The anticipation of Easter
Matthew 26:1-16
It is now Wednesday before Jesus is to be crucified. This is the moment that all of history had been waiting for.
Luke 2:49 (KJV)
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be
about my Father’s business?
Luke 9:51 (KJV)
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up,
he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
Jesus didn’t stay in Jerusalem much most of his ministry took place in the northern area around Galilee. Here he turns his face to Jerusalem to fulfill his fathers will.
The prophets wrote about this moment.
Isaiah 19:20 (KJV)
And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the
land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and
he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
Isaiah 53:7 (KJV)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Genesis 3:15 (KJV)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and
her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
All of History is centered around the event of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
All of creation was awaiting the moment that God would establish a new covenant with man. All the feast and rituals of the Old Testament were pointing people forward to this moment.
A covenant is different than a contract Contacts are broken when one of the parties fails to keep his promise. If, let us say, a patient fails to keep an appointment with a doctor, the doctor is not obligated to call the house and inquire, "Where were you? Why didn’t you show up for your appointment?" He simply goes on to his next patient and has his appointment secretary take note of the patient who failed to keep the appointment. A covenant is more like the relationship between a child and their parents. Isaiah 49:15 (KJV) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
If a child fails to show up for dinner, the parent’s obligation, unlike the doctor’s, isn’t canceled. The parent finds out where the child is and makes sure he’s cared for. One member’s failure does not destroy the relationship. A covenant puts no conditions on faithfulness. It is the unconditional commitment to love and serve.
New Way
Romans 8:3 (KJV)
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
In the old testament under the law, man had to keep the law. Under the new covenant man is justified by Grace and Grace alone
Priest would go in and make a sacrifice for their sins and his own sins
Galatians 3:24-25 (KJV)
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
The Pharisees tried to trap Jesus between the law and the new covenant when they brought the woman caught in the very act of Adultery to Him. If he didn’t stone her to death then He was guilty of not following the law, and if He did stone her then He wasn’t the friend of sinners. Christ decided not to answer the question, but rather said, "Let the one without sin cast the first stone."
New Hope
Hebrews 7:19 (KJV)
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
For the first time in all of history man has been given hope.
MAX LUCADO, in his book, Six Hours One Friday, tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily.
A hospital was not too terribly far away—across the river, but the Indians would not cross it because they believed it was inhabited by evil spirits. To enter the water would mean certain death. The missionary explained how he had crossed the river and was unharmed. They were not impressed. He then took them to the bank and placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn’t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist and splashed water on his face. It didn’t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river. Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He punched a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water and escaped. It was then that the Indians broke out into a cheer and followed him across.
That’s exactly what Jesus did! He told the people of His day that they need not fear the river of death, but they wouldn’t believe.
He touched a dead boy and called him back to life. They still didn’t believe. He whispered life into the body of a dead girl and got the same result. He let a dead man spend 4 days in a tomb and then called him out and the people still didn’t believe Him. Finally, He entered the river of death and came out on the other side. And this is the hope that we have today
New Life
The New convenant reversed the curse of death that was placed upon man in the garden of Eden. Under the New covenant we don’t have to face death. Jesus said at the tomb of Lazarus he that believeth in me shall never die.
