Having Victory in your Life

 The Eternal Victory of the King

Book of Matthew Chapter 28

There is so much of this world that knows about the Lord Jesus Christ that His existence cannot be denied!

All human history has been transformed by the person of Jesus Christ!

Even the calendar was changed because of the truth of Jesus Christ.

The Roman ruler of the known world acknowledged the truth of Jesus Christ.

So we can see that the resurrection from the dead of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important event in all of history.

It is the greatest day for all Christians and all humanity!

You cannot be a Christian and deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Word of God does not give Christians the option of denying the deity of Jesus Christ!

You are not a believer, if you deny the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You are not a believer, if you deny the true life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You are not a believer, if you deny the "bodily" resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we say the "Good News" the "Gospel" then these are the things that should come to mind!

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Verse 1

*****Mat 28:1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 

Sunday, the first day of the new week should remind all who have been "Born Again" that we cannot die. Oh, we may give up this wicked body of flesh, but our souls are bound for Heaven to be forever with our Holy God.

Sunday is the Lord's Day!

As Saturday, some say the Sabbath, the day of rest ends, we should lift our eyes toward Heaven and on the Lord's Day gaze upon the face of our Creator. 

Sunday is the "Day of the Lord" and the day we need to worship the Living God!

It is the day to claim the Word of God for the coming week and all weeks in our future.

It is the day to show our gratitude for all the things our Lord has provided and to thank Him for all the things He has promised to provide!

It is the day to show the world we truly love the Lord.

It is a day to lift our eyes toward Heaven and just "Praise the Lord"!

It is the third day after the Lord Jesus was buried that Mary Magdalene and that other Mary, which to me means she was not the mother of Christ Jesus.

Surely the mother of our Lord would not have been described as "the other Mary".

She may have even been the sister to the Mother of Jesus as there were many forms of the name Mary such as Miriam.

We know at the death of the Lord Jesus she was with Mary the mother of Christ.

Joh 19:25  Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 

It was these two Marys, that came to the tomb at the dawning of that Sunday morning.

*****Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 

Mat 28:3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 

Mat 28:4  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 

As these two saints of God approached the location of the Tomb of Jesus there was suddenly an earthquake.

We should note that no one saw the Lord Jesus Christ exit from that tomb.

In fact the Lord Jesus Christ had left this tomb before any of these things occurred.

This angel had rolled away this stone that had been rolled into place by Joseph of Arimathea.

Mat 27:59  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 

Mat 27:60  And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 

We must never think that this angel removed the stone for the Lord Jesus to exit the tomb. He removed the stone so these women and any others could look into the tomb and see that Jesus was no longer there.

There had been at least four soldiers guarding the tomb of Jesus from the moment He was buried, and it can be said that these hardened soldiers became so afraid that they passed out.

Mat 27:63  Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 

Mat 27:64  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 

Mat 27:65  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 

Mat 27:66  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. 

This also should give us some idea of how we may react when we first see the Lord face to face.

Every precaution was taken to ensure that no one came to remove the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Savior did not need any help to leave that tomb!

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

We should also understand that these guards, once they awoke, were also afraid for their own safety.

This tomb was like a jail in the sense that a guard could be executed for allowing a prisoner to escape, especially one whom the government had taken such precautions.

We should understand that the power of God is awesome, but it can also be terrifying.

These guards witnessed things that were unbelievable, and they did not know what to do.

Remember these were hardened soldiers who had been through many of the wars of Rome.

They became so afraid of their lives they went to the Chief Priest rather than their own commanders.

For these women, they did not know what to think, seeing all these things. Their only concern was for our Savior.

This is also a great lesson for us.

No matter what is going on in this world, we must stay focused upon our Savior!

This angel answered because he understood the conversation that was taking place between these women.

*****Mat 28:5  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 

Mat 28:6  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

We can be sure that these believers were afraid just as any of us would have been.

This angel calmed their fears by saying "I know you are seeking Jesus".

The same Jesus who was crucified because there is only one Jesus Christ.

It is this one event that brought recognition to Christianity even though it is still being denied.

These women saw a real angel and maybe two according to the Book of Luke.

Luk 24:3  And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 

Luk 24:4  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 

Luk 24:5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 

It is possible that there were even more angels about the tomb only showing their selves to converse with those who came.

These angels appeared as men and nowhere in the Bible do, we see women mentioned as angels. 

Angels are the messengers of God!

These women had no reason to fear because they came because they loved the Lord!

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 

Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself to be crucified for all mankind, but it is important that we believe this!

2Co 5:14  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 

2Co 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Knowing these women still had doubts these angels said come and see.

Much of the world had an opportunity to see the truth of the Lord, but the Lord Jesus said we need to have "faith".

They also told these two Marys to tell His disciples that the Lord Jesus had risen from His death and was going to Galilee just as Jesus had told them.

As they hurried to tell the disciples they met the Lord Jesus Christ who called out to them.

We can read about this thing in the four Gospels, and we can believe them all as the truth.

We should note that the Lord Jesus used the phrase "my brethren" even at this time.

The one thing we know for sure about these things is that this tomb is still empty, it was only needed for three days.

When those guards awoken, they feared for their lives so much so they reported to the Chief Priests rather than their own commanders, for they would have been put to death!

They may have even taken the money they were given and left Israel.

*****Mat 28:11  Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. 

Mat 28:12  And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 

Mat 28:13  Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 

Mat 28:14  And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 

Mat 28:15  So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 

1) We should understand that there is no excuse for trained soldiers to fall asleep on guard duty.

There were enough of them that they could sleep in shifts.

This thing would be under the penalty of death for a Roman soldier to do such a thing.

2) The followers of Jesus Christ had no motive to steal the body of Jesus Christ. 

The things that He had said He would do could only occur if He was in that tomb.

The disciples never made such a plan to kidnap the body of Christ.

What could they have possibly done with the body of Christ if they did possess it?

