Philippians 3:12-14 The Upward Call of God

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV]

Paul teaches with such authority that it is easy to think that he has "arrived" spiritually. I take a great deal of comfort in his confession that he is not perfect. It helps me to know that I am not alone in my imperfection. More practically, his discussion of it gives me direction for handling my own shortcomings.

Paul says to forget what is behind, reach forward (picture stretching your hand forward as far as it will go) for what is ahead, and race, running as fast as you can, toward the goal to collect the prize.

And what is the prize? The high call of God - literally the call from above - in Christ.

Most of us are familiar with Jesus' teaching of grace and forgiveness;

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." [Luke 6:37 NKJV]

As a normal part of Christian growth, most Christians learn to forgive others. But we have a harder time forgiving ourselves. We are our own worst critics.

But it is essential to understand that God has forgiven you. You must let go of the failures of the past. When running a race, it is necessary to keep your eyes forward, on the goal. The runner who looks behind will slow down and lose the race.

Will you make a mistake? Count on it! But if you keep looking back at your mistakes, you will not be able to reach forward toward the goal. If you focus on your mistakes, they will drag you down, and make you feel unworthy.

What should you do about the mistakes? Forget them. God has forgiven them. Press forward so that you can collect the prize.

It works like this: God calls you. You respond obediently. You receive the prize, which is a higher call. When you obey that call, you receive the prize of a higher call.

An athlete who is hoping to enter the Olympics trains for a race. He wins the local race, and is rewarded by being entered into a regional race. His victory is then rewarded by being entered into a statewide race, then a national race, then an international race. He is then rewarded by having the privilege of entering the Olympic trials, and ultimately, the Olympics. 

Our ultimate prize isn't a crown of gold, but that we may be more useful for Christ. In the parable of the talents, Jesus said;

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey....After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ [Matthew 25:14-21 NKJV]

The principle is; if we are faithful in small things, he will reward us with greater responsibilities.

In context, Paul is talking about living a life of faith, apart from the Law. Every attempt to live by a set of rules, or a moral code, is of the flesh and is doomed to fail. Every advantage our flesh, or our own will, gives us is considered rubbish. The only valid life is the one in which we are led by the Spirit of God. He defines our righteousness; not the Ten Commandments, not the church bylaws, and not your own set of rules that say "do this" or "don't do that".

Trusting the Holy Spirit for every moral decision is scary, and takes faith. You will make mistakes, but His grace will be waiting. The reward is the upward call of God in Christ.

Father, I thank You for Your calling. I thank You that, by Your grace, You have forgiven all of my missteps and mistakes. I pray for strength to continue the race, that I may win the prize. 

Matthew 28:16-20 The Nature of God

But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:16-20 NASB]

During His ministry on earth, Jesus set aside His authority as God the Son, and accepted limitations. For example,  He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” [Matthew 15:24 NASB]

In His resurrection, He is free from limitations. He tells us, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Now He says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." 

The Old Covenant was made between God and the nation of Israel. The New Covenant is made between God and all the nations of the earth. It was His blood that sealed the covenant. It  was His resurrection that confirmed it.

It is because of what Jesus did that we who are not Jews have been grafted in to the promises of God. As Paul said,

And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, [Ephesians 2:17-19 NKJV]

Jesus affirmed the nature of the triune God, and His own place in the Godhead, when He said that we should be baptized "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

This is important because one of the first things cults will attack is the identity of God. They will deny the trinity.

They may claim that Jesus isn't God the Son, robbing Him of His divinity. If Jesus isn't God, then Christianity is a lie, and our faith is worthless.

They may claim that Jesus is God, but not part of a Trinity. Some say that the Father became the Son, and then became the Holy Spirit. They did not exist all at once. Again, this robs God of His nature. Consider the scene when Jesus was baptized.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” [Matthew 3:16-17 NKJV]

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were all individually present.

The problem some people have is that God defies logic. People will logically ask, "How is it possible for there to be only one God, but three persons." They see it as foolishness. Paul said,

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. [1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV]

Without faith, it is impossible to understand. There is one God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, eternally existing in perfect unity. It is not a contradiction. It is His nature.

I give thanks to God that He has chosen to reveal Himself to us, and that He has called us to be His children through adoption. We can do no less than to receive His grace, and offer to Him our praise and worship.

Matthew 28:11-15 Fake News

Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day. [Matthew 28:11-15 NASB]

When the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign, He answered,

“An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." [Matthew 12:39-40 NASB]

Jesus fulfilled this sign by being in the tomb for three days. 

The chief priests were confronted with proof that Jesus was who He claimed to be. His body didn't just disappear as if someone had sneaked in and taken it. There was an earthquake. An angel whose appearance was like lightning came down to the tomb and rolled away the stone. Jesus rose from the dead after three days.

The priests were so consumed by jealousy and hate that they refused to see truth, even when they were confronted with it. They hated Jesus so much that they denied God, whom they claimed to serve.

We see the same thing in modern politics. The liberals hate the conservatives and the conservatives hate the liberals.

The conservatives can't conceive that liberals have tender motivations. Nor that some of their ideals may be good. If it comes from the liberal camp, it can't be good.

The liberals are the same towards conservatives. The President is, particularly, the subject of their vitriol. He could end hunger and bring about world peace and they would still find fault.

If we're being honest, we know that there is good and bad on both sides of the argument. There are Christian conservatives and Christian liberals. There are evil conservatives and evil liberals.

What we see in the News and on social media are the extremes. I personally know Christians who will post on Facebook about God's love, then post the most vile, hate-filled political rant. I know non-Christians who do the same. I see it come from both liberals and conservatives. In their mind, there is no middle ground; no meeting of the minds; no compromise.

