Does God Love us failures 03-26-2022
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Dave’s Foreknowledge (Kids)
Dave’s Foreknowledge (Kids)
I have here a sealed Guess as to the final number.
Kids, pick a number 1-10
Multiply it by 2
Multiply that number by 5
Divide by your original number
Subtract 7
What is your Answer
Let’s see if I guessed right.
It says 3, was that your answer?
I knew it would be because the series of steps will always bring you to 3.
God knows everything, even our thoughts before we think them.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
In todays lesson for the adults,
Jesus told two disciples to:
look for a man carrying water,
follow him home and
speak to the master of the house about an upper room for
Jesus and his people to celebrate Passover.
They went and found things exactly as he said,
because Jesus foreknew:
what the man would be carrying,
where he would walk,
where he came from,
what the house was like and
that the owner would be agreeable.
But Jesus foreknowledge didn’t force the man to do anything good or bad.
Jesus knows if you will be good or bad today.
Because He knows you so well.
But he doesn’t make you be good or bad.
Let’s Pray
Father I thank you that even though you know the bad things that we have done and will do,
and the good things we will do, you love us anyway.
Give us the strength to live our lives for you and to trust in your
knowledge even when it doesn’t make sense to us,
like finding a man carrying water.
12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”
Less than a week ago, in this holy week narative Jesus told the disciples to look for a colt, the foal of a Donkey, untie it and what to say when the owner ask about it.
Now he is demonstrating again his foreknowledge by sending 2 disciples into town to look for a man carrying a jar of water.
In the ancient near east, who carried jars of water?
The women
So a man carrying a jar of water would be noticeable.
Otherwise it would have been an impossible task.
I wounder what kind of questions the disciples may have had:
what man
where
Is he tall, medium height or short
fat or skinny
bald or hairy
Whether they had questions or not,
they had learned to follow Jesus instructions and obey them.
16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
It didn’t say, kind-of like Jesus described
It didn’t say they failed to find the man
It says
They left
They found things just as Jesus described
And they prepared for Passover.
By the way, you may be wondering, who were these two disciples called to kitchen duty this day.
It was Peter and John
We know that because Luke tells us in chapter 22 of his Gospel.
8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
Why all this secrecy?
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
It’s because Judas had decided to betray Jesus and Jesus still has some things he wants to do
before his arrest, trials, crucifixion and death.
Jesus needs to be arrested this night
for the fathers timing to work out but
Being arrested during the passover meal wouldn’t do
where his introduces them to sharing the bread and the wine in remembrance of Jesus suffering for us
Being arrested during his final teaching and worship through song wouldn't do
his last set of instruction before He was no longer physically living with them and teaching them
Being arrested during his time of prayer where he prayed through
prayed past his human desire to avoid the crucifixion wouldn’t do
Jesus needed to be arrested this night but not until He had done all these final things
and was prayed up and prepared for what was coming.
And so the meal was at a secret place and the other 10 disciples only got there because Jesus lead the way.
17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.
Passover was a wonderful time of remembrance of all God had done for Isreal and a night of fellowship as families were gathered indoors together.
But Jesus had some disturbing news
18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”
Can you imagine the scene as around the room each man asks
Surely you don’t mean me?
How sad it would be,
to look around the room at these men,
knowing one of them was a traitor
And Jesus knew who the traitor was from the very beginning.
64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.
It’s a testimony to Jesus love and Goodness to treat Judas with the same love and respect he gave to all of his disciples, all the time knowing Judas would never fully believe in his mission, his suffering service and that Judas would ultimately betray Jesus to his death.
I couldn’t have been so loving and kind
I couldn’t have overlook what was coming
Without a sharp word here,
a bit of sarcasm there.
How about you, can you be loving and kind
even when you know it won’t be repaid.
God help us to be better followers of your example.
When all had asked their master, “is it me?” Jesus went on to say
20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
Since Jesus has to specify,
“It is one of the Twelve”
that tells me other followers were there, not just the 12 disciples.
If you go to Jerusalem today, there is a place or places supposed to be the upper room with estimates that 120 people could have been in there.