3) We should understand that the theft of the body of Christ would have been a Capital Crime punishable by death because the tomb had been sealed with the seal of Pilate and that of Rome.

None of the disciples were ever brought to trial nor arrested.

4) These soldiers realizing these things went to the only place that might save them from death.

They realized they may have seen an act of God.

They were very familiar with the false gods of Rome who were said to have such powers.

5) They were certain that no one would believe what had happened to be the truth.

So we see the Chief Priests and the Elders of Israel sough to discredit these things the soldiers reported.

It seems that money still works to buy a new story or to create lies.

What we need to understand is that the truth will always prevail.

Pro 12:19  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 

Pro 12:20  Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. 

Treachery had been used to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ.

An illegal court had tried Him.

False charges had been brought against Him before Pilate.

Now bribery was being used to discredit the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As believers we know that the truth will always prevail.

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

We know many things the disciples did from the other three Gospels, but we now read where the disciples went to Galilee just as the Lord Jesus instructed.

*****Mat 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 

Mat 28:17  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 

We see that Matthew closes out what the Holy Spirit gave to him with the command to all Christians.

To Matthew the Lord Jesus Christ was the Son of David as prophesied and the soon coming King of Israel and King of all the world.

Mat 1:1  The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Mat 5:35  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Now Matthew writes that the Lord Jesus is risen just as He had said.

Now in the power of the resurrection, we are all to go forth proclaiming the Lord Jesus and His eternal kingdom.

The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee to meet their Savior as He had instructed but some still had doubts that Jesus would be there.

We can trust what the Lord tells us because He would never lie to us!

We have appointed places where we are to meet the Lord and we should never doubt that He will be there!

1) We will meet Jesus in our worship if it is in Spirit and Truth.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Our worship is not where we go, our worship is where Jesus is at, and He is only in places that preach the truth!

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

2) We will meet Jesus in our Bible study.

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

3) We will meet Jesus in our prayers.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

4) We will meet Jesus in our devotions.

There is a good chance that not just the eleven disciples met the Lord Jesus at Galilee.

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 

1Co 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 

1Co 15:6  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 

1Co 15:7  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 

1Co 15:8  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 

We should be able to say that more than 500 people, some believing and some in doubt until they saw Him, if we need more proof of the Resurrection Messiah.

The Lord Jesus is real, and He is our Savior and He will return as the King of this world!

If you want to remove your doubts just go and visit the Lord Jesus Christ and you will find Him.

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Though many still doubt, believers know that the Lord Jesus Christ has the power of God because He is God!

*****Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

The Lord Jesus has the power of God for one main reason, to save those who are lost.

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

To those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ, you should know that you will still bow to Him.

His authority is over all the known universe and all the invisible creation.

He is the Lord of the angelic host.

Isa 2:12  For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

The Lord Jesus Christ will rule this world for 1000 years!

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The most important thing to the believer is His power to forgive sins.

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 

There is no one or nothing that has more power than the One True God!

The power of the Lord Jesus Christ gives us confidence that our sin has been forgiven and we have that personal relationship with our Creator.

He asks only one thing of us.

*****Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

Some mistake this as a commandment only to Pastors and Preachers and other such men but this commission is for every believer!

There is no more important Scripture in all the New Testament!

As believers we are to replicate ourselves.

We are to go each of us to make disciples who will then go forth themselves in a continuous fashion.

The Church is set forth as a place to worship the Messiah.

The next phase of the Church is to make disciples.

Any other business of the Church comes after these two things have their priorities in place.

Feeding, clothing, and helping others beyond the teaching of the "Gospel" should never be undertaken until these commandments of the Lord are working as commanded!

The Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save and He gave His life to accomplish these things.

What did He teach us?

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Teach the "Gospel" no matter where we are located understanding that wherever God has placed us is our mission field.

Baptizing is just making a public confession of our faith, but our Lord Jesus was baptized, and we should follow in His ways.

We must know that God is a Holy Trinity that cannot be denied.

The Lord Jesus says, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Spirit) which is Jehovah God the Great "I Am" of the Bible.

After our salvation we are to follow as best we can in all the things of Jesus Christ.

To ignore these things is to reject the truth of the Messiah!

What the Lord Jesus Christ did must be studied and studied to the point of learning so we can teach others.

The things that the Lord Jesus Christ taught should rule in our life and our societies today.

Our world has reached this point of wickedness because the Lord Jesus Christ has been rejected!

We must understand we are never alone; the Lord Jesus is with us forever, even here on this earth and forever with us when he takes us home to a place prepared for us!

Amen

The Salvation Plan of the One True God

 The King Paid the Debt of Sin

Book of Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 26-31, 39-44, 46-50

Just so we know, for Jesus Christ to be crucified, He was nailed to the cross as it lay flat on the ground.

Each hand was extended, and stretched as far as they could be stretched.

Both feet were pulled together and stretched and one nail through both feet.

The cross was then raised up and thrust into the hole that was prepared with a violent shock, with the intent of causing the joints of the body to become dislocated.

The whole weight of the body hung upon those three nails.

The pain was tremendous and lasted until death, which in most cases was not very long.

In mockery, a mixture of true wine and gall was offered to help with the pain, but the death was real.

This type of punishment was used only by the Romans, and only upon slaves and the vilest of criminals!

The Lord Jesus Christ was tried for treason against the Roman government, and even Pilate knew He was innocent of this crime.

Barabbas was found to be guilty of sedition and murder and kept in prison to be crucified on the day that Jesus took his place.

A great lesson it itself and a great type in the Bible.

The Lord Jesus Christ died for the vilest of sinners!

The guilty was set free, while the innocent was slaughtered upon a cruel Roman cross.

*****Mat 27:26  Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 

Barabbas was guilty of all charges brought against him and was guilty of much more that was not known.

The purpose of the scourge was to weaken the body of that person, who would then be crucified so that they would not live through the next day.

In fact, hundreds of them did not live through the scourging.

The Roman scourge was not an ordinary whip, but had at least eight leather thongs added to it and they loaded with lead and armed with sharp bones and spikes.

