened. But I like to imagine a little bit that Jesus is almost just kind of winking at Satan and the rulers of evil.

I think he's just saying, Oh, the same setting? Alright? All of this is mine. This is important for you to know as a Christian. Because the reality is is that as you are sent out, you will face forces of evil. As you are obedient to the will of God in your life, you will face evil.

You will face demonic activity. We believe this. And the reality is is you don't have to be scared. You don't have to be fearful. You get to remember who is in control over all things. It is Christ.

And that power over all things is a comfort when we face evil. The second thing that's being demonstrated here is he's answering the doubt of the disciples. Jesus and his supremacy and his rule and his reign over all things is the authority for mission. It's the authority for how we are sent out. For how we obey his marching orders. I finally, last year, it was my bucket list to watch Band of Brothers.

I've been wanting to watch it for a very long time. And I finally got to watch it. It's an HBO series that follows the Easy Company. It's a famous company from a battalion paratroopers in World War II. And it follows them from when they're training and getting ready for D-Day in France. And they drop over France all the way to the end of the war.

I finally got to watch it. And just seeing them get ready for this jump in a D-Day. I mean, there had to have been a lot of nerves. A lot of nervousness. Because this was before the days of halo jumps. So halo jumps is how everyone jumps now in the military.

It's a high altitude, low opening jump. It's when you jump out of a plane, you don't pull your chute to the very last second and then you pull your chute. I mean, if you want to get shot out of the sky, if you want to be detected, that's how you do it. They didn't have that in World War II. So, as they're flying into D-Day, into the darkness of the night, there are bullets flying, shooting planes down. They're having to jump out as bullets are flying by.

And they jump out immediately and their chutes are opened. And they're slowly descending into the darkness as bullets are flying by. Some of them are getting shot out of the air. And then below, the German army is waiting for them. Some of them are being arrested, some of them are being shot on sight. And you look at that and the bravery it took and it's like, why?

What motivated them to be so courageous and to do this? And it's because it was the calling. It was World War II. They had to defeat the Nazis, the axis of evil, all of it. They had to do this. It was the only way.

And I think about this as Christians. How much more boldly do we get to go into the darkness? Because the reality is is that the paratroopers are jumping into enemy territory that is controlled by the German army. That's not us. That ain't us. Wherever we are called to go, Jesus is sovereign over every aspect of where we go.

He is the one who is in control. As bullets are flying, as opposition, as we're facing it, He is the one who is in control. There's a 19th century Dutch prime minister. He's the father of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands, Abraham Kuyper. I love what he says. He says, There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine.

I love that. Every single place you could go to declare the Gospel, whether it's the most hostile places to the Gospel in the world, or it's the most hostile work environment that does not love Jesus. Jesus says, Mine. He is sovereign over all of it. And that is so incredibly important for us to remember. It's incredibly important for us to remember that the end is written.

Flip to the end of Revelation. Jesus wins. And we get to celebrate with Him for all of eternity. Jesus and His authority. That is the God who sends us out. You have to remember that the disciples needed to hear that because He's about to give this commission and it's going to say, Go therefore.

That therefore is linked to the authority of Christ, the God who's sovereign over all things. So that is the God who sends you. That is the setup of the Great Commission. Then He gets into the commissioning itself. Verse 19. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.

Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Now, over the last decade plus, I've spent a lot of time on this passage. In college, I had a thesis. My college thesis was on this passage.

In seminary, I studied the Gospel of Matthew in Greek syntax. I've spent a lot of time in this passage and I want to make something very clear. There's one main verb, one main command, one main instruction in this passage and it is make disciples. That's it. That's the main command. Make.

It says go therefore. Make disciples. You've got to see that. And then, there's some participles in the Greek. There's some further explaining. Think of it as make disciples as the hub and there's some spokes that come out of it.

And you've got go, you've got baptizing, and you've got teaching. Those three aspects help explain the command to make disciples. And that's where we spend the majority of our time today. Is walking through what it means to make disciples by looking at go, baptizing, teaching. So first, let's look at that first part.

Go. Now, some of you may have heard that you can look at this and translate this as you go. That it means as you go, make disciples. And I just want to say, no. Absolutely not. That was my college thesis.

I got really excited about it. I just started studying Greek and I was like, oh, look at this. It means as you go. And I got some claps, I got some pats on my back, and I said, good Job. And then, I got to seminary and it took five minutes for my Greek professor to absolutely just dismantle it. There's a reason why every translation says, go.

Go. That's why the disciples went. So the force is, I know there's part of us that wants to water this down and say, well, it's just kind of, as you're going in life, you can kind of make disciples. No. It is go, therefore, make disciples. Now, you put this against some of the other commissionings in the New Testament.

Look at the book of Acts. And there is the idea that some are called to go to Jerusalem, some are called to go to Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth. That's why we use the language. Go across the street and make disciples with your neighbors. Or go across the world. But I actually want to give a caveat to that statement.

I want to say, go into the workplace. Go across the street and make disciples. And be involved in going across the world. Do all of it. Be involved in all of it. John Piper has a quote.

He says, go, send, or disobey. Real simple. He says, go, I would actually mean that go, slash, send, or disobey. That's it. That's the calling. And that is why we want you to be everyday missionaries where you are.

So that you'll go and make disciples. Then some of you are going to receive the call and you need to go further. It is the reason why we got excited. We rallied around the Rockies this last fall. Chris and Daniel Rockies, we sent them to Honduras. They sold everything.

And they left to make disciples in Honduras. It is the reason why a few years ago a team of us went to Egypt and we did some training and equipping with some churches and ministries in Egypt. Because we want to be a part of sending and making disciples across the earth. We want to see every, the word is all nations, every ethnos, which is every people group. Every tribe, every tongue is what's built into that. We want to do it all.

It's the reason why there's three of our members that are going to Lebanon in just a few weeks. We partnered with 1040 Hope. We actually give 1040 Hope office space here to be able to work out of here as they are raising money for church plants all across the Middle East. And three of them are going to Lebanon in just a few weeks. So we want to be a part of all of it.

We want to go and make disciples in our neighborhoods. We want to send. We want to do it all. And if we don't, we are being disobedient. We are not obeying the command to go. So we want to embody this as a church to do it all.

Go. Alright, next one. Baptizing. The next aspect is baptizing. Built into this is not just the literal act of baptizing, but it is conversion. That's what's being taught here.

Now as good Baptists, we believe, converting them to faith in Jesus and then baptizing them. But the force of what's built in here is converting them. And I want to be very explicit about that. It is converting them. A couple of years ago, something clicked for me and I found this so incredibly helpful for my soul. I was watching a movie that came out a few years ago.

It's called 1970. It's a World War I movie and it's incredible. It became one of my favorite movies. It's just, it's awesome. And it's artistically done. It's shot all in one take.

It's a good war movie. I loved it. I mean, it's just, if you haven't seen it, you're not bothered by war violence. It's incredible. And I got really excited about it. And I was like, man, this is obviously the best picture of the year.

This is definitely going to win best picture. And there was a lot of excitement because of how well it was done. And then all of a sudden there was some major criticisms that came. And the main criticisms that came were people were saying, well, you know what? This movie actually isn't doing anything. It's not trying to say anything.

It's just about, it's just a story. And guess what? It didn't win best picture that year. Because the main criticism that was against it was, is it wasn't actually, they wouldn't use this word, it wasn't preaching. And that's why you see every Oscar movie is just super sad or has some cause that arrives behind. They're preaching.

And it clicked for me. I listened to this late night comedian who was talking about culture wars. And he's like, politicians, they've got to stay out of the culture wars. He's like, because we're the ones that win them. He's like, let Hollywood take care of that. We are the ones who will win people over.

And it finally just clicked for me. Everyone is preaching. Everyone has an angle. Everyone has a message. Go on Facebook. Everyone wants you to join their political movement, to buy their product.

Everyone is preaching. And the reason that was so good for me to just finally, for it to sink in fully in my soul is because when I became a Christian, I was very wary of being the kind of Christian that, you know, a big critique from skeptics is, oh, Christians are always trying to convert you. They always have, they always have got an angle. They're always trying to convert you. And I was always sensitive to that. I was like, I don't want to seem like I'm just trying to convert you.

I'm done with that. Yes, I am trying to convert you. Absolutely. Unapologetically. I am trying to convert you. Everyone's preaching and I'm getting on this.

You know why? Because worldviews have consequences. Eternal consequences. I'm absolutely, unapologetically, I want to convert you to the worship of the one true God. I want you to know the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I want you to know the triune God.

John Piper also says that missions exist because worship doesn't. There are people that do not worship Christ. They don't know Him. They don't love Him. They don't know the perfection of beauty, the author of goodness, and love, and joy. They don't know the glory of Christ.

They are dead in sin. Absolutely, I'm trying to convert you. I want you to know the one true God. I don't want you to miss out on who this God is. There's an atheist comedian named Penn Jillette. We've mentioned this quote before.

It's just really helpful to hear his perspective. He's talking about how Christians try to convert him sometimes and how much he appreciates it because he's like, if you believe in heaven and hell, I mean, why aren't you trying to convert me? He says, how much do you have to hate someone not to proselytize? That's evangelize. How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? And it's just, to hear an atheist say that, I mean, it's refreshing and it's so convicting.

How much do you have to hate somebody? How much do you have to not love somebody to say, I don't want to make it weird? Like, I don't want to make our workplace weird. I don't want to make them uncomfortable. You know, faith is a personal matter. I don't, you know, I don't really want to push it too far.

If we love Christ and we trust His word and if you love other people, your heart will say, absolutely, I want you to know Christ and you will look for every opportunity that God presents for you to demonstrate the gospel, share the gospel and help them believe. Now listen, we fail. Alright? I look at this in my own selfishness, my own fears sometimes. I feel that. Alright?

Here's good news. Jesus' grace covers your lack of obedience to this great commission. He covers it. Our failures, our fears, it's been paid for at the cross. So know that.

Yes, you fail in this area. But His grace covers it. And then once you realize that, in repentance, see that Jesus is holding the door open and He's saying, get in. Join me in mission. You don't know what you're missing. There's so much joy found in partnering with our God to see sinners taste and see that the Lord is good.

There's a quote by a famous missionary, C.T. Stubb. He says, I cannot tell you what joy it gave me to bring the first soul to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have tasted almost all the pleasures that this world can give. I do not suppose that there is one I have not experienced, but I can tell you that those pleasures were as nothing compared to the joy that saving of that one soul gave me. no hobby, nothing in this world compares to the joy of joining our God and mission to see people believe in Jesus. It's beautiful and it is good.

We get to join with our God and mission to seek and save the lost. There are times where my son wants to help around the house. We're doing yesterday and he's helping me and he's three and he's not the most helpful at times. He's just little and he doesn't have a lot of attention. But he loves it.

He gets really excited. He'll go grab his toy tool kit. He's got a little plastic camera and plastic screwdriver. Every now and then he's nearby and I'll actually give him something to do. Hey, can you hold this? And his face just lights up because he gets to help his dad out.

And I love that it's a picture that we get to partner with our father. Our God is inviting us into mission. Listen, hear this clearly. When someone is saved, by the blood of Jesus, that is God at work. It is not us. Right?

God is the one that brings about redemption. He's the one that brings dead people to life in Christ. It's his work. But we get to be a part of that. We're invited into that. How joyful it is that we get to partner with our God.

That he gets to use us to bring about his kingdom. There's a lot of joy filled in that and I don't want us to miss out on bringing people to Jesus. The third aspect. Is to teach them. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. If you want to make disciples, and hear this, if you want to make disciples that last, you need to teach them.

You need to help them know the Bible. You need to help them know God. That's why we say all the time, read your Bible. We're fighting against, there's a big swing on the pendulum to this, it's over simplicity just to help people to read their Bibles. Yes, it can be. But also, read your Bibles.

Like, absolutely know God through His Word. It will shape you and mold you into His image. Read your Bible. We absolutely want to know God by observing His teachings, by observing His commands, and this is why I love Matthew's Gospel. It's just, he's brilliant. Because what He does right here, is honestly, He's also tagging back a lot of Jesus' former teachings, a lot of His former commands.

Observe all that I've commanded. That goes back, I mean, just think about where we've been in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 4, He talked about making fishers of men. Come, I will make you fishers of men. That's the kind of kingdom that He calls us into. In Matthew 5-7, we get to see this kingdom of a higher ethical teaching, a higher ethical living, that ultimately we want to live out, but have no shot of fulfilling ourselves, which is why Christ came to fulfill it Himself.

In Matthew 8-10, we get to see how our Lord is a missionary, that He cares, that He heals people, that He mends the broken, and that He sends us out as missionaries to go and proclaim the good news of His kingdom, even in the midst of persecution. In Matthew 11-12, we get to see a kingdom where the King offers true less against the backdrop of horrible, bad religion. In Matthew 13-17, we get to see parable after parable, teaching after teaching, that has so much wisdom that for thousands of years the church has come together to study and mind for its wisdom. In Matthew 18-20, we get to see the church and how He calls us to care for one another, to hold one another accountable, and how to pursue good together.

In Matthew 21-25, we get to see all these teachings where He's in the final week, He's instructing us, He's teaching the disciples, He's giving some prophecy of what is to come, He's showing down with the religious leaders, again, showing us how bad religion is not what we're called to, and then in Matthew 26-28, the King goes to the cross, and He conquers death and the resurrection, and then He comes to this mountain in Galilee, and He says, observe all that I've taught you. All of it. And listen, the good news is, is we don't just have the Gospel of Matthew, we've got the whole Bible, and the whole Bible is filled with teaching, and filled with commands, and filled with so much goodness that we get to search and discover. So absolutely, teach others to know God.

Not just to read the Word, and to know facts. Not just to be hearers of the Word, but be doers also. We want to know the Scriptures. So He walks through these three, go, baptize, teaching. These are the three main aspects of what it looks like to make disciples. The whole universe is Christ.

And He calls us to make disciples. To go out and get them, to lead them to faith, and to teach them the message of Christ. Those are the marching orders. Out of all the marching orders, out of all the commands, in all of human history, there's none more important and none more profound. And it is given by our God. Now, it is also a command that, let's be honest, can be difficult.

And at times, can be scary. And it's so sure and guaranteed to bring us pain at times. From the foreign missionary on the mission field that faces intense persecution for sharing their faith, to the everyday missionary who is in her office when she's sharing the gospel and her co-workers are mocking her and making fun of her and her faith, it's hard. It invites pain and discomfort. When you obey this, it absolutely invites hardship. And that's why I love how Jesus ends all of it.

He says, And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Our King promises. Hear this. He promises to be with us all the way to the finish line. All the way to the end. If you obey the call to make disciples, it will take you to places you never expected.

If you obey the call of God, it may call you to do things you never thought you would do. And you're going to face opposition. You're going to enter spiritual warfare. You might lose friends. It is difficult. But God is with us.

He gets to be a comfort with us along the way wherever He sends us. There are times where I'm downstairs with my kids and I have time. Hey, go upstairs. Go grab that toy. Go grab something. I tell them to go upstairs.

And I hear them kind of walk to the bottom of the stairs and then I don't hear the pitter-patter of feet going upstairs. And I'm going to corner them. I'm like, Hey, what are y'all doing? And they're like, We're scared. It's dark. And I try to reason with them because reasoning with a three or five-year-old is usually effective.

And they're just like, Guys, I don't want to know. I'm like, okay. So I come up behind them and we walk up the stairs. Together. And we turn on the lights. And they're not scared anymore because their dad is with them.

And there's nothing to be scared of when their dad is with them. And that's us, guys. God calls us to go into the darkness. He calls us to go and make disciples. He calls us to do some pretty extreme and radical things. But He's not going to abandon us.

He's with us every step of the way. It is the sovereign King who declares, Mine over every inch of existence who's behind us and who's with us and is never going to let us go. If you surrendered your life to this calling, He'll be with you even in the midst of great loss. The famous missionary Hudson Taylor was married to his wife for 12 years and she died on the mission field. And I will celebrate my 10th anniversary next month. I cannot imagine losing my wife right now.

And in the midst of all of it, He writes this letter. He says, At times He, God, He allows me to realize all that I had in her but have no longer. And then He who will soon come and wipe away every tear comes and takes all bitterness from my tears and fills my heart with deep, true, unutterable gladness. How good is that? In the midst of unbelievable, unbelievable loss. He feels the comfort of God.

Our God does not abandon us in the midst of suffering, in the midst of the calling to make disciples. The reality is that many of you have entrusted your life to Jesus. And some of you are seeking to obey the Great Commission. And in your obedience of Jesus, you face some pain and hardship. Some of you all have lost friends. Right?

I felt this when I became a Christian. And Jesus started to change me. And all of a sudden, your friends are like, I don't know if I want to be a part of this anymore. And they just kind of abandoned you. That hurts. You feel that.

Some of you have multiplied community groups. We're going to get to celebrate that in a moment. That we're multiplying a new group. And that's hard. To journey with someone for two or three years, and all of a sudden, the reason we multiply groups is we want to make room for mission. Our groups are how we make disciples.

And we want people to experience Jesus. And groups, when they get big enough, it's time for them to multiply so that we can create more room for others to know Christ. But that's hard. When you've journeyed with someone for two or three years, and you go and you multiply a new group, sure, you're going to see them on Sunday. The gathering of the saints right now, every Sunday is good. And you might hang out with them a little bit outside of the group.

But be honest. The reality is, is you won't see them as much as you used to. You won't see them that one time a week that was guaranteed every week. You won't hear the words of comfort that you've got to hear on a regular basis. That's hard. That is loss.

It is loss for the sake of gain. We experience all kinds of hurt on the mission. The Rockies, who right now, are you either listening to this right now or I know you're going to listen to it later because you listen to all our sermons online. You gave up everything. You left everything behind. It wasn't just the stuff.

It was the people. It was your friends. It was your family. It was this church family. And that's hard when you give up that kind of loss. We experience loss in so many ways in the mission.

Some of you, in obedience to the gospel, in obedience to the teachings of Christ, you've had to have really difficult conversations with other Christians. You've had to call them out in sin. And it has not gone well. And it's blown up in your face. That hurts. This can be incredibly difficult.

There's a lot of risk in obeying the Great Commission. There's a lot of risk in following Jesus. I love this quote that comes out of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the second book of the Chronicles of Narnia. Or whatever you, people who nerd out about it might be the first book. There's a debate on that. It's not important.

Still want to speak untruthfully. For the three of you that care about that. There's a part where Susan, who's one of the main characters, is about to meet Aslan, the Lion. And she's nervous. She starts talking to one of the other characters, Mr. Beaver.

She's nervous when she finds out he's a Lion. Mr. Beaver says, Aslan is a Lion. The Lion. The Great Lion. Oh, said Susan.

I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a Lion. Safe, said Mr. Beaver. Who said anything about safe?

Of course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king, I tell you. I love that. That's a picture of our God. Of course he isn't safe.

Read the Gospels. We've already walked through. You follow Jesus, persecution will come. Family might turn on you. You will face opposition. You will face the powers of evil.

You absolutely will. There's no safety in following Jesus. That's not guaranteed at all. But he's good. He's the king. He's sovereign over every inch of existence.

And he promises to be with you every step of the way. If you go where the Lord is calling you, if you're obedient and you go, I want you to know something. Some of you, that might be across the world. And some of you, that might be more missional in your neighborhood and your workplace. But if you go, there are people, hear this, there are people right now that do not know Jesus, that currently walk, as the Bible says, as enemies of the cross, of Christ.

They don't know Him. They are journeying towards hell. But if you go and you proclaim the gospel, some of them are going to believe. And some of them right now who are destined to destruction will have their eternity diverted. And a thousand years from now, when you're worshiping God and we have perfect fellowship with one another, they're going to be in the kingdom with you. How good is that?

That's worth the risk to hear the call and go. Some of you need to leverage your life to make disciples. There's so much joy in converting people to help them see that God is good. It's so joyful when you share the gospel and they realize, I don't have to earn God's favor. I can trust the finished work of Jesus. Yes, I want Him.

And then the end of the baptism water is with you. It's beautiful and it's good. Some of you need to teach. Some of you need to commit to discipling and teaching others the scriptures and giving your time and your energy and your wisdom and your experience. Some of you need to lead groups. Some of you, listen, if you obey the calling and you do this, you will lead groups.

And your groups, there's going to be some mess because we're all sinners and we bring our mess in it. And sometimes you're going to come across a marriage that is on the rocks. And because you committed to teach them and to show them the scriptures, you'll get to watch marriages be restored and reconciliation happen. You'll get to spend time with Christians who've been bitter towards family or friends or other Christians for years. And you get to open up the scriptures and watch their hearts be softened. And you'll see families be restored.

Friendships be restored. You'll see God go to work. But you've got to obey the command to do it. We've got to do it. We've got to obey the Great Commission. That we want to see this happen.

My hope is we'd hear these words and we would participate in work that lasts and resounds for eternity. The sovereign King over all things, the resurrecting King that we just joyfully sing about stands and says all authority, it's all mine. Now go out and get them. Go out and make disciples. Teach them to observe my commands. And I will be with you every step of the way all the way to finish.

Let's receive that and let's do it.

Easter (Matthew 27:55-28:15)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

Easter

Chet Philips

Transcript

Apparently, I had it on the whole time I was singing, so if you thought things sounded particularly good today, you're welcome. 1 Corinthians 15, 17 says, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Jesus Christ was crucified. He was dead. He was buried. If he stayed that way.

You're dressed up. You look nice. This is a waste of time. I mean, I think you look good. Take your picture. Grab a cupcake on the way out.

But this is a waste of time. This is futile. You are in your sins. That's the primary thing that Jesus came to do is to rescue sinners. To redeem us from our sin. And if he did not rise, he does not redeem.

He does not save. You have no hope. You are in your sin. But if he does rise, then our faith isn't futile. And we are not in our sin. And we have gathered this morning because he does rise.

He did rise. And we have hope. And we have good hope and certain hope. My family are Carolina fans. South Carolina fans. We grew up.

I grew up. We didn't pay any attention to sports whatsoever. We played sports. We did not watch them. We did not talk about them. I knew no one who played.

I knew no scores. I knew nothing. My friends would talk about them at school. I was like, yeah, I don't know anything to what you're talking about. I was playing linebacker in high school. Somebody said something to me about Urlacher.

I responded, who? And that's a mortal sin for a white linebacker. You're supposed to know who Brian Urlacher is. I had to go Google it later. Probably still on dial-up. I had to look it up, try to find out who this person was we were talking about.

But my younger brother, when he was in middle school, he decided that this was a problem for our family. And that we needed to pick a team to pull for. And so he decided that we should pull for the South Carolina Gamecocks. And he brought us all in on it. And he chose in middle school, and he got excited about it. And he had us join him.

And sometimes, when everything's still and quiet, I find myself imagining what it would have been like if he had picked better. I think it was inevitable. My older brother ended up going there. My wife went to USC. We moved here and started the church. So I think at some point it was meant to be for me to be a South Carolina fan.

But South Carolina fans have hope. Because that's all they have. And it's, we say, well, you know, maybe next year. We'll put a whole season. Well, next year. We'll get it together next year.

Based off of absolutely nothing. One of the things South Carolina fans will do is tell you bad players from this year that will be returning next year. This person will be back. We've got 11 seniors coming back. What does that matter? They didn't do anything this year.

Let's go find some new ones. Do you think our coaches are going to get them better in the offseason? Because I've never seen that happen. We'll do it. We'll do for a whole season. We'll do for a game.

You'll hear South Carolina fans say things like, all right. All we got to do is score. Stop them. Score. Stop them. Get the onside kick.

Score. And we're right back in this thing. And they mean down by three or seven or whatever. And there's no reason. Have you been watching the game to assume that we will a score or be stop them. That's not the type of hope that Christians have.

It's not hopeful, wishful, good thoughts about a potential future based off of nothing. Christians have certain hope in finished work accomplished by Christ on our behalf. When we talk about hope, we don't mean I think it will be good later. We mean he has accomplished this. And therefore we have rock solid, unending, unyielding future hope. And that's why we've gathered this morning.

Grab your Bibles. Go to Matthew chapter 27. We are going to look at the resurrection of Jesus. That the resurrection is real. And because it is real, everything Jesus taught, everything Jesus claimed to be, everything Jesus said he was going to do is vindicated and validated. It has a seal on it of certainty and truth.

So when he says he forgives sins, he means it. When he says that there will be hope in his name and salvation in his name, he means it. When he says he's the son of God and we'll see him in power, he means it. Because it's real. So let's pray and then we'll begin to read this text together.

God, we thank you for the certain hope of the resurrection. We pray that as we read this, you would help it come alive to us. That we might see it. That you might captivate our hearts. And for those in this room who have not placed their faith in you, Lord, we pray that they would leave with a certain hope. And forgiveness of sins.

Future salvation. To reign with you for eternity. In Jesus' name. Amen. Matthew chapter 27 verse 55. There were also many women there looking on from a distance.

So they're watching Jesus be crucified. Who had followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him. I love that it says that the women were there. They stayed. They didn't run off like the men. And that it specifies that when they followed him, they ministered to him.

And that sounds very true. He asked the men, what are they doing? Like, we're ministering with Jesus. We're here to do some stuff. But they didn't help him.

And the women came and they're like, no, we love Jesus. We're going to serve Jesus. They ministered to Jesus. They've been ministering to him. And among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, this is Jesus is dead.

This was Good Friday. There came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there sitting opposite the tomb. So Joseph of Arimathea gets the body, cleans Jesus's body. They lay Jesus's dead body in Joseph's tomb. We're told that it's a new tomb because they would have and it's cut in rocks. So they would have gone in these limestone rocks.

They would have cut out tombs and they would have shelves in there and you would bury your whole family potentially in there. Your whole household would be buried in the same tomb. We're told it's a new tomb. There was only one body in there. It was Jesus's. And they rolled a stone and we're told that this is a big stone.

Rolled a stone in front of the hole cut out in the rock. And this stone would have been basically like a millstone. It had been fairly flat, rounded and sat in a little trench and rolled over the hole. And that was to keep grave robbers out. It was to keep animals out. And so they close the tomb.

And they were told that the Marys know where the tomb is. They've seen it. They saw him buried. That's important. The next day, that is, after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, Sir, we remember how that imposter said while he was still alive. After three days, I will rise.

Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away. And and the last fraud will be worse than the first. Oh, steal him away and tell the people he has risen from the dead and the last fraud will be worse than the first. So the chief priests go and they say, hey, this guy kept telling people he was going to die and he was going to rise again. So it's possible that his disciples will steal the body and then be like, he rose.

Yeah. And that'll be bad. He's an imposter. And that'll make the last fraud worse than the first. And I want you to know that if Jesus didn't rise from the dead, they're right. He's an imposter and a fraud.

He's not a good man. He's not a good moral teacher. He's an imposter and a fraud because he said that he was the son of God. He said that he could forgive sins. He said that his blood was going to be poured out as a sacrifice in a new covenant to forgive sins for all who would believe in him. And he said he was going to rise from the grave.

So if he doesn't. He's an imposter and a fraud. They're vindicated. The chief priests and the Pharisees are right. They should have killed him if he doesn't rise. And I want you all to know that's the chief point of Christianity.

Christianity, everything hangs on this. Does Jesus rise from the grave or not? Every once in a while I'll be talking to somebody and they'll be like, I don't know if I can be a Christian. I just don't. I just don't know if you can get that many animals on a boat. And it's like, let's not start there.

That's not that's not. The disciples aren't like I need to tell you some good news. The boat was real. It is real. But that's not the point to debate over first.

You've got to understand. You've got to look at. Did Jesus rise from the grave? Because if he did, then he's king and he's God and we obey. Then we look at the rest of it.

Every once in a while people say, I don't know if I can be a Christian. There's just some stuff in there I don't agree with. Right. Of course. Bible says we're sinners. He's God.

He's going to say some stuff we don't like, you guys. I'd be like you assumed a married couple had been married for 50 years and you just thought, well, they must agree on everything. No. They just learned they had some other things more important that helped them overcome their disagreements. I'd be like you growing up in your house and be like, I'm not sure they're really my parents because I don't like some of their rules. Check your birth certificate.

Have they raised you since you were little? Look at some old family photos. I'm pretty sure you're their kid. That's a bad test. God doesn't think like me. I'm not sure he's real.

I don't think that's a good test. The question is that Jesus arrived from the grave and if he did, then he's king. We obey. We submit. We know he loves us. We know he's good.

We know he's for our good. And we're willing to, where we disagree, understand that we're wrong, that he saved sinners and that we obey and follow. This is the question. Is he an imposter? Or did he rise? So it says this.

Pilate said to them, you have a guard of soldiers. Go make it as secure as you can. So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. So the stone's been rolled over the hole. They go seal it. We don't know exactly how they did this.

They could have done wax seals that actually had like an insignia in them. There's reports that it was seven wax seals. There's others that say that it was a rope. The scriptures don't tell us. They just tell it's sealed. It was a rope that they put against the wall in some clay.

But they put something on there to show this door has not moved. And they set a guard. Now in my head, and I'm thinking maybe this has to do with like growing up in Sunday school, I always picture two men. That doesn't make any sense. It would have been more than two. It would have been a guard.

They would have set a group there because they were going to have to sleep. They were going to have to watch this for a couple of days. It's probably five to ten. Some sort of a detachment with some kind of leader. They set guards around the tomb. Now this wasn't going to be that difficult of a job.

They're mostly a deterrent. They're here to keep people from stealing the body. Maybe they thought it's possible they'll try to fight us and take it. But that would kind of ruin their plan because they can't steal the body and sneak away and claim he rose if all of us have a big fight out here. But they've got guards.

They've sealed the tomb. They're guarding him. Chapter 28. Now, after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day. So the Sabbath was Saturday.

Jesus was crucified on Friday, Sabbath, Saturday, Sunday morning. Toward the dawn of the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Though they know where it is. There's also guards there and it's sealed. It's pretty clear which tomb was Jesus's.

And behold, there was a great earthquake for the for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. I love that. It wasn't just an earthquake. Like, you know how someone tells you, hey, we had an earthquake earlier. And you're like, really? I did feel like maybe I shook earlier.

But you don't really remember it. This was a great one. This is a serious earthquake. And the angel rolls the stone back and sits on it. Which I just appreciate that that was his attitude. Rolls the stone back and it sits on it.

And it says his appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. He is bright, dazzling. It's not just like sun brightness. It's like lightning brightness. He was, dare I say, striking. Y'all may not be proud of me.

I'm very proud of me. Verse four. And for fear of him, the guards trembled and became like dead men. Yeah. Seems fair. They're here to be a deterrent to fishermen and tax collectors.

Not angels. He shows up. There's an earthquake, which shook him anyway. And then there's an angel who looks like lightning. He's rolled the tomb back. The thing they were supposed to do is keep that door closed.

Job's already over. Like, oh, oops. He's already done what we were supposed to stop people from doing. And he's just sitting on the stone like what? And it says they trembled and became like dead men. They look like cartoon characters or like Don Knotts in anything you ever played in.

They see this angel. They shake. I like to imagine two of them grabbed each other. And then they just fall out. They're supposed to be tough, strong. And they were.

These were soldiers in the Roman army. But they see this angel. It's over. They just nope out. They fall over. Which is fair.

Because that's not really what they were hired to do. I help manage a firework store twice a year. And on our busiest days, we have security guards. And they're there as a deterrent. Keep kids from pocketing our fireworks. Keep drunk people from fighting in our gravel parking lot.

You know, stuff like that. Help people not smoke inside the building. They're there as a deterrent. But if there's an earthquake and a shining lightning angel rips the front of the store off and steps in, I don't think our security guard is going to be like, now it's my moment. This is what they pay me for. I think he's going to be like, now.

