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this chapter we're gonna read about how Jesus Christ was betrayed this is what the entire Bible is pointing to right here this event we're gonna read about everything you read in the Old Testament all the symbolism all the pictures all the types they point to Christ and what's about to happen right here in Matthew chapter 26 verse 3 it says then assembled together the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people and under the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him but they said not on the feast day lest there be an uproar among the people the Passover which is which is mentioned here in spiritual application of the Passover is that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God and it's his blood that covers your sin so that God's wrath is passed over you so that you don't have to experience God's wrath in hell forever that's the spiritual application of the Passover here and we see that it's coming up after two days Leviticus 23 you don't have to turn there it says in verse number five in the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover and on the 15th day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto the Lord seven days you must eat unleavened bread so the Bible tells us that the Passover takes place on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar year the very next day is the 15th day of that same month it's the Feast of Unleavened Bread the Bible tells us in Leviticus chapter 23 that it lasts one whole week with a Sabbath on the first day and a Sabbath on the last day the word Sabbath just means rest and what happened is that when they when they kept the Sabbath they didn't work on that day now the Feast of Unleavened Bread that symbolizes the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ there was no leaven in him leaven symbolizes sin Jesus Christ was sinless because Jesus Christ is God and there was no one who is sinless other than God the Hebrew calendar day lasted from evening to evening I would surmise that that's 6 p.m. to 6 p.m. now look down at verse number six now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sat at meat but when his disciples saw it they had indignation saying to what purpose is this waste so the disciples start whining here about the fact that this woman is pouring out this precious ointment on the feet of Jesus Christ and you know what it's a holier-than-thou attitude this woman was revering Jesus she was serving Jesus she was washing his feet with ointment and showing him the utmost amount of respect and yet the disciples start whining and complaining about it and elsewhere in another gospel account Judas Iscariot himself I would imagine he was the one leading this complaining here going on about this woman who was wiping the feet of Jesus Christ and basically what they're saying is you should have given that to the poor you should have been more charitable and they're gonna be people in our lives today even though you're doing right even though you're going to church even though you're memorizing scripture even though you're reading your Bible every day and you're being a faithful Christian who's living the Christian life the way it's supposed to be lived there will always be naysayers who think that you're just not good enough and they're gonna be always naysayers with a holier-than-thou attitude saying that you're just not charitable enough that you're just not loving enough that you don't give enough to the poor the holier-than-thou attitude it's something we should reject look at verse number nine for this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor so here they are saying why didn't you sell it to the poor why didn't you give to the poor when Jesus understood it he said unto them ye truck why trouble ye the woman for she hath wrought a good work upon me so Jesus says this woman is doing a good work you're unrighteously judging her verse 11 for ye have the poor always with you but me ye have not always for in that she hath poured this ointment on my body she did it for my for my burial verily I say unto you wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her and it's recorded in the Bible in the Word of God forever we'll always read about this woman who revered Jesus who put him on a pedestal and who respected him by wiping his feet with the ointment and folks when you serve Christ don't listen to the naysayers to the haters haters gonna hate right don't listen to those people unrighteously judging you because oh you're not giving enough to the poor now obviously we should be charitable to people who can't help themselves but there are many out there who call themselves poor but in reality they're just lazy and you know what the Bible says that if a man doesn't work neither should he eat and if you're unwilling to go out and get a job and work your tail to the bone then you don't have a right to say that I'm entitled to give to you according to John chapter 12 we know this woman's name was Mary she was venerating Jesus if you revere Christ by coming to this church like I said there might be some critics out there who say you're just not giving enough money to the poor you're just not loving enough this is the social gospel to them evangelizing is going on and giving someone food evangelizing is giving a $5 bill to a homeless person and that's fine if you want to be a kind-hearted person to those who are less fortunate to you but according to the Bible evangelizing is opening up your King James version of the Bible and showing them what it takes to get to heaven feeding them with spiritual food that'll last them an eternity you give them some meat for this life great they might be temporarily they might be temporarily satisfied their hunger pains might go away but if you don't preach in the gospel they'll die and go to hell and what's the use in that verse 14 Matthew chapter 26 then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went under the chief priests and said unto them what will you give me and I will deliver him unto you and they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver and from that time he sought opportunity to betray him Judas plots to betray Jesus for monetary gain he says what will you give me for me to stab my friend in the back of course