Missions Paul

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.

“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” (Matthew 26 v 14-16)

He was in charge of the finances and what he saw just happen pushed him over the edge. A woman had entered the house where they were eating and broke her life savings over Jesus. Worse than that, Jesus seemed to welcome this. Things were getting out of hand and Judas felt convicted to slow the ministry down in fact to end it.

Here is one of the Twelve disciples, a follower, who had seen miracles and transformations of people and was even given authority to be used in this way.

He goes to the chief priests, those appointed to serve around the Most Holy Place in the Temple. In fact one of them, the High Priest, was the only one permitted to enter that sacred space and only one day a year on the Day of Atonement.

Here they are negotiating a deal to betray Jesus who would atone for the sin of the whole world. The irony and sheer blindness.

Worse is to come. They offer 30 pieces of silver. In trying to work out how much that cost going back to Zechariah 11:12-13 we see the phrase ’30 pieces of silver’ being used. Zechariah was given the amount for his work amongst God’s people and it was given as an insult, they didn’t value him at all. The amount was the amount of a slave who is accidently killed (Exodus 21:32). Interestingly God told Zechariah to throw it back at them.

Matthew sets this story immediately after the woman who gave everything she had with the anointing from the alabaster jar. Here they value Jesus as nothing, no more than a slave. But at this stage Judas took the money.

Lessons from betrayers:

1. They are totally blind to the hypocrisy of their life. But they are also blind to the fact that God holds the bigger picture, they cannot fool Him.
2. They will always find people who agree with their betrayal. They may thus feel justified.
3. They plan. Betrayals don’t just happen, they are planned and organised.

There is one other lesson: Everyone remembers the one who gives their whole life to Jesus but of course everyone remembers a betrayer as well!

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Matthew 26 v 10-13)

Alabaster jar givers:-

1. Give out of a heart of deep thankfulness and worship for who Jesus is and what He has done for them. This woman has a story. We don’t know it but clearly Jesus has impacted her life.
2. Probably don’t understand the full significance of their giving. There are many indications that no one understood about the Messianic prophecies of the cross until after the resurrection so it is a presumption to think that this woman knew. Jesus lets us know that it is possible to give in such a way that this act of worship becomes far more significant than the giver realises.
3. Change atmospheres. Everyone enjoyed the fragrant perfume, even if they were against her doing it. To give is to bring kindness into the room, it is to bring worship, honour, it is to elevate the receiver above anyone else in the room.
4. Her giving offended others who hadn’t given like this. They were not thinking of the poor. They were not thinking of the largeness of her gift. They were thinking of how small or non-existent their own contribution was. Giving not only changes atmospheres but it exposes and brings to the surface the hidden problems of the room.
5. Teach us that giving and the Gospel go hand in hand. The gospel is God’s gift and it demands the giving of our whole life.

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” (Matthew 26 v 8-9)

John (chapter 12) tells us that Judas, the team’s treasurer, used to put his hand in the money bag and it was him who led the disciples in their indignation of the extravagance of this woman. Mark (chapter 14) says it was a year’s wages and Judas could have enjoyed some of that bounty!

One thing we need to remember about offence it is this:

The offended latch onto something that they think justifies their offence and which is understandable to the most.

The veil of offence: Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?

“That makes sense Judas. Well said. We need to look out for the poor. That’s what Jesus has taught us. We totally agree!”

This is akin to a misogynistic man walking out of the church because the teaching isn’t ‘deep enough’ or ‘correct theology’ veiling the truth that the man hadn’t known beforehand that the preacher was a woman! Yes, it has happened.

Veiled offence uses something that is accurate ie Mary could have given the perfume to be sold for the poor and this was wasteful; but uses that to cause division when the truth is that she honours Jesus in an extravagant way which prevents Judas from any opportunism and simply exposes the disciples lack of extravagance.

Let me ask another question. Do you get offended? Are you today? Has someone said or done something that you carry a sense of injustice about; something obviously wrong and you have colleagues who can support you in this? Be careful of veiled offence.

Here comes a beautiful story which Matthew sets between and in stark contrast to the plots of the religious and the betrayal of Judas.

In a house in Bethany on the slopes of the Mount of Olives comes a story of beauty. It encourages us to create moments in our homes and indeed in our churches where those who are ‘sinners’ find courage to be there.

“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.” (Matthew 26 v 6-7)

There is speculation on who Simon was. A healed leper? The Pharisee? He’s opened his home to Jesus. Honour is given to Jesus. That’s what Matthew tells us.

In this place where Jesus is welcomed a woman arrives. That’s all Matthew says. John says it was Mary (John 12) and Luke says she was a sinful woman (Luke 7).

A strong fragrant perfume burst into the room.

As it ran down the head of Jesus it soaked into his skin.

Perhaps you could still smell the fragrance on Jesus as Judas kissed him in betrayal, as the soldiers hit him, as he was nailed to the cross.

This woman’s beauty was her gratefulness.

Her selflessness. Her emotional feelings of devotion.

For her, there was no one else in the room but her and Jesus.