And that's fair. I'm going to do it too. You can have all the fireworks you want. I don't know why you're here. That's what they do. They fall out.

Then it says, the angel, this is verse 5. But the angel said to the women, do not be afraid. Which again, if you meet an angel, that's what you want to hear. You notice he doesn't say it to the guards. It's possible it's because they were unconscious. It's possible because he came specifically to make them be afraid.

He says, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen as he said. Jesus Christ rose from the grave just like he said he was going to. He keeps his promises. We can hope in the certainty of the resurrection of Christ that he is not dead and buried any longer, that he is alive. And therefore, when he says that he forgives sinners, he does.

Come, see the place where he lay. Tell them, go look. That's why it matters. There's only one body in there. They go in. There's no bodies.

Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead. And behold, he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him. See, I have told you. So he says, come, look, he's not here anymore.

Go tell his disciples. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, greetings. And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. That is the appropriate response to the risen Christ. Worship.

They come up, they fall down, they grab his feet and they worship. And there's a few things that I think we need to point out here that are helpful. One is, Jesus had feet. Because it was common knowledge to them that ghosts don't. Y'all have seen a picture of Casper. You know it's true.

He's not an apparition. He's not a vision. He is physically, literally there. Also, there is a thing called the swoon theory of the atonement. Or the swoon theory of the crucifixion. That Jesus had his back ripped open by whips.

That he was mocked, spit on, slapped, nailed to a cross. That he was hung on a cross for several hours, stabbed in the side with a spear. And he swooned, which means fainted. And that he didn't actually die. And so they wrapped him up, thought he was dead. They put him in the tomb.

Three days later, he came out because he wasn't dead. There's some problems with that. One is, they did all the things that it takes to kill a person. It's very hard to just pass out from that and not be dead. They also were professional executioners. They knew what they were doing.

They also had people that cared about him, who buried him. Because they were used to having to bury and they knew what a dead person was like. They buried him. But the other thing that I want to point out, if that were true, when they saw him, they would not fall down and worship him. They would have helped him. Even if he could have lasted for three days, wrapped up by himself in the tomb, enough to stay alive, which again, doesn't make any sense.

But if they saw him, he would have looked terrible. They would have run to his aid. But when they see him, he is alive. Gloriously, beautifully, healthy, alive. And they worship him because he has conquered death. And so we worship him.

Verse 10. Then Jesus said to them, do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see me. Okay. We had just been told that they went with fear and great joy. Jesus shows up and says, I'm going to take one of those emotions away.

Do not be afraid. He just leaves them with great joy. That's the result of the resurrection that you are given great joy. Some of you are here this morning. And in your approach to God, you're afraid. Maybe you haven't been in church in a while.

Maybe you felt like it's Easter. I need to get back over there. Maybe you had to work yourself up and psych yourself up. Maybe you stood out in the parking lot and chain smoked three cigarettes before you came in here this morning. Just to get the nerve to come in here and gather with the church. And Jesus says, do not be afraid.

He did not come to die, to be brutally murdered so that you could have a half-hearted, shaky salvation. He did not come and die and rise and conquer the grave so that you might approach him fearfully. He takes punishment on your behalf so that you might have great joy. Do not be afraid. It says, while they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, tell people his disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.

And if this comes to the governor's ears, that would be pilot, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day. The guards show back up and say, an angel showed up and Jesus left. And they take counsel not to say, hey guys, maybe we were wrong about Jesus. I wonder if anybody raised their hand at the council and was like, have we thought about just like repenting?

Maybe asking him to forgive us? They just are like, let's get enough money together. Let's come up with this lie. They pay them to go lie and say that his body was stolen. They specifically tell them, look, if the governor finds out, which y'all will be very much in trouble for this, we'll cover for you. Now, that lie doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Because the disciples don't benefit much from pretending that Jesus rose from the grave. He was a fraud. He doesn't actually save from sin. If they went and stole his body and then just pretended he rose from the grave, the only thing they get out of it is persecution. They are beaten, murdered for 30 years. They're chased from place to place, put in prison.

And then after 30 years, it gets worse. They're executed. They're tortured. All of them, not just the disciples, but the people who believe their word. They hold to this story. There's a man named Chuck Colson or Charles Colson who was Nixon's hatchet man.

So President Nixon in the Watergate scandal had a lawyer who they called him the hatchet man. Sounds like a nice guy. If you're not familiar with the Watergate scandal, some of you are very familiar. Some of you lived through that. Some of you don't really. You're like, oh, yeah, no, I kind of remember that.

Some of you are like, what? Just know it's so important that from then on, Americans have stuck gate behind everything that has ever happened. Deflate gate. You can go look it up online. There's a fajita gate. There's a very long list of all the things that we just stuck gate behind because of Watergate.

We're like, oh, it's a scandal. Stick gate next to it. But Chuck Colson gets arrested. He was one of the first ones to be arrested. He becomes a Christian in jail or prison. And he says this.

He says, I know the resurrection is a fact. And Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified that they had seen Jesus raised from the dead. Then they proclaim that truth for 40 years, never once denying it.

Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world and they couldn't keep alive for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep alive for 40 years? Absolutely impossible. Jesus Christ literally, physically rose from the dead.

And we have a literal, physical, certain, eternal hope because of it. First Corinthians 15, 17 says, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Three verses later, he says, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. Faith isn't futile. You're not in your sins. We have a certain hope.

When I was in high school, I took an AP English class. AP classes, you study, you take a test. If you do well enough on the test, you don't have to. You can place out of college stuff. My high school wasn't excellent, but we did have this class, so I took it. Some places, like 30 of these things.

We had this one. I took it. I test well. I placed out of English in college. Do you know what I didn't do after I took that test? Study English ever again.

Didn't have to study it in college. The work was done. It was accomplished. I was free. Well, until seminary when I had to learn how grammar works. But that's not part of the illustration.

The part of the illustration is that Jesus accomplished this for us. We are free. You are not here to take a test. You are not here to be moral enough. You are not here to be one of the good ones. You are not here to learn from all of us how to behave well.

If you are, you have chosen a bad group of people to hang out with. We want you to join a group so that you can all learn to love Jesus more. Not so that you can be a good morals club. We want you to repent of sin. We want you to obey. But the purpose of this is not let's come together and take the test well enough so that God will love us.

It's let's come together and praise Jesus who has already taken and passed and accomplished everything for us. It is finished. He has risen. We have hope. Now, everybody in here is placing hope in something. You're looking at something and saying, if I can just have you, I'll be okay.

If I can just accomplish this, I'll be okay. If I can just make enough money. If I can just have the right relationship. If my marriage can just be good. If I can just get out of this marriage. I'll be happy.

I'll be free. If I can just have children. Then you have children. You're like, well, if they can just behave. And then you're like, if they can just move out. But we pick something to say, if I can just have this, if this will just work.

We say, if I can just make enough money. And then you find out that people on the internet can just decide to buy certain stocks and mess everything up. If I can just have enough money. If I can just control this right. And then there's a man who's just doing his job. And then he realizes he left his garage door open.

So he takes his cargo ship and does a three point turn. And he gets stuck. And the supply chain for the whole world is messed up. These things are not certain. They are not controllable. You're hoping in something that is.

Look, the truth is, and I hate to break it to some of you. We're all Gamecock fans. In something. We've all picked something that we're just wishfully thinking it'll get better one day. That sometime it's going to finally work. And the reality is, even if we get it, how long does it have to last?

Does it have to stay stable? Can you peak and stop? Or does it have to keep getting better over time? Can you sustain it? Some of you have picked something that's always out in front of you. But the reality is, if you ever get it, you'll realize that now you've got to keep it.

You do. Some of you right now are running from your past decisions. Just waiting for your past mistakes to catch up with you. This is uncertain hope. That is to be accomplished by you and kept by you. So I want us to look.

I want you to think about what is it that you keep placing your hope in. That it will fix you. That it will save you. I want us to look at 1 Peter 1, 3, 4, and 5. It says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope.

Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That our hope, if you are in Christ, is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Not through your good works. Not through your intelligence. Not through your good behavior in the past or your ability to promise to be better in the future. Not through you.

Praise Jesus not through you. Praise Jesus not through me. It's not even that he gives us a clean slate and says, keep it together. He takes it. And he keeps it. Which is good.

I don't want it back. I can't do it. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Verse 4. To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Kept in heaven for you.

Who? You. Who? By God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. Now look at that.

What else passes that test? Is your money imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept eternally for you? Is it guarded by God's power? Is it ready to be revealed? Is your health and good looks and muscles, are they imperishable? Undefiled, unfading?

Unfading? Are they kept for you eternally? Are they guarded by God's power? Is your marriage? Your relationships? Your children?

Your good morals? Your ability to not be found out? See a lot of us start off on the I'm going to behave really well. And then that turns into I'm going to hide really well. And I'm going to behave really well in the future. But it's not.

It's not imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. It's not guarded by God's power. If your hope isn't in Christ, may I suggest you get a better hope. If your hope isn't sealed. If your hope isn't certain. If your hope doesn't make you free.

If your hope does not remove fear and leave you with joy. May I suggest you get a better hope. And may I tell you that you can find it in Christ and you can find it in Christ right now. That he can save to the uttermost all those who will call on him for salvation. That we come to him in repentance. Meaning that all you bring is the stuff that makes you insufficient to save yourself.

You come with your sin. That's what qualifies you for salvation is that you need it. And you come and you say, Lord, I can't save myself. I'm not good enough. I'm not smart enough. I'm not strong enough.

I can't keep it. I can't maintain it. By the grace of God, save me. And he does. He loves us enough to die for our sins. And he rises so that we might have certain hope.

That we come to him in faith. We trust that he does it. We give him praise and glory. That's why we gather. To worship his name because he's the one who redeems. To praise his name because he's the one who saves.

And if your hope isn't this certain. Might I suggest that you place your faith in Jesus. And you get your fear taken away. You get it replaced with great joy. And you have a certain hope. The band's going to come back up.

And we're going to praise Jesus. And Christians in this room, we're going to get loud. And we're going to celebrate. Because it's not up to us. It's not left on our shoulders. And if you have not placed your faith in Christ, you can.

I know that you're qualified. I know that you're qualified because all you need is sin. All you need is shortcoming. All you need is weakness. That you can come to him right now. And I know that he has qualified us through his finished work on the cross.

So all you have to do is say, please forgive me of my sins. Change me. Help me to follow you. And he will. Don't hesitate. We have this tendency to fight this.

Don't fight this. Lay your fear down. Leave with joy. Be redeemed by Christ. Let's pray.

God, we thank you that we have a certain hope through the resurrection of Christ. That we are guarded by your power, not ours. And Lord, for the person in here who's had these moments right now where the Holy Spirit is pulling on them to believe. Pressing on them and saying, let this go. Turn from this. Trust in me.

Lord, may you break them so that they will not fight you any longer. By your grace will you claim them. May they lay their sin down and ask for salvation to the one who loves and freely gives. Forgiveness without regret. Hope that is certain. May you take fear away and leave in its wake great joy accomplished by the finished work of Christ.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Good Friday

Good Friday

Spencer Cary

Transcript

Good evening. It is good Friday, you guys. I'm excited that we get to worship and look at the cross of Christ. We are going to jump straight into Matthew this evening as we follow Jesus, picking up the readings that we just finished, as we follow Jesus up the hill to be crucified. And as we walk through it, I want you to visualize the different scenes of Jesus going to the cross and on the cross. I want you to picture it.

There are moments where you have to close your eyes to do this. I invite you to do it. And the more that we picture and visualize what happened at the cross, the more we will begin to understand why we call this Good Friday. Let me pray and then we'll jump into the text. Lord Jesus, we thank you for the work that you have done. May we see it so clearly with open eyes.

And may we respond in Jesus name. Amen. All right. Verse 32. As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

All right. So where we left off on Sunday, Jesus was being brutally tortured and beaten. He is physically unable to take the cross up the hill. Now, there's a man named Simon of Cyrene who's passing through. He's from the region of Cyrene, which is in modern day Libya. He's probably here on pilgrimage to see to be a part of the Passover feast.

And they grab him and they say, help Jesus take this cross up the hill. So they come up the hill where Jesus will be crucified. Verse 33. It says, when they found when they came to the place called Golgotha, which means which means place of a skull. They offered him wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he tasted it, he would not drink it.

All right. So they move to a place called Golgotha, which is right outside the city walls. It's called place of a skull. This is where Jesus will be executed in Latin. It's where we get the term Calvary. He's taken up the hill of Calvary and he's given a drink of wine mixed with gall.

Now, it's debated whether this is an act of kindness or if this is further mockery. You can go back and forth on this. Gall is a bitter drink. It's mixed with the wine. And I would argue from the context of Matthew that it's probably a little bit of mockery. Mocking him.

This is what we're going to see, a lot of theme of Jesus' humiliation and mocking as you walk through these scenes in Matthew. He refuses to drink it. And then they nail his hands to the cross and nail his feet to the cross and raise him up. Verse 35 says, when they crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. And they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head, they put the charge against him, which read, this is Jesus, the king.

The king of the Jews. Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. So when he's raised up, there are men below him casting lots, gambling over his clothes. Which means either they're gambling over the clothes that will come off of him when he comes down from the cross or they have raised him up naked. This is deeply humiliating. This is deeply humiliating.

The crucifixion was meant to be humiliating. They are gambling over his clothes and they put a sign over his head to further mock our Savior. It said, this is Jesus, king of the Jews. Mocking him. Not realizing the irony of the king they're actually crucifying and killing. And then it tells us that he was crucified between two robbers.

Now the same word in the original language for robber is where we get the word insurrectionist, rebel. It's what we saw Sunday when we walked through Barabbas being exchanged. It's possible these men are also rebels, not just thieves, being crucified to the left and right of Jesus. And then the mocking continues. Verse 39, it says, and those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself. They're mocking him.

Not realizing he was speaking of his own body when he made that statement. They continue to mock him. If you are the son of God, come down from the cross. So also the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him, saying, he saved others. He cannot save himself. He is the king of Israel.

Let him come down now from the cross and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now if he desires him. For he said, I am the son of God. And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. I want you to see what type of mockery this is.

They are belittling. They are mocking Jesus' relationship with his own heavenly father. They are making fun of his relationship with his father. So much so that the robbers to this left and right start to join in on this. We know one of them finally repents in the end before time ends. But everyone here is mocking Jesus.

And this is an especially painful dig. Because right now, God the Father is pouring out his wrath on his son. But right now, Jesus longs to hear the loving voice of his father. And all he hears is silence and wrath. It says, verse 45, Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lay my sabachthani.

That is, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Jesus has enjoyed eternal, joy-filled, loving fellowship with the Father. And in one of the darkest moments of all of history, he cries out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? That is a verbatim, that is an exact quote from Psalm 22.1. And if I had more time, I'd help you see that this entire section is fulfilling Psalm 22. The only answer he gets in this moment is wrath and silence.

And this moment is so dark that literally creation embodies it. This is a darkness hovers over all the land. Jesus is in physical agony. He is slowly suffocating. His flesh has been ripped to shreds. And for the first time ever, this perfect fellowship he's had with his Father is broken as God's wrath is poured out on him.

And it says in verse 47, Some bystanders hearing it said, This man is calling Elijah, which in the Aramaic would have sounded similar from the ground. And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the other said, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him. Further mocking Jesus on the cross. Slowly suffocating and dying. Verse 50 says, And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

Now, the wording of that is very intentional. I don't want us to miss this. Jesus is in control of all of this. Jesus is in control of all of this. He willingly submits to the will of the Father in the garden. He willingly journeys towards the cross.

He willingly allows sinful men to try him. To torture him. To beat him. To mock him. He willingly does this. And when it's getting ready to all be finished, he cries out with a loud cry and willingly yields his spirit.

And it is finished. And the work is finally done. And creation immediately feels the effects of this. Verse 51, it says, And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, Truly, this was the Son of God. So when Jesus breathes his last breath, an earthquake occurs. In the Old Testament, earthquakes come about alongside mighty Acts of God. And when the mighty work of Christ is complete, miraculous things start to happen. The first thing it says is that the curtain was torn in two. Now, it doesn't say which curtain that was, but from the context.

It looks like this is the curtain in the innermost part of the temple. The innermost part of the temple was called the Holy of Holies. This is where God's presence resided in. This is where He ruled and reigned from. And there was this thick curtain that separated this part of the temple from the rest. This part of the temple from the people of God.

Because God is so holy and He's so perfect, sin cannot be in the presence of a holy and perfect God. And when Jesus breathes His last breath, that curtain is torn in two. From top to bottom, when it is finished, there is no longer any separation between God and man through Christ. Through Christ, we get access to the Father. So the curtain is torn in two, and then it says that an earthquake happens.

Now, this is one of the strangest and most debated passages in the Gospels. And I don't have the space to really walk us through all the ins and outs of how this can be interpreted because there's a lot of different takes on it. But I'll give you the cleanest, what I think is the best way to understand this, that when Jesus dies, an earthquake happens, that there are tombs that are opened. And some of these tombs belong to recent followers of Jesus. And that when He rises as the first fruit of the resurrection on Easter Sunday, there are some saints that come to life. Again, that is debated.

If you want to debate that later, we can. But we're not going to spend a lot of time on that as we're working through this passage. As creation continues to react to the death of Christ, there's a Roman soldier, a Roman centurion, who sees all of this. And he says, truly, this was the Son of God. And that is pointing forward to the day, for the next 2,000 years, when Gentiles like you and me will make the same conclusion when we believe in Jesus. Truly, this was the Son of God.

Now, we could spend months walking through each of these pictures step by step. But we've been in the Gospel of Matthew for over a year, and I know that some of you are kind of tired at this point. So, but there's so much packed in here, and there's just a few things I want to focus on as we close out this evening. Matthew focuses on the humiliation of Christ. I mean, from when he's tried by the Sanhedrin, from the religious rulers, when he's mocked, when he's beaten, when they're putting the robe on him and treating him, mocking him as a king, all the way to all the parts that we see right here where Jesus is being humiliated, in the midst of all of it is a phrase.

And it's subtle. When they're mocking him, it says, if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. There's something deeper happening in that challenge. If you are the Son of God. You see, in Matthew 4, the exact same phrase, I mean, in the original language, is the exact same phrase is uttered by Satan as Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. If you are the Son of God, he says, turn these stones into bread.

If you are the Son of God, cast yourself off the temple. Don't you know that angels will come and save you? If you are the Son of God. You see, in that moment in Matthew 4, Satan is trying to divert the mission of God. He's trying to stop Satan. He's trying to stop Jesus right then and tempting Him.

If you are the Son of God. And Satan is still at work as he's on the cross and they're mocking him with the same phrase. If you are the Son of God. God should come and help you right now. If you are the Son of God. Come down off that cross.

We read the Jesus Storybook Bible to our kids regularly. And I love how they tackle this story. I love what it says. It says, it wasn't the nails that held Him there. Because in this moment, He could call a whole legion of angels. And in a moment, He could call down, He could flex His power, and all of His enemies would be silenced. in a moment.

It says, it wasn't the nails that held Him there. It was His love. It was His deep love for us. Jesus is derided with the same temptation of Satan. Abandon the mission. You don't have to go through with this.

You can leave now. You can flex your power. If you are the Son of God. It's not the nails that keep Him there. It is His love for us. Jesus could have taken the easy road.

He could have walked away at any moment. But praise Jesus that He did not abandon our hope at the cross. Praise Jesus that as He's on the cross, God has us in mind. For those of us who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, who have trusted in Jesus as our only hope, He had you in mind on the cross. His love for you is what kept Him there. This is our only hope.

That's why we call this Good Friday. Jesus is our only hope. If Jesus doesn't submit to the will of the Father, if He defends Himself at the trial, if He listens to the echoes of Satan, if He doesn't go through with this all the way to the bloody end, we're hopeless. We have no shot at redemption. We are sprinting towards hell without any hope. But because of His great love for us, we call this Good Friday.

We're going to sing the next song that we're going to sing. It's beautiful. I love the first verse of it. It says, Man of sorrows, what a name, for the Son of God who came. ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

What a Savior. We were ruined, hopeless sinners that God reclaimed by His blood. We call it Good because God so loved ruined sinners like you and me that He gave up His only Son to be crushed, to be crucified, and to die for our rebellion, for our sins. The band's going to come up and as they sing this next song, we are going to take the Lord's Supper. If you are a Christian, we invite you to take part in this meal. And as you take this meal, I want you to picture Jesus on the cross.

I want you to think about the suffering. I want you to think about the wrath of God, the Father being poured out on Him. That was meant towards us because of our rebellion, because of our sin. We have earned death, but Jesus died in our place. So Christian, whatever guilt you're wrestling with right now, whatever sin you're wrestling with right now, whatever shame you feel, I want you to know something.

That as you take this bread, which is symbolic of His body that was torn to shreds, when you take this cup, which reminds us of the blood as you take part in this meal, I want you to remember that when Jesus, when God the Father sees you, He doesn't see your shame, He doesn't see your sin, He doesn't see your guilt, He sees the blood of Christ who has covered it and His perfect standing in our place. So I want you to take part in this meal. I want you to remember why we call this Good Friday. And then when we get done, I want you to worship. I want you to sing. I want you to praise our Savior because He's worthy of it because He went to the cross for us.

And if you are not a Christian, I don't want you to take part in this meal. I want you to take part in Christ. I want you to see how much God loves you. How much He loves you that His love held Him there on the cross for you that you might believe. That you don't have to earn God's favor. He lovingly poured it out on the cross for you.

I want you to not take part in this meal. I want you to sit and reflect and take part in Christ and believe in Him. Don't miss this Good Friday. Believe in the Lord Jesus. Let me pray. God, I pray right now that for those of us that are in Christ, we would worship.

We would see You as so beautiful and good and glorious. As we take this meal, we'd be reminded of the gospel that saved us. Lord, lead us into worship and praise of You. God, if there's anyone here that has not trusted in You as their only hope, God, I pray that You would break through their heart right now. I pray that You'd be so overwhelming that their only response would be belief. We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The Suffering Substitute

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

The Suffering Substitute

Spencer Cary

Transcript

Good morning. As I said before, my name is Spencer. I'm one of the pastors here. We're going to be in Matthew 27, verses 11 through 31. You can follow along on the screen. You can also grab one of those blue Bibles around you.

It's going to be on page 486. If you don't have a Bible at home, please take that Bible. That is a gift to you once you have a Bible that you can read at home. So, one of my friends from Louisville, Kentucky, when I lived there for five years, he was a church planner and was a pastor. And over the last few years, I've kind of watched, really online, he has kind of developed a following as he's stopped being a pastor. He's kind of moved into more being a motivational speaker.

He's done a TED Talk. And it's been kind of sad. I've watched him kind of depart from kind of the core teachings of our faith and really, really departing from the gospel. And about a month ago, he posted this graphic right there. If divine forgiveness requires payment, then it's not really forgiveness, the restitution. And I saw that and I was blown away.

I just was like, oh, okay. Now, my personal policy when somebody posts something on Facebook that's meant to be a discussion starter, that's meant to really be a little bit controversial, is don't comment. Just don't do it. Facebook is not a place for discussion. It's an angry place now. There's no nuance.

Like, it's just not, you know, it's not worth the bet. And I should say that that's probably the policy that all of you should have. It's when somebody posts something on Facebook, don't comment. Right? You're not going to have a discussion. You're not going to convince anybody of your position.

It's just going to devolve into a lot of angry ranting. It's just not the most helpful place to have discussions. It's much better to do it in person. So, having said that, I commented on that post. I reasoned in my head. I was like, you know what?

We don't have a lot of friends that overlap on Facebook. And I don't know. Like, it's kind of out on the Internet somewhere. I was like, I just want to respond. So I did.

And we had, I mean, we're friends. So, you know, we had a civil discussion. The big following that he has amassed, they were not happy with my take on this statement. So, I looked at that and I was like, that's insane. What it's saying is, is that if divine forgiveness, if God's forgiveness requires payment, then it's not really forgiveness, but restitution. Restitution being a payment for something that is wrong.

And a lot of people looked at that like, oh, that's really deep. That's profound. And I thought, only in a Western culture like ours could you divorce forgiveness from restitution. As if they were two completely different ideas and not two sides of the same coin. As only in our culture that is largely insulated from major injustices. Now, we have injustices.

We absolutely do. But in other cultures across the world where they face genocide, where there are people that are going into villages and hurting women and stealing children. That are going through major injustices. They would look at that and think that how in the world could you divorce forgiveness from payment? As if they're two completely different options. So I tried to have this discussion.

And I thought more about it over the last month. And the reality is, it's not based in the Bible. And one of the people that really like this idea, they don't like the idea of God's wrath. They don't like the idea of sin. They don't like those ideas at all. So it's not based in the Bible.

It's also not based in reality. I mean, for example, if I devised a scheme to steal your mother or your grandmother's retirement. Everything she's worked for her entire life. I stole every penny. And then I got caught. There's one of two options of how that really plays out.

It's either I pay restitution. I pay for the wrong that was done. Or she says, no, you know what? He obviously needs the money. I forgive him. But even in both of those examples, somebody is paying restitution.

Either I'm doing it or she's absorbing the debt herself. In her forgiveness, she's the one that's actually making the payment. There is no biblical reality. There is no reality in general. It separates the idea of forgiveness from payment. And that is because forgiveness is not free.

It costs something. Tim Keller, a pastor that we love and look up to, says the only way God can pardon us and not judge us is to go to the cross and absorb it himself. To make the payment himself. And today that's what we're going to look at. Today we're going to walk through that reality. As we see it very clearly.

We've been following Jesus as he's preparing for the cross. And now he is leading up to the cross. And we're going to follow him all the way up to before he walks up the hill. And as we walk through this today, we're going to see over and over again that forgiveness is not free. That it has a cost that Jesus paid. And my hope is, is for those of us who have trusted in Jesus, my hope is that that would lead us to a deeper affection and love for Christ.

And my hope for those of you that have not trusted in Jesus as your only hope. For those of you that do not know him. My hope is that you would see how much our God loves you. That he sent his son to die for you. So that's, that's the goal.

That's what we're going to walk through this morning. Let me pray for us as we walk through this passage. Lord, we love you. And we are thankful for what you have done for us. God, I pray that you would help us see that so clearly. You would become so beautiful to us.

And that you would work on our hearts and we would respond. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. All right, so. Verse 11. Chapter 27.

Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked him, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said, you have said so. All right, so context from last week. Chet walked us all the way up to the trial at the Sanhedrin. So, Jesus is arrested.

He's brought before the Sanhedrin. That's the religious leadership. And they put him on trial. And they're looking for a charge that they can, that they can charge him with under their law. Under the Old Testament law. And the charge they come up with is blasphemy.

Which is ironic because Jesus is God. And they charge him of this. But that's not enough to have him killed. All right? That they need the Romans to carry this out legally. Legally.

And the Romans don't care about Jewish law. So they're going to find a different charge to bring him to Pilate with. They're going to work on the charge of kingship. And they claim to be king. That he's an insurrectionist. That he's trying to lead a rebellion.

That's what they're going to bring to Pilate. Pontius Pilate is the governor of this region. He's the prefect of the region of Judea. He is a politician. He's a politician assigned with the assignment of ruling in Judea over the Jews. And in the Roman Empire.

That's not a glorious post. No one volunteers and gets excited about that post. It's not Greece. Right? He could have been in different parts of Greece. With deep into the Greco-Roman culture.

He could have been in places like Alexandria, Egypt. Lots of places he could have gone to. Been assigned to. That would have been good. But he has been given the task of being governor over the region of Judea.

And it is not a fun place to rule as a Roman governor. Because the Jews hate the Romans. They don't like the Romans. And the feeling is mutual. The Romans look down on the Jewish people. See one of the brilliant parts of Roman rule.

Is that when they conquered you. You liked it. It was nice. Once they conquered you. They brought their culture. And a lot of other places assimilated to.

They grew into being Roman. This Greco-Roman. They call it Hellenistic culture. They liked it. They liked what it had to offer. The taxes were high.

But they had roads and infrastructure. And all kinds of things. And they were kind of fine with being ruled. The Jews were not. They rebelled over and over again. They had a different faith.

A different religion that the Romans looked down upon. They didn't have a lot of shared values when it came to that. And so there is that kind of history between the Romans and the Jewish people. But there is also personal history between Pontius Pilate and the Jewish people. You see when he first came to rule in Judea. One of the first things he did was he took the Roman shields.

Which bore a graven image. And he set them up all around Jerusalem. And that is a violation of the second command. Of having a graven image. In the holy city. The Sanhedrin.

The religious leaders. They protested this. And they led a major protest against Pontius Pilate. Against the Romans. And you can look at two different historical sources. You can look at a historian named Philo.

Another named Josephus. When you piece them together. It looks like this was a major protest. That King Herod had to get involved. And it made Pontius Pilate look bad before Caesar. He got a slap on the wrist.

So there is that kind of tension. Also at one point Pontius Pilate went into the temple. Took some of the money from the temple. And built some water systems in the city. So the Sanhedrin.

And Pontius Pilate. Have some cultural history and differences. And some personal beef with one another. Now you might be wondering. That's great. You love history.

Why does that matter here? First off. History is nice. Gives you some context. But secondly.

It's important to understand what's happening right here. Because these two have to work together. Together. The religious leaders and Pilate have to work together. See Pilate needs the religious leadership. Because they help keep the people in check.

They make sure they don't rebel. And as we've seen with the religious leadership. They love power. They're in bed with the Romans. And they like the power that comes with that. So they have to work together.

All of that history comes into this moment. All of that division between these two political rivals. It comes into this moment. Where they bring Jesus to get authority. So that he can be executed.

So Pilate asks. He says. Are you the king of the Jews? And Jesus does not hesitate. He says. You have said so.

Yes. He confirms. He is the king of the Jews. You might be thinking. Alright. Isn't that the charge that does it?

It's not. The reason why. Is because Pilate does not really care. Over who the self-proclaimed king of the Jews is. He didn't care about that. That's not something that's really important.

There is a king. Herod. He's got a weird spot in the Roman Empire. And he doesn't even like Herod at this point. So that's not enough to actually get him crucified.

He doesn't care about the customs. He doesn't care about the law. The Jewish people have. But what the religious leadership is trying to do. Is they're trying to mount a case. They're trying to help him see.

That the Messiah from the Old Testament. The king. Who Jesus is claimed to be. Is going to have a global reign. He is going to have a global reign. And that is going to put him at odds with Caesar.

We see that in John's gospel. When they say. You are no friend to Caesar. If you don't deal with this. So they're going to try to make a political maneuver against him.

Before his hand. And in the midst of this. Jesus confirms his kingship. To Pontius Pilate. But then he doesn't defend himself.

Verse 12. But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders. He gave no answer. Verse 13. And Pilate said to him. Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?

But he gave him no answer. Not even to a single charge. So the governor was greatly amazed. So at this point. The religious leadership. Starts mounting their case.

Against Jesus. And Jesus is silent. He doesn't say. A word. And this stuns Pilate. He's like.

Can you hear what they're saying? Can you hear. What. What. What. The things.

The accusations. They're letting against you. He doesn't say. A word. And this is shocking. The pilot.

But this is to fulfill. What was spoken of in the prophet. Isaiah. Isaiah 53. He was oppressed. And he was afflicted.

Yet he opened not his mouth. Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter. And like a sheep that before its shears is silent. So he opened not his mouth. He does not defend himself. They keep making this case against them.

He is silent. Like a lamb that is being led to the slaughter. Because Jesus knows. He knows what the father wants. He knows what needs to happen. Our sin needs to be paid for.

And forgiveness is not free. He will not defend himself. This is a part of the plan. And if he wanted to at this moment. Remember what Chet said last week. He said he could appeal to a legion of angels.