Jesus sees this coming and he warns the disciples about it over and over again we'll read about that later on go to Zechariah 11 if you would Zechariah chapter 11 we see a prophecy in Zechariah chapter 11 a messianic prophecy concerning Judas Iscariot him betraying the Lord Jesus Christ Zechariah if you go from Matthew you'll see Malachi and then Zechariah and when you get to Zechariah 11 look at verse number four let's see this prophesied here in Zechariah chapter 11 again Judas Iscariot turning his back stabbing Jesus Christ in the back for monetary gain and the Bible is a layered book this was prophesied we see a picture of it here in Zechariah 11 because the Word of God has layers this is one of the many proofs we could look at to see and to prove that the Bible is providentially written that it's the Word of God there is no book like it you can study it for a lifetime and folks you won't even get halfway through the amount of truths that are in the Bible that are in the Word of God it is that amazing and let's let's see just how amazing it is here Zechariah 11 verse 4 it says thus saith the Lord my God feed the flock of the slaughter whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say blessed be the Lord for I am rich and their own shepherds pity them not for I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land saith the Lord but lo I will deliver the men every one into his neighbor's hand listen to this and into the hand of his king and they shall smite the land and out of their hand I will not deliver them the land being described here what's going on well Jerusalem in 70 AD I think this is the fulfillment was invaded by the Roman Empire and stopped out as part of God's judgment Jerusalem was desolate it was destroyed we know the temple was destroyed in 70 AD Jesus said that there will be not one stone left upon another when it comes to the temple that prophecy was fulfilled when the Romans came in and destroyed it and I think this is exactly what this scripture is pointing to here in Zechariah 11 verse 6 we know in the end times it'll happen again the days of vengeance and it starts at the midpoint look at verse of Daniel 70th week look at verse number 7 Zechariah 11 verse 7 it says and I will feed the flock of the slot of slaughter even you O poor of the flock and it took unto me two staves now the word staves is the plural word for staff and it says the one I called beauty and the other I called bands and I fed the flock now the flock was God's chosen nation at the time of course we know Jesus said to them that the nation will be taken from you and given forth to another nation I'm paraphrasing here that will bring forth the fruits thereof you know what that is replacement that physical nation in the Old Testament folks it was replaced and you know what it was replaced with it was replaced with a spiritual nation and that spiritual nation of Israel consists of every single person who is saved I'm looking at him tonight if you are saved tonight if you've trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior you're part of the spiritual nation of Israel and it's that spiritual nation of Israel that has replaced the physical nation of Israel that turned their back on God they broke his covenant and that's what we see pictured here the first staff called beauty that represents God's covenant with his people the old covenant that we know was broken by his people that turn their back on him the staff called bands that staff that I believe pictures Judah and Israel the northern kingdom of Samaria the southern kingdom of Judah that's what that staff represents now look down at verse number 10 skip down to verse number 10 for sake of time and let's take a look at what the Bible says there in Zechariah 11 verse 10 it says and I took my staff even beauty and cut it asunder remember beauty represents God's covenant with his people and it says there and cut it asunder verse number 10 that I might break my covenant which I made with all the people and it was broken in that day and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord you say well why would God break his covenant of course we know God can't lie right Titus chapter 1 what does it say in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began there's something God can't do and that's lie that's how you can know for sure you're going to heaven because if you have eternal life your eternal life can't end if you end up in hell your eternal life ended God would be a liar but the Bible says God can't lie so what does it mean when it says that he broke his covenant did he lie well obviously the answer is no because his chosen nation they didn't keep their end of the bargain they crucified Christ they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ God manifest in the flesh they didn't keep their end of the old covenant they broke the agreement which is why the Bible says in Hebrews 8 8 for finding fault with them he saith behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah and it continues and it says not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant they continued not in my covenant it says and I regarded them not there's your replacement they broke the old covenant we see that pictured in Zechariah 11 the agreement which by the way an agreement has multiple parties right the Jews broke their end of the deal the staff called beauty is broken to represent the old covenant being broken look at verse 11 and I said unto them if you think good give me my price and if not forbear so they wait for my price notice what it says 30 pieces of silver so Zechariah is being paid for his labor to the flock and notice the amount he's being paid 30 pieces of silver that's exactly what Judas agreed to receive in return for betraying the Lord Jesus Christ you know what that is the price of a servant according to Exodus 21 verse 32 Zechariah 11 13 and the Lord said unto me cast it unto the potter a goodly price that I was priced out of them and I took the 30 pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord then I cut asunder mine other staff even bands that I might break the Brotherhood between Judah and Israel that staff called bands represents Judah in Israel was seat we see there that the Brotherhood between those two kingdoms that were separated during the time of