Likey some of Jesus other disciples, his other followers were there.
Jesus felt sorry for Judas,
the man who the Father would use to bring the guards and arrest Jesus.
Judas had chosen his side and he would have to live with the consequences.
but Jesus still loved him.
Something New
Something New
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
We know from John’s gospel that Jesus actually gave a lot of final teaching that night.
All that Mark wanted to highlight was
the new meaning to the bread and the wine in from the passover service
it’s a remembrance of Jesus suffering for all of us
giving just half a day from Jesus crucifixion and death on the cross.
Earlier ins Jesus ministry, He lost disciples when he said
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Many left because his words where hard.
Many didn’t have the patience of the disciples to stick around and find out what that meant because it didn’t mean cannibalism.
It was a reference to this ritual of remembrance of Jesus suffering for us.
Now what was it they did before leaving for the garden of Gethsemane
26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
They finished with a worship song.
Since the evening was passover the final song or songs probably came from Psalm 115-118
Can you picture the room singing the words of Psalm 118?
Let’s read the first 4 verse of this Psalm responsively, your part is easy
you say
his love endures forever
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
When they finish there songs of worship they headed to the garden of Gethsemane, the garden of the oil press.
And before Jesus time of prayer, he tells the disciples this
27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“ ‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Wow,
According to Jesus, every one of them will scatter that night
Leave him to face his ordeal alone.
But Jesus isn’t focusing on their coming failure
He is focused on preparing them for re-commitment after their failure.
Is that the kind of God and Friend we need?
Amen and Amen!!!!
But Peter, in his exuberance
Peter in his self pride
Boldly says
29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
OH MY
HE IS SO SELF CONFIDENT
What does Paul say to those who feel they are standing firm
12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.
Let’s hear that again
If you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.
Can you say that with me
If you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.
Peter thought pretty highly of himself and Jesus had to give him a reality check
30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
Was Peter ready to hear this from the master?
No, he wasn’t listening, he said
31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
Wow,
Even if I have to die with you
I will never disown you.
What a great emphatic statement
IF ONLY IT WAS TRUE
And to top things off
Even though the master said they would all scatter
ALL THE OTHERS SAID THE SAME.
Jesus is not the teacher to disagree with
because He is always right.
Bless the disciple for their dedication but
Lord help us to be a little more humble
a little more dependent on you for our Strength
Amen? Amen!
Next week we will get into the garden and following events but
let’s think about our passage for a bit.
Twice now in less than a week
Jesus has displayed significant knowledge to
borrow a donkey
to have a secret place for passover that Judas couldn’t lead to guards to.
He told the disciples they would fall away and Peter would deny knowing Him 3 times that very night
God knowing everything about us, what we have done,
what we are going now and
what we will do in the future
Does not in any way, make God the cause of the bad things we do
even if he uses them to fulfill his purposes.
Judas was not forced to betray Jesus
Judas had the potential of betraying Jesus
by the choices he made and at the right time
he did betray Jesus and brought the guards to arrest Jesus.
Jesus knew all along who would betray him
but there is never any sign that Jesus treated him less than the other disciples
Jesus had Judas in charge of the money, even though Judas stole from it from time to time.
Last week you may remember Judas complained the loudest about the waste of the perfume
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Jesus knows our failings too, and yet He loves us.
He desires that all mankind come to Him for forgiveness.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, all the disciples failed him.
Peter stands out for his boasting that he would not.
Peter stands out because of his three denials of Christ but
Peter also stands out because Jesus went out of his way to call Peter back into his service.
Judas didn’t stay with the other
Judas didn’t go fishing with them
Judas didn’t swim to shore to get to Jesus ASAP
after he had failed him.
Judas tried to fix things by giving back the money
but that didn’t cancel out his betrayal of Jesus
He had betrayed Jesus big time and he needed to seek Jesus forgiveness.
Instead he tried fix things and in dis-pare died.
So how firm are you standing?
What will you do if you fail, if you fall
run back to Jesus
or run away?
My hope and prayer is first, that you be careful and stand firm
and my other hope is that if you fall,
you run back to Jesus and not away from Him in shame
Let’s Pray.