Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Matthew 25:31-33 "31 When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: 32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." Coming off last week's study of the Last Supper, we begin to understand that we all betray Jesus in small ways and sometimes in very large ways. We should not let this turn us away from GOD. We need to return to Jesus, seeking a deeper and stronger relationship with God, and embrace the grace and forgiveness offered. We need to repent and confess our sins. We want to become better at being obedient to God's teachings we learn about in the pages of the Holy Bible. Today we return to the Gospel of Matthew, seeking to learn more from our Lord and Savior. Chapter 25 contains several parables and teachings of Je...

"P: Most merciful God, C: we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Holy name. Amen." – from the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness, in Lutheran Book of Worship Last week we studied the Last Supper. Ending with "Who would betray Jesus?" It turns out we all betray Jesus in small ways and sometimes in very large ways. The complexity of human nature makes this dynamic all too common. Christians are encouraged to reflect on their own lives and ensure that they do not allow greed, pride, or other negative traits to lead them away from GOD. When we do find ourselves at odds ...

Luke 22:22&23 "22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed! 23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing." Who is it??? Who would betray Jesus? The cup of wine symbolizes the new covenant in His blood. His blood that was spilled for you. Our Lord and Savior has made us free again! And, yet, the one who betrays Jesus is sitting at the table WITH Him!  Faith and loyalty can only be appreciated in contrast with betrayal and falling away. The complexity of human nature makes this dynamic all too common. Some Christians may walk with God but fail to develop a deep, personal relationship with Him, much like Judas did. This comparison suggests that while they may participate in religious activities and know facts about Jesus, they might not have experienced a transformative encounter with Jesus. Christians are encouraged to reflect on their own lives and ensure that they do...

Luke 22:20&21 "20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you. 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table." Our sentimental God shed His blood for you. He was there at the creation of the universe. It all went according to plan. He was there at Passover as the Israelites left Egypt to be free again! He was there sitting at the table with the Disciples at The Last Supper. He is with us when we receive Holy Communion. And, He will be with us forever in Heaven! The cup of wine symbolizes the new covenant in His blood. This new covenant between GOD and people is the Good News! Our Lord and Savior has made us free again! And, yet, the one who betrays Jesus is sitting at the table WITH Him! Faith and loyalty can only be appreciated in contrast with betrayal and falling away. The complexity of human nature makes this dynamic all too common. Some Christians may walk with God but fail t...

Luke 22:18&19 "18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me." "...in remembrance of Me." Our God is sentimental. He wants us to remember Him and He remembers us. He was there at the creation of the universe. It all went according to plan. He was there at Passover as the Israelites left Egypt to be free again! He was there sitting at the table with the Disciples at The Last Supper. He is with us when we receive Holy Communion. And, He will be with us forever in Heaven! Jesus says He will not drink wine again until the kingdom of God is fully realized. The cup symbolizes the new covenant in His blood, which will be poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is declaring a new covenant between GOD and people. This is the Good News! Our Lord and Savior has pa...

Luke 22:16&17 "16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:" The Disciples were sitting at the table with The Lamb of God. The Last Supper changed everything! They came together to commemorate the Passover. As this ceremony is acted out, Jesus is recalling His part in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, which was the central act of redemption in the Old Testament. Jesus now provided a new center of redemption to be remembered by a new ceremonial meal freeing people everywhere for all time. And, His mind has to be clouded by His impending sacrifice on the cross. He told His Disciples, "I suffer." In today's verses, Jesus tells His Disciples that this will be His last Passover meal. They might be used to hearing this kind of talk from Jesus. We know they did not understand. How could they? Next, Jesus shares th...