Jeroboam and Rehoboam that they were they were separated and the Bible says there that the Brotherhood between them was was broken but that's not the point I want to highlight here in verse 13 it says and cast them talking about the 30 pieces of silver to the potter in the house of the Lord we see another picture here of what Judas Iscariot did to the Lord Jesus Christ and those 30 pieces of silver go to Matthew chapter 27 Matthew chapter 27 and let's see this be fulfilled Zechariah 11 talked about the flock of slaughter representing the people God would judge earlier in the chapter he judges the nations including Lebanon which was sobering for me to read because my family's from there talked about lighting the the cedars on fire and all the rest of it which was pretty cool so Matthew 27 and Lebanon deserves God's judgment to okay I'm not gonna be nice to it just because I come from there they've rejected the gospel if God wanted to torch it that would be his prerogative Matthew 27 verse 3 look what it says there Matthew 27 verse 3 then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying I have sinned and that I have betrayed the innocent blood and they said what is that to us see thou to that and he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself Judas felt remorse for what he did to Jesus Christ he quote repented that doesn't mean he got saved the Bible says he was a son of perdition that means that the devil literally inhabited Judas you know who else the devil is literally gonna inhabit the Antichrist who is the son of perdition Judas Iscariot is a reprobate meaning he can't be saved he can't believe on Jesus he is a son of the devil he casts down these pieces of silver in the temple in Zechariah we see that Zechariah himself the Prophet he casted down 30 pieces of silver in the temple which pictures what Judas eventually did look at verse number six there in Matthew 27 and the chief priests took the silver pieces and said it is not lawful for to put them into the Treasury because it is it is the price of blood and they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in wherefore that field was called the field of blood unto this day so the chief priests took that money and what did they buy a potter's field now what did we read about in Zechariah 11 13 didn't I tell you the Bible was amazing it says you don't have to turn there I'll just quote it that Zechariah cast the 30 pieces of silver into the potter a goodly price that I was priced out of them and I took the 30 pieces of silver and it says right there in Zechariah 11 13 and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord and what did the chief priest buy with that 30 pieces of silver a field right a potter's field so we see a fulfillment of this prophecy in Zechariah chapter 11 I'm telling you the whole Bible points to what we're gonna read about and study tonight go back to Matthew chapter 26 and let's keep going Matthew chapter 26 nothing in scripture you say I want to study the Bible and as we say here at steadfast Jacksonville drop some bars you want to drop some bars meaning make a good point for those of you who are new here if you want to compare spiritual things with spiritual things then you have to understand nothing in Scripture is coincidental nothing in Scripture is incidental nothing in Scripture is accidental didn't I tell you it was providential it was written by God it's it's written by deity by God himself Matthew 26 look down at verse number 17 I'm gonna try and get through as many verses as I can tonight but obviously there's a chance I might not be able to verse number 17 it says now the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying unto him where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover remember what I said earlier we're gonna start reading now about the Passover now I also said earlier that the Passover was on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar year well the Feast of unleavened bread is on the 15th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar year so the question is why is it that on the first day the Bible says in Matthew 26 17 of the Feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying unto him that basically they're about to prepare the Passover how does that make sense is there contradiction in Scripture well let me help you out with that no there's never a contradiction in Scripture you just have to study it out Luke this is easy to study actually if you just go to Luke 22 one it answers your question go to Luke chapter 22 and look at verse number one so you can see this for yourself why is it that it says on the Feast of unleavened bread that they're preparing the Passover if the Passover is on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar year and the Feast of unleavened bread is on the 15th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar year is there an error in the Bible no Luke 22 look at verse 1 now the Feast of unleavened bread drew nigh which is called the Passover unleavened bread and Passover they're linked in the New Testament they're sort of mishmashed together okay and so they're used interchangeably in the New Testament in the Gospels go back to Matthew chapter 26 that's why it says that when you get back to Matthew 26 let's look at verse number 18 whenever you see something that appears to be a contradiction study it out a lot of the times people pointing out supposed contradictions have never even read the Bible cover to cover one time now not even a single time they don't know what they're talking about and half the time they're using messed up versions of the Bible anyway to try and point out so-called contradictions look at verse 18 in Matthew 26 and he said go into the city to such a man and say unto him the master saith my time is at hand I will keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples and the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them and they made ready the Passover and when the even was come he sat down with the twelve and as they did eat he said verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me and they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I now Jesus dropped hints throughout his earthly ministry that someone would betray him and we see how the disciples respond to this is it I is it me am