In this moment. At this moment angels could come down by his command. And they would absolutely destroy his enemies. But he remains silent. Because forgiveness is not free. Verse 15.

It says now at the feast. The governor was accustomed to release for the crowd. Any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had been a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Alright. So now around this time.

Pilate had instituted really a political gesture. That around the Passover feast time. They would release to them one of the prisoners that they had. And it was kind of genius. Because the fear was around Passover. Is that this is the perfect time for rebellion to happen.

It's when everyone is coming in to the city. From all over the region. And they are celebrating the Passover feast. Which remember. Is the festival. That they helped celebrate.

To remember that God helped free them. From an oppressive regime. And the Egyptians. What better time. To start a rebellion. Against an oppressive regime.

At the yearly festival. Where they remember this. So this is a political gesture. Give them one of the prisoners. An act of goodwill. And see all of this is a political exchange.

And at this time. There is a prisoner named Barabbas. Now Mark's gospel tells us a little bit about who Barabbas is. He is an insurrectionist. Meaning that he is someone who has left. Had a rebellion.

And he is a murderer. He has killed at least one person. He is completely guilty. And the ones who were put on crosses. Were rebels. Were insurrectionists.

You can look at Jewish history. At the time when these rebellions would happen. The Romans would quickly put them down. And very forcefully. They would line the roads. Out of the city with crosses.

And they would put rebels. It was a brutal. It was a brutal form of torture and death. For those who would rebel. So it is fair to say.

That this day. Barabbas was set to be crucified. That Barabbas woke up that morning. Ready to face death. There is something called the death row phenomenon. It is the psychological building up.

That happens with prisoners on death row. And it is pretty intense. I was listening to a pastor. He had interviewed a chaplain. Who was a chaplain on death row. And he said that some of these prisoners.

Would build themselves up. If they were going to face the gas chamber. For example. That they would. Days leading up. Would have moments of just really heavy breathing.

And intense breathing. And really simulating what it is like to be in the gas chamber. Gasping for breath. That those who had been hung before. That they would have this preparation. Where they almost could feel the rope around their neck.

In the days leading up to execution. That there is this. There is this weight to being executed. And Barabbas wakes up this morning. And is feeling and sensing. Maybe even possibly sensing what it is like to be on the cross.

You have to lift up your chest. As you are slowly gasping for breath. As you are slowly suffocating. He is in the cell. Awaiting a grim fate. But then something happens.

Verse 17. So when they had gathered. Pilate said to them. Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas. Or Jesus.

Who is called Christ. For he knew that it was out of envy. That they had delivered him up. So Barabbas is waiting in his cell. And there is commotioning happening out in the courtyard. There is political maneuvering that is happening out there.

You see Pilate offers up two different people. And he could have chosen anyone else besides Jesus. He could have chosen a less notorious criminal. It is his choosing. But he chooses the notorious Barabbas.

You see the politics at play here? He presents both of them. Because he understands the motives of the religious leaders. He understands they are envious. They are jealous. And if he can put Jesus alongside Barabbas.

Then it makes it a tough choice for the crowds. All right. The notorious prisoner. Or the Jesus who he knows about. This is the first time that Pontius has heard of Jesus. Jesus.

For three years he has been a celebrity in the land. This traveling sage. This prophet. Who thousands of people have traveled out to hear preach. Who have gone to be healed. It is his job to know what is happening in Judea.

When Jesus comes in and out. When he comes in this very week. Just a few days before. And the people are chanting. Hosanna. Hosanna.

He knows about Jesus. He is this good prophet. That the crowds love. So he puts Jesus alongside Barabbas. Understanding what is at play here. What the religious leaders are doing.

Thinking. That he can get past this. With this political play. But while this is happening. Matthew adds a wrinkle. That the other gospel writers don't include.

Verse 19 says. Besides. While he was sitting on the judgment seat. His wife sent word to him. Have nothing to do with that righteous man. For I have suffered much because of him today.

And a dream. So even more so. While he is on the judgment seat. His wife sends word to him. And says. Don't have anything to do with Jesus.

I have had dreams. I have had nightmares. I have been afflicted because of him. We don't know what the content of those dreams were. But it is enough to scare her.

In this moment. To send word to him. To say. Don't have anything to do with Jesus. Jesus. And while this is going on.

The religious leaders are making political moves of their own. Verse 20. Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd. To ask for Barabbas. And destroy. Jesus.

So the crowds. Are there. And the religious leaders are working their way through the crowds. Now crowds can turn very quickly into a mob mentality. Very fast. When I was traveling years ago.

And study abroad. I was in India. And one of the travel warnings we had for India. Was when you were there. If you see a crowd form. They form very quickly.

And a lot of people. Get out. Because they have a lot of protests. And those protests are violent. Very quickly. With mob mentality.

We saw that. And we've seen that here. In our own country. That when a crowd gets together. It just takes a little bit stirring up. And all of a sudden.

It can turn to violence. And that is exactly what is happening here. And the religious leadership. They know how to work a crowd. Working their way through the crowd. Whispering lies.

They probably. It's possible they've even stacked the deck a little bit. Put people in the crowd. Said we're going to free Barabbas. Barabbas. We're going to chant for Barabbas.

We don't need this Jesus. He's going to bring problems for us. Barabbas. Start the chant. Barabbas. Barabbas.

They're building up the chant. Verse 21. Then the governor again said to them. Which of the two do you want me to release for you? And they said. Barabbas.

So they've won the crowds. They've got them stirred up. Barabbas. Barabbas. They're chanting for the notorious criminal. Verse 22.

Pilate said to them. Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? So Pilate has lost this political game. He tried it. Presenting two different options. They want to free Barabbas.

Okay. So what do you want? What do you want me to do with Jesus? So they all said. Let him be crucified. And he said.

Why? What evil has he done? I want you to see the shock that's in Pilate there. He says. What evil has he done? You see.

The crucifixion was a Roman punishment. It was not a Jewish punishment. They had a great disdain for this punishment. They didn't like it. And it is shocking to him. That they would ask for crucifixion.

That's overkill. Right? That's something that's reserved for rebels. Who have rebelled against the Roman Empire. That is a step too far. It doesn't make sense.

That a beloved prophet. That they would make a move on him like this. He does not deserve the cross. But it says. But they shouted all the more.

Let him be crucified. All the more. Let him be crucified. It intensifies. They want him on a cross. The Sadducees.

The religious leadership. The Pharisees. They have won the crowd. Pilate has lost control. As it intensifies. As they want crucifixion.

Pilate is shocked. Jesus is not. This is a part of the plan. This is part of the plan. Forgiveness is not free. It has to be paid for.

Verse 24. So. When Pilate saw. That he was gaining nothing. But rather that a riot was beginning.

He took water and washed his hands before the crowd. Saying. I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves. And all the people answered. His blood be on us.

And on our children. Pilate is a politician. And he is a coward. But it is better for one man to die. Than to have a riot. That he has to answer for later.

Because. Having riots. Not being able to control. Your region. Would get you removed. It eventually does.

For him. Because he cannot control this region. So the coward. The coward washes his hands. Which actually doesn't absolve him of guilt. But in his mind it does.

And the people foolishly in the crowd say. Let Jesus' blood. Be on us. And our children. Verse 26. Then he released for them Barabbas.

And having scourged. Jesus delivered him to be crucified. So Barabbas. Is released. He gets to go home. And Jesus is scourged.

Which is a horrific punishment. Scourging. It's called flagellation. Flogging. Was a brutal form. Of torment.

One commentator. Describes this. He says. A Roman scourging. Was a terrifying punishment. The delinquent was stripped.

Bound to a post. Or a pillar. Or sometimes. Simply thrown to the ground. And was beaten. By a number of guards.

Until his flesh hung. In bleeding. Shreds. Hear that. Hung in bleeding. Shreds.

The instrument. Indicated by the Markan text. That would be Mark's gospel. The dreaded flagellum. Was a scourging. Consisting of leather straps.

Plated. With several pieces of bone. Or lead. So as to form. A chain. So.

It's an illustration. Of what this is. The flagellum. Was a tool. It wasn't just a whip. It had.

Bits of bone. Or lead in it. And the goal. Was that. As you whipped the person. That it would latch.

Into their flesh. And rip out. Chunks of skin. And they would do this. Over and over again. Their backs.

Their legs. It was meant to. Absolutely. Fillet. And mangle the flesh. Of the person.

Who was being punished. He goes on to say. No maximum number. Of strokes. Was prescribed. By Roman law.

Unlike Jewish law. That kept it at 39. So we see. In the book of Acts. That. That they.

They get a flogging. Like this. And the Jewish law. Says. Nope. Not more than 39.

40 Might kill you. 39 is enough. The Romans did not have that. They did not have mercy. They were some of the most brutal. The most brutal.

People. That would. That. Their torture methods. Were. Were unreal.

They. They. They wouldn't stop. At 39. They. They would.

To the point of almost. Killing people. It says. And men condemned to flagellation. Frequently collapsed. Then died from flogging.

Josephus. Who's a historian. He records that. He himself. Had some of his opponents. In Galilee.

Scourged. Until their entrails. Were visible. That they. They would be. Scourged so.

Badly. That so much. Flesh. And muscle. Would be ripped out. That their entrails.

Would be. Exposed. The torture itself. Was enough to kill. Somebody. And then.

They're going to put a cross. On his mangled. And bloodied. And ripped apart. Back. But not yet.

Because they're going to humiliate him first. Verse 27. Then the soldiers. Of the governor. Took. Jesus.

Into the governor's headquarters. And they gathered. The whole battalion. Before him. I've pictured this in the past. I've missed that part.

The whole battalion piece. I've imagined. I don't know. It's because. This is from the scene. Of the passion of Christ.

Or whatever. But I. I've imagined. It's just a few people. But it's not.

It's a battalion. Of soldiers. Six hundred. To a thousand. Soldiers. Are going to mock him.

And his. Bloodied. And mangled body. Is brought before him. And they're going. To make fun.

Of his kingship. It says. And they stripped him. And put a scarlet robe on him. And twisting together. A crown of thorns.

They put. It on his head. And put a reed. In his right hand. And kneeling before him. They mocked him.

Saying. Hail. King of the Jews. And they spit on him. And took the reed. And struck him on the head.

And when they had mocked him. And they stripped him. Of the robe. And put. His own clothes on him. And led him away.

To crucify him. So these Roman soldiers. They also have heard of Jesus. And they see the charge. He's going to be charged. As a king.

Okay. Let's make fun of his kingship. So they take a scarlet robe. And they put it. On his back. Now.

Mark's gospel. And John's gospel. They call this a purple robe. Which means either. They're describing the same color. Which happens in some cultures.

They don't have a whole lot of differentiation. Between certain colors. Or it's two robes. The purple one. On his back. Ripped off.

And these are. These would have been. Not smooth. Robes. These would have been rough. Blending into.

His mangled flesh. Being ripped off. And they're. They're mocking him. They're mocking him. As a king.

And they take. A crown of thorns. And don't think. Like rose thorns. These would have been. Thorns.

Native to that region. These are longer thorns. And they take. A crown of thorns. And they force it. On his head.

To mock him. They take a reed. Stick. Made it look like a king's scepter. They put it in his hand. And they bow down to him.

Hail. King of the Jews. Hundreds of soldiers. Laughing. Mocking. The king.

Of the universe. And they spit on him. And they. They take the reed stick. And they hit him. On the head.

It is a brutal. Mocking. A brutal. Torture. But this is to fulfill Isaiah 53.

It says. But. Isaiah prophesied about this. He said. But he was pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed. For our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement. That brought us. Peace. And with his wounds.

We are healed. Peace. Does not come. Without a cost. Forgiveness. Is not free.

And we see that so clearly. And we will pick this up. On good Friday this week. As we continue. As he goes up the hill. Now.

One of the things. That sticks out about this. Is how absolutely. How absolutely. Injust. This is.

How absolutely. Unfair. This is. How corrupt. And how evil. This is.

I mean. This situation. Is gross. I mean. Jesus. Is completely innocent.

Of all of these charges. He's only displayed. Kindness. And goodness. Towards. The people.

And then he gets arrested. By these religious leaders. And then he becomes. A political pinball. Between two. Godless.

Groups. The religious leaders. And Pilate. And the Romans. And then. These weak.

Feckless. Cowards. Debate. Over the God. Who made them. Over the God.

Who thought them. Into existence. They debate. Over his life. And then they plan. To murder him.

To murder the ruler. Over all things. And Pilate. In his political maneuvering. He presents. Two different options.

You can have. Barabbas. Or. Jesus. You can have. Jesus.

The prophet. Whom all the crowds love. Let me think. Guys. We've been in the gospel of Matthew. For over a year now.

Think of all. Of the beautiful displays. Of our savior. Of how good he is. Of how righteous he is. Of how kind he is.

You can have this. Jesus. Or you can have. Barabbas. You can have this. Notorious.

Criminal. This. Murderer. And the religious leadership. The ones. Who are supposed.

To uphold. Justice. And mercy. And righteousness. They start a chant. To free.

Barabbas. And they take Barabbas. When you look. At all of it. It's not fair. It's not fair.

That Barabbas. Avoids the cross. That was meant for him. And Jesus takes his place. And when you come to that conclusion. And when you fully absorb that.

As the reality of this situation. It is then. That you can begin to appreciate. That Jesus died in our place. It is then. That you can begin to appreciate.

And fully understand. That the reality is. Is that we have sinned. Against a holy and perfect God. That our sin. Over and over.

Is a violation. Of his good will for us. That we rebel. Against the God. Of the universe. That we are insurrectionists.

With our lives. That we hurt. Other people. Over. And over. And over.

And over again. That we are. We are prisoners. In a cell. Awaiting our sentencing. Our just.

Sentencing. Against. For sending against the God of the universe. And we are brought up. Out of. The cell.

And there is an exchange. That happens. For those who trust in Jesus. We point to him. And we avoid the cross. And he goes to the cross.

For us. That is what theologians call. Penal substitutionary atonement. Theologians like to use big words. All that means. Is that.

There is a penalty for sin. That's the penal part. For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6. 23. That we deserve death.

Because of our sin. But God. In his rich mercy. Provides for us. A suffering. Substitute.

That Jesus takes. Our place. My buddy from Louisville. Has lost the thread. On the gospel. There is no reality.

Where forgiveness does not cost. That there is no. There is no. Reality. Where our sin. And rebellion.

Does not cost. And here is the deal. We may not. Play out that same thought exercise. We may not. Come to that same.

Intellectual. Conclusion. But the reality is. Is that for many of us. Practically. We live that way.

Practically. Our lives. Show that we believe that. Because over and over again. We just don't think. Our sin costs.

We don't think. Our sins. That big. Of a deal. We dismiss it. We rather live our lives.

On our terms. And we'll justify it. And we won't think. It's that big of a deal. So much.

Of southern Christianity. Is just. Claiming. To be a Christian. And living your life. On your terms.

And it's this. This thought process. That because God is good. And because God. Is loving. That it'll all just work out.

In the end. That it's forgiveness. Doesn't have this real cost. And we can live our lives. On our terms. And that is an eternally fatal.

Belief. No. Our forgiveness. Costs. Rebellion. Costs.

Paul. In Colossians says. In Colossians 2. He says. In you. Who are dead.

In your trespasses. In the uncircumcision. Of your flesh. That's the sinful nature. Of your flesh. God.

Made alive. Together with him. That's through. Faith. God made alive. Together with him.

Having forgiven us. All our. Trespasses. All of our sins. By canceling. The record.

Of debt. The record of debt. We have an endless. Record. Of sins. That stands.

That stands against us. With its. Legal. Demands. The legal demands. His death.

This he set aside. Nailing it. To a cross. That is the heart. Of the gospel. That in our sin.

That in our rebellion. That we have. Rebelled against God's. Good design. That we are waiting. In the cells.

In the prison cells. Of our sin. And death. Awaiting to be sentenced. And God loves us so. Much.

That he doesn't leave us there. That he steps in. That he steps down. From heaven. That he comes to live the perfect life. That we could not live.

And that he comes before us. And we are brought out of the cell. And all we have to do. Is say. I believe in you Jesus. My life belongs to you.

I trust you. And he says. Good. Take my perfect record. And I will take your place. And he goes to the cross for us.

It is not fair. That God in his rich kindness. Redeems. Sinners. And man. It has a cost.

And I want us to sit in that. This morning. If you are. If you are a Christian. This morning. If you have trusted.

In Jesus. As your only hope. I want you to sit. In this painful. Beautiful. Reality.

I don't want us to stare. To stare away from. The cross. And the brutality of it. It teaches us. Grace.

When we look at the cross. When we think about what they did. To Jesus. It reminds us. That we can never earn that. We can never do what Jesus did.

And praise God. That we could not. That we don't have to earn his favor. That no amount of good works. Could make this right. That we look to the cross.

And we say. Praise God. It teaches us repentance. It motivates us to repentance. That there are moments. When we become so tempted.

When the lusts of our flesh. When our sinful selfish desires. Arise. And present to us. The option of sin. We get to in that moment.

Remember. No. No. We get to literally just picture the cross. And say. No.

No. No. My life was bought with a price. It was too costly. And I'm not going to run. To sin.

I want Jesus. It leads us to worship. Y'all. It's. It's. It's all over the songs.

That we sing. That we respond. And we sing. About the blood of our savior. About what Jesus has done for us. It motivates us.

And it inspires us. To love God. That he's so loving towards us. That he came to die on a cross for us. If you're a Christian. I want you to sit in that reality this morning.

And I want you to see Jesus as beautiful. In worship. If you are not a Christian. If you have not trusted in Jesus. That's your only hope. My hope this morning.

Is that you would see. That God loves you so much. That he did not leave you. In sin and brokenness. We all have sin. All of us have our junk.

We've all rebelled against God. And this morning. He has you here. And he wants you to see. I love you. Can't you see.

That two thousand years ago. I came for you. I died for you. I bled for you. So that you might believe.

My hope this morning. Is that you would see. That his arms are open. And he wants you. And that you would believe. That you stop running.

And sin. That you stop trying to earn. Your salvation. By your own good works. By your own merit. My hope is that you would trust.

Only in the finished work of Christ. He wants you. My hope is that you believe. Because forgiveness is not free. But he wants to give it to you.

Freely. The band is going to come up. And I want us to sit. In these truths. As we prepare to respond. If you are not a Christian.

Please. Do not delay. Don't walk away from this. Don't walk away from conviction. My hope. Is that you would trust.

In Christ. That right now. As we sing songs. You would take a moment in your seat. And you would pray. Pray for God to reveal himself.

Ask Jesus to forgive you. Of your sins. And give your life. And trust. In him. If you are a Christian.

I want you to take a few moments. And just be reminded. Of how good your Savior is. About how beautiful his blood is. About how much our sin costs. And it doesn't lead us to shame.

It doesn't lead us to guilt. It leads us to praise. Because we get to look at our sin. And then we immediately. Get to look to our Savior. Let me pray.

Let me pray. Lord. Your kindness. And your mercy. And your goodness. Are so profound.

And so beautiful. God. I pray. That you would help us. In this moment. See it.

Clearly. Don't let us run away from it. Don't let us hide from it. God. I pray. You've got to work in our hearts.

Right now. If there's anyone here. That's not trusted in you. God. I pray. That you would become so beautiful.

So good. That you would win their hearts. And they would believe. God. I pray. For those of us that are Christians.

Lord. We love you. Help us see. The brutality of the cross. As beautiful. And may it lead us to worship and praise.

In Jesus name. Amen.

When the Rooster Crows (Matthew 26:46-27:10)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

When the Rooster Crows

Chet Phillips

Transcript

You Well, good morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. I'm excited to be here with y'all this morning. Grab your Bibles. Go to Matthew chapter 26.

If you have one of the blue Bibles, it looks like this. It'll be page 486. And if you do not own a Bible, take this one home with you. That's our gift to you. We want you to have a Bible. We want you to read it often.

We are walking through the Gospel of Matthew, and we are coming into the end of Matthew. And so these next few weeks, we're going to spend looking at the arrest, the trial, the crucifixion of Christ. And in what we're going to look at today, we're going to cover a decent amount of ground this morning. We're going to work through this story, and we're just going to walk through the story and talk about it. We'll make some observations as we go. And then at the end, we're going to look at Peter and Judas and the religious leaders, and we're going to look at their response to sin, their response to shame, their response to their guilt.

The truth is, in life, there are times where we come face-to-face with ourselves. We come face-to-face with our own sin, that we cease to be able to hide who we really are. Often we're very good at deceiving ourselves, but there are times where we finally see it. And so we're going to ask the question as we walk through this text, what do we do in those moments? How do we respond to our own sin and guilt? So let's pray, and then we'll walk through this story together.

God, we ask for you to bless this time. We pray that you would help us to love your word, to trust your word, and to see clearly Christ in his glory, in his greatness towards us. And may we see our sin, so that we might run to a savior. In Jesus' name, amen. Matthew chapter 26, starting in verse 46. Jesus has just been in the garden.

He's been with his disciples. He had the last supper. He said, this is my body broken for you. This is my blood that's shed for you, and a new covenant in my blood. And he says, as often as you do this, you declare my death until I come. He tells his disciples that one of you is going to betray me.

They go through and they ask, is it me? Is it me? Eventually Judas leaves. He goes out with his disciples to the garden, and he tells them, wait and pray and keep an eye out. He takes Peter, James, and John with him a little further in. He falls on his face.

He begins to ask the Lord, if this cup can pass from me, let it. He's stressed. He's troubled. He tells them he's sorrowful to the point of death. He goes back. The disciples are sleeping.

He wakes them up and says, you couldn't stay awake for an hour. Keep an eye out. Pray for yourselves. Pray for me. He goes back. He does this three times, and eventually he says this.

Rise. Let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. At some time in the middle of the night, Jesus hasn't slept. The disciples have slept some because they're exhausted. But he wakes them up and says, see, my betrayer is at hand.

And while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and the elders of the people. So Judas has agreed to betray Jesus. He knows where he is. He comes to him in the garden. And he's got a great crowd with him with swords and clubs. Other gospels tell us they had torches and lanterns.

And that some of these are Roman soldiers. Some of these are soldiers that belong to the Sanhedrin that are actually part of the temple group of soldiers. But they've come to arrest Jesus to try to have a trial, to try to pin something on him so that they might kill him. So Jesus wakes up the disciples. He's been praying that this would pass, but now he's facing it. The disciples are waking up.

And you know, immediately, if you've ever jumped out of a kind of a groggy sleep, but maybe you heard a noise or something, their hearts are beating. They're looking. They're suddenly, adrenaline's pumping because there's this large crowd of armed men coming towards them in the darkness. Torches and lanterns, and they're surrounded. And Judas, it says one of the twelve. So one of the men that had been closest to Jesus, had spent the most time with Jesus, had professed that he believed and would follow Jesus, has come to betray him.

Verse 48. Now the betrayer had given them a sign saying, The one I will kiss is the man sees him. And he came up to Jesus at once and said, Greetings, Rabbi. And he kissed him. Now, for Americans, that's weird. And often Americans have read this and tried to read things into it and tried to understand what's going on here.

But this is a, for Middle Easterners, this is not an odd greeting. He's basically saying, The one I go greet, the one I go say hey to, this is the man. Ben Johnson, who's one of our group leaders, was a missionary in Lebanon for ten years. And they greet each other with kisses. They greet, they do three kisses. Just on the cheeks.

They get good at it. They know how to do it. He came traveling back. His home church was in Georgia. He was jet lagged. He was tired.

But he had to run by the, his church building before he could run to his house and try to get some rest. He showed up. He ran into the custodian there who he knew. The custodian said, Hey Ben. Ben said hey and grabbed him and went to kiss him. And it goes over different in Georgia than it does in the Middle East.

And so we read this and we're going, What's going on here? But really all that Judas has said is, It's going to be dark. These people would not have recognized Jesus. Maybe some of them have seen him. It's not like they had wanted posters up for him. It wasn't like us where we get to see famous people.

We get to see them on TV that you might could actually run into a famous person at Walmart and recognize them. They would have heard about Jesus. They might have seen him in the temple, but the ability to recognize him in the darkness is not much of a chance. But they wanted to go under cover of darkness and arrest him. And so that's how they worked out with Judas. Judas will identify him.

Judas has been with him for three years. I bet Judas in the dark, just seeing the disciples silhouetted, could probably tell you by the way they carried themselves who was who. And so he says, I'm going to identify him for you. The one I go greet, that's the one. So he walks over and he says, Greetings, Rabbi.

Would you know that had to sound weird? Too hard trying to sound normal, a little too loud for some reason, a little too quiet. There's no way this came out right because he shows up with this band of people with swords and clubs. Hey, Jesus. Greetings. But he grabs him.

He kisses him. Jesus said to him, this is verse 50, friend, do what you came to do. Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. So these military soldiers knew as soon as he, whoever he greets, that's Jesus. That's who we're arresting. They come in.

They grab him. They rough hands clamp down on him to hold him. Verse 51. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus, and that's Peter. We find out one of the other gospels. One of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

So Peter, as soon as they grabbed Jesus, it's go time. He pulls his sword out. He said, I'll go with you even to death. And he meant it. He pulls his sword out and he cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant. The reason he cut off his ear was because he missed.

He was aiming to kill him. You don't swing a sword at someone's head unless you think this is it. Let's go. He missed. I'm assuming he came something like this. The high priest's servant went something like that.

He caught his ear. Cut it off. It would have been a bloody mess. Peter would have. I don't know if you've ever fought multiple people at once. But if you do.

You attack one, you back up and keep your eye on the other one. So Peter doesn't follow that up with more strikes. He swings at that guy. I'm assuming he backs up and looks. And in that that moment, that brief pause when everything got much more intense because they've got swords, they've got clubs, they've got the disciples surrounded. We know at least there's 11 disciples.

There's potentially more here. And they've come armed because they want to show have a show of force to try to a keep there from being violence or be when if there is violence. I don't know if you fought multiple people at once. If you're actually going to get in a fight, it's better to be on the multiple people side. That's what they showed up with. We're going to make this go well for us.

But Jesus, I mean, Peter cuts the ear off and then this is what happens next. Then Jesus said to him, put your sword back into its place for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my father and he will at once send me more than 12 legions of angels? But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so? So Peter attacks.

And in that breath in between when everything could have broken loose, Jesus says, put it up. That's not what this is about. How else would the scriptures be fulfilled? But Jesus says something very interesting here that I think we need to see. He says, do you not think that I could at once appeal to my father and he would not send me more than 12 legions of angels? A legion is a thousand.

He says, I have at my disposal at this moment over 12,000 angels. We see in the Old Testament where one angel kills 185,000 Assyrians in one night. So if Jesus calls on more than 12,000 angels, Jesus says, if I want to just let the angels do it, we can kill the entire population of the earth in less than 30 minutes. If I want them to do it rather than me do it. I want us to see something here. We just last week read where Jesus prays in the garden, Lord, if this cup can be moved from me.

If we can go another way, let's do that. But not my will. Your will be done. But even in that, Jesus says, Peter, if I want to stop this, I can. You see, it would show great bravery for Jesus to walk into this and to hand himself over and to then it be outside of his control and him have to face torture and death. But the reality is it was moment by moment inside of Jesus's control to stop this.

He could have moment by moment chosen. To not save us. He could have moment by moment chosen to let us receive the wrath we deserve. He could have moment by moment, lash by lash. Strike by strike. Hammer hit by hammer hit.

He could have moment by moment chosen to stop this. If he had just uttered the words he had at his disposal, more than 12,000 angels. He looks at Peter and he says, no, how else will it be fulfilled? How else will salvation come? How else will the rescue happen if I don't do this? And so Jesus isn't caught up in something that is beyond him.

And faces it bravely. Which we would honor a man if they did that. But Jesus isn't caught up in something beyond himself. He is caught up in something that is under his control at all times. But willingly, humbly, graciously submits himself to it for the sake of those whom he loves.

Don't miss that. Verse 55. At that hour, Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching. And you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.

Then all the disciples left him and fled. So the disciples now facing, we're not going to fight. This isn't going to be done in hot-blooded anger. This isn't going to be done with adrenaline pumping. What's coming now is going to be dealt out in a cold manner. What's coming now is going to be calculated.

What's coming now is going to be us humbly submitting to arrest. They flee. And Jesus says all this has been done to fulfill the scriptures. That this was God's ultimate plan. That one day Christ would come. That he would die for sin.

That he would die for sinners. That he would save a people for himself. This is something that God had intended all along. Verse 57. Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest.

Where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter was following him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest. And going inside he sat with the guards to see the inn. Now that's a bold move. Peter just cuts somebody's ear off. Runs.

Catches his breath. Starts sneaking back. To see what happens. Joins the crowd. It had to be a pretty big crowd. For him to just start walking with them.

And kind of keep up with them. It had to be a large group of people that had come out. And he goes. And then he sits with the guards. The guards of the high priest's headquarters. His area.

He sits outside of where the trial is going to take place. But it does seem like he would have been able to see all this taking place. But he sits and he just wants to see what's going to happen. Probably trying not to make a lot of eye contact. But make enough eye contact to not be suspicious.

If you've ever been on the run. You know what I'm talking about. That's what Peter's doing. Verse 59. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus.

That they might put him to death. Okay. This is a sham trial. This isn't a real trial. They've arrested him so that they can find somebody to give just enough on him that they can kill it. They're looking for false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death.

I want you all to see that Jesus submits to, in order to undo, in order to redeem, he submits to wicked justice. Perverted justice. Perverted justice. Perverted justice. That he's caught up in this moment being small and having those who should be handling this well and honestly and appropriately. Those in power using their power for their own gain.

And Jesus steps into that so that he might undo that. Verse 60. That's a testimony to the righteousness of Christ. That even with liars they couldn't get anything to stick to him. That Jesus is sinless. By a human court would have been acquitted.

And we're told that by a heavenly court would be acquitted. That he has no sin. That he's a perfect spotless lamb. But they're trying to lie about him and they can't find anything. And then it says, and though many witnesses came forward, at last two came forward and said, this man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days. Okay.

That's true. He did say that. We're told that he said that and that he was talking about the temple of his body. That he was saying that the temple was the place where God meets earth. And then he uses that term for himself saying that I am where God meets earth. I'm where humans are going to now be relating to God and connect to God and find sacrifice.

He refers to himself as the temple. And he says, this temple will be destroyed and I'll raise it in three days. But they, misunderstanding what he meant, are like, I'm pretty sure he's a terrorist. He said he's going to blow the temple up. He did say he would build it back in three days, which seems unlikely. But we know that he said he was going to destroy it.

That's the accusation. Verse 62. And the high priest stood up and said, have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you? See, one of the things that Jesus is doing here is he's not trying to defend himself. He knows how this is playing out.

He's not in the hands of the religious leaders. He's in the hands of God. The reality is Jesus is more in control of the situation than they are. So he's walking through this process. He's not there to defend himself. He's there to head to a cross.

The high priest stands up and yells at him. He says, if you know answer to make, what is it that these men testify against you? But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, I adjure you by the living God. Tell us if you are the Christ, the son of God. And Jesus said to him, you have said so.

That phrase seems a little cryptic to us. You have said so. But we have phrases like it. We have phrases like, yep, you guessed it. You called it. Bet.

Bingo. We got phrases like it. That's what he's saying. Nailed it. That's the phrase there. You have said so.

Is that kind of a phrase? He's not trying to just defer. He's saying, yeah, like you finally said an appropriate. We're now in the place that we need to be talking. You've called it. You have said so.

But I tell you, from now on, you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. I tell you that from now on, you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. He doesn't just say. You called it. He doubles down on it. He makes it more.

He quotes Daniel to the religious leaders. They're going to freak out. They understood exactly what he meant. But let's look at Daniel so that we can see this. Daniel chapter seven. This is what he's talking about.

