DON’T DESERT JESUS
Matthew
26:42-56
At
that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and
clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in
the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. 56 "But all this has taken
place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the
disciples left Him and fled.
We
have experienced two years of a pandemic that shut down businesses,
Schools,
and churches.
We
have gotten used to staying in and watching church on TV and zoom.
We
had good reason to abandon the normal church services.
I
believe that some have used this pandemic to abandon church altogether.
According
to Christianity Today, church attendance has been on a constant decline.
In
2019 less than 50 percent of Americans attended regular church services. Since
the
pandemic, that number is down to 30 percent.
In
this text starting in Matthew chapter 26, I found four reasons people abandon
the
gospel of truth. I will give them to you upfront.
1.
BLINDED BY GREED
2. BLINDED BY
PRIDE
3.
BLINDED BY UNBELIEF
4.
BLINDED BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE
The
text was set in the week of the Passover feast.
I
am sure the disciples started the day excited and hopeful
They
were told to prepare a place for the Passover meal
which
they did.
During
the celebration, Jesus revealed to them what would happen that night.
Matthew
26:31-36
Then
Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for
it is written, 'I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK
SHALL BE SCATTERED.' 32 "But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of
you to Galilee."
BLINDED
BY GREED
Before
the communion meal, Judas had made a deal with the chief priest.
Matthew
26:14-17
14
Then one of the Twelve — the one called Judas Iscariot — went to the chief
priests 15 and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over
to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16 From then on
Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
(30
pieces of silver, about 600 dollars.)
The
love of money is the root of all evil. Money is not evil. It is
love
of money over the love of God.
Certainly,
the pandemic has a financial impact on families with the loss of jobs and income.
Many
are still struggling to put food and the table.
Rapidly
rising rents are forcing people onto the street.
The
best place to be in tough times is with Jesus.
You
should not get so involved with making money that you forget the maker of
money.
We
must trust Jesus and His timing to lead us to the resources we need to take
care of ourselves.
BLINDED
BY PRIDE
Peter
promised the Lord that when He was arrested, he would not desert Him
even
if everyone else did.
Don’t
let your mouth write a check your butt can’t cash
Don’t
be too proud to follow God’s word.
Matthew
26:31-36
33
But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I
will never fall away." 34 Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that
this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." 35
Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny
You." All the disciples said the same thing too.
Peter
was so blinded by his pride that he could not see any weakness in himself.
We
can’t be too proud to deny God the chance to work in our lives.
While
we may know what we have accomplished in the past, we don’t know what we will
face in the future that we cannot handle.
You
really don’t know how you are going to feel or react until face a troubling
situation.
Peter
physically strong and strong-willed refused to hear the advice of Jesus.
Failure
to listen to the Word leads to destructive behavior
51
And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword,
and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said
to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the
sword shall perish by the sword. 53 "Or do you think that I cannot appeal
to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions
of angels? 54 "How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that
it must happen this way?"
Peters's
mind was on what he could do, not on what the Lord needed
Don’t
try to fight a battle that Jesus Has won
Don’t
take the word of God for granted.
Know
that God has a plan for your life.
God’s
plan includes trouble.
We
need to understand that anything we have accomplished is because of the Lord
It
is in Jesus that we live, move, and have our being.
BLINDED
BY UNBELIEF
We
often hear the testimonies of what God has done for others. And we hear
the
common encouragement that If God did it for others, He will do it for me.
It
is one thing to say that, but it is another thing to believe the Word of God
when
you don’t see any evidence that Jesus is on your side.
When
you are hurting and the pain want go away, your faith is being tested.
Some
fall away because the test is too hard to handle.
Some
want evidence of Jesus before they will believe.
Thomas,
one of Jesus' disciples said this;
John
20:24-25
So
the other disciples told him (Thomas), "We have seen the Lord!"
But
he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my
finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe
it."
Some
people can have Jesus standing in front of them and want believe.
Matthew
28:16-18
Then
the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them
to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
BLINDED
BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE
During
the 3 years with Jesus, except for Judas and Peter, the other disciples did not
distinguish themselves. Judas was a thief and a traitor. Peter was bold and
strong-willed.
All
of the disciples were trained in the Word by the Word, yet did not have
a
clear understanding of the Word.
It
may be that God holds a clear understanding of the word from us until
we
are ready to commit our lives to Him’
John
12:39-40
For
this reason, they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40
"He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts,
so
they can neither see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts,
nor
turn — and I would heal them."
According
to Ephesians 4:1, we were predestined to be in Christ before the
the
foundation of the world.
God
called us out of darkness into the marvelous light to accept Jesus
as
our Savior at the right time.
If
you love Jesus you will show it with your continued service and devotion
PEOPLE
STOP COMING TO CHURCH FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS
THEY
ARE BLINDED BY GREED
THEY
ARE BLINDED BY PRIDE
THEY
ARE BLINDED BY UNBELIEF
THEY
ARE BLINDED BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE
WHAT
ARE THE THINGS WE DO THAT LEAD TO ABANDONMENT?
We
abandon the Lord when don’t start our day off in prayer.
We
abandon the Lord when trials and tribulations arise and we try to handle them
without
the Lord
We
abandon Jesus when we ignore His commands
We
abandon Jesus when we take His Word for granted
We
abandon Jesus when we fail to apply His Word to our situation
We
abandon Jesus when we follow our temptations in to sin
We
abandon Jesus when we fail to join in in Bible Study
We
abandon the Lord when we run away from our troubles.
The
text said they all fled
The
safest place to be was with Jesus
The
place of protection is with Jesus
The
solution to your problems is with Jesus
The
comfort you need is with Jesus
The
provisions you need are with Jesus
Your
only sure hope is with Jesus
The
disciples needed to experience the pain of death and resurrection of Jesus
to
shock their senses.
They
needed the death and resurrection of Jesus to be prepared to
receive
the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts
1:4-5
"Do
not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have
heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you
will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Acts
1:8
But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth." =
HOW
TO GUARD AGAINST ABANDONING JESUS
Matthew
26:40-41
40
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men
not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch
and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing,
but the body is weak."
Submit
yourself to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.
John
14:26-27
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and
do not be afraid.
HOW
DO WE GET MEMBERS BACK TO CHURCH SERVICES?
ZOOM
YOU TUBE
THE SANCTUARY
WHAT
ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS?
Rev. M. Mitchell
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