The Singing Savior & His Scattered Sheep | Mark 14:26-31 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

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I invite you to turn with me to
the Gospel of Mark in chapter
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14, beginning in verse 26.
Mark 1426 and the passage will
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end at verse 31.
And when they had sung.
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A hymn.
They went out to the Mount of
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Olives, and Jesus said to them,
You will all fall away.
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For it is written, I will strike
the shepherd, and the sheep will
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be scattered.
But after I am raised up, I will
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go before you to Galilee.
Peter said to him, Even though
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they all fall away, I will not.
And Jesus said to him, Truly, I
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tell you this very night before
the rooster crows twice, you
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will deny me three times.
But he said emphatically, if I
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must die with you, I will not
deny you.
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And they all said the same.
Lord, help us understand this
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passage.
Give us your help.
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We need you and we believe you
in Jesus name, Amen.
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My prayer is really simple.
My prayer for our time together
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is that the explanations and the
applications of this very text
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that we just read would do one
thing.
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It would awaken the eyes of our
hearts to the splendor of the
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Savior.
I hope that if anything moves
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you today, it will be a refined
understanding of the nature of
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the Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, my prayer is that each of
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us here would be fixated on Him,
fixated by his fascinating
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fortitude, his unbreakable love,
his breathtaking loyalty.
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And the stage that is set to
display His glory remains in
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that upper room, the same room
where Jesus and his.
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Disciples honor the Passover.
Where the Lord discussed his
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betrayer while eating with him,
and where Christ instituted the
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Lord's Supper for His church.
So much has happened already in
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one evening, and yet there's
still more to discover.
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And I want us to explore those
things by the Spirit's help.
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Again, my agenda with this
message is by the grace of God.
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It's to reveal the heart of
Jesus.
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To you and his heart for you.
I mean, just providentially,
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these songs that we're singing
are just praising God that so
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much on Christ, so much on his
love, so much on his nature.
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Yes, we do that weekly, but I
feel as though the songs that
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were chosen for this time fits
perfectly with what we're going
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to see in the Lord today.
So where shall we begin?
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Where we started?
Let's meditate on verse 12 for a
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brief time.
Again, it says here, and when
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they had sung a hymn, they went
out to the Mount of Olives.
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Be honest, how many of us would
just brush over a verse like
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that?
We would simply deem it as a
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transition, but it's not.
It pulls us to meditate.
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It draws us into consider what's
happening here.
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Do you realize that this is the
only place in all the Gospels
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that we're told Jesus sang?
And more than singing, we have
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two actions here that offer
powerful thoughts, each offering
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profound insight.
So you have to understand that
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as the Lord here and his
disciples are concluding the
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Passover celebration, they chose
to pause and do what we tend to
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do when we end any service as we
gather together and sing and
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sing.
And it's likely that the Lord
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who has been delegating and
directing this whole meal also
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at this time conducted this
intimate doxology.
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He was the one behind it.
Can you imagine it?
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Jesus singing?
Think about it.
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You know what thought came to my
mind when I was meditating on
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it?
What did his voice sound like?
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How strong was it?
What kind of emotion did he have
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as he sang those stanzas and
those verses?
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What kind of?
Focus did he have?
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Did it carry the same authority
as he had when he preached, only
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left to imagine?
And additionally, I thought,
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what did they sing?
It says here generally that the
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saying of hymn.
But what hymn the Spirit doesn't
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tell us.
But we may have a hint from the
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Jewish Talmud, which is a
collection of writings that were
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brought together by rabbinical
teachings around the 1st
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century.
And in that set of documents
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we're told how some of the Jews,
the time of Christ, would have
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celebrated these feast, these
Old Testament feast.
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And there is a set of Homs
called the halal psalms, Halal
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being the same word that we have
in Hallelujah, praise in Hebrew.
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And those psalms are grouped by
Psalm 113 to Psalm 118.
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And it is believed that
throughout, specifically the
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Passover, those psalms would be
sung throughout the evening.
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And the last Psalm, the
concluding Psalm, would have
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been Psalm 118, which is very
likely what Mark referred to
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when he said that Jesus and his
disciples sang to him.
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Is it for certain?
No, because it's not in
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Scripture.
But you know what is certain?
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Maybe not what he's saying, but
when he sang it.
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When he sang it, which is just
as profound.
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What's the context?
Jesus Christ chose to lift up
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his voice with a melody right
after revealing that he was
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going to be betrayed from one of
the 12.
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And even right before he tells
his own disciples that they're
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all going to abandon him.
That is when Jesus Christ chose
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to lift up worship to the Lord
with a tune.
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And you have to be aware of of
believing that when Jesus Christ
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made predictions or declared
prophetic insights that he did
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so with unfeeling manifestations
of omniscience.
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When Christ spoke about His
betrayer, don't think He did so
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mechanically.
When Christ understood that His
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disciples were going to run away
from him, don't think that He
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did so without emotion.
And if you doubt that for any
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reason, go to the Gospel of
John.
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Look at one verse that will
dispel any misconception about
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Christ's heart, His humanity in
this moment.
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In verse 21 of John 13, listen
to how the Holy Spirit pens it
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from John's perspective.
After saying these things, Jesus
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was troubled in His Spirit and
testify truly, truly.
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I say to you, one of you will
betray me.
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He was disturbed with that
reality.
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Oh, he knew it, the scriptures
foretold it, but it didn't
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cancel out the pain with it.
He was troubled in His spirit as
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he shared these things, and
though troubled in His spirit,
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he sang.
Still, though distressed, he
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mustered up the strength to give
this truth in song to God and
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before His people.
Why couldn't He have concluded
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the evening because of the
heaviness of His heart with no
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song and just move on to the
Mount of Olives?
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He could have, but why didn't He
not?
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Because of mere custom.
The Lord Jesus never did
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anything out of mere formality.
Never.
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He did it because of why He did
everything.
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The Father was worthy of it.
He sought to glorify the Father
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in every way, including this
way.
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You know, the book of Hebrews
tells us that we are to offer up
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to God continually, a sacrifice
of praise.
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A sacrifice of praise.
That's for us.
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What language?
Sacrifice of praise.
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And then He describes what that
sacrifice looks like.
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That is the fruit of the lips
which acknowledge His name.
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So praise isn't internal.
It should come from the inside,
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but it manifests outwardly.
It manifests with a sound.
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And according to God, when you
and I choose to praise, even
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when it feels like a sacrifice,
that is a pleasing aroma to God,
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that moves God, that honors God,
that glorifies God.
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See, what we did here wasn't
just the appetizer for the Word
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of God.
What we just did in the past 30
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minutes was worship.
It was pleasing to God, both
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insight and sound.
And here's the Lord Jesus Christ
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modeling this for us.
Despite the distress and His
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soul, He gave to the Father
words that blessed him and even
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blessed His people.
Now hypothetically, if Jesus did
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sing Psalm 118, I don't know
what parts of it he's saying.