And in their actions and words, there is no love.

Very few can state why they believe as they do, nor why they support or oppose specific legislation; their reasoning is that they hate the party who proposed it.

Just as the priests and elders spun the news of Jesus' resurrection to their own ends, so we spin the news of the day to meet our own biases. We will not allow ourselves to be persuaded by mercy nor reason. Nor by the truth.

I don't have any answers for the political climate of America. But as an individual Christian, I know how to live because the truth is in the Bible. Jesus is my Lord. His Spirit lives within me. By His Spirit, I can have peace within myself, and live at peace with others. I can love others, and consider them as more important than myself.

I know that my first and highest priority is to love God, and worship Him.

When I consider my citizenship in the kingdom of God, and seek His kingdom first, then I don't get too bothered by the tensions of modern politics.

Let's pray for our nation and its leaders. Let's pray for the News outlets that they will be able to see and report the events of the news instead of their own political views. And let us pray for one anther, that we will be able to see our priorities properly; that is, Jesus and His kingdom first, then fellowship with the saints, then our mission to be a light to the world. Finally, considering others to be more important than ourselves, we consider our own life and sanctification.

Matthew 28:1-10 The Empty Tomb

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” [Matthew 28:1-10 NASB]

I visited Jerusalem once. While there I went with a tour group to visit the garden tomb from which you can look up and see Golgotha. The tomb was carved out of the rock of the mountain. I had to stoop to enter. Inside was a small room, and to the side was a shelf, also cut out of the rock, where the body would be laid. One of the women on the tour group stepped out of the tomb and began to complain loudly, "There's nothing in there! It's empty!" 

We had to explain to her that that was the point. The tomb is empty because Jesus is risen. Understanding slowly dawned on her face. I imagine that an angel with a shining face might have sped along her understanding.

The problem was that she was expecting to see some kind of sign that Jesus had been there, such as an altar or shrine. 

So many historical sites in Israel have been enshrined. The place where they suppose Jesus was born has had a cathedral built around it. On the spot where they think He was born, the floor is overlaid with an intricate tile mosaic in the form of a starburst. Any actual understanding of Jesus' birthplace is obscured.

Another possible location of Jesus' tomb is in Jerusalem, enclosed within a shrine. The shrine is then enclosed within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Again, it is completely obscured.

It seems to me that is what religion does. It obscures the truth. Here are some examples.

Jesus said,

“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. “And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. [Matthew 23:8-10 NKJV]

By this He means that God is our Father, our priest, our leader, our teacher. He has all authority, and all the rest of us are equal under Him. We are not to claim titles of authority. Yet religion has given us an intricate clergy with priests, fathers, reverends, bishops and so on, all claiming authority over their own flock of sheep. The Pope is considered a world leader of great power. This usurps God's authority, and obscures the unity that should exist among all believers.

Jesus also said,

“In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,Hallowed be Your name. [Matthew 6:9 NKJV]

and,

“In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; “for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. [John 16:26-27 NKJV]

also,

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4:16 NKJV]

Because of Jesus' redemptive work on the cross, we have the authority to pray directly to God the Father in Jesus' name. But religion gives us priests to intercede to the saints, who in turn will intercede  for us. This all confuses and obscures the simplicity and purity of our relationship with God.

I love that the garden tomb has been left empty and unadorned - in its natural state. Whether it is the actual burial tomb is irrelevant, because Jesus isn't found in the tomb. He isn't found in religion. He isn't found in churches, cathedrals or shrines. Jesus said,

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” [John 4:24 NKJV]

Religion obscures faith. If we rely on ritual, we have no need for faith. If we rely on doing penance for our sins, then where is the grace?

Salvation is simple. "Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." [Romans 10:9 NKJV] We are save by the grace of God through faith.

Living for God should be just as simple. We live by faith and by the grace of God. I pray for a church that will learn to worship God in spirit and in truth, and set aside the rituals, rules and bondage of religion.

Matthew 27:55-66 In The Tomb

Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man 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 cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone. [Matthew 27:55-66 NASB]

Jesus was in the tomb for three days. It is interesting to me that the chief priests and the Pharisees were concerned about Jesus' words, "After three days I am to rise again." They remembered His words while the disciples apparently did not. They acted on His words, while the disciples went into hiding.

It is well known that Satan can quote scripture. There are some atheists who can quote the Bible better than many Christians. Hollywood puts Bible quotes in many of its movies and TV shows; even while they are mocking God and/or glorifying evil. 

There are many movies about the life of Jesus, full of quotes from Jesus. Yet, as you look at the life of the actors, you see no evidence that they are Christian, even though they have been exposed to the life and teaching of Jesus. They merely played a role, and repeated lines.

Hearing the Word of God, apart from faith, doesn't make a person a believer. Being able to quote the scriptures doesn't do it either. Jesus said,

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” [Matthew 7:24-27 NASB]

It is not enough to merely hear the Word; we must act on it. I can quote Paul, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;" [Romans 10:9 NASB] and never be saved. I can quote, but never choose to believe. Or I can say, "I'm a private person" and never make a confession of faith. 

Remember, Jesus said, 

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 10:32-33 NASB]

I am firmly convinced of this teaching;

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB]

But what does that faith look like? James says,

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. [James 2:14-19 NASB]

So it is clear that we are not saved by works, but by faith. But true faith will produce good works. Giving to charity will not save you. There are many unbelievers who give generously to some marvelous charities. But if your giving doesn't come from a place of faith in Jesus as Lord, then your giving is ultimately useless.