I gonna be the one that stabs you in the back am I the one who is going to betray you we know that the one who ends up betraying him like I said earlier was possessed with the devil you say prove it well I'll read John 13 to you don't have to turn there John 13 10 it says he that is why actually I'm gonna prove this later on I apologize for that there's a botch John 13 10 says Jesus saith unto him he that is washed needeth not to save he is not safe to wash his feet but is clean every wit and you are clean but not all so here Jesus is saying that you are clean talking about the disciples but not all meaning one of them is corrupt to the core one of them is the one who was possessed by the devil so Jesus we see he warns them over and over again you are clean but not all he tries to drop hints but the disciples they ignore the red flags why because they're giving Judas the benefit of the doubt sometimes I've had people ask me how is it that you didn't see X or Y heretic that they weren't bad from the beginning how did you miss the warning signs and I always respond the same way I gave them the benefit of the doubt and that's what we should do how depressing would our lives be if we had to hook up a lie detector test to everyone we meet to determine whether or not they're truthful to determine whether or not there are some secret Judas Iscariot coming here to split the church that'd be depressing wouldn't it to live a life of paranoia incessant paranoia so we should give people the benefit of the doubt now obviously there's a limit to that at the same time we should be well-balanced Christians and recognize serious legitimate red flags when people take you aside and say hey I know pastor teaches that the Trinity is three distinct persons yet one God but have you seen Isaiah 9 6 and then they take it out of context to try to tell you that Jesus is the same person as the father anybody who pulls you aside to try and subtly teach you damnable heresy that is a major red flag and at that point you need to report that to leadership look at verse 23 Matthew 26 23 and he answered and said he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray me the Son of Man goeth as it is written of him but woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed it had been good for that man if he had not been born then Judas which betrayed him answered and said master is it I he said unto him thou hast said I mean he's pretty much outed right here essentially how could the disciples not figure this out like I said they gave him the benefit of the doubt now here is the scripture I thought I was gonna read earlier kind of mess that up John 13 27 it says and after the SOP Satan entered into him then said Jesus unto him that thou doest do quickly the devil inhabits Judas and Jesus sees it coming he sees all things from the end of the beginning and you know what he says that thou doest do quickly Matthew 26 26 and as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and break it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body and he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink ye all of it for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins but I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom now here at this church we pattern our observance of the Lord's Supper based on what actually occurred when Jesus observed the Lord's Supper with his disciples here in Matthew chapter number 26 he took the bread he broke it he blessed it and he said to his disciples take eat this is my body folks that is figurative language you need to tell your Catholic friend that who thinks the wafer they hold up in their church is literally the blood of Jesus that's weird but one of the reasons why we believe we should do it at home I don't have time to get into it in detail is because we're just pattern we're following the pattern that we see here the way it was observed look at verse number 30 and when they had sung in him they went out into the Mount of olives singing hymns is good there are doctrines you can learn in the hymns and you know what when I observed the Lord's Supper with some friends in a home we all sung some hymns before eating and it was a lot of fun you felt togetherness you felt unity with the brethren with the Brotherhood and you know what is a huge aspect of the Christian life loving the Brotherhood be unified with the Brotherhood the Bible says can two walk together except they be agreed and you feel that togetherness you feel that unity when you're singing the hymns together observing the Lord's Supper at home just like Jesus did verse 31 then saith Jesus unto them all ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad so he says here talking about smiting the shepherd well we know Jesus was smitten we know Jesus Christ was smitten he was arrested we know he was beaten we know he was spat on we know he was mocked and he did it for each and every one of you you know what he did it for the whole world he did it for the whole world now what does this mean prophetically go to Zechariah chapter 13 Zechariah chapter 13 we know the shepherd was smitten the sheep they flee that's talking about the disciples out of fear they flee and they're scattered we read later on if we're gonna have time we'll get to it about Peter who denies Jesus not once not twice but three times in a row out of fear Zechariah 13 verse 7 it says awake O Lord against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones this is what's being quoted in Matthew 26 look at verse 8 and it shall come the past that in all the land saith the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and die but the third shall be left therein and I will bring the third part through the fire and we'll refine them as silver is refined and we'll try them as gold is tried and they shall call on my name and I will hear them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God remember what I said the Romans destroyed the temple of Jerusalem and this is fulfilled prophetically when the Roman Empire invades Judah in 70 AD and they don't leave one stone upon another just like Jesus said what happened in his sermon on the Mount of Olives now there were some Jews left even after the Roman Empire came in and stomped out Judah and stomped out Jerusalem there were some Jews left behind and you