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I don't know if it was the
entire thing, but I just love to
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imagine Him singing these
particular verses.
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After learning He was troubled
in spirit, knowing what's ahead
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of Him, He was still able to
posture himself in such a way to
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give God such honor.
Would you like to see it with
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me?
Go to Psalm 118.
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Look at the first few verses and
with everything that you just
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heard, imagine the Son of God in
flesh in that upper room, hours
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away from his arrest, betrayal,
torture, and him being able to
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do and say this in Psalm 118
verse one.
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Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for
he is good, for his steadfast
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love endures forever.
Let Israel say his steadfast
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love endures forever.
Let the House of Aaron say his
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steadfast love endures forever.
Let those who fear the Lord say
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his steadfast love endures
forever.
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You're singing that in light of
the fact that in a few moments
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you're going to be beaten and
bruised, where the Father is
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going to turn his face away with
those who have claimed
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allegiance to you will leave you
to yourself.
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You're, you're going to be able
to say his steadfast love
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endures forever.
That's what a sacrifice of
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praise looks like.
It's you being able to sing
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these truths, whether or not
you're experiencing them in the
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moment, whether or not you
believe them necessarily with
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your circumstances.
It's saying that this truth is
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truth.
Whether or not my flesh is in
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total agreement.
I know in my heart, I know
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because this is God's word, that
these things are true of Him,
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whether or not the circumstances
are favorable.
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But singing also has a secondary
effect.
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Not only does it produce a
savoring thing unto God, it
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strengthens you and I does it
not?
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That is a unique way when you
lift up your voice of, of
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engaging and gathering and
stirring every part of you to
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face the truth, to entertain the
truth, to exercise truth and
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every faculty of your being.
When you and I sing it, it, it
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emboldens us, it comforts us, it
builds us, it refreshes us, it
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helps us to remember, and
essentially it draws out
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something from you that other
ways and mediums can't.
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God designed singing to do that
for you.
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Remember what John said, that
Jesus was troubled in His
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spirit.
Now I wonder if in His humanity,
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when Christ sang certain verses
of Psalm 118, that it quieted
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His soul.
Imagine verses like this.
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Look at verse five of Psalm 118.
Out of my distress, I called on
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the Lord.
The Lord answered me and set me
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free.
Now look at this.
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He's going to be betrayed.
Do you understand that?
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He's going to be abandoned.
Look at verse six.
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The Lord is on my side.
I will not fear.
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What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side as my
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helper.
I shall look and triumph on
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those who hate me.
Yes, that is true.
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So what can you learn from the
first part of verse 12 in your
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suffering?
Sing.
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Because when you choose to do
that, even if it's a sacrifice.
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It will strengthen you, it will
supply a grace for you to to
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know an endurance and longevity
as you serve him, even when it's
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extremely difficult to do so.
But it's not the second movement
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of that verse of verse 26.
And when they had sung in hymn,
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the second thing is they went
out to the Mount of Olives.
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They went out to the Mount of
Olives, and that's interesting
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to me because they were
celebrating the Passover.
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Their instructions, many
detailed instructions about how
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one ought to celebrate the
Passover, including where each
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faithful Israelite ought to be
as they observed it.
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So turn to Exodus 12 and look at
verse 22 and you'll see what I
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mean.
And with this as a background
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insight and make you question
why Jesus and the disciples made
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this transition, Exodus 12,
verse 22.
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Moses and the Israelites were
told that the inauguration of
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this feast take a bunch of
hyssop and dip it in the blood
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that is in the basin and touch
the lentil and the two doorposts
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and the blood that is in the
basin.
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And look at this.
None of you shall go out of the
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door of His house until the
morning.
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So when you observe the Passover
as Jesus and the disciples did,
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part of that celebration is that
you would remain indoors until
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the morning.
Well, we know from the gospel is
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that when Jesus left to the
Mount of Olives with the
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disciples, it was still at
night.
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So why did they leave?
Well, a simple answer could be
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well, they didn't honor every
single detail of the
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instructions of the Passover.
I'm not too comfortable with
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that.
I believe Jesus is doing this
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intentionally, and he's doing
this symbolically because what
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happened in Exodus 12, if you
left the protective canopy of
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the blood that was smeared at
your door, the first born of
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00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,520
your family would die.
And so you were called to
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00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:01,720
refrain and trust and wait for
the Angel of death to Passover
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and that you would be spared,
especially the first born.
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00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,440
So to leave the house would be
to walking into your death
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because of unbelief.
And here Christ, hundreds of
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00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,320
years later, chooses to walk
out.
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00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:21,000
To walk out symbolizing what?
Christ is not hiding from death.
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He's embracing it.
He's walking out to it.
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00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,480
He's ready to be struck.
That's what we read later,
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right?
That the shepherd will be
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struck.
And here's Christ symbolizing
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00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:35,760
that act, ready to go out.
And to do what?
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To institute a new exodus.
Remember when the original
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00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:44,160
Passover was observed?
It preceded them escaping Egypt
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00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,080
and going into the Promised
Land.
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00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,560
And when did Jesus choose to
establish the Lord's Supper?
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The eve before another exodus.
Not a deliverance from the
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00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:03,640
slavery of a country or a
tyrant, but of sin and death.
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00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,359
So Christ here is establishing a
new exodus.
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He's bringing about a new
deliverance through his death.
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00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,880
And so he is walking straight
into the mouth of the grave with
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00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,520
No Fear, no hesitation, no
second thought.
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00:17:24,319 --> 00:17:25,560
So they went out to the Mount of
Olives.
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00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:29,680
And on their way to the Mount of
Olives, in verse 27, Jesus said
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to his disciples, you will all
fall away.
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For it is written, I will strike
the shepherd and the sheep will
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00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,120
be scattered.
So this is more devastating
255
00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:42,200
news.
He just finished telling that
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00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,000
one of you, one of the 12, is
going to betray me.
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00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:45,920
And now he says, you know what?
Actually, all of you are going
258
00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:47,240
to fall away.
Now.
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00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,280
He's not speaking about the same
level of treachery.
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00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,800
Judas would be a permanent
abandonment for these other
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00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:54,160
eleven.
It would be momentary.
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00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:59,280
They would fail because of the
lack of courage, though they
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00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,360
would be restored.
But just like Judas, the fearful
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00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:06,000
desertion of the disciples was
predicted by the prophets.
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00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,680
Remember we learned that Judas
and what he would do to Christ
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00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,120
was told in the Hebrew
Scriptures.
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00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:15,200
And now Christ opens our eyes
even again and more and he says,
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00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:18,440
actually, even you abandoned me.
That's been that's been written.
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00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:21,720
And he quotes Zechariah 13
seven.
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00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,080
I will strike the shepherd and
the sheep will be scattered.
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00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,400
Now be careful how you interpret
this, because some might, as
272
00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,640
they think about passages like
this, come to the conclusion
273
00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:37,280
that you know this might be
unfair then for for God to
274
00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,520
predict something and then for
the disciples to be held
275
00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,880
responsible for it.
