Matthew 26:1-30
Skip Heitzig
Matthew 26 (NKJV™) | |
1 | Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, |
2 | "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." |
3 | Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, |
4 | and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. |
5 | But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people." |
6 | And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, |
7 | a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. |
8 | But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? |
9 | "For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor." |
10 | But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. |
11 | "For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. |
12 | "For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. |
13 | "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." |
14 | Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests |
15 | and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. |
16 | So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. |
17 | Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" |
18 | And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'" |
19 | So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. |
20 | When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. |
21 | Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." |
22 | And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?" |
23 | He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. |
24 | "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." |
25 | Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it." |
26 | And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." |
27 | Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. |
28 | "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. |
29 | "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." |
30 | And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. |
New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
As Jesus gathered with His disciples to observe the Passover one last time, He brought fresh meaning to a festival which had been celebrated for thousands of years. Rather than a memorial to their physical deliverance from bondage in Egypt, the meal represents His broken body and shed blood—and spiritual deliverance from sin for those who believe.
From its opening genealogy through its careful record of Old Testament prophecies fulfilled, Matthew's gospel forms a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In this in-depth study by Pastor Skip Heitzig we'll consider Jesus' ancestry, birth, public ministry, death, and resurrection, and we'll gain a clearer understanding of Jesus as both Messiah and King.
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Hebrew terms: פסח; Pesach - Passover ; l'shanah haba'ah birushalayim - Next Year in Jerusalem!; סדר; Seder- organized feast; הַגָּדָה; Haggadah - telling; חֲרֽוֹסֶת; Charoset; הלל; Hallel - praise
Publications referenced: Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper
Figures referenced: Graham Scroggie; Flavius Josephus; Francis Bacon; Jesse James; Louis XII
Cross references: Deuteronomy 15:11; Jeremiah 31:31, Jeremiah 31:33; Luke 2:42; Luke 6:12-13; Luke 22:8; Luke 22:10-11; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7
Father, we thank you for the gathering of the people together, your people, the family of God. We call this a sanctuary or a church. It's simply an auditorium where the church gathers. We are your church. We are your people, the sheep of your pasture, the people of your hand. We thank you for being such a great shepherd to us, taking care of us, all of our needs and besides that even blessing us above and beyond sometimes. Father, we're here to sing, we're here to praise, we're here to listen and apply and to commemorate that we have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, a lamb without spot or blemish. In Jesus name, Amen.
Turn in your Bibles to Matthew of Chapter 26. We happen to be in the right place for our communion service tonight. As you're turning there, let me tell you a story of what happened to me several years ago on my birthday. I got card, a birthday card. It's the kind that when you open up, it plays a song. It has a little speaker attached to it, a little computer gizmo and it was a song that tweeted out "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you." And I read it and I listened to it. It was sweet but this isn't something you're going to say if I threw the card away eventually. But get this, when I threw that card away, I threw away more computer power than existed in the entire Earth before the year 1950. Isn't that amazing to think about?
See, that is the problem with technology. Technology is great but it moves so quickly. There's never a finished model. You get the phone now, it's outdated in six months. Am I right? You get the computer now, there's going to be a new model or a new app or a new operating system. You are never quite there. It's the frustrating part of technology.
If you look at the scriptures in the Old Testament, you have a system that is an incomplete system. It anticipates something greater that is coming. Yes, God could be accessed in the Old Testament through a series of animal sacrifices, the shedding of blood by which a person could approach God. But it was never quite enough. It never quite did it. It was like old spiritual technology. It was like Approaching God 1.0. And yes, things were added to it, prophets came but it was never quite enough because you see, sin was only covered. It was never removed, just covered over temporarily. So, that is why the Old Testament anticipates for the sake of analogy, better technology in the future.
Jeremiah Chapter 31, God says "The days are coming" saith the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. A new covenant with my people and I will put my law in their mind, in their hearts." He anticipated that the Old Covenant would pass away and something new would come because it was needed.
In Chapter 26 of Matthew, we come to the apex of the book. We're entering into the moments, hours, days before the crucifixion of Christ. The Passover meal was about to be celebrated. Interesting in every Passover meal, there's parts that different family members play. And the part that a child selected in the family is to play at every Passover is to ask a very key question. Sometime in the meal, the child selected will ask out loud, "What makes this night different from all other nights?" That's the set up question because the father, the host will talk about the deliverance of the Children of Israel out of bondage into freedom by God. They're taught to see this night is the special night, but indeed above and beyond just the Passover celebration with Jesus Christ bringing new meaning to the ancient Passover celebration. This night would be an incredibly special night because the lamb that the Old Testament anticipated would be a lamb that would once for all take away the sin of the world and that would be Christ.
That is why the great Bible teacher Graham Scroggie, he's a British guy who lived several years ago and wrote some great books on scriptures. He said, "If you cut the Bible anywhere, it will bleed." It all speaks of this impending sacrifice and said that same author "All pre-New Testament history looks forward to the cross while all post-New Testament history looks backward to the cross."
So in Chapter 26, we read in Verse 1, "Now it came to pass, when Jesus have finished all these sayings that he said to his disciples," now, all of these will lead up to the upper room and meaning with the Passover meal. "You know that after two days is the Passover and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified." Then the chief priest describes and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest who is called Caiaphas and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and to kill him, "But they said not during the feast less there be an uproar among the people."