Every blow cut deeply into the flesh causing intense pain.

Our Savior was stripped of His clothes and wrapped around a pillar and His back suffered tremendously.

Isa 50:5  The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 

Isa 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 

Isa 50:7  For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 

Isa 50:8  He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 

Isa 50:9  Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. 

It is after this that the soldiers took Jesus into their own common hall and mocked Him.

*****Mat 27:27  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 

Mat 27:28  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 

We now see Our Lord Jesus in the hands of cruel wicked Roman soldiers.

We see Satanic hatred of the Messiah.

Scarlet colored robes were worn by superior officers and this robe may even have been a worn by Pilate. 

Such a robe would have been cherished by his private guards.

After these Roman soldiers had their mockery of the Lord Jesus Christ, He was sent to Herod where Herod’s soldiers would not be out done by the Roman soldiers.

Here the Lord wore a purple robe. Those in power of the Jews and their soldiers clothing had to be distinguishable so there would be no confusion of the people.

Then Herod's soldiers place on our Lord Jesus a purple robe of the type kings wore.

Luk 23:11  And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 

Joh 19:5  Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 

The robes of Christ Jesus are a great Bible study!

Add this one:

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

This is the robe our Lord Jesus will wear when He returns to "Judge" this world!

Just a robe was not enough to satisfy these wicked Satan inspired men.

*****Mat 27:29  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! 

Mat 27:30  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 

Mat 27:31  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.

Mockery is a shameful act for anyone to take part in.

The Lord Jesus had already said he had not come to be the King of this world and at this time He was certainly no rival to Caesar as these things are still in our future.

A crown of thorns was a painful thing, but we can be aware that when the Lord Jesus sees us now, He sees us through the blood that poured from His head down to His eyes.

Heb_9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will be much more than just King of the Jews!

Then these cruel men took it upon themselves to beat the Lord Jesus on His face and spit upon Him.

To a Jew being spit upon was a matter of great reproach.

This gives us an idea of how the Roman government felt about the Jews and much of the world today still feel this way.

Our Lord Jesus never said a word.

Isa 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

It was only after all these things that our Lord Jesus was sent to that cruel cross.

*****Mat 27:39  And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 

Mat 27:40  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. 

You know, the mockery of the Lord Jesus Christ did not cease at His death, it is alive and well today.

Today you cannot bash the so-called transgender people.

You cannot bash the so-called gay movement.

You cannot bash the BLM movement.

You cannot bash Antifa.

You cannot bash the abortion industry.

But the bashing of the Christian is allowed and even encouraged!

So be it, bash me if you will, just remember the Word of God is the truth and the truth will always be the truth!

Prophecy reads:

Psa 22:6  But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 

Psa 22:7  All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 

Golgotha was near a road that saw much traffic, and passersby were numerous without counting those who just wanted to see our Lord suffer.

The fact remains that most of those who passed by did not know why the Lord Jesus Christ was even crucified, and just trusted the government that He was guilty of something when He was totally innocent.

We cannot always trust what our government is doing to be the right thing to do, especially today!

We can trust that all those mocked the Lord are now wishing they had not!

Psa 109:25  I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads. 

As far as power goes, the Lord Jesus Christ could have saved Himself at any time.

As far as prophecy goes, the Lord Jesus Christ was committed to saving my soul and the soul of every believer.

Jesus Christ seemed to have failed in His mission.

Satan was feeling great confidence.

The Jews, the hypocritical religious leaders, were now confident they would keep Rome's affection.

God was laughing at these foolish people.

The Lord Jesus Christ was carrying the sin of the world to Hell where it belonged, and Satan will one day soon join that sin and burn with it!

The Lord Jesus Christ claimed a great success!

His purpose for coming to this earth was being fulfilled and in about 40 days, the Church would be born with 11 disciples and 109 Jews who loved the Lord enough to serve Him.

The enemies of the Church mistook a minor victory, in their view, for a complete and total failure!

Jehovah God cannot be defeated!

You see the enemies of the Church were never satisfied with the death of Jesus Christ, they were filled with hatred and revenge and abuse, when true criminals were not even noticed.

We can see that these things have not changed today!

The Lord Jesus Christ had not claimed to be King, He will upon His return!

He did claimed to be the Son of God and He had proved that over and over again with the miracles and the other things He had accomplished and when He rose from the dead, He set this world on fire with the "gospel"!

Remember the Lord Jesus had fulfilled every prophecy that had been written of the Messiah up until the day of His death and He will fulfill all the Bible written about Him because all the Bible is written about our Messiah and King.

*****Mat 27:41  Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 

Mat 27:42  He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Mat 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.

First, we would think that men of such high office whether they be religious or government officials, would be above this sort of behavior, but it is not surprising as it still goes on today even more so.

Our own government leaders have sunk to new lows. It makes me wonder how in the world they were elected in the first place.

We must remember that being a part of the unbelieving crowd, they seem to lust after shameful things.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior!

The Lord Jesus Christ will return as King of this world and even now is our Spiritual King!

The Lord Jesus Christ was that 100% Son of Man, and He did trust God perfectly!

The Lord Jesus Christ above all is the Son of God!

These foolish men could not humiliate the Lord Jesus, He had already accepted how He would be treated and asked our Heavenly Father to forgive them.

Luk_23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

It was God who hung upon that Cross and He had fulfilled what He came to do.

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 

1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was all He claimed to be!

He was the Savior!

He was the King!

He was the Son of Man!

He is the Son of God!

All these who hated the Lord Jesus were just foolish men with no power at all.

They were just doing that the Lord knew they would do, just as today.

The rulers of this world are doing exactly what the Lord knew they would do.

In their ignorance they are doing what God expects them to do.

They only difference is that our Savior has given them all room to repent!

Joh 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

If the wicked men and women of this world think they are a challenge to the almighty God, they are thinking far above their knowledge and just fueled by Satan's hatred!

