Click here for audio message of: Matthew 26:20-30
“The Last Passover”
No doubt we are all at least somewhat familiar with the Passover feast. Each family in Israel picks a spotless lamb and takes it to the priests to be slaughtered and then taken home and roasted. This is done in remembrance of the nation’s deliverance from Egypt.
Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the last Passover this night almost 2000 years ago. I want to take you back in time to the scene so that we can understand and feel what it was that the disciples did that night.
There were many preparations that needed to be made. Early in the day, Jesus told Peter and John to go and prepare the Upper Room. No doubt the other disciples were preparing portions of the meal. The lamb needed to be taken to the priests for the sacrifice. The unleavened bread needed to be prepared. They also needed wine and bitter herbs for the feast.
The disciples went about their business with a solemn, reverent attitude that day and probably didn’t see each other much until they gathered that night in the Upper Room. Jesus continues talking to and teaching each of His disciples that night.
When it is time for the feast, they all recline around the table which would have been low to the ground, much like a coffee table, and the feast begins. As with many traditions there was a certain way the Jewish people celebrated this meal.
A cup of wine was passed and each person would take a sip. Then there was the ceremonial washing to signify the need for moral and spiritual cleansing. It is at this point that a discussion broke out among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
Jesus acted in true humility by washing the feet of His Disciples. After the washing, the meal continued with eating the bitter herbs. This would be a mix of parsley, endive, and other leafy greens.
The herbs were bitter to represent the harshness of Israel’s bondage in Egypt and they were eaten with the bread. The bread was dipped in a chutney like dip, made of pomegranates, apples, dates, figs, raisins, and vinegar.
The chutney was similar to the consistence of mortar mix to represent the Israelite’s slavery in Egypt when they were forced to make bricks. As each of these items were passed, the head of the house, in this case Jesus, would explain the meaning of the Passover and the stories of their ancestors.
The cup of wine was passed again and there was singing and praising God for saving them. Then the roasted lamb was served with more bread. It was at this point in the evening that Jesus spoke and said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
Each of the disciples were sorrowful and each asked, “Lord, is it I?” Jesus knew who it was. Jesus took some bread dipped it and handed it to Judas. After Judas took the bread, Satan entered him.
Jesus told Judas to go and do his deed quickly and Judas left. From that point on the Passover feast became the New Covenant which we know as the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus took some bread gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it and distributed it to the disciples saying, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
This would have startled the disciples. They knew something was up. Judas had left, someone was going to betray Jesus and now Jesus breaks from the Passover tradition and does something new, something different, something out of their comfort zone.
The disciples think to themselves, what is going on here. This is My body? What is He talking about? Wait a minute, as they think back to Jesus’ ministry and teachings. Didn’t Jesus say at one point that He is the bread of life? This is it, they know it now, something really big is truly happening here.
After the bread was eaten, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again He gave thanks to God and said “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
What? The disciples are even more stunned now. Nothing was more repulsive and disgusting to the Jews than blood, especially drinking it. Again, the disciples think back to the past 3 years of Jesus’ teaching.
They think back to all the times He spoke of His death and they knew that Jesus was not talking about literal blood, rather He was speaking of the kind of death He would have. As we know, it was a violent blood shedding that resulted in the death of Christ, but a death that would mean eternal life for us.
As the last Passover draws to a close, a new ordinance was established for the church. They sang a final hymn and the Passover meal was complete.
As we celebrate the Lord’s Supper tonight, let us remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. Let us remember, like the Israelites, what the sacrifice means for us. Christ removed the power of sin over us. He also took on the penalty of sin for us. And one day, He will take us to be with Him and remove us from the presence of sin. - AMEN
Showing posts with label Matthew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew. Show all posts
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Making Disciples of All Nations
Scripture Reading: (click link to download audio) Matthew 28:16-20
Making Disciples of All Nations
This central message of Scripture pertains to the central mission of the people of God, a mission that many Christians do not understand nor are they willing to fulfill. It seems obvious that some Christians think little about their mission in this world, except in regard to their own personal needs.
They attend services and meetings when it is convenient, take what they feel like taking, and have little concern for anything else. They are involved in the church only to the extent that it serves their own desires.
It escapes both their understanding and their concern that the Lord has given His church a supreme mission and that He calls every believer to be an instrument in fulfilling that mission.
If the average church member were surveyed concerning the primary purpose of the church, it is likely that many diverse answers would be given. But I think we would see a theme or a general pattern.
