Chase: Hello and welcome to the Point Church Podcast. We're really glad you're here. Before we jump in, if you'd like to stay connected, you can download the Point Church app. It's a simple way to find messages, resource, and what's happening. And if this podcast is helpful, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share. You can find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Let's get into today's episode. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Point Church Podcast. I'm here with Pastor Sam as we're Going to the gospel ⁓ for 40 days, 40 podcast, and we're in the thick of it now. ⁓ we're getting into chapters. The rubber band is like snapping. Yeah. It's yeah. We're getting into ⁓ chapter twenty-six today. ⁓ in verse one it says When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, You know that Passover takes place ⁓ after two days and And the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified. Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest who was named Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way to kill him. Not during the festival, they said, so they won't be rioting among the people. Yeah. So Jesus has just been finishing up speaking to the people, ⁓ like he's finished speaking up to the disciples. And then he's like, here's exactly what's gonna happen. Not just that I'm gonna be handed over and tortured, but I'm gonna be crucified. Like he says what's going to happen. And then it cuts to Caiaphas because what he's planning is illegal in their own laws. So they're that's why they're just being very treacherous. But again, they're taking authority into their own hands, denying God's scripture. To say, Well, to pr to protect God, we have to do it against the way God told us to, which doesn't exactly work out for them. No. In verse six, it says, While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She poured it on his head as she was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. Why this waste? They asked. This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor. Aware of this, Jesus said to them, Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for me. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me. By pouring this perfume on my body, she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, whatever the gospel is whenever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Then one of the twelve, ⁓ the man called Judas the Iscariot, went to the chief priest and said, What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you? So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him, and and from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him. Yeah. So this woman comes, Jesus is again, even though he's predicting his death is coming, he's still with a leper, but it's Incredible, they call him Simon the Leper, so they know his name. Yeah. Jesus again is just the friend of sinners. Yep. And this woman comes in and she pours alabaster jar of perfume. And so the only way you could do that is to break the jar. Yeah. In order to so you you're not saving it, all has to go. It's gonna go bad. So she pours it on him, and this is like a preparation for his body for ⁓ for death and burial. And it's amazing the dynamic that comes out with the disciples. And I'm sure Judas was the one speaking up the loudest, being like, What a waste! And you should give it to the poor. ⁓ I I'll just be honest, I think there's times for all of us when we see someone else on fire for Jesus, for whatever reason, the sin in our heart causes us to be cold. Yeah. I don't know what that is. Just the darkness in us that we're like, ugh. They're so on fire and it almost bothers us. And I think it's ultimately root yes, I'll bust say it's ultimately rooted in jealousy. But we I I will own it first. I have reacted that way. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Could they tone it down just a little bit? You know what I mean? Instead of celebrating what clearly Jesus has done and is doing in the heart of that person who's worshiping him so excitedly and so generously, I tend to become more like those disciples in my heart being like, It's a bit much, don't you think? Yeah. And I think this is a good cautionary tale that, hey, while that might be your first reaction, it doesn't need to be your ultimate response. But rather, when you see that flare up in your heart, say, you know, Lord, I'd like to I I need to break the beautiful alabaster jar of something sweet and precious at your feet. Give me a heart that wants that. I want a heart of that woman. I don't want the heart of this disciple who's So jealous that he ultimately is like, No, I'm gonna go betray him. So there is just that dynamic at play. That's really good. ⁓ in verse 17 it says on the first day of unleaved bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover? Go into the city to a certain man, he said, and tell him, the teacher says, My name my time is near. I am celebrating the Passover at your place and with with my disciples. So the disciples did as Jesus directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came he was reclining at the table with the twelve. While they were eating, he said, Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me. Deeply distressed each one began to say to him, Surely not I, Lord. He replied, The one who dipped his hand with me in the bowl, he will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for him if he had not been born. Judas, his betrayer, replied, Surely not I, Rabbi. You have said it, he told him. Yeah. So Jesus is obviously making preparations for the Passover, and must have been some small talk going, and then he just says one of the wildest comments you can make at a dinner party, which is one of you is going To betray me. And they're all I think their reaction is very genuine. I mean, Matthew's one of the disciples, he's there. He says they're all deeply distressed. Surely not I, Lord. And while there's only one betrayer, they all abandon him. Like, there's no mistake about that. And again, even like Jesus knew who his betrayer was, but he also knew this would happen. Like, cause he in a moment he predicts what Peter's going to do. That is a different kind of pain as well. On top of everything else, is the appeal. Abandonment Yeah that he wasn't fell. And we're gonna feel that pain coming out later on too. ⁓ in verse twenty six it says, As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, and broke it to his discipl and gave it to his disciples and said, Take and eat, this is my body. Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them and said, Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you I will not drink from this from this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it with you, drink it new with you in my father's kingdom. After singing a hymn, they went out to the mount to the Mount of Olives. Right. So this is ⁓ in our tradition at our church. This is ⁓ part of the liturgy that we we don't have a lot of liturgy, but this is definitely main liturgy for us for communion. ⁓ this is the Last Supper saying, you know, breaking of the Bread is his body, the pouring of the wine, or our case, grape juice, ⁓ represents his blood. And this reminds us of the promise that we have and what it costs him to make that promise. And then just as a side note, ⁓ where they go to, Mount of Olives is where they had just come from that we talked about yesterday, when they're talking about end of the world, the destruction, and all these things are about to begin, they go back to that same location. So that's where they end up. So now we're getting into Peter's part in this. Verse thirty-one, it says, And Jesus said to them, Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee. Peter told him, Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away. Truly I tell you, Jesus said to him, Tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. Even if I have to die with you, Peter told him, I will never deny you. And all the disciples said the same thing. Just the folliness of human beings, just not ⁓ fully seeing who they are. I mean, yes, we are so passionate for Jesus, but man, if we're not honest, it it's easy to rip on these disciples. And we've done it a little bit, but man, I'm not much better. I'm not better at all. None of us are. But it's just ⁓ again the While we there's a line in one of the epistles later on says, While we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. Meaning like it's his faithfulness to us that holds the covenant together. And again, there's just so much happening in this scene. There is. This is going into the garden, verse thirty-six. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Ghessedime, ⁓ and he told his the disciples that Sit here while I go over there and pray. Taking along Peter and two sons of Zebedee he began to be sorrowful and troubled. He said to them, I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me. Going a little further he fell face down and prayed, My father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not as I will, but as you will. Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, he asked Peter, why? So so couldn't you stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Again a second time he went away and prayed, My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. And he came again and found them sleeping because they could not keep their eyes open. After leaving them he went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? See the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let's go, see my betrayer is near. Yes, so he goes to a part within the garden. So the garden's a large area, but there's a area called Gethsemane where he specifically goes to pray, and that's where the olive oil was produced 'cause, you know, Mount of Olives. And Gethsemane translates ⁓ roughly to the place where things get crushed. Mm-hmm. And this is where Jesus is going to, knowing that like he's about to get crushed, not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually. Everything is about that a human being could possibly endure. He's about to endure and more. ⁓ so this is it's it doesn't quite communicate it in this gospel, but in the gospel of Luke, he describes Jesus sweating blood, which is a ⁓ very real effect of ⁓ the highest level of stress and fear. Mm-hmm. And ⁓ that's when they say deeply sorrowful, like, yeah, that's scratching the surface. Like this is about as broken as a human being can be. And this is this is Jesus. So yeah. And I think I mean, I think we've all seen it. If you've been going to church, the Passion of Christ. Yes. But that scene. Yes. When he's in there. Yeah. It's agony. Yeah. It's a powerful one. And so I encourage, you know, anyone that kinda wants to get in watch that scene. Yeah. It it might not jump off the pages with us, but when you really allow your mind to paint the picture of what it's saying, yeah. It's devastating. Yeah, I would even say read all all gospel accounts. Yes. ⁓ yeah, absolutely. Yes. Be like, okay. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. All right. Anyways, ⁓ verse forty-seven. While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob with swords and clubs was with them from the chief priests and elders of the people. His betrayer had given them a sign, the one I kiss, he's the one arrest him. So immediately he went up ⁓ to Jesus, said, Greetings, Rabbi, and kissed him. Friend, Jesus asked him, Why have you come? Then he they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him. At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest servants, high priest's servant and cut off his ear. Then Jesus told him, Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think I cannot call on my father and he will provide me with Here and now with more than twelve legions of angels. How then can the scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen that this way? At that time Jesus said to the crowds, have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal to capture me? Every day I used to sit teaching in the temple and you didn't arrest me. But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled, then all the disciples deserted him and ran away. Mm-hmm. So a few things just to point out. ⁓ when Judas comes up, he gives him a formal greeting, Rabbi. Mm-hmm. Like this is your title. Jesus calls him friend. Mm-hmm. And ⁓ Yeah, boy, if there was a sucker punch with words, that must have been one of ⁓ like, Hi friend. Mm hmm. Quit trying to formalize it. I'm not just your rabbi. Yeah. We're friends. ⁓ you know it. And then You know, you see Peter, ⁓ Yeah one of those with Jesus. We don't say who, but other d disciple or other gospels say it's Peter, takes out a sword, cuts off a servant's ear, and it's like, dude, you forgot the sermon on the mount. Like you totally you know I mean, you forgot that. Like But it goes into like what his personality ⁓ so quick. So quick. But like an upside down kingdom is still an upside down kingdom even when there's Horrible things happening. You still have to live that kingdom way. And then it it reminds me the scene that Jesus is saying I could call down legions of angels. And that sounds very similar to the language that the devil used in tempting Jesus all the way back when it was just him in the desert. And so again, Jesus is overcoming so many ongoing temptations to say, I'm gonna look. Powerless in front of you, pitiful in front of you, like I can put a stop to all of this at any point. Yeah. He doesn't doesn't even defend himself. So again, yeah. What was like just true then is just being lived out more and more. Yeah. In verse 57, it says, Those who had arrested Jesus led him away ⁓ to ⁓ Caiaphas, ⁓ the high priest where the scribes and the elders had ⁓ conveyed. convened. Peter was ⁓ following him at a distance, right as the high priest or right to the high priest priest courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin ⁓ were looking for false testimonies against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they could not find any. Even through even though many false witnesses came forward finally two Who come forward stated, This man said, I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. Then the high priest stood up and said to him, Don't you have an un answer to what these men are testifying against you? But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to him, I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God. You have said it, Jesus told him. But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated At the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest tore his robes and said, He has blasphemied. Why do we still need witnesses? See now you've heard the blasphemy. What is your decision? They answered, He deserves death. Then they spat on his face and beat him. Others slapped him and said, Prophesies to us, Messiah, who was it that hit you? So Mamma. Just total mocking. Yeah, I mean the scene really speaks for itself. I mean yeah, i i if you were an outsider looking in on this scene and you knew very little ⁓ but maybe a touch about how the Judeo Christian belief of justice works or, you know, right living, you'd be like, Well, I think the people screaming at the guy in the middle are not in the right. And honestly what's happening is ⁓ their hearts are being revealed. The anger Everything he talked about again, the Sermon on the Mount is coming out. Murder begins in your heart. Yeah. And this is a prime example. Verse sixty nine says Now Peter was sitting outside in in the courtyard. A servant girl approached him and said, You were with Jesus, the Galilean too, but he denied it in front of everyone. I don't know what you're talking about. That's one. Mm-hmm. When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, This is the man who ⁓ this man was with Jesus the Nazarene, and again he denied it with an oath, I don't know that know the man two. After a little while, those standing there approached and said to Peter, You really are one of them, since you even your accent gives you away. Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, I don't know that the man three. Mm-hmm. Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly. Yeah. So it's just ⁓ I mean it's a heartbreaking passage. And it's ⁓ not that we're supposed to read ourselves into the text, but every one of us has been Peter. A hundred percent. Every one of us. And if we don't understand that, you really haven't looked. deep inside your heart enough that each one of us has been Peter. And ⁓ maybe it's not exactly this scene, but we have not held fast to who we claimed we would follow to the ends of the earth and give everything to and if you watch the pattern, it's a little girl. Yeah. You'd almost think it'd be the opposite. The crowds accuse him and ⁓ okay, that'd be overwhelming. And then an adult woman and ⁓ okay, I I why I did it once, and then a child, I might be able to stamp to a child. No, it's the other way. It's the smallest child. It's like, I know you. No, you don't, no, you don't. Like he is just it's coming out of him. And it's beautiful because we're not gonna get into it with this series, but how Peter goes from this he's Simon here, easily swayed, pay pee you know Peter means rock, Simon means read, easily swayed, moved around, to then axe when the Holy Spirit gets involved, and man. Different. Peter different. Different. That's the transformation of the spirit. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. So with that, we're gonna close out today. We'll be back tomorrow. Yep. The tears are beginning. Yeah. And so we'll be back tomorrow. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next time.