There were three festivals that the Jews kept at Jerusalem every single year, the Passover. We're dealing with that here. Fifty days later, Pentecost, and in the fall time of the year, the Feast of Tabernacles. By and far are the greatest of all of the three feasts was the Passover, the "Pesach" in Hebrew. It was so monumental that every adult male and in Judaism that's like 12 years and above who lived within a 15-mile radius of Jerusalem, it was compulsory that they show up in Jerusalem during the Passover.
And beyond that, it wasn't just that you have to go, everyone who is Jewish and lived anywhere else in the land or in the world dreamed that one day they would be able to go to Jerusalem and celebrate Passover. They would say, "L'Shana Haba'ah B'Yerushalayim," next year in Jerusalem. That was their prayer. That was their cry. "Oh! That we one day would be able to go to the Holy City and celebrate the Passover next year in Jerusalem." And a part of their prayer was this, "May the Messiah speedily come in our day." That was the ritual that was being set up every single year, so you can see this Passover would be extra special because of what is about to take place.
A little background. According to the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, on one Passover alone around the time of Christ, not at the time but around that time, the number of lambs that were sacrificed in the temple precincts was 256,000. Some of the ancient writers tried to tie a 10 person minimum per lamb at the Passover meal to be eaten. So, many scholars conservatively say that the population swelled in Jerusalem at the time of Christ to at least two and a half million people. It was just crammed full of people. Priests killed the lambs within a two-hour period and they would kill -- there were hundreds of priests. They would kill about two lambs per minute per priest. It would become this huge ritual of the slaughter of the lamb, the lamb given to the family and it would be taken off to be eaten for the Passover.
If you were to walk around Jerusalem 2,000 years ago at the Passover, you would notice things are very different during the festival. The streets were cleared up, cleaned up, all of the sepulchers, the tombs were newly painted white so you'd never walk on one and defile yourself by touching the abode of a dead person. But if you were to go out in the streets, there would be discussions about the Passover. There would be songs being sung about the Passover. There would be children's games and riddles and word puzzles just to get everybody oriented toward the special time of the year. Now that is the Passover and it happened on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan. Nisan not the truck company or the car company, the Jewish month, Nisan, in the springtime of year, March-April, our March-April. On the 14th day of Nisan, the lambs were slaughtered. On the 15th day, the very next day began a whole other feast called the Feast of Unleavened Bread from the 15th to the 21st day of Nisan. And so all of this festivity was taking place at the time.
Verse 6, "And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him having an alabaster flask, a very costly fragrant oil and she poured it out on his head and at the table." But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant saying, "Why this waste?'" Now, let's back up and understand the scene. In that house, on that night -- and the other gospel writer speak about this. It was a meal. If you were to combine Matthew, Mark, Luke and even John, there was a meal going on in the house of Simon the Leper. There were at least 17 people at that meal, probably more but at least 17. There was Jesus, his 12 disciples. There was Lazarus who had been raised from the dead recently, his two sisters, Martha and Mary and Simon, who's called Simon the Leper. Now, we have to just underscore the fact that he would be called Simon the Leper not because he had leprosy at the time. He was Simon the ex-leper. He had been healed by Jesus and he was there at the meal. He was there in Bethany at the table, celebrating Jesus, Lazarus, the guest of honor and Simon, the ex-leper. But he's still called Simon the Leper probably because he was just known in the village as Simon the Leper. He had it for years.
I found a little bit of history. If you were to stand on the Mount of Olives and some of you have, if you look directly west, you're looking down at the City of Jerusalem, the wall around it, the temple mount, Mt. Zion behind it. If you were to look off to the West from the Mount of Olives, you look down toward Jericho and the Dead Sea. On the slope of the Mount of Olives, just over the other side was the town of Bethany. That's where Lazarus lived, that's where Martha and Mary and his two sisters lived. That's where Jesus hung out a lot when he was in Jerusalem. But according to the Essenes -- have you heard of the Essenes before? Have you ever of that name? It was a group of very severe living people down by the Dead Sea. According the Essenes, Bethany was the place where sick houses were, where people were gathered together who had ailments and they were being nursed back to health and there was a leper colony in the area. So it was not uncommon to see sick folks and it would certainly be a place for Simon the leper to gather.
Now at this meal is Simon, is Lazarus. And according to the other texts of scripture, Martha, his sister is serving and Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus and Mary is the one that has the expensive oil pouring it upon Jesus. All of that is this set up.
Look at Verse 8, "But when his disciples saw it, they were indignant saying, "Why this waste?" If you were to read the Gospel of John, compare this with the Gospel of John, John gives you the rest of the story. It really was spearheaded by a certain disciple. Now I'm sure that his animosity spilled out with some of the others but who was the one disciple with the bead? Judas the Iscariot. And John tells us why Judas was the one that was so angry, "Why this waste?" Now when you hear that and I'll tell you why he would say that because the kind of oil that she was pouring was very, very expensive. It was called oil of Spikenard and Spikenard was something that grew in Northern India. It had to be imported. It had a fibrous root anywhere between three and 12 inches long and it would shoot out between 30 and 40 spikes per plant. And at the tip of those spikes were little oil pods of an earthy fragrant oil use for ritual baths as well as burial. Very expensive. Probably she had about $10,000 worth, scholars agree on.
