Title: From Gethsemane to Bethany with the
Savior
Text: Matthew 20: 17-19
Date: May 5, 2013
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Today,
each believer here is remembering our Savior as we take the bread and wine of
our Lord’s Table. Our Savior commands
his saints, “This do in remembrance of ME.”
So we are taking…
Title: From Gethsemane to Bethany with the Savior
Our
Savior tells us where we will go and what we will see on this walk with the
Savior:
Matthew 20: 17: And Jesus going up to
Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and the
Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes and
they shall condemn him to death 19: And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to
mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise
again.
Proposition:
On this walk, we will remember the gracious person of Jesus Christ the Savior
to teach and protect his people and we will remember his suffering and death
whereby he accomplished our eternal redemption.
I. WE HAVE COME TO THE NIGHT OF OUR LORD’S
BETRAYAL.
They observed
the Lord’s table and sang together. Now we go to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Christ Who Did No Sin was Made Sin for His
People
Matthew 26: 36: Then cometh Jesus with them
unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here,
while I go and pray yonder. 37: And he took with him Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding
sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Satan
was, no doubt, throwing everything he could at Christ to tempt him to turn away
from going to the cross. But the
exceeding sorrow of his soul was most of all from the thought of being made sin
before the holy Father he loved. Christ
was without sin. Sin was an abomination
to him. But now Christ must be made the sin of his people.
Illustration: The closest thing you and I can even sort of compare to
an abomination to us would be falling into a full septic tank. In fact, between this garden and the cross,
Christ would pass over the brook Kedron which was the sewer line leading out of
Jerusalem.
Christ knew that when he was made sin, not only would he
bear the shame of what he hated, but also, because God is holy, God must
forsake him. God must forsake him to declare God righteous—just and the
Justifier of those who believe on Christ. God is declared just—not as much by
the fact that he would not pass by OUR sins, but in the fact that when Christ
was made sin, God would not spare HIS OWN ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. So the human nature of Christ was engulfed in
sorrow. It caused Christ to be in an agony. So much so, he sweat great drops of
blood.
Christ is the
Faithful One
Yet, even as his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death, we see the perfect, sinless, faith of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 26: 39 And he went a little further,
and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me: NEVERTHELESS not as I will, but as thou wilt.
What perfect faith! It is not sin to
say, “Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me.” But remember Christ
said, “If any man come after me, let him deny himself—“not as I will”—and take
up his cross--“but as thou wilt”—and follow me.”
Application: May God give us grace to follow Christ, with this
attitude in all things—not as I will, but as thou wilt.” God always knows what
is best for us, for the glory of God, for the people of God, and for the cause
of God. But ONLY God knows what is best.
Christ Shall Deal Patiently with us Weak Saints
Then,
again we see the patience and tenderness of our Savior in the midst of his
unparalleled suffering.
Matthew 26: 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth
them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41:
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak.
I have
heard men quote “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” as an excuse for
their sin. That is not why Christ made
the statement. He is saying that is why we ought to watch and pray, that we
enter not into temptation—because the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh
is weak.
Then
Christ went back two more times to pray,
Matthew 26: 42: O my Father, if this cup may
not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
God did
not remove the cross for he must bear it—for God’s glory and the good of his
people. But God sent an angel from heaven which strengthened him. So when we are like Paul, praying three times
asking God to remove our thorn, Christ, having experienced the grace of God in
our flesh, can say into our hearts, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my
strength is made perfect in weakness.” Here,
Christ shows us that it is he protecting us and not we ourselves.
Matthew 26: 45: Then cometh he to his
disciples,..
They
were asleep just like they were each time before. They did not hear what Christ said. He says this to teach us.
Matthew 26: 45: and saith unto them, Sleep on
now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man
is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
He let
them sleep because they would need their rest. So Christ, who has not slept
since the night before, who is about to face another day without sleep, full of
unimaginable suffering, and who knows it, stands watch so his disciples can
sleep. And it was only when he saw the
torches of the guards approaching that he said,
Matthew 26:
46: Rise, let us be going: behold, he is
at hand that doth betray me.
Application: Believer, when you see the faithfulness, the patience
and the loving care that Christ took with his disciples on this night when he
faced such agony of soul, be assured that now as he sits peacefully upon his
throne, he shall protect you and teach you with the greatest tenderness and love
that unchangeable love and grace can give.