We are told,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [Galatians 5:22-23 NASB]

Most of these attributes of the fruit of the Spirit involve relationships with others. If you love, you will give and help people. You will be patient, kind and gentle. These are not things to be forced, but will grow out of your relationship with Jesus.

Don't rely on scripture memorization and good works for your salvation. Only draw near to God, and He will draw near to you, and all these other things will follow.

Matthew 27:45-54 Jesus Took Our Sins

Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” [Matthew 27:45-54 NASB]

I think that when Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” that was the moment He took our sin upon Himself. In that moment, He felt the separation from God that results from sin.

Although Jesus was tempted in every way like us, He lived a sinless life. 

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4:15-16 NASB]

God came to live among us as a man. He was born a baby, grew through childhood and adolescence to adulthood. He lived the complete human experience, and knows what it is like to be human. There was only one thing lacking.

Throughout His life, Jesus never knew the separation from God that all of humanity feels because of our sin. On the cross, He experienced, for the first time, the shame, guilt and fear that accompanies sin. The Father was always present in Jesus' life, but then He felt abandoned. It must have been overwhelming; a torture far worse than the cross. It's no wonder that Jesus cried out.

I don't believe that God the Father ever truly abandoned His Son. Only it was the separation caused by sin that made Jesus feel abandoned.

We are born into this world with a sinful nature. When we confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, then we are born again. The Holy Spirit lives within us, and allows us to have communion with God. When Jesus died, the veil enclosing the holy place in the temple was torn in two. Symbolically, this means that God no longer meets people in a temple. Instead, He inhabits our hearts, so that we are all the temple.

When we continue to sin, we bring upon ourselves the guilt and shame of sin, and we experience anew the separation. God doesn't leave us. He doesn't abandon us. But because of sin, we feel separated from Him.

Jesus, our High Priest, knows how we feel. Because of His sacrifice, we need only to come to God in repentance, and we will find that He is there, and has always been there for us.

When we learn that sin has been overcome in our lives, and we no longer live in it, we can walk through life in the Spirit, in communion with God. 

Matthew 27:32-44 The Crucifixion

As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. “He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. [Matthew 27:32-44 NASB]

The phrase "adding insult to injury" comes to mind. Jesus is on the cross. In just a few hours it will all be over. The priests and elders have won.

But winning was not enough. They had to gloat. Even as He was dying on the cross they continued trying to discredit Him through their mockery. They are implying that His death proves that He is not who He said He was.

Of course, they were wrong.

Ironically, in spite of being priests, and knowing the Levitical Law, they did not understand the nature of sacrifice. Their imaginations didn't extend further than the blood of bulls and goats spilled on the altar.

We are told;

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time,  sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. [Hebrews 10:11-14 NASB]

Under the Law, the priests would sacrifice over and over for the sins of the people. The blood of the bulls and goats were a symbol of the covenant between God and Israel. But the blood of animals could never truly cleanse the sins of the people, and had to be repeated again and again. The Bible teaches that these things were mere copies or types of the original, heavenly reality;

Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. [Hebrews 9:23-28 NASB]

In their ignorance, the priests and elders played into God's hands. By killing the Son of God, they played their role in creating a New Covenant that replaces the Old.

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. [Hebrews 9:15-16 NASB]

Jesus was a willing sacrifice. He could have called legions of angels for His defense. But He did not resist. Instead He allowed Himself to led like a lamb to the slaughter.

He did this for us; so that we would be forgiven. There is no need for us to make a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins because Jesus was our sacrifice. 

All He asks from us is faith. Paul tells us, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." [Romans 10:9 NASB]

If you are reading this and have never made Jesus your Lord, I would urge you to pray this prayer;

Heavenly Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I believe that He died for me, and has risen from the dead. I ask You to forgive me of my sins, and fill me with Your Spirit. Thank You for your salvation. Amen.

Matthew 27:26-31 The Scourging

Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. [Matthew 27:26-31 NASB]

Matthew seems to be a master of understatement. He uses the phrase, "after having Jesus scourged..." then he moves on with his narrative. 

One bit of misinformation that I often hear repeated is that Jesus received forty stripes. This is not true. While the Jews were limited by the Law to use no more that forty stripes, Jesus wasn't scourged by the Jews, but by the Romans. And the Romans had no such restrictions.

The Roman whip master was trained to scourge a man until he reached a point near death, but without allowing him to die, no matter the number of lashes. The whip was made of many leather straps with metal or bone tied into them. With every lash, they would cut into His back, tearing away the flesh.

It was not enough to execute Him. They felt the need to mock Him. They stripped him naked in order to humiliate Him, and they spat on Him. 

They gave Him a robe, a crown of thorns and a reed for a scepter to mock the claim that He was King of the Jews. The robe, laid on his freshly torn back would have been another agony of pain. As it sat on his back, it would have congealed with His blood, so that when they removed it, it would have torn the flesh all over again.

The thorns in His crown were about 2 - 3 inches long, hard and sharp. As they took the reed and hit Him over the head, they would have driven the thorns into His scalp, bloodying His whole head and face.

Then they led Him away to be crucified.

All of this was done by the hands of the Romans. Some might argue that in crucifying Jesus, they were just following orders. But they mocked and tortured Him for pleasure.

Over the years, I have heard ignorant people justify their antisemitism by saying "the Jews killed Jesus." This is not true.

The Jews handed Him over to be killed, but He died at the hands of the Gentiles. There is none more nor less guilty, and there is none more nor less innocent. As the Bible says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." [Romans 3:23 NASB]

Isaiah received this vision concerning the Messiah:

He was despised and forsaken of men,A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;And like one from whom men hide their faceHe was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore,And our sorrows He carried;Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions,He was crushed for our iniquities;The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray,Each of us has turned to his own way;But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us allTo fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted,Yet He did not open His mouth;Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,So He did not open His mouth. [Isaiah 53:3-7 NASB]

All of the suffering that Jesus endured, He endured on our behalf. Every bruise, every stripe, every mockery, every humiliation, all of the pain, all of the torture; it was all done for us, that we may be forgiven and healed.