What about you? What do you think the primary mission of the Church is.
A large number would rank fellowship first, the opportunity to associate and interact with fellow Christians who share similar beliefs and values. They highly value the fact that the church provides activities and programs for the whole family and is a place where relationships are nurtured and shared and where inspiration is provided through good preaching and beautiful music.
Some Christians would consider sound biblical teaching to be the church’s principal function, explaining Scripture and strengthening believers in knowledge of and obedience to God’s revealed truth.
That emphasis would include helping believers discover and minister their spiritual gifts in various forms of leadership and service. Like fellowship, that too is a basic function of the church.
Some members would consider praise of God to be the supreme purpose of the church. They emphasize the church as a praising community that exalts the Lord in adoration and reverence. It is true, praise is clearly a central purpose of God’s people, just as it has always been and will always be a central activity of heaven, where both saints and angels will eternally sing praises to God.
All of those emphases are thoroughly biblical and should characterize every church. But neither separately nor together do they represent the central purpose and mission of the church in the world.
The supreme purpose and motive of every individual believer and every body of believers is to glorify God. We are to praise, honor, and glorify God in every aspect of our life.
The mission that flows out of our loving fellowship, our spiritual growth, and our praise is that of being God’s faithful and obedient instruments in His plan to redeem the world. That plan began in eternity past, before the foundation of the world.
The supreme way in which God chose to receive glory was through the redemption of sinful people, and it is through participation in that redemptive plan that believers themselves most glorify God. Through Christ, God was “reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5:19).
It has never been God’s will for any person “to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). He “desires all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4).
God’s heart has always longed to bring sinful, rebellious men back to Himself, to give them new, righteous, and eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. He so greatly “loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Paul rejoiced that God’s “grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God” (2 Cor 4:15). The apostle told the Corinthian believers and all Christians: “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). Every time an unbeliever is saved by God’s grace, God is glorified.
The great mission of the church is to love, learn, and live as to call men and women to Jesus Christ. As sinners we are forgiven and are transformed from death to life and from darkness to light, God is glorified through that gracious miracle. The glory of God is manifest in His loving provision to redeem lost men. He Himself paid the ultimate price to fulfill His glory.
Therefore, the believe who desires to glorify God, who wants to honor God’s supreme will and purpose, must share God’s love for the lost world and share in His mission to redeem the lost to Himself.
Christ came into the world that He loved and sought to win sinners to Himself for the Father’s glory. As Christ’s representatives, we are likewise sent into the world that He loves to bring the lost to Him and thereby bring glory and honor to God. Our mission is the same mission as that of the Father and of the Son.
While on earth, Jesus glorified the Father by accomplishing His mission of providing eternal life to those who trust in Him, by reconciling lost men to the God they had forsaken. Jesus’ supreme purpose on earth was “to seek and the save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
That is therefore also the supreme mission of Christ’s church. The work of the church is an extension of the work of Christ. “As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).
There is only one reason the Lord allows His church to remain on earth: to seek and to save the lost, just as Christ’s only reason for coming to earth was to seek and to save the lost. Therefore, a believer who is not committed to winning the lost for Jesus Christ should reexamine his relationship to the Lord.
Fellowship, teaching, and praise are not the mission of the church but are rather the preparation of the church to fulfill its mission of winning the lost.
Christian fellowship, biblical preaching and teaching, and times of praise to God are good and godly, and in many ways carry their own rewards and blessings. But reaching the lost for Christ is much more difficult and demanding, and the results are often slow in coming and the rewards are sometimes long delayed.
The gospel is frequently resented by those to whom we witness, and sometimes faithful witnessing is ridiculed even by fellow believers. Yet above all others, that ministry can only be accomplished while we are on earth. We will have no opportunity in heaven to call the lost to the Savior.
We are to make ourselves available to God for Him to use to carry out the mission of the Church. This will involve submitting and obeying Him, so that His power may be displayed for His Glory.
Let us all make that our mission for this year. To bring people to Christ, so that God may be glorified through us.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for using us to carry our your will. We thank you for providing us with the strength and opportunities to minister to others. Help us to do that so you may be honored and glorified when sinners are drawn to you and repent of their lifestyle. AMEN.
Making Disciples of All Nations
This central message of Scripture pertains to the central mission of the people of God, a mission that many Christians do not understand nor are they willing to fulfill. It seems obvious that some Christians think little about their mission in this world, except in regard to their own personal needs.