know what some of them got saved that's why the Bible says that there's a third part refined as silver they end up getting saved but here's the thing it's not automatic what do the Zionists of our day believe that at the end of the seven year tribulation is what they would call it all Israel shall be saved brother and I guess that includes Sarah Silverman too so let's hope she makes it to the end of that seven year tribulation because she too will magically and automatically believe on the Lord Jesus Christ according to that stupid doctrine smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered I will turn my hand upon the little ones that in Zachariah's time refers to the Romans coming in and smiting Jerusalem and then the Jews are scattered a remnant of them though are saved we know in Acts 21 you don't have to turn there it says acts 21 20 and when they heard it they glorified the Lord and sent him to him thou seeest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the law thousands of Jews believed they got saved but you know how they did it because they chose to it's not something that just magically occurred regardless of their free will Romans 11 24 for if thou were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and were graft contrary to nature into a good olive tree how much more shall these which be the natural branches be graft into their own olive tree I guess what the physical Israelites could have gotten saved as well it was possible for them to be saved and we know a remnant got saved there's a remnant in America too a majority the United States ain't saved a majority the United States isn't living godly but there's a remnant here in this country just assures there is a remnant in God's chosen nation back in Christ's time when he was walking the earth go back to Matthew 26 so the remnant is tried the remnant gets saved because they choose to accept the Messiah but we know the majority they hated Jesus and through the generations they hated Christ more and more and more and more and now they adhere to a blasphemous book called the Talmud which says things about Jesus I don't even want to repeat they're that bad Matthew 26 quoted says in verse number 32 but after I am risen again verse 32 Matthew 26 32 but after I am risen again I will go before you into Galilee Peter answered and said unto him though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended Peter is a tad bit overconfident here saying I will never be offended but everyone else will be and there's always that guy and some of you are gonna accuse that guy being me right now okay but you know what I'm gonna say it anyway there are people out there who whenever you talk about the tribulation or coming persecution that might happen in the end times there was like yeah I'm just gonna evade the cops man and I'm gonna go out so winning I'm gonna be the mightiest Christian ever and I'm not gonna I'm not gonna bow down to the authorities and I'm not gonna let them catch me and then when the tribulation actually hits they're in a tent someplace hiding off scared out of their minds right there are some people who get a little bit overconfident right and they end up looking kind of dumb well here Peter's one of them look at verse 34 Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice so Jesus says in fact you're gonna do the total opposite you are gonna deny me three times verse number 35 Peter said unto him though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee likewise also said all the disciples so Peter doubles down no no I'm not gonna deny you there's no way I would do that and of course he does so just beware they're gonna be some people talking tough yeah I'm not gonna let the UN peacekeepers capture me I'll be going sowing it man yeah and then they run and hide and then they end up being a hoarder or a prepper I should say a prepper in the end times verse 36 then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane this is a garden on the Mount of Olives and saith unto the disciples sit ye here while I go and pray yonder and he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee that's James and John and began to be sorrowful and very heavy then saith he unto them my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Terry year here and watch with me and he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying oh my father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Jesus prays and he asks notice if it's possible for the cup to pass from him but he says nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt what does that mean Jesus had a will but that will was forsaken so that he could submit to the Father's will because within the Trinity you have a chain of command and Jesus obeys always God the Father and he does it perfectly every time each person in the Trinity has a seat of consciousness or a center of consciousness each person also has existed eternally eternally okay Jesus has always existed the Father has always existed the Holy Ghost has always existed and each person has always existed as God 100% God look at verse 40 and he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep and saith unto Peter what could you not watch with me one hour says couldn't you stay awake for an hour here what what do you doing sleeping verse 41 watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak now that's a very true statement and I find myself repeating that to myself regularly when I'm falling asleep trying to read scripture before bed the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and my eyes get heavy look the reality is this you have sinful flesh and so there are gonna be times like what happened to Peter where you just can't stay awake when you're trying to do something right for example prayer you might fall asleep while praying just like Peter did because you have a sinful flesh that is contrary to your new man the spirit and this is also why I don't recommend reading your Bible at the end of the day if you do it at the very end of the day you know I'm telling you from experience you know what you're gonna do you're gonna slowly doze off and you're gonna end up not paying any attention to anything you're reading and you're gonna get nothing out of it so what's the point if you can't actually learn anything what are you doing