So when you hear the disciples go, "Why this waste?" It sounds so noble. It sounds like, "Yeah, we want this guy on our board because he's going to say if you make expenditure, "Hey, you shouldn't be wasting God's money." It sounds really noble. But again John tells you the rest of the story. It says that was because Judas was kleptase, a thief, kleptase. We get the idea of kleptomaniac from that. And the word kleptase means somebody who steals by a carefully prescribed program. In other words, somebody who had plotted out the income that comes in and over a period of time was extracting money. John Chapter 13 tells us Judas was the treasurer. So he didn't want to loose control of any money going toward or around Jesus. He wanted it for himself so that he would have more money to steal. But some of the other disciples must have got caught up with it as well.
For this fragrant oil, say these disciples, whoever they are or spearheaded by Judas might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But when Jesus was aware of it, he said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for me. For the poor you have with you all always but me you do not have always. For in pouring out this fragrant oil on my body, she did it for my burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial for her." Judas was critical of Mary and Judas was hypocritical before God. Judas is what we would call a sin sniffer, a fault finder. You know the type? If you're around him or her, they are always -- they're little legalistic sensors that are always out. They're sniffing for sin. They'll look, finding fault with anything and everyone. Critical of Mary, hypocritical before God.
You remember on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, first remove the speck from your own eye before you -- or excuse me before you -- when you see a speck in your brother's eye, first remove the telephone pole from your eye basically. The moat, the beam, the speck, the log remove that so that you're able to see.
I have a brother who has been a golf pro for a number of years and I was with him and I was asking him about different drivers to use because my balls don't always go straight when I hit them. They go off to the right a lot or if I try to correct, they'll go off to the left when I try to make a drive. So he said, "Well, here's a good club for you Skip." It's about that big around, the driver head, it's huge. So I said, "So why is bigger better?" He says, "Because the way it's constructed, it's a more forgiving club." I said, "Explain forgiving." He said, "It's got a bigger sweet spot. You have more surface between the toe and the heel of that club so that if you hit the ball like you hit the ball erratically, sometimes in the middle but not usually, sometimes on the heel and the toe, it's going to be more forgiving and it will give you a straighter shot over all. It's more forgiving. That's a bigger sweet spot." And I heard that and I thought, "Wouldn't it be great if more of us Christians had a bigger sweet spot?" Not like Judas, not critical and hypocritical but a sweet spot of being forgiving.
And not assuming that this woman has bad motives in pouring this out but good motives. So Jesus rebukes the disciples, Judas included. And notice he says in Verse 10 and Verse 11, "For you have the poor with you always but me, you do not have always." Now don't misunderstand that passage. He is not endorsing poverty or saying that we should be apathetic in the face of human suffering. He is simply giving us a better prescription for divine stewardship that in all of life there ought to be a priority. Now first of all, Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy Chapter 15, where God brings them into the land, speaks through Moses in that Chapter, Deuteronomy 15 and says, "For you will always have poor in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. Therefore, says the Lord, "Open your hand to the poor."
And so Jesus quotes that to simply say, "There's always going to be opportunities for you to show a good deed to those who are poor." However, now is the opportunity for this woman to do something for her Lord that she won't ever be able to do again to extravagantly pour out this gift and she's doing it. And Jesus said, "For my burial." If you look at all of the gospels together, "She's doing it for my burial." In other words, she's giving Jesus roses before the funeral. And sometimes people never get around a person or give him a gift or show them love, but then at the funeral, here is a bouquet of flowers. She's giving the flowers before the funeral. She's showing his love before he dies.
There are certain things in this life that you only have the opportunity to do right now. You will never have the opportunity to do once life is over. Once you die, once you're off this earth, you will never again be able to write a check that you can give for the Lord's work in furthering his work upon this earth. You can't do that when it's all over.
Another thing you can't do is you can't witness once you're in heaven. You're not going to witness to -- who will you going to witness? Who? Peter? The apostles? Are they believers who are in heaven? Now is that time. Now is the time for certain opportunities that we can use our resources for. And once that opportunity is past, it's over with. So Jesus says in that vain, in that spirit, "The poor you have with you always, but me you do not have always. For in pouring out this fragment oil on my body, she did it for my burial. Assuredly I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."
Then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot and he went to the Chief Priest and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver. So from that time, he saw an opportunity to betray Him.
Francis Bacon once said, "A bad man is worst when he pretends to be a saint." Have you heard the name Jesse James? When you think of Jesse James, do you think of a church going Christian or do you think of a murdering thief? Think of a murdering thief, it's because he was. He held up banks, he held up trains, but get this. On one occasion Jesse James held up a train, shot somebody and then afterwards he went to church to worship. He got baptized in the Courtney County Baptist Church and joined the choir. He said he love Sundays. He loved Sundays. But he could not always make Sundays because he was out robbing trains and killing people.
Back to Francis Bacon's word, "A bad man is worst when he pretends to be a saint." Here's Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, going to betray Jesus Christ. "What will you give me?" They counted out 30 pieces of silver. Now I want to inform you about a theory and then I want to quickly correct it. There is a theory that says, "That Judas was really just trying to force Jesus hand to prove that he was the Messiah. That Judas Iscariot believed Jesus to be a political Messiah because all the Jews, even the disciples at that time thought, the Messiah is coming immediately now and going to setup His kingdom and His politically be in charge of all of the world."
So Judas was anticipating a political Messiah, trying to force his hand to get Him arrested in the garden so that when the Roman soldiers come that would be his show of glory to overturn the Roman Government and setup his Messianic kingdom. That he was just trying to push Jesus into a quick act. He was forcing his hand that he really believed he was the Messiah. In part, that is true. He did expect Jesus to be a political Messiah.
