TITLE: OUR DISTANCE FROM JESUS 1/27/02
TEXT: MATTHEW 26:36 – 43, 47 - 50
INTRO:
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE IS HERE IN CHAPTER 26 OF THE BOOK OF MATTHEW. I HAVE OFTEN READ THIS PASSAGE AND WONDERED ABOUT ALL THAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT NIGHT.
IT IS A SPECIAL PASSAGE TO ME BECAUSE I SEE THERE MY SAVIOR ON HIS FACE WEEPING AND SHEDDING TEARS MINGLED WITH BLOOD OVER A POOR WRETCHED SINNER NAMED NILES LLOYD.
I BELIEVE IT WAS AT THIS PLACE THAT SATAN AND ALL THE DEMONS OF HELL CAME AGAINST JESUS TO TRY AND KEEP HIM FROM DRINKING THAT CUP AND GOING TO THE CROSS WHERE HE WOULD DIE FOR THE SINS OF ALL THE WORLD. WE ALL OUGHT TO THANK GOD THAT JESUS DIDN’T QUIT!
NOW TONIGHT, LETS READ SOME OF THE HAPPENINGS THAT WENT ON THERE IN THE GARDEN.
READ TEXT: 36 – 43, 47 – 50
NOW TO GET A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT NIGHT, LET ME GIVE THEM TO YOU IN THE PROPER CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
1. JESUS MET WITH DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM AT PASSOVER
2. THEN ACCORDING TO JOHN’S GOSPEL, HE AROSE AND GIRD HIMSELF WITH A
TOWEL & WASHED DISCIPLES’ FEET
3. THEN AFTER THE FOOT WASHING, THEY HAD COMMUNION
4. JESUS THEN TOOK THE SOP AND DIPPED IT AND GAVE IT TO JUDAS AND
SAID, “WHAT THOU DOEST, DO QUICKLY.” AND JUDAS WENT OUT THAT
NIGHT TO BETRAY THE LORD JESUS.
5. THEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE AND HIS DISCIPLES LEFT THE CITY OF JERUSALEM AND WENT THROUGH THE EASTERN GATE AND TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.
NOW WHEN JESUS LEFT, 11 OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT WITH HIM, JUDAS AS WE KNOW WENT TO BETRAY HIM. AND HERE IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE.
1. THE EIGHT
IN VERSE 36 HE TOLD 8 OF HIS DISCIPLES TO STAY ON THE OUTER PERIMITER.
2. THE THREE
IN VERSE 37, THREE OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT DEEPER INTO THE GARDEN, THAT WAS PETER, JAMES AND JOHN.
3. THE ONE
AND THEN IN VERSE 39, WE FIND THAT JESUS WENT A LITTLE FURTHER AND WAS THERE ALL ALONE.
SO HERE WE HAVE IT, A GROUP OF 8 ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE GARDEN. A GROUP OF 3 A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AND THEN YOU HAVE JESUS ALL ALONE INTO THE DEEPEST PART OF THE GARDEN.
AND THESE 3 GROUPS IS WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT.
NOTICE FIRST OF ALL THEIR –
I. DIFFERENCE IN POSITION
AS YOU VISUALIZE THIS GARDEN, YOU SEE JESUS THERE AT THE INNER CIRCLE. AND IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE SMALLEST GROUP OF 3 DISCIPLES ARE CLOSER TO JESUS THAN THE OTHER EIGHT. AND AS I READ THAT, I CAME TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE 8 DISCIPLES WHO WERE THERE ON THE OUTER PERIMITER OF THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE WERE CLOSER TO JUDAS THAN WERE THE OTHER THREE!
NOW THESE 8 WERE NOT –
* AGAINST JESUS, THEY DID NOT SPEAK AGAINST HIM
* THEY WERE NOT BLASPHEMOUS AGAINST CHRIST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT
BUT THE POINT I WANT ALL OF US TO SEE IS THIS: IT WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN TO MANY STEPS TO JOIN UP WITH THOSE WHO WERE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GARDEN. JUST A FEW MORE STEPS AND THOSE 8 WOULD HAVE YOKED UP WITH THE LIBERALS, JUST A FEW MORE STEPS AWAY FROM JESUS AND THEY WOULD HAVE YOKED UP WITH THE WORLD.
OF COURSE THE POINT IS THIS: YOU AND I AS CHRISTIANS NEED TO GET AS CLOSE TO JESUS AS POSSIBLE AND STAY THERE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
JAMES 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
FIRST OF ALL THESE GROUPS ARE DIFFERENT IN THEIR POSITION, NOTICE SECONDLY THAT THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN THEIR –
II. DIFFERENT IN SIZE
THERE IS EIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE, THREE ON THE INSIDE AND ONLY ONE IN THE MIDDLE. AND I WANT YOU TO NOTE THIS: THE CLOSER YOU GET TO JESUS THE SMALLER THE CROWD BECOMES!