The son of man seated at the right hand of power. He says, I'm not just the son of God. I'm the son of man. The one that you've read about in Daniel. I'm the fulfillment of this prophecy. Daniel 7, 13 says, I saw in the night visions and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man.

And he came to the ancient of days. That's God. And was presented before him. And to him, the son of man, was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples and nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. He says, are you the Christ, the son of God?

And he says, oh, I'm the one presented to the ancient of days. I'm the one who's given dominion and glory and a kingdom. I'm the one that all peoples, nations and languages should serve. I'm the one who has a dominion that's an everlasting dominion. I'm the one that will not. My dominion will not pass away and my kingdom shall not be destroyed.

Oh, you finally. You finally found it. I am the Christ, the son of God, who has an everlasting dominion. I will be presented to the ancient of days. The next time you see me, I'll be riding on the clouds of heaven. Verse 65.

Then the high priest tore his robes and said, he has uttered blasphemy. What further witness do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment? And they answered, he deserves death. The high priest tears his robes.

It's an aggressive response to this. The only place we see that is like WWE or something. This is not a muted response. Now, it's possible that this is a bit of a put on because they've heard Jesus say things like this before out in the open and they did not respond this way. But in this trial, this is what they've been waiting for.

This moment when Jesus says something, they can finally pin on him and he stands up and says, what else do you need? He's claimed to be the Christ. The problem with the high priest's question is that he allowed no room for Jesus to actually be the Christ. Jesus actually is the Christ. Caiaphas has since passed away and Caiaphas has since seen the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power. At this moment, they respond and they say he deserves death.

I want you to know that Jesus does go to his death and I want you to know that he is the Son of Man who is seated at the right hand of power. That the humility here, the grace here, the love here that is shown for sinners is beyond understanding. Then they spit in his face and struck him and some slapped him saying, prophesy to us, you Christ, who is it that struck you? They show him great dishonor. They slap him. Men slap other men, open hand slap other men when they feel that they are in complete power over them.

This is why I would be much more offended if you slapped me than if you punched me in the face. If you punched me, you're showing me some amount of respect. If you slap me, you don't think there's going to be any return fire from my side. It's very hurtful. They show him great disrespect. They spit on him.

They strike him. They slap him. We're told in the other gospels that they blindfold him. That's why they ask, prophesy to us. Who slapped you? They line him up.

They slap him. Jesus takes this. At any moment, he could stop this. But he submits to the will of the Father and he loves sinners. Verse 69. Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.

And a servant girl came up to him and said, you also were with Jesus the Galilean. Well, that's a startling moment for Peter. He's sitting in the courtyard. He's paying attention to what's going on. He's heartbroken. He's probably trying to keep that together.

The servant girl walks by and says, hey, you're with Jesus. You're on his team. I don't know if you've ever been trying to hide something and someone pinpoints it. I don't know if you've been in class hoping the teacher wouldn't call on you because you had no clue what the answer was. And it's almost like they could see it in your eyes. So they called on you.

I don't know if you've been in the middle of a lie and someone asked the exact right question they needed to ask to make you have to lie perfectly in that moment. This would have felt like a lightning strike. But he denied it before them all saying, I don't know what you mean. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm like I'm one of the arrestor guys. And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him.

I'm assuming he waited an appropriate amount of time. Maybe he just started like, well, I was heading this way anyway. But he tries to move away from those people in that situation. He goes out to the entrance. He moves a little bit further out. He thinks maybe if this is going to keep happening, I need to be close to the exit.

Another servant girl saw him and she said to the bystanders, this man was with Jesus of Nazareth. Doesn't even talk to him this time. Just starts telling other people. And again, he denied it with an oath. I do not know the man. This time he promises.

I swear on the temple, I don't know him. He starts doing things that Jesus expressly said not to do. For the record, he lied last time. He's also not supposed to do that. But now he's lying with an oath.

After a little while, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, certainly you too are one of them for your accent betrays you. He sounds like he's from Galilee. Not like he's from Jerusalem. He's from Hicktown. He's like, dadgum, I don't know him at all. They were like, I live here all my life.

No. Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear. I do not know the man. And immediately the rooster crowed. So this time he calls a curse.

He swears. Last time it was an oath. This time it's may God strike me if I know him. I've never seen him before. Peter remembered the saying of Jesus. Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.

And he went out and wept bitterly. Peter had told Jesus, I'll go with you to the bitter end. I'll go with you to imprisonment and death. Jesus says, you're going to deny me this very night. And he says, even if everybody else falls away, even if everybody does, I won't. And Jesus says, this night you're going to deny me three times.

Before the rooster crows, you'll deny that you know me three times. Peter says, no, I won't. And Peter does. The rooster crows. And what Jesus had said was true. And it breaks him.

And there are moments where who we want to be and who we think we are and who we tell ourselves we are is crushed by who we are. There are moments where the rooster crows and we wake up to who we are. Not who we think we are. Not who we say we are. Not who we are willing to pretend we are. But who we actually are.

The decisions that we've actually made. And Peter got here quickly. He was doing fairly well. But when it came down to it and he suddenly had this moment where he'd have to profess Christ and face the consequences, he decides not to. And the truth is that some of us have done pretty well until we got into some tight spots. And then we quickly made several decisions that put us in a place where we suddenly realized we were someone we did not think we were.

We made some decisions pretty quickly and in some tight spots that suddenly told us that we weren't exactly as good as we were, as honest as we thought we were, as good of a husband, as good of a businessman, as good of a mom, as good of a friend, as good of a student. That what we had been telling ourselves about ourselves wasn't actually true. Peter goes out and he wept bitterly. Chapter 27. When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to the death. And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

We'll see more of this later. But the Sanhedrin decides that Jesus deserves death. They're not allowed to perform capital punishment. The Romans gave them some soldiers, let them have some of their own soldiers, let them have some Roman soldiers that they oversaw. But they weren't allowed to do capital punishment.

Every once in a while, mobs would come together and stone people. But it wasn't the Sanhedrin wasn't allowed to oversee that kind of stuff. And so they decide they want to put Jesus to death and the charge against him is blasphemy. But they've got to come together and talk because the Romans don't care about blasphemy. They do it all the time. They're not going to that's not going to work.

So they're going to have to have a discussion about what they're going to accuse him of. We'll see later. They what they accuse him of is sedition. Treason against the Roman Empire. But that's why they take counsel and they decide to deliver him over to Pilate.

Because they're. Let's figure out how to put him to death. Verse three. Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and he brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. So Judas is going through a similar thing.

He's seeing the outcome of the decisions that he's made. When he sees that Jesus is condemned, he realizes this. I shouldn't have done this. He changes his mind. The phrase there in the Greek is short of repentance. But it does mean he changed his mind.

He decided this shouldn't have gone down this way. He shouldn't have done this. He changed his mind. He brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. And they said, what is that to us? See to it yourself.

And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed. And he went and hanged himself. I want you all to see for just a second the absolute failure of the chief priests and the elders. We've been seeing that Jesus has said this, that the temple is done, that they have failed, that this has not worked, that they have not responded the way they ought to. Judas comes to them and says, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. But in the chief priests, priests, the ones who are supposed to stand between the people and God, the ones who are supposed to oversee the sacrificial system, say, what is that to us?

We have nothing to do with helping people get past sin. That's on you. What is that to us? See to it yourself. And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed and went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, it is not lawful to put them into the treasury since it is blood money.

So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore, that field has been called the field of blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, and they took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a piece, a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel. And they gave them for the potter's field as the Lord directed me. Some of that phrase also comes from Malachi. He just ascribes it to Jeremiah because he was the more well-known of the prophet.

They do that a couple of times where they're just saying this has been fulfilled and highlights the main prophet. But he's just showing that Jesus did come to fulfill scripture and that these events do fulfill scripture. So what do we do when we come face to face with our own son? What do we do when we fail to live up to who we think we are, who we want to be? If you're much past high school, you've already begun to do that. You've already begun to see that.

If you're in high school, in middle school, you're doing that, but you're not seeing it. Ask your parents. They might can help you out. But as you get older, you begin to realize that this isn't exactly working out how I thought it was. You begin to see your sin. You begin to see your failures.

You begin to have what you wanted to be and who you hoped you were and how you thought life was going to go. And that begins to fall short. And then we also begin to do things that we wish we could take back, that have consequences. And once you're past it, you're looking back going, how did I ever get there? How did I ever get here? How did I ever make these decisions?

How on earth could I have been a person who did that? What do we do? What do we do in our sin and shame when it clings to us? When it threatens to destroy us? Let's look first at the chief priests.

Verse 5, it says, In throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed and went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money. Y'all, this is insane. He says, I've betrayed innocent blood. He throws the coins back to them. They say, we don't have anything to do with that.

That's on you. He leaves. They go scoop the money up. And they go, we can't put this in the treasury because it's blood money. And we don't want to break the law. The religious law.

Y'all, they paid the blood money. Potentially out of that treasury. This is where Jesus told them, Y'all strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. You're worried about all these little fine points of the law, and you're just blind. They don't see their sin. They know it's blood money, but they don't see how that's on them.

Even though they're the ones who paid the blood money. And then they have the audacity to stand there and have a discussion about caring about applying the law. We've got to do this in a lawful way. Whenever you commit murder, you shouldn't murder on the Sabbath. And if someone pays you to murder, you need to tithe on the earnings. It's like, what?

What? This would be somebody who's saying, man, I know that divorce is wrong, so I'll kill my spouse. What? It's that level of insane. And for us to think that for one second, we're not capable of this. Like we haven't shown up to a community group and discussed minute little parts of the Scriptures and failed to acknowledge our sin.

Like we hadn't discussed what it would be like if I did actually, you know, maybe, you know, I think Christians need to repent. We need to understand that God... But we're not... Like we haven't highlighted the parts of our lives where we're obeying pretty well that I give money and I do this and I'm generous here and I'm generous with my time so I don't have to do that. Or I'm... I mean, yeah, okay, I may be falling into some sexual sin, but I'm showing up to my group more than I ever have.

We don't do this. One of the ways that we deal with our sin and our shame is absolute blind denial. God help us. This is one of the reasons why we want to be in community groups. This is one of the reasons why we show each other love by being in life with one another so that we can point out each other's blind spots. Not to make ourselves better, but to help us by God's grace see our sin so that we'll run from it.

But they don't see it. And they head to destruction. Let's look at Judas, verses 3, 4, and 5. It says, Then Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned and he changed his mind. And he brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. And he's saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.

And they said, What is that to us? Let's look at this part first. See to it yourself. He sees what he did was wrong. He brings the money back. His hope is that he can talk to the chief priests and he can somehow maybe undo this.

His hope is that maybe he can somehow atone for this. And they give them, give him the response that religion gives you. And I don't mean religion in the general sense that Christianity is a religion. I mean the process by which humans do good things to make God love them. How we do what's right and don't do what's bad so that we might be on good terms with God. They give him the same answer.

What does your sin have to do with me? See to it yourself. That's the answer that religion gives you. That's on you. If you're good enough you'll be fine. But it's on you to go be good, to go do what's right, to go be moral, to handle your affairs well.

And that works if A, you're too blind to your sin or B, you see your sin but you minimize it to the point that you feel like you're probably not that bad. But that falls completely apart when you see your sin clearly. Because the idea that I'll be moral enough or I'll be good enough and that'll fix it falls apart because we can't fix it. Our good works cannot atone for our sin. Our good works, our good behaviors, our self-made righteousness cannot atone for our sin. It cannot handle our shame.

It's about as good as a spider web is at catching a rock. It can't do it. It falls apart. And you know this. Some of you are in this process right now. You've done some things that were terrible that you're ashamed to mention, that you feel shame creep up on you when you think about it.

You've made some choices that make you, if you really look at it, make you into a person that you don't want to be. And if you admit that that's who you are, it's crippling. So some of you are in the process right now of doing good religious behavior. As if somehow good religious behavior on this side will offset your wickedness on that side, but that's not how judgment works. This is the example I use. I've used it to try to help explain this to people at different jobs I've had, try to help walk them out.

But if you had a doctor who is an excellent doctor, like a real world doctor house, but nicer, and he was the reason why people's lives got saved. They were going to die. Nobody could figure it out. And this person would figure it out. And let's say he saves two lives a month, sometimes more, 50 lives a year, and then three, four times a year, three or four times, sneaks into someone's house and murders them. When he gets to court, he doesn't get to have a chalkboard and go, I've saved 50 lives this year, killed four people that y'all know about.

I'm a plus 46. I rest my case. He didn't get to do that. Because that's not how justice works. And some of y'all are figuring that out. I've been trying.

I've been trying to show up. I've been trying to do good. I've been trying to... And it's not fixing this. It's not fixing what's wrong with me. It's not fixing what I did.

It's not restoring what was broken. He gave the money back, but it didn't fix it. Some of you are figuring that out, and the truth is you're way, way, way further off than a plus 46. So he moves on to the next thing that happens. What happens when religion begins to fail us? Verse 5.

Throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. What happens when we have to carry the weight of our sin and our guilt and our shame and we have no religious ability to cover it up is we begin to hate ourselves. We begin to destroy ourselves. Some of you walk around daily, mentally, undercutting everything you do. You're wicked. You're terrible.

You're evil. You're broken. In your group, when someone says they love you, you go, not if you knew the real me. You don't say that out loud, but that's what you say in your head. You end up destroying all the relationships you have. This can move on down the line to where you're destroying your body because you care so little about yourself because you know that you deserve destruction.

Even if on most days you're not willing to fully admit it in those terms, that's what you're doing. So you're destroying yourself through guilt, through shame, through pain. Some of you eventually move into cutting. But it's this, this I deserve punishment and the truth is you do. You're not wrong. Some of you look back at what you've done, the way you've used people, the way you've treated people, the way you've treated your spouse.

Some of you, if you would just look at how you treated the people you love most dearly and you still hurt them. Those are the people you're giving your best effort to. And your best effort is at times pathetic. And if you stare at that, it's crushing. And you feel like I don't deserve anything. I just deserve pain and destruction.

And Judas jumps to the end of that line very quickly. He goes out and hangs himself. And some people work themselves to that eventually in life, trying to bear the weight of their sin and shame. And others do it daily, slowly. For years and years and years. Punishing themselves for their guilt.

Trying to atone for their sin. Chapter 26, verse 75. Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly. Through the words of Jesus, Peter sees his sin. Through the words of Jesus, Peter sees his failure.

Peter weeps. He's broken over his sin. Y'all, the next time Peter shows up in the Gospel of Matthew, he's showing up to see Jesus, to listen to him and follow him after the resurrection. We see that Peter moves on into the church that he leads in the church. Peter saw his sin, saw his shame, saw his shame, and took it to Jesus. Peter saw his sin, saw his shame, was broken over it, and ran to the only one who could fix it.

You see, Judas and Peter saw the same thing, that they had failed, that they had shame. Judas knew of no way to fix it, and Peter knew Jesus. Judas proves that he doesn't know Jesus. As if Jesus wouldn't accept him, as Jesus wouldn't give him an opportunity, as Jesus wouldn't accept repentance. He just takes the weight of his sin and shame and is destroyed by it, and Peter runs to Jesus with it. And that's what 2 Corinthians 7.10 says.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. We talk about repentance all the time, that we would see our sin, that we would repent, that we would turn from it. The truth is, we want to be grieved by our sin. I think so many people, though, who only understand the worldly approach to this, think that the church gathers so that we can feel bad about ourselves, and that by feeling bad about ourselves, we can go out into the world and be motivated by guilt so much that we'll be good people. No. And if that's what you're trying to do, welcome.

Let me explain this. It's so much better. The truth is, we do want to grieve. We do want to be called to repentance because we want salvation without regret. Somebody say, without regret. Now, the people who really need to say without regret, say without regret.

How on earth is that possible? Jesus Christ bears the sin of the world for all those who believe in Him. He takes your sin. He becomes your sin. He dies to your sin. We are buried with Him in baptism.

We are raised with Him in a new life. We are washed clean and we have no regrets. Why? Why can we have sin and no regret? Because we have a Savior that washed us clean and my sin only magnifies His glorious grace. my sin only works in me to produce praise. My sin only works in me to help me see, yes, how small and wicked I was.

Yes, how much of deserving of destruction I am. When the enemy comes along and he begins that, let me tell you, he's preaching the first half of a good sermon. When the enemy comes to you and says, you are wicked, you are a sinner, let me drag up behind what you have done in the past. Let me tell you what you've done. Let me tell you how you've hurt people. Let me tell you what you did in high school.

Let me remind you of your sin and your wickedness and your brokenness. Our response, if you belong to Jesus, is come on, get to the end. Get to the end. Tell me about Christ. Tell me about when He went to the cross. Tell me about how His blood was shed.

Tell me about how He died. Tell me about how He was in a tomb and everything seemed dark. Tell me about when life came back into Him. Tell me about how He saved me from my sin. Tell me about how I'm free. Tell me about how I have a salvation without regret.

That is what is for you in repentance. We want you to grieve. We want you to hate your sin so that you will repent so that you will find Christ. Worldly grief just feels bad and destroys you. Grief, when Jesus enters the picture, dies and rises again. We have a salvation without regret.

Thomas Watson says, till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet. For some of us the first step is to hate our sin, to grieve over it, to have the rooster crow to stare face to face with our wickedness so that we can see how glorious Jesus is that He dies for sinners. The band's going to come back up. My prayer for you is that you will respond like Peter. The truth is you are responding to your guilt. You are responding to your shame.

Some of you are trying to cover it up. Some of you are trying to deny it. Some of you are trying to hide it. Some of you are trying to just muscle through. Some of you are destroying yourself slowly over time and feeling terrible about it as if somehow tearing yourself up, tearing your body up, tearing your mental state up, will atone for your wickedness. And the reality is Jesus atones for sin and Jesus alone.

Only He sets us free. Only He provides salvation without regret. Some of you are Christians. You've placed your faith in Jesus and you are still in the middle of your sin, not getting to the part of salvation, just grieving, just trying to atone for it by feeling bad. Stop. Do not rob the Lord Jesus of His glorious grace.

Praise Him that He saves wicked sinners like you. When you see your sin, turn from it and run to the one who saves. Some of you right now are trying to deny this. You're trying to hide from your sin. You're trying to cover it up through religious good works and the reality is religion says to you, what has this got to do with me? See to it yourself.

And Jesus says, I'll see to it myself because your sin has everything to do with me because I'm going to cover it for you. May we hope in Christ, in Christ alone. We're about to sing a song called Nothing But the Blood and I want that truth to sink into your head. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing else will fix it.

No amount of good work, no amount of shame, no amount of feeling bad will fix this. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Let's pray. God, we thank you that you're good. Thank you that you save sinners and we pray that in the middle of our shame and our doubt that we would move from grief to repentance and from repentance to salvation without regret that we would walk in the freedom provided by the cross that we might proclaim the glorious grace of Jesus. Lord, may we repent of our religion that stands in the way of us loving you.

May we repent of all of our self-righteousness. May we repent of our wickedness in the places that we failed. Help us to see ourselves clearly so that we may love you fully. In Jesus' name, amen.

Jesus in the Garden (Matthew 26:30-46)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

Jesus in the Garden

Spencer Cary

Transcript

Good morning. My name is Spencer. I'm one of the pastors here. We're going to be in Matthew 26 verses 30 through 46. That's on page 486 in a blue Bible that is around you. If you don't have a Bible at home, we encourage you to take that blue Bible with you.

That is our gift to you. We want you to have a Bible that you can read on a regular basis. There are moments in life that absolutely punch you deep in your soul. There are moments where you endure an immense amount of suffering and loss and grief. There are moments in life where you feel so overwhelmed by life itself, by the moment, by the things that you face. This has happened a few times in my life.

One that sticks out the most was my freshman year of college. My freshman year of college, I remember I was in my dorm room. I was taking a nap. I woke up to a bunch of missed calls. I called my father back and found out that my brother-in-law had passed away. I called my brother after that.

He confirmed that he had passed away, that he had actually taken his own life. And when all of that hit, I just felt completely overwhelmed and grief. I remember getting in the car and driving to my sister's house and walking in and seeing her and just the agony of that moment, embracing her and all of the pain that came with that was so surreal. And I also remember in that moment, I remember questioning God from a place of frustration and anger that was just, why? Why would you let this happen? Why would you let this happen to my sister, to my niece, to my nephew?

Why? And this frustration, this anger and this questioning the character of God that just said, why? Why? There are moments that all of us will walk through in life where we endure suffering and loss and grief and pain. And some of you may have been through this and even gone through that and questioning the character of God and asking, why? The reality is, is that you will face moments like this.

If you have not suffered, you will. It is a guarantee in life. Everyone suffers. It is as sure as death and taxes, you will suffer. That is a part of the reality, this side of the fall. You will face situations in your life that absolutely just throw gut punches at your soul.

But as Christians, we have a different approach to this. We have a different understanding. The Bible says a lot about this. Therefore, we have a different response that we are called to in those moments. And my hope is, is that this morning, as we walk through what is a very heavy passage, that we would watch Jesus as He prepares for the moment of the cross. As He prepares for suffering.

And my hope is that we would learn and that we would glean from Him so that we would be able to suffer well. Which is the hope for any Christian in the midst of suffering. So it is heavy. Let me pray. And then we will jump into this passage. God, I pray that you would help us be present this morning.

I have no doubt that there is an immense amount of suffering, even right now in this room, that people are walking through, that people are facing. God, I pray that we would be able to learn. I pray that we would listen. And I pray that you would mold us and shape us to be a people that suffer well by the power that you give us. In Jesus' name, amen. Alright, verse 30.

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Okay, so this is the transition from last week. Last week, the past two weeks, we're at the Passover meal. And then Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper. We walked through that last week. And at the end of this meal, they sing a hymn.

They sing. And I just want to point that out. That Jesus leads the disciples in singing. That singing is good for your soul. It sings truth deep into your soul. So maybe the person that doesn't like to sing when we're together on Sundays, whether it's for your self-conscious, or maybe it's prideful reasons, or you're a dude and you're like, I don't sing.

It's just not what I do. It's just not manly. Which if you think that, one day you can meet the King of Kings and tell him he was effeminate for leading the people in singing. No, it's good for us to sing. And he sings as they close out this moment. And they head to the Mount of Olives, which is a hillside that sits just above the city of Jerusalem.

So it's a hillside that a lot of pilgrims who were coming in for Passover would have camped out. And he takes them to the Mount of Olives. It's verse 31. Then Jesus told them, this very night you will fall away on account of me, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. So again, we've been seeing this.

Jesus is making it clear. This is going to happen. I am going to suffer. I am going to the cross. And he says, and you are going to abandon me. Which had to be a little bit of a shock for the disciples.

Thinking, no, this can't be possible. But he quotes, this is not just going to happen. It's been prophesied. Zechariah 13, 7 from the Old Testament is this prophecy that says that the shepherd is going to be struck. And when the shepherd is struck, the sheep will scatter. Fearfully scatter and abandon him.

He says, but 32, but after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. Now there's two things. One of them is very obvious from this. He is declaring that he's going to rise. He's saying that his death is not the end. That resurrection is going to happen.

So that's the clear thing that we see on the surface. But what I love buried in this is a picture of how good our great shepherd is. That in this moment, he just said, you are going to abandon me. You are going to leave me. And he says, but don't worry. When I rise, I will meet you in Galilee.

That I am going to. It's this picture of he sees their failures and still he restores them. I love that we have a good shepherd that restores those even when they are faithless. So, verse 33, Peter hears this and he disagrees. Peter replied, even if all fall away on account of you, I never will. Which that's Peter.

We've seen it over and over again. He's all in. Like he's just full hearted. Doesn't even realize he just put the other disciples down. If they fail and fall away, I won't leave you, Jesus. I'm in.

And then Jesus says, truly, I tell you. Jesus answered this very night before the rooster crows, you will diseminate me three times. That when the sheep scatter and they abandon him, Peter will have even a more tragic abandonment. He's going to deny him three times what you're going to see in the next few verses. He's going to abandon him. Verse 35, but Peter declared, even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.

He's defiant. And all the other disciples said the same. So, Peter, bold in his stance, I'm not going anywhere. The other disciples were like, no, we would not abandon you, even though it's going to happen in just a few hours. Now, what happens next is one of my favorite moments in all the Gospels. It's one of the most powerful moments in the Gospels.

And it's unbelievably helpful for us to look at and examine and to see what happens next. Because it gives us incredible insight in how to be people who respond well and prepare well for suffering. So if you've ever been in a situation where you have suffered, if you've ever grieved the loss of someone or death, if you've ever wrestled with deep sin, if you've ever faced adversity, if you've ever felt overwhelmed by life in general, this is a helpful passage for us to pay attention to and examine. Verse 36. Then Jesus went to them to a place.

Went to them to a place called Gethsemane. This is the Garden of Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray. So with the reality of the cross setting in, gets his disciples together. And he takes them a little further into the garden. He says, I need to get away to pray.

And then verse 37 says, And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. That's Peter and James and John. The three that he spent more time with. He takes them in further into the garden. He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, My soul is very sorrowful even to death.

Remain here and watch with me. Jesus is sorrowful. He is troubled. He is in deep distress. To the point of sorrow and anguish. That it's the point of death.

And he tells them, Stay here. Stay near him. I'm going to go further into the garden. And what he is going to do is, he's going to have some solitude before his heavenly Father. Verse 39. And going a little further, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. And this is where we get to see the why behind why he is so sorrowful, even to the point of death. Why he's in such deep distress. It has to do with the cup that he just mentioned. What is the cup that Jesus speaks of? Well, first off, you've got to take it in the context of what he just quoted.

He quoted Zechariah 13.7, which is a prophecy where God is speaking. It is God speaking, saying that He is the one who will strike the good shepherd. Zechariah 13.7 says, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me, declares the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. I will turn my hand against the little ones. That is God the Father saying, I will strike the Son.

That God and His sovereign plan brings this about to where Jesus is the one who will be struck. And it is God the Father's plan to do so. The cup that is mentioned here is the cup of suffering that has been prepared for Christ. It is a cup of suffering. The cup was referenced in Matthew 20, just a few chapters back. In Matthew 20, James and John are having an argument over who is going to sit at the left and right hand of Jesus in what they thought was going to be this political movement.

Their mom gets involved and tries to argue on their behalf. And then finally we get to a response where Jesus answered. He said, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? They said to Him, We are able. He said to them, You will drink my cup.

But sit at my right hand on my left. It is not mine to grant. The cup is the cup of suffering. He says, You will drink my cup. James later on in Acts 12 is beheaded for his faith. John is the only disciple that is not martyred.

But later on, history tells us that he was thrown into oil to be boiled alive. He somehow survives that. We don't know how. And then ends up in exile on the island of Patmos where he dies. It is the cup of suffering that God prepares. It is also, not just the cup of suffering, it is the cup of God's wrath.

When the cup is spoken of in the Old Testament in passages like Isaiah 51, 17 and Jeremiah 25, 15. It is God's wrath, the cup of wrath that is poured out. And that is what's being referenced here. It is the cup of God's wrath and it is an immense amount of suffering. And that is what Jesus is about to drink. An immense amount of suffering for the sins of man.

He will, in the next few hours, be beaten. He will be tortured. He will be nailed to a cross. And there is a crazy amount of physical agony and suffering that is involved in this. But it is not just that.

It is that He is going to be bearing our sin on the cross. And it is not even just that. It is that this perfect fellowship that He has had with God the Father for eternity is going to change in this moment. Because on the cross, He says, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? He calls out to the Father in agony. The physical and spiritual suffering.

He calls out and He hears nothing but the wrath of God poured out on Him. He has had this fellowship with the Father that will change in this moment. All of that is what He is preparing for. That is the cup that awaits Him. That is what He is trying to get ready for. And then it says, as He is anticipating this and going a little further, He fell on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me.

If it is possible, Jesus says, take it. He doesn't want to suffer. He doesn't want that there is a part of Him that is very human. He doesn't want to suffer in this way. He doesn't want all the pain and suffering that awaits. But physically and spiritually that awaits Him, He doesn't want to go that route.

But He prays one of the most helpful prayers in all of the Scriptures. He says, Yet not as I will, but as you will. Not as I will, but as you will. in this moment of deep distress, He prays what He taught in the Sermon on the Mount. That Your will would be done. This isn't what I want for myself, but Father, this is what You want. Not my will, but Your will.

I don't want to suffer in this way. But God the Father does because He wants to rescue wayward sinners. And our only hope is Jesus to take steps in faithfulness and to take steps towards the cross. So, Jesus, anticipating all of this, falls on His face before the Father in deep distress. And He doesn't just do it once. He does this repeatedly.

Verse 40 says, Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. Couldn't you men keep watch with Me for one hour? He asked Peter. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. It's not just prayer.

It's persistent prayer that Jesus models for us. That He needs to keep going back. And He's telling the disciples, No, you need to prepare yourself. You're not going to be ready when temptation comes. What a self-aware thought that the flesh is weak. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

It's something that we need to have so clearly in our own minds. Sometimes the Spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Therefore, we need to go back to the well of God's strength in prayer. He gets away again. 42, He went away a second time and prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done. Praise again.

It's not possible. May Your will be done. Pray some more. Verse 43, When He came back, He again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time saying the same thing.

And we're on into the night. He keeps going back. He keeps praying, preparing to face what He is about to face. And through prayer, He is going to find the strength to take steps forward in faithfulness. And He is going to bear the sins of humanity and take on a punishment that no one has ever endured or will endure. Verse 45, Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting?

Look, the hour has come and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go. Here comes my betrayer. It is time. Jesus will be arrested and He will be taken towards the cross. The disciples will abandon Him in fear as Jesus steps forward in faith.

Now, how does this help prepare us for suffering? What can we learn from this that would help us be better sufferers? I think there are five things that we can learn from this, from Jesus in the garden praying. And the first is that God ordains and purposes suffering. That God ordains. He chooses that we would suffer.

It is an uncomfortable truth that we don't like as Western American Christians. We don't like this idea that God and His sovereign plan allows and ordains suffering to happen. It's something that we just rather ignore because just generally in our culture, we don't like the idea of suffering in any form or fashion. I was reading an article by Tim Keller. He's a pastor that we look up to immensely. He wrote it in the Atlantic this week.

Tim Keller is, he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and I follow him a lot and just reading and listening to him and it just, it doesn't sound very hopeful. And he wrote this article on facing death and suffering and he, in one part, quotes a memoir from a doctor. This doctor practiced medicine in India and in America and he's comparing the two different systems of medicine, the two different people groups and the two, how we respond differently to suffering. And he quotes this doctor in his memoir. He writes, in the United States, I encountered a society that seeks to avoid pain at all costs.

He wrote in a recent memoir. Patients lived at a greater comfort level than I had previously treated when he was in India. But they seem far less equipped to handle suffering and far more traumatized by it. He's making an observation that in India where they have more suffering, they seem to be better prepared for it. That in America we're more insulated from, we're more guarded against, we don't like to think about the aspects of suffering and death. And when it hits us, we're far more traumatized by it.

And then Tim Keller diagnoses this with his own thoughts. He says, our beliefs about God in an afterlife, if we have them, are often abstractions as well. If we don't accept the reality of death, if we, we don't need these beliefs to be anything other than mental assents. He says, for us, it really just becomes mental agreements with the idea of suffering. That we can hear about it, read about it, absorb that idea, but it's just, it's more of an abstract concept for us. It's not something that's concrete.

Because we're so guarded, our culture doesn't like to look at suffering, doesn't like to face the aspects of death. We insulate ourselves from it. It's a downer. Death and suffering, it's just something we don't want to look at. Like I start the sermon off with a heavy story and it's like, oh man, this is one of those days. We don't like to deal with this.