If the Lord Jesus Christ had used the power that He did have to save Himself, we would still be lost in our sin!

"Elected officials who walk with the lawless and the wicked" just show that their morals are non-existent, and they are not worthy to hold public office.

This would also include religious officials who stand with those who oppose the Word of God. They are just servants of Satan!

The criminals on each side of the Lord joined in at this time, but one would repent later.

*****Mat 27:44  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. 

What we witness once a mob gets started, people will just join in not even understanding what is happening.

These two criminals had never met the Lord Jesus Christ until this moment when He was crucified with them.

Mat 27:38  Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 

One of those thieves realized that Christ Jesus was innocent.

Luk 23:39  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 

Luk 23:40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 

Luk 23:41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 

Luk 23:42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 

Luk 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 

You see just realizing the truth of the Lord takes the pain of death away!

Without a Baptism and with a simple plea of faith this one thief became a saint of God!

As death came unto the Lord, even God's creation began to mourn!

*****Mat 27:45  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 

Mat 27:46  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?

We sometimes get confused with Jewish timekeeping, but it is really not that hard.

We what had the Lord said?

Joh 11:9  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 

Mat 20:3  And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 

Mat 20:4  And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 

Mat 20:5  Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

The time of reckoning always began at six in the morning so to the Jew the seventh hour was then the first hour.

The sixth hour would then be noon.

When the Sun was the highest darkness came upon Jerusalem and the darkness remained until three o’clock in the afternoon.

This was a terrifying darkness not like a solar eclipse.

It was sudden and it was real!

Our Lord Jesus had taken all the darkness of sin upon Himself, and He would be the payment for all that sin as a Holy God required a blood sacrifice.

Heb_9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was at this point when our Savior cried out knowing that He had been forsaken for the first and the only time.

God's only begotten Son, the Sovereign Lord of all beings, both visible and invisible was at the point of a real physical death!

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

It is easy to say the Lord Jesus was bearing all our sins and the sin of all humanity, but He was also bearing the wrath of God that was against us!

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

You see this is the gift that we so easily take for granted!

Jesus Christ was dying my death and the death for all humanity! This is only affective for those who believe the Lord did this thing!

The Lord Jesus Christ was doing all that was necessary to free all humanity from the penalty of sin, the death of sin, and the judgment of sin so that we may live forever.

This is the free gift we have been given!

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 

Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

The Apostle Paul was a great preacher because he understood all these things and has passed this things on to us.

Those that stood by watching for His death never understood what the Word of God was teaching them.

*****Mat 27:47  Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. 

Mat 27:48  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. 

Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

Psa 22:1  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 

Again, we see that these who caused the Lord Jesus to be crucified, did not know the Scriptures.

All through His time upon this earth Jesus was called the son of David because, by inheritance Jesus was in-line to the throne of Judah.

Psalm 22 was a Psalm of David.

Almost every one of us have reached a point in our lives when we thought we were forsaken.

The Lord Jesus Christ was standing in His Father's Judgment Seat and facing the wrath of God because He bore the sin of the world.

God, in the Hebrew, El, is pronounced Ale. (Ahle)

The Lord Jesus was definitely calling out to Jehovah God!

The Lord Jesus was not calling out to Elijah!

These people had their theology so messed up they had missed the Messiah.

Earlier the Lord Jesus was offered vinegar mixed with gall and He had refused to drink it.

Mat 27:34  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

At this time Jesus was offered vinegar.

Roman soldiers that travel from nation to nation could not take of the water from place to place no more than we can today until our bodies have had time to adjust.

Vinegar is the last stage of the grape juice when it is sour and when mixed with water it allowed the soldier to stay healthy without the effects of the water alone.

This time the Lord Jesus accepted this drink.

His task was over. He had given His life for my sin and for your sin!

*****Mat 27:49  The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. 

Mat 27:50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, "yielded up the ghost". 

"It was finished"

Mar 15:37  And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and "gave up the ghost". 

Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost". 

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost".

You can read all four of these Scriptures and you will see that this is something that we cannot do.

Oh, we can commit suicide, but we cannot give up our soul at death. 

God takes our soul because it returns to Him to do with it as He pleases.

This is why it is so important to have our name written in the Lamb's Book of Life!

The Lord Jesus Christ held the power to His own death.

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

This power only the Lord Jesus has!

Rev_3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev_20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev_22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The Lord Jesus gave up His Spirit!

The Lord Jesus Christ willingly died for me and for you!

What did the Lord Jesus do after His death upon the Cross?

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 

1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 

1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 

After His death.

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 

Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 

The Lord Jesus Christ died so that we can live!

Amen

Determined to Save You and I

 The Betrayal and Trial of the King

Chapter 26 Verse 47 through verse 75

We must never forget why Our Lord Jesus laid aside His glory and came to this earth!

Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 

Our Savior never deviated from this task!

Nothing happened to our Savior that He was not in full control of and that He did not allow to happen to Him!

No one took the life of Jesus, He laid down His life Himself!

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Our Lord Jesus was betrayed by His friend, but Jesus knew this was going to happen all along!

*****Mat 26:47  And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 

What will sound tragic to us in this passage, is actually God in control from start to finish.

We will see Our Lord Jesus betrayed, arrested, tried, and deserted within just a short period of time.

Our Lord Jesus, falsely accused, was falsely arrested, had a false trial, and sentenced to a real death.

Jesus was deserted by His closest friends and forsaken by His Heavenly Father for a short period of time.

What do we see? We will see a Savior, determined to save those He loved and all the unlovable, such a I.

What is reality? Sin is mighty, but it cannot make God cease to love us!

There is nothing we do that can make God love us less!

We know a good bit about Peter and his ways, so we can just imagine Peter as he is awakened from his sleep to see Judas leading the enemies of Jesus Christ.

As a soldier, I have a hard time forgiving traitors, such as John Kerry and Jane Fonda and some others.

They may have wondered where Judas was all this time, but they now knew.