ISN’T THAT HOW IT IS TODAY? THE CLOSER YOU GET IN YOUR WALK WITH JESUS CHRIST – THERE WILL BE A LOT OF ELBOW ROOM! NO ONE ELSE WILL BE FOUND! BUT IN CONTRAST TO THAT, THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE WORLD THE LARGER THE GROUP WILL BECOME!
DO YOU UNDERSTAND TONIGHT THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE (AND I AM TALKING ABOUT CHRISTIANS) WHO ARE -
* SITTING ON THE SIDELINES DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR GOD.
* SITTING AT HOME DURING THE FIGHT THAN THERE ARE THOSE IN THE FIGHT
* SITTING IN COMFORT PLAYING AND SPLASHING IN THE WARM SHALLOW WATER
HAVING A GOOD TIME (WITH RUBBER DUCKY), THAN THERE ARE THOSE WHO
ARE LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP WHERE THE STORMS ARE RAGING.
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRANGE TO ME AS TO WHY YOU CAN HAVE 150 PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING BUT ONLY ABOUT 50 ON SUNDAY NIGHT! WELL I WILL TELL YOU WHY! THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE FOLLOWING JESUS ON THE OUTSIDE THAN THERE ARE ON THE INSIDE.
ILL. QUOTE SOMEONE ONCE SAID
THOSE WHO COME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNINGS LOVE THE CHURCH, THOSE WHO COME BACK ON SUNDAY NIGHTS LOVE THE PASTOR AND THE CHURCH, BUT THOSE WHO COME BACK ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS LOVES THE LORD! AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A LOT TO THAT!
THESE 3 GROUPS WERE DIFFERENT IN THEIR SIZE!
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING PREACHER? I AM SAYING THAT MOST CHRISTIANS ARE NOT AS CLOSE TO JESUS AS THEY COULD BE! YES, YOU ARE SAVED AND GOING TO HEAVEN. YOU DO NOT –
* HATE JESUS
* LIVE IN WICKEDNESS AND SIN
* GO WITHOUT EVER READING YOUR BIBLE OR PRAYING
YOU ARE JUST KIND OF KEEPING ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
ILL. TOUR THROUGH THE GARDEN
GO WITH ME TO JESUS TONIGHT AS HE IS THERE WEEPING AND SHEDDING TEARS: LORD, WHERE ARE ALL YOUR DISCIPLES? AND THERE IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN I HEAR JESUS SAY WITH A BROKEN HEART -
1. ONE OF MY DISCIPLES HAS JUST WENT TO BETRAY ME
2. EIGHT OUR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GARDEN PROBLABLY GAMBLING OR PLAYING GAMES.
3. AND THE OTHER 3 ARE ABOUT A STONES THROW AWAY AND THEY ARE FAST ASLEEP!
AND I BELIEVE THE SADEST PART OF THIS WHOLE STORY IS THAT WHILE JESUS CHRIST WAS THERE IN THE GARDEN, NEAR DEATH, POURING HIS SOUL OUT ON THE BEHALF OF MANKIND – AND NOT A ONE OF HIS 11 DISCPLES WERE WITH HIM THERE TO PRAY!
AND THAT IS THE SAME THING WE SEE ALL OVER AMERICA TODAY. MOST CHURCHES IN AMERICA ARE RUNNING TONIGHT BECAUSE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE!
YOU SEE, IT IS A LOT EASIER TO SIT IN LIMBO WITH THE 8 DISCIPLES ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE GARDEN WHILE EVERYONE ELSE –
* DOES ALL THE WORK!
* PAYS ALL THE TITHES & OFFERINGS
* DRIVES THE BUSES WHILE YOU SIT AT HOME WATCHING THE BALLGAMES &
EATING SUNDAY DINNER WITH THE FAMILY!
* PREACHES AT THE PRISONS & NURSING HOMES
* GOES OUT SOULWINNING ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS WHILE YOU ARE CATCHING
A NAP
WE ALL NEED TO ASK OURSELF THIS: COULD THIS CHURCH OPERATE AND GROW WITH THAT WHICH YOU –
* GIVE – OR WOULD WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE DOORS?
* COULD WE OPERATE THE CHURCH IF EVERYBODY ELSE WORKED AS HARD AS
YOU WORK?
* WILL THIS CHURCH EVER GROW AS A RESULT OF YOUR SOULWINNING
EFFORTS? COULD WE REACH OUR GOAL OF 500 SOONER AS THE RESULT OF
YOUR GETTING INVOLVED IN DOOR TO DOOR SOULWINNING?
IF WE WERE ALL LIKE YOU ARE AND WORK LIKE YOU WORKED – WHERE WOULD WE BE?