He didn't have to do it, but He did.

I lack the words to express my gratitude for Jesus' suffering. "Thank you" hardly seems sufficient. Therefore I will try to express my gratitude in how I live my life. Not being good out of compulsion, or a sense of guilt. Not by following a law of requirement, but by accepting God's grace. By walking in the Spirit, keeping my mind fixed on Him.

In know that in my flesh, I am incapable of expressing my gratitude to Jesus. But I trust that His Spirit - who lives within me - will bring that gratitude to life in my service to God and to others.

Matthew 27:1-25 Crucify Him!

Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor....Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”....Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”....But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death....Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Crucify Him!” And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”  When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” [Matthew 27:1-25 NASB]

Such is the vindictiveness of the religious rulers:

1. They gathered a crowd that would do and say whatever they demanded.
2. Knowing that the Jewish Law had restrictions based on mercy, they handed Jesus over to the Romans so that He would receive a harsher punishment.
3. They chose to allow a murderer to be released instead of Jesus, in order to satisfy their religious envy.
4. The didn't just demand Jesus' death; they demanded His death by crucifixion. Had Jesus been stoned or beheaded, He would have died relatively quickly. But crucifixion was a slow, torturous death. They wanted Him to suffer for as long as possible before dying.
5. They were willing to call down a curse upon themselves and their children.

The priests and elders got what they wanted. Jesus was taken out of the way. But what cost did they pay?

Jesus threatened their position in this world. By turning Him over, they lost their position in the next world. Ultimately, they earned condemnation from God. They wanted Jesus to suffer. In return their own suffering will be much greater, and for eternity.

Even in this life their victory must have seemed hollow. Jesus' disciples continued to preach His name, and to perform miracles in His name. After His death, Jesus' name was proclaimed far and wide, far beyond the influence of these priests and leaders. Despite the eye-witness accounts, verified by the miracles the disciples performed, they refused to consider Jesus' resurrection.

We are told in Hebrews:

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [Hebrews 10:28-31 NASB]

He has told us:

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head,And the LORD will reward you. [Proverbs 25:21-22 NASB]

If we seek revenge, we may succeed in our vengeance, but we will have failed in life.

Just like the priests and elders, vindictiveness against another will bring a curse upon yourself. Do you feel wronged? Then let yourself be wronged. Forgive the wrong-doer. In the end, God will sort it all out, and God's justice - or God's mercy - will be served.

Matthew 27:3-10 Judas' Remorse

Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; and they gave them for the potter's field, as the lord directed me.” [Matthew 27:3-10 NASB]

I have no doubt that Judas was truly remorseful. He tried to undo his wrong by returning the money. He appealed to the priests sense of justice by saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But to no avail. In the end, he failed to do the one thing that was needed. He didn't turn to God for forgiveness.

At times in my life, I have sinned. And in the shame of that sin, I have carried the guilt. I have allowed it to sit as a barrier wall between God and me. I have allowed my relationship with God to grow cold because of the guilt that I continued to carry.

Over the years, I have learned the folly of that type of living. By God's grace, every sin in my past has been brought before Him and forgiven.

I have learned to live by grace, and not as a slave to sin. As Paul said:

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. [Romans 6:12-18 NASB]

Jesus has set us free from the bondage of sin, but we can still choose to live either in sin or in righteousness. I know there are those who believe that we cannot be free from sin. They believe this because of their own experience and because they don't understand the scriptures or the power of God.

When I say that we choose, I don't mean that we have the power within ourselves to overcome sin. I mean that we can choose whether to submit ourselves to the power of God in our lives, or we can choose to submit ourselves to the desires of our flesh.

Paul said, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. [Galatians 5:16 NASB]

He goes on to describe the difference between the flesh and the Spirit. 

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [Galatians 5:19-21 NASB]

These are not commandments. Paul isn't saying, "Thou shalt not..." These are the deeds of the flesh that manifest when we live for ourselves instead of for God. By saying, "and things like these", he is not limiting or defining the flesh, but is merely pointing out what is obvious and common sense. These things are of the flesh, and are therefore of sin.

He goes on to say:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [Galatians 5:22-23 NASB]

If you are living your life for God, walking in the Spirit, keeping your mind set on Him, then your life will bear godly fruit, and it will look like this. Once again, by saying "against such things," he is not making a comprehensive list called the "fruit of the Spirit" but is demonstrating an example of a godly life.

Notice the singular use of the word "fruit" and not "fruits". It wouldn't be appropriate to say, "I have love, joy and peace, but I need to work on patience." That would contradict the message of grace that he is teaching throughout the book of Galatians that our sanctification is by Gods grace without works, just as our salvation was.

And you can't separate these attributes as individual "fruits". They are all manifestations of the one fruit of the Spirit. If you say, "I need to work on patience", what you are really saying is that you are not displaying the fruit of the Spirit in your life. The solution isn't to "work on patience", but to draw closer to God in prayer so that He can change you.

Turn your mind toward God, and let the fruit of His Spirit grow in you. 

Don't think of these things as rules to live by, but as signposts showing the way.

The difference is this: if you live by rules you will say, "I must not have immorality, impurity, sensuality and such in my life. Instead I must have love, joy peace and such."

