Success and Failure

Matthew 26:14-35

The example of Judas and Peter - as followers of Christ – is both alarming and informing about the human condition.

One did not see what he wanted to see in Jesus, (Judas,) and one saw his own strength as being sufficient, (Peter.) One became an apparent success in his desire to redirect the course of Jesus’ ministry life, (Judas,) and one became an apparent failure in his desire to stand for Jesus.

Judas succeeded in his effort to betray Jesus. Peter, in his attempt to stand for Jesus, was an abject failure.

And so we have the answer to the question: Would you rather be successful in the eyes of the world and worldly religion - or a failure in your attempt to follow Christ?

Of course, all of us would rather be Peter than Judas, and this lets us know success or failure is not truly what matters – but devotion to Christ. I would rather be a failure a thousand times over in my devotion to Christ than to be successful in the eyes of the world, or to play any part in betraying Jesus’ ministry.

Yet we read Judas’ betrayal was both anticipated by Jesus, prophesied by Zechariah, and necessary to the cause of Christ. It was necessary for Jesus to die, and Judas’ betrayal was useful to Jesus in becoming the salvation for the sins of the whole world. Satan, in his effort to destroy The Christ through Judas, instead became a necessary implement for God’s purpose. This plan, in place since before the foundation of the world, would be to permit sin, (great sin, in this case,) to kill the Lamb slain since the foundation of the world - that all sin may be forgiven.

Peter failed miserably in his attempt to stand with Christ, but this had been prophesied by Zechariah and anticipated by Jesus as well. Jesus knew Peter was not strong enough to stand in his own strength, and His admonition to Peter was to not even try. In your own strength you will deny Me, not just once, not just twice, but three times over. How important a lesson it is for us to see how correct Jesus was in His assessment of the strength of Peter’s flesh. Yet we also know Peter was greatly restored from his failure, and this is an important example as well.

-Pastor Bill

The Anointed One

Matthew 26:1-13

Now Jesus turns His thoughts to the Passover.

(He has been teaching His disciples about His two-fold return, (while on the Mount of Olives,) and now He makes the move toward His exit, on Mount Calvary.)

The Passover will be taking place in two days, and we know now Jesus is the Passover Lamb.

He will offer Himself as a willing sacrifice for the sin of the world. Through His sacrifice alone the world may be saved from eternal damnation.

In the Passover, the prescription is for the lamb to be brought into the home for four days prior to the sacrifice, for inspection, and for affection. Then the lamb is to be killed, roasted over an open fire and completely eaten.

Presently just two days prior to His crucifixion, Jesus moves to assure those who are watching closely He is the Lamb. He shall ever be The Lamb. So He strongly makes the connection for His disciples, telling them the Son of Man will be delivered up and crucified – but not just on any day – it will be the Passover. He is the fulfillment of what the Passover is all about. Because of His sacrifice, we may all escape the bonds of the slavery of Egypt and death and move into the Promised Land of eternal life. Because of His sacrifice, the death angel will pass over all of our households.

As mysterious as all this may be to His disciples in that moment, there is one who gets it. She comes to visit Jesus in the house of Simon the leper. (Let that sink in for a moment. The home of  leper – or former leper since Jesus is present.)

Her only thought, it seems, is to anoint Jesus. This is not just any anointing either, as she breaks open her own supply of very costly oil to pour on Jesus’ head as He sat at the table. She is rebuked by Jesus’ disciples for her actions, but not by Jesus. In fact, Jesus informs them her actions shall stand forever as a memorial for all the world to see and take note of. Quite properly, she has anointed the Anointed One.

-Pastor Bill

Sheep and Goats

Matthew 25:31-46

Everything Jesus has taught His disciples in the Olivette Discourse has been about two kinds of people: those who rule themselves, and those who choose to allow themselves to be ruled by God.

It has always been that way, and all the end-times events will be designed to bring that separation into sharp relief.

Those who allow themselves to be ruled by God will survive, even if they must endure great difficulty.

Those who refuse to allow themselves to be ruled by God will perish, even if they appear to have everything going for them in this life.

The first divide Jesus spoke of was between five wise virgins and five foolish virgins. The wise ones were those who allowed God to fill them with His Holy Spirit. These would be taken up in the pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church. The unwise virgins would be left behind to go through the tribulation events.

The next divide Jesus described was the condition of those waiting for the Rapture to take place, even though its delay was apparent to all. Some invested in the cause of Jesus Christ and some refused.

Finally, Jesus describes the divide among those who actually endure all the events of the tribulation – all the way to the end of the seven years of God’s wrath poured out upon the earth.

When Jesus returns to the earth to rule and reign for a thousand years, He will be seated upon His throne of glory at Jerusalem, and a great judgment will take place of those who have survived all the events. On His right hand will be placed the sheep; those who refused the mark of the beast and aided the Jewish people. On His left hand will be the goats; those who took the mark of the beast and only thought of themselves as they entered survival mode during the reign of the anti-christ. The final judgment will divide the self-less from the selfish.

-Pastor Bill

Waiting in Faith

Matthew 25:14-30

As He continues to explain end-times events to His disciples, Jesus has explained what it means to “be ready” for His return. (We learned that last week – You MUST be filled with the Holy Spirit.)

But what about the waiting part?

In our language, “waiting” conveys standing in line. Boredom. Wasting time. Nothing to do. Stuck in traffic.

Jesus teaches something entirely different. The LAST thing Jesus desires for His Church to be found doing as we wait for His return is nothing. We are to be an active Church – actively waiting for His return!

To ensure this, (even though He tells us He is going away for a “long time” – V19,) Jesus promises gifts. “Talents,” if you will.

These “talents” will be given on an individual basis, and we are not to be jealous of the gift someone else receives – but instead put to great use the gift we have received. And there are to be great uses for the gifts we receive…the greatest being to multiply them!

(Jesus also lets us know there will be an evaluation of how we have used the gifts we have received when He comes.)

But the revelation of this parable is that waiting is to be an act of faith. Our mind is not to wander, and our faith in Christ is to remain strong even as He tarries – waiting for that last Christian to be brought into the fold. Just as Jesus actively waits, we are to actively pursue that LAST Christian.

As our “talents” are multiplied, we may notice more and more people are coming to Christ. In fact, these new believers coming to Christ ARE the ‘multiplication’ Jesus speaks of.

Jesus desires to reach you, and all those you are capable of reaching in Him. Now, go get ready and do some waiting!

-Pastor Bill