It's just an abstract concept. And what this passage calls us to do is to stare deep into it and reckon with this idea of suffering. And not just suffering itself, but the purposes that are behind suffering, the mysterious purposes. Now when we look at Jesus and why He suffers on the cross, why does Jesus take the full cup of God's wrath? Why does God purpose that His Son would take on the greatest suffering that anyone ever knew or will know that skeptics will call this is divine child abuse? Why is this?

It is because our world is marred by sin. It is broken. It is because we are broken. It is because we hurt one another. It is because we hurt ourselves. It is because we rage against God in our own rebellion.

We spit on His good will, on His good pleasure. We wreck one another. We wreck this world. And that type of rebellion has a cost. And we are not able to pay that cost. So God in His deep love comes.

He comes to pay the cost for us and to pay the penalty to rescue us and redeem this world. That is why Jesus had to suffer in the garden. That is why He had to suffer. And that is what He is preparing for in the garden. So why does God allow us to get sick?

Our loved ones to die? Why do we suffer? We get some answers. We live in a fallen world. We live this side of the fall and sin and death are a reality. And sometimes we get more answers behind why Jesus suffers than we do at times.

Maybe it is to prepare us for greater things. That is a little bit of what 1 Peter is getting at. There is some sanctifying aspects of suffering that prepares us for greater things. Maybe it is that our suffering gets to be the comfort to somebody else. When you go through something that is difficult and you come through the other side that you get to be a comfort to someone else who is walking through it. Sometimes we get those answers.

Through prayer, discernment, the scriptures. Sometimes we just don't know. We don't get all the whys behind why we suffer. But there is one clear thing that we see. There is some very good news in the midst of this. The good news that comforts us in the midst of suffering is that God is not distant.

God is not distant. Jesus sympathizes with our suffering. That is the second thing I think this passage helps highlight. Jesus sympathizes with our suffering. He is not unable to understand what you are going through. We don't pray to a God who is distant and removed from the aspects of suffering.

Look at 37. It says, In taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, My soul is very sorrowful. Even to death, remain here to watch with me. He knows what it means to suffer. He is able to empathize with the struggle.

He has been here. He has lived it. You have been in a situation where somebody, you endured a loss of some type. Somebody died. People just feel like they have to say something. They will be like, I am so sorry.

A couple years ago, I lost my dog. It is like, oh no. this isn't going to go well. You cannot relate in this moment. I want to as quickly and awkwardly end this conversation because it is just not helpful. You have people that try to commiserate. It is like, no, you don't get this.

You don't know what I am going through. Jesus doesn't have a dog story. He chose to come to this world and endure suffering on a regular basis and then suffering on a way that we will never comprehend. him. That is what the book of Hebrews gets at in Hebrews 4. We don't have a high priest who is unable to empathize us but one who is able to sympathize us in every way. He has come.

He has endured suffering so that we pray to God. It is not that we are praying to someone who is distant, who doesn't understand. No, he chose to. He chose to come into this broken world. He can sympathize with our suffering. That is one thing that we see absolutely here.

Third, we see that we don't need to be alone in the midst of suffering. Jesus could have, after the Passover meal said, guys, I'm going to go. I'm going to go to the Mount of Olives. Y'all stay here. He could have done that. He takes the disciples with him.

He takes them with him into the garden. He takes three that are close and nearby. And yes, he absolutely has solitude, which he does regularly, but they're right nearby. He could have chosen to do this alone, but he doesn't, because we're made in the image of a communal God. We are designed to be around one another. So you don't need to be alone in the midst of suffering.

It's not good for your soul. I've said this over the years, that when someone is suffering, when someone has endured loss, you don't always have to say something. You don't have to feel the void of silence. You can just be there. It's called a ministry of presence. You're just there.

You can cry with them. You can sit with them for hours in silence. A lot of times, they don't remember what anyone said, but they remember who was there. And that matters. The third thing we learn is we don't need to be alone in the midst of suffering. The fourth is that we are not sufficient to handle our own distress and suffering.

We are not sufficient in and of ourselves to handle our distress, to handle our sorrows and suffering. Jesus models this by praying. There are passages like this where we're trying to reconcile, which we can't because it's a mystery, that God is fully God. Jesus is fully God and he's fully man. The fact that he is in this moment in need, it's hard for us to wrap our minds around, that he's fully human in this moment. He needs the Father in his humanity.

He comes to him in deep distress, in deep sorrow, that the weight of the full cup of God's wrath that is waiting for him in just a few hours, it's right there. It weighs heavy on him physically. It shows up. So much so that in Luke's gospel, it adds that as he's praying humbly to the Father, an angel comes and ministers to him. He's in need in this moment. He models that we are not sufficient to handle this on our own.

We're not sufficient to handle our own distress, our own troubles, our own sorrows. Here's the deal. Many of us have a category for this, that we're not sufficient, we're not, we can't handle this all ourselves when it comes to the bigger moments of life, when it comes to being overwhelmed and huge, watershed, life-changing moments of suffering. But I want to speak to those of you that feel that sense of distress and overwhelming in everyday aspects of life. I just want to speak to you for a moment. For those of you that struggle with the general category that we have today, it's called general anxiety.

I just want to speak to you for a moment, because I think this passage also has a helpful way to think through this, that is actually good for you to process and think through. There is a categorical difference between distress that Jesus is enduring in the garden, and the category of anxiousness that is a spiritual mistrust of God that doesn't trust in His sovereignty, a need for control. Those are two different things. The Bible has different categories for those. Go back to verse 37. It says, In taking with them Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

The word for troubled there means deep distress. It is a different word than what we see for anxious that's used in the scriptures. So Philippians 4, Do not be anxious in anything but through prayer and supplication, make your request unto the Lord. That's a different word. When Jesus says, Don't be anxious about this life. That's a different word than this word for distress.

And here's the deal. If you looked at Jesus in this moment with our modern kind of psychological lens, you see Him praying in the garden. Probably, we don't know, probably, He's sweating immensely. Luke's gospel either says that He's praying and there's sweat that's like droplets of blood, meaning it's thick amounts of sweat, or He's so deeply distressed distressed. There's a rare medical condition where blood shows up in your sweat. It's hard to tell from the text.

Both of those means He's in deep distress. And with modern psychological lens, you look at that and say, oh no, maybe Jesus is actually anxious. But He's not. He's in deep distress. And here's why that's so incredibly important for you to understand. You have a physiological response, all of us.

I mean, if you saw a snake in a path, you would have physiological changes. If you saw a car slam on brakes in front of you, you'd have physiological changes that would happen. You would start to breathe heavier. Your heart would start to race. Adrenaline would spike. You would feel a cold sweat.

That's a physical response that you have to something that is difficult. Some of you have a more sensitive response to that in lots of things. You see your kid on top of a play set. They don't text or call like they were supposed to. You have a presentation that's due at work. You have an assignment that you've got to present.

And you feel that you wake up and you feel this feeling. This isn't the gray area here. But you feel this feeling of distress. And here's why this is so incredibly important for you to understand. When you read passages that say don't be anxious about anything, what you translate that is don't feel the feeling that I feel so regularly. And you've got to know yourself.

There's a difference between a feeling of distress, which is a physical, very human response that Jesus feels, and not trusting the Lord that leads to anxiety. What stands in the middle of that is the recognition and understanding that you are not sufficient to handle your own troubles. It is the fifth thing that we see from this. Choose the God who can handle your troubles and sorrows. That is what we see so clearly here. Jesus feels this distress in the garden.

But you know why does it lead to sin? Because He stops in that moment and He gets on His face and He prays. There's a difference whether you feel this on a regular basis or you feel this in the most difficult moments of suffering in life. what stands in the way between that being just distress and leading to an anxiety that does not trust the Lord is prayer. It's getting on our face in faith and praying, acknowledging that we can't handle this ourselves, but God can. So you have one of two options in this moment.

You can trust God or you can say that I'm sufficient in and of myself, that I can handle this myself. I was talking to Scott Hill about this this week. He's one of our older members. And he says really two responses. It's either this vertical response where you are praying to the Lord or it's more of a circular response. And I love that because I know exactly what he's getting at.

It's a circular response of just crazy. You feel this deep distress. You feel it coming on and then all of a sudden you don't go to the Lord. You want to deal with it yourself and you choose to deal with yourself and then all of a sudden it leads into this anxiety where you're not trusting the Lord. Your thoughts are consumed. But then that physically affects you, right?

And then you feel it and then it causes more distress. And it's this cycle where you feel distress and you try to handle it yourself and it leads to more anxiety and it goes on and on. And what God is trying to teach us to do is to break through that and humble ourselves before the Lord and pray from a desperate place. I mean, Jesus falls on the ground and prays desperately as a physical posture of deep prayer in the midst of distress. That sometimes you've got to fall on your face. In the most difficult moments of life, you've got to get on your face and pray.

That if you are overwhelmed at work, sometimes you need to pause, get on your knees at your desk and pray. Scott was talking about sometimes he just holds his hands out, that physically gets in a posture of prayer. Jesus in John 17 looks up to the Father and prays. One of the things I teach in counseling is deep breathing and I'll do deep breathing exercises, which I always tell people. It's very awkward to breathe with somebody deeply for two or three minutes. It feels very new agey, but I'm sold on it.

I think it is very helpful that there are moments whether you're tempted to look at pornography or you're tempted to fall more into a spiral of anxiety to just in those moments regulate your breathing. Because when you breathe a lot and you get more and more stirred up, your adrenaline spikes, your heart starts pumping and you can't think clearly. And I teach now, pause and just deep breathe. Learn to breathe deeply. And when you do this, it regulates your heart rate, starts to decrease, it floods your brain with oxygen, there's physical changes that happen within you so that you can think clearly.

And then I say, get on your knees and pray. And remember the gospel and rehearse truth and pray. There's some physical things you can do to get to a posture of humility before the Lord. Life is going to throw a lot at you. It is going to throw haymakers at your soul, which in boxing is a huge punch. That it's going to absolutely come at you.

And you have a fork in the road in all of these circumstances. If you are a Christian, you can, in that moment, come to the Father humbly in prayer. Or you can see that you are sufficient to handle yourself. And if you see yourself as sufficient, you will physically bear the weight of that, which will affect you physically. You will, like I've done in the past, question the character and the goodness of God. Or you can come to him humbly in prayer.

You can get on your face and cry out to him. And you can echo the same prayer of Jesus. Not my will, God, but your will be done. I don't want to lose this battle of cancer. I don't want to lose my job. I don't want to wreck my career.

I don't want to fail this test. I don't want to lose this child. I don't want to lose this parent. But not my will, God. Yours be done. That's the model that Jesus gives us.

That we get to come to the Father and pray. In the midst of distress, in the midst of trouble, in the midst of all the swirling suffering that surrounds us. We get to choose the path of Christ and fall in the same line that he did. And I thank Jesus that he chose the path that he chose. I thank Jesus that in that garden as he's praying and he's overwhelmed and he's sweating and he's physically weak that he chose to get up and go to the cross. Because that's the only hope that we have.

The only hope we have is Jesus on the cross. And my hope for us as Christians is we'd see what Jesus did. And that we'd follow the same path in prayer. Matt's going to come up. And I want us for a moment to reflect upon the things that are happening in our life. The things that that are heavy for us.

That are burdensome for us. The troubles that we face. The suffering that's in front of us. And I just want us to do that. I want us to pray. Maybe you need to get on your knees in front of your chair.

Maybe you hold your hands out. But I want us to pray. If you are not a Christian, I want you to see that the God of the universe did not leave you in a world that is so filled with brokenness and sin. He didn't leave you. He came for you. He loved you so much that he got up out of the garden and he went to the cross for you.

So that you don't have to be alone. So that you would have a God who stands in the heavens and hears your prayers and knows what you are feeling. We don't always get the responses we want. There are times we will pray and God says, no. But the path of faith is acknowledging that ultimately God's will is best.

So if you are a Christian, I pray that you would, that would be so clear for you this morning as you pray. If you are not a Christian, I pray you would be so overwhelmed by the love of Christ that you give in to him and believe. Let me lead us in prayer and then take a few moments in silence before we respond in singing. Lord, this world is so painful. we feel sin deep within us. We see it all around us. We see the hurt.

We see the pain of death and suffering and loss. And it is overwhelming. And that is okay. Because you are able to handle it. God, I pray right now that the Christians in this room who are struggling that they would respond in prayer not just now but for a lifetime they would respond in choosing the path of faith and trusting you and they would lay their burdens before you. And you would comfort them.

You would comfort us. You'd be near to us. You'd be gracious to us. And God, I pray if there's anyone here that does not believe this that has not trusted in you may your overwhelming love be so clear right now in this moment that they would believe. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

The Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:1-26-29)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

The Lord's Supper

Spencer Cary

Transcript

Good morning. Good morning. My name is Spencer. I am one of the pastors here. We're going to be in Matthew 26, verses 26 through 29 today. Today we are going to look at the moment that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper.

So we call this an ordinance. All right, this is something that God has ordained, that Jesus has ordained for us to practice as the church. So we have taught this a few times over the last few years. And we've come at it really hitting it, really the most important parts of it as we've walked through it. Today we're going to walk through this a little bit differently. We're going to give a little more background on this.

So if you love taking notes, today is your day. So we are going to look at this. There's a lot of significance and a lot of debate over the Lord's Supper. So I want to walk through the text in Matthew today and see what the Bible teaches us. Then I want to walk through historically how the Lord's Supper has come about.

The reality is that y'all have opinions on communion or the Eucharist or the Lord's Supper, even how you call it. You have opinions, you don't even know that you do, but that comes from a historical progression and how the church has approached this over the last 2,000 years. So we're going to walk through that. And then I want us to just get real practical at the end and show what we believe about the Lord's Supper and how we practice it. So let me pray and then we'll jump straight in.

And God, I thank you that you've given us this tangible, beautiful practice that we get to keep and remember what the gospel means to us. God, I pray that you'd help us understand this more deeply this morning. You'd help us be present. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, so verse 26.

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and after blessing it, broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And he took a cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. Okay, so this part of the meal really builds off of what we were talking about last week. And I hinted at this. This is the Passover meal.

So he has the disciples together in a room to take the Passover meal. So in order to understand the significance of the Lord's Supper, we need to understand Passover and what that means. All right, so Passover comes from the book of Exodus. This is something that was at the forefront of the Jewish calendar. So the Jewish calendar, right at the beginning, you celebrate Passover.

This is a meal of remembrance. It's their Independence Day. It celebrates the biggest redemptive moment of the history of the Israelites, really the formation of the covenant people of God. So, go back to Exodus. You remember Prince of Egypt, the movie? Take your mind there.

It's a classic. You should see it. Go back to Exodus. The Israelites have been slaves for over 400 years in Egypt. 400 years they've been slaves. And God says, no more.

He raises up Moses. He sends Moses to Pharaoh. And Moses goes to Pharaoh and says, let my people go. And Pharaoh says, no. And then one by one, God starts to enact judgment on the land in the form of plagues. So he turns the Nile River into blood.

He sends gnats and locusts and boils and all kinds of things. And at every turn, Pharaoh says, no. I'm not going to let your people go. Then finally comes the last plague. And Moses comes to him and says, if you do not let the people go, he will take the firstborn son of every house in the land. He will kill every firstborn son.

And Pharaoh says, no. So God tells Moses to go and tell the people. He tells the people that they need to take a lamb and slaughter the lamb. So he tells the Israelites, slaughter a lamb and take the blood of the lamb and put it on the doorpost and the lintel, the very top doorpost. Put it all over the door. And when I come through to enact my judgment, I will pass over your house.

Meaning he will not take the firstborn son of the house that has the blood of the lamb on it. So they do this. They slaughter lambs without blemish. They take the blood. They put it on the doorposts. The Lord comes through at night.

And he takes the firstborn son of every house of Egypt. All the Egyptians lose their firstborn son, including Pharaoh. And at that point, Pharaoh says, get out. And they're free. After 400 years of being slaves, they are finally free. He tells them to prepare a meal.

It's of unleavened bread. It's a quick meal for them. And then he says, remember this. You're going to have a celebration. It's called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That every year at the beginning of your calendar, you're going to remember what I did.

That I saved you. That I redeemed you from being slaves in Egypt. That I saved you. The blood of the lamb saved you. All of that. And then what comes out of that throughout the rest of Exodus is God really forming his covenant people.

All of that history. All of that theology. All of that significance is packed into this meal. Jesus takes that and then says, all right. This is a new meal for my new people. Established on a new covenant.

All of that significance rolls up into this meal. Because in just a few hours after Jesus does this, he is going to the cross. And what is significant about this is that Jesus is going to become the Passover lamb. That the bread and the wine that he has out for them will be his body and his blood. His body will be given just as the lamb was sacrificed. His blood will be shed so that they will no longer be slaves to sin.

They won't feel the power of death through belief in him. That's the significance. Jesus becomes the Passover lamb. And he's holding this meal out for them to remember this. In fact, Luke adds this. He says, do this in remembrance of me.

That the church is commanded to remember the work of Christ. Not just that happens at the cross. But also, he says, he will not drink of this again until they are with him in his father's kingdom. The picture is when all things are made new. This is between the cross and the final wedding feast. When God, when Jesus returns, it makes all things new.

So this meal, we've taught this before. It's a meal of tension for a people in tension. Between the work of Christ on the cross and his blood that was shed for us so that we'd have faith in him. And also, the day when he comes back and makes all things new. That when we take the Lord's Supper, we remember his death. And we remember that sin will no longer remain.

That that is what we get to celebrate as the people of God. As we take part in the Lord's Supper. It is a practice for us to remember that we live in a kingdom that has come, but has not yet been consummated. Has not yet been finished. Alright, so. That's what's packed into the significance of this meal.

And he says, do this in remembrance of me. And the church did this. We see this very early on in the book of Acts. It's in Acts 2. After Peter preaches the Sermon of Pentecost. And 3,000 plus people come to know Jesus.

And place faith in Jesus. It says, and they devote themselves to the apostles' teaching. And the fellowship. To the breaking of bread and prayers. Now, the breaking of bread is significant. It just said they're taking part in meals together.

But that's not just what's being taught here. The breaking of bread is language for taking part in the Lord's Supper. So we kind of see in the New Testament that they would have had a meal together. And they would have taken part in the Lord's Supper. We see it again in Acts 20. In Acts 20 verse 7.

It says, on the first day of the week. When we gather together to break bread. That's not just eating a meal together. That is significant. They gather together on the first day of the week. Which is Sunday.

That's why we gather together on Sundays for worship. And they broke bread. They took part in the Lord's Supper. We're going to see a little bit later. And walk through 1 Corinthians 11. To see some more biblical.

How we should practice this. How we should not practice this. But that's how it begins. And then from there. It's really a 2,000 year history. Of the church developing this.

And thinking more thoughtfully about it. And trying to figure out how to practice it. So that's where we are. That I want to move to now. The reality is. Is that we have opinions on this.

We have opinions on this. Because history has an impact. On the way that we think about the Lord's Supper. First. This may seem tedious. If you don't like history.

Just bear with me for a few moments. But the reason that we. If you have any church background at all. There's a reason you have an opinion on this. My dad reminds me regularly. That I was Christian Lutheran.

He's a very proud Lutheran. He says you're a Christian Lutheran. I said yes I know. You've told me. 10,000 times. So.

I was Christian Lutheran. And the Lutherans. The Lutheran church. Has a different take on this. Than others. Eventually landed in a Presbyterian church.

And I walked through. Confirmation. In a Presbyterian church. So Presbyterians. Methodists. Catholics.

They'll go through something called confirmation. That it prepares them. It confirms their faith. So that. They can take. So that we can take the Lord's Supper.

And Presbyterians have a take on this. That is different. And then one time. I was with a buddy of mine. Who's Catholic. I went to mass with him.

And. I just followed him up there. And they called the Eucharist. So I followed him up there. I took part in the Eucharist. They served real wine.

And drank that. And thought. Oh this is. This is different. And then. Later on the ride home with him.

His mom is the sweetest lady. And she looked at me and said. Don't ever do that again. She said. You are not Catholic. You don't.

You know. Come with us. But don't ever do that again. And I was a little offended. And thrown off. But I appreciate that.

Because she understands. That the way they practice it. Is different. And I should not have taken part of it. And I never will take part in it. Ever again.

Fast forward a little bit later. I became a Christian. In a Methodist church. That's where I came to know Jesus. Methodists have a different take on this. And now I'm a Baptist pastor.

And we have a different take on this. So maybe you didn't follow me. Through the tour to denominations. But. If you have any background. At all.

There's a reason. If you have any opinions. There's a reason. So. Alright. Much of the debate.

Over how to practice the Lord's Supper. Hinges on one word. One very big word. Take. Eat. This.

Is. My body. Tens of thousands. Of pages. Have thought. Of thought.

Have been spent on. That word is. What does is mean? Is it. Jesus is saying. This is literally.

My body. Which has a different weight to it. Or. Is it. No. This.

It's figuratively. This. This is my body. And there's some. Some metaphorical usage here. That's where the.

The range of debate happens. Is on that. Word. And denominations. Are very. Very.

Very. Very. Much split. On what is. Means. So.

I'm going to walk through. Quickly as possible. From the early church. To today. So. The early church fathers.

Alright. This is second. Third. Fourth. Fifth century. All had.

Pretty vague notions. And understandings. Of what that word meant. At least that's what their writing says. They were. Basically.

To summarize it. They thought. That Jesus. Was somewhat. Spiritually. Present.

In. The bread. And the wine. Kind of. It just. It was.

General. Fuzziness. Augustine. One of the early church fathers. Who. When I googled.

A picture of Augustine. I could not resist putting a picture of Kanye up there with him. Augustine. For the five of you that appreciate Kanye. Even when he's crazy. Augustine.

Had. Had a lot to say about it. And still. In all of his writings. Was just. Real fuzzy on it.

Just yet. Jesus is present. In. Kind of. The bread. And the one.

So. The early church fathers. Had things to say about it. It was real mysterious. It wasn't real. Well defined.

Then. Fast forward. Seven hundred years. The Catholic church. Started to develop this. Further.

And further. And further. Until you get to. 1215. The year 1215. In 1215.

The church. The Catholic church. At the fourth. Lateran council. Finally had a position on this. They said.

This is what we believe. We believe in. Transubstantiation. That is a big word. Okay. But just transubstance.

Is what you need to see out of that. That when. This is what Catholics believe. That when you take the body. And the bread. And the wine.

It literally becomes. The body. And the blood. Of Christ. Literally. It.

Transubstances. I say transforms. But they would. Take issue with that. That it becomes. As they're drinking.

And as they're eating. The literal body. And blood. Of Christ. That was their position. They cemented finally.

After years of thinking about it. And if you want to nerd out. About how that came to be. With Aristotelian philosophy. We can do that later. I'm not going to bore.

The rest of you. But. That's the reasoning. That they came to. And they got really aggressive. About it.

Very quickly. Very quickly. They started to. They forced this. On the western church. This understanding.

That if you. As you're handling. The bread. And the wine. You are getting ready. To handle the literal.

Body. And blood. Of. Christ. To the point where. They started.

Stopped giving it. The wine. To lay people. Because they thought. If it got spilled. Oh no.

We're going to mess this up. Completely. And it just got crazy. And guess what? Some people. Did not like this.

Some people. You could say. Protested this. Some of those protesters. Were called. Protestants.

So if you're wondering. Why we're called Protestants. It's because we're the OG protesters. Okay. That. That is what they began to do.

One of them's name. Was John Wycliffe. John Wycliffe said. The church has. Lost its mind. This is crazy.

The Bible does not teach this. The early church fathers. Do not agree with this. What are we doing? He taught a lot of things. He's one of the reasons why.

Bible translation came into being. We have so much to be thankful for. From John Wycliffe. And the Catholic church. Appreciated him so much. That when he died.

They unearthed his body. And they burned his bones. We had Twitter. They had unearthing and desecrating bodies. That is what they did. They were very mad at his teachings.

So. This began to turn to a movement. Of protesters. Of Protestants. And one of them was a very ornery. German monk.

Who really was the biggest protester of all. And his name was Martin Luther. Martin Luther comes along. And we have so much to be thankful for. About Martin Luther. Luther.

He taught things like. Sola Scriptura. Which is Latin for. Scripture alone. It is the reason why we go. The Bible.

That's our understanding. That's our authority. Of how God has spoken. The Catholic church looks to. Doctrines and teachings. Of the church.

And we say. No. The Bible. What does the Bible say? He's the reason why we believe in faith alone. Which is sola fide.

It's the idea that we're not saved. By our works. You hear that all the time here. We're saved by. Faith in Jesus. It's not faith and works.

No. Faith. There's so many things we're thankful for. That Luther helped shape us. The reason that we're here. In this room today.

By God's sovereign plan. Is bringing about people like Luther. He said. No. However. Luther didn't get very far from the Catholic church.

On the teaching that comes with the Lord's Supper. That's why Lutherans are kind of seen a little bit. As diet Catholic. Catholic light. They look very similar. In a lot of ways.

Which would make Luther roll in his grave. But that's the reality. I found out. Like a month ago. That my grandmother. On my dad's side.

Was Catholic. Never knew this. And I was like. That's crazy. He said. Yeah.

So when she married your grandfather. And. And. And. And. She wanted.

You know. It was easy for her to become a Protestant. Because he was Lutheran. It was the easy jump. And I was like. Oh.

That makes a lot of sense. And the. The reason it does. Is because of his teaching. On the Lord's Supper. And that is consubstantiation.

Big word. Consubstantiation. Which answers the question. Does the bread. And the wine. Become the literal.

Body. And blood. Of Christ. And the answer is. Yes. Maybe.

No. Kind of. Sort of. General position. Of the Lutheran church. On this.

So literally what they say is. It teaches that the body. And the blood of Christ. Are present. In. With.

And under. The elements. Under. And with. The bread. And.

The wine. Is that. Is that. Is that clear. Clear. Clear as mud.

I mean. Like I said. Did you put cyanide in the punch. You said. No. No.

I didn't. It's not. It's not. It's not cyanide in it. It's just. In.

With. Under it. It's just. We're fine. You go. Wait.

What? Exactly. And that is what the Protestant movement said. They said. No. You did not go far enough.

We are. We are. We are completely ditching this. And the Protestant movement. Went even further. And one of those men that came along.

That. That fought that. Was named. Zwingli. Zwingli. I will not pronounce his first name.

Because it is Swiss. And I'm not going to try. But. Zwingli came along. And he debated Luther on this. He agreed with Luther on all these other things.

But not this. He said no. He presented something called the memorial view. The memorial view. And that view. Is that the.

The bread and the wine. Is a sign. It is a symbol. That when Jesus said. Do this in remembrance of me. That's all it was meant to be.

Was a sign. Was a symbol. To remember what Jesus has done. That Jesus. After his death. Ascended to.

The right hand of God. That is where he is. He is not. All up in the elements. Around it. With it.

Transformed. No. It is a sign. That helps us remember. What Jesus has done. So after that.

I'll give you one more. Along came a man named John Calvin. And the fact that none of you. Jumped that joke. Means. This is the wrong room.

Maybe later. All right. Calvin. Came along. And he said no. It was kind of a middle ground.

Between Lutherans. And Zwingli. He said no. He called the spiritual. Presence view. All right.

The spiritual. Presence view. This was. Saying no. It's not just a sign. It's not just a sign.

But also. No. It's not this in with around. No. Jesus is present. Really in a mysterious way.

My professor summarized the position this way. He said the bread and the wine are still symbols. But not empty symbols. Although the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ. They are a sign that Christ himself is really present. He would say things like no.

Jesus is divine. He's not just confined to being at the right hand of the Father of God. He's omnipresent. It means he's everywhere. So no.

He absolutely can be present. But ultimately I appreciate this one thing that Calvin said. He said it is a secret too lofty for either my mind to comprehend or my words to declare. And to speak more plainly. I'd rather experience than understand it. So he just left a lot of mystery.

That Jesus is somehow present in it. But we just don't know fully. Now okay. That's a lot of history all at once. And that's a lot of taking all at once. But the reality is that if you're Catholic.

Or Catholic background. Or Baptist. Or Anglican. Or Presbyterian. Or Methodist. Or any of that background.

It flows from that long progression of history. The reason you have opinions on it. Comes from this. So. Given all of that. And given how we walk through the scriptures.

And the importance of it. We're going to see in a moment. We want to handle this meal carefully. And reverently. And thoughtfully. Like we want to understand this.

And as good Baptists. Our approach is. Yes. History is nice. What does the Bible say about this? That's the drum we beat.

What does the Bible teach on this? So. I wanted to. Give us just six very practical. This is. We as a church.

What we believe about the Lord's Supper. And how we practice it. Just these are questions that we've gotten over the years. And I just want to be able to walk through this together. And how the Bible approaches this. Alright.

So. So. Six things that we believe about the Lord's Supper. Alright. So. And all those positions that I gave.

And all the different views on the Lord's Supper. And how you believe what it is. We are. Memorialists. And. Jesus is present in the moment.

So. We. We as a church. Our approach is. Is a little bit in a squishy middle ground. Between believing.

What Zwingli taught. Which is a classical Baptist position. That it is a sign that helps us remember. And. But we're not as far as the spiritual presence.

That. That. That. That. That Calvin taught. Either.

We're somewhere in the middle. We believe. That when Jesus said. This is my body. He did not mean that literally. You know how we know this?

Because he said. I am the door. I am the vine. And I don't look at doors in our church and go. Maybe. Maybe he's present.

We don't do that. It was clearly a metaphor. I mean Jesus is giving the bread and the wine. Literally. It's. It.

It. He's detached from it. The experience itself. When he instituted this. He gives it away. He is not saying.

I am literally. This bread. And this wine. I don't know how you get to that. Biblically. And we don't.

Believe that. But also. We believe the Holy Spirit. Is doing something. Very unique. Very mysterious.

There's a lot of gravity. Given to the moment of communion. We believe that Jesus. Absolutely. Is present in the moment. I agree with Calvin.

We don't. Think he's just confined to the right hand. The Father of God. He's with us. When we're. When we're.

Worshipping. He's with us. As we're sitting with the authority of God's word. He's with us. As we take. The Lord's Supper.

And remember. What he has done for us. So we're in the middle ground. Between the two. Realizing this helps us. Remember the work of Christ.

And he is with us. As we take. The Lord's Supper. All right. So. The next two big questions we get.

Is on who can take the Lord's Supper. And. Who can administer it. Who can actually give. The Lord's Supper. And in order to understand.

Those questions. We have to go. To what the Bible teaches on this. And the case study that we get. That teaches us. How to take the Lord's Supper.

How not to take the Lord's Supper. Is. First Corinthians 11. First Corinthians 11. Gives us that case study. Of how this went terribly wrong.

In the church. Of Corinth. So. First Corinthians 11. Verse. 20.

You guys are doing great. I know there's a lot. When you come together. It is not the Lord's Supper. That you eat. For in eating.

Each one goes ahead. With his own meal. One goes hungry. Another gets drunk. What. Do you not have houses.

To eat. And drink in. Or do you despise. The church of God. And humiliate. Those who have.

Nothing. What shall I say to you. Shall I commend you in this. No. I will not. All right.

So what is he getting at there. Because we just jumped into. A situation. One of the fruits. Of the gospel. Is.

Unity. Unity. Unity in the body of Christ. It shows up again. And again. In the New Testament letters.

It is why. That we wrote a song about it. As a church. We care. About. Unity.

Because God. Cares. About. Unity. Unity matters. And here is what the church of Corinth.

Was doing. They met in homes. For worship gatherings. Homes of richer. Christians. The richer Christians.

Would start. The meal. Would start. The part of the Lord's Supper. And they would eat. And be filled.