However, according to scripture, he's called the Son of Perdition. The scripture paints a picture that there is no hope for Judas that he has lost eternally. So it seems more possible that he thought he was going to be the political Messiah. And he wanted a cabinet position in the kingdom. But the night that that woman poured that expensive oil on Jesus' feet and here at Matthew on his head and Jesus commended her for doing that and rebuked Judas and the other disciples.
At that point, Judas knew he's not going to set up a political kingdom immediately but a spiritual kingdom. And then he turned on Jesus and that's when he went out to betray him. That seems to make more sense.
Verse 17. Now, "On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus saying to him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" And he said, "Go in to a city" the city, that is Jerusalem to a certain man and say to him, "The teacher says, "My time is at hand, I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples."
According to the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke, the disciples that were sent were none other than Peter and John. Remember there was an inner circle, there were the 12 but there was the inner circle of Peter, James, and John. Peter and John were sent in to the city. It was Peter and John who, on resurrection day, ran to the tomb together after the reports of the women that there was an empty tomb.
So, Peter and John went in to the city and according to Luke, Jesus said, "When you go in to the city and you find a man carrying a pitcher of water, you go to that man and you say, "Show us the room where my master is going to celebrate the Passover." The reason the man carrying a pitcher of water would be a tip off is that in that culture on those days, typically women did the heavy lifting. They carried the pitchers of water. So to have a servant, a male servant carrying the water would be able to be spotted in the crowd. "You'll find that man go talk to him." And so it was a large upper room where they gathered together. It says, "And they prepared the Passover."
Verse 19, "So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover." When evening had come, he sat down with the 12. Now as they were eating he said, "Assuredly I say to you, one of you will betray me." Now stop for a moment.
As much as I appreciate Leonardo da Vinci and all that he is contributed to art and invention, Leonardo has done "You and I at the service." In painting, The Last Supper. It's the most famous painting of The Last Supper. You know the painting I'm talking about. It shows them all in one side of a long table, all leaning inward for the picture. And sort of like, "Okay, smile." Right? They're all leaning in. That's not what happened. That's why it say, Leonardo was done a disservice.
The meals that were celebrated in those days were on the ground. And the table was a U-shaped table, a U-shape table called a "Triclinium" because it had three sides like a U, three sides. They didn't sit down. The word in Greek literally is they reclined. And the idea is that you would lay on one side, resting your elbow on a pillow. You would be flanked on your side with your feet away and back from the table. And they all were in that semi-circle and that U-shaped table, not behind the camera or facing the camera like Leonardo pictured it.
So they sat down or they reclined. And then Jesus announced, "Assuredly I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were exceedingly sorrowful. And each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?" Anyway, the question is asked is a rhetorical, "No." That's the answer they would have expected.
But of course at this point, Jesus telling this information would fill them with all sorts of anxiety and self-doubt, "Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I?" was the repeated question. He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed, it wouldn't have been better or good for that man if he had not been born." Then Judas who was betraying Him answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" And he said to him, "You said it." In other words, yes. It's in the affirmative. I have a question.
Why did Jesus pick Judas the Iscariot? If you think back to when it happened, Luke Chapter 6 is one of those Chapters of the Bible that explained Jesus picking the 12 to be around Him. They're all named and it says in that Chapter that Jesus first, before choosing them spent all night in prayer to His Father. Jesus certainly knew what was going to happen. He says then after He prayed, Jesus shows and the 12 are listed and it says, "And Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him."
Jesus, we know was on mission. He knew what people were thinking. He could read their thoughts. He knew in advanced that the man that I am choosing is going to betray me. So, why did He pick him? For two reasons that I can think of. Number one, that the scripture might be fulfilled. The scripture predicted it. Jesus always lived in the knowledge of all things. He knew all the information. Like I said, He could read thoughts. He was on mission. He could read minds. He can make predictions of the future, things that hadn't happened yet. He was fully aware of what Judas was capable of doing and what he would do but He picked him that the scripture might be fulfilled. He often says that in regards to Judas.
Here's the second reason and it speaks to us. Love to be loved must be vulnerable and whenever you are vulnerable, there's a chance. In fact and I say there's a guarantee that you're going to be hurt. He knew that there would come the day where that sword of despair would go through his own heart because that man whom he loved and tried to reach out to repeatedly would betray Him. He knew it. But love is vulnerable and vulnerability hurts.
I've had people who have come to me after being hurt by past relationships. And the question is, "Skip, how can I guarantee that I won't get hurt again?" Well, how do you answer that? There is no guarantee. If you're going to love someone, you're going to put your heart on the line and you will get hurt at some point in that process. If you think you can live with the shelters so that you'll never get hurt, it's not going to happen, not going to work.
When two people get married they say vows to each other. For better or for worse, not for better or for best, not for richer or for richest, not in good times and better, sickness and in health until death do us part. To love is to be vulnerable. To be vulnerable is to be hurt. So Jesus picked Judas knowing what was coming, reaching out to him through the entire process of three and a half years.
And that's the big difference between Donald Trump and Jesus Christ. If this were Donald Trump, he would look at Judas and say, "You're fired!" But in that upper room, at that triclinium, John was to the right of Jesus, Judas was to the left of Jesus and both those places were considered the place of honor at the table. Only do you get that spot of the table by the invitation of the host. Jesus had to have said, "Judas, I want you here next to me." Reaching out to the very end knowing that he would be hurt and betrayed.
