First Baptist Family of Asheboro, NC

The Prayer in the Garden by Tintoretto 1578-81 Jesus met with the disciples to teach them how to pray.   Jesus has just finished the Passover meal with the disciples.   The disciples go out with Jesus to an olive grove.   Gethsemane means, “olive press.”   This was a private property where they could pray together and they had probably done this before. Matthew 26 is the final time.   Jesus has been telling them to get ready, it’s almost here. It’s like when we get a winter weather advisory.   We don’t do much of anything until we know for sure it’s really here.   This is it!   It’s happening! This is the last and final preparation before Jesus’ arrest.   What does Jesus do before facing the final trial? Pain leads us to pray. When we hurt our hearts are drawn to pray.                          37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  People who are hurting want our presence most of all.       

Jesus is about to pay for our sins and restore us to the Father. In the next several weeks there’s a turn towards the cross.   Matthew 26 is days before the cross.   The setting is Bethany.   Jesus and His disciples spent time in Bethany.   Several times per year Jerusalem would swell with people because of festivals and events.   For example, at Jesus’ birth Jerusalem was full.   This is the scene.   Jerusalem is packed.   Jesus had friends in Bethany, outside of Jerusalem.   The home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus was located there.   They are in a different house close by for the final preparation for the cross.   Luke tells us this is the primary purpose of Jesus’ coming to this world. In Matthew 26 the opening verses are a powerful demonstration of what it means to value Jesus.   How do we value Jesus? How do you know what something is worth?   We can search online to get a feel for what something is worth.   How do you value Jesus?   Who is Jesus and what is He worth?

In Matthew 25 Jesus is meeting with his disciples and he is preparing them for what’s coming next.   He will hand over the ministry to them.   This is His game time speech.   He says to remember these 2 things:   1) Be Ready! 2) And Serve.   We get the part about being ready, but serve?   That’s the end game?   Jesus has been preparing them for this for years.   I am returning, so be ready and serve.   Learn how to serve. This will be the criteria for the end of your life, whether or not you served.   “Objection!” you might say.   Aren’t we saved by grace?   There’s one way any of us will ever enter Heaven: by the grace of God through Jesus Christ demonstrated for us and by our asking of forgiveness.   We do not earn this.   When we give our lives to Christ we are recipients of grace.   This transforms us.   The changed heart is a life that serves God.   If we have received grace we will serve.   We want to serve.   James 2 says faith without works is dead.   Serv

Each of us has been given a gift.   What are we doing with these gifts?   We get so excited about giving gifts to others. Sometimes we are even more excited about giving than we are about receiving gifts.   Ultimately, what do we want that person to do with the gift we gave them? God has created us, He knows us, He thinks about us.   Matthew 25 has the parable of the talents.   A master is giving gifts to his servants and we read their response to these gifts.   We have given our lives to Christ.   God has given us gifts.   What do we do with these gifts? God gives us time, resources and abilities.                          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.  In the beginning a man is going on a journey and he gives his servants gifts.   This parable is about what Christ has