And they would drink. So much. That they got drunk. That when the poor Christians. Showed up. There was.

Nothing. They had nothing. To take part in. They used. Hear this. They used the Lord's Supper.

As a way. To divide. People. In the church. Brothers and sisters. Based on their socioeconomic class.

Based on who had money. And who did not. It's absolutely. Wicked. That not only. That Christians.

Would be separated. In different classes. When it comes to who has money. And who has not. But that they would use.

The Lord's Supper. To do that. God. Was not pleased. At all. Fast forward.

Down to verse 27. Whoever. Therefore. Eats. The bread. And drinks.

The cup. Of the Lord. In an unworthy manner. Will be guilty. Concerning the body. And the blood.

Of. The Lord. And that is a warning. That applies directly. To that church. And how they were misusing it.

That applies broadly. To the. To the rest. Of the church. That if you. Do this.

In an unworthy manner. That's the heart. Why people debated this. For so long. That's the heart. To do this.

In an unworthy manner. You just have to understand. The context. Of what he's getting at. You do this. In an unworthy manner.

You will be guilty. Verse 28. Let a person. Examine. Himself. That is why.

When we. Present the Lord's Supper. We say. Take a moment. Don't just come up here. Flippantly.

Don't just come up here. Just because it's part of the process. It's what we do. No. Take some time. And reflect.

To think upon your own sin. To remember what your sin. Cost. Remember how good the gospel is. That Jesus. Died for our sins.

To remember your sin. And remember your. Savior. That's what we say. Examine yourself. To check your own heart.

To understand. The gravity of this moment. When we come and take the Lord's Supper. Let a person examine himself then. And so eat. Of the bread.

And drink. Of the cup. For if anyone who eats. And drinks. Without discerning the body. Eats.

And drinks. Judgment. On himself. That if you do this. Not reverently. If you don't discern.

Your own heart. If you don't do this. In a way that honors this. You'll bring judgment on yourself. Verse 30. That is why many of you are weak and ill.

And some have died. And catch what he said there. Weak. Ill. Some of you have died. Some people would be like.

You know. I don't like the Old Testament God. Because he's really violent. And people get struck down. I like the New Testament God. Because I like.

I like Jesus. Because he's. He's loving. He never would do any of this. And it's like. I don't think you've read the Old.

Or the New Testament. That God is abundantly loving. And gracious in the Old Testament. And also. God brings the hammer down. In judgment.

In the New Testament. That the New Testament church. Did this. Some got weak. Some got sick. And some.

Died. There's a lot of. That. This is why the church. Has been so. Paranoid.

In a good way. Sometimes not. In trying to understand this. Because this. Matters. Immensely.

We don't want judgment. To be brought upon us. In how we take this. So. When you understand that. And walking through.

Kind of all that. And understanding. Of how to take part. In the Lord's Supper. To do this reverently. To understand.

When you. When you get there. Then you can answer the question. Who can take part in this. And who can. Administer this.

So the second one. Who can take part in this. Christians. Walking in faith. And repentance. Can participate.

In the Lord's Supper. So. The Protestant church. Has largely taught. This meal. Is a meal.

For. Christians. It is a meal. For Christians. If you are not a Christian. We even say this.

When we do it. When we present it. Well if you are not a Christian. Well we do not want you. To take part in this. Part of it is.

Is we don't want you. To bring judgment. Upon yourself. But other part of it is. Is why would you take something. And miss the meaning completely.

This is a meal. For the people of God. To remember. And understand. What it means. So.

Protestants. Of largely greed. No. This is a meal. For Christians. Baptists.

Well we have some. Even more positions. On this. You might be thinking. Seriously. There are more.

Positions on this. Yes. There are. I don't know if you know this. Baptists have a lot of positions. On a lot of things.

From drinking. To dancing. We have lots of positions. We are like the SEC. Of denominations. It just means more.

For those who watch the SEC network. All right. Baptists. Real quick. Three different positions. The first position is.

Something called. Closed. With a D. Communion. And that idea is. Is that for anyone.

To come and take part. In this Lord's Supper. You have to. Be a baptized. And when we say baptized. We mean.

That you must. Believe in Jesus. And then be baptized. Which is the. Bad position. Position of baptism.

That you must be. Baptized as a believer. And be a member. Of this exact. Local church. That is closed communion.

Nope. That's not us. That's. That's. That is. That is a minority position.

But that does exist. The next position. Is called. Closed. Without a D. Closed.

Communion. And that is. The idea. That you can be a Baptist. At another church. As long as you've been.

Baptized after belief. Come. Take part in the Lord's Supper. That is who can take it alone. We also. Do not agree.

With that position. If you want to talk more about that. And why we believe that. We can. We don't have the space for it now. We do not agree.

With that position. The last position for Baptists. Is called. Open communion. And that is what we believe. Open communion.

Says that if you are a Christian. If you believe in Jesus. If you are not. We had a caveat. If you're not. Under church discipline somewhere.

Meaning you're in good standing. You're not running away from Jesus. That if you believe in Jesus. I don't care what your position is on baptism. Come and take part in this meal. Because that.

Listen. I'm not going to disunify you. Because you have a different take on baptism. That would be treating you like you are not a Christian. And that's not what we're going to do. If you believe in Jesus.

Come. Take part in this meal. And if you want to talk about that later. We can. That is our position as a church. If you're a Christian.

Come. Take part. Third. It deals with who can administer it. We believe it is wise. For pastors and those under our authority.

To administer the Lord's Supper. So. We believe it is wise. I use that word intentionally. Wise. Not mandating.

This is how things have to be done everywhere. For our church. We believe it's wise. The Catholic Church. Placed. A very heavy emphasis.

On clergy only. Clergy. The only ones that can handle it. And that makes sense. If you understand their theology on it. You're handling the literal body and blood of Christ.

So. Protestants have rejected that notion. And there's disagreements. On who can actually handle it. Some believe. No.

It only has to be a pastor. Others will say. No. It can be. It can be a deacon. Others can say.

No. Whatever. Two or three are gathered. It doesn't matter. We can take it. We wouldn't hold to that.

Either. Some believe. It can only be done on Sundays. As we gather for worship. Others would say. No.

It can be done in homes. Which is what the early church did. They would have a meal together. Because we do see the Lord's Supper. Was. You know.

Attached to. A fellowship. Meal event. And they would take the Lord's Supper. Here's what we believe. We believe.

That the normative. The normal pattern. Of how we practice the Lord's Supper. Is us as pastors. Presenting the Lord's Supper. And then us taking this together.

But we also believe. It is very special. And y'all. It is very good. When this happens. Occasionally.

In our groups. That we authorize our group leaders. Our group leaders are deacons. That we trust them. That we trust them. To correctly handle.

The Lord's Supper. There's a lot of beautiful. Gospel. Forgiveness. And repenting of sin. After a fellowship meal together.

When it happens in. The home. So we authorize our community. Group leaders who are deacons. Yes. On occasion.

Do this in. Your home. But the normative pattern. Is us coming together. And presenting this. Because we want to make sure.

That we are doing this. In a way that honors. And gives reverence to that. If you want to talk more about that later. Also. I'll be around to talk about that as well.

All right. The next question is. How often do we do it? That's the fourth thing we'll get into. We believe. It is.

We believe in regular. Regular observance. Of the Lord's Supper. We believe in regular. And I would add. Almost weekly.

Observance. Of the Lord's Supper. Now. There are a lot of churches. Lots of churches. Even.

Lots of Baptist churches. That do it quarterly. And some of the heart behind that. Is. Everything we just talked about. And revering it.

In a way that we won't want to do it. So often. That we would lose. The value. And the meaning. So.

So. If you do it too much. Then you'll. You'll miss out on. All the. All the.

It's supposed to mean. You'll just. It'll just be this ritual. That you go through. And I understand. I understand that critique.

But we look at passages. Like 1 Corinthians 11. When it says. When you come together. Which gives. The.

This is happening regularly. We look at the book of Acts. Where it seems they came together regularly. And see. This is actually a regular part of worship. And y'all.

We need. The gospel. Every week. To be reminded. Of the gospel. When we come and worship together.

And this is a very tangible. Reminder. Of how much we need Jesus. Of how much we need. Repentance of sins. Of how good.

His grace is. So we shoot for. Regular observance. We have. You know. Reasons that we haven't done it regularly.

One being. A global pandemic. We haven't done it. In a year. Actually. Like a year.

Maybe. I think this week. Or next week. Because we just said. No. It's not wise for us.

In this period of time. To be doing this. But as the pandemic. Is waning. We're going to. To be.

Starting to bring this back in. Around. A monthly ish. Over the coming months. We'll be doing this. Until we get back to.

Regular. Weekly. Doing this. And then other times. We'll have prayer. Instead of this.

Sometimes we'll do baptism. Instead of this. But we want to. Regularly come. And take part. In the Lord's Supper together.

All right. Two more you guys. Should it be juice. Or should it be wine. That's a question we get sometimes. We believe it's wise.

For our church. To use juice. Now. Some people believe. That Jesus. Only drank.

Grape juice. That what they're actually drinking. In the New Testament. Is not wine. That is not true. It's not historically true.

Not even close. Thomas Welch. Invented grape juice. In the 1800s. That is why we have. Welch's grape juice.

He figured out. Literally. That's why. Welch's came from. Welch's came from. Thomas Welch.

Who was a Methodist. Who said. I want to have. Something that. That alcoholics. That wouldn't be able to take part in.

That we can serve. At our churches. And he figured out. The process. Of how to make grape juice. Without alcohol.

In it. Some on the other hand. Will say. No. Jesus used wine. Therefore.

We have to use wine. I came from a church. Before. Our church. Where they gave two cups. Someone was holding juice.

And wine. And it was your conscience. Whatever you wanted. You took part in either. Here's the deal. We believe as Baptists.

That it's a sign. It's a sign. That Jesus is present in the moment. But it is a sign. Therefore. We think juice is a very acceptable sign.

And we're not going to serve wine. Because it would. It would. It would violate the consciousness. Of some of the people in our church. And we're not going to do that.

Why. Why would we create disunity. In how we take this. We're not going to do that. Juice is completely. Acceptable.

And for the ones who serve only wine. I don't think you're thinking about those. Who may be addicted to alcohol. And your presence. So we believe.

No. Juice is absolutely acceptable. And if you want to have a discussion about. If it's bread. If it should be unleavened. Like pita.

Or should it be leavened bread. We can have that later. The church has had some things to say. But not a ton to say about that. We believe it's a sign. So it's fine.

Some people will go. Well can you do Oreos and Mountain Dew? No. That's dumb. We believe juice. Bread.

Alright. All of that. All 37 and 20. 37 minutes and 26 seconds. Of all of that background. Okay.

I think it's helpful. Have it in the back of your head. Okay. Because I think it's helpful to understand. Why you approach the Lord's Supper. Here's where we've preached entire sermons on.

And is the most important aspect of the Lord's Supper. It is this right here. The Lord's Supper. Is a unique act of worship. That gives us a tangible reminder of the gospel. That's it.

That's where we post up. Most of our time. Most of our thought. Is right there. It is a unique act of worship. That gives us a tangible reminder.

To remember the gospel. Every week we present it. Is an opportunity for you to think about. The sin. Maybe the sin that you fell into this week. And the sin that you feel shame over.

The sin struggles that are plaguing you. And we say remember. Remember that Christ died for your sins. That He loves you so much. That He didn't leave you in your sin. And your brokenness.

That He came and His blood was spilt. And poured out for you. So that you could have fellowship. And faith with Jesus. For the long haul. And it's not just that.

It is a reminder that. We live between the cross. And when all things are made new. And for those of you that are struggling right now. And your sin. It is a reminder for you to remember.

That this is not the end. That the sin that you feel so heavy. On your soul. That's not the final picture. One day Jesus comes back. And all things will be made new.

And when that day comes. Sin will be a distant memory. Your broken and failing body. Will be a distant memory. All we will have. Is beautiful.

Wonderful. Fellowship with the King. That is what this meal. Gives me a reminder of. And we get to come. Every week that we take it.

And remember. How good Jesus is. I'm going to close. With one reading. It's from the Heidelberg Catechism. It's like a 400 year old catechism.

Catechism is a question and answer style. It helps you understand. Truth. And I'm just going to read. From the Heidelberg Catechism. Because I think this is a great word.

To set us up. The question. That is presented. In the Heidelberg Catechism. Is this. How does.

The Lord's Supper. Remind you. And assure you. That you shared. Christ's one sacrifice. On the cross.

And in all. His gifts. Hear this. Here's the answer. In this way. Christ has commanded me.

And all believers. To eat this broken bread. And to drink this cup. With this command. He gave the promise. First.

As surely. Hear this. As I see. As I see. With my eyes. The bread of the Lord.

Broken for me. And the cup. Given to me. Y'all look. Upstairs. Look back there.

Look. Look at it. As you see it. With your eyes. As you visualize. His body broken.

His blood shed. So surely. His body was offered. And broken for me. And his blood poured out for me. On the cross.

Second. As surely. As I receive. From the hand of him. Who serves. Verse.

And hear this. Taste with my mouth. The bread. And the cup of the Lord. That as you eat. And drink this.

As you are literally. Tasting it. It is a. It is a. It is a way for you to remember. His body.

Was broken for my sin. That his blood was poured out. For my sin. How good. Is my God. Taste with my mouth.

The bread. And the cup of the Lord. Given me. As sure signs. Of Christ's body. And blood.

So surely. He nourishes. And refreshes. My soul. For eternal life. With his crucified body.

And poured out blood. Amen. The band is going to come up. We are going to take. The Lord's Supper. For the first time.

In a year. Now. Before I present this. Let me just give you. Some logistics on it. Because it is a little bit different.

If you have been here. With us before. We usually have. A bowl. Or basket. Of bread.

That you choose from. And a cup. That you can dip in. And right now. We are not going that route. By the end of the year.

God willing. We will get back there. But for right now. We have individual cups. Those individual cups. Were prepared by people.

Who washed their hands. I think they wore gloves. I wasn't here. Because I was doing something else. Were they wearing gloves. Chet?

Yes. They were wearing gloves. They had masks on. They put them very carefully. And those cups. They are clean.

They are sanitized. What I want you to do logistically. Is to come up as you are ready. Give some distance. Between the person. You and the next person.

Alright. Give some feet of distance. Grab two of those. Go back to your seat. Take part in the Lord's Supper. Put the cup underneath your seat.

When you are done. And when we leave for today. There will be a trash can out there. Please put it in the trash can. When you leave. Alright.

That is the logistics. Let me present this for us. On the night that Jesus betrayed. He took bread. And he broke it. He said.

This is my body. It was broken for you. And he took the cup. Which is the cup of the new covenant. He said. This is my blood.

That was shed for you. That as often as you eat. And drink this. You proclaim my death. Until I return. And that is what we get to do right now.

Some of you came into here. With burdens on your soul. Some of you have been dealing with sin. Some of you. Some of you. Some of you.

You have disunity with another Christian. Right now. That you have resentment with them. That you are struggling with them. I would actually. Invite you to not take part in this right now.

I would ask you right now. To remember the unity of the gospel. And maybe you need to leave this room. And make a phone call before. Before. But before you can take this meal.

I want you to be unified. With another brother and sister in Christ. But Christian. Come. Joyfully to the table. And remember.

That Jesus died for our sins. And how good is it. That by grace. We have been saved through faith. We don't have to earn his favor. But this reminds us.

Of how good he is towards us. If you are not a Christian. Please. Do not take part in this meal. I want you right now. To take part.

In Christ. I want you to believe in him. I want you to understand. That the God of the universe. Loves you so much. That he gave his life for you.

So believe. In him. For those of you who are Christians. Come forward. There are tables in the back as well. And for those in the back.

There are tables up there. Take part in the Lord's summer. Remember how good our Savior is. Let me pray. God I pray. That you would.

Help us see. Help us taste. And see. Right now. That you are good. That your steadfast love.

Was shown so beautifully on the cross. For our sins. That we come in repentance. That right now. We sit. In a moment of reflection.

That we come. To the table. God I pray. That you would help us. Understand this. And the gravity of this moment.

That you be with us. God I pray. There is anyone here. That has not trusted in you. Lord. May you help them.

See. You are worth it. We believe you are better than everything else. And may they believe it too. And may they trust. And believe in you.

In Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

From Plot to Passover (Matthew 26:1-25)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

From Plot to Passover

Spencer Cary

Transcript

To be continued... Good morning. I'm so thankful for those who volunteer and serve with our worship week in, week out. They are all volunteers, and I'm thankful for the work they put in in leading us every Sunday to respond to the goodness of the gospel in praise. So there's something I'm thankful for.

My name is Spencer. I'm one of the pastors here. We're going to be in Matthew 26 this week, the first 25 verses, so you can go ahead and flip there. We do have physical Bibles, a sign of good things, as the pandemic is where it is. But we have Bibles now.

We have Connect cards. It's nice. If you want to grab a Bible, you can go ahead and turn to page 485. That's where it will be. The text will also be on the screen. I had a friend a few years back.

She was a vocal woman of faith. She led Bible studies. She was zealous. I mean zealous in the good way that zealous is used biblically. Zealous for what was good. We were a part of the same ministry.

I thought that she was going to be a leader in women's ministry in the church. I thought that she was going to be a missionary, lots of things. And then she started dating one of our other good friends, and they fell into some sin. They had a horrible breakup. And I don't say this to be funny at all. It was a little bit of a Britney Spears moment.

She cut her hair in pretty dramatic fashion. She lost an unhealthy amount of weight. And then she moved away. And over the next few years, I watched online as she became a subtle critic of the faith she once stood for, and then a very vocal, aggressive critic of the gospel she once proclaimed. And I won't pretend to know her heart, because I don't have to. And I won't pretend to autopsy her once vocal faith with any precision.

That's not my job. But something changed in her. I don't personally know what was happening in her heart, but there's a general pattern for how these things go. And what happens is that someone ultimately treasures something above Christ. And when something happens, when trials come, eventually what they're treasuring over Christ, what resembles faith, begins to crumble completely. And this story has played out in tragic fashion over and over and over again.

And today we're going to be in a series of a bunch of different stories. And in these stories today, we're going to see one of the most tragic stories of all time of someone who put their faith in something else and eventually turned their back on Jesus. So we're going to watch that play out. But alongside this really tragic story of someone turning their back and betraying Jesus, we get to see a second example of someone whose heart so loves Christ, it's two just different approaches, two different hearts, two different mindsets with Jesus. And we're going to see them kind of side by side today.

And I hope that as we walk through this, we'd be reflective of our own hearts. We'd be honest with ourselves that we wouldn't be prideful. We'd humble ourselves. We'd let the Spirit speak to us. And we'd respond. So let me pray.

And then we will jump into these stories. Father, you are good. What we said earlier, your steadfast love endures forever is so true. It endures in the fact that we get to open up your word and we get to hear you speak. God, I pray that you'd help us listen. And that we respond.

In Jesus' name, amen. Like I said, we're moving through a bunch of different stories. So it's going to be one scene, the next, the next, the next, starting off verse 1. When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, you know that after two days the Passover is coming and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified. So all these sayings really captures what he just spent, what Chet just spent the last three weeks on.

All right, that was the final discourse, the final teaching of Jesus. There's no more teachings. We're shifting completely towards the cross. Every step right now is moving towards the cross. And he's been hinting at this, right? He's been saying that he's going to die.

He's been saying that he's going to be crucified. Now he's saying it's happening. It's happening in the next couple of days. When Passover is done, he will be delivered. He is being very explicit about what is about to happen. All right, it says that, shifts.

Different scene, verse 3. Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people. All right, so while this is going on, there's a group of religious leaders who are meeting in the shadows. And their leader is named Caiaphas. This is the first time we see him.

We're going to see him later on as well. He is the high priest. And the leader of what we're going to see throughout chapter 26 is called a council. But the literal Greek word for that is Sanhedrin. So we know what council this is.

It's the Sanhedrin council. The Sanhedrin council was a religious and also political group of religious leaders that came together for two purposes. They wanted to make sure that the people followed the law while also working with the Roman government to keep the people in check. And there are two main parties in the Sanhedrin, two political parties. You have the Pharisees, we've seen over and over again, and the Sadducees that we've seen a little bit of as well. They function a little bit like our U.S.

Congress. They have two different theologies, just like we have two different political philosophies, two different ways of governing, but they have to work together, and power shifts depending on who's in power. The Sadducees at the time of Jesus had the power in the Sanhedrin, and their leader, Caiaphas, believed to be a Sadducee, has them all together. We're going to see them working together throughout 26, plotting against Jesus together to kill him. So, this plot is happening. And then we shift again.

Like I said, a lot of quick stories. Verse 6. Now, when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper. All right, so Jesus now goes to Bethany. He goes to a specific house, the house of Simon the leper. Now, this is the only time that we see Simon.

He does not currently have leprosy. He couldn't host this gathering if he did, because if you have leprosy, you have to be completely apart from the people. So, we can read into the context here and make a pretty educated guess that Jesus actually healed him of leprosy. At one point, he had leprosy. Now, he is healed. And somehow, Simon the leper, the nickname has stuck, which is not the most endearing of nicknames.

I mean, we wouldn't call someone, I don't know, chafing Chet because of a problem they had in college. Like, that's, we're adults. We wouldn't do that. That nickname wouldn't stick, right? Like, Simon went and got healed of leprosy. That guy went to the doctor.

It's fine. We're adults. We move on. I don't know why Matthew decided, I want to keep this name. Maybe they were friends and he wanted to mess with him for the next 2,000 plus years of this gospel being read. Regardless, that's who he is.

Simon the leper. And they're at his house. All right, here's what happens at his house. Verse 7. A woman came up to him with an alabaster flask, a very expensive ointment. And she poured it out on his head as he reclined at the table.

All right, so, let me pause. There's a lot of debate about this. It's gone back and forth. Some version of this story shows up in all four gospels. After spending some time with it, Chet and I looking at it this week, looking at different commentators, it seems that this story shows up in three of them and then one of them is separate. So, Matthew, Mark, and John seem to be describing this story that happened in Bethany.

All right? This happens in the gospel sometimes. They take different, they focus on different details of stories. They're told a little bit differently because these stories are being told thematically. They focus on different things. Luke has a different story of a woman coming to anoint Jesus.

That one seems to be a completely different situation altogether, which happens. You have a feeding of the 4,000 and the 5,000. You have some overlap and differences and similarities between stories. But when you look at this and you piece together Matthew, Mark, and John's accounts, you get a more full picture of what's happening here. So, John's gospel tells us that this woman is one of the Marys. All right?

There's a bunch of different Marys in the New Testament. It's confusing to keep up with who's who. This is one of the Marys. And Mark and John's gospel tell us what type of ointment this is. It's nard oil. So, nard oil, if you know it today as spike nard.

It's a very precious oil imported from India. It's very expensive. The amount that she brings to him is worth about an annual, a year's salary. I mean, it's a very expensive oil that she brings to him. And Mark's gospel doesn't say, I mean, it gives us more of a picture that she didn't use a little bit. She broke the jar open and she anointed his entire, all over him.

Matthew focuses on the head because there's a little bit of Matthew, what he does with David, some comparisons to David and kingship, anointing of the head. There's some Old Testament pictures there. Mark just talks about he's being covered with this oil. John goes with a different picture, focuses on the fact that she took her hair and she was scrubbing his feet with this oil. This is a deeply humbling admiration for Jesus because she could have grabbed some cheaper oils. Right?

There are cheaper oils out there. She could have gone and gotten something different. But no, she goes and she grabs what's probably the most expensive, most valuable thing that she has. And she goes and she grabs it. She looks at it and says, I know who deserves this. I know who's worthy of this.

Probably would have just sat in her house like fine china that's never used just to look at. She's like, I know who's getting this. And she brings it to Jesus. Jesus taught in Matthew 6.21. He says, For where your treasure is, your heart will be also. And it is clear.

This woman treasures Christ. Which shows the first heart posture that I want us to see this morning. And that is this. If Jesus is your treasure, you'll trade everything for Him. If Jesus is your treasure, you'll trade everything for Him. She treasures Christ.

And out of the overflow of her affection, her admiration, her really worship of Jesus, she devotes the most valuable thing for Him. She goes and she gets it and devotes it to Him. If you treasure Christ, you'll trade everything for Him. And we see that clearly in her actions. It's almost childlike. You get your child something for Christmas or for a birthday.

And they run upstairs and they go and they find the most valuable toy they have and they get excited and they come down and they bring it. I got you this. I mean, she treasures Christ. Her heart belongs to Him. I want you to picture the room and just smell it as she breaks in and she breaks the alabaster, beautiful alabaster jar. She breaks it and starts to anoint Him.

Just think of the smell that would just overwhelm you. Have you ever been to somebody's house that's been diffusing oils? And you walk in and it just knocks you back? That was a few drops of oil they put into a diffuser. And I know that they're the most essential, most precious, most well-sourced, purest oils in the world. But listen, that's a few drops.

This is a pound of expensive, fragrant oil and she just, she completely just anoints Him. I mean, it's a powerful display. It would knock you back to see this. And the disciples see this and they respond. Verse 8, and when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.

So, the disciples are indignant. They're angry. They are not happy at this. They break up the moment with a, well, actually, Jesus. Which I've, I've learned through personal experience that, well, actually, moments aren't received well. They're not appreciated by others.

I get excited and I bring in a well, actually, fact. They're like, oh, I actually just died inside. So, that's what this is. Well, actually, Jesus, this is really expensive oil. We just did the math. That's a year's worth of salary you just taught on, right?

To help the least of these among us. That could have helped a lot of least of these. So, they do this. John's gospel tells us that Judas, who we're going to learn more about in a moment, was leading the charge. But it says, and when the disciples saw it, they were indignant.

This is a collective mindset that this woman has come and she's wasted a lot of precious oil that could have been sold and helped a lot of people. To their credit, minimal credit, it's a jarring moment. She walks in. I mean, it's a lot to handle at once. And that is a very expensive gift. Right now, the elders and our toast team, that's our treasury and oversight sustainability team, they're the ones that oversee our finances.

We work together to put a budget together and that's what we're doing right now. We're putting together a budget because our annual budget runs from second quarter to first quarter so it'll start in April. So we're going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth because we care about stewarding our gifts and offerings well. So we're getting at the end of setting this budget and if someone just piped up and said, you know what, I think we should get Matt Freeman a gift. Let's get him a $40,000 guitar.

We'd go, no, that's insane. That's over the top. But Matt isn't Jesus and Jesus has a completely different take on this. Verse 10. But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, why do you trouble the woman?

For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Jesus does not see it as a waste. He sees it as beautiful.

Y'all, He knows the value of the ointment. He knows how to math. You know how we know this? He created math. He knows how to add. He knows what's happening here.

He sees the value. And He sees that it's beautiful. Because this comes at a very specific moment. There's two reasons why this is a beautiful display of affection and worship of Jesus. The first is very clearly seen in the text. This comes at one of the most pivotal moments in all of history.

Jesus is getting ready to go to the cross where He's going to be crucified for the sins of humanity. And then He'll be buried. And when they buried people back then, they anointed their bodies with oil. Whether she knows it or not, it's foreshadowing. It's just pointing forward. He's about to die.

He's about to be buried. It's a beautiful display. And it's foreshadowing. I love just in the details of how God works all of this together. That someone in India sourced this oil. They put it in a beautiful alabaster jar.

It was shipped and it made its way all the way to Israel. It ended up in a marketplace where she or someone else bought this for her and she put it on display for years for everyone to see. And then one day she encountered Jesus and He absolutely changed her world. And then later on she said, you know what? That belongs to Him. I will anoint His body because in God's sovereign plan this was to anoint His body in preparation for what's about to happen in just a few days. that's what's clearly on display but also it shows her heart that if you treasure if Jesus is your treasure you'll trade everything for Him.

She sees Jesus is worthy of this and Jesus says that is wonderful. That is good. This act of devotion will be remembered. He says, write it down. This is going John says of all the stories that be told about Jesus would fill all the books he's saying which means they had to choose which stories they wanted to focus on he says this one gets in. She will be remembered for her act.

So, story shifts again. Verse 14 Then one of the twelve whose name was Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said what will you give me if I deliver him over to you? And they paid him thirty pieces of silver and from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. Jesus had twelve disciples twelve men that he poured into for three years twelve men that were his friends they ate countless meals together they camped out together they got to do ministry with Jesus see him perform miracles they got to perform miracles they got to be on the inside track of some of the most profound teaching that's ever been taught or ever will be taught for three years the twelve got to spend time with Jesus and then one of them says he's worth thirty pieces of silver he's worth it trade him out take the silver and I'll run thirty pieces of silver is about four months of wages so it is a little bit it is quite a bit of money but Judas says that's worth it we don't know much about actually let me say this for for group leaders those who have led groups I want you to hear me so clearly I know there have been moments where you've watched people turn their back on you stab you in the back where you've watched people walk away from Jesus and you've questioned yourself over and over and over again and I just want to say very clearly to you to lead groups and have led groups Jesus spent three years with twelve and one of them abandoned him and stabbed him in the back and sold him out and you're not better than Jesus so just receive some grace we don't know much about Judas we know that he was one of the twelve we know that he had the same experiences that the other disciples did we know from John's gospel he was the one that led the charge on why is this woman wasting this oil because what was happening was he was the treasurer okay he kept the money bags he wasn't concerned about helping the poor because he was actually helping himself to the money that came from that was given to Jesus' ministry so we know that he's greedy we know he's a thief you know he's deceptive but what we know most about him is really this act of betrayal that I mean I mean Judas that's you call someone a Judas you know you can be a hard atheist you know exactly what that means you're a backstabber you're a traitor you're a betrayer so no one names their kid Judas y'all know anybody named Judas?