reading the Bible read it in the morning now during preaching you might fall asleep too right I've seen it particularly when I preach I'm just kidding I haven't measured it we haven't measured the ratio of who falls asleep for which preacher but anyway you know Eutychus fell asleep at Acts 20 I don't have time to go there and it's because the sermon was really long and what happened he fell and he died now that's not possible here because you know you're in a chair so there's no way that you could fall I mean it'd be like a freak accident if you fell out of your chair and broke your neck and died at that point I would say well God just wanted to get rid of you but my point is my point is that because of the flesh we have to work around our sin nature and make sure that we're doing things that are right at a time that we know we can be successful so that means read your Bible in the morning or drink a cup of coffee before coming to church things like that make sure that the sinful flesh doesn't overtake you go to Luke chapter 22 now switching gears here Jesus went through an intense amount of agony in it and this agony wasn't just physical we know this agony was psychological he was about to be beaten he was about to be tortured he was about to be nailed on the cross hung on the cross and then endure hellfire and then after going through all that he went to hell to pay for your sins so that you wouldn't have to go the Bible says that in Acts chapter 2 verse 31 he's seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption now Luke 22 41 the Bible says there and he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed saying father if thou be willing and remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him and being in agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground the torment even though nothing physical has happened to Jesus yet the torment begins here as he thinks about what he's about to accomplish for you to pay the penalty for your sins the sins you've committed against God he's going through agony and he sweats the Bible says as it were great drops of blood now I have a theory as to why the Bible says this I'm not gonna have time to get into it in detail but there's a medical condition and I wish Kyle was here to help me pronounce this but there's a medical condition called hematidrosis which is also called blood sweat it's a very rare condition which a human sweats blood so I believe due to the enormous amount of stress on Jesus Christ as he's getting ready to be crucified and tortured on your behalf to pay the penalty for your sins due to that enormous amount of stress the intensity reaches a point that some blood vessels burst and the sweat that was released through his glands ended up getting mixed with blood and so that's why it looked like he was sweating as it were great drops of blood go back to Matthew 26 let's look at verse 42 when you get back there Matthew 26 verse 42 and it's time to put this thing into overdrive hit the nitrous a little bit here so I can get as get some more verses in before we got to call it quits Matthew 26 verse 42 look what it says he went away again the second time and prayed saying oh my father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done so he says look if I don't have to drink this cup obviously I'd like to do that but if it's impossible for me to avoid it thy will be done perfect obedience verse 43 and he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy and he left them and went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words then come with you to his disciples and saith unto them sleep on now and take your rest behold the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners rise let us be going behold he is at hand that doth betray me the he there it's Judas it's who he's been hinting at and we now get to the point that everything in Scripture leads up to he says here that he is at hand Judas is at hand to betray him he says sleep on now take your rest behold the hour is at hand the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners the people that he died for are the same swan are the same ones that spit in his face they're the same ones that beat him they're the same ones that mocked him but the same ones that blasphemed him and you know what they're the same ones that bared false witness against him and lied about him and this is it folks this is it this is what like I've already said the Bible leads up to this is the climax of Christ's earthly ministry okay this is how the wages of your sins were paid when Jesus died on the cross when he was buried when he rose again when he endured the cross for your salvation this is why he died to save you because you had absolutely no chance of saving yourself by your own works this is why he died not so these TV preachers can get up behind the pulpit in front of thousands and cough up their nebulous little catch phrases that they stole from a hallmark postcard gift card someplace that's not why Jesus died he didn't die so that TV preachers can smear his name and drag it through the mud and embarrass the cause of Christ he died to save you from your sins because like I said there is no way you could ever save yourself no matter how hard you try let's read about his betrayal look at verse 47 and while he had spake lo Jesus one of the twelve came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying whosoever I shall kiss the same as he hold him fast and forthwith he came to Jesus and said hail master and kissed him and Jesus said unto him friend wherefore art thou come then came they and laid hands on Jesus and took him why does he call him friend why does he call Judas friend Jesus refers to Judas as a friend he was supposed to be his friend so reminding him of that you were supposed to be my friend but he was an infiltrator from the beginning he was never saved he never loved Christ and he betrays Jesus with a kiss that's how people might end up betraying you in your Christian life you think you feel that they're about to do something really nice for you and then when you least expect it they jab that dagger into your heart go to 2nd Samuel 20 real quickly 2nd Samuel 20 I want to show you an example of this betrayal is never easy it's never easy to go through and chances are especially if you've lived a while