Matthew 26:14-32
May 19, 2013 PM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Exodus 12:14)
A.
Every Bible-believing Christian ought to look forward to the opportunity to
refresh their memory of what Jesus Christ did for their forgiveness, and
salvation!
B.
The Lord’s Supper is God’s way of reminding us that Christianity is not all fun
and games - but that it had a high price tag - and that we should NEVER take our
salvation for granted!!!
C.
Every Jew repeated a memorial of that event in Mar/Apr called Passover. That
memorial would continue to remind the Jews of their exodus from
D.
Jesus now has come to
E.
He
will use it to start a NEW celebration!
II.
Background
A.
The Betrayal by a Friend (Matthew 26:14-16)
1.
Judas was an Apostle – personally called by Jesus to follow Him
2.
Jesus had given Judas…
a.
Power over devils, sickness – to help people
b.
Responsibility for the money bag, collection for poor people
3.
Jesus had loved Judas, just like He had loved everyone He had ever met
4.
Yet, that same Judas was meeting with the Pharisees, planning the capture and
ruin of Jesus’ ministry to the people
B.
Preparing for the Passover (Matthew 26:17-19)
1.
First day of an eight day feast called the feast of unleavened bread
2.
The Passover was the first day of that feast
3.
They had no place the celebrate it
4.
So
Jesus directs their steps
a.
Follow a man carrying a water jug – easy to spot because usually only women
carried water
b.
When you come to his home, tell him that the Master needs his home
c.
They actually discover that there was a room upstairs that was completely
prepared for all 13 of them
C.
The Passover Meal (Matthew 26:20,21a; Exodus
12:18-20)
1.
Roasted Lamb meat
2.
Grape Juice
3.
Bitter herbs – horseradish
4.
Dish of vinegar sauce
5.
Unleavened bread
6.
No
leaven
D.
Remembering the Original Passover
1.
Around that table…
2.
Tasting and experiencing each item on that table
3.
They would remember all the details of the deliverance of all those slaves from
the bondage of
4.
It
would last for a few hours, with singing, telling the Bible story, acting it out
a.
Acting out the painting of the lamb’s blood on the door post
b.
Huddling together until midnight, waiting for the death angel to PASS OVER
E.
Revealing the Betrayer (Matthew 26:21-25)
1.
It
is THEN, that Jesus interrupts the Passover Celebration –
celebrating the power of the death of the Passover lamb…
2.
And He reveals that something terrible is about to happen to Him
a.
He
was going to be betrayed into the hands of His enemies
b.
He
would be tortured and killed
3.
EVERY disciple was shocked
by what Jesus revealed! And EVERY disciple was quick to examine the possibility
that it could have been THEM (Mt 26:22)!
4.
Judas, surprised, acts like he was innocent. Just acts like
everyone else
a.
A
FAKER, fraud
b.
Unmoved by the gravity of what he was about to do
c.
Beyond help!
5.
Jesus exposes His betrayer as Judas
a.
Revealing who was guilty of the coming murder of the Messiah
b.
Revealing who was not worthy of being at that table
6.
This is why we take time to EXAMINE ourselves
a.
2Cor 13:5 Saved? Truly born again?
b.
Carnal
c.
Apathetic
d.
Unworthy
e.
Like Judas?
7.
This remembrance Supper is for REAL Christians ONLY!
a.
It
would only be a mockery if someone tries and remembers an event that has no
meaning to them - like remembering the day you got married, when you never got
married!
b.
For Christians who are “worthy” - serious about the Lord in their life
c.
Unworthiness - All of us are unworthy of God’s love. But here, dealing with
Christians who are “unfit” as servants of the Lord. Living for the world, and
not for Christ
d.
When you treat Christ flippantly, or without fear, you are acting just like
those who CRUCIFIED Him!
e.
God wants the Christian to participate - but not when they are not serious about
their Christian life
f.
Are you living a lie? Calling yourself a Christian, but not honest? not saved
yet? Don’t eat until you settle your own eternity!
g.
Are you living in sin as a Christian? Rejecting what you know God has said, and
holding on to something that you know is against God? Don’t eat unless you are
willing to turn away from it
h.
Are you serious about the Lord? Or, is He just a convenient Genie that you turn
to for impossible situations? Become His servant!
i.
Don’t feel like you have to put on a show here. If you can’t participate, you
have my respect because you are being honest!
j.
But every Christian ought to use this time as an opportunity to get their life
cleaned up right here and now, and then start fresh for this week - walking with
the only God and Saviour Jesus Christ
8.
And out Judas goes. No one the wiser. They all just thought he had to go take
care of some bill
F.
Then, amazingly, Jesus introduces a Greater Event
for them to Remember from now on
(1Cor 6:5-8)
1.
Greater than the death of the Passover lamb…
2.
The death of the Lamb of God Himself
3.
The Lord’s Supper is a Serious Meal - A presentation of what God is about to do
now at the cross - being the FINAL Lamb, and FINAL sacrifice
III.
Lesson
A.
He Took the Bread (Matthew 26:26)
1.
Passover Bread
2.
Unleavened Bread – almost tasteless bread
3.
Yet, He blesses it – makes it special
4.
Then, He breaks it in front of them
5.
And then gave it to every one of them in that room
6.
Not one person grasps what is going on!
7.
Jesus does not magically transform that torn piece of bread into His own body –
it was just a picture of His body
8.
Jesus asks them to experience the tastes, the texture of the bread, the
plainness of the bread as he tells them that that bread is just like His body,
which would be broken for them in less than 24 hours.
B.
He then Took the Cup from off the table (Matthew
26:27-28)
1.
A
cup filled with UNLEAVENED wine
2.
Nothing special about it – just fruit juice
3.
But Jesus bowed His head and publically thanked God for what was about to happen
to Him in a few hours
4.
He
thanked God that a substitution was about to be made, the innocent for the
guilty – His own blood for theirs!
5.
And then gave it to all of them
6.
And they all drank of that cup
a.
Stunned at what was happening around them
b.
What had been a wondrously joyous celebration
c.
Was now sombre and serious and sad moment in that upper room!
C.
But Jesus then promises that it wasn’t over!
1.
Yes, He was being betrayed at that very moment into the hands of the Pharisees…
2.
Yes He would be cruelly mocked and beaten by the Romans
3.
Yes he would be crucified like a hardened criminal
4.
But it was all happening just like it had to
5.
Jesus explains that a NEW Testament was coming
6.
Jesus would live again, and they would all REALLY celebrate THEN!
7.
In
the kingdom called the
D.
Then, they all sang one more hymn, and went out
to
IV.
Conclusion