Pictures from the Passover

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-30

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"  And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"  The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.  Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.  As they were eating, He said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."  Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, "Surely not I, Lord?"  And He answered, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.  "The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."  And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself."  While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.  "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."  After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Insights:  Like a photo album, we have looked at four pictures this week.  We have looked at a picture of service when the disciples prepared the upper room.  We have looked at a picture of entrapment when Judas left to betray Jesus.  We have looked at a picture of sacrifice when Jesus explained the new covenant found in the bread and wine.  We have looked at a picture of exaltation as the disciples and Jesus left singing hymns.  Take a few moments today and reflect on the entire passage.  Think about the beautiful gift of salvation offered to you because of Jesus’ work on the cross.  Praise Him today!

Questions:

1. Will You take a few moments and reflect of Jesus gift to you and thank Him for it?
2. Do you have a grateful heart?                              

Prayer: Jesus, my Savior, thank You!  Thank You for the life You have given to me.  Thank You for rescuing me while I was still Your enemy and hostile towards You.  Thank You for never giving up on me.  Amen.  

A Picture of Exaltation

Scripture: Matthew 26:30

After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Insights:  In reference to today’s verse let me quote George A. Buttrick who wrote, “Psalms 113-114 were sung before the meal of the Passover, and Psalms 115-118 after it.  Look at that last psalm: ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? . . . Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. . . . O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.’  It was a song of courage.”  Buttricks stated the psalm sung was a song of courage.  Thinking about what Jesus was about to face, don’t you believe Jesus needed to be reminded God was on His side?  Don’t you think He needed to know that He need not fear man because they cannot do anything without the Lord’s consent?  Don’t you think it was a comfort to His heart to know God’s mercy endures forever?  As much as these thoughts of reflection are enjoyable, it is not my main point for having us read today’s verses.  My primary purpose this morning is to have us think about our personal worship to our Lord God.  They left the Passover meal, as was the custom, singing psalms of praise and worship to God.  As Buttrick stated the Passover started with singing and ended with singing.  Singing is absolutely crucial to the health and wholeness of our Christian life.  Unfortunately, there has been a worship war that has been going on for over twenty years now regarding style of worship.  The sad part about this war is the fact it is so subjective.  In other words, it is like the temperature in a room.  You will never please everyone.  Someone will be cold and another person hot.  When it comes to worship, however, there is only One person with whom our focus ought to be placed—God!  God enjoys the old music and He is pleased with the new music.  When God listens to our praise, He is looking at our hearts.  So, does music preference prevent you from worshipping with your entire being?  God forgive us if we are holding back due to personal preference.  It is vital we recognize our audience is an audience of ONE!  Beloved, let us worship God unobstructed.  Let us praise Him for who He is. Let us thank Him for what He has done.  Let us, with reckless abandon, give God our very best worship.  Let’s adore Him, He is worthy!

Questions:

1. Do you actually sing on Sunday mornings or are you one of the frozen chosen?
2. Do you sing praises to God throughout the week?                              

Prayer: Lord God, thank You that we even get the opportunity to praise You.  You are so deserving of our worship and exaltation.  May You be pleased today as we adore You.  Amen.  

A Picture of Sacrifice

Scripture: Matthew 26:26-29

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.”  Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood ⌊that establishes⌋ the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.  But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in My Father’s kingdom with you.”

Insights:  Everything Jesus touches is changed.  He makes the blind see, the sick well, the dead are given back life, and the Passover becomes known as the Lord’s Supper.  The Passover was the meal eaten the night the death angel came into Egypt and took the life of the firstborn.  The Israelites marked their doorpost with blood and when the angel saw the blood, he passed over that house.  It is from this passing over of the house that the term Passover Meal originated.  The blood for the door post was collected from a sacrificed animal.  Hebrews 9:22 reads, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”  Jesus then takes the meal and transforms it into the prophetic picture of what He is about to do in just a few hours.  He personally will become the sacrifice for the forgiveness of all sins.  He is going to become the Passover Lamb that saves humanity from their sin.  The perfection of God’s mercy is He allows humanity the choice to receive or reject this grace gift.  Just as the Egyptians did not put blood over their doorposts and the death angel took their first born; so today, people hear the message of hope and choose not to receive the covering and face eternal damnation in hell.  1 John 1:7 states, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”  What a picture of sacrifice Jesus portrays in the verses we read today.  May we be gripped by this grace and may our lives truly be transformed by the work of Jesus.  May our lives bring Him praise and glory!