All these arrangements had been made so that it would have been impossible for our Lord Jesus to escape.

These people never understood the power of God nor do so many today!

These things were allowed because of that power of God!

We can see that Judas even walked a little in front of the crowd trying to hide his wickedness.

Luk 22:47  And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 

We cannot hide our feelings about the Lord Jesus Christ!

Luk 22:48  But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? 

Jesus was betrayed by an act of love.

*****Mat 26:48  Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 

Mat 26:49  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 

We should think of nothing strange about this kiss. It was the means of greeting in the oriental world. 

Its value was somewhat like the handshake of our culture.

Remember a day, when a handshake was more binding than any legal document!

Makes us think that if Our Lord Jesus returned today and He could, how most of those who professed Him, would then reject Him?

Jesus could not preach in many modern day Churches.

Jesus would be shunned for His stance on sin!

How most would betray Him today?

We should ask ourselves this question. Would I betray my only Savior?

We can see that Judas had planned this betrayal very well.

It was dark except for torches.

Those behind him did not know the Lord Jesus by site so we can see the reason for the deception of Judas.

We can see in typology, this is the way of those who claim Jesus but are hypocrites!

They serve their own self-interest!

When we plan and plot to sin, we are just deceivers and the worst of sinners!

The plan to sin is bad, but the deception is even worse.

Those who will deceive the Lord Jesus Christ have no problem at all in deceiving others!

These are the type of people who make up our government today!

Jesus never showed any hatred even when He knew what Judas was doing!

*****Mat 26:50  And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 

The Lord Jesus Christ still loves the unlovable!

Judas had to search his heart to answer this question! Just why had he done this terrible deed?

It was Judas' last chance to think about what he had done and repent, but he could not find it in his heart to repent even though he did have great regret for what he had done.

You see feeling sorry is never enough, we must repent.

To repent is a complete change of mind and a complete change of direction and Judas never found the peace for his soul again and he committed suicide.

When we approach the Lord Jesus Christ, we must recognize that we are sinners in need of forgiveness!

We are fools to reject the Divine love of God He has shown to us by His Son!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

It was the fiery darts of the Devil that the Lord Jesus felt on the side of His cheeks!

Then, just before Jesus felt the cruel hands of His enemies, Peter still groggy from his sleep drew out his sword.

*****Mat 26:51  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.

We know it was Peter according to the Book of John.

Joh 18:10  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 

Joh 18:11  Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 

It is said by some that Peter almost messed everything up in the plan of God for His Son.

If we believe this, then we would have to believe that our Lord Jesus was not in control of this scene.

We must understand that there is never a time that God is not in complete control of the things that happen in this world!

We may not understand why bad things happen to good Christian people, but we must agree that these things were allowed for God's purpose.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

There was a purpose behind what Peter did, and a purpose for why the Lord Jesus restored this man's ear to full use.

We can certainly believe that Malchus had a whole new outlook on this man called Jesus!

The Lord Jesus did not need anyone's help to fulfill the will of God for Him!

Jesus had already committed Himself to the Cross and nothing could change that!

They first took Jesus to Caiaphas who was the true High Priest at this time, but let's just say he followed the lead of his predecessor.

*****Mat 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.

The first thing we should notice is that these wicked men were already gathered together to try Our Lord Jesus.

When we study the Scriptures, we will find that Annas, the earlier High Priest and the father-in-law of Caiaphas, still controlled all sacred matters of the priesthood and the High Priests for the next several years would all be from this same wicked family.

We know that this wicked man had predetermined that Christ Jesus must be put to death for the benefit of the nation of Israel.

Joh 11:49  And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 

Joh 11:50  Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 

Joh 11:51  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 

Joh 11:52  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. 

The Lord Jesus Christ had been opposed and rejected by these wicked men all the days of His ministry!

You just like today, these men felt that they were stronger than God and therefore they opposed the Word of God!

The Lord Jesus would be officially condemned to die by the highest court in Israel!

In America this court would be the equivalent to our Supreme Court.

Our Lord Jesus was captured and was led to trial, and it was these, who hated Him so much because He preached the truth, would judge Him.

In fact, they had already judged Him and found Him guilty of apostacy, which according to Jewish Law was punishable with death but by Roman Law these Jews could not sentence Jesus to death nor any man though we know they still stoned some who broke those laws.

They would then accuse Jesus of insurrection against the Roman government which was also punishable by death by Roman Law.

They accused Jesus of saying He was God when Caesar claimed to be God.

Again we see Peter, but he is not following very close to Jesus.

*****Mat 26:58  But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 

This is the same problem with many, so-called Christians, they refuse to closely follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

All the disciples were confused because they had not understood all the things of the Messiah.

Peter knew somewhat the power that the Lord Jesus had, surely, He could escape this thing if He so chose to do so.

But there is great danger in following the Lord Jesus from a distance.

All these disciples had fled just as prophesied:

Mar_14:27  And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

Peter was caught between his loyalty to our Lord and fear for his own self.

His fear would lead him to sin!

We probably see more of this sort today than any other day in history.

Good Christians want to stand up for the Word of God, but when ridicule comes from the other side, they cower down in defeat rather than take a stand on the Word of God!

Peter just did not understand the truth of the Bible!

We say it all the time, but ignorance of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, will bring defeat into our lives!

Jesus had done nothing wrong against any Jew nor any Roman and had broken no laws at all!

Peter began to hang around with the wrong crowd!

If the government could just find someone to bring false witness against Jesus, it would make things better for His enemies.

*****Mat 26:59  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 

Have you noticed lately that factions of our own government do this same sort of thing!

They bring false witnesses against good people to slander and ruin their names!

Politicians have become cruel and ruthless in their lust for power! In fact leaning toward Communism where these things go on all the time.

People will do anything for money or prestige or power, in our corrupt government!

We can just imagine the faces of these foolish men as Our Lord Jesus is brought before them and then, they suddenly realized they had no proof of their accusations.

They hated and despised the Lord Jesus Christ too much for this to remain an obstacle!

