Friday Morning, 25 Oct 2019 – Matthew 26: 20-35 ~ “Am I the one, Lord?”

Friday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Almighty God, whose beloved Son first suffered pain and crucifixion before entering into glory: Mercifully grant that we, walking in his footsteps, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 26: 20-35 (NLT)

When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”

Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”

He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”

And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.
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Morning Reflection:

“Am I the one, Lord?”

“Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

Jesus was very aware of the events unfolding around him. He was not a victim of fate, rather He deliberately approached His death as a willing sacrifice and prepared His disciples carefully for the trauma of that event.

Jesus predicted that the disciples would desert Him that very night. They would find Him to be a source of stumbling. Jesus’ arrest would trip them up, and they would temporarily stop following Him faithfully.

Nevertheless, Jesus reminded them again that His death and their scattering were all within God’s sovereign plan. This did not excuse their failure, but it prepared them for it and helped them recover after it.

As an encouragement, Jesus assured the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee after His resurrection. They might abandon Him, but He would not abandon them.