you've been betrayed in your life somebody you cared for somebody that maybe you've done a lot of nice things for stabbed you figuratively in the back they betray you they cast you away like a piece of trash that's what Judas did to the Lord Jesus Christ and I believe this is pictured in 2nd Samuel 20 where we see Joab doing this very thing to his own cousin he betrayed him with a kiss look at verse 8 2nd Samuel 20 verse 8 when they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon a Massa went before them and Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof and as he went forth it fell out and Joab said to a Massa aren't thou in health my brother and Joab took a Massa by the beard with the right hand to what kiss him it's what Judas did Jesus betrayed with a kiss a Massa betrayed with a kiss look at verse 10 but a Massa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib and shed out his bowels to the ground and stuck him I should say struck him not again and he died so Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichra I'm not exactly sure why Joab did this it could have been that he was envious of a Massa because he had taken his position in David's government it could have been that he didn't trust a Massa I'm not exactly sure but here's the point I'm trying to make just as a Massa was stabbed and betrayed with a kiss Jesus Christ was figuratively stabbed and betrayed with a kiss and you need to prepare you need to be prepared because you might have that same thing happen to you but that's not an excuse to fall into cynicism and think everybody's bad yeah there are some bad apples there are some bad people go back to Matthew 26 Matthew chapter 26 there are some bad people and when you do get stabbed in the back and when people turn on you there is a time of mourning that should follow but then you get over it and you realize not everyone is like that person who turned their back on you there are good people out there I know people who've been turned on and you would think that they would fall into cynicism and just never befriend anyone ever again but in fact they have the opposite mentality we should be the same way verse 51 and behold one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priests and smote off his ear this was Peter according to John 18 look at verse 52 then said Jesus unto him Peter is the one that struck the servant of the high priest then said Jesus unto him verse 52 put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels what's Jesus saying here I could save myself if I wanted to so what he's saying he allowed himself to be arrested he allowed himself to be tortured he allowed himself to be hung on the cross because this is what he came to this planet to do to give himself for us verse 54 but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be in that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes are you come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and you laid no hold on me but all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled then all the disciples forsook him and fled he says you're coming to take me as if I'm a thief you're coming to take me as if I did something wrong Jesus was sinless but he was treated as a thief he was betrayed for the price of a servant and he was mocked now I'm gonna park it here for just a second people who believe in this anti-gun message and that it's not biblical for you to defend yourself with a weapon they love this passage right here in Matthew 26 verses 51 to 56 they rip it out of context because Peter strikes the high priest right he strikes his ear off but he does it out of ignorance and the reason why Jesus rebuked and let me help you out it's not because he's against guns it's not because he's against self-defense you would be surprised at how stupid some people are they just can't because you know the natural man received with not the things of the Spirit of God I guess but they take this verse and say well see Jesus is against self-defense no he's not the reason why he rebuked him is because he needed to be crucified to fulfill scripture that's why the Bible says in verse 54 but how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be Peter was getting in the way of that because of his flesh out of fear now look at verse 57 and they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled and Peter followed him afar off under the high priest's palace and went in and sat with the servants to see the end now the chief priests and elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death but found none yay though many false witnesses came yet found a nun at the last came to false witnesses and said this fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days so what's going on here there are false witnesses that come in and they lie about the Lord Jesus Christ but they can't even get their story straight that's why the Bible says you have to turn their mark 14 but neither so did their witness agree together these false witnesses can't even agree with each other about what they are accusing Jesus about right because that's what liars do their witness their witness don't agree together they can't get their story straight look at verse 62 and the high priest arose and said unto him answer is found nothing what is it which these witness against thee Jesus didn't have an answer verse 63 but Jesus held his peace and the high priest answered and said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God Jesus saith unto him thou hast said nevertheless I say unto you hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven and this is where the high priest loses his mind because Jesus says thou hast said and notice that he's gonna be coming in the clouds of heaven he's affirming his deity they say are you the Son of God and he affirms it he said I am God and one day I will come in the clouds of heaven and you you better believe it one day he will at the rapture come with the clouds to gather together his elect from the four winds look at verse 65 then the high priest rent his clothes saying he has spoken blasphemy what further need have we have witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy saying this guy says he's God that's blasphemous they reject him verse 66 what think ye they answered and said he is guilty of death