This is what hatred causes!

The Lord Jesus had done no evil at all!

As always, we will find someone who will twist His words to another meaning.

Our so-called news sources do this every day!

Jesus had asked this question.

Joh_8:46  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

There was no answer then, and there was no answer now!

We should be able to see this court was not assembled to find Jesus guilty, they had already decided that our Savior was guilty in need if death.

This court was assembled to gather enough proof against Him to get the Romans to kill Him!

It is hard to do that with someone so innocent!

What was wrong with these foolish men?

They loved this world more than they loved God!

They knew well that Christ could not be condemned with true testimony, because there was none! 

Then, they tried to put together a false witness. 

If they had meant to deal fairly, they would have allowed some who knew him to speak in his favor, but this was the very last thing they wanted, or would have sanctioned.

So they found no true witnesses!

So they found those who were willing to lie, but even they were useless because their witness did not agree.

*****Mat 26:60  But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 

Mat 26:61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 

You see you cannot find faults in what is perfect!

Lies will always fail against the truth!

There will always be those who will distort the Word of God!

Many of them just take what the Lord says out of the context of which He intended!

We see this many times in politicians and just recently with our president and his vice-president.

Of all the enemies of our Lord Jesus, nothing could be found that would condemn Him to death.

This is why we are taught to watch what comes out of our mouths.

Tit 2:8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 

Then our enemies will find fault in our God!

Remember Daniel:

Dan 6:4  Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 

Dan 6:5  Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

We must remember, these wicked men needed evidence to convince the Roman authorities that the Lord Jesus needed to be put to death, but they never got it!

*****Mat 26:62  And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 

Mat 26:63  But Jesus held his peace. 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. 

There was no need for the Lord to answer to these accusations because there were none!

Those two false witnesses could not even agree on what the Lord had said.

This is the best reason to have in your possession a Bible copied from the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures and why I use the KJV Bible.

Silence is always the best reply to slander!

They wanted our Savior to respond to these false accusations hoping He would give them more evidence.

Now we would do such a thing and then get mad and maybe say some things could be said to cause us harm, but doing things the Jesus way is always the best.

People that hate us do not deserve any response from us!

Now a question is asked that can be responded to.

*****Mat 26:64  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. 

Mat 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. 

Was Jesus the Messiah?

You see, if Our Savior did not claim to be the Messiah, then the case against Him had no real meaning at all.

The Lord Jesus in a sense had to respond with a positive answer to this question, in order for the death penalty to be given!

If Jesus was truly the Messiah, then according to the Scriptures, He was also King of the Jews, and these things could be used against Him though it was not the time for these things as the Lord Jesus said.

Jesus said after these things meaning, after this false trial and His death.

Then, He would sit at the right hand of God, because He is the right hand of God, and He would one day come in the clouds to get His Church.

You see, it is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the foundation of the Church and after a time of sitting at the throne of His Father, Jesus would come in the clouds to take His Church out of this world.

Only after these things would Jesus return as King!

The Lord Jesus spoke the truth and non-believers called this truth blasphemy.

The truth will always be the truth and the truth cannot change!

This was the good confession later written about Him!

1Ti_6:13  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

The Lord Jesus did never explain His answer.

The Lord Jesus did never change His answer.

The Lord Jesus did never retract His answer.

All those that were there heard what the Lord Jesus had said!

They knew these things were true, they still rejected the man who sat before them.

Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 

Dan 7:14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Notice the Lord Jesus only tells the first part of the Scripture from the Book of Daniel.

Once our Lord meets His Church in the clouds, the Church will begin a seven year honey moon with Him while Tribulation and the Great Tribulation will be happening on this earth.

Once Jesus said these words, then by Jewish Law, blasphemy could be a sentence of death.

Blasphemy is the speaking evil of our Holy God!

Lev 24:16  And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

Though the Lord Jesus spoke the truth, He knew they would not believe Him, but His death on the cross required this truth!

People just do not accept the truth of the Bible, the Word of God.

*****Mat 26:66  What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 

This is the only thing that was used to sentence the Lord to death!

Joh 19:7  The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 

We might understand that the High Priest was also subject to death for what he had done by those same laws of Moses.

Lev 10:6  And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

Lev 21:10  And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; 

Lev 21:11  Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 

Lev 21:12  Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.

Who was the guiltiest by Jewish Law? It was the High Priest for the Lord Jesus spoke the truth!

Let's not forget Peter.

Remember a boastful Peter was told that he would deny the Lord.

Luk_22:34  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Luk_22:61  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

*****Mat 26:69  Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 

Mat 26:70  But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 

Mat 26:71  And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 

Mat 26:72  And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 

Mat 26:73  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 

Mat 26:74  Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 

Mat 26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. 

We must understand that denying the Lord Jesus Christ is a very serious thing to do.

It is a terrible sin, but even this sin can be forgiven if asked during this lifetime.

What we see is that a man, Peter, who had confessed undying loyalty to our Savior, ended up denying our Lord three times just as the Lord had said.

The Lord Jesus Christ knows us better than we know ourselves!

We see the cause of Peter's denial, Peter was hanging around with the wrong crowd. A crowd where they hated the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter had fled when the Lord Jesus gave Himself over to that mob that came for Him.

The Lord Jesus wanted His disciples to escape safely.

In typology, Peter was following the Lord Jesus, but he was following from too great distance.

In reality, the Lord Jesus wants a close and personal relationship with all His disciples!

We cannot say we are following Christ if we are following afar off!

What did Peter learn from his mistakes?

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 

1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 

1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

We absolutely must leave our old life behind and this means to not socialize with those who do not believe the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are to witness to them, but not socialize with them!

We can be friends with them, but we are not to socialize with them!

We must never fall into the trap of too much self-confidence!

Peter had said He would lay down his life for the Lord Jesus, but he found that he was afraid for his own life.

In this incident, weaknesses Peter did not know he had, came to the surface.