Of course there were others. John says there was Lazarus, Mary and Martha (John 12:2). So we know for definite there was one testimony of healing and maybe Simon the Leper too.

In a place of honour and thankfulness to Jesus sinners will always come to worship in ways only they can express. Sometimes in ways that seem extravagant.

Turn the tables. Don’t let anyone dictate how you see things. View them through the filter of One who was, is and will always be in charge.

^“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” (Matthew 26 v 3-5)

Jesus had said he would lay his life down as a Passover lamb during Passover.

They said this wasn’t going to happen. They were concerned about causing a riot.

Jesus had said that he would be crucified.

They said this wasn’t going to happen. They had plans to abduct him and kill him quietly.

Jesus had said that his death would be public.

They said this wasn’t going to happen. They were not going to kill him till after the Festival had ended and people had gone home.

Who is in charge? It is not them. It is Jesus.

The enemy of your soul wants to see you die in some form and of course we are all called to take up our cross and die to self.

But how this happens is everything.

To lose your life in the timing of the enemy is to lose your destiny. To lose your life in the timing of God is to gain the whole world.

To lay your life down with the manipulation and deceit of the enemy is to cut short what God had in store for you. To lay your life down in the timing of God is surrender.

God knows the calendar. He knows what is ahead.

“When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” (Matthew 26 v 1-2)

Jesus knew it was now only 2 days away.

The Jews counted each day as a day. It is now Wednesday, the first day. Day 2 is tomorrow, Thursday. And then it is Passover. The day Jesus will be crucified.

Jesus knew the time. This was no surprise to Him.

Etched in the memory of everyone was the judgment and the rescue of the Passover. The angel of death passed over the homes sprinkled with the lamb’s blood. This is what was in the minds of all the pilgrims, the Jerusalem citizens and the religious leaders. They didn’t know what they celebrated was a shadow of what was to come. This Passover is the real event. Judgment would be known in their generation. At the same time a new Exodus would commence.

The Passover was two days away. Jesus is the new Moses.

David’s Messianic prophecy of being forsaken is only 2 days away (Psalm 22).

Isaiah’s Suffering Servant is only 2 days away (Isaiah 52-53).

Daniel’s Messiah the Prince being cut off is only 2 days away (Daniel 9).

Jesus knew. The worst day was not some haphazard, terrible accident or evil surprise. The worst day was held in the predetermined and foreknowledge of God.

He can be trusted because He holds the future.

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25 v 46

 “…take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world”, v34

‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”, v41.

Here is the second similarity in a parable of differences between the sheep and the goats.

There is a place prepared for the sheep and a place prepared for the devil and his angels of which the goats will enter too.

Now perhaps one could line up evil and wicked people with the devil and his angels. But the line is filled with those who did not give food, drink, hospitality, clothing and care to people and ultimately to Jesus.

There is an eternal separation, a prepared place. But that is where the similarity ends for this prepared place of eternal punishment was never for the nations of the world but for the devil and his angels.

It is possible then to be in a prepared place that was never prepared for you and for that to be eternal.

It is sobering. Every part of my mind wants to react and change these words. I want to say the goats won’t go to that prepared place. Scholars still debate eternal punishment, what it is, where it is and who goes there and for how long.

If I separate people from my provision and care, if I treat people in a way that is less than they deserve then I am going to understand the depth separation can go to when my life is over, I will reap what I sow. I do not know a lot about eternal separation but I do know the trauma that separation does today. I know what it is like when friends turn their back. I have seen the mess of broken families. I have seen the loneliness of the homeless and the beggar. There are many who are separated from society. We can do more to be inclusive of all people. They don’t need to enter into these places, these places were never prepared for them. Perhaps earth is a taste of heaven after all.

Mother Teresa and her organisations Sisters of Charity lived by this parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Her mantra was 5 words, “You-did-it-to-me.”

When He returns Jesus separates the sheep to the right and the goats to the left.

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire 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, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25 v 41-45)

Apart from the obvious differences that stand out: Goats not sheep, depart not come, cursed not blessed and did not do instead of you did, there are 2 similarities.

The first is the sheep and the goats are both surprised.

Jesus has been demonstrating through his parables the surprise of His return to everyone, whether that is a wedding guest, a foolish virgin with no oil in her lamp, or a one talent servant who hadn’t done anything with what had been given him.

But the surprise with this final story is primarily about not noticing the presence of Jesus in their activity of life: “‘Lord, when did we see you …”

As well as praying that Churches will see outpourings of God’s presence perhaps we should simply begin to see Jesus in every person we meet today. How different life would be? In every person. The ones who have different opinions to us, the ones who beg on the street corner, the ones who annoy you, the least as well as the greatest, the sinned against and the sinner. If we began to see Jesus in them then maybe they will begin to see Jesus in us?

I wonder how life might be different if before we launch out with anger or hurtful criticism at someone who hasn’t met our standards we look up and see Jesus.

That will not happen if all we see is me.

Perhaps Jesus is nearer to us than we realise.

And maybe that is the point.

(The second similarity is for tomorrow)