Questions:

1. Have you received the free gift of eternal life?
2. What is holding you back from entering into a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your supreme sacrifice.  Thank You for giving to me salvation and allowing me to enter into a love relationship with You.  Thank You for the joy with which You have filled me.  Thank You for the peace I now know.  Amen.  

A Picture of Entrapment

Scripture: Matthew 26:20-25

When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve.  While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.”  Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”  He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl—he will betray Me.  The Son of Man will go just as it is written about 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.”  Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” “You have said it,” He told him.

Insights:  These verses today shock, amaze and stun me.  The shock comes from the fact that a man who has spent three years, with very few breaks, was about to betray the Savior of the world.  The amazement comes from the fact that Jesus was willing to forgive him all the way up to his departure from the room.  Even in these words, “You have said it,” there is a spirit of forgiveness being extended. The stunned state comes from the disciples themselves.  They do not doubt Jesus’ statement that one of them will betray Him, but rather they begin to wonder if each of them is the betrayer.  I think there is a warning in these verses for us as well.  We must always have the humble spirit of the disciples and be willing to say, “Surely not I, Lord?”  In other words, we need to be willing to recognize the deceptive nature of our old sinful heart.  We need to understand that we are capable of betraying our Lord with our sin at any moment.  It is for this reason we need to put as many safeguards in our life as possible.  We need accountability partners.  We need mentors.  We need to have daily quite times.  We need to worship corporately.  All of these things help us remain faithful in our relationship with Christ Jesus.  What is absolutely crucial in our pilgrimage with Jesus is if we do falter and betray our Lord, we need to quickly repent and turn our face toward Him.  We need to allow Him to restore to us the joy of our salvation and strive with even more devotion after holistic union with Jesus.

Questions:

1. Does your heart ever betray your relationship with Jesus?
2. Have you ever wondered how our betrayal affects Jesus?                 

Prayer: O Jesus, Your forgiveness is amazing and overwhelming.  I do not desire to betray my heart regarding my love for You.  Yet, Lord, I know I do.  So, please convict my heart and bring me quickly to repentance and restoration with You.  Amen.  

A Picture of Service

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-19

On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare the Passover so You may eat it?”  “Go into the city to a certain man,” He said, “and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place with My disciples.’”  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

Insights:  In General George Patton’s biography, Patton describes the way in which he selected leaders.  He would assign the men a task, a menial task I might add, and then standoff “hidden,” but close enough to hear them.  Patton then describes the complaining and frustration and the attempt at figuring out his motives and so on and so forth through which the soldiers went.  Finally, one soldier would say, “What difference does it make what [he] wants to do with this trench!  Let’s get it dug and get out of here.”  Patton said that man would be the one to get the promotion.  God too is looking for people to whom He can give authority and responsibility.  Like Patton, God gives us assignments and then watches us to see how we respond to Him.  Do we complain or are we obediently faithful?  In today’s verses we read about a picture being painted of disciples preparing the Passover meal for Jesus.  Another gospel tells us it is two disciples.  The point is they take on the responsibility of serving Jesus by getting the upper room set up for Jesus’ final meal on earth.  Obviously, these disciples did not know the significance of that meal at this moment in history.  For them it was just another year of preparing for the Passover.  They, however, took their assignment seriously.  There is another servant mentioned in these verses and that is the man who opens up his property for the meal.  Theologian Alfred Plummer believes this man to be John Mark’s father.  Whoever this man was is irrelevant to the point.  This man also served Jesus in any way the Master saw fit for him to serve.  In this specific case it was to open up his upper room for the disciple to prepare the meal.  Jesus requires us, as His disciples, to have a servant’s heart.  Servants obey!  Servants do not seek glory or praise, they obey!  Servants do not seek popularity or prestige, they obey!  Servants do not seek their will and desires, they obey!  Beloved, let us obey our Master, Jesus!