Even after claiming the truth of Jesus Christ and being "Born Again" into the family of God, we must know that we are just sinners saved by the "Grace" of God.

As long as we are in these bodies of flesh we will war with our flesh.

The Lord will still forgive us of our sin!

Now, if we deliberately sin trying to take advantage of God's "Grace", then we cannot truly say we are saved.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

We may not know exactly what "God forbids" but it cannot be righteousness!

Like Peter, before we can be effective witnesses, then we need to know our own weaknesses!

Our confidence cannot be in ourselves, our confidence must be in our Lord Jesus Christ!

2Co_3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

We must mortify the actions of our flesh!

Mortify means just like it sounds, we must put to death all the sinful actions of our flesh!

Rom_8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Col_3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

What saved Peter?

The fact that the Lord Jesus prayed for Him just as He prays for each of us.

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 

Luk_22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

We can do nothing without the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen

The Agony Before the Cross

 Jesus' Great Decision as King

Book of Matthew Chapter 26:36-46

We have been studying our Lord Jesus in His final week before a very cruel cross.

The Lord Jesus, 100% God yet 100% man knew what He faced.

He faced betrayal by one of His disciples.

He faced a false trial by religious hypocrites.

He faced physical abuse much, much more than necessary by tyrannical governments.

He faced a humiliating death by crucifixion.

He faced the burden of carrying the weight of every sin that had been committed and every sin that would be committed in all this world.

This death for Christ Jesus was different from that of any natural man.

Our Lord Jesus accepted the verdict of guilty for my sin and your sin and all sinners.

Our Lord Jesus accepted the penalty and punishment for my sin and for your sin and for all sinners.

By doing these things for me and for you and for every believer, we can now have eternal life!

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We should ask ourselves just what is death?

Physical death is a reality for every member of the human race!

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

When the Bible speaks of death, it is speaking of the death of the physical body, but it is not speaking of the soul.

The soul is the life-principle of man and cannot die because it is God-given.

The body is made of things of this world.

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 

The soul is made by God Himself and only God can destroy the soul.

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

Death of the body is the wages of sin, but this death is not an annihilation because life continues for the believer and for the unbeliever after the death of the body!

Luk 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 

Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 

For the believer death means to join Jesus Christ in Heaven.

2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 

2Co 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 

With all these things on the mind of Christ, He resorted to prayer to His Heavenly Father.

Let us begin:

*****Mat 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.

Mat 26:37  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  

What is prayer? Prayer is a conversation with our Holy God who is also our Heavenly Father, who wants very much to hear from His children!

Many of us believe that all the disciples were there except Judas who had begun his betrayal.

The Lord Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem only as the Spiritual King and not as conquering king, and Judas now knew that Jesus was not going to raise an army to defeat Rome and he therefore rejected Him.

Our Lord Jesus, the human side wanted desperately to talk to His Heavenly Father.

I know I have been this way many times.

I know that many times I have had to fight my shame in talking to my Heavenly Father, but I have always felt better after I have prayed.

Many things were on the heart of our Lord but quitting was not one of them!

The Lord Jesus wanted His disciples to feel that closeness of a Father in Heaven who is still the Almighty God.

Certainly our Lord Jesus was afflicted.

Certainly He suffered.

What we need to understand.

We were guilty if sin with no way out of the wages of death! Jesus Christ willed our forgiveness.

We were enslaved to Satan with no way to escape! Jesus Christ willed our freedom.

We were sorrowful! Jesus Christ willed our peace.

We were dying! Jesus Christ willed us life for ever.

What was Jesus praying about? Father thy will be done as it is Heaven, and the requirement was a blood sacrifice.

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Our Lord Jesus entered into His closet at the Garden of Gethsemane. He wanted His disciples to pray for His strength to battle with Satan.

This the same thing we do, when we pray for our Pastor.

He asked some of us to pray during the preaching and this is what we should praying strength to battle the Devil.

Gen 3:15  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. 

These things weighed heavy on our Savior, but He had no intention of quitting.

He just wished He did not have to break fellowship with His Father not even for one moment.

*****Mat 26:38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 

Say where is that proof?

In every prayer the Lord spoke to His Father, but once He took upon Himself all the sin of the world, just for a moment, His Father could not look upon sin and Our Lord Jesus bore all our sin!

Mar 15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Once that sin was in the grave and then in Hell, His fellowship was restored to His Father!

These disciples just did not understand Satan was trying his best to keep the Lord from going to that miserable cross.

Some would ask what difference would it make, if Jesus came to die?

Our Lord Jesus tried to explain this to them earlier:

Joh 12:30  Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 

Joh 12:33  This he said, signifying what death he should die. 

Bible prophecy had to be fulfilled just as it was written, and it has been.

This is the very reason there are so many trying to discredit the Word of God!

1) Jesus Christ, our Lord felt much sorrow and pain and was in much heaviness.

Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 

Luk 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 

We can believe that the human part of the Lord has felt the agony of what was about to happen to Him.

Remember the Lord Jesus was 100% God, but at this time He was also still 100% human.

2) Our Lord Jesus was suffering much agony and grief and He wanted these men who had become His close friends to be near Him and pray with Him, but they had failed Him even in this as Jesus had said "watch with me".

This is why it is important for someone to be praying for our Pastor while he preaches!

3) Our Lord Jesus Christ also warned these disciples to pray for themselves because the entire world would change at the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must clearly understand that we must strive against sin at any cost to ourselves!

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 

Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 

The Lord Jesus gave His life in great agony to pay for our sin!

What happened here in the Garden to Gethsemane should be our wakeup call in our everyday life trying not to sin.

When we sin, we are just adding to the agony of our Lord even in His forgiveness!

Thank goodness for His great love for us!

We can also see that it was that talking to our Heavenly Father (Prayer) that makes the difference in the comfort of our soul!

*****Mat 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. 

We must understand that "prayer" is not just a great privilege, it is necessity for us in today's world!

We should also understand that even though this human side of our Lord Jesus was in such great agony, there was never at any point that Satan had the strength to destroy our Lord Jesus!