QUOTE: THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN EVERY CHURCH
1. THOSE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN
2. THOSE WHO WATCH IT HAPPENING
3. THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ALL
ILL. BUILDINGS CAUGHT ON FIRE
LADY GOT UPSET BECAUSE SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE CHURCH SERVICES WERE BEING HELD – IT WAS AWFUL FUNNY TO ME THAT EVERYONE KNEW WHERE SERVICES WERE GOING TO BE HELD.
ILL. SAME WOMAN CAME TO ME AND SAID I PREACH TO MUCH ON SALVATION
I GET A LITTLE WORRIED WITH CHRISTIANS WHO DON’T LIKE PREACHING ON:
1. CALVARY
2. THE BLOOD OF JESUS
3. ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
I TOLD THAT SAME WOMAN IF YOU WOULD GET SAVED, I’D GO ON TO SOMETHING ELSE! AND LIKE IT OR LUMP IT, IF GOD LAYS A SALVATION MESSAGE ON MY HEART FOR ALL 3 SERVICES 52 WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR, I AM GOING TO PREACH IT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!
I AM THE ONE WHO HAS TO ANSWER TO GOD – NOT YOU! AND OF ALL THE TIMES TO PREACH A MESSAGE ABOUT JUDGMENT AND HELL LAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND ONE LITTLE BOY WENT BACK TO MY OFFICE AND GOT SAVED – YOU LET ME DECIDE WHAT TO PREACH!
QUOTE: DR. CURTIS HUTSON
90% OF THE WORK IS DONE BY ONLY 10% OF THE PEOPLE!
I THINK WE AS A CHURCH HAVE SOME GREAT WORKERS!
THANK GOD FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN THE –
* BUS MINISTRY AND SACRIFICE YOUR AFTERNOONS ON VISITATION
* SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES UPSTAIRS
* THOSE INVOLVED IN THE NURSERY
OFTEN TIMES YOU GO UN-NOTICED – BUT GOD IS KEEPING RECORD! AND WITHOUT YOU, THIS CHURCH COULD NEVER GROW!
BUT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU HERE TONIGHT WHO HAS ALL THE TALENT IN THE WORLD TO –
* DRIVE A BUS OR BE A BUS CAPTAIN ON IT
* TEACH A CLASS AND HELP CORAL THE KIDS
* MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS OR GO DOOR TO DOOR SOULWINNING
BUT YOU WON’T EVER GET INVOLVED BECAUSE YOU ARE WAY OUT ON THE OUTER PERIMITER OF THE GARDEN ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
THESE GROUPS WERE NOT ONLY DIFFERENT IN THEIR POSITION, SIZE. NOTICE ALSO THEY WERE -
III. DIFFERENT IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES V.36
NOTICE FIRST OF ALL TO THE –
A. FIRST GROUP ”Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.”
JUST SIT DOWN OUT HERE AND DO NOTHING, WHY? THESE ARE THOSE WHO –
* GOD CAN NEVER DEPEND UPON!
* COME IN LATE TO CHURCH ALL THE TIME
* THESE ARE THE PROCRASTINATORS – ALWAYS PUTTING SERVING JESUS OFF
FOR ANOTHER DAY.
* THESE ARE THOSE WHO WILL NOT WORK FOR THE LORD ALL BECAUSE YOU ARE
LAZY
ILL. MAN WENT TO JOIN THE ARMED SERVICES
RECRUITER FOR THE AIR FORCE SAID, “ YOU CAN JOIN THE AIR FORCE AND TRAVEL BY AIR. THE NAVY RECRUITER SAID, “YES, BUT YOU CAN JOIN THE NAVY AND TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD BY SEA.” THE ARMY RECRUITER SAID, “YOU CAN JOIN THE ARMY AND STAY ON THE GROUND.”
BUT THE MAN LOOKING TO JOIN SAID, “I THINK I’LL JOIN THE COAST GUARD AND JUST COAST!”
AND A LOT OF CHRISTIANS JUST WANT TO COAST AND GET BY AND THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM. THEY ARE THE ONES ON THE OUTER EDGE OF THE GARDEN.
BUT NOW NOTICE THAT THE CLOSER YOU GET TO JESUS, THE RESPONSIBILTY INCREASES.
B. SECOND GROUP V.41 “Watch and pray!”
LUKE 12:48
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:
C. THIRD GROUP
JESUS WAS GIVEN THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT WAS TO BEAR THE SINS OF ALL THE WORLD!
LISTEN, SOMETIMES WE (ALL) GET TO COMFORTABLE WHICH LEADS TO COMPLACENCY AND APATHY – LETS INSTEAD DRAW CLOSER TO JESUS.
HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TONIGHT?