How do we make sense of that?
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00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,200
If if the disciples walking away
from Christ, as the argument
277
00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:49,440
goes, has been determined, so to
speak, then how can these
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00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,800
disciples be blamed for their
lack of faith and boldness and
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00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,240
devotion?
And here's a simple way of
280
00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:57,840
answering this.
I know some people would answer
281
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,080
it differently, but this is what
I believe is the answer.
282
00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,760
You cannot confuse God's
foreknowledge with His
283
00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:10,400
determinism.
For God to predict something
284
00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:14,520
does not always mean He
orchestrated the event in order
285
00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,560
for it to be realized.
That is especially important
286
00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,480
when you realize God Speaking of
something concerning man's
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00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,840
sinful ways.
For God to say this will take
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00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:31,720
place and it deals with
something evil in nature does
289
00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:37,320
not mean His prediction was also
his production, lest he become
290
00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:39,600
blamed and responsible for the
very thing that He said would
291
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,840
take place.
There are some things that He
292
00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,160
says and He is behind for it to
be accomplished.
293
00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,360
There are other things that he
says and it's purely his
294
00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:52,840
knowledge of what is going to
transpire and for these
295
00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:57,360
disciples to scatter from the
shepherd who would be struck is
296
00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:00,240
fully on them.
It's just been foretold by the
297
00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,080
Spirit of God showcasing His
omniscience.
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00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,360
But I want to spend less time on
that and more time on what this
299
00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,920
verse is all about that he
quotes because Jesus only quotes
300
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,640
the second part of it.
And so when you look at
301
00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,320
Zechariah 13-7, you see that
there's a more complete thought.
302
00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,480
And it is astounding when you
take the time to look at it and
303
00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:25,040
to ruminate over the jewels that
it presents.
304
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,400
Listen to what it says in
Zechariah 13, seven.
305
00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,160
Jesus quotes the second part,
but here's the first part.
306
00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,560
Awake, O sword against my
shepherd, against the man who
307
00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,320
stands next to me, declares the
Lord of hosts.
308
00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,800
Strike the shepherd and the
sheep will be scattered.
309
00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,400
I will turn my hand against the
little ones.
310
00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,480
So Jesus looks at his disciples.
He goes, you're about to walk
311
00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:55,480
into what Zechariah said would
happen, and he identifies
312
00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,600
himself as the shepherd that
would be struck in Zechariah,
313
00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,360
and he identifies them as the.
Sheep that will be scattered.
314
00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,240
But reel back and consider the
wider implication.
315
00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:12,560
Who's the one speaking in
Zechariah 13, Seven, We're told
316
00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:16,760
here the Lord of hosts.
So it's God Almighty who is
317
00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,120
saying awake, O sword against my
shepherd, against the man who
318
00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:23,480
stands next to me.
He's not speaking about a
319
00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,480
literal sword.
This is metaphorical for justice
320
00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:30,160
being applied, divine justice
being activated.
321
00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,440
And so to understand this as God
being the speaker and the
322
00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,360
initiator in this case means
that the Father was the one
323
00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:46,600
behind through the hands of evil
men, the Son being slain and the
324
00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:50,440
Son joyfully working with the
Father to see that that would be
325
00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,680
accomplished.
Do you know why that's
326
00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,640
important?
Do you know why it's important
327
00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:59,080
for God to be the one to say,
awake, O sword against my
328
00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,560
shepherd?
Because Jesus was not as
329
00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,400
helpless victim.
Jesus was not spontaneously and
330
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,400
surprisingly overtaken by the
wrath of his enemies.
331
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:14,800
No, Jesus was strategically and
submissively given over to the
332
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:22,160
wrath of God, the wrath of God.
There are people out there who
333
00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,720
believe that when Jesus died, he
was not the object of God's
334
00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,120
wrath.
There are people believe that
335
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:31,240
because they think that's cruel,
they think that's brutal.
336
00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:35,320
They believe that's unloving.
He did die, but there was a
337
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,560
different reason why he died.
He did surrender his life, but
338
00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:40,920
it was separate from the
Father's activity.
339
00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,920
This was a a willing death on
his part to do a cleansing work,
340
00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,440
separate from God's feeling
towards the sin upon him.
341
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:49,680
There are people who believe
that.
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00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:53,040
We don't believe that.
And if you want to prove text
343
00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,440
that would reject such a notion,
Zechariah 13 Seven is massive
344
00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,360
because it's God who says awake
O sword.
345
00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:07,480
Against my Shepherd.
This is me demonstrating my
346
00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:14,440
justice against my Shepherd.
But there's something else here
347
00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:18,160
to consider.
You can't afford to miss the
348
00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:20,520
detailed description of who the
Shepherd is.
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00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,280
Look at it again, Zechariah 13
Seven awake, O sword, against my
350
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:31,760
shepherd, against the man who
stands next to me, declares the
351
00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,760
Lord of Hosts.
So if you have a new King James,
352
00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:40,000
it would read against the man,
against my companion with a
353
00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,880
capital C.
If you have the NASB, it would
354
00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,920
say against the man, against my
associate.
355
00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:49,760
You have the King James, it
would say against the man,
356
00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:54,560
against my fellow.
Whatever faithful translation
357
00:23:54,560 --> 00:24:00,560
you hold, the original Hebrew
word speaks of a close neighbor
358
00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:05,040
and outside of Zechariah 13,
seven, it is only used in the
359
00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:10,720
book of Leviticus over and over
again to express or explain one
360
00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:14,840
who is close in proximity, a
fellow neighbor here or there.
361
00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:21,000
And yet the Lord of hosts says
of this shepherd in the ESV, one
362
00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,680
who stands next to me, this is
who the shepherd is.
363
00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:27,040
So you understand the
implications of this, right?
364
00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:29,800
The shepherd is a close
confidant to the Lord.
365
00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:36,880
He is a nearby friend.
What the Lord is saying here is
366
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:42,600
that we share in our interest,
in our affections, in our
367
00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,480
fellowship, and even in our
nature.
368
00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,160
So there's a clear clue here
that whoever the shepherd is,
369
00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:56,360
he's otherworldly.
But he's not just otherworldly,
370
00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:58,240
because what did he say before
him?
371
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,520
Saying that he stands next to me
against who?
372
00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:09,320
The man.
So his origins are otherworldly,
373
00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,160
and yet at the same time he is a
man.
374
00:25:14,120 --> 00:25:18,880
And so here again, you and I
have more evidence about the
375
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,160
prophesied dual nature of Jesus
Christ.
376
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,960
He stands next to the Lord of
hosts, but he's also a man.
377
00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,400
And more than that, here we read
that he is referred to as my
378
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:37,640
shepherd.
So he's not a random man.
379
00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:42,280
He's a man who's been appointed
by the Lord of hosts to be sent
380
00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,400
into the world to save lost
sheep.