Questions:

1. What kind of heart do you have: one of service or selfishness?
2. In what ways are you displaying your servant’s heart?                              

Prayer: O God, we live in a very self-centered world, a world in which people often only serve if it benefits them directly.  Father, I pray this kind of attitude is not my own.  I pray You mold me into a true servant and follower of Your Son, Christ Jesus.  Amen.  

The Warning of the Parable

Scripture: Matthew 21:42-46

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes?  Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit. [Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whoever it falls, it will grind him to powder!]”  When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them.  Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet.

Insights:  Monday, I mentioned an inference was made about God’s desire for us and that we would discuss it later in the week.  The same inference was made in yesterday’s verses.  The nature of the inference is found in today’s verses when it states, “. . . the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit (italics mine).”  We had, here at Little River Baptist Church, a pastor, Bob Jackson, who was fond of saying, “If getting saved was all God desired of us, then the moment we got saved He would have taken us to heaven.”  The point Reverend Jackson made was our lives are to be more than just receiving salvation.  Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (italics mine).”  Notice after Paul’s famous words on salvation he then moves to the point of God’s will regarding our lives.  We are workman created to do work that God had already prepared for us to do before we even came to know Jesus as our Savior.  There is a warning for us today in our verses.  Let me quote the key phrase again, “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit (italics mine).”  The Jews were supposed to reach out to those who did not know God and they refused to do it.  As a result, God removed His hand of favor from them and gave it to the gentiles.  I fear the modern day church, with its lack of zeal for the lost, are endanger of having the hand of God’s favor removed from us.  Let us, Beloved, bear fruit and bring God glory.

Questions:

1. How well do you receive the warning of Christ Jesus?
2. Is your life bearing fruit?                              

Prayer: O Lord, I desire to be an obedient servant.  The early church prayed regularly for boldness of faith.  Lord, grant me such boldness.  Amen.  

God's Judgment on the Wicked

Scripture: Matthew 21:40-41

Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”  They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

Insights:  I want us to focus on the first part of these verses today: God as a righteous judge.  The psalmist cries out, “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding so that I can learn Your commands.  Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, for I put my hope in Your word.  I know, Lord, that Your judgments are just and that You have afflicted me fairly.  May Your faithful love comfort me as You promised Your servant.  May Your compassion come to me so that I may live, for Your instruction is my delight (119:73-77, italics mine).”  The psalmist knows God is a relational God and the best way to know God is to spend time with Him in His Word.  It is for this reason he calls God’s instructions his delight.  The psalmist also understands the fear of the Lord and it is for this reason he puts his hope in God’s promises which are found in His Word.  There are two eternal judgments and everyone is going to face one of them.  The first is for Believers and is known as the Bema seat of Christ.  1 Corinthians 3:10-15 deal with this subject matter.  The second is for the Condemned and is known as the Great White Throne Judgment.  Revelation 20:11-15 deal with this subject matter.  It is my opinion that these farmers fell into the later judgment because the parable tells us that God will bring those wretches to a wretched end.  That wretched end is eternal damnation in the lake of fire, otherwise known as hell.  This damnation is known as the second death and is always in reference to those who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  I think the part of this parable that is the most shocking is that verse 41 is the crowd giving the correct response back to Jesus regarding themselves.  In other words, we know from verse 45, which we will look at tomorrow, that the religious leaders were there in midst of this crowd and more than likely the ones giving the answer back to Jesus.  They recognized their eternal direction and did nothing about it.  As such, they prove God’s judgments are just and fair.  Jesus is giving them opportunity to repent and they reject His offer of grace.  How incredibly sad!

Questions:

1. Do you have a proper biblical fear of the Lord and His power?
2. Are you living an obedient life?                              

Prayer: Righteous Judge, Your ways are perfect and Your judgments are always right.  Purify my heart and mold me into the person You desire.  Protect me from wickedness and be merciful I pray.  Amen.