And Judas, Verse 25, who was betraying Him answered and said, "Rabbi, is that I? And he said to Him, 'You said it." John Chapter 13 says, "When they had eaten in the morsel that Jesus dipped and gave it to Judas." As soon as he had eaten in a morsel that Satan entered into him and Jesus turned to him and said, "What thou do is, do quickly." Judas got up and walked out into the night.
We're going to go down to Verse 13 and we're going to close tonight and were going to take the Lord's Supper because this gets us to the very supper itself, the very Passover meal itself. Verse 26, "And as they were eating, that is eating the Paschal meal, the Passover supper. Jesus took the bread blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take it, this is my body." And He took the cup and gave thanks.
He gave it to them saying, "Drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins." But I say to you, "I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom." And when they had a song of hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Paschal meal, the Passover supper was all ready by this time and Judas has made formalized meal. It was called the Seder Feast. The Seder means the ordered or the organized feast. There was an order to the service of the meal. And in modern times, it's printed out in a booklet called the "Haggadah" which you can kind of go blow by blow. But basically the Passover meal in ancient times or in modern times revolves around four glasses of wine that are raised for commemoration purposes, all speaking of their history.
The first cup was the cup of blessing, the Hallel. The cup was raised. The host welcomes his guests, the family and he offers the blessing in Hebrew, "Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, bo'rei p'ri hagafen." Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe who gives us the fruit of the vine. That's the Kedushah and the blessing was then -- the cup was then taken afterwards among all of them.
Second was the cup of judgment. Now judgment is part of the wine that was in the glass was sprinkled, like the blood was sprinkled on the doorpost in Egypt. And the host would tell the history of the Exodus coming out of Egypt, coming out of the bondage, the judgment of God upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Then the host would take some bread and break the bread and dip the bread into bitter herbs, speaking of the bitter bondage of the past and dip it into a little paste called Charoset, which was honey and nuts and apples that spoke up the mortar that was used in ancient times made by the slaves for Pharaoh.
Then that cup was taken. That's the second cup. It was the third cup in the meal called the Cup of Redemption. And in the third cup, the Cup of Redemption, Jesus raised it and said, "This is the cup of my blood, a New Covenant that I'm making." And that cup was taken. After the second cup between the second and the third, the meal was eaten. So you have the first cup, the second cup, giving the history, dipping of the bitter herbs. The Passover lamb was eaten, the long leisurely meal. And once that was done, the third Cup of Redemption was raised and at the very end of the meal was the fourth cup. That was the cup of praise, a Hallel Psalm, a hymn was read and sung. And that's why in Verse 30 it says, "When they sung a hymn," its part of that Seder Feast, they went out to the Mount of Olives. All throughout their history, at every Passover meal in Jerusalem, in Galilee, around the world these components were being done in the Passover, Seder at that time. They have done it throughout their history. They have done it for thousands of years.
But now Jesus Christ is transforming an ancient meal into a different meaning. No longer does this speak up the temporary physical bondage out of Egypt but the permanent spiritual deliverance from sin. It's my blood. It's my body that is broken. And Jesus said "You will do this often and you will do it in remembrance of me.
Now get this. Jesus told them to do it. That's the Lord Supper. That's what we're celebrating tonight. Do it often, do it in remembrance of me. And I thought of something when I was going through my studies this week. In fact, I saw it as a case for taking the Bible literally. Have you ever talked to me and say, "Well, you know you take the Bible literally and you --" the Bible is never meant to be taken literally.
So listen to this, Jesus gave his disciples a command and told them to do something. Did they see that as a figurative command or a literal command? As a literal command. They actually did get together and break bread throughout churches. We're beginning with the early church. Acts Chapter 2, they devoted themselves to the Apostles' Doctrine. Breaking bread, that's the second on the list, fellowship and prayer.
In Acts Chapter 20, they were breaking bread every single week. It says when the church got together, the first day of the week, to break bread. That was the celebration of the Lord's Supper. So they took it and applied it literally. Okay now, when it comes to today, we're never told when Jesus said, "Do it often." How often? He didn't say do it often, every week, everyday, once a month, once a year. He didn't say. He just said do it often.
Some churches, some people do it every single day. Some people do it every single week. We do it once a month but we encourage people on your own, in your homes, in your own fellowships with the other small groups to take the Lord's Supper. I take it every single week with the group of my staff, members up in my office in between services. They took the Lord's Supper and I spoke to them of God's great forgiveness through the Passover Lamb, not the Passover Lamb in Egypt, but what that lamb spoke of in the future and that is our Messiah. I'll close with a story.
King Louis XII, the King of France, wasn't always the king. He had enemies. Oh yes, he ascended to the throne and yes, he ruled over France. But before he ascended to the throne, he was a prisoner, kept in prison by his enemies. Once he was released then he was coronated, his enemies were in morbid fear that the king would destroy all of them. In fact, King Louis XII adviser said, "Kill all of them. Exact revenge on your enemies. They sinned against you. They tried to hurt you. They put you in prison." King Louis decided that he wouldn't do that. But rather, he ordered a document to be written with all of the names of all of the people who had committed crimes against him.