381
00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:50,920
And this one who is close to the
Lord, but also a man who's been
382
00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:54,720
appointed as a shepherd to save
lost sheep, would save them how?
383
00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,600
By being struck by the sword of
the Lord of the hosts.
384
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,480
So you have gospel right here in
Zechariah 13, seven.
385
00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,160
Us believing that God became
flesh is not a New Testament
386
00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:10,160
idea.
It's been prophesied hundreds of
387
00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,600
years before, and Christ
fulfilled those prophecies
388
00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,320
perfectly.
And if you are a person who has
389
00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:21,000
trouble believing in the deity
of the Lord Jesus Christ, then
390
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,800
you have to take it up with him
because back in our main text,
391
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,600
he identifies himself as this
shepherd from Zechariah.
392
00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,800
He's the one who's saying I'm
that shepherd who will be
393
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,000
struck.
And when you go to Zechariah 13,
394
00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,720
you realize that the Lord says
he's a man, but he's also close
395
00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:42,080
to me, near me, my companion, my
associate.
396
00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:46,360
Jesus Christ is the God man and
he believed that and he
397
00:26:46,360 --> 00:26:50,800
proclaimed that.
But he says something in verse
398
00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,520
28.
He says, But after I am raised
399
00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:56,120
up, I will go before you to
Galilee.
400
00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,200
So he doesn't finish there.
He tells his disciples of his
401
00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,840
impending death and their swift
desertion, but he also comforts
402
00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:09,320
them with two thoughts.
He comforts them with two
403
00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:11,560
points.
The first one deals with his
404
00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,480
resurrection.
He says one and 28.
405
00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,280
But after I am raised that what
a gloriously triumphant
406
00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:18,560
statement.
I'm going to be struck.
407
00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:22,600
I'm going to be abandoned, but
I'm getting out of that grave.
408
00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:26,960
I will be raised up.
So as much as he was looking
409
00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:28,840
forward to his death, he knew
what was coming on the other
410
00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:30,920
side.
He was going to be resurrected.
411
00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,920
And he's telling his disciples,
listen, I'm going to be raised
412
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,080
and we can spend the rest of the
message talking about that.
413
00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:39,280
But I want to focus on the
second comforting thought.
414
00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:41,280
The first one deals with His
resurrection.
415
00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:44,720
I will be raised.
But the second part deals with
416
00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,200
His reunion.
Look again.
417
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,040
What does He say?
I will go before you to Galilee.
418
00:27:54,360 --> 00:27:57,400
I'm going to meet you in Galilee
after I'm raised.
419
00:27:58,640 --> 00:27:59,800
You know what happened in
Galilee?
420
00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,160
You don't have to turn there,
but you read it on your own in
421
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,160
Matthew 28.
That's where Jesus issued the
422
00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:05,680
great.
Commission in Galilee.
423
00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:09,600
So what is Christ saying about
his own?
424
00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:14,880
He's telling them I'm planning
to be reunited with you after
425
00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:16,840
when?
My resurrection, even before
426
00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:22,600
that, after your betrayal, after
you walk away from me, I want to
427
00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:24,600
let you know that I'm planning
to meet with you.
428
00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:28,520
I'm planning.
To fellowship with you.
429
00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:33,880
And I'm planning to use you.
Inconceivable.
430
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:39,200
Well, that's Christ.
The point of what Jesus saying
431
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,320
in this brief verse is so
profound.
432
00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:47,240
He's aware more than you are of
your frailty.
433
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:49,920
You know, he tells his
disciples, you're going to all
434
00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:51,720
walk away from me.
And they couldn't believe it.
435
00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,240
They couldn't even register and
understand how they can do that
436
00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:57,440
to Christ.
Christ knew them more than they
437
00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,840
knew themselves.
And though he knows the depths
438
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:05,560
of your weakness, of your
potential airings, you know
439
00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:07,720
what?
Jesus shows them, I still desire
440
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,960
to be associated with you.
I still desire to fellowship
441
00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:13,520
with you.
I still desire to have a future
442
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:16,920
with you.
You know what happens when you
443
00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,040
and I become aware of other
people's imperfections?
444
00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,400
Can I tell you I'm no prophet,
nor am IA son of a prophet.
445
00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,200
I just know human nature because
I'm a human.
446
00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:26,960
When we discover people's
weaknesses, we distance
447
00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,880
ourselves from them.
That's not Christ.
448
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,200
You know what Christ does?
He wants you to draw nearer to
449
00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:36,920
Him with your weakness.
How different is He from us?
450
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,600
And we see here that this is the
heart of your Lord and mine.
451
00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:47,440
He knows they're going to betray
him, and he wants to meet them
452
00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:48,360
in Galilee.
Why?
453
00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:49,800
So he can slap them up a little
bit.
454
00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,320
No, He commissions them to do a
work.
455
00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:58,600
And this is so difficult for us
to grasp as it was for the
456
00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,680
disciples to grasp.
Do you know how I know that?
457
00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,560
Because Jesus repeats himself to
the disciples even after he
458
00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:07,400
resurrects.
Listen, look, verse 28.
459
00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,600
You know what verse 28 is useful
for in terms of application?
460
00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:17,000
Praying against what the
disciples operated in in
461
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:19,080
response to Jesus truth because
why?
462
00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:20,640
He tells I'm going to be
resurrected again.
463
00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,800
And guess what?
They didn't believe it because
464
00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:25,720
I'll be raised up.
And what they did, they stuffed
465
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,320
themselves in a room and locked
the door.
466
00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:30,120
Did they just not believe in his
resurrect?
467
00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:31,880
No, they also didn't believe in
the fact that he wanted to
468
00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:34,920
reunite with them.
Let me show you how you're in
469
00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:36,240
Mark, I hope.
Go to Mark 16.
470
00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,640
This is the last chapter of our
study in Mark.
471
00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:44,240
And notice what Jesus says to
the woman who came to the tomb
472
00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,000
so that they can relay the
message to the frightened
473
00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:55,280
apostles in Mark 16, verse 6.
And he said to them, do not be
474
00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:57,840
alarmed.
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who
475
00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,560
was crucified.
He has risen.
476
00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,440
He is not here.
See the place where they laid
477
00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:03,720
him.
So what did Jesus say back in
478
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:05,360
Mark?
He says I'm going to be raised
479
00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,400
up.
And he tells some of the ladies
480
00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,200
there, the sisters, He's not
here, He's risen.
481
00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:13,520
But notice the next part in
verse 7.
482
00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:18,120
But go tell his disciples and
Peter that He is going before
483
00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:22,800
you to Galilee.
There you will see Him just as
484
00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,560
He told you.
You know what I take out of
485
00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:26,640
this?
Here's what I take out of this,
486
00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,040
that if there's any missed
message that is difficult for
487
00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:33,880
disciples of Jesus to grasp, it
is the wonderful truth that
488
00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:38,320
Christ longs to be reconciled
with us after you fail him.
489
00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:44,880
They had difficulty grasping it.
