Orchestrated Chaos

Maundy Thursday • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago

0 ratings

· 1 view

Theme: Jesus orchestrates the fulfillment of God's covenant. Purpose: To see that we can do nothing to save ourselves, it is all about Jesus. Gospel: Jesus fulfills God's covenant. Mission: Receive what Christ has done.

Notes

Transcript

Introduction: Have you ever experienced a life situation where you were confused. God why am I going through this? What is the Purpose of this? Only to see God’s hand in it all along years later.

- Examples - The year I prayed for lining up an internship - No go, but seeing it would have been too early. God was orchestrating everything.

We see this at play in Mark’s telling of the Last Supper

Jesus Orchestrates the fulfillment of God’s covenant.

How do we get this impression?

Timeline:

Notice all of the things Jesus knows in advance.

1. The man carrying a water jug. David Garland in his commentary suggests that men usually did not fetch water, women did. - and Second it was the obligation of Jerusalem residents to give their guest rooms to pilgrims for passover meals - Jesus being a “Teacher” would have received priority.

My question is did Jesus make pre-arrangements before hand, or just in the Spirit knew?

It does not matter, the point is Jesus is orchestrating the events.

2. The first thing we see as they sit down to eat, is Jesus is in the know on his betrayer and even who.

He makes the statement that it must happen this way (He gives the why when he gives the meaning of the bread and wine), even thou he is sad for his betrayer. The betrayer does not realize Jesus is orchestrating these events.

3. That he will die and be raised from the dead. - vs.25 - 27-28

Finally, That all of the disciples and particularly Peter will “fall away.”

All impressions we should be getting from this is that Jesus is not a passive participant in his own death. - He is in the know, and he is willingly participating in being the sacrificial lamb for our redemption.

Jesus’ Orchestration Creates Chaos

We all fall away.

- What should be a happy occasion, is very forboding. - notice the words, “Distressed,” “Woe to him,” “Scattered,” “Emphatic.”

We might ask the question what would we do if we were there?

- Answer, we would all fall away. Don’t even pretend like you would be better than the disciples. That is really the point of this passage.

We have too predictions by Jesus of Falling Away

Judas’ Betrayel - We don’t really know his motivation - help Jesus, Hurt Jesus? Hand over to be Messiah, Hand Over for personal gain.

- The disciple’s, however, are all more concerned about themselves as one by one, certainly not I Lord. The one extreme we can approach Jesus is a false humility.

2. The second, however, after Judas has left presumably, both according to the other Gospels, and because he is the one who leads the Religious leaders to Jesus in Gethsamane, is all of the Other disciples.

- The second issue is a False Pride. Peter’s “Not I Lord.” Yes especially you Peter. You will disown me 3 times.

- I suggest we simply give up on the question on what would we do in that situation. The answer is all have fallen short of the Glory of God

I remember the debates when the movie the Passion of the Christ Came out. Who is responsible for Jesus’ death on the Cross?

- The Jews? - Charges of Anti-Semitism.

- The Romans? - Today perhaps the most popular liberal scholars answer.

- Many astute responders said, Us, we put Jesus on the cross, our sin put him there.

- The Answer to all of these is, Yes.

Yet there is one more answer to this question as we mentioned before.

Jesus himself - He willingly did the Fathers will. He came for this, and in fact as this telling of the story demonstrates he was a willing orchestrator of his own death on the cross.

Why?

Jesus Invites us into the Covenant.

- Jesus shares why in his administration of this Last Supper. After letting everyone know he is going to be betrayed, he gives them the meaning of it all. The purpose of it all.

- He does it during the Passover meal to say - He is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant. The Exodus covenant points to the ultimate redemption from slavery - slavery to sin.

- But this time not in a perpetual sacrifice or annual sacrifice, but in his own body and blood, once and for all.

- What is striking here is he is offering this meal to all who will fall away. Judas, Peter, and the other disciples.

Judas did not stick around long enough to experience the significance of this meal and to see the risen Lord and to receive the forgiveness of his sins.

Peter and the rest came to realize Grace in this table. Only Jesus had the power to not fall away, and we receive forgiveness at this table.

Read Jesus’ administration giving comment - noting Matthew mentions the blood being poured out for the “Forgiveness” of sins.

Close:

Read from the Heidelbergh Chatechism QA 75 - 76 for the meaning of communion.

Related Media

Related Sermons