Then he took -- and at the end, at the end of their name, he wrote a cross in red ink after each name. When his enemies heard about that, they thought, "That's our death warrant. He's marking it with red ink that signifies our blood. He's going to kill us." He took the document with the messenger to his enemies before he released them and said, "The cross that I placed after your name is not punishment but a remembrance that just as Jesus forgave his enemies while he was hanging on the cross, so I am pardoning all of you as your king." And that cross was to remind not them but him, the king that he was forgiven by the blood of the savior. And that he would extend forgiveness to those who had sinned against him.
You and I were marked men and women marked for death, all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, the way Jesus have seen his death. There's a cross in the blood of Christ attached to your name where God like in the ancient times has passed over your life, passing over the execution of judgment because all of the judgment has already been taken by Jesus himself.
Would you bow your head and pray with me and then I'm going to ask two of our pastors to take us to the steps of the Lord's Supper and then we'll break up and baptize.
Father, we stand here tonight after looking at a text of scripture that just happens to interface perfectly with what we're doing tonight and being obedient to you in taking these elements. We thank you Lord that not only are we gathered here but our family or believers is gathered in Santa Fe as well that there's just a few miles that separates us and them but the Spirit is the same, the Savior is the same, the work of God is the same. There are also people that are watching by internet and perhaps gathered with friends or family members or bible studies also taking these elements, thank you. Thank you that Jesus knew all about what was going to happen, announced it, walked into it with the full confidence that his act would be enough to take away our sin. And thank you Lord as we see how Jesus treated Judas all the way up to the very end when Judas' heart was just so hardened that we have in Jesus the beautiful example of the extension of love, acceptance, the willingness to forgive and a heart that was made vulnerable although he knew from the beginning who would betray Him and how.
We marvel to that and we thank that Jesus could forgive us from the cross that and we certainly could forgive one another. These elements speak of that. In Jesus name, Amen.
Male: On your chair there should have been a little cup of grape juice as well a cracker on top. Let's begin by peeling off the top and taking out that little cracker. As Pastor Skip just read, Jesus gave us the example, He gave us the model and He began with the breaking of the bread. And he said that it represented His body broken and we read that in I Corinthians 11, Paul pointing back to this Passover Supper, his first model that Jesus gave and he said that it represented his broken body. And we recognize that as Pastor Skip has said many times, this great exchange occurred, his brokenness for ours.
The world is a broken place, isn't it? And as we take this, we recognize that we can be healed and we can be made complete because He was broken. Let's pray.
Father, we do remember your broken body, broken for us. And as I hold this cracker in my hand, it just happens to be broken and we can break this and as we chew it in our mouth, it's broken and we're reminded of your body. That you gave freely and you allowed it to be broken so that we could be made whole. And so we take this now and we celebrate and we say, "Thank you Jesus for taking our brokenness and making us whole, Amen." Let's take the cracker together.
As Pastor Skip read this evening here in Matthew, for this is my blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remissions of sins. Are we not a blessed people because he has made us new? Are we not blessed that we can sit here in front of the Savior who has shed his blood on your behalf and my behalf? Are we not blessed people because he has forgiven us of our sins? And are we not blessed because he's given us the opportunity to honor, to worship Him and adore Him in this memorial? So as we pray, thank Him, bless Him, honor Him. You will not be disappointed in how he will continue to work in your life as you do so. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending your Son broken on our behalf, bleeding Lord for the sins of this world. And we thank you Lord that that sin has been wiped away from our lives because of his bruises, because of his inequities. So we give you all honor, all glory, all power Lord this evening, thanking you for what you are doing in our life individually and collectively but we humbly submit ourselves fresh and anew remembering Lord what you have accomplished on our behalf. And Lord let this be a reminder not only of what you have done 2000 years ago but what you're doing now in our lives presently and what you will do in the future when you come for us again. So Father, we take this in celebration of which you have done for us. And we pray this in Christ's name, Amen. Let's partake together.
Date | Title | Watch | Listen | Notes | Share | Save | Buy | |
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9/7/2011 completed
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Matthew 1:1-18 Matthew 1:1-18 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary As we turn our attention to the New Testament, Pastor Skip explains what transpired during the 400 years of silence since the Old Testament. Our firm grasp of the political setting, language, and Matthew's purpose and perspective establishes a solid foundation for understanding his gospel. In Matthew 1, we see Jesus revealed as the royal Heir to the throne of David—the Messiah, Immanuel: God with us. |
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9/14/2011 completed
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Matthew 1:18-2:23 Matthew 1:18-2:23 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Every year people around the world recognize the birth of a poor Jewish child born in an insignificant city. The birth of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Scriptures, beckons us to worship and obey the King of the Jews. Let's examine Matthew's account of the miraculous circumstances of the nativity and the prophecies it fulfilled. |
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9/21/2011 completed
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Matthew 3 Matthew 3 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest man among those born of women. John saw himself in the light of who Jesus is: not even worthy to loose His sandal. From the womb, he was filled with the Spirit, continually pointing people to Christ. Let's consider this powerful prophet, his ministry, and the message he preached. |
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9/28/2011 completed
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Matthew 4:1-17 Matthew 4:1-17 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Prior to the start of Jesus' public earthly ministry, He was led up to be tempted by the devil. As we review His encounter with Satan, we uncover important principles of spiritual warfare. We consider not only when and how Jesus was tempted, but also how He fought—and the ministry that began on the heels of the battle. |
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10/5/2011 completed
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Matthew 4:18-5:4 Matthew 4:18-5:4 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Leaving life as they knew it, the disciples followed Jesus and became intimate witnesses of Jesus' teaching, preaching, and healing. As we dive into this portion of Matthew, we turn our attention to their calling and listen in as Jesus begins the greatest sermon ever preached. |
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10/19/2011 completed
