Peter’s faith in Matthew 26

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Peter sure had a lot of faith in himself in this chapter, all of it unwarranted.  For example, what’s this?

33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

It’s probably always a bad idea to contradict Jesus.  He knows Peter better than Peter knows himself.

Peter is then among those who fall asleep in Gethsemane, after Jesus asked him to watch.  Jesus gets it right again.  He understands what is really going on.

41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Then we have the infamous cutting off the ear of the High priest’s servant.  John is the one who names names in John 18:10.  The servant was Malchus, the ear-cutter was Peter.  Maybe he was trying to make up for falling asleep earlier by showing he was really going to take care of things now.  “I got this Lord.  Your back is safe with me.”

Then comes the actual denial at the end of the chapter.  Matthew explains that Peter denied Christ to not one but two (2) servant girls and then to some bystanders who pointed out that his accent gave him away.  He sounded like he was from Galilee, not Jerusalem.

Let’s all be glad that our faith is in Jesus and not in Peter and not in ourselves.  Left to ourselves, we and Peter have a lot in common.  Our behavior is erratic.  Our self-confidence is normally misplaced. 

When nobody is looking, we can deliver a pretty good boast. “I’ll never fall away.  I’m ready to die at your side.” When push comes to shove, servant girls and random bystanders are more than enough to intimidate us into denial.  “Who me?  You think I know that guy?  Sorry. Never met him.”

Wait, do I hear a rooster?

Fulfilling the Law of Christ – Dr. Harold Netland

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This is from April 30, 2019.  The subject matter is related to our previous series on Unity, Diversity and Our Identity in Christ.  Dr. Netland is one of my instructors and one of the readers putting me through my doctoral project.  (Not sure why, but it doesn’t seem to want to start at the beginning.)

 

Matthew 25 Verse by Verse

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Matt photoChrist completes his Olivet Discourse with two more parables and a passage of future judgment.  The need to watch and be ready is combined with some thoughts on what “being ready” means in day-to-day life.

Matthew 25.pdf

Matthew 25.mp3

A Prayer Prompted by Matthew 25

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Heavenly Father,

The church has been waiting for Christ’s return for what seems like a long time. Help our faith to be genuine and our attitude to remain watchful so that we will be ready when he finally arrives.

Help us also to be busy about our Master’s business. You have given us resources and abilities that you expect us to use for you. Help us not to fear or get lazy, but rather to use what you have given us for your glory.

We also realize that the consequences of Christ’s judgment are eternal. We ask you to forgive us that we might inherit the kingdom that you have prepared for us from the foundation of the world.

We pray for all of those we know that are lost, that they might be saved, and in that way avoid the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

While we are waiting for Jesus and working for you, help us to be a blessing to the poor, the needy, the foreigner, the sick and those who are in prison.

Help us to be a blessing to any and all that need our help, starting with our brothers and sisters in Christ, but not stopping with only them.

And help us to keep doing this until Jesus comes.

In Christ’s name,

Amen.

 

 

How to serve Jesus – Matthew 25:34-40

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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,[f] you did it to me.’

I believe this passage has a special application pertaining to the nations’ treatment of the Jews in the days leading up to Christ’s return.  Still, pretty much all passages of Scripture have some sort of application for us today.  This one may be applicable in all places and at all times, except for some hypothetical place where no one is poor, needy, sick, etc.  I’m not sure where that might be.  

The other day, I was reading in Rodney Stark’s The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries.  Though a professed agnostic, this sociologist of religion quoted the passage above and went on to explain how the early church put it into practice.

[Ancient] Pagan and Christian writers are unanimous not only that Christian Scripture stressed love and charity as the central duties of faith, but that these were sustained in everyday behavior … When the New Testament was new, these were the norms of Christian communities. (Stark, The Rise of Christianity, 86-87)

They should still be the norms today – helping the poor, the needy, the sick and those in prison  They probably are, for the most part, at least among Christians that I know,.  I’m happy to be pastor of a church where all of these behaviors are normal.  But still, let’s keep doing these things until Jesus comes.  When we serve those in need he says we are serving him.

Matthew 24 Verse by Verse

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Matt photoThe extended teaching known as the Olivet Discourse is one of the Bible’s most important pertaining to end times prophecy.  In it Christ reminds to always be watching for him.  He is coming and we do not know when.

Matthew 24.pdf

Matthew 24.mp3