Jesus' Love for Stumblers and Sell-Outs
Notes
Transcript
Setting
Setting
Timing: Just after the Last Supper and just before Jesus’ betrayal in the garden of Gethsamene (mentioned only Mt 26:36 and Mk 14:32).
Timing: Just after the Last Supper and just before Jesus’ betrayal in the garden of Gethsamene (mentioned only Mt 26:36 and Mk 14:32).
Godly men sing.
Godly men sing.
Mark and Matthew (Mt 26:30) record that they sung.
They probably sang one or all of what came to be known as the “Egyptian Hallel,” Ps 113-118, which was sung ritually during the Passover. Normally 113-114 were sung before the meal, and 115-118 afterwards.
Why do humans sing? We are made in God’s image! And God sings. Zeph 3:17, He will exult over you with loud singing.
Singing is a natural response of the grateful heart. Psalm 100 (A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know the the LORD, he is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name! For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.)
Jesus and the Twelve were singing specifically their gratitude for God’s salvation as depicted in the Passover.
Location
Location
The Mount of Olives lay just east of Jerusalem.
Jesus could not return to Bethany (Dt 16:7), so He finds a nearer refuge. Though lying outside the city walls, Olivet was still considered a part of Jerusalem. Many pilgrims stayed on Olivet as a result.
This was not Jesus’ first stop here. Lk 22:39, And he came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives…) Jesus’ earliest recorded stay here is in John 8:1.
The Mount of Olives has always had a great view of Jerusalem.
Accept the Undeniable.
Accept the Undeniable.
Jesus knew His Disciples’ weakness.
Jesus knew His Disciples’ weakness.
This prediction came extra hard, coming on the heels of the first betrayal predicted (Mk 14:17-21).
“The theme of abandonment dominates 14:27–72: Jesus was abandoned by denial (Peter, vv. 66–72), indifference (Peter, James, and John in Gethsemane, vv. 37–41), betrayal (Judas, vv. 42–45), and fleeing (the Twelve and the young man, vv. 50–52)” (Brooks, p. 231).
You will all fall away.
σκανδαλισθήσεσθε can be as serious as a willful turning away from Christ to a stumbling.
Zech 13:7 provides the needed interpretation. This falling away is the result of being scattered, as what happens to sheep when their shepherd falls.
“It is, in other words, a lapse rather than an egregious rebellion” (Edwards, p. 428).
“Jesus warns the disciples to guard against the kind of sinfulness of which most of us are most guilty: sins of weakness and irresoluteness rather than sins of intention. We do not plan on sinning, but neither do we hold the fort when we ought” (ibid).
Jesus, the Shepherd-King
David was the first great king of Israel and the original shepherd-king.
The Messiah would be the Son of David. Further, Zechariah prophesies that the Messiah would be a ruling Shepherd.
Jesus is the true Son of David, the Shepherd-King struck down by God so that He might be raised up again.
You are undeniably weak, and Jesus knows this.
You are undeniably weak, and Jesus knows this.
Prepare for the Inevitable
Prepare for the Inevitable
The Twelve, led by Peter, all emphatically disagreed with Jesus. When you disagree with Jesus, it never goes well for you.
The trials of life are inevitable. You can no more avoid them than you can dodge a wave.
Racing the waves at the beach. I could dodge for a while, but getting hit was inevitable.
You can take one of two courses
Rely on self in false strength.
Rely on self in false strength.
Peter emphatically defends himself.
I don’t know about these other guys (29).
“Peter thinks of himself as the exception to the rule” (Edwards, p. 429).
The double negative + emphatically reveal how passionately Peter felt about his devotion.
But he was still mistaken.
Rely on Christ in weakness.
Rely on Christ in weakness.
Recognize your own weakness (accept the undeniable!)
1 Co 1:27, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
2 Co 12:10, For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Watch and pray (Mk 14:38; cf 13:9ff and 33).
Adore the Merciful.
Adore the Merciful.
After I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.
Fulfilled in Mark 16:7. Go, tell his disciples, and Peter, “He is going ahead of you to Galilee.”
The angels’ words affirm Peter as a disciple and not a former disciple.
Incidentally, this passage destroys the idea one can lose their salvation.
Jesus, knowing not only their weakness, but their future failure, still loved them. He held out hope for them, hope they would need after failing.
How you deal with failure is as important as preparing not to fail.
Hope is a powerful weapon against despondency.
God is so wonderfully gracious to us that He knows our weakness, our failures, how we will fail in the future, and loves us anyway.