They attend services and meetings when it is convenient, take what they feel like taking, and have little concern for anything else. They are involved in the church only to the extent that it serves their own desires.
It escapes both their understanding and their concern that the Lord has given His church a supreme mission and that He calls every believer to be an instrument in fulfilling that mission.
If the average church member were surveyed concerning the primary purpose of the church, it is likely that many diverse answers would be given. But I think we would see a theme or a general pattern.
What about you? What do you think the primary mission of the Church is.
A large number would rank fellowship first, the opportunity to associate and interact with fellow Christians who share similar beliefs and values. They highly value the fact that the church provides activities and programs for the whole family and is a place where relationships are nurtured and shared and where inspiration is provided through good preaching and beautiful music.
Some Christians would consider sound biblical teaching to be the church’s principal function, explaining Scripture and strengthening believers in knowledge of and obedience to God’s revealed truth.
That emphasis would include helping believers discover and minister their spiritual gifts in various forms of leadership and service. Like fellowship, that too is a basic function of the church.
Some members would consider praise of God to be the supreme purpose of the church. They emphasize the church as a praising community that exalts the Lord in adoration and reverence. It is true, praise is clearly a central purpose of God’s people, just as it has always been and will always be a central activity of heaven, where both saints and angels will eternally sing praises to God.
All of those emphases are thoroughly biblical and should characterize every church. But neither separately nor together do they represent the central purpose and mission of the church in the world.
The supreme purpose and motive of every individual believer and every body of believers is to glorify God. We are to praise, honor, and glorify God in every aspect of our life.
The mission that flows out of our loving fellowship, our spiritual growth, and our praise is that of being God’s faithful and obedient instruments in His plan to redeem the world. That plan began in eternity past, before the foundation of the world.
The supreme way in which God chose to receive glory was through the redemption of sinful people, and it is through participation in that redemptive plan that believers themselves most glorify God. Through Christ, God was “reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5:19).
It has never been God’s will for any person “to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). He “desires all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4).
God’s heart has always longed to bring sinful, rebellious men back to Himself, to give them new, righteous, and eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. He so greatly “loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Paul rejoiced that God’s “grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God” (2 Cor 4:15). The apostle told the Corinthian believers and all Christians: “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). Every time an unbeliever is saved by God’s grace, God is glorified.
The great mission of the church is to love, learn, and live as to call men and women to Jesus Christ. As sinners we are forgiven and are transformed from death to life and from darkness to light, God is glorified through that gracious miracle. The glory of God is manifest in His loving provision to redeem lost men. He Himself paid the ultimate price to fulfill His glory.
Therefore, the believe who desires to glorify God, who wants to honor God’s supreme will and purpose, must share God’s love for the lost world and share in His mission to redeem the lost to Himself.
Christ came into the world that He loved and sought to win sinners to Himself for the Father’s glory. As Christ’s representatives, we are likewise sent into the world that He loves to bring the lost to Him and thereby bring glory and honor to God. Our mission is the same mission as that of the Father and of the Son.
While on earth, Jesus glorified the Father by accomplishing His mission of providing eternal life to those who trust in Him, by reconciling lost men to the God they had forsaken. Jesus’ supreme purpose on earth was “to seek and the save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
That is therefore also the supreme mission of Christ’s church. The work of the church is an extension of the work of Christ. “As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).
There is only one reason the Lord allows His church to remain on earth: to seek and to save the lost, just as Christ’s only reason for coming to earth was to seek and to save the lost. Therefore, a believer who is not committed to winning the lost for Jesus Christ should reexamine his relationship to the Lord.
Fellowship, teaching, and praise are not the mission of the church but are rather the preparation of the church to fulfill its mission of winning the lost.
Christian fellowship, biblical preaching and teaching, and times of praise to God are good and godly, and in many ways carry their own rewards and blessings. But reaching the lost for Christ is much more difficult and demanding, and the results are often slow in coming and the rewards are sometimes long delayed.
The gospel is frequently resented by those to whom we witness, and sometimes faithful witnessing is ridiculed even by fellow believers. Yet above all others, that ministry can only be accomplished while we are on earth. We will have no opportunity in heaven to call the lost to the Savior.
We are to make ourselves available to God for Him to use to carry out the mission of the Church. This will involve submitting and obeying Him, so that His power may be displayed for His Glory.