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Matthew 5:5-16 Matthew 5:5-16 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary The economy in God's Kingdom is quite different from that of the world: it's paradoxical; it's progressive. Let's consider the Beatitudes and discover what kingdom living looks like, and how it impacts those around us. |
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10/26/2011 completed
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Matthew 5:17-32 Matthew 5:17-32 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary The multitudes listening to Jesus teach were undoubtedly shaken by His powerful statement: "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). How, then, could one be saved? As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we remember that salvation is not available through human achievement--only by divine accomplishment. |
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11/2/2011 completed
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Matthew 5:33-6:8 Matthew 5:33-6:8 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we'll grow in our understanding of the contrasts between the world and the kingdom of heaven. Followers of Jesus are called to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees—a righteousness based on our genuine relationship with Christ, rather than mere outward obedience. |
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11/9/2011 completed
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Matthew 6:9-34 Matthew 6:9-34 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus taught His disciples to pray in this manner: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we learn that when we make God's kingdom our focus, He provides everything we need. |
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11/16/2011 completed
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Matthew 7 Matthew 7 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus calls His followers to live differently from the world -- to live a kingdom lifestyle. In this study from the Sermon on the Mount, we consider what kingdom living looks like in both our relationships with others and our relationship with God. |
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12/7/2011 completed
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Matthew 8:1-26 Matthew 8:1-26 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Throughout his gospel account, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah. Building upon the foundation of fulfilled prophecy, Jesus' identity is authenticated by miraculous signs. As we examine Matthew chapter eight, let's consider the compassion and grace Jesus demonstrates. |
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1/18/2012 completed
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Matthew 8:23-9:9 Matthew 8:23-9:9 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Matthew carefully crafted his gospel to speak directly to the hearts of his Jewish audience. Through his detailed record of Jesus' genealogy, fulfilled prophecy, Jesus' actions, instructions, and miracles, Matthew proves that Jesus is Messiah. Let's take a close look at several of those miracles, and gain a firm grasp of His Deity. |
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1/25/2012 completed
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Matthew 9:10-31 Matthew 9:10-31 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary To the Pharisees, tax collectors and sinners were part of a lower, unpleasant class. But Jesus longed for fellowship with all people. He shared intimate meals with them, ministered to their needs, and reached out to the unlovely. As we study this passage in Matthew 9, we learn how we are also called to be heralds of the good news that brings spiritual health and enduring joy. |
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2/1/2012 completed
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Matthew 9:32-10:31 Matthew 9:32-10:31 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary The Lord calls His followers to proclaim His message to the world—we are appointed to carry out a divine purpose. We learn in this study that we, like the apostles, find abundant life only in letting go of our own ambitions, plans, and comfort. |
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2/8/2012 completed
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Matthew 10:32-11:19 Matthew 10:32-11:19 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In His second major discourse of Matthew, Jesus equips and instructs His apostles about going into the world and reaping the spiritual harvest. In this passage, Jesus expounds on the courage needed to complete the mission and warns His followers of certain persecution. He reminds us that while not all who hear will believe, God's wisdom is powerfully demonstrated in changed lives. |
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2/15/2012 completed
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Matthew 11:16-30 Matthew 11:16-30 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In order to truly worship God, you must know Him. Speaking clearly and openly in this passage, Jesus proclaims some of His strongest warnings and makes some of His most intimate promises. He reveals the Father to His followers and assures us that life lived under His rule yields peace and rest. |
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2/22/2012 completed
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Matthew 12:1-21 Matthew 12:1-21 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Though God intended the Sabbath to be a day of rest, keeping the Sabbath became difficult work by New Testament times. The oral traditions of the Pharisees had become weighty burdens-burdens the Lord did not mean for His people to bear. In this passage, Jesus demonstrates mercy and the true intent of the Sabbath as He and His disciples meet physical needs in the face of strong opposition. |
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2/29/2012 completed
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Matthew 12:22-42 Matthew 12:22-42 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Though our current culture embraces a form of spirituality, the biblical view of God, Satan, and good versus evil has been dismissed by most. Ignorance and indifference cause them to relegate Satan to the stuff of fairy tales and myth. In this study from Matthew 12, Jesus demonstrates His authority over the devil and his minions--giving us a glimpse into the supernatural and a reminder that, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). |
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3/7/2012 completed
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Matthew 12:43-13:17 Matthew 12:43-13:17 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus consistently brought His message of hope to the common man: He spoke in parables to bring revelation to His followers and to conceal heavenly truth from the hard-hearted. In this message, we examine parables of our Master Teacher and Holy Judge, and discover that truth can be a blessing, but also a curse--we must be diligent to understand and apply God's Word to our lives. |
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3/14/2012 completed
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Matthew 13:18-52 Matthew 13:18-52 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus often used parables to explain spiritual truth to His followers. In Matthew 13, His seven kingdom parables are recorded--word pictures which explain the beginning, opposition, expansion, and culmination of His kingdom. Let's consider His teachings and apply these lessons, so that we may be fellow workers with Him in spreading the good news. |
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3/21/2012 completed
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Matthew 13:53-14:36 Matthew 13:53-14:36 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this passage from the gospel of Matthew, we see powerful examples of the results of both faith and the lack of it. Those who might have known Jesus best failed to trust in Him and missed out on His work in their lives, while others were carried through the storm in His care. As we consider our own trials, we should rest in His hands, knowing He has power to change us and use our lives for His glory. |