then did they spit in his face and buffeted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands saying prophesy unto us now Christ who is he that smote thee so they blind him they start punching them in the face in the head and then to add insult to injury what do they ask him to do hey tell us who hit you this is despicable and every time I read it I get angry and I'm sure a lot of you feel that emotion as well anger how could they do this to the Lord Jesus Christ who created heaven and earth how could they do this to God manifest in the flesh because they hate him but people figuratively do this today after everything Jesus Christ went through there are those out there that say well no no no no it's not faith alone it's not believe only I still have to follow the commandments the death the burial the resurrection everything Christ endured to pay the penalty for your sins that wasn't enough no I have to insert my works into the equation that's what a lot of people say there are many false teachers who would promote that garbage and they are figuratively spitting in the face of Christ they are smiting Jesus Christ they are mocking Jesus Christ when they teach that lying false doctrine is what it is look at verse 69 see we can finish up verse 69 now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him saying thou also was with Jesus of Galilee but he denied before them all saying I know not what thou sayest a damsel is a little girl so he's afraid of a little girl verse 71 and when he was gone out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that were there this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth and again he denied with an oath I do not know the man and after a while came unto him they that stood by and said to Peter surely thou also art one of them for thy speech bewaith thee then began he to curse and to swear saying I know not the man and immediately the cock crew and Peter remembered the word of Jesus which said unto him before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and he went out and wept bitterly Peter denies Jesus Christ and he does it three times and then he remembers the minute he does it after the third time hey this is exactly what Jesus said would happen and he cries about it that's what wept means he literally cried tears streaming down his face he cries bitterly the Bible says now he was afraid of a little girl a damsel fear took over his life go to Luke 22 and we'll be done Luke chapter 22 when the Bible tells us in Luke 22 when Jesus says when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren let me give you a little hint about what that's not saying that's not saying that Peter got saved twice let's just read what it says look at verse 31 verse 31 and the Lord said Simon hold on one moment here I want to read something from John chapter 21 verse number 17 while you're turning to Luke 22 he sayeth unto him the third time Simon son of Jonas love is thou me Peter was greed because he said unto him the third time love is thou me I just wanted to point that out because Jesus ends up asking Peter to tell him that he loves him three times why do you think he did that because he because he renounced him three times look at Luke 22 31 and the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat Luke 22 look at verse 32 but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not listen to this and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Peter backslid into a state of trepidation right and distress and so what Jesus is saying here the word converted that just means turn when you turn from your state of fear when you turn from your state of being afraid of a little girl a damsel when you regain the boldness you had with me while we were out preaching the gospel together when you regain that boldness strengthen your brethren when you turn from being backslidden when you turn from that state of fear you can get saved twice can only get saved once so that's what it's saying now we had some bozo who preached that at this church that's why I had to correct it Adam Fannin got up here and taught that Peter got saved twice he turned from his state of fear he turned from his state of you know just allowing the devil to sift him he turned from that state being just completely backslidden at that point denying Jesus Christ three times so Matthew chapter 26 to summarize I ended up getting through the whole thing somehow Matthew chapter 26 a long chapter but like I said this is what the Bible leads up to this is the climax this is what Jesus Christ accomplished for you gonna read more about it and Matthew chapter 27 this chapter I think deals more with the psychological anguish that Jesus went through the mental anguish that he went through the fact that he knew that this cup that the father had ordained for him to drink would not pass from him and you know what instead of disobeying the father he went through with it anyway because he was perfectly obedient the Bible says Jesus Christ died for your sins so that if you place your faith on him you can be saved that's why he died on the cross and was buried and rose again like I said not for the TV preachers to drag his name through the mud and embarrass him and make a mockery of Christianity it's because for God so loved the world for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and that gift was purchased by the blood of Christ and so whenever you get apathetic whenever you start getting backslidden a little bit whenever you think about skipping church and forsaking the Christian life think about Matthew 26 think about Matthew 27 think about what Jesus Christ accomplished for you because he did something no man could ever ever do died for your sins and rose again let's pray father God I thank you for Matthew 26 and the truths that are contained in this chapter I just pray Lord that you would help us to never take for granted what you accomplished for us for our salvation for the free gift of salvation and Lord that you would help us to understand some of the deep truths in your word and study them out so that we don't fall into false doctrine and say the stupid things in Jesus name I pray amen you guys talking about yeah yeah I should have went to it Jesus came to them and said, eat my land, eat my sheep, eat my sheep. That's how you convert it.