Let us all make that our mission for this year. To bring people to Christ, so that God may be glorified through us.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for using us to carry our your will. We thank you for providing us with the strength and opportunities to minister to others. Help us to do that so you may be honored and glorified when sinners are drawn to you and repent of their lifestyle. AMEN.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Spiritual Tragedy
Matthew 26:36-46
Length: 17:44
This is a message given on June 7, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.
Spiritual Tragedy
This morning’s scripture gives us a description of a Spiritual Tragedy or a path to spiritual destruction.
The first thing we see in this passage is self-confidence with the disciples. If you remember, while the disciples were still in the Upper Room after having been a part of the Lord’s Supper, they were arguing among themselves as to which would be the greatest in the Kingdom.
Talk about self-confidence. These guys had it here, but self-confidence always opens the door to temptation. This is the first step on the path of destroying your spiritual life. We become confident in our own ability to live our life with our own power.
The disciples thought they too could do this. Notice what happens next. As they enter the garden, Jesus tells them to stay alert, watch out for me, while I go over there and pray. What happens?
They all fall asleep. This is in the next step on the path of spiritual destruction. The disciples all fell asleep physically while they were in the garden of Gethsemane with Christ. They thought they could do this on their own, but they fell asleep.
Today, we can fall asleep spiritually by ignoring evil in this world, becoming indifferent to the injustices that we see happening all around us. Letting the world corrupt our morals.
I believe there is a right and a wrong, a black and white. There is no grey area in God’s eyes. We are the one’s who create the gray area of our life.
There is a term in the computer industry, garbage in, garbage out, meaning if you put bad data into the computer it will process and return bad data to you. If you are putting garbage in your brain from television, books, magazine, or whatever, then you are naturally going to start to have that garbage replicate itself in your life.
As we continue to doze in our spiritual life, we will have less and less concern for what we put into our brains and hearts. This leads us to the next step, which is the temptation. This is what Satan uses against us to really draw us away and keep us away from God.
Each of us is tempted by different things, but usually it has to do with our rights. I have a right to do what I want, read what I what, watch what I want, listen to what I want.
Anytime I think about temptation, the story of Joseph pops into my mind. No doubt you are familiar with the story from Genesis 39. Joseph was a nice looking young man in charge of Potiphar’s household. Potiphar’s wife becomes interested in Joseph and wants to sleep with him.
Joseph gives an excellent speech about why he cannot sleep with her. But as I have said before, words without action often times mean nothing. So Joseph proves himself later by not giving in to the temptation.
The scene occurs when Joseph is alone in the house with Potiphar’s wife. She grabs him and tries to seduce him into sleeping with her. Joseph literally leaves his shirt behind and runs from the situation. Joseph knew right from wrong and he fled the temptation of having this, no doubt beautiful, women thrust herself upon him.
Joseph did not give in to the temptation. Unfortunately, for many people today the temptation leads to the sin. This is only natural for the self-confident, evil tolerant person. Without the help of God, we cannot withstand Satan and avoid sin. We are all sinners, Romans 3:10 tells us there is none righteous, no not one.
The last step is the actual disaster. When you trust in your own confidence and believe that you can live your life in your power and you give in to temptation and sin then you often find yourself calling your sin by a different name.
Instead of calling it sin, people call it a lifestyle choice or a quirky habit. And as you no longer look at your sin as being sin, you no longer feel the need to repent and ask for forgiveness from God. This leads to your spiritual destruction.
This is exactly the path the disciples followed that night in the garden and this is the path we follow when we do not trust in the Lord.
The disciples were confident in themselves. They didn’t need help to stay awake. Then they figured a little nap won’t hurt, there are after all 10 other guys here watching, right? They all fall asleep and when they wake up there is the mob, which came to arrest Jesus.
This passage is a sad example of what can happen to people as they relax in their spiritual journey, but there is some good news too. This passage also provides an example for a spiritual victory through Jesus Christ. The path of victory is the exact opposite as that of destruction.
This means confidence in God rather than yourself. Seeing evil and injustice in the world around you and addressing it as such. Resisting temptation, not through your own will, but through God’s power. And of course, obeying God’s will rather than your own.
That is your challenge this week. Be confident in God, don’t turn your back and ignore the wrongs of the world. Pray that God will deliver you from temptation and if you find yourself in a tempting situation flee from it. Most importantly, if you should find that a failure did occur and you did sin, take it to God and ask for forgiveness and seek to obey His will.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the many lessons that we find in it. Help us to continuously study its truths so that we may put into practice the things that we do indeed learn from you. Help us to trust and obey. Cleanse our hearts and purify our minds as we prepare to communion with you and others. AMEN.
