Untitled Sermon (8)

its resurection sunday but this year i want to focus on what happened in the days leading up to the cross because i was asked why do we call good friday good

Luke 22:39–46 (ESV)

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:39–46)

Isaiah 53:10

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.”

what did Jesus say in His last week of ministry?

Sunday (Triumphal Entry)

Jesus sent disciples to retrieve a donkey and colt, rode into Jerusalem while crowds spread cloaks and branches on the road, and received shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matt 21:1–11) Luke records that Jesus wept over the city, lamenting that Jerusalem h

The Olivet Discourse occurred late in the afternoon on Tuesday of Passion Week[1], making it one of the final major teachings Jesus delivered before his crucifixion. The discourse was prompted when Jesus’ disciples commented on the magnificence of the temple building as they walked out of the temple courts, and Jesus abruptly announced that the entire structure would soon be destroyed[2]. This shocking pronouncement triggered important questions from the disciples: “Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”[2]

Jesus delivered this discourse while seated on the western slope of the Mount of Olives[1], which is why it bears the name “Olivet Discourse.” The disciples’ questions referred to two distinct events—the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Romans in AD 70, and Jesus’ second coming at the end of the age—and Jesus’ answer addressed both[2]. Jesus used the destruction of the temple in the near future as a pattern for the judgments occurring in the distant future when he returns, intentionally connecting these two significant events and using the first as a preview of the second[2].

MONDAY

Jesus entered the temple, drove out those buying and selling, overturned money-changers’ tables and seats of pigeon sellers, and healed the blind and lame. (Matt 21:12–19) He then left the city and lodged in Bethany. (Matt 21:12–19)

Tuesday

Returning to the city in the morning, Jesus became hungry, saw a fig tree with only leaves, and cursed it so it withered at once. (Matt 21:12–19) The chief priests and elders challenged his authority while he was teaching in the temple. (Matt 21:23–23:39) Jesus responded with the Parable of the Two Sons, contrasting obedience and disobedience. (Matt 21:23–23:39) He also taught the Parable of the Tenants about a vineyard owner who leased his property to tenants and sent servants to collect fruit. (Matt 21:23–23:39) Jesus observed a widow placing two small coins into the offering box and commended her for giving all she had, more than the wealthy who gave from their abundance. (Luke 21:1–4)

The search results don’t contain detailed accounts of Thursday (Last Supper), Friday (Crucifixion), or Saturday events.

in His last public adress He taught on true and false belivers after discussing the fall of jerusalem He began to teach on true and false belivers or the Church age

Matthew’s version of the Olivet Discourse is the fullest form among the Gospels, with additional parables and teaching about the coming judgment at the end3—making chapter 25 Matthew’s distinctive contribution to this eschatological teaching

English Standard Version Chapter 25

the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

English Standard Version Chapter 25

Talents

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

English Standard Version Chapter 25

Final Judgment

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

English Standard Version Chapter 7

Knew You

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Ezekiel 36:25–28 (ESV)

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. (Ezek 36:25–28) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezek 36:25–28) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezek 36:25–28) You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezek 36:25–28)

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The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9–14, ESV)

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (Luke 18:9–14) The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. (Luke 18:9–14) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. (Luke 18:9–14) For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14)

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Here’s the detailed illustration for your sermon:

During the Great Depression, a Missouri man named John Griffith controlled a railroad drawbridge across the Mississippi River. One summer day in 1937, he brought his eight-year-old son, Greg, to work with him.[1] At noon, John raised the bridge to allow ships to pass and sat on the observation deck with his son to eat lunch.[1]

Suddenly, a train whistle shrieked in the distance. Looking at his watch, John realized it was 1:07—the Memphis Express with four hundred passengers was rushing toward the raised bridge.[1] He leaped from the observation deck and ran back to the control tower.[1]

Just before throwing the master lever, he glanced down for any ships below. What he saw caused his heart to leap into his throat—Greg had slipped from the observation deck and fallen into the massive gears that operate the bridge, with his left leg caught in the cogs of the two main gears.[1] John’s mind desperately whirled to devise a rescue plan, but as soon as he thought of any possibility, he knew there was no way it could be done.[1]

With alarming closeness, the train whistle shrieked again. He could hear the clicking of locomotive wheels over the tracks. That was his son down there—yet there were four hundred passengers on the train.[1] John knew what he had to do, so he buried his head in his left arm and pushed the master switch forward. The great bridge lowered into place just as the Memphis Express began to roar across the river.[1]

When John lifted his head with his face smeared with tears, he looked into the passing windows of the train. There were businessmen casually reading their afternoon papers, finely dressed ladies in the dining car sipping coffee, and children pushing long spoons into their dishes of ice cream. No one looked at the control house, and no one looked at the great gear box.[1] With wrenching agony, John Griffith cried out at the steel train: “I sacrificed my son for you people! Don’t you care?” The train rushed by, but nobody heard the father’s words, which recalled Lamentations 1:12: “Is it nothing to you, all who pass by?”[1]

[1] Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 309–310.