Christ is God in Control Over All
So now
let’s wake up, and be going to the scene of our Savior’s betrayal.
Matthew 26: 47: And while he yet spake, lo,
Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a GREAT MULTITUDE WITH SWORDS AND
STAVES,…
Here is
why they came with all these carnal weapons, because they came
Matthew 26: 47…FROM the chief priests and
elders of the people.
Carnal religion uses only carnal weapons to
promote their god, which is themselves.
Matthew 26: 48: Now he that betrayed him
gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him
fast.
Christ
warned us, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matt. 7:15; (2 Cor 11:
13-15) It is a sad that such men only tell other sinners to “hold Christ fast”
when they are betraying Christ into the hands of his enemies.
Matthew 26: 49: And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed
him. 50: And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?
Christ
knew. But Christ asked this question for
Judas. “Friend”—reminding Judas Christ had done only good to him. “Wherefore
art thou come?”—you have come to betray God, to betray the only one who could
save you from yourself, from your sin, from death and from hell.
Matthew 26: 49:…Then came they, and laid
hands on Jesus, and took him. 51: And, behold, one of them which were
with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a
servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy
sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the
sword.
The
weapons of the believer’s warfare are not carnal—Christ is declaring that God’s
kingdom is not established by the strength of our flesh: only by the
righteousness of God, only by the power of the Holy Spirit, only through the
preaching of the gospel. For the
scriptures must be fulfilled.
Zechariah 4:6 Then
he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto
Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the
LORD of hosts.
Matthew 26: 53: Thinkest thou that I cannot
now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions
of angels? 54: But how then shall THE SCRIPTURES BE FULFILLED, that thus it
MUST be? 55: In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as
against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you
teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56: But ALL THIS WAS DONE,
that the SCRIPTURES OF THE PROPHETS MIGHT BE FULFILLED.
Christ said, ‘No man takes my life, I lay it down
of myself.” Christ is God. He was in
complete control of this situation—because the scriptures MUST BE FULFILLED. Now, look at this sad note,
Matthew 26: 56:…Then all the disciples forsook him, and
fled.
This too was written in the scriptures.
Zec
13:7: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my
fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be
scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Application: Brethren, this shows us why God does not
depend upon our carnal weapons and wisdom and wills. Just a few hours earlier, Christ quoted them
this scripture. They said, "We will not forsake thee" (v. 35). And they
did not have to run—the Lord had just commanded the soldiers to take him and
let them go free. (John 18:8). They had just seen Christ, with a word, make
these soldiers all fall backwards.
Yet, when God took his hand
off them, left to their own strength, they all forsook their Master. What is it
we will not do? We are weak, helpless
sinners. Salvation is of the Lord.
II. NOW WE GO TO
MEET CAAIPHAS THE HIGH PRIEST
Matthew 26: 57: And
they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high
priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed
him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the
servants, to see the end. 59: Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the
council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60: But found
none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the
last came two false witnesses, 61: And said, This fellow said, I am able
to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62: And the high
priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which
these witness against thee? 63: But Jesus held his peace.
Why? For it is written, “as a sheep before her shearers
is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Is 53: 7)
Matthew 26: 63: And
the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God,
that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64: Jesus saith
unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see
the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven.
Christ made sure he understood that the Son of God is God
the Son. And the high priest understood him.
Matthew 26: 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes,
saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?
behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66: What think ye? They answered and
said, He is guilty of death. 67: Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted
him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68: Saying, Prophesy
unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
Application: Let me speak to the man trusting his law-keeping. Anger in the heart is murder. Can you bear what Christ bore without
sinning? 1 Pet 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when
he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously. Only Christ suffered and
did no sin. You know and I know—we could
not.
III. NOW WE GO
BEFORE PONTIUS PILOT
Matthew 27: 11: And
Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou
the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. 12 And when he was accused of the chief priests
and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then
said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against
thee? 14 And he answered him to never a
word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
Pilot asked them who they wanted released, Christ or
Barrabbas—they cried Barrabas, he said what do you want me to do with
Christ—they yelled, Crucify him, crucifiy him!
These same ones who before sang Hosanna’s.
Matthew 27: 26: Then released
he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him
to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of
the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole
band of soldiers. 28 And they
stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his
head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and
mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30
And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him,
they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him
away to crucify him.
