A Lesson Before Dying

“A Lesson Before Dying”

Matthew 26:20-30

Introduction

· The final lesson that Christ offered His disciples was one that we must remember today.

o After He taught them about the Kingdom of God

o After He taught them about hypocrisies of the Religious Leaders

o After He taught them about the destructive plan of the devil

o After He taught them about the faith of a mustard seed.

o After He taught them many lessons on life and the after life, He taught them one more!

· This lesson, just given prior to His arrest, beating and crucifixion, should be remembered by all of His followers, because this lesson is on that is still applicable today.

I. Part I: Not everyone who is on your team, is on your side, 20-25

A. Some teammates have ‘sold out’,20-21

B. Some teammates are in it for themselves, Mt. 26:14-16

C. Some teammates have forgotten what the Bible says, ‘…as it is written’, 24

1. Numbers 32:23 “…and be sure your sin will find you out.”

2. Luke 12:2-3 2 “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”

D. Some teammates are playin’ dumb, ‘Master, is it I?’, 25

II. Part II: Not everything that seems bad, is bad, 26-30

A. Because it’s been blessed, broken and given by God, 26

1. Like the seed that grows an oak tree

2. Like the branch that is pruned to be more fruitful

B. Because it is the catalyst that brings change, 27-28

1. Suffering, Psa. 23

a. Verse 1-3 God is spoken of in the 3rd person

b. Verse 4-6 God is spoken of in the 1st person

2. Salvation, II Cor. 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

C. Because it has a purpose beyond this world, 29

1. God’s purpose in our life, is beyond the limitations of this life

2. God’s purpose is to conform us into the image of His Son

Conclusion

· Are you on God’s team, but you’re working for the other side?

· Are you calling something ‘bad’ just because it looks ‘bad’

· We now know the two parts of the Lesson Before Dying, but what is the lesson itself?

o “Be Faithful”

§ Even when people who are on your team, are working for the other side

§ Even when things look bad

· In His last hours on earth before bearing the sin weight of the world, Jesus taught His disciples to be faithful.

· And, in these final hours of earth’s existence, I believe the Christ is admonishing us, His modern day disciples to do the same, be faithful.