And boys stick around the church
490
00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,520
long enough with genuine
believers, and genuine believers
491
00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:48,960
have a difficulty understanding
it.
492
00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,520
You're telling me that after I
messed up in this colossal way
493
00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,760
or in a series of way, that this
Christ that I pledge my
494
00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:04,480
allegiance to wants to still
deal with me and use me and
495
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:07,560
reveal himself to me?
Yes.
496
00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:10,080
That's why we read the Word of
God.
497
00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,040
That's why we're in Mark, so we
can know what the heart of
498
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:16,320
Christ is like.
And we see here that this is for
499
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:20,040
us, that like these disciples,
you and I have to rehearse that
500
00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:24,160
truth over and over until it's
trusted, until it's really
501
00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:27,440
trusted.
That's the heart of my Jesus for
502
00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,640
me.
Now, I'm aware that there will
503
00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,720
be some who will distort this
truth and use it as a proof text
504
00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:35,400
to convince themselves.
So listen up.
505
00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:40,320
If this is you, that would use a
proof text like this to try to
506
00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:43,360
convince themselves and others
that you know, God will accept
507
00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:48,120
you as as you are.
Meaning you can live and sin all
508
00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:52,200
you want consciously and the
Lord will just gush over you.
509
00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,360
Well, there is one crucial
aspect of the Lord's gracious
510
00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,480
instructions here that cannot be
overlooked.
511
00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,240
It's not in Mark, it's in Luke's
account.
512
00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,000
When Luke talks about the
betrayal of the disciples, he
513
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,080
focuses in on Peter.
And notice what the Lord told
514
00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:11,960
Peter as he was speaking in the
presence of the other disciples.
515
00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:23,160
And Luke 22, verse 31 Simon,
Simon, behold, Satan demanded to
516
00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:27,200
have you, that he might sift you
like wheat.
517
00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,080
But I have prayed for you that
your faith may not fail.
518
00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:37,160
I can't wait for the day that as
a church we'll talk about Jesus
519
00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:42,000
intercessory ministry because he
died, he was buried, he rose
520
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:45,040
again and we we think now that
Jesus is just waiting in heaven
521
00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:47,760
for the world to get really bad
so he can come back.
522
00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:51,120
No, Jesus Christ has been
working since he rose and
523
00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:55,200
ascended.
He is praying for us,
524
00:33:55,880 --> 00:34:00,960
interceding for us every single
moment of your life and mine.
525
00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:06,000
He tells Peter, I've prayed for
you that your faith may not
526
00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,080
fail.
Notice what he says in the last
527
00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:12,679
part.
And when you have turned again,
528
00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:19,320
strengthen your brothers.
You see that crucial part?
529
00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:22,080
I know you're going to fail me,
Peter.
530
00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,280
Not just you, but all of these
guys are going to fail me.
531
00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:27,280
But I'm going to wait for you in
Galilee.
532
00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:32,400
I have a wonderful plan for you
with this contingency when you
533
00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:37,800
have turned again.
So should I believe that the
534
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:41,000
Lord is willing to deal with me
even in my disobedience, Walk
535
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:46,800
with me, love me, promise things
to me amazingly, yes, as long as
536
00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:48,639
you do your part.
What's your part?
537
00:34:48,639 --> 00:34:54,920
Live repentantly before him.
It's not necessarily the absence
538
00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,200
or presence of sin.
It's what you do with that sin.
539
00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:02,960
And if you like Peter?
Even in denying Christ more than
540
00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:06,200
once choose to turn back again
to Him, which Judas failed to
541
00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,120
do.
Christ is always waiting with
542
00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:11,400
open arms.
So this truth that I hope is a
543
00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,640
balm to the hearts of believers
who love the Lord but know that
544
00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:18,720
they are greatly able to fail
Him, is not.
545
00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,360
For those who would try to abuse
his grace, there are other
546
00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:25,560
prophecies in the Bible.
For you, my friend, they're not
547
00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:31,240
comforting, they're terrifying.
But for the true Christian, know
548
00:35:31,240 --> 00:35:37,000
that this is your inheritance.
He loves you, He desires you,
549
00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,680
even on the other side of you,
falling on your face and
550
00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,480
disappointing Him over and over
again.
551
00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:49,040
How does Peter respond?
Since we're talking about him,
552
00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:52,600
he's going to become the focus
of our concluding verses in Mark
553
00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:55,880
1429.
Peter said to him, even though
554
00:35:55,880 --> 00:36:01,240
they all fall away, I will not.
Oh boy.
555
00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:06,040
And Jesus said to him, truly, I
tell you this very night before
556
00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:09,000
the rooster crows twice, you
will deny me three times.
557
00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:11,720
But he said emphatically, you
know what's amazing?
558
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,280
The word emphatically there is
only found in Mark.
559
00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:17,800
You won't find it in the other
Gospel accounts.
560
00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,080
And you remember how we opened
up Mark, right?
561
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,640
We came to the conclusion that
Mark wrote this under the
562
00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:27,080
guidance and the inside of the
apostle Peter.
563
00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:31,760
And there's so many internal
clues of how Peter was really
564
00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:33,720
the author behind Mark's
writings here.
565
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:38,520
And I think this is one of them,
because in the other Gospel
566
00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:41,680
accounts it says Peter said.
But here we have the emotion
567
00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:47,320
behind it, emphatically said
with passion, and it just makes
568
00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:49,960
me wonder if Peter.
Brought that to Mark's
569
00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:51,880
attention.
He's like, make sure that when
570
00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:55,760
you write this that I had every
intention, that my emotions were
571
00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:59,680
wrapped up behind my response.
I emphatically said it.
572
00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:03,560
And amazing how surgically
precise the Bible is.
573
00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,880
But he said emphatically, like
it bothered him.
574
00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:10,040
It caused his blood to boil, in
a sense.
575
00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:15,520
If I must die with you, I will
not deny you.
576
00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:19,560
And that passion must have been
contagious, because it says here
577
00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:22,000
and they all said the same
Peter.
578
00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:24,520
Peter had a way of leading
people, whether he knew it or
579
00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:28,640
not.
Many years ago I preached the
580
00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:32,800
message on several occasions
called the stages of
581
00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,000
backsliding.
You can still find that message
582
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,720
online.
And the essence of that teaching
583
00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:42,880
was to examine Peter's actions
and attitudes leading up to his
584
00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:46,560
denial of Christ.
And how they reflect the same
585
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:50,040
pitfalls that Christians
encounter before finding
586
00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,280
themselves in a perilous
spiritual condition.
587
00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,240
And if you want to listen to
that message in its entirety,
588
00:37:57,240 --> 00:37:58,320
you can.
But if you want a little
589
00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:03,320
preview, what Peter does here is
stage one for many people as
590
00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:08,280
they slip into a vulnerable and
unpleasant spiritual state.
591
00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:11,360
You know what that is?
Here's stage 1 overconfidence.