You can be a hard atheist you know exactly what that means you're a backstabber you're a traitor you're a betrayer so no one names their kid Judas y'all know anybody named Judas? I don't that's on the black list of names you'd never name your kid that because we know what that means he's a traitor we don't know why Judas did this alright I mean we see that he's greedy

Some have theorized that it's possible that the religious leadership is closing in turning against Jesus we know from the context of the gospels that they assumed some type of political movement was going to happen in Jesus and they were very surprised when it didn't so maybe he just thought I need to get out while I can and get some money we don't know it's possible

It's a decent theory we don't know but you can see very clearly that ultimately one of the reasons why he did this is because he cared about himself and that really presents the second approach to Jesus second heart towards him if something else is your treasure you'll trade Jesus for it if something else is your treasure you will absolutely trade Jesus for it whether it was money

Or power or whatever Judas said it's worth it I'll trade Jesus for that so he sells Jesus out story shifts again verse 17 now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover he said go into the city to a certain man

And say to him the teacher says my time is at hand I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples and the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover alright so can't spend a lot of time here today we will spend some time next week because in this meal at the very end of it Jesus is going to institute the Lord's Supper communion so we'll spend time on that next week

But you at least need to know what the Passover meal is generally the Passover meal was basically a meal of remembrance it was like celebrating Independence Day it was a joyous meal it remembered that God saved his people from the Egyptians it's a joyous celebration so like every Passover meal that all of them have been in before the expectation is this is a joyous occasion and it turns very quickly into something very serious verse 20 when it was evening he reclined at the table

He reclined at table with the twelve and as they were eating he said truly I say to you one of you will betray me and they were very sorrowful and began to say to him to one another is it I Lord it says they were very sorrowful now that word sorrowful doesn't quite capture the emotions that are involved in this is deep sorrow shock

Confusion they are utterly confused and shocked that anyone amongst them would betray Jesus that can't be is it I Lord is it I Lord one by one is it I Lord they want to know is it me verse 23 he answered he who has dipped his hand in the dish will with me will betray me

The son of man goes as it is written of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been better for that man if he had not been born Judas who would betray him answered is it I Rabbi he said to him you have said so he says is it I Rabbi he doesn't say is it I Lord he didn't see

Jesus as Lord he sees him as Rabbi a great teacher but not God is it I Rabbi Jesus confirms it yes it is you and shock had to set in and it says that they were greatly they were sorrowed couldn't believe this shock sets in in that moment and ultimately Judas made a decision that he thought was best for him

And it says it had been better had he never been born which is where we get that phrasing from there are two central figures in this series of stories this series of stories there is the woman Mary and there is Judas and there is two different heart approaches to Jesus the first if Jesus is your treasure you'll trade everything for him

That was her heart the second if something else is your treasure you'll trade Jesus for it the problem is is that when we see those two approaches it's very easy for us to distance ourselves from Judas we don't want to be like him we don't want to think of ourselves as anything remotely close to him but the reality

Is is that Judas Judas didn't always look like this Judas spent three he was a disciple he was more of an insider than a woman he looked the part he performed miracles he did good works he helped the poor he taught he was sent out by Jesus as a missionary he looked

Every bit the part so much so that when the eleven found out that one of them was going to betray him they couldn't believe it it's not possible they were greatly sorrowed at this it's hard for it's hard for me to wrap my mind around anyone who can walk away from Jesus I've witnessed over the years and I know it's going to continue to happen people that look

So much like a follower of Jesus people that seem like they were so deeply in love with him and they walk away and then I look at my own heart and I look at my life and how much of my own life is wrapped up in my own self-interest in my own idolatry and I look at this story and I just tremble and I plead

For repentance there's a song by a band called King's Kaleidoscope it's called What Have We Done in that song they say Judas sold you for thirty I'd have done it for less and that may seem to some as melodramatic but I would invite you to check your own heart and examine your own

Heart and realize the things that you treasure over Christ name your price if there's something else that you treasure you ultimately will trade Jesus for it so what are you trading right now what are you trading valuing above

Jesus is it success that's a big one in our culture people will go after success with everything in them a lot of times when we sort this out we talk about deep idols we talk about how power power idolatry is underneath this that it's pushing someone to pursue success at all

Costs they'll steamroll anybody that gets in their way sacrifice their energy their time their effort their money their identity in order to get it because that's the thing they value over Christ at all costs we'll get it and then someone tries to point out hey man I haven't seen you at group a lot lately I haven't seen you on Sundays and it's like

No I'm busy I'm working I've got this I'm doing that and people try to point hey man I think you're valuing this too much you're like no you start boxing people out you've treasured something above Christ if something else is your treasure you will trade Jesus for for others that's sex maybe that's living with your boyfriend or your girlfriend or sleeping

Around and ultimately what comes out of that is this is what makes me happy this person makes me happy and a lot of times when we're working through deep idols like that there might be some approval idolatry that's happening there that you give yourself away to someone because that that means you feel loved like no Jesus is actually

Better don't do this this happens with sexuality someone will say well pedestal this and say no this is the most important thing I could possibly pursue and we're trying to say no this is what the Bible says and someone says I don't care what the Bible says if you treasure something else

Above him you will trade Jesus for it in the end we do this with comfort talk about that as an idol a deep idol beneath all the rest it's the reason why people pursue pleasure that if I can just get comfort in this world whether that's drunkenness whether that's drugs whether that's sensuality

Whether that's pornography if I can just fill up this void life is hard it's full of pain and misery if I can just cover up the pain with a little more pleasure I'll be okay and then someone comes in and says no that's not good that won't actually bring you hope you keep going back to it

It will not satisfy it never brings comfort maybe the kind of person that doesn't like to ever be disturbed doesn't like anyone point out anything in your life everyone bends their will towards you because they don't want to make you angry because your life is about comfort and at the end of the day

You just want to do you and nobody is going to tell you how to live your life if you treasure that above Christ you will trade him for it or maybe it's just you worship yourself it's very clear that's part of what Judas was doing he worshiped himself

Maybe you're so obsessed with your own image to others I feel this there's some control idolatry in this that you got to be all things to different people you got to make sure that you're putting on the best face you got to put on different

Masks you got to control your image you got to control all the things in front of you ultimately you're worshiping yourself this happens with self righteousness ultimately in self righteousness you do a bunch of good works I got to make sure I

Check every box I got to make sure I'm doing all the good things if I don't do all the good things everything's going to fall apart you're not worshiping Jesus you're worshiping yourself maybe the kind of person that values your

Time above others that if anyone infringes upon your time you're not happy maybe it's production I got to get stuff done and it doesn't matter who gets in the way as long as I get the tasks done I go on and on and on I just I want us

To be honest what are you clinging to right now I want you to think about it I want the spirit to go to work on your heart what are you treasuring what are you clinging to above Christ think of it I want you to heed the warning you are already on your way

To the council you are already on your way to collect the silver you are already on your way to trade out Jesus for it and it will destroy you listen Jesus is on a collision course with your idolatry he is on a collision course with my idolatry with my sin and my

Hope this morning is that we see this woman we see her heart and we say I want that I mean that's when I look at the story I want that heart I want to be so deeply in love with Jesus that no as he starts pointing out things

That I'm like that's fine it's yours point it out whatever I find most valuable whatever idolatry that I'm so clinging to I'll go and I'll get it and I will break it before your feet take it that I want the heart of this woman Jesus you want my time you want my money you want my

Future you want my identity point it out I will take it and I will bring it and I will break it before your feet you are worth it I want this heart and for our church I want us to have this heart that we would lay anything that we're clinging to above him anything that we're treasuring above him we lay it at his feet because he's better that's why we say it every week Jesus is better than everything else

Because if you don't believe that if we don't treasure Christ with everything in us you won't make it you will walk away and my hope is that we wouldn't be Judas but we'd be this woman and we come to Jesus in repentance and in worship Matt's going to come up and he is going to sing a song over us it's a song that you're not

Familiar with and I just I want you to just listen to the words and I want you to let the spirit go to work on your heart some of you have actually never treasured Christ you've never actually treasured him and I want this morning for you to finally see that he's better than whatever you're clinging to

I want you to believe I want you right now to come to him to lay your life down completely before him and I want you to respond and believe for the rest of us I want us to if you love if you follow Jesus I want you to to sit in this moment

And ask the Holy Spirit to go to work on your heart it's not if you cling to things you do it's not if you treasure other things you do and I want you to let him go to work on your heart

And I want you to bring it to him I want you to go to find the idols in your heart the things you're treasuring and worship above him and bring it to him it's a daily pursuit of Jesus where we do this y'all this sounds

Familiar for a reason because we have to keep dying to our own self and to our own sin and bringing our idols and bringing the things we treasure to him this week in groups I want you to go to your groups

And I want you to be vulnerable I want you to bring your sin and bring your idolatry I want you to let others call you out and I want us to respond in repentance I want us to have the heart of this woman I want us to come in our brokenness and our weakness because the

Spirit's power is made perfect in our weakness and we are a weak and needy people but we have a sufficient and glorious God who's worthy of our worship so in this moment may we be a people who see a need for Jesus and repent

And behold Jesus like this woman is

The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

The Sheep and the Goats

Chet Phillips

Transcript

SYSTEMukan Well, good morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. I think one of the mistakes we often make in reading the Bible is that we read it as if it is about us. And so you'll see that people read the scriptures and they're just looking for where do I show up in here? How is this about me?

How ought I to respond that it's somehow just a book of morals? And the reality is that the Bible is primarily not about you, but it's about Christ. It's about what God has done in the world on your behalf. And that is extremely good news. That having been said, today we're going to read a Bible story that has you in it. That you're in here.

And what we're going to look at is Jesus prophesies in his last kind of major discourse in the Gospel of Matthew. As he's going to tell us about the end and we're there. And this prophecy will either be a joyous, glorious occasion for you or it will be terrible. And Jesus in his last major teaching in the Gospel of Matthew really goes hard after trying to declare to his disciples that you ought to be ready when he returns. And that you ought to live in such a way that you know that the end will come. That Christ will judge and inaugurate his reign and that we ought to be prepared for that day.

So let's pray together as we then turn to Matthew chapter 25 to study the word together. God, I pray that you would in this moment this morning that you would help us to see ourselves clearly. Lord, I pray that you would help us to see you even more clearly. That we might fix our eyes on you. That we might see what you have done and what you will do and that we might respond accordingly. So we ask for your grace.

We ask for the powerful work of your spirit. We pray that you'd bless this time we have together this morning. In Jesus' name. Amen. So we're in Matthew chapter 25.

Matthew has 28 chapters. So we're coming on the tail end of this. And it's taken us almost no time at all. We've breezed right through this. Matthew chapter 25. We're going to pick up in verse 31.

So in this section, Jesus is answering a question that his disciples had asked him. They said, he had prophesied the destruction of the temple. And they said, when will this be? When will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And so Jesus is answering that question.

And this is the last part of that answer. And he says, when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations. And he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus refers to himself as the son of man. This whole time he's been referring to the coming of the son of man.

So they ask, when is your coming? And he refers to it as the coming of the son of man. And so he's clearly saying that when I return, when I, Jesus return, I will sit in glory, all my angels with me. So he's very definitively declaring himself to be king and judge of the whole world. I think it's silly sometimes when you hear people say, well, you know, Jesus was a good teacher, but he never really claimed to be God. Oh, yeah, he did.

Just read it. He aggressively claims that he's going to return with all of his angels, that he's going to sit on a throne, that he's going to judge the world. He says he will sit on a glorious throne and before him will be gathered all the nations. That's you. You're there. The word nations there means it's not our word nation like nation states.

It's not USA and Canada. We're not going to be sitting there chanting USA. It's not that's not going to happen. Or Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, whatever you might chant. It's not that it means all people groups, all tribes, all tongues, all languages. Everyone is there.

And then he says he he makes a distinction one from another. Meaning that this is a personal distinction. You will be there as an individual and you as an individual will go one direction or another. He will separate us one from another. And it says as a shepherd might separate sheep and goats. I am not a shepherd.

I don't think you are either. But we can tell the difference between sheep and goats. The distinction on that day for Christ will be very clear. He will be able to see clearly which is which. And so he separates as he Judges all peoples. Verse 33.

And he will place the sheep on his right but the goats on the left. And we'll find out later that you want to be on the right. You want to be among the sheep. And that's a metaphor that Jesus uses on a regular basis. Is that those who belong to him are sheep. That he is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

That his sheep know him. They know his voice and they follow him. That he has a pasture. He has a fold that belong to him. And so his sheep are his church. Those who belong to Christ.

Those for whom he has died. And he separates them. And he puts the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. And again that's just a picture. These are people. Verse 34.

Then the king will say to those on his right. Come you who are blessed by my father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you. From the foundation of the world. Oh what a beautiful day to be on the right hand of Christ. That he will come with all of his angels.

In all of his glory. That he will seat himself on a throne. As king and eternal ruler. That he will have all peoples gathered in front of him. Who have ever lived. We're all going to be there.

And then through his power. Or through the work of his angels or something. He's going to begin to separate us. And there's no at that point being like. I think I'm on the wrong side. I want to be.

Like you do what you're told. And we're going to be separated. And we're going to be before this glorious throne. And then he's going to turn and look. To those on his right. And he's going to say.

Come. You blessed by my father. Inherit the kingdom. Prepared for you. From the foundation of the world. What a beautiful day.

Can you see that? Can you feel what that would be like. For just a moment. To be in front of King Jesus. In all of his glory. And him to welcome you.

And to call you blessed. And to say that there's a kingdom. That's been prepared for you. Since the foundation of the world. That's what Ephesians tells us. That he chose us in him.

Before the foundation of the world. That he's preparing this place for us. That his original design. Was that we would live with him in Eden. That we would belong to him. That we would be his people.

And that got broken. And that got lost. Through sin. But that Christ has come to redeem a people. That might belong to him again. That might get to live in his kingdom.

That he's been preparing. His ultimate desire this entire time. That awaits those who know him. And love him. And have been redeemed by him. Verse 35.

He says. For I was hungry. And you gave me food. I was thirsty. And you gave me drink. I was a stranger.

And you welcomed me. I was naked. And you clothed me. I was sick. And you visited me. I was in prison.

And you came to me. Then the righteous. This is the first time we're told this. But those on his right. Are righteous. They are holy.

They are good. Then the righteous will answer him. Saying. Lord. When did we see you hungry. And feed you.

Or thirsty. And give you drink. And when did we see you a stranger. And welcome you. Or naked. And clothe you.

And when do we see you sick. Or in prison. And visit you. Now Jesus is prophesying. I don't know. It seems really bold.

To say that. Like if I'm on his right. In that day. And he says. You're blessed. You've done all these things.

I'm not going to go. I don't think I did. I don't want to call you out. But I should be on the other side. Just be blessed guys. Like just.

But there. There's this response. That they have. It's like. I don't know. When did.

When did this happen? When did we see you. And respond. This way. And the king. Will answer them.

Truly I say to you. As you did it. To one of the least of these. My brothers. You did it. To me.

Now that phrase. My brothers. Is. Very important. To understanding this passage. This is often taught.

That the least of these. Just means. Everybody who is. Hungry or hurting. Or. Poor or destitute.

But. That phrase. My brothers. And some translations. Will say. That you did.

To my brothers. Or sisters. Even the least of them. Even the smallest of them. You did to me. That phrase.

My brothers. That's only used. In the gospel of Matthew. For two types. Of brothers and sisters. Physical bloodline.

Brothers and sisters. Or. Disciples. Those who belong. To Christ. So.

There's even a place. Matthew 12. It says. That they. Come to him. And they say.

Your mother. And brothers. And sisters. Are here. And he says. Who is my brother.

My mother. And who are my brothers. And stretching out his hands. Toward his disciples. He said. Here.

Are my mother. And my brothers. For whoever does the will. Of my father in heaven. Is my brother. And sister.

And mother. In Matthew 28. After his resurrection. He says. Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers.

To go to Galilee. And they will see me. This picture of the church. Being brothers and sisters. Being a family in Christ. Is the predominant picture.

Given to us. In the New Testament. And it seems as if. Jesus is. Clarifying. That this was done.

Not specifically to. Not in general. To anyone who was destitute. But specifically to those. Who belong to him. And he's reiterating an idea.

That we see in Matthew 10. Where Jesus is sending out his disciples. And he says. Whoever receives you. Receives me. And whoever receives me.

Receives him who sent me. So he's telling his disciples. If they will receive you. If they'll accept you. They receive me. And as he keeps going.

In verse 42. He says. And whoever gives one of these little ones. Even a cup of cold water. Because he is a disciple. Truly I say to you.

He will by no means. Lose his reward. So it seems as if. Jesus is pulling that same idea. To here. And saying.

That these are the people. Who loved and received. Those who belong to Christ. That they loved and received. The church. That this is not.

Just being nice to everyone. In general. There's a couple of things. To say about that. One. You are supposed to be nice.

To everyone in general. Jesus tells us. Specifically. Pointedly. There are three groups of people. We're supposed to love.

We're supposed to love. The brothers. We're supposed to love. Those who belong to Christ. And specifically. To do things for them.

Because they belong to Christ. We're supposed to love. Our neighbors. And his story. The good Samaritan says. Everyone's your neighbor.

And we're supposed to love. Our enemies. Those who belong to Jesus. Those who you come in contact with. Those who are your enemies. That's who we're called to love.

You don't know anyone. Who's not in one of those categories. So this. Highlighting. And specifying. That he is talking to those.

About those who belong to Christ. Is not. To say. That we don't have to. Oh good. We don't have to help other people.

But it is to help us understand. What he's saying. In this. Passage. That's what he says. In John 13 34.

He says. A new commandment. I give to you. That you love. One another. Just as I have loved you.

You are also to love. One another. By this. This love for one another. All people will know. That you are my disciples.

If you have love. For one. Another. That there is a distinct. And special. Love.

In the church. For those who belong to Christ. I was a. When I was in college. I was an intern. At a church.

In Lawrence. South Carolina. The pastor was. Out one Sunday. There was a guest. Pastor coming to preach.

And I was his handler. I was to show up early. And help him get his microphone. And show him where things were. Be his friend. So I did that.

He was an older gentleman. Big old guy. Real country. And after everything got started. And you know. I just went and sat down.

I was in the front. First or second row. Sitting next to my wife. And she takes notes. She has real pretty handwriting. And she.

When someone is preaching. She will write down the date. She will write down who it is. If she knows her name. She will put. If they have a sermon title.

She will put that in quotations. At the top. Or she will start writing. Real kind of pretty writing. The kind of the passage. That they are coming from that day.

And that morning. He. He was going to preach from this. John 13 34. And he says. He says.

Now God. Says. That we are supposed to love. One another. And we are supposed to love our enemies. And we are supposed to love our neighbors.

But I am here today. To tell you. Who we supposed. To love. Special. I was paying attention.

And then I glanced over at her notes. And she had written in parenthesis. Who we supposed to love special. Y'all. I lost it. I'm on the second row.

It's just. I was like. That's an excellent title for a sermon. Who we supposed to love special. And I'm going. It's bad.

You can't let me and my wife hang out with each other. We cause trouble. But. It wasn't a good look. It's not my best day. But I did sit and laugh.

For a full like seven minutes. Because I couldn't get it together. If I could have just laughed a little bit out loud. It would have been fine. But I had to.

But Jesus here. I think is saying the same thing. That there is a. Who we supposed to love special. That we are supposed to have a specific. Reception.

And love. And grace. Towards those who belong to Christ. And there is something in that idea. Of who those who receive you. Receive me.

And those who receive me. Receive him who sent me. That same idea. That if we. Love and receive the church. And those who will love.

And receive those who belong to Christ. Will ultimately love and receive Christ. And will ultimately get the father. That's why he. We want to be good missionaries. And that's why we talk about.

We've been sent out as the church. Because if people will receive us. They'll eventually receive Christ. And if they'll get Christ. They get the father. So he says.

That to those. On his right. Verse 41. Then he will say. To those on his left. Depart from me.

You cursed. Into the eternal fire. Prepared for the devil. And his angels. Depart. From me.

You cursed. Into the eternal fire. Prepared for the devil. And his angels. The kingdom. You will be here.

On that day. We will be in front of a glorious. And fearful king. And he will look at some. And say. Welcome.

You blessed. Come inherit the kingdom. And he will look at others. And say. Depart from me. You cursed.

Into the eternal fire. You are. Prepared for the devil. And his angels. The kingdom. Is prepared for those.

Who will receive it. Those who end up. In hell. Have joined. The enemy. Hell was not prepared.

For you. Hell was prepared. For the devil. And his angels. And it is a place. Of eternal punishment.

For him. I don't know. What you have seen. On cartoons. Or TV shows. Or movies.

Satan does not hang out. In hell. And he does not enjoy it. When he eventually goes there. He is not the ruler. Of hell.

Christ. Is the ruler of hell. And he has prepared it. For the devil. And his angels. But those who do not.

Submit to Christ. Do not love Christ. Do not follow Christ. Have not been redeemed. By Christ. Will join.

The enemy. In his punishment. And it is a place. Of eternal fire. There is a glorious kingdom. Prepared.

From the beginning. Of the world. And there is a place. Of eternal punishment. And everyone. On that day.

Will be sent. One way or the other. And if you. Have not considered this. I plead with you. To consider this.

If you have not. Wrapped your mind around. There will be a day. When you see. Jesus. And that will be.

A beautiful. Glorious day. Or that will be. A terrible. Frightening. Awful day.

I ask you to see this. And he'll say. For I was hungry. And you gave me no food. I was thirsty. And you gave me no drink.

I was a stranger. And you did not. Welcome me. Naked. And you did not clothe me. Sick.

And in prison. And you did not visit me. Then they also. Will answer. Saying. Lord.

When did we see you hungry. Or thirsty. Or a stranger. Or naked. Or sick. Or in prison.

And did not. Minister to you. Then he will answer them. Saying. Truly. I say to you.

As you did. Not do it. To one of the least of these. You did not. Do it. To me.

And these will go away. Into eternal punishment. But the righteous. Into eternal life. Your soul. Was meant.

To live for eternity. And your soul. Will. Live. Beyond your body. All of our bodies.

Are failing. All of them. And they fail more. And more. Over time. And the older you get.

The more you have discussions. With people your age. About how your body. Is failing you. It's just how it is. Little kids.

Heal up. Like magic. Overnight. They heal right up. High school. You heal up pretty quick.

College. You heal up pretty quick. Then you start getting injuries. And you're like. I rolled my ankle. Fifteen years ago.

And it is somehow. Still rolled. It has not unrolled itself. And the older you get. The more you will sit around. And discuss with people.

All the things that are wrong with you. Your body is failing you. This is God's grace. A simple. A simple. A simple.

Gracious reminder. That you will one day meet him. That your body will not last forever. But your soul will. And I want you to see. That these two locations are eternal.

Eternal punishment. Or eternal life. That you will be sent. Somewhere that is. Terrible. Or somewhere that is.

Glorious. And I think it's. A very valid question. For us to try to understand. What is this passage saying. And how might I end up.

On the right. Oh. If this is true. I want to be among the sheep. First thing I want us to see. We ought to take away from this passage.

Is that Jesus will return. To judge the world. There is a day. When everything will be called to account. When you will stand before him. Final judgment will be passed.

And it will be done. Based off of. King Jesus's desires. Not ours. Not our method for fairness. Not what we think ought to happen.

There will be no. Appeal court. I know we're Americans. And we don't like. Monarchies. But Jesus is a king.

And there is no overruling him. He will return. To judge the world. And you need to see that clearly. Secondly. The thing we have to understand.

From this passage. Because this passage. Taken on its own. Removed from it. The context of the rest. Of scripture.

Can lead us. In an odd direction. So the second thing. We're going to spend our time on. This morning. Is that we do not earn.

Righteousness. But we do display it. If you are in Christ. We do not earn righteousness. But we do display it.

The righteous. Will dwell. With Christ. For eternity. So another way of saying that.

Is we do not earn. Our salvation. But we do. Display it. If you took. Just this passage.

On its own. You better run outside. And feed some hungry people. Because all he's going to do. Is keep up with. Whether or not you've done that.

But that would be. To negate the rest of scripture. That says that you do not. Earn salvation. I want to show my work. Romans.

Chapter 3. Paul says. What then? Are we Jews. Any better off? No.

Not at all. He's reading. He's talking about Jews. They've been given the law. They've been told. How they ought to act.

But he says. For we have already charged. That all. Both Jews and Greeks. Are under sin. As it is written.

None is righteous. Okay. So now we have a contradiction. Because he says. You righteous. Welcome to the kingdom.

But the scriptures also say. None is righteous. So it's as if. Jesus is saying. On that day. I will separate the sheep.

From the goats. Oh. No sheep. It says. None is righteous. No.

Not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become worthless. No one does good.

Not even one. Sound like you and your family? Sounds like mine. For by works of the law. No human being will be justified. That means made right.

In his sight. So those who are justified. Are righteous. But he says. No one will be. Not by works of the law.

Since through the law. Comes knowledge of sin. So that if you learn all the rules. All it does. Is show you your wickedness. But then Jesus says.

In the very next sentence. The very next thing. That he comes out of his mouth. In chapter 26. If we look at that in Matthew. It says.

When Jesus had finished. When Jesus had finished. All these sayings. He said to his disciples. You know that after two days. The Passover is coming.

And the son of man. Will be delivered up. To be crucified. So Jesus says. In Matthew chapter 25. Something that seems as if.

He's declaring to us. That we ought to go out. And earn our salvation. And then the next words. Out of his mouth. Are I'm going to the cross.

And then. As we see this carried out. Into the rest of the New Testament. We begin to understand. What's going on. Galatians 2 21.

Also Paul. He says. I do not nullify. The grace of God. Meaning unearned favor. That's what grace is.

For if righteousness. Were through the law. It's good behavior. Good actions. Then Christ died.

For no purpose. So whatever. Anybody says. What God wants from us. Is to be a good person. That's what Jesus came.

To teach us how to be moral. The question I always ask them. Is then why did he die? What is the purpose of the cross? Because if he just wants. You to be a good person.

And that's all it takes. What was the purpose of the cross? Paul says. No purpose at all. If the point is for you. To be moral.

We would nullify grace. And Christ would die. For no purpose. Titus 3 5. He saved us. Not because of works.

Done by us. In righteousness. But according to his own mercy. By the washing of regeneration. And the renewal of the Holy Spirit. Or Philippians 3.

I have suffered the loss of all things. And count them as rubbish. In order that I may gain Christ. And be found in him. Not having a righteousness of my own. That comes from the law.

But that which comes through faith in Christ. The righteousness of God. That depends on faith. So if we're to read this. With the rest of the New Testament in mind. We would look and say.

Those who are on his right. Those who are his sheep. Are those who have the righteousness of Christ. Applied to their account. Through faith. By grace.

Through the work of Jesus. But they have not earned this on their own. But Jesus says. He'll look at them and say. Welcome. You've done good things.

You see. Jesus in this passage. These things are not in contradiction with one another. Jesus in this passage. If you understand the rest of the New Testament. Is talking about the fruit of salvation.

Not the root of salvation. He's talking about what the root of salvation. Eventually leads to. Which is fruit. That those who have been made righteous by Christ. Display righteousness.

So we do not earn our righteousness. But we do display it. This is what he says in Matthew 7. Beware of false prophets. Who come to you in sheep's clothing. But inwardly are ravenous wolves.

You will recognize them. By their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes. Or figs from thistles. So every healthy tree bears good fruit.

But the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit. Nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit. Is cut down. And thrown into the fire.

Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. So Jesus can look at those on his right. Call them righteous. And declare. And refer to their good works. Because they are the outworking.

Of his righteous work in them. 1 John 3.10 By this it is evident. Who are the children of God. Okay. So there is evidence.

Someone says I belong to Jesus. There ought to be evidence. You ought to be able to watch their life. And go yeah. Seems like it. This is one of the reasons.

Why we do membership through community groups. Some of the reasons we do membership through community groups. Is that we want to care for you. And if you are not in a group. We don't really have a way to do that. But some of the reasons we do membership through community groups.

When we do membership class. We just tell you things. And then we send you off to your group. And your group has to co-sign whether or not you are a member. Because in membership class. In our membership commitment.

You are saying I believe these things. And if you go back to your group. And say I want to be a member. And your group can go. You don't believe those things. We love you.

No. We want you to believe those things. But we know you well enough to know. That this isn't showing up in your life. We want to walk this out with you. We want to help hold you to this.

It says by this it is evident. Who are the children of God. And who are the children of the devil. Okay. So those who belong to Christ.

And those who belong to the enemy. Whoever does not practice righteousness. Is not of God. Nor is the one who does not love his brother. If it doesn't show up. You don't belong to him.

Verse 14. As he continues. He says we know that we have passed out of death. Into life. Because we love the brothers. Do you love the church?

He says we know that we belong to Jesus. Because we love the brothers. Do you? Whoever does not love. Abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother.

Is a murderer. And you know that no murderer. Has eternal life abiding in him. Meaning that if you do not care. For the church. You do not love those who belong to Jesus.

That you hate them. They bother you. They frustrate you. And you don't overcome that with forgiveness and grace. But you just turn from them.

He says that you've got death abiding in you. By this we know love. That he laid down his life for us. Oh he gives us a picture of love. Full sacrifice. That he laid down his life for us.

Some of you say I would love the church. But it's really hard. And they're very aggravating. Yes. It's going to feel a lot like dying. To love the church.

That's how we know love. That he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods. And sees his brother in need. Yet closes his heart against him.

How does God's love abide in him? Well that's a sentence. Just pulled directly from what Jesus just said. That he's going to look at. Those who belong to him and say. I know you belong to me.

Because of look at what you did. Look at how you responded to those in need. And that's why. John can say. If you have the world's goods. And you see a brother in need.

And you don't respond. How do you have love in you? If you can see them. And just turn. And don't care. How do you have love in you?

How is it there? If you don't care. And those who abide in Christ. Abide in love. So James 2.

What good is it my brothers. If someone says he has faith. But does not have works. Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed. And lacking in daily food.

And one of you says to them. Go in peace. Be warmed and filled. Without giving them the things needed for the body. What good is that? So also.

Faith by itself. If it does not have works. Is dead. One of the things we talk about in this church. Is that we want to be gospel centered. We want to be gospel fluent.

We want to know how the gospel applies to life. And we want to point each other back to Christ. In all things. And I think there's a danger for us sometimes. To someone struggling in our group. Someone's in need in our group.

And we just encourage them. Just know that the Lord cares for you. He loves you. He'll provide for you. We know that. Because Jesus came.

And he died. And he provided everything for us. And you leave. And you're like. I blessed them. Because I gave them the gospel.

And James says. Yeah. Did you help him pay the bill? Did you help him pay the bill? Or did you just tell him Jesus was good? Because if he's not good in you.

To help you be the church. So they might receive you. So they might receive him. So they might know the father. If he's not in you. What faith is that?

Oh it's dead. Oh it's dead. And so if you are saying. I belong to Christ. I've been made righteous by Christ. My tree is renewed.

I have the root of salvation. Then Christ can look at you and say. Yes. Show me the fruit of salvation. Do you love? Do you care?

Do you sacrifice? Do you welcome? Do you welcome? Do you pay attention? Do you listen? Do you pray?

Do you give? Has the root of salvation. If you're saying it's the root. It means it's the absolute core of you. And if it's the absolute core of you. If he's gone to work on the inside of you.

To make you righteous. Now it'll be a mess sometimes. And there are seasons. That's why I love that it's fruit. There are seasons where it takes a while. There are seasons where it doesn't show up.

The way you want it to. But long enough. It's going to show up. And so if you say. This is the core of me. That I belong to Jesus.

One of the questions is. Okay. Is that reflected in the outer part of you? Is it reflected in your wallet? Is it reflected in your time? Is it reflected in how you love and care for the church?

Do you have time for those who are in need? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you?

Do you? Do you? If not. John says. The love of God does not abide in you. James says.

Your faith is dead. And Christ says. Depart from me you cursed. I think too often. We have pitched Christianity. We have understood Christianity.

We have understood being a Christian. And being a faithful Christian. As all the things we do not do. Depending on your age group. What church you grew up in. Christians don't dance.

They don't watch movies. Christians don't dress a certain way. Christians don't talk a certain way. The joke I always had growing up. Was they don't drink smoke or chew. Or date girls that do.

Christians don't sleep around. Well. Okay. I have heard a pastor say. That he. Had a friend.

Who had a dog. That was. 15 years old. And that dog. Laid on the floor. In his friend's house.

And he said. Often it seemed like. The way we describe Christianity. My friend's dog. Was a. A beautiful.

Wonderful picture. Of a good Christian. Because he didn't do. Do anything. And if all Christians. Are.

People who don't do things. Then that dog. Was excellent. But Christ says. He's going to look at the church. And say.

You did. Do. Things. I think. Too often. We've thought of Christianity.

As not only the things. That I don't do. But a bunch of little. Personal activities. That we do. Read my Bible.

I pray. Those are excellent. They're good. The reason you need to read your Bible. Is so you'll read stuff like this. And if you just read it.

And go. Hmm. Good point. Thanks Jesus. And close your Bible. Or turn your little phone app off.

And move on. Without. Doing the things. James says. It's like someone who looks in a mirror. Sees that their hair is messed up.

Sees they have mustard on their face. And then walks away. And doesn't do anything. With what they saw. The reason we pray. The reason we read the Bible.

Is so that we might be the people. That have been sent out in the world. To display Christ. To have righteousness. Dwell in us. And exude from us.

And all the things that Christ lists us here. Are relational. Do you love? Do you care? Oh. Do you care?

Oh. And it's a beautiful picture. He says. I was hungry. And you gave me food. I was thirsty.

