The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 38

This teaching is from Matthew 26:1-28. As we come to these final chapters of Matthew we are exploring the final days of Jesus' ministry on earth; His time with the disciples, His suffering, His death, His resurrection.  These are days that truly have changed the world and that's not hyperbole - it's fact. In today's reading - Jesus tells the disciples yet again of His coming crucifixion. He continues to let them know what's coming and what's ahead so that when it happens they will remember He had told them these things and they can then begin to put the pieces together. In verses 3-5 we read of the chief priests and elders scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him. But they decide to wait until after the Passover festival is over to avoid rioting by the crowds that are in Jerusalem during the festival time frame. BUT something happens to change their minds from that decision to a decision of "let's do it now!" It is no coincidence the timing of what's coming for Jesus in the timing of the Passover Festival.  The day before Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem - what we call Palm Sunday - Jesus is at a dinner at Simon the Leper's home. While Jesus is dining, Mary pours perfume on Jesus' head. When the disciples call it a waste of money that could have gone to the poor, Jesus says, "When she poured this perfume on my head and body, she did it to prepare me for burial." Yet another way of letting the disciples know what's to come. Next we read about the reason the Chief Priests change their minds to arresting Jesus earlier than originally planned.  Judas, one of the disciples, comes to them and asks what they would give him for delivering Jesus one to them. He was given 30 pieces of silver and then began to watch for the opportune time to hand Jesus to them. As the day for the Passover meal approaches, the disciples ask Jesus where He wants to make preparations to eat the meal. They gather around the table of an upper room for the Passover meal at the place the disciples had secured according to Jesus' directions. During the meal, Jesus mentions more clues of what is to come, "My appointed time is near." During the dinner Jesus announces, "Truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me" and gives a harsh word of judgement.  As the Passover meal continues, Jesus institutes the "Lord's Supper" as a New Covenant. He takes the bread and wine of the Passover meal and reveals Himself as the Passover Lamb, the body (bread) and blood (wine) of the Passover Lamb meal. There are multiple correlations between the Passover Festival activities and activities of Jesus during His last week on earth. Jesus is the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God. Visit our website here https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website https://www.awakeusnow.com/matthew-discipling Watch the video from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOxHZDaamNk9DaM7h7LejJj7 Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app. We invite you to join us for our Sunday service every Sunday at 9:30am CT (live or on demand) here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service