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

Ready in Waiting

Matthew 25:1-13

In Matthew 24:36-44, Jesus employed the Hebrew wedding ceremony as an example of how it is Christ will return for His Church.

Given His pictorial representation of the pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church in the Olivette Discourse, those who heard His words at the time He spoke them may have been confused about any allusion to The Church - but they would not have been confused when they heard His words pertaining to Hebrew wedding customs.

Everyone would have understood everything He said pertaining to any references He made concerning the groom returning for his bride. (They would know nothing of The Church because it did not exist yet.)

On the other hand, from our vantage point, (which is a very privileged position in time,) we can see The Church clearly, but know little or nothing about Hebrew wedding customs. We must learn of the Hebrew wedding customs in Jesus’ time in order to more fully understand what Jesus teaches about the pre-tribulation Rapture of The Church.

Here, in Matthew 25, Jesus extends His teaching on the subject. (The Olivette Discourse continues in this chapter.)

Lest any in The Church doubt Jesus is speaking of a Hebrew wedding in His teaching about The Rapture, Jesus drives the point home as He continues speaking.

Without directly talking of a wedding as He talked all about a wedding previously, here He speaks directly of a Hebrew wedding to reinforce the illustration for those who need to understand exactly what He is talking about.

Previously He spoke about the required readiness in waiting for His return, (which will come at an hour “My Father only” knows,) He now teaches us exactly what is required to be considered “ready.” This we need to know more than anything in life.

There is no mistaking what Jesus says here. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit when Christ returns (as a groom) for His Church. And the ONLY way I may be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be born again. There are no exceptions. Being in church is not enough.

-Pastor Bill

Always Be Ready for the Wedding

Matthew 24:36-51

Arranged marriage is no longer practiced in this time in this country.

But throughout history, (and even in this country in earlier times,) arranged marriage was not only practiced – it was common. There are countries in the world today, (India in particular,) where arranged marriage is still widely practiced.

In Israel, in Christ’s time, arranged marriage was common. When Jesus begins to speak of the Rapture of the Church, (admittedly in a veiled way,) He uses the motif of a Hebrew wedding ceremony to explain what is about to happen when His Church is caught up to heaven.

He speaks of this in a couple ways: 1) That no one knows the day or the hour of the “ceremony” but the Father, and 2) That those who are a part of the wedding party need to always have “oil” in their lamps.

How fascinating Jesus speaks of the Rapture of the Church as a wedding ceremony!

Indeed, when we look over in Rev 19 we see that we, (The Church,) are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. We also read in the New Testament that His Church is referred to as the “Bride of Christ.” Is it any wonder we teach a personal relationship with Christ? Can religion fit into this scenario at all? (As Paul might say, “Absolutely not!”)

And so we go on with our lives knowing at any moment Christ will return for His Church. Since the restoration of Israel in 1948, there is not a single prophetic declaration remaining in God’s Word which must be fulfilled prior to the Rapture of the Church. Indeed, the Rapture of the Church is the next event on God’s prophetic calendar - and it is imminent.

Therefore we must always be ready for Christ to return for His bride - at the very moment His Father instructs Him to. We must be as careful as one watching for “a thief in the night.” We have little time to tell our friends and loved ones about Christ. We need to be wary of His soon return. And when He comes, what will I be found doing?

-Pastor Bill

Still God’s Chosen People

Matthew 24:15-35

Some have said God is finished with the Jewish people, due to their rejection of Him and because, (so they say,) “they crucified His Son.”

They are wrong.

People who were Jewish may have been physically involved in the crucifixion of Christ, but it was our sin that killed Him. We are ALL guilty of His death. The Bible teaches us Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to bear the sins of mankind, and to make Himself an offering for sin.

The same ones who say God is finished with the Jewish people also say The Church has replaced Israel in Bible prophecy – and that all of God’s Word which speaks of Israel yet future actually speaks of Israel only as a type of The Church, which The Church now fulfills by its existence. These people were literally upset when Israel came back into the land in 1948, claiming Israel no longer had any right to exist.

They are wrong about that too.

Of the most prominent observable facts of Matthew 24 are Jesus’ declarations pertaining to Israel, (the Jews,) yet future. God is not finished with the Jewish people – and God is certainly not finished with Israel, and The Church has certainly NOT replaced Israel as God’s chosen people. He still has His eye of love upon them. (Paul amplifies God’s love for the Jews yet future in Romans 9 – 11.)

Many are confused by Jesus employing the term “elect” as He speaks of the Jewish people in this passage – incorrectly thinking the use of ‘elect’ always refers to The Church, since The Church is referred to by that term so often in the New Testament. But God’s Word also refers to the Jews as ‘the elect of God,’ as well as those tribulation saints yet future.

Jesus warns us early on in Matthew 24 not to be deceived about end-times events. One of the most prominent deceptions historically has been about God being finished with the Jewish people. Jesus dispels that notion completely in Matthew 24:15-35.

-Pastor Bill