IV. NEXT, WE WALK
WITH THE SAVIOR TO GOLGOTHA.
Matthew 27: 33: And
when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a
skull, 34 They gave him vinegar to drink
mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his
garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast
lots. 36 And sitting down they watched
him there; 37 And set up over his head
his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with
him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
Christ Shall Call Every Lost Sheep
Truly,
having loved his own he loved them till the end. Even while hanging on the cross, Christ
called one of his elect—one of these thieves to faith in him.
Application: Always have hope for your loved ones. If he saved this thief in the last hour, he
can save others in the last hour.
Everyone
that passed by was speaking the gospel though they meant it only to mock
Christ. But God saves through the
truth. And one thief was his elect
child. He heard the gospel spoken in
truth by these dead men as they mocked Christ hanging on the cross.
Matthew 27: 39: And they that passed by
reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And
saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save
thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
He is
the temple he was speaking of. He told
them, Destroy this temple. And in three
days, I will raise it again. And he did.
Matthew 27: 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him,
with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He
saved others; himself he cannot save.
They
did not mean to do it, but they declared the truth of substitution. Truth is, because he saved others, by bearing
their sin in his own body right then on that tree, himself he cannot save.
Matthew 27: 41:…If he be the King of Israel,
let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
Men
still seeking a sign, thinking they had power to believe if they just saw a
sign—the Sign is hanging on the cross in front of them—the most incredible sign
any man ever saw—and yet not one believes except by the Spirit of God.
Matthew 27: 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now,
if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
Again
they unknowingly, declare the truth—he did trust in God. He is the Son of God.
Matthew 27: 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with
him, cast the same in his teeth. 45 Now
from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
But
thou art holy, and I am a worm and no man.
God is righteous. God will by no
means clear the guilty—not even when it is his own Son. But by this very work, God also declares he
is the Justifier. That is God hanging on
that cross. God providing himself a
Lamb. God fulfilling his law for his
people. God making his people
righteous.
Matthew 27: 47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard
that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 48
And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with
vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether
Elias will come to save him. 50: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud
voice,--IT IS FINISHED!—yielded up the ghost.
Now, I
have been saying, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. Watch what happened when Christ said it is
finished.
Matthew 27: 51: And, behold, the veil of the
temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;
The
whole law of Mt. Sinai was just completed!
It reached the end for which it was given. 70 years later, God leveled the whole city to
the ground just as Christ said he would.
Matthew 27: 51:…and the earth did quake, and
the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were
opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his
resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
And
truly all for whom he died, arose in him.
Matthew 27: 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were
with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done,
they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
So the
Jews for fear of breaking the Sabbath day took the body of the true Sabbath
down off the cross. And Joseph of Ariamatheia came and asked Pilot for his body
and buried him in his own tomb.
V. NOW LET’S WALK WITH THE RESURRECTED
SAVIOR.
Luke 24: 13: And, behold, two of them went
that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about
threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked
together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they
communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with
them. 16 But their eyes were holden that
they should not know him. 17 And he said
unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to
another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And
the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only
a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass
there in these days? 19 And he said unto
them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which
was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which
should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since
these things were done….25 Then he said
unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have
suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets,
he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither
they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with
us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry
with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he
sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and
gave to them. 31 And their eyes were
opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our
heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened
to us the scriptures? 33 And they rose
up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered
together, and them that were with them, 34
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35 And they told what things were done in
the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 36: And as they
thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them,
Peace be unto you. 37 But they
were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye
troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I
myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me
have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he
shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and
wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish,
and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it,
and did eat before them. 44 And he said
unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet
with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of
Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures, 46
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father
upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power
from on high. 50: And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up
his hands, and blessed them. 51: And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he
was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Acts 1: Says
two men appeared, 11: Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus,
which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen him go into heaven.
Luke 24: 52: And they worshipped him, and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53
And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.
Mark 16: 20: And they went forth, and preached every
where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs
following.
Application:
The Savior told his disciples,
Matthew 16: 24: If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25: For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life
for my sake shall find it.
We must
deny ourselves—not my will, but thine be done. We must submit to his rule and
authority and give him all the glory for we have nothing to glory in. We must take up his cross—suffer with
him. We must follow him—we saw today
some of the suffering involved in following Christ. Sinner, will you come after Christ? Now, believer, let’s remember him around his
table.
Amen!