Living by grace says, "I see immorality in my life, therefore I will turn to God so that I can be rid of it." or "I have a greater love for people than I used to. I see the fruit of the Spirit in my life, and will turn to Him in thanksgiving."

Living by the rules is life in the flesh, and the flesh cannot please God. Trying to deal with sin on your own is like Judas taking the money back to the priests hoping to undo his wrong.

Living by grace is knowing that you can't undo your past, but you can be forgiven, and "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:13-14 NASB]

Matthew 26:69-75 Peter's Denial

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.” Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. [Matthew 26:69-75 NASB]

Jesus had said, "Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night." [Matthew 26:31 NKJV] Peter famously answered, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” [Matthew 26:33 NKJV]

"Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”" [Matthew 26:34 NKJV]

When Jesus was arrested, Peter must have thought the moment to prove himself had come, so he took out a sword and started swinging. Not being a soldier, he managed to cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. But instead of praise, Peter received a rebuke from Jesus. 

When they led Jesus away, Peter followed at a distance. Convinced that he had proven his loyalty, he put Jesus' words out of his mind.

When Peter's moment of truth came, he didn't recognize it for what it was.

Peter was prepared to stand up for Jesus against an angry mob. He was prepared to lay down his life when confronted with violent opposition. He was not prepared for a simple question by a simple servant girl.

Martyrdom for Christ's sake is not something any of us aspire to. But it is a reality that many people in the world face every day.

I think that if faced with the choice of death or denying Jesus, most believers would choose death rather than deny their faith.

I also think that many of us would fail, and have failed in the same manner as Peter.

Have you ever been in the situation where you are in a department store (or other public place) and you have a slight stirring to say a word of blessing in Jesus name? Or, within that same setting, to pray for someone you don't even know? Or to share the gospel? I have. And I take no pleasure in saying that I have failed to follow through. I have dismissed the urge as a random thought, and I have wondered how people might respond.

It is odd, but it seems like it's easier to do the big things, but fail in the small things. 

I encourage you to pray with me. I ask God to forgive me for failing to obey the promptings in my heart, and by so doing, denying Him. I pray that He will give me grace to speak boldly and in pure obedience whenever He prompts me to do so.

Matthew 26:57-68 Before the Sanhedrin

Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome. Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’” The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!” Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?” [Matthew 26:57-68 NASB]

How sad that they needed to bring in false witnesses, and even then they couldn't get their story straight enough to find agreement. When the did finally find two witnesses to agree, it was only because they had distorted Jesus' words.

After Jesus had overturned the tables of the money changers and driven out the merchants from the temple, the gospel of John tells us;

The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. [John 2:18-21 NASB]

They turned Jesus' prophecy of His resurrection into a terrorist threat.

Even with two witnesses agreeing, the claim was so far-fetched as to be dismissed even by the Sanhedrin. Otherwise, they would have charged Him with something immediately. It seems that Caiaphas was at his wits end when he desperately told Jesus, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 

Jesus had only to remain silent, and they would have had no more basis for accusation. Instead, He answered honestly, "It is as you said." Jesus then warned them that although they were in the seat of power judging Him, one day He would be in the seat of power judging them.

Upon hearing the truth so boldly spoken, they flew into a rage.

I have witnessed this kind of behavior in Christians and church leaders who are so ingrained in their tradition and dogma that the simple truth of scripture results in irrational anger. I was called to stand before the district board of elders in my (former) denomination because I dared to question whether merely attending a movie theater was actually a sin. Setting aside the law of grace, and completely disregarding the teaching of Romans and Galatians, they let me know that theater attendance was sin - because they said so. What's more, I was sinning by questioning them. I didn't last long in that denomination.

It is good to stand up for the truth, but you must be sure that truth is truly on your side. Jesus calmly spoke the truth, and the priests angrily fought against it in defense of their tradition. When speaking of spiritual matters, do you calmly speak the simple truth as you know it from the Bible? Or are you defending a tradition or teachings you heard from someone else?Study the Bible for yourself, and know what it says and why you believe the things you do.

I will never forget the face of rage, mere inches from my own, as a man repeated the tradition that he had been taught in church. In fact, he was attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan, and he didn't know any better because he didn't know the scriptures.

Don't be caught blaspheming the Holy Spirit simply because you don't know what is written in the Bible. Study it for yourself, and - even if it contradicts everything you have been taught - embrace the truth.

Matthew 26:47-56 The Arrest

While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. “But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled. [Matthew 26:47-56 NASB]

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and Jesus responded, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Even in his betrayal, Jesus did not look upon Judas as an enemy, but had compassion for him, and called him "friend". Had Judas repented and sought forgiveness, I believe he would have received it. 

When we perceive an insult or injury, we may, with difficulty, learn to forgive. But though the person is forgiven, we will still tend to keep our distance. It is even possible that, in time, a friendship may be rekindled. But how many of us will be able to look our betrayer in the eye, and in the moment of betrayal, call him "friend". That is the character of Jesus. And that is the character that we should want to aspire to.

The gospel of John in chapter 18 adds an interesting aspect of this scene. When the crowds approached, Jesus asked them, "Whom do you seek?" 

They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I Am.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I Am,” they drew back and fell to the ground. [John 18:5-6 NASB]

(Note that many English translations render the Greek word "eimi" as "I am he". The word "he" is added for readability, but is not in the original, and is more accurately translated, "I am".)

This brings to mind Moses at the burning bush. When Moses asked God His name the scripture says;

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” [Exodus 3:14 NASB]

The power of Jesus' declaration of divinity caused to the crowd to draw back and fall to the ground.

What is apparent in this scene is that, although Jesus is the one being arrested, He is the one who is in control. He stopped Peter from fighting, and potentially starting a bloody battle. According to Luke, Jesus healed the slave's ear that Peter cut off.