Length: 17:44
This is a message given on June 7, 2009 at the Bowdertown United Methodist Church.
Spiritual Tragedy
This morning’s scripture gives us a description of a Spiritual Tragedy or a path to spiritual destruction.
The first thing we see in this passage is self-confidence with the disciples. If you remember, while the disciples were still in the Upper Room after having been a part of the Lord’s Supper, they were arguing among themselves as to which would be the greatest in the Kingdom.
Talk about self-confidence. These guys had it here, but self-confidence always opens the door to temptation. This is the first step on the path of destroying your spiritual life. We become confident in our own ability to live our life with our own power.
The disciples thought they too could do this. Notice what happens next. As they enter the garden, Jesus tells them to stay alert, watch out for me, while I go over there and pray. What happens?
They all fall asleep. This is in the next step on the path of spiritual destruction. The disciples all fell asleep physically while they were in the garden of Gethsemane with Christ. They thought they could do this on their own, but they fell asleep.
Today, we can fall asleep spiritually by ignoring evil in this world, becoming indifferent to the injustices that we see happening all around us. Letting the world corrupt our morals.
I believe there is a right and a wrong, a black and white. There is no grey area in God’s eyes. We are the one’s who create the gray area of our life.
There is a term in the computer industry, garbage in, garbage out, meaning if you put bad data into the computer it will process and return bad data to you. If you are putting garbage in your brain from television, books, magazine, or whatever, then you are naturally going to start to have that garbage replicate itself in your life.
As we continue to doze in our spiritual life, we will have less and less concern for what we put into our brains and hearts. This leads us to the next step, which is the temptation. This is what Satan uses against us to really draw us away and keep us away from God.
Each of us is tempted by different things, but usually it has to do with our rights. I have a right to do what I want, read what I what, watch what I want, listen to what I want.
Anytime I think about temptation, the story of Joseph pops into my mind. No doubt you are familiar with the story from Genesis 39. Joseph was a nice looking young man in charge of Potiphar’s household. Potiphar’s wife becomes interested in Joseph and wants to sleep with him.
Joseph gives an excellent speech about why he cannot sleep with her. But as I have said before, words without action often times mean nothing. So Joseph proves himself later by not giving in to the temptation.
The scene occurs when Joseph is alone in the house with Potiphar’s wife. She grabs him and tries to seduce him into sleeping with her. Joseph literally leaves his shirt behind and runs from the situation. Joseph knew right from wrong and he fled the temptation of having this, no doubt beautiful, women thrust herself upon him.
Joseph did not give in to the temptation. Unfortunately, for many people today the temptation leads to the sin. This is only natural for the self-confident, evil tolerant person. Without the help of God, we cannot withstand Satan and avoid sin. We are all sinners, Romans 3:10 tells us there is none righteous, no not one.
The last step is the actual disaster. When you trust in your own confidence and believe that you can live your life in your power and you give in to temptation and sin then you often find yourself calling your sin by a different name.
Instead of calling it sin, people call it a lifestyle choice or a quirky habit. And as you no longer look at your sin as being sin, you no longer feel the need to repent and ask for forgiveness from God. This leads to your spiritual destruction.
This is exactly the path the disciples followed that night in the garden and this is the path we follow when we do not trust in the Lord.
The disciples were confident in themselves. They didn’t need help to stay awake. Then they figured a little nap won’t hurt, there are after all 10 other guys here watching, right? They all fall asleep and when they wake up there is the mob, which came to arrest Jesus.
This passage is a sad example of what can happen to people as they relax in their spiritual journey, but there is some good news too. This passage also provides an example for a spiritual victory through Jesus Christ. The path of victory is the exact opposite as that of destruction.
This means confidence in God rather than yourself. Seeing evil and injustice in the world around you and addressing it as such. Resisting temptation, not through your own will, but through God’s power. And of course, obeying God’s will rather than your own.
That is your challenge this week. Be confident in God, don’t turn your back and ignore the wrongs of the world. Pray that God will deliver you from temptation and if you find yourself in a tempting situation flee from it. Most importantly, if you should find that a failure did occur and you did sin, take it to God and ask for forgiveness and seek to obey His will.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the many lessons that we find in it. Help us to continuously study its truths so that we may put into practice the things that we do indeed learn from you. Help us to trust and obey. Cleanse our hearts and purify our minds as we prepare to communion with you and others. AMEN.
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