Easter, Part 1
Matthew 26:17-30
Introduction
- This morning we begin a 5 week mini-series on the Easter season
-- Every Sunday morning, for the next 5 weeks, we will examine a section
-- The Easter story is not just about Easter morning, but a culmination of events
-- Each event marches us closer to the promise, that death of a Savior; Christ
- It is in this study that I pray we would respond to the calling of Christ
- As we look to the Savior for a glorious HOPE of resurrection; we have trials
-- It is in these trials and life issues that we can gain strength from Him
- As we gather this morning – I urge you to clear your mind of the week ahead
- It is my prayer that in anxious anticipation we would desire to meet with Him
- CONSIDER: As Jesus gathered His disciples to celebrate the Passover, I often wonder if they knew that this would be the last time they would have to be with Him before His arrest. This morning, could be the last time YOU and I have to meet with Him before we slip into eternity … and it is my prayer that we would take it serious, and show God how much He means to us in our study.
- Stand and read Matthew 26:17-30 / Pray
Setup the story (need to set the stage for today’s message):
- Matthew 26:6-13 shows Jesus being anointed for death and burial
-- The woman who came at Bethany anointed Jesus with her most precious gift
-- Could have been used as a dowry; was equivalent of gallon of Chanel #5
-- As the disciples rebuked her, Jesus reminds them of Deuteronomy 15:11, “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”
-- APP: The poor will always be around us, and we should minister to them
- Following this event, we see where Judas joins the plot against Jesus
-- Zechariah 11:12, “I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.”
-- Exodus 21:32, “If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.”
- Exodus identifies thirty shekels of silver as the price of a slave
- Zechariah describes the Shepherd being given the insulting price of a slave
- Explain: From Matthew’s perspective, the scriptural background shows that all the events leading up to Jesus’ death were part of the divine plan
-- APP: God foreknew even the price that would be paid for Jesus to be betrayed
- Being called & named one of the twelve did not guarantee a right heart for Judas
Point 1 – Making the preparations (17-19)
- What Judas had done was set him on a collision course with Jesus
- As Jesus made preparations for His final Passover; the plot was already in motion
- The Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread was one of the three great Jewish festivals prescribed in the Old Testament and all Jews of Jerusalem and Judea were required to participate
- Passover/Unleavened Bread came at the early spring and so it was more difficult for those who traveled a great distance to attend that festival. However, it held preeminence among the festivals simply because without the first Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles would not have existed.
- An interesting thought is the time of the celebration coinciding with Jesus’ death
-- Exodus 12 tells us of the importance of this celebration (blood of a lamb used)
-- The Angel of Death passed over all those who applied the blood to the doors
-- Jesus was to be the sacrifice for ALL from this point forward
- Jesus’ instructions were simply that they enter Jerusalem, find a certain man, and announce to him that the teacher wished to eat the Passover at his place
-- He knows the right words to convince this man to rent them the room
-- The disciples went and did as Jesus said and prepared for the Passover celebration (APP: their obedience was all that mattered in this time)
- TRANS: So, the disciples and Jesus are eating together, and the night gets interesting
Point 2 –Predicting a Denial (20-25)
- Think for a moment about being in this dining party
- You are together with your closest companions, talking, laughing, & learning
- And out of the blue comes this prediction that ONE of YOU will betray Him
- Jesus had made several predictions of his death in Matthew’s gospel
- This is the first time that he identified one of the Disciples as a betrayer
The disciples asked “who”, but Jesus only replied that it was one who ate
-- Remember: This is a common dining, so all could have dipped from the bowl
- Verse 24 draws the focus closer. The expression "as it is written" shows Jesus’ understanding that his death was ordained by God
-- The way to the cross was the will of the heavenly Father
- However, using a betrayer for God’s plan did not excuse the one who betrays
-- Jesus pronounced a "woe," a word of judgment upon him. To say that it would have been better for that person to have never been born expresses the terrible severity of that judgment
-- This verse preserves the mysterious tension between divine sovereignty and human freedom
-- APP: God’s will is accomplished through sinful people, but that never justifies the sin(s) of those persons
- The betrayer is revealed: In verse 25 Judas is singled out for his question, "Surely it is not I?" The words are identical to those of the other disciples (v22) except for one significant difference. The other disciples had addressed Jesus as "Lord" when they asked, "Surely it is not I?" Judas addressed Jesus as "Rabbi."
-- Consistently in Matthew, the title "Lord" appears on the lips of disciples and genuine worshippers of Jesus. "Rabbi" has been reserved for Jesus’ enemies
- TRANS: BUT, from this betrayal comes God’s fulfilled covenant with us
Point 3 – A New Covenant for All (26-30)
- It appears clear that this meal was the traditional Passover meal
- The Passover meal would have begun with a blessing, the lighting of the lamps, and drinking of the four cups of wine with singing of Psalms and blessings
-- It is during the third cup Jesus would have offered “take, eat, this is my body”
-- In Jewish tradition that cup is called the cup of redemption
- Following the third cup and singing of Psalms there was a blessing
- This blessing is followed by the fourth cup and the conclusion of Passover
-- However, Jesus had declared at the third cup that he would not finish this Passover celebration with the fourth cup until he drank with his church in the coming kingdom.
-- APP: This would have been a shocking revelation to the disciples
-- Yet, even after they heard this they did not question and simply ended the meal
- For that reason, when they had sung the psalms their Passover was over and they left the upper room.
- As they celebrated, there was certainly nervousness amongst the disciples
- The disciples understood this tradition, and yet, they followed the Lord’s guide
- They did not spend time complaining, or asking questions
- Their goal was to spend time with Him, and listen to the Lord’s teaching
- However (KEY APP), their desire was to listen and heed, not worry/fret about this tradition or that; but to follow the Messiah in everything He did
Conclusion
- This new covenant that was given for all is exactly that, a covenant of HOPE
- It is a covenant that brings us promise for redemption if we will receive it
- Our Lord was betrayed by a friend; are we too betraying who He is to us?
- Do we spend our time with Him, or do we live like He is a distant relative
- This is where the Easter season becomes real; it’s where we must examine
- Are we living for Christ daily – following His commands – or our own?
-- Next Sunday we will examine a key event; how “the people” responded to Him
- Invite singers
- Today, we must look internally and ask: Have we accepted this covenant …
- Every eye closed/ every head bowed; are we prepared to receive HOPE/GRACE
- Do we live each day renewed because of what Jesus has done …
- Or, do we spend our time worried about the unknown because our focus is off …
- Pray