The Lord Jesus was bound for the cross, not "death in the Garden of Gethsemane", no matter how hard Satan tried to kill Him there!

Anyone who teaches such a thing dishonors our Savior!

This human body of Christ was immortal just as the Church, the Body of Christ is immortal and can stand against the "gates of hell".

Every Christian is immortal until God says it is our time to die!

If we believe that in our conflict with Satan, that he has the power to take our life at any moment, then we are saying Satan is stronger than our Lord Jesus Christ and this is false teaching!

Sure Jesus was in agony, He was taking upon Himself all the sin then, past, and future, He was surely in agony, but Satan could never take His life nor can he, our lives!

At no time was the Lord Jesus Christ in danger of death!

Death is the result of sin, and Our Lord Jesus Christ had no sin of Himself!

Only on the Cross was Our Lord Jesus made sin for us!

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

What did Jesus say?

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Our Lord Jesus laid down His glory to come to this earth with a mission to save our souls and nothing of this earth nor of the things of Heaven nor of the things of Hell could stop from completing His work!

Any teaching that goes against what our Lord accomplished is false teaching!

What was His agony?

What was He dreading?

What was that sorrow unto death?

Jesus who was in the image of God was soon to be made sin and had to stand in the presence of God.

His Father's face which had always looked toward Him was soon to be hid!

For just a moment in time He was no longer the beloved of God!

His Father's smile on Him would change to a frown!

That awful cry from the Cross tells us the whole story.

Mar_15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

We will never know this suffering for which our Savior endured because for this thing that our Savior did, we can never be forsaken!

Heb_13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

In all things the Lord Jesus Christ pleased His Father and so should we as best we can!

Luk_22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Jesus so wanted His disciples to pray for Him and with Him. they were also His friends.

*****Mat 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? 

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 

What we see is that even in His death, the Lord Jesus Christ stood alone, neglected by His closest friends.

What we see is that we may not ever understand everything that the Lord teaches us, but we must have enough "faith" to just believe what He says!

We may fail to pray for our Pastor, our family, and our friends which is awful, but we had better not forget to pray for ourselves!

We must watch what is going on in the world and the things that relate to the return of Christ Jesus, and we must pray that we with the power of God can stand with the Lord.

One man wrote that. "to watch is to see" and "to pray is be prepared".

We cannot depend upon our own wisdom we need the mind of Christ Jesus!

Yes, they had a taxing day, and they were tired!

Yes, they were worried and fatigued!

We all know that concentration on prayer is hard enough without these obstacles.

Prayer is just too important to allow these things to interfere with our prayers and our prayer life.

It is a sure fact that we cannot fight temptation on our own!

Temptation is being enticed to commit sin.

The sources of temptation are:

1) Satan

2) This world.

3) Our Flesh.

Playing around with temptation will always lead to sad consequences!

When we watch and pray, we are saying, "I am depending upon you God to help me through this temptation" and He will!

If you have survived that temptation, then you need to thank the Lord for His help!

You see as a believer we are never alone!

Many of our trials come in an instant and in our weakness, we need to watch and pray immediately.

We know that our flesh struggles against the Holy Spirit who abides with us.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

We need the strength of the Lord and a daily filling of the Holy Spirit!

The Lord went back to His prayer closet and prayed more.

*****Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 

We should take the time to read Psalm 102

Psalm 102:1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. 

Psalm 102:2  Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. 

Psa 102:24  I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. 

Psa 102:18  This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. 

Psa 102:19  For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; 

Psa 102:20  To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; 

Psa 102:21  To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; 

Psa 102:22  When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. 

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 

Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

The Lord Jesus Christ was not afraid to die, His death had a great purpose! Our Salvation.

Our Lord Jesus did not want to break fellowship with the Father not even for one moment!

Whatever the will of the Father for Him, that the Lord Jesus was happy to comply with!

Those who were there with Him just fell asleep and many a Christian are still asleep today, not realizing just how close we are to the return of Our Lord Jesus!

Our Lord went to pray a third time.

*****Mat 26:43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 

Mat 26:44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 

We must clearly understand that Christ Jesus was not afraid of the death He faced. There was joy in what He was about to do!

Heb_12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross", despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He just wanted a different way than a separation from our Heavenly Father even if it was just for a moment in time.

By this death Our Lord Jesus made a way that we can never be forsaken. This is that gift of "Grace" to the believer!

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

When we face the trials of life, and we will, we need to remember these prayers from Gethsemane as an example given to us by our Master!

What are the enemies of our prayers?

1) Physical drowsiness.

2) Spiritual blindness, not believing what the Lord teaches us.

3) Taking God for granted. We must be sure our prayers reach into Heaven!

By the end of these prayers Our Lord Jesus had His answers, and He was prepared to drink of His bitter cup.

The best decision is always just to be obedient to our Heavenly Father!

*****Mat 26:45  Then cometh he to his disciples, 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. 

Mat 26:46  Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. 

What His friends could not do for Him the Holy Spirit accomplished!

Our Lord Jesus was now at peace with what He was about to do.

He knew the terrible things that men of this world would do to Him, but He never flinched.

Christ had been in agony, but He was now at peace.

We to can find peace when we are sincere in our prayers, even when we do not get what we want.

Jesus knew what was about to happen and He welcomed the fact that in His death the world could be saved from the clutches of the Devil.

The traitor Judas led a small army of men to take the Lord Jesus to those who would judge Him, though they had already made up their minds to kill Him.

They carried swords and staves to overcome any that were with Jesus.

There were Temple guards and Roman soldiers.

There were some from the Sanhedrin Court and also of the Elders of Israel.

There was the traitor.

Joh 18:3  Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 

Joh 18:4  Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 

Joh 18:5  They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not get what He wanted, but His decision had been made and with joy He obeyed His Father!

God sometimes says "No" because it is just the right thing to do.

To be in the will of His Father, the Son had to die!

Amen