592
00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:18,360
Jesus didn't ask the disciples
if they were going to fall away.
593
00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:20,120
Jesus told them they were going
to fall away.
594
00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:25,400
Like it's going to happen.
And the way that this man
595
00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,000
answers him reveals that he is.
Rejecting what the Lord said
596
00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:34,280
would happen and Peter's
response should not be
597
00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:36,560
misinterpreted as fiery
fidelity, right?
598
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:41,520
He's not saying like I.
He's saying this in pride and if
599
00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:45,680
you doubt that, then see how he
actually compares himself to the
600
00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:47,520
other disciples.
What does he say in verse 29?
601
00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:53,840
Peter said to him, even though
they all fall away, I will not.
602
00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:59,320
Is that inspirational to you?
No, that stinks with arrogance.
603
00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:01,880
He didn't do that privately by
the way.
604
00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:03,400
He did that in front of the
disciples.
605
00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:08,000
So Jesus, you're all going to
fall away and he goes, they
606
00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:12,920
might, not me.
So you just got to think a
607
00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:14,960
little bit and consider what
these implications are when
608
00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,040
people use these certain words
and how they're saying it.
609
00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:20,400
What should have been Peter's
response?
610
00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:22,880
I believe there should have been
a humble admission and inquiry
611
00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:25,320
about the possibility of him
failing the master.
612
00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:30,080
But there's no evidence of that.
There's no probing, there's no
613
00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:34,120
brokenness, there's no
investigation, there's no
614
00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,800
examination.
Just not me.
615
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:43,520
Not me.
And we see here that Peter is
616
00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:47,920
essentially declaring that it is
not possible for anything or
617
00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:51,240
anyone to derail his devotion to
Christ.
618
00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:56,160
And when you have that kind of a
heart posture.
619
00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:02,280
It will eventually encourage you
to indirectly challenge some of
620
00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:05,240
the warnings in the Bible about
your flesh.
621
00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:08,200
Because you are now beginning to
believe that they don't apply to
622
00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:12,160
you.
And over time, when you don't
623
00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:16,480
acknowledge what the Bible says
about your flesh, you will fail
624
00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:19,760
to invest in the holy boundaries
and disciplines that are meant
625
00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:22,720
to guard you and protect you
from the very things that you
626
00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:29,360
think won't affect you.
And that is exactly what happens
627
00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:32,800
to Peter.
So he says to Jesus
628
00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:37,760
emphatically, I'm not.
And what happens after this?
629
00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,320
Jesus calls him and two other
disciples to pray with him in
630
00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:43,120
the garden at a very critical
juncture.
631
00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:46,080
How did Peter end up doing
there?
632
00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:51,320
He falls asleep.
Jesus wakes him up and says,
633
00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:53,600
watch and pray lest you fall
into temptation.
634
00:40:55,360 --> 00:40:58,440
And the very thing that Peter
said wouldn't happen to him,
635
00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:03,560
happened to him because
prayerlessness.
636
00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:06,960
Is the following stage in
backsliding?
637
00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:14,080
If you don't believe that you're
able to walk away or fail in
638
00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:18,160
certain areas, certain sins,
then you won't make this
639
00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:23,040
necessary measures and create
the spiritual reinforcement in
640
00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:25,720
the disciplines that God has
given us to stay strong.
641
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:27,240
That's exactly what happens to
Peter.
642
00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:34,880
And he drifts.
And as he drifts, he confirms to
643
00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:39,760
us we're backsliding begins.
Do you know where reverting to
644
00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:44,040
old sinful way starts?
Where it started For Peter in
645
00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:47,760
the heart.
In the heart doesn't just
646
00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:54,120
appear, it's in seed form and
then it is nourished indirectly.
647
00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:58,040
Can I prove that to you?
It's in Proverbs 1414.
648
00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:05,960
The Bible says the backslider in
heart, the backslider in heart
649
00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:07,800
will be filled with the fruit of
his ways.
650
00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:11,920
It starts in your heart, starts
in what you believe about God,
651
00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:14,520
what you believe about his Word,
what you believe about yourself.
652
00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:17,240
That's where all the trouble
begins.
653
00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:20,680
And in Peter's situation, his
heart was calloused by
654
00:42:20,680 --> 00:42:24,720
overconfidence, and that
overconfidence blinded him from
655
00:42:24,720 --> 00:42:26,520
seeing the urgency of this
moment.
656
00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:30,160
So he doesn't pray.
Oh, let me say this in love.
657
00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:34,120
I'm not talking about momentary
times or some days where you
658
00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:35,480
don't pray.
I'm talking about a lifestyle,
659
00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:38,880
prayerlessness.
Many people, when they realize
660
00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:43,320
that they've come to a point of
backsliding, acknowledge it far
661
00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:45,720
too late.
Many people have been
662
00:42:45,720 --> 00:42:47,880
backsliding, they just haven't
been realizing it.
663
00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:55,680
When I fail to come to the Lord
in an awareness of my neediness
664
00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:59,400
of Him to sustain me and to
strengthen me, when that's gone,
665
00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:04,720
you're at a stage that you don't
want to be at.
666
00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:12,040
And if you begin to think, well,
this won't affect me, you're
667
00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:13,920
falling into the same trap that
Peter did.
668
00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:20,720
So what's the appropriate
response to what Peter does
669
00:43:20,720 --> 00:43:22,120
here?
Is it to simply admit as a
670
00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:24,640
church all right, we're all
going to fail him eventually,
671
00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:27,880
Then sing a couple songs, half
heartedly, hang our heads low,
672
00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:30,360
and then go and have a picnic
and try to forget about the
673
00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:33,240
conviction we felt?
I don't believe so.
674
00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:38,760
I believe that the appropriate
response is to do what Peter
675
00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:43,560
didn't do and that is so
wholeheartedly acknowledge our
676
00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:47,920
need for Christ and then to seek
Him for what he's able to
677
00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:52,720
supply.
As I kicked back and meditated
678
00:43:52,720 --> 00:43:58,160
on all the wonderful promises of
the sustaining mercies of God,
679
00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:01,440
this particular text, and it's
our closing one, came to mind.
680
00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:04,200
And I present it to you with the
hope that it will energize you
681
00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:09,800
in the way that it energized me.
Jude 24.
682
00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:15,760
Do you know that verse?
Listen to it now, to Him who is
683
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:20,520
able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you blameless
684
00:44:20,520 --> 00:44:23,000
before the presence of His glory
with great joy.
685
00:44:25,440 --> 00:44:28,080
Who's the source of a stumble
free life?
686
00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:33,400
Who's the source of evaporating
any concern?
687
00:44:33,400 --> 00:44:37,240
What will I, what will become of
my faith in the future?
688
00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:39,360
I love.
I know I love the Lord, and I
689
00:44:39,360 --> 00:44:41,400
know I'm serving the Lord and I
know I'm honoring the Lord.
690
00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:43,360
But what will become of me 10
years from now?
