Missions Paul

I am currently attending a conference for ministers. We have been focusing on dealing with issues that are hidden. Issues of the soul that have a negative impact on our spirit. Ministers are so good at covering over. They do it because others are more important. They lay their life down for the Church and often that means they hide their own pain for the service of others. Last night I abandoned the message I had prepared to speak to them about and began to share things in my life as a leader I had hidden. Times of grief, disappointment and hurt which I buried and carried on and how it had impacted my life. It was a vulnerable place to be but earlier a friend had encouraged me to be authentic and let the minsters I serve see a window into my own soul.

I wake this morning to this verse.

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” (Matthew 26 v 36)

Isn’t the Bible such a source of encouragement?!

Our leader, the King of Kings, Jesus, knows what it is to go into a place of crushing, a place of grief and sorrow. He knows what it is to be hard pressed. He had his Gethsemane moment. It means oil press. And we get to look through the window and watch this.

We are like the disciples sitting and watching the scene. Perhaps even like Peter, James and John who Jesus will give a better viewing of the olive press moment we move closer, we understand deeper what it is to see the crushing of Jesus and how he got through it.

So let us all be authentic people who bring people into our lives not only to view our successes but to show them how to be human in the oil press.

What is the ultimate lesson?

Don’t keep your life hidden and secondly, learn to pray. Talk to God.

This is what Jesus’ Gethsemane moment teaches us.

Jesus has just told the disciples that he knows they will all desert him at the time he needs them the most. Peter jumps up and speaks out without even thinking. His reply reveals a man who thought better than the Messiah and needed to correct him, he thought he was way better than any other disciple and he had too much faith in his own abilities.

“Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.” (Matthew 26 v 33-35)

Jesus knew what was going on behind the scenes and he knew where things were heading for he understood the prophecies of Zechariah and Isaiah.

Do you wake today under pressure? Are you battling with your thoughts? Think for a moment on what was going on in Jesus’ mind.

He knew what Judas was up to. He could see the rising hate campaign of the Jewish leaders. He knew the fickleness of his disciples. He saw Peter’s denial before it happened. This wasn’t paranoia, this was real video images in his mind and he knew where this was heading. The kiss of betrayal. The trials. The cross. The pain. The Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled.

Do you know what it feels like when your friends walk away? When people start to double-guess you? When they hear a different story to the truth and you cannot defend yourself?

This is who Matthew reveals. This is Jesus.

Today let us see the calm, serene, confident Jesus. He wasn’t panicking. He was dignified. Despite falsehoods, manipulation and disappointments all around him he remained firmly in the truth. He is a contrast to those weak men around him. He walks with humility, with courage and with grace.

Whatever you are going through today we have a Saviour who walked a path that we can be inspired to follow.

Jesus didn’t go into his darkest time unaware of His Father’s will. He had studied the Old Testament. He knew the prophecies of the Messiah, of himself. He had read Zechariah’s prophecy many times and quotes it here as they walk to the garden of Gethsemane.

“Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Matthew 26 v 31-32)

The striking of the shepherd in Zechariah 13 is used by Jesus as he is only hours away from the cross.

How does this encourage us?

Jesus knows the striking sits within the plan of God. “I will strike …” Though handed over to men Jesus is in his Father’s hands. No matter how dark your day is knowing God has still created that day gives it purpose even if it is painful. The fact Jesus remained true throughout the striking meant the purpose of God was fulfilled.

Jesus knows that his disciples will desert him. Not every shepherd on being struck manages to hold on to the purpose of God for their life. Struck by trial, temptation some don’t survive. Whether the shepherd survives or not the sheep always scatter. I read an article yesterday which tried to answer the realisation that ‘they’re not coming back’ speaking of church attenders post-pandemic and the decline of numbers in church buildings on Sundays. You may know of people today who have scattered because of the falling of a shepherd or indeed of the church. We must believe they will return. Zechariah within his prophecy says they will.

Jesus never speaks of being struck without also referring to the resurrection. He tells them he will go ahead and presumably wait for them in Galilee, the place of ministry, the Galilee of the Gentiles. Today some may not have returned, they may have still fled, but Jesus is waiting for them, he has a plan for their lives.

Have you been struck today? Are you running away? He is alive and waiting for you.

Are you the shepherd who has been struck? Look to God. The striking is in His purpose for your life. Good will come from this if only you hold onto Him.

Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 113

When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion. Psalm 114

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Psalm 115

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” Psalm 116

For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Psalm 117

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118

Traditionally during the Passover meal the Hallel would be sung, it was the whole of the Psalms 113-118, praise to God for his salvation from Egypt and He being the eternal Saviour.

“When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26 v 30

Hours before Jesus’ most dreadful and terrifying moment, the crucifixion and death, he sings!

It is a powerful picture. We need to pause right here and imagine our Saviour singing despite the turmoil of his own heart.

John Huss, 1369-1415, a Czech theologian, was burned at the stake after having the crown of his head shaven with shears because he held to the Bible as the final authority and not the Church. As the fire was burning him he sang in a loud voice, “Jesus Christ! The Son of the Living God! Have mercy upon me!” There are countless stories like this.

“May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all his faithful people.” Psalm 149:6-8

We don’t fight flesh and blood but principalities.

Every time we sing to God we are declaring to the spiritual powers that our hands are on the neck of an already defeated enemy. That because of Jesus’ victory on the cross where satan was stripped of power and authority over us then I will praise my God and squeeze some more victory out of you that is rightfully mine.

Sing today. Sing the song that Jesus sang. Sing and watch your enemy flee.

Sat around the table that night there are so many things happening. The Judas story, the exodus, the sacrificial lamb, the bread and now Jesus takes one of the four cups of wine.

It seems that amongst the many things going through the mind of Christ he has been thinking about the Jewish wedding.

“Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26 v 27-29)

Take a quick look at the wedding order and something amazing happens.

• The dowry is presented at a meal of the 2 families who come together to formalise the plans for the agreed marriage.
• This agreement is copied onto 2 small pieces of identical pottery, one for each family. This is more than an agreement or a promise. It is a covenant which spiritually forges the blood of the bride and groom together, it could not be broken.
• The bride and groom do not see each other until the ceremony. Instead they go through a water cleansing ritual to spiritually cleanse them.
• The family and friends gather with loud music and singing in the town under a shelter erected for what is called the betrothal. This legalises the marriage but does not consummate it. Here the marriage covenant is read out by the groom’s father and the father of the bride holding his piece of pottery reads out the dowry and the dowry is then exchanged.

Then comes this important section. As you read it imagine the scene of the verses we have read today.

The groom hands his bride a gift. He then takes a jug and pours her a cup of wine and offers it to her. This is her opportunity to stop it all. She could reject the cup or drink from it signalling her willingness to marry. Once she drinks from the cup, he also drinks. Then the groom will say these words:

I WILL NOT DRINK THIS CUP AGAIN UNTIL I DRINK IT ANEW WITH YOU IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE.

In the mind of Christ when he picks up the cup of wine there is this thought, “this is all worth it”, for there is coming a day when the wedding will take place and this love story will be fully consummated and God will be with His people and they will know Him.

Beautiful!

Around the table was 3 items of food: the unleavened bread, the bitter herbs and the Passover lamb.

Though they would understand only later, Jesus takes from the table and initiates something that will be held importantly for generations to come.

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26 v 26)

To take some of the lamb meat would have been a great illustration of his own sacrifice only hours away. So why didn’t he? Why did he choose the bread?

Was it because if he had taken the lamb then we would also have had to do that? We would have had to continually sacrifice the lamb in order to commemorate His death. “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”, Hebrews 10:10

The lamb on the Passover table that night was the last sacrificial lamb. That’s what Jesus was saying. No more sacrifice. The animal sacrificial system was ending there and then. He takes the bread and breaks it and says, ‘this is my body’.

No more death, no more need for substitution for forgiveness, the work is done, it is finished.  “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1: 18-19)

He was the final and ultimate lamb sacrifice.

Judas made the wrong decision. No one forced him to do so. He had opportunity to change his mind. If there were any niggling doubts in the back of his mind he simply ignored them. He carried on regardless.

“Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26 v 23-25)

There are many people who have made such a mess of their life, the decisions they have made have been momentously destructive and have sentenced them to a life in prison (whether they are there literally or not). They have wasted their life. It would seem to them that it would be better if they had not been born. That is the powerful woe on whatever is left of their life.

Why did Jesus say this? Even this is harsh isn’t it?

It is harsh, without the help of Matthew, “Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (26:25)

Matthew shows us that the conversation between him and Judas must have been whispered because if the others had heard they would have set upon Judas there and then that is for sure.

Therefore, Jesus in a last hour effort gives Judas the opportunity to repent and stop doing what he had planned to do.

Jesus purposely says to Judas “what you are about to do will bring such sorrow and distress you will wish you had never been born.”

There is no depth a man can plummet but it will only bring great sorrow into his life but today is the day to opt out of that destructive path. There is a way that seems right to man but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). It is only a life with Jesus that brings the true purpose for our existence. He makes sense of it all. If only Judas had checked the decision he was making with someone else. Perhaps that’s the lesson.

What is really going on? Even at a dinner, what are behind those conversations? Are there any safe places?

“When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” (Matthew 26 v 20-22)

One after the other, so that’s all of them: “surely you don’t mean me?’ All 12 of them said to Jesus it wouldn’t be them.

• It is hard to accept you are capable of doing the worst of sins.

The truth is they would all desert Jesus, one would deny and of course one would betray.

• It is possible to say you wouldn’t be the one to commit the sin and at the same time be planning to be the one.

Judas looked at the others and at Jesus and was adamant he wasn’t the one when in fact he knew he was.

• Just because Jesus knows doesn’t stop a person committing the sin of betrayal.

You would have thought this was Judas’ opportunity to stop his plan, he didn’t take it.

• Jesus shows incredible grace by having the closest of fellowship with the betrayer by eating with him.

Eat with those who don’t follow your plan and path, they will need this grace later.

Is there a place you are afraid to go into today?

Uncertainty clouds the path and it is the last place you want to go.

They are waiting with bated breath.

“He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.” (Matthew 26 v 18-19)

 ‘There’, Jesus points, ‘In the city’.

There in your family.

There in your marriage.

There in your workplace.

There in your church.

There where you live.

There across the oceans.

There in a foreign land.

There where you would rather not be or go.

There, make preparations for the celebration of the sacrificial lamb.

There, get ready for our time of reflecting on surrender and submission to the plan of God for your life and for others.

“On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” (Matthew 26 v 17)

A question we all ask at some point of our lives to friends we want to celebrate with. Where shall we have dinner?

This was probably the 3rd year of the team being together and the same question is asked.

They know they should make preparations for the dinner, this is customary, but they don’t know where. Or do they?

Some things are obvious, they are unquestionable; they don’t need thinking about. They will celebrate the Passover meal. The problem is there seems to be a dark shadow over the city in front of them. They are carrying all that Jesus has said about what is going to happen to him, they are confused, they don’t properly understand. Here they are staying outside the city and the last place they would think about going into is the one place they are dreading him suggesting. Simply because whenever he has talked about the city it is in the context of danger and destruction.

To have the dinner outside the city was a good thought!

Is there a place you are afraid to go into today?

Uncertainty clouds the path and it is the last place you want to go.

… Anywhere but there!

They are waiting with bated breath.