He further displays His divine authority when he says, “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" I think an army of more that 6,000 angels could have effectively destroyed the entire Roman army, much less a crowd with swords and clubs.

Having already come to terms with it in prayer, Jesus was determined to fulfill the prophecies, and redeem mankind. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested; not because He was overwhelmed by numbers or by armament, but because He loved the us enough to die for us.

Matthew 26:36-46 Prayer In Gethsemane

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” [Matthew 26:36-46 NASB]

It was here that Jesus began to fulfill the prophecy: 

He was despised and forsaken of men,A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;And like one from whom men hide their faceHe was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore,And our sorrows He carried;Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,Smitten of God, and afflicted. [Isaiah 53:3-4 NASB]

Jesus said that He was "deeply grieved, to the point of death." Luke adds in his gospel, "And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground." [Luke 22:44 NASB]

Jesus despaired at what He knew He was about to endure, and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” 

He said, "if it is possible." We tend to believe that all things are possible for God. But there are certain things that are not possible. It is impossible for God to lie. It is impossible for us to be saved by works apart from God's grace. And, it was impossible for God to redeem mankind without the sacrifice of Jesus. He hated what was to come, but knowing the necessity of it, he was willing.

What was it that Jesus was so afraid of? The mockery? The scourging? The crucifixion? These things were agonizingly painful, yet others had endured them without the overwhelming torment of the soul that Jesus endured.

Peter tells us, "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." [1 Peter 2:24 NASB] Throughout the Old Testament, a cup was used as a metaphor of God's wrath. When Jesus bore our sins, He drank of the cup of God's wrath. He who knew no sin, became sin for us, and bore our punishment. He became the ultimate sacrifice so that we could come to God by faith and receive His forgiveness. We don't need to pay a penance or atone for our sins because Jesus has already paid it for us.

Let us be thankful to Him that He willingly endured the agony of Gethsemane. In the hours to come, He would be tortured and killed. But it was here, in prayer, that He won the spiritual victory that allowed Him to endure, and to willingly become a sacrifice. It was here that He wrestled His soul into submission to His Father's will.

Let us also learn from His example. When we are faced with overwhelming circumstance; when sorrows mount upon sorrow; when we feel we have no way out; let us turn to our Father in prayer. He may work to change your circumstances. Or he may only change you, so that you can endure them. In any case, when trouble comes, that is not the time to hide from God, but to seek Him even more.

Matthew 26:31-35 A Selfish Response

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too. [Matthew 26:31-35 NASB]

The disciples demonstrated the selfish tendency of humanity. Jesus is saying, "You will all stumble when I am struck down. But I will be raised!" The disciples heard, "You will stumble." They make no notice that their Lord will be taken this very night. Nor do they look forward to the hope of His resurrection. Their only response is to say, "Jesus, You're wrong! I will never fall away!"

Jesus wasn't condemning any of them with His statement. He was, in fact, providing comfort in the knowledge that their actions were pre-ordained and prophesied.

Peter was, naturally, the first to speak out. He was known for his boldness and courage. But it was his trust in his strength that became his greatest weakness. Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew himself. But Peter wasn't alone. All the disciples said the same thing.

As for Jesus, knowing what was to come, He already had His eyes set on the resurrection, and being united again with His friends. He endured the pain because of the joy of what came after. We are told regarding Jesus; "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." [Hebrews 12:2 NASB]

The lesson here is to not set our eyes on ourselves. The disciples looked only to themselves, and failed to heed the words of Jesus. 

When our eyes are fixed on our own needs, we fail to see the needs of others around us. We miss opportunities to serve. We become so focused on our own problems that we fail to listen to the Spirit of God for the answers.

It is possible that in our own well intentioned efforts to draw close to God, we become so focused on our own spiritual journey that we fail to see the brother or sister along the way who is struggling with their faith, or is about to stumble. We fail to realize that helping others along the way is part of our journey.

I encourage everybody to spend quiet, alone time with God in prayer and Bible study. I also encourage you to lift your head up and look around you. You have spent time with the Spirit of God. Now walk in the Spirit as you go out into the world, and minister His peace to those in need. 

Matthew 26:26-30 The Lord's Supper

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. [Matthew 26:26-30 NASB]

Most commentaries say that Jesus instituted the Communion or Eucharist at this meal. I don't agree with that. It is my contention that Jesus never intended to start a religion. Rather, He did everything to establish a relationship.

Jesus said, "Take, eat; this is My body," and "This is My blood." Some have taken that to mean that the bread and wine literally transform into His body and blood when it is blessed. It seems to me that Jesus was using a metaphor. He also said, "I am the vine," and "I am the door". He refers to Himself as the "Good Shepherd" although He didn't tend sheep. Jesus often used metaphors.

I think when we focus too much on the ritual of communion, we fail to see the most impacting statement that Jesus made; "for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins." 

Ever since Moses, Israel has been living under a covenant of commandments and rituals. Jesus has just announced that His blood is ushering in a New Covenant. When Jesus shed His blood on the cross, He became the sacrifice that paid for our sins once and for all, so that we no longer need to offer sacrifices to receive forgiveness. We only have to accept it by faith.

The New Covenant is not like the Old, based on rituals and religious practice and doctrine.

"Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah....“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  “None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.  “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." [Hebrews 8:8-13 NKJV]

He said, "I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts." This is not a religion based on a set of written laws or rules. We are to rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us into righteousness as He dwells within us.

"I will be their God, and they shall be My people." The purpose of rituals is to give us a means to enter into the presence of God and be cleansed from our sins. We don't need rituals to know God, or to enter His presence or to worship Him. We have already been received into His presence.