And you gave me drink. Christians provide physical needs. Pay for groceries. Buy meals. And when we do that. We're displaying the gospel at work.

In our heart. Because Jesus says. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. That he'll satisfy. And so that we know. We've been satisfied.

Of our deepest longest. Deepest longing of our hearts. Our hunger and our thirst. To be made right. And so therefore. We respond.

In caring for others. Physical short term needs. He says. I was a stranger. And you welcomed me. That we're supposed to be hospitable.

That we're supposed to open our houses. For people to stay with us. And to eat with us. I was thinking yesterday. I know sometimes people are like. Yeah but what if.

Like what if I pick up a hitchhiker. Or what if I have someone to come in the house. And they hurt me. This is much easier for me to think through. Personally. Than for my family.

So I'm just going to think through it personally. But I was thinking. If I was by myself. And I picked up a hitchhiker. And he killed me. That's kind of a good way to meet the Lord y'all.

That's what I thought yesterday. There's a real good chance. I'm going to be doing something stupid. When I die. This one felt pretty good. Be like.

Yeah Lord. I was just doing that hospitality stuff. You talked about. But that we would. Welcome people. This is.

People who come down. And do summer internships with us. This is missionaries. This is refugees. This is orphans. That we would have strangers.

Who belong to Jesus. And we would welcome them. Just because they belong to Jesus. And we'd say. Hey. We're all going to share a big table.

In eternity. Come share my table with me right now. He says. I was naked. And you clothed me. They were exposed.

They lacked. Everything. Everything. That they needed. He said. You clothed me.

Do we care when we hear about. Tragedies in other countries. Do we care when we hear about it in other states. Do we care that there are people in our city. Who are wearing the same thing over and over again. That we.

That they need. Clothing. We were exposed. We were naked. We were uncovered in our shame. And Christ came.

And he was stripped naked. And exposed. So that he might take our shame. So that we might be clothed in his righteousness. You absolutely better believe that Christ. That Christians respond.

To soul level clothing. By simple. Earthly. Caring about the needs of others. There's a beautiful picture of the gospel. It says.

I was sick. And you visited me. I've been so blessed in this church. When I've seen some of our older members. There's two ladies in our church. Who at different times.

Would gather up gift bags. And gift baskets. And they would go travel around. And they would visit every single person. That's homebound or shut in. Just to care for them.

I mean there have been days. Where I heard that story. And I went and just sat in my office. And I thanked Jesus. That he was good. That he works in people.

That their hearts so love him. That they so love each other. There have been pictures of people. Who have been hurt. And gotten to go live. With another church family member.

There have been pictures of people. Who have run out of money. And church families come together. To pay for hospital bills. Medical bills. Buy vehicles.

And it's this beautiful picture. Of these people actually believe. They actually belong to Christ. That's why he says. The world will know. That you're my disciples.

By the way you love. One another. He says. I was in prison. And you came to me. There are a lot of inmates.

Who have placed their faith in Christ. This is also. It's weird. I don't really want people in my house. Yeah. But we had Christ go to a cross for us.

He died so that we might be redeemed. So that we might live out a picture of that. So yeah. Christians do a bunch of stuff they don't want to do. And yes. There's also a bunch of stuff we'd like to do.

That we don't do. But that's not our primary marker. They were meant to be people who love. And who so. Are so in love with Christ. And so see what he's done for us.

That we respond. You see. We do not earn our righteousness. But we do display it. And that means there's a very important distinction here. As you consider this.

And I would call on you to consider this. I'm calling you to consider this today. I'm calling you to consider it this week. I'm calling you to read this passage. And look over it. Because the reality is.

You want to be among the sheep. But if you look at your life. If you look in the mirror. And you see that there is no fruit of righteousness. The response is not. I better do better.

Oh I better start serving. I better get it together. If there is no fruit of righteousness. Then your faith is dead. There is no love in your heart. And you need Christ.

And you need his righteousness. To go to work on the root. So that then the fruit might be displayed. Now some of you are going. I see where the Lord is at work here. And I see where the Lord is at work here.

And I really do grow in hospitality. I really do need to add some of this to my life. And I need to be repentant. And asking the Lord to help me see this. But if you're looking at this.

And you walk out of here. And your only response is. I'm going to do better. I'm going to try harder. And then I will earn my salvation. And my righteousness.

That is not how it works. You are a sinner. In need of a savior. Who redeems you. And then righteousness. Blooms out.

Like fruit. Fruit. But if you have a tree. That doesn't grow fruit. You don't go to the spots. Where fruit should be.

And try to fix it there. The root's got to be okay. It's got to have water. It's got to have all these. Actual nutrients. Before it can.

Grow up and do what it's supposed to. The band is going to come back up. My hope is that we would hear well. The words of Christ. In his last major teaching. That you would know that a judgment is coming.

That an eternity is coming. That it is real. That it is coming for all of us. Sooner than we think. That's one of the primary things. That he goes after in this.

When will it come? Sooner than you think. And oh may we respond. In repentance. Receiving the grace that is offered. And then by Christ's righteousness.

A work in us. May we look like these people. And grow in our love for each other. And for our neighbors. And for our enemies. But I pray the Lord would help us.

To love each other special. Let's pray. God we thank you for your grace. Lord we will all see you on that day. And we eagerly await. For you to arrive as our glorious king.

But Lord may we be ready. For those here this morning. That have no love. Who would say they have faith. But by their life it is displayed as dead.

We pray that they would come to you. To be made new. That they would plead with you. To redeem them. To be righteous. In their place.

That you would forgive them of their sins. And make them whole. We pray that we would all grow. In displaying the fruit of righteousness. Which is a genuine love. For those around us.

May we see you. And your love. And may it empower us. To sacrifice. To give. To care.

To be put out. For the sake of others. As you were put out. Cast out. And destroyed. For our sake.

In Jesus name. Amen.

Ready or Not (Matthew 24:36-25:30)

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

Ready or Not

Chet Phillips

Transcript

Transcription by CastingWords Well, good morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. I'm glad to be with you all this morning. If you'll grab your Bibles, go to Matthew chapter 24. We are working through the Gospel of Matthew.

We went all the way through chapter 24 last week. I don't know if your brain hurt at the end of that, but mine did. And we went through, it's a dense passage where Jesus is answering the question about future events. He was answering the question about the destruction of the temple, which was future to them, past to us, and his return and the end of the age. And so he answers through and gives some signs and some things to look for. And it's easy for us to want to spend a lot of time trying to really understand exactly what each of those signs means and exactly what he's pointing towards.

But Jesus, in his answer, gets to the end and he starts saying, you don't know when I will return, so be ready. And that's his primary point. And so I think it is worth studying and trying to figure out what exactly he means and exactly what sign lines up with what and what historical event. But Jesus' conclusion is wrong. You guessed wrong. You're not going to know exactly.

His conclusion isn't wrong, just to be clear in my sentence there. He tells us that we ultimately aren't going to narrow it down and make it perfect and know exactly when he's returning and exactly what lines up with what. He says we can know the season, we can look for the signs, but ultimately we need to be ready. And then he tells three parables back to back to the effect that we would be ready. And that's what we're going to look at today. So this is where he goes in verse 36 of chapter 4.

He says, But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven nor the Son, but the Father only. And then verse 44 as he keeps talking about it, he says, Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. And so then he tells three parables to help press that into our mind. So the parable is a story that has one primary point to help us understand exactly what he's talking about, to help us picture it. And we're going to run through those parables this morning. We'll spend less time on the first one because we read it last week, but we're going to keep working through those.

And we ought to be ready. We ought to be ready to meet the Lord. He says he will return at a time we do not expect, meaning that we ought to be ready for his return. We believe in a literal, physical death of Jesus, a literal, physical resurrection of Christ, that he ascended into heaven, and we believe in a literal, physical return of Christ, at which point time ends, and all of our choices in how we respond to Jesus is set. It is final, and we ought to be ready. But if you do not make it to the return of Christ, you will make it to your death.

And I was looking at the statistics, and the most recent stats show that 100% of people die, and that was before COVID, so I'm sure it's worse now. That ultimately all of us will meet the Lord, and we ought to be ready. And so the question for us today is, what does readiness look like? When he says you need to be ready, what does he have in mind? Is there a certain sort of clothes we're supposed to wear? Should we sell all of our stuff?

Wear white? Sit on a mountain? Stare at the clouds? What does he want us to do? What does readiness look like? And so as we look through these, we're going to see what readiness ought to look like.

We're going to see some temptations towards being unprepared. And finally, as we finish up today, we'll talk through the consequences of either. The results of being ready, or the results of being found unprepared. And so let's pray for our time this morning, and then we'll move into the main portion of the text we're going to look at. God, we ask for your grace. Pray that you would help us as we study your word, that no one in this room, that no one who is watching online, would be found unprepared.

That we would make it to the end. That we would stand before you ready, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, joyfully awaiting the day of your return. And not in that moment begin to beg for more time, or for a second chance. We ask by your grace that we would hear this. In Jesus' name, amen. This is Jesus' final discourse in Matthew.

He talks some more, but this is the final section where he's really teaching, and it's aggressive. It's heavy. Because what is at stake, that Jesus felt so important that he would come and die for it, is our literal, eternal state. And so Jesus wants us to be ready for his return. Verse 45. Chapter 24, verse 45.

He says, Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant, whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. So the first picture Jesus gives is, as a master leaves, he puts one of his servants in charge of the other servants, to care for them, to give them their food at the proper time. And he says, That servant will be blessed. It will be good and glorious and joyful, if when the master returns, that servant is doing what he's supposed to.

And so the first picture of readiness, is that you want to be found doing what he called you to do, when he returns. You want to be found following through with what he's called you to. To be found faithfully at work. But then verse 48, he says, But if that wicked servant says to himself, My master is delayed, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

So he says, He'll be blessed if he's found working, but he says, But if he thinks, I got time, he's not coming yet, and begins to abuse the position he's put in. And the two kind of abuses he shows, is one is abuse of his fellow servants, that he's beating them. He was there, his authority given to this servant, was for the good of his fellow servants. He was to feed them at the proper time, he was to care for them, to make sure that they were well taken care of. And what happens is, in this position of authority, he begins to use it, he begins to Lord it over them, he begins to oppress them, and then he eats and drinks with gluttons and drunkards.

He begins to party. And those are two temptations, that would lead us from being ready, from the return of Christ. One is, a desire for power, a desire to have other people serve us, for things to work out well for us, at the expense of others. Have y'all ever noticed, how quickly, a small amount of power, can go to somebody's head? Like, petty amounts of power, can go to people's heads. You can put a child in the front of a line, and it's arbitrary, but they're the front of the line, and all of a sudden, it's like, I'm captain of the world.

And that, we don't grow out of that. We do this in, homeowners associations, and PTAs. We can do it in, in Bible studies, where somebody has a little bit of authority, and they Lord it over other people. They're no longer there to serve, they're no longer there to, to help others do better, to, to give up of themselves, for the sake of others, but they're there for others, to make things better for them, and that's a real danger, that we would at some point, lose the fact, that we have a master, who will return, and we can actually begin to live, in such a way that, we just want the power, to benefit us.

Inside of, the US, there are some different power imbalances. Inside your household, there may be some different power imbalances. Globally, there's some different power imbalances. Just being a citizen of the United States, puts us in a relative position of power, with relative wealth, security. And do we allow, every situation, where we have some, some authority, to just benefit us, or do we see and look, and go, okay, where can I use this, to the benefit of others? And blessed will we be, if we're following through, with what the master's called us to do, and if we're giving up, and serving others, when he comes.

The second one is this, that he begins to drink, and party, celebrate. That he thinks that, part of the, the good life for him, is that the master's not going to come, so I can just do what I want. He, he Acts as if it all belongs to him, and that his point is, the point of life, and goodness is indulgence. And that's a real temptation. To just spend life, trying to enjoy, the good things that are around us, the good food that is around us, the good drink that is around us. I, I don't mean to brag, but I, I manage a firework store, twice a year.

So, yeah, I'm a bit of a businessman. And, there was a guy, who was working for me, and he, he was 19, somewhere around in there, and he was going into, I think his sophomore year, at USC. And I was just talking to him, he was working, he lived in Aiken, and he was home for the summer, and then he was coming up, to go here. And I said, hey, when you, when you get up to school, come, come by and hang out with us, and I'd love for you to, you know, join our church, and be around at least, you know, check it out. And he said, he's like, yeah, man, I, I mean, my family's Christians and stuff, and I know, like I know that Jesus is God, and I need to follow him, and I know he died for us, but I just, right now, just want to have some fun.

I just don't, he said, I'm young, I got time, and when I get a little bit older, I'll, I'll get it together, you know, I'll follow him, and I'll do all that stuff, but right now, I just don't want to, I just, I'm going to try to join a fraternity, and that's really what I want to do. He's confused about a few things. One, if he thinks a fraternity is better than Jesus, he's very confused, both about fraternities and Jesus. He's also confused about how much time he has, because that is not certain. And this is a real temptation for us to feel like, now's my best opportunity to have, quote unquote, fun, and I'll, I'll follow Jesus later.

But the point of this parable is that, later comes upon us very quickly. It can catch up with us when we don't expect it. Jesus actually says, that's what it will happen. So that's the first parable. That we might be found working when he comes, that we might use what authority we have, to follow through with what he has called us to do, which is to serve others, and that we might not be led astray, into self-indulgence, and sin, tricking ourselves into thinking, we have plenty of time. Chapter 25, verse 1.

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went to meet the bridegroom. There's a, there's a country song, by Kenny Chesney. One of the lines is, that one of the things that's good in life, is the way that she looks, with rice in her hair. And when you hear that song, it takes a second, you go, oh, okay, what does wife look like, when they got married? The way that she looked, with rice in her hair. Got it.

They threw rice, that's in her hair. Got it. That's the way this statement works, for not us. If you didn't know, that people threw rice, at the end of weddings, the way that she looks, with rice in her hair, is a really weird sentence. One of the good things in life, is how your wife looks, with rice in her hair. Okay, buddy.

Sounds good. That's what this sentence works like. Then the kingdom of heaven, will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went to meet the bridegroom. Okay, what is going on? Well, virgins here, means unmarried, women. This is, all the single ladies.

And they're going to meet the bridegroom, they're not the bride. The bride, the bridegroom has left, to go get the bride. They would have had, a small ceremony there, and he's coming back, and when he comes back, the party starts. There's a ceremony, people join him, to walk, and to march, and people yell in the streets, and there's a big ceremony, and depending on how well off, this groom is, it'll be a party, that lasts for a day. It could be a party, that lasts for a week. And so they're awaiting, the party, and they love the groom.

They know the groom, they're part of his hometown, his family, so he goes to marry the bride, but they're awaiting the groom, they're excited to celebrate with him. And, I just want to point out, it's a beautiful marriage illustration. Happy Valentine's Day. We did it. You thought we were just working through Matthew, but we intentionally put, no, okay, anyway, sorry. So they're waiting, for the bridegroom to come, and then it says, five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

So that's the distinction here, we're about to find out, what makes one foolish, and what makes one wise. It says, for when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil, with their lamps. Okay. Their lamps, had a little hole in the top, you put oil in, it had a wick, that would go down this little tube. If you picture like, Aladdin lamp, kind of what it looked like, and then they would light this section, of the wick, that would soak up the oil. The foolish ones, grabbed their lamp, hit the door.

The wise ones, grabbed their lamp, and extra oil, and hit the door. The wise ones assuming, this may take longer, than I think. The foolish, thinking the groom will return, at a time, that is convenient for me. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy, and slept. So they're waiting for the party to start, he's taking forever, and so they just, are sitting and waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and eventually they fall asleep.

All of them, both wise and foolish, fall asleep. So sleeping here, isn't foolish. It's normal. They're just tired. Verse 6. But at midnight, there was a cry, here's the bridegroom, come out to meet him.

So the party's starting, at midnight. Some of y'all, you're like, yeah, that's a good party. Others of you are like, I would not be attending, that party. Good party start at 6, end at 8.30. Alright. So the party's starting, at midnight.

Come out to meet him. Then all those virgins, rose and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish said to the wise, give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, since there will not be enough for us, and for you, go rather to the dealers, and buy for yourself. And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready, went in with him, to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came, also saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered, truly I say to you, I do not know you.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day, nor the hour. Verse 13 tells us the main point of that parable. To watch, to be ready, to be wise in our preparation, because we know neither the day, nor the hour. But there are a few things that are helpful to learn, from this parable, as he's beginning to push on us still, that what you want to do, is be ready when he returns, and you will not know, so you have to stay ready. You need to be ready today, and you need to be ready tomorrow, and you have to stay ready, because you do not know. And being unprepared, when he returns, is terrible.

And so there are a few things that I think are worth noting from this passage. One, in this parable, all of them had lamps. All of them were waiting the groom. All of them were together. But when he showed up, only some of them, had oil.

I think this is a helpful thing for us to picture. I don't think it's the main point of this, but I think it's helpful for us to see this. Just because you have the appearance, of faithfulness, does not mean you have, true faith. Just because they looked good on the outside, they were not actually, true on the inside. They had the appearance of godliness, but denied its power. They had the form, but no substance.

They were around a local church, but they did not belong to the church. They were in a community group, but they weren't in Christ. And being near faithful people, will not count. The point of this, when they ask to share oil, is not that you should be selfish. The point of this, is that that's not how it works. That when Jesus returns, you cannot lean into the faithfulness, of those around you, to make you okay.

You will seek in vain, for faith, for repentance, in that day, and it will not be found. And so just because you're around believers, just because your parents were believers, just because you grew up in a church, just because you're in a community group, just because you're best friend, just because just being near somebody, who belongs to Jesus, does not make you belong to Jesus. And the question is, do you truly have him at work in you? Secondly, a thing that I think is helpful, to learn from this parable, is this is a call to endurance. Christians endure. We trust that the Lord, by his grace, will bring us to the finish line.

But that means that Christians, take the steps necessary to endure. Leaning into the fact, that we believe that Jesus, will get us to the finish line, so that we do none of the things, to get us to the finish line, is a good indication, that we don't belong to Jesus. But some of us right now, are saying we belong to Jesus, and have taken none of the simple steps, it takes to help us, make it to the end. Like daily reading our Bibles. Some of you, are just busting out into the world. Walking in the flesh, trusting your own wisdom, to get you to the end.

I don't have enough sense for that. I don't trust myself enough for that. And for us to lean into our flesh, and to think we don't need the scriptures, and we don't need the daily empowerment of the spirit, and we don't need to walk in prayer, but we'll just make it to the end, we'll just endure, is like grabbing a lamp, and thinking, this will be enough to get me there. To not be in community, with people who know you, that you share sin struggles, and weaknesses with, that know the things that you're running from, and running to, to help guard rail around you. I'm not saying fake community, where you have some friends, who know the amount of stuff, that you're willing to tell them, but people who actually know you, that you confess sin, that you walk in life with, that are going to help you get to the end.

I was reminded of the importance, of being prepared to endure this week, as I was reading reports about Robbie Zacharias. Robbie Zacharias was a powerful speaker, evangelist, apologist, very well known, had a large organization. When he died in 2020, people spoke about how he was a good example, of faithfulness and endurance. And then, lady after lady came forward, with abuse, and allegations, and it turns out he'd been lying, and using his position of power, for his own personal gain, for some time. And if I'm to think, that I'm somehow better than Robbie Zacharias, that I'm on a trajectory, that will get me to 74, and utter faithfulness, without ever investigating, the little things, that I'm starting to let grow now, without ever repenting, without putting the things around me, that will help me make to the end, I'm grabbing a lamp, and walking outside, and hoping for the best.

And I'm hoping that he returns, in a timeline that suits me, and it's foolish. And some of you right now, are in a little spurt, of good faithfulness, and if he shows up, in a good timeline, then it might work out for you. But Christianity is endurance, and walking in faithfulness, daily, not little spurts of energy, and we need to put the things in place, that help us to endure. Because we do not know, when he will come. Third parable. Verse 14.

For it will be like a man, going on a journey. Hold on one second. Some of you right now, have things in place, that if they continue to grow, you will not love Jesus, 10 years from now. 20 years from now. Some of you right now, have things that are small, that you are allowing to grow, and if they continue to grow, you will not be here, you will not belong to the Lord, and you will not be prepared. And it is important, and weighty, that we make decisions now, that help us make it long term.

And that is repenting of certain things, getting rid of certain things, changing some of our lifestyle, so that we do not think, that I'm okay right now, but I'm on the edge, and that we would let something, continue to grow, that would lead us astray. Verse 14. For it will be like a man, going on a journey, who called his servants, and entrusted to them, his property. So he calls his servants, and he hands over to them, his stuff. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability, then he went away. Okay, so talents, is not the English word talent.

Like if someone plays the violin, you're like, wow, they're really talented. It's a weight. It'd be like saying, he gave one five pounds, another 15 pounds, whatever. Like it's just a weight. But, this passage, is where we get the English word, talent. Because it was a gift, given to them, based off of their ability.

And so we use the English word, talent, because of this. It informed our definition, of this word. To not just be a weight, but to be understood, as things that God gives you. Like Shaquille O'Neal, is talented. Because he can dunk the ball, without jumping. He can.

He can stand under it, and dunk. And I probably could have done okay, in the NBA, if I could do that. But I have to jump, and not very high. He's talented. He was gifted something, that he then used. And so that's where we get that word.

But in this picture, just at the beginning, don't use that. Just understand that he had servants. One was good. One was okay. One not so much. And he gave them, weights of gold.

Bags of weighted gold. We find out it's gold later. It's an insane amount of money, that he gives them. And he says, hey, I'm going on a journey. Tend to my stuff well. And he disperses it among them, and he leaves.

He who had received, the five talents, went at once, and traded with them. And he made, five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents, made two talents more. But he who had received, the one talent, went and dug in the ground, and hid his master's money. Okay. So the first two guys, the one who was solid, one pretty solid, one not so much.

First two guys, immediately go, and go, I've got to get to work. I've got to put this money to work. I've got to make some trades. I've got to make some business deals. I've got to do some stuff. They get to work with it, and they both double the investment, the master gave them.

The third guy goes, I've got to dig a hole. And probably draw a map. That's my plan. So the third guy does. Goes, digs a hole, buries it. I'm guessing, draws a treasure map.

That was his plan. Okay. Verse 19. Now, after a long time, do y'all see this? Do y'all pick up on this? There's a long time here.

The groom was delayed last time. He's telling us, be ready. You don't know, but be ready for a long time. Be ready to endure. Now, after a long time, the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, Master, you delivered to me five talents.

Here, I have made five talents more. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. And he also, who had two talents, came forward, saying, Master, you delivered to me two talents.

Here, I have made two talents more. And his master said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. enter into the joy of your master. He also who had received the one talent came forward saying, Master, I knew you to be a hard man reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. So I was afraid and I went and hid your talent in the ground.

Here, have what is yours. Okay. First guy comes back and he's got this gold measured out. So he brings in five talents worth of gold and then five talents more and he says, here's the five talents, here's five talents more. It's a significant amount of gold that he lays out in front of him. The second guy comes in with two talents and two talents more.

The third guy walks in with a really dirty bag. Have y'all ever dug something up that's been buried for a long time? It's gross. He just plops it down. He says, here, have what's yours. I don't think very highly of you.

That's really what he says. You're a hard man. You reap where you don't sow. I just buried your stuff. There, get off my back. He says, but his master answered in verse 26, you wicked and slothful servant.

Slothful means lazy. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scatter no seed. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers. And at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest. I like to imagine this guy going, a bank. Oh, a bank would have made way more sense.

Wouldn't have even had to dig. Verse 28, So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away and cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus will return and we will be as those who have to give an account for things that did not belong to us.

I don't know if you understand this, but you live and move and breathe at his discretion. You have the intelligence you have, you have the wealth you have as a steward. You have the energy you have, the physical ability you have, the mental ability you have as a steward. A steward means this does not belong to you. It belongs to the master. And he returns, he'll have questions about how you handled it and what you did with it.

Your mama ever give you some money and send you to the store? Did you return with a Nintendo or the milk she asked you to buy? You understood that money didn't belong to you. You were a steward. And the reality is that's how our money, our intelligence, our physical ability, everything that we have is on loan to us from the Lord and when he returns we will give an account. Did we love him?

Did we work as if we were laboring for his kingdom and his name and his glory? You see, these are servants. If they lose the money, they're on the hook for it. If they gain money, they don't get to keep it. They just hand it over to the master and the first two servants are faithful and they get invited into the joy of the master and it reads as if he enjoys them and they enjoy him and they longed for his return. They wanted to please him.

The third servant does not seem to like the master very much. Doesn't think very highly of him. Wants to do exactly what he needs to do to get the master to leave him alone. And he's confused about how that works. Look, I'll do my thing, you do your thing. Leave me alone.

And the master says, that's not how it works. And when Jesus returns, if we have sat and thought that we can just do what we want and that he, when he returns, will leave us alone, he will ultimately do that. But to be cast out of his presence into outer darkness is not a place of joy and hope and delight. It's a place of utter destruction. C.S. Lewis is a theologian who always said that people get what they want.

If you want Jesus, you'll get him. And if you don't want him, if you want to stand on your own, if you want to be held accountable for your own stuff, if you want to be king over your own little world, you'll get that. But that is hell. And I think it's fair to see that this steward, this servant, misunderstood what was going to happen when he gave an account. Jesus, Jesus, the gracious, loving Jesus, the son of God who came to die in place for sinners to redeem them, wants you to be ready. Hear that.

They say, when are you going to return? And he says, be ready. When matters less, be ready. I want you to see the pictures of what happens when he returns and they're ready. The first one, he says this, verse 45, chapter 24, it's on screen. He says, who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his household to give them their food at the proper time?

Blessed is the servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Oh, it will be joyous and good. Can you imagine that? The servant's at work, the master shows up, see him and do exactly what he's supposed to do. The smile that cracks over his face, the joy that the servant feels that, yes, I was doing what I was supposed to do and also, yes, the master's back. Life is better now.

He's blessed. Or in verse 10, it says, those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. Can you imagine that day? When the groom comes and the party starts and we get to go into the feast, picture it's midnight, it's pitch black. The door opens, smells, music, light, warmth, all pour out into the dark night. And they walk in, smiles on every face, dancing, singing, delight, pleasure, and the door shuts.

And oh, we should long for the day when the door is shut behind us. Oh, praise Jesus that one day the door will be shut behind us. One day we'll be so secure and so kept and so warm and in such delight and there will be no ability for us to mess it up. Oh, praise Jesus that he shuts the door. And for those who are ready and longing for his return that we walk into a feast. or in the third parable, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little.

I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. Greater responsibility, greater weight, and greater joy. Come to light with the master. The results of being ready at the return of Christ are glorious just as the consequences are grave for those who are unready when he returns. 51, chapter 24, it says, we'll cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Or in chapter, verse 10, chapter 24, those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered, truly I say to you, I do not know you. When the door shuts, all the joy, all the light, all the music is shut out and it's just darkness. And there will be those on the other side of the door who are banging on the door and saying, let us in.

And he shifts. He does this a lot in his parables where he's telling the story and then he shifts into a bigger picture and they're saying, Lord, Lord. And he says, depart from me, I do not know you. You see, it matters that Christ knows us, that he indwells us, that we are in him. Not just that we know him or know about him but that he knows us. And the question is, do you belong to Christ or do you just know about him?

Have you surrendered to Christ or do you just know about him? Have you just heard about him or the people around you know Christ? Do you know Christ? And more importantly, does he know you? Verse 30 of chapter 25, it says, And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We do not like to hear about hell. We do not like to talk about hell. We've been told, if you've grown up in the church, that we ought to talk about nice things. We ought to talk about loving things. We ought to talk about gracious things. We ought to tell people how much Jesus loves them, not how horrible hell is.

But the reality is, Jesus loves us enough to tell us how horrible hell is. This is the sixth time in the Gospel of Matthew that he says there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And I want you to picture that. You ever watch a courtroom scene? When they walk back in to give the verdict and everybody holds their breath. And they say, will you find the defendant guilty?

And people scream. And people flop on the ground. People yell, no! And that there's sorrow. And there's mourning with broken weeping. Or there's gnashing of teeth in pain and hurt and anger and fury.

And Jesus says over and over again, six times, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And I think there's some of us who still haven't pictured that. The utter despair and brokenness of an eternity without Christ. That we might on that day be found unprepared. and we might at that moment begin begging, Lord, more time and time's up. That there will be people around us who do not know Christ, that on that day the door will shut in their face and those who should have been telling them about Christ will wish that we had had more time or that we had handled our time better. The door will be closed in their face. That some of you in here, the door will be closed in your face and you will be cast into outer darkness in a place where there is eternal torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And that is the result of all those who have a Christless eternity. And here's what you need to know. Jesus loves you so much that he does not want that for you, that he came to save you from that. And he came to die for you that you might have hope. 2 Peter says this. He says, in the future they will say, where is the promise of his coming?

For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. Peter says people are going to start saying, Jesus isn't coming back. Everything's the same. And Peter says in verse 8, do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is one day. All right, that math doesn't work.

At least on our side, it's like we can't be both, Peter. It's not a, that's not a, you can't carry that out. But what Peter's saying is, time doesn't work the same for him. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you. Not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Oh, he's not slow.

He's kind. He's not slow. He's patient. He wants you to reach repentance. He wants you to see your sin and hate it. He wants you to see him as a risen savior.

He wants you to be redeemed by his blood. He came that he might die, that we might have life. He wants you. He gets no joy from the people that he has to cast out. He wants to say welcome, come into the joy of the master. He wants as many to fill his house and to close the door and to celebrate.

And he wants you to reach repentance. Praise God he's patient. I saw a stat that said, in the last 150 years, more people have placed faith in Christ than in the first 1800 after Christ. Praise God he's patient. Oh, he's filling up his banquet hall. Oh, he's gathering more that will belong to him that will celebrate his glory.

So are you ready? That's the only question. When is he coming back? Are you ready? John 6, 28 says, they said to him, what must we do to be doing the works of God? And Jesus answered them, this is the work of God that you believe in him whom he sent.

Do you belong to Christ? Have you repented? Have you surrendered? Because if you haven't, if we do not await his coming with eager joy, consistent faithfulness, filled by his spirit and carried to that last day, we will not be ready. And God have mercy. Wait a little longer. that we might be ready.

The band's going to come back up. And you need to ask this question. Are you ready? Are you ready to stand before him? Have you been living in such a way that you might endure? Do you have the form of faithfulness but no substance?

Are you just around those who believe but are not prepared for his coming? It matters. The consequences are great. He has done all that he needs to do that you might be redeemed. He has paid for your sin with his own blood. He is not calling you to be good.

He is calling you to repent. He's calling you to surrender. He's calling you to life. This is not a call to come and make yourself perfect and beautiful. He does that through his own grace and his own work on your behalf. That's why the work that is given to us is that we might believe in him and therefore we might love him.

That's why we long for his return because he is so good. And he brings joy and delight and forgiveness and love and life with him. May we be ready on that day. Do not leave this place if you have that and need doubt in your mind as to whether or not you're ready. It's utter foolishness that you would leave something as weighty as eternity up to chance. He's gracious to bring you here.

He's gracious to have waited this long. He desires your repentance. Please turn from your sin and trust in Jesus. Let's pray. Lord, may we be wise. Lord, may we see your love poured out for us on the cross and may we be ready.

Lord, would you lead us by your grace to repentance that we might have hope and life in you and we might hate our sin and love your sacrifice. And Lord, for the Christians in this room, for those who say they belong to you, but that are on a trajectory that will lead them far from you. May we take the simple steps now to be ready then. We ask this in your name, by your grace, and through your spirit. Amen.