691
00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:46,040
What will become of me when
things get really ugly in
692
00:44:46,040 --> 00:44:47,800
America?
What will become of me?
693
00:44:48,240 --> 00:44:54,120
Look at you, 24 now.
To Him, He's your source who is
694
00:44:54,120 --> 00:45:00,600
able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you blameless.
695
00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:03,760
Are we blameless before God?
Yes, because of what Christ has
696
00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:07,080
done.
But practical blameless is also
697
00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:10,600
available and possible for us as
you realize that He's the source
698
00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:13,680
of it.
He's able to keep me, not me.
699
00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:17,800
Peter thought I was in him.
I'm able, I, I, I not.
700
00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:20,480
Lord, keep me from doing this
against you.
701
00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:26,960
That wasn't His heart, it was
me, but it's him.
702
00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:29,160
So here's how I end.
How do you draw from that
703
00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:30,600
source?
If he is the source, how do I
704
00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:34,400
draw from it?
Is it separate from any action
705
00:45:34,400 --> 00:45:36,360
on my part?
No, there is something on your
706
00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:40,360
part yet it's so simple.
So he says in June 24, not to
707
00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:42,040
him was able to keep you from
stumbling.
708
00:45:42,160 --> 00:45:46,880
I want that Peter didn't have
the wrong desire and wanting
709
00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:48,480
that.
His problem was he looked to the
710
00:45:48,480 --> 00:45:54,240
wrong source and realizing it.
I want to never ever hurt my
711
00:45:54,240 --> 00:45:56,400
master.
And I hope that's your heart cry
712
00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:58,440
as well.
So how do I draw from the power
713
00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:00,600
the only can come from him?
Look at Jude 20.
714
00:46:02,040 --> 00:46:04,560
But you, beloved, building
yourselves up in the most holy
715
00:46:04,560 --> 00:46:07,560
faith.
And praying in the Holy Spirit.
716
00:46:08,720 --> 00:46:10,280
Keep.
Yourselves in the love of God,
717
00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:13,920
waiting for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ that leads to
718
00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:17,160
eternal life, praying in the
Holy Spirit.
719
00:46:17,160 --> 00:46:21,280
That's what I want you to see.
This is the exact opposite of
720
00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:23,360
what Peter did.
Peter saw the source of his
721
00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:26,000
strength in himself, and he
failed to pray and to receive
722
00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:28,160
the grace to endure the
temptations that were coming
723
00:46:28,160 --> 00:46:32,480
that night.
And Jude tells us he's able to
724
00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:35,640
keep you from stumbling, but you
have to keep yourselves in the
725
00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:38,440
love of God.
And one of the ways in which you
726
00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:40,960
keep yourself in the love of God
is that you pray in the Holy
727
00:46:40,960 --> 00:46:43,200
Spirit.
How do I pray in the Holy
728
00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:44,840
Spirit?
You know the mind of God.
729
00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:47,600
You know the promise of God, the
warnings of God, and you
730
00:46:47,600 --> 00:46:50,800
translate that in prayer.
And you ask him, Lord, let these
731
00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:54,440
things be true of me, Let these
things be real in me, and He
732
00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:58,320
will keep you from stumbling.
Lord, we ask that in this
733
00:46:58,320 --> 00:47:00,280
afternoon that would be true of
each of us.
734
00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:02,840
We.
Pray, Lord, not with the
735
00:47:03,480 --> 00:47:08,200
arrogant attitude that we're
able to endure in our own power
736
00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:12,280
and wisdom.
We ask that this promise in June
737
00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:22,400
24 would become our reality.
Lord, I pray for those who
738
00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:27,080
might, who might have struggled,
believing that you're willing to
739
00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:32,000
meet us in Galilee even after
we've failed you miserably
740
00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:36,280
again.
May we see the heart of Christ
741
00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:39,880
for us and for those who might
be in another place.
742
00:47:39,880 --> 00:47:43,360
For those who are in the web of
deception, as Peter was at this
743
00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:47,240
time, may you remove those webs
from our thinking.
744
00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:49,960
It may help us see that you're
the source.
745
00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:52,240
And.
Then we draw from that source
746
00:47:53,720 --> 00:47:54,920
through what we're doing right
now.
747
00:47:55,640 --> 00:48:01,280
Help us, help us.
So Lord, at this time we choose
748
00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:07,320
to sing to you no matter what we
are experiencing, the prayers
749
00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:10,280
that await to be answered, the
pain that might be riddling
750
00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:11,680
through our bodies.
Even now.
751
00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:16,200
We see Jesus as our example and
we choose to give you a
752
00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:19,920
sacrifice of praise because
you're worthy of it and because
753
00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:24,320
we know we will be strengthened
by the truths that we joyfully
754
00:48:24,320 --> 00:48:27,160
bring to you.
In Jesus name we pray.
755
00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:29,720
Amen.
Let's stand together, shall we?
756
00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:37,880
As a praise team comes.
I wonder even if there is one
757
00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:43,920
person here who might have heard
this message and thought, what
758
00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:48,440
does it take to be able to sing
when it doesn't make sense to
759
00:48:48,440 --> 00:48:53,680
sing and to trust when it
doesn't make sense to trust?
760
00:48:54,720 --> 00:48:59,720
How can I have that?
And I think that there are many
761
00:48:59,720 --> 00:49:01,800
answers to how that can be
realized.
762
00:49:02,320 --> 00:49:05,040
And I want to let you know that
there is a passage in the book
763
00:49:05,040 --> 00:49:10,400
of Job that informs us that God
is the one who gives us songs in
764
00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,080
the night.
God is the one who gives us
765
00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:16,840
songs in the night.
And for you to know, the ability
766
00:49:16,840 --> 00:49:22,880
to express faith and concrete
confidence can only be realized
767
00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:26,240
when you know God.
If you don't know God, then you
768
00:49:26,240 --> 00:49:28,680
won't be able to receive those
songs in the night.
769
00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:32,760
So I wonder even if there is one
person here you've heard in the
770
00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:35,640
past hour and a half through
song and through preaching about
771
00:49:35,640 --> 00:49:39,360
the wonders of Jesus Christ.
And my question is, before we
772
00:49:39,360 --> 00:49:41,400
conclude this meeting, is do you
know Him?
773
00:49:42,480 --> 00:49:45,760
Do you know Him?
There are many questions that
774
00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:49,880
people ask in life.
The most important question is
775
00:49:50,200 --> 00:49:55,960
who is Jesus Christ?
And with it is do you know Him?
776
00:49:56,640 --> 00:50:00,040
Do you know Him?
If you don't know Christ, let me
777
00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:03,680
briefly tell you who He is.
He is God Almighty, who entered
778
00:50:03,680 --> 00:50:07,440
into this world taking on flesh,
not so that He can give this
779
00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:11,560
world teachings and maximum
proverbs and ideas for society
780
00:50:11,560 --> 00:50:15,280
to thrive and harmonize.
He came to die.