“None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them." We don't need a priesthood or clergy to mediate between us and God. The Holy Spirit lives in each one of us. If we allow Him, He will teach each one of us who God is and who we are in Him. Jesus is our Lord. He sent His Spirit to teach and guide us. The rest of us live on an equal level, none are greater, and none are less in His eyes.

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Our sins are forgiven. Paid for by the blood of Jesus.

Under this New Covenant, there is no act or ritual that we must perform to become closer to God. And we cannot become more forgiven than we already are. We do not find forgiveness in the Eucharist. We do not require "Communion" in order to commune with God.

The Gospel of Luke adds the phrase, "Do this in remembrance of Me." The Lord's supper is a reminder of what Jesus did for us. It is a remembrance of His atonement. It is not the atonement itself.

In the first century church, they would gather together for a meal, and they would share what they had with each other - just like a pot-luck - in honor of Jesus sacrifice. Paul called these meals the Lord's Supper, and Jude called them "Love feasts". The point of these feasts was for a group of Christians to gather around a table and eat and drink, and have fellowship with one another, in honor of Jesus. It was never a ritual with "elements" being passed around and blessed by an elder. There were no greater religious overtones besides loving Christ and loving one another.

When you take communion, keep in mind what it really is: a remembrance. Then when you go to lunch after church with fellow believers, consider that this is the true communion.

Matthew 26:14-25 Betrayal

Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. 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.” [Matthew 26:14-25 NASB]

The chief priests and leaders of the people were plotting to kill Jesus, as they had been for quite some time. They finally got their opportunity when Jesus was betrayed by one of His own.

It is a mark of the disciples humility that that each of them asked whether he would be the one to betray Him. Excluding Judas Iscariot, they were devoted to Jesus, they had no intention of betraying Him, and had done nothing to indicate betrayal, yet each of them was able to see the capacity for betrayal within himself.

Judas, who had already made arrangements to betray Jesus was able to blend in and avoid suspicion. The other disciples said, "Surely not I, Lord." So Judas did nothing more or less that what they did. That is why they didn't immediately recognize that he was the betrayer. 

This wasn't a spontaneous action on the part of Judas. He planned it. When Mary broke the alabaster bottle and anointed Jesus, that seems to have been the catalyst causing him to finally act. When the time came, he sought out the priests. They didn't come looking for him.

No one knows the true motivation behind Judas' betrayal. It wasn't mere greed. The 30 pieces of silver were only the equivalent of $25.00. Had it been about money, he would have negotiated with them for a higher reward.

I think that's the way it is with betrayal. Something brews within the heart over time. 

Perhaps it's some perceived slight. It is thought that Judas was the only Judean in a group of Galileans. As such, it is possible that he felt excluded.

Sometimes people fail to meet our expectations. All of the disciples were expecting the Messiah to overthrow the Romans and establish an earthly kingdom. With Jesus talking about His own impeding death, it was clear that that this was not going to happen. All the disciples hopes were dashed when Jesus died. Unlike the other eleven, Judas didn't remain loyal. It's true that Peter denied Him, but only Judas betrayed Him.

Maybe there's an opportunity to gain power over someone. When Judas betrayed Jesus, he gained power (or so he thought) over Jesus. Jesus' life was in his hands. I have heard it speculated that Judas wanted to gain control in order to force Jesus to step up and establish His earthly kingdom. Whether that was the case or not, for the first time, Judas seemed to be the one who was in control.

Before you can betray a person, there has to be a level of trust. The chief priests plotted to kill Jesus, but the didn't betray Him because they never had a position of trust. 

Just like the eleven disciples, I think we should acknowledge the capacity for betrayal within us. And like them, we should ask the Lord, "Could I betray someone?" If you continually seek the Lord, He will keep your paths straight, and you will never have to know if you could. If you have already betrayed someone in your life, then seek forgiveness. The Lord forgives all of our sins.

If you are the one who has been betrayed by someone, then you need to forgive the one who betrayed you. Don't wait for them to apologize or ask forgiveness, but give it freely. Holding on to unforgiveness will only hurt you and not the one who betrayed you.

Matthew 26:6-13 The Original Jesus Freak

"Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? “For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. “For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. “For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. “Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”" [Matthew 26:6-13 NASB]

We know from John 12 that this woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The perfume was in an alabaster vial, and was very expensive - worth more than a years wages. Jewish women of the day would sometimes wear these flasks as ornaments around their necks, and would pass them down from mother to daughter. The only way to use the perfume was to break the neck of the flask and pour it out.

Mary's act showed that, of all the disciples, she was the one who really listened. Jesus has been saying that He would be arrested, beaten, and killed. The other disciples tried to argue Him out of it, or else ignored it, preferring instead to ask about His kingdom and glory. But Mary understood what He was saying, and chose to perform this act of love and kindness before He had to endure the suffering.

The disciples were indignant at this display of devotion. They tried to justify their indignation with religious self-righteousness. "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." John informs us the the spokesman for the disciples was Judas Iscariot, who said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. " [John 12:5-6 NASB]

Mary's act was radical and over the top, and Jesus loved it, and honored her for it.

Back in the 1960's and 70's, there was a strong revival among young people called the Jesus Movement. A lot of people in the hippie culture became saved, and being free spirited, they displayed their enthusiasm for Jesus with great freedom and fervor. This freedom of worship moved beyond the hippie culture and became embraced by young people all over the country. The term "Jesus freak" was applied to these young people. They in turn, embraced the term and proudly stated, "I am a Jesus freak."

As so often happens, the Jesus Movement developed into several different denominations, each with their own religious rituals and traditions. The fervor of the movement was effectively subdued, and replaced with religion.

When I was first saved back in the 1970's, I was over-the-top enthusiastic. Being unchurched, I didn't know anything about religion or tradition or ritual. I only knew that Jesus saved me, and I loved Him. Being young and eager to learn, I listened to the older Christians who explained to me that I needed to "tone it down". Stop being so boisterous. Blend in. Sadly, I blended.

40+ years later, it is now my desire to unlearn what my elders once told me. I want to regain that fervor that I had as new Christian. I want the fervor, but with the deeper understanding and relationship with God that I have gained over the years.

Mary's relationship with Jesus was as close as any disciple. Her demonstration of devotion and love surpassed them.

I want a heart like Mary's. One that gives to the Lord without question, without considering the cost, regardless of the reaction of others. I want to be a Jesus Freak.

Matthew 26:1-5 The Plot

When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.” [Matthew 26:1-5 NASB]

This was the heart of the religious leaders that they would meet in secret and plot to commit murder. At the time, they justified their actions in the name of religion - although it is notable that Caiaphas committed suicide two years later. Although his motivations will never be known, perhaps he came to understand who it was that he killed.

I also find it interesting that they chose to kill Jesus "Not during the festival..." This wasn't because the Passover was a holy day, and they feared dishonoring God. Not because they would be home with their families celebrating the Passover. But because they feared the people.

If they feared God, they wouldn't have been plotting against Jesus in the first place. Fear of the people didn't motivate them to act righteously. It only drove them to be more crafty in their approach. They came to Jesus in the dark of night, tried and convicted Him. The crowds were blind-sided. The deed was done before they had time to react.

The fear of men will never lead to righteousness. It leads instead to secrecy and manipulation. Even if fear of being caught causes you not to act on a sinful impulse, it will not change your heart. And in the end, you will probably find a way to do what you want.

How many young men have given the appearance of avoiding pornographic web sites out of fear of what a wife, girlfriend or parents might thinks? But when no one is looking, they take their opportunity. They protect themselves by password protecting their phones and computers, and/or deleting their browsing history. They behave themselves in public, but their heart is unchanged.

That change of heart comes from totally submitting to God. You must recognize that you have no power in yourself to overcome your flesh. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. If you want to see a change in your heart, then you need to draw near to God.

I don't mean this in a abstract sense. I mean spend time talking to God. Spend time listening. Christianity was never meant to be a religion. It is a relationship between us and Jesus. And you can't have a relationship without spending time together.

Bring your petitions to God in prayer, but don't let that be the extent of your prayer life. Perhaps you, like I, have a relative who only calls when he needs something. Do you ever wish he would call just to check in and see how you are doing? You may be related, but it's impossible to have a close relationship with a person like that.

And don't just recite the Lord's prayer back to Him. That's just a primer. It's the beginning of learning to pray when you have never prayed before. It's like reading "See Spot. See Spot run. Run Spot, Run," and thinking yourself to be well-read.

The best relationships involve spending a lot of time together. Talking one to another and listening one to another. And there are the quiet times. Those comfortable silences where it's enough to simply enjoy being in one other's company.

It's not enough to simply do your daily devotions in the morning, and not think about it for the rest of the day. The Holy Spirit should be your constant companion through the day, as you remain consciously aware of His presence.

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NASB]

Walk in the Spirit and allow God to transform your hear and mind into His image. 

Matthew 25:31-46 Judgment of the Nations

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, ... “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, ...’ “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [Matthew 25:31-46 NASB]

Jesus is concluding His teaching on the end times. To put this into context, He has told us about the great tribulation, and the gathering of the saints to Himself. Through a variety of parables, He has warned us to be prepared. It is not enough to abstain from evil, but we must avoid indifference, and we must actively do good.

Within this context, the Son of Man will come in His glory and sit on His throne. At the end of Daniel's 70th week - after the tribulation and the wrath of God, Satan will be bound for a thousand years, and Jesus will reign on earth. He will begin His reign with the judgement of nations.

This is one of three judgments spoken of in the Bible in relation to the last days.

The Judgment seat of Christ is where the saints receive their rewards for service.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." [2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB]

This does not determine whether we will enter heaven or hell since our salvation is by grace, and our sins have already been forgotten. Rather, it will judge what we have done for Jesus in His service.

"Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." [1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NASB]

If your work for Him is pure of motives and free of selfish ambition, you will receive a reward for your service. If you motivation is self-serving, you will not lose your salvation, but you will lose your rewards.

The Great White Throne Judgment takes place after the millennium and after the last great rebellion against God, immediately before He creates the new heaven and new earth. At this judgment, everyone who has ever lived will be judged. In this judgment their eternal fate will be sealed, whether for heaven or hell.

"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." [Revelation 20:11-15 NASB]

The judgment of nations that Jesus describes in today's passage is not the White Throne Judgment. First, the timing is all wrong. This judgment takes place immediately after the tribulation and before the Millennium. Second this is not a resurrection of all the souls who have ever lived, but is a judgment of the nations on earth. Those judged will be those who have survived the tribulation and the wrath of God. This does not include the believers, as they will have already been caught up to meet Jesus, and have been glorified.

During the last seven years, the earth's population will be decimated. The current global population of about 8 billion will be whittled down to about 3 billion. These survivors will then be judged based on their treatment of God's people (Jews and Christians). Those who persecuted or ignored the plight of persecuted Christians will go straight to hell. 

During World War II, there were always people who were willing to help the persecuted Jews. In the same way, during the Great Tribulation, there will be people who will help the persecuted. They will enter the millennial kingdom of Christ.