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3/28/2012 completed
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Matthew 15 Matthew 15 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary God is less concerned with the outward appearance than He is with the inward attitude. In this passage, Jesus boldly proclaims truth in a confrontation with the Pharisees, warning his followers to avoid hypocrisy. We also witness His tender response to the persistent faith of a Gentile woman, and His mercy for the multitudes. As we study Matthew 15, let's consider our own approach to Him: Do we recognize that we cannot live without Him? |
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4/11/2012 completed
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Matthew 16:1-20 Matthew 16:1-20 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Through stern rebuke, gentle prodding, and powerful teaching, Jesus instructs those around Him about who He is and how we can know and serve Him. Matthew 16 records several lessons in faith - warnings and wisdom which encourage us in our own spiritual journey. |
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4/25/2012 completed
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Matthew 16:21-17:27 Matthew 16:21-17:27 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. From this passage, we gain a clearer understanding of what it means to exalt Him as King in our lives and also get a preview of His future glory, when He will reign over all the earth. |
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5/2/2012 completed
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Matthew 18 Matthew 18 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary How should sin be dealt with? As we examine Matthew 18, we learn not only to deal radically with sin in our own lives, but also the steps toward reconciliation with a sinning brother. |
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6/13/2012 completed
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Matthew 19 Matthew 19 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In the U.S., the lifestyle of Christians often mirrors that of unbelievers--divorce, self-indulgence, misaligned priorities. Using God's Word to teach lessons about divorce and eternal life, Jesus exhorts his followers to enter the kingdom of heaven--to live in wholehearted faith and obedience to the Him. Let's consider what Scripture says about godly living and the reward Jesus promises to His faithful followers. |
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6/20/2012 completed
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Matthew 20 Matthew 20 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary As followers of Christ, what awaits us in eternity? In this study, we consider not only our eternal home but also our eternal reward. Saved by grace through faith, we must see beyond the circumstances and status of this world, and look toward our future glory. |
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7/11/2012 completed
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Matthew 21:1-32 Matthew 21:1-32 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this intriguing passage, Jesus enters Jerusalem in a precise fulfillment of prophecy. It's an exciting study, where those who know they need forgiveness find refreshment and hope—and those who rely on their own righteousness receive a stern rebuke. |
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7/18/2012 completed
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Matthew 21:33-22:22 Matthew 21:33-22:22 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus taught with complete authority, denouncing the misconceptions of the religious leaders of the day. With skill and precision, Jesus uses parables and their own words to silence their challenges and expose their motives. Let's consider His words, heed His warnings, and remember that He alone is righteous and worthy of praise. |
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7/25/2012 completed
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Matthew 22:23-23:39 Matthew 22:23-23:39 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In dealing with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus speaks wisely, uncompromisingly, and with the authority of heaven—His Words shoot straight to the heart. Though many try to fit Jesus into their pre-conceived mold—to accept Him and His Words only as far as they are comfortable—we learn here danger of that the perilous position. |
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8/1/2012 completed
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Matthew 24:1-30 Matthew 24:1-30 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this passage—the Olivet Discourse— Jesus provides a summary of end time events: the future of the world. We look forward to the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus, but those found outside of Christ face unparalleled suffering and judgment. Let's contemplate the wrath of God that's in store for this world—and share the hope of the gospel with those who don't yet know Him. |
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8/8/2012 completed
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Matthew 24:31-25:46 Matthew 24:31-25:46 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this section of the Olivet Discourse, we consider Jesus' Warning Parables. As we examine the text, let's remember that while the church escapes judgment, many are left to suffer the Great Tribulation. We must be righteous, be ready, and be responsible. |
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8/22/2012 completed
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Matthew 26:31-75 Matthew 26:31-75 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Following the Last Supper, Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane and willingly surrendered Himself to the will of the Father: Jesus was crushed for our sin, abandoned to the Cross, so that we might have fellowship with Him. As we study Matthew 26, we consider the spiritual battle before us, the choices we make, and the ultimate victory that is ours through Jesus Christ. |
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8/29/2012 completed
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Matthew 27:1-50 Matthew 27:1-50 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this message, we see the ultimate demonstration of God's love—the cross. Jesus, the King of the Jews, was betrayed, falsely accused, illegally tried, scourged, and ultimately crucified. As we consider the details of His crucifixion and death, how could we be anything except amazed and humbled? |
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9/19/2012 completed
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Matthew 27:50-66 Matthew 27:50-66 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary As He hung on the cross, betrayed by his friends and separated from His Father, Jesus declared "It is finished!" Victorious, not defeated—He completed the work the Father gave Him to do. In that dark hour, the grave gave up some of her dead, the earth quaked, and in the temple, the curtain that separated men from God was torn from top to bottom. As we study this text, let's consider the price Jesus paid to redeem us and the personal, intimate fellowship with God now available. |
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9/26/2012 completed
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Matthew 28 Matthew 28 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus' resurrection: great news for His disciples—troubling news to his enemies. As the chief priests grappled with a cover up, the disciples met with the risen Lord and were commissioned to "Go and make disciples of all the nations." As we consider our text, we discover the good news for ourselves: Jesus is not dead—He's alive and has all authority in heaven and earth. |
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