781
00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:21,440
He came to die, and he came to
die a death that would apply to
782
00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:24,560
you and me and every other
person in this world.
783
00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:28,320
And the way that his death makes
sense is when you understand
784
00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:32,920
that the wages of sin is death.
Why do we die in this world?
785
00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:36,520
Why do your loved ones die?
Why is there not one part of the
786
00:50:36,520 --> 00:50:38,600
world where you can escape this
thing called death, the
787
00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:40,760
cessation of life?
It's because we've all been
788
00:50:40,760 --> 00:50:44,280
plagued with sin, and the
consequence of that is that we
789
00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:47,160
cease to live in our bodies.
And then there's something
790
00:50:47,160 --> 00:50:49,840
called the second death in which
we are judged for all eternity
791
00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:53,000
unless you put your faith in
Christ.
792
00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:56,640
When Christ died, he paid a
price on your behalf.
793
00:50:57,240 --> 00:51:00,040
He died so that you would not
have to die, not not in this
794
00:51:00,040 --> 00:51:04,400
life, but in the life to come.
And death in this life is no
795
00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:06,880
longer a fearful thing is it's
really just a door for you to
796
00:51:06,880 --> 00:51:11,560
enter into everlasting life.
Christ transformed everything
797
00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:15,600
when he died and the reason why
he did is because he didn't stay
798
00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:17,800
in the grave.
He rose from the grave.
799
00:51:17,800 --> 00:51:20,320
Do you know what it means?
When Jesus rose from the grave,
800
00:51:20,320 --> 00:51:24,800
when he was resurrected from the
dead, that was God's Amen to
801
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:28,760
what he did on the cross.
That was God saying, I approve.
802
00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:32,120
This satisfied my justice, my
wrath for humanity, sin.
803
00:51:33,240 --> 00:51:35,800
Jesus Christ satisfied God's.
Wrath.
804
00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:40,080
And when you hear that as you
heard it now, and you accept
805
00:51:40,080 --> 00:51:43,920
that truth for yourself and
believe on that truth, the
806
00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:46,400
blessings associated with his
death and resurrection are now
807
00:51:46,400 --> 00:51:51,600
yours, and you receive that
inheritance where death doesn't
808
00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:56,000
have a sting anymore and
everlasting life is your future,
809
00:51:56,000 --> 00:51:59,480
not everlasting death.
You're saying this sounds too
810
00:51:59,480 --> 00:52:01,640
good to be true.
That's why we Christians call
811
00:52:01,640 --> 00:52:03,240
this the gospel.
The gospel means good.
812
00:52:03,240 --> 00:52:05,120
News.
It's a good news.
813
00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:07,880
That's why we sing, because
we're so happy.
814
00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:12,600
That's why I hope we smile a lot
because we realize that our
815
00:52:12,600 --> 00:52:15,080
hearts have been changed and we
have the greatest treasure that
816
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:18,240
you can have in this life.
I want you to have that gift
817
00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:22,000
saying how much does it cost?
It's free.
818
00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:24,280
Wait, what do you mean it's
free?
819
00:52:24,360 --> 00:52:26,360
It's free.
When you get a gift from
820
00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:29,680
somebody, I hope you don't have
to pay them halfway or do
821
00:52:29,680 --> 00:52:34,200
monthly returns.
You just accept the gift and
822
00:52:34,200 --> 00:52:38,320
Jesus extends his gift to you,
and you just, you open your
823
00:52:38,320 --> 00:52:42,440
hands and you receive it.
And if you really receive it,
824
00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:46,600
then they will change you.
So I invite you to repent and
825
00:52:46,600 --> 00:52:49,040
believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ.
826
00:52:49,480 --> 00:52:54,000
I invite you to bring your
filthy sins, even your filthy
827
00:52:54,240 --> 00:52:57,280
acts of righteousness, and to
come before the foot of the
828
00:52:57,280 --> 00:53:00,720
cross and say, I surrender this.
If you wrote a check to pay off
829
00:53:00,720 --> 00:53:04,560
my debt, give me that check.
I'm I'm tired of paying for it
830
00:53:04,560 --> 00:53:06,400
for myself.
I can't the the amount is too
831
00:53:06,400 --> 00:53:09,400
great.
And if you really do that today,
832
00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:10,640
you'll leave here a brand new
person.
833
00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:13,840
Not only will he have your name
written in the Lamb's book of
834
00:53:13,840 --> 00:53:15,640
life, but he will give you his
spirit.
835
00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:20,520
New life comes to you now and
then this word becomes your
836
00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:24,880
bread and prayer becomes your
breath, and the people of God
837
00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:27,520
become your company.
And now you have a whole new way
838
00:53:27,520 --> 00:53:29,880
of looking, because Jesus
promised that when you put your
839
00:53:29,880 --> 00:53:35,000
faith in Him, He changes you.
Today, repent and believe.
840
00:53:35,960 --> 00:53:38,200
I wouldn't wait for you to even
leave this door to do that.
841
00:53:38,720 --> 00:53:41,280
I would block out all this
noise, sit back on that Pew
842
00:53:41,280 --> 00:53:44,320
while people are hugging each
other, and you talk to this God
843
00:53:44,640 --> 00:53:46,560
for yourself, and He will hear
you.
844
00:53:47,640 --> 00:53:50,680
Lord, we ask that if there's
even one who doesn't know you,
845
00:53:50,920 --> 00:53:54,320
may your Holy Spirit work in Him
as He has worked in us, that
846
00:53:54,320 --> 00:53:57,400
that one person would come to
saving faith in Jesus Christ.
847
00:53:57,800 --> 00:54:00,600
Lord, for us, we're walking this
pilgrimage for those who have
848
00:54:00,600 --> 00:54:03,160
put your your gospel truth on
our hearts.
849
00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:06,400
We believed on that truth.
Help us, help us live believing
850
00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:08,640
your love for us, not just when
you save this, but as you're
851
00:54:08,640 --> 00:54:11,440
sanctifying us.
Help us believe that you love us
852
00:54:11,440 --> 00:54:15,040
and you wash our feet gladly
even when it gathers the dirt of
853
00:54:15,040 --> 00:54:19,120
this world.
So Lord, please help us believe
854
00:54:19,120 --> 00:54:21,800
the things that we heard today.
Only You can make them real to
855
00:54:21,800 --> 00:54:23,960
us.
And we trust that you will.
856
00:54:24,400 --> 00:54:27,120
And now, Lord, as we go on
fellowship as a family, bless
857
00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:29,840
that time.
May we know joy, may we know
858
00:54:29,840 --> 00:54:32,280
hope, May we know counsel, may
we know laughter.
859
00:54:32,280 --> 00:54:35,040
May we know fellowship the way
you intended it to be.
860
00:54:35,040 --> 00:54:36,880
Give us a piece of heaven this
afternoon.
861
00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:39,840
In Jesus name we pray, Amen and
Amen.
862
00:54:39,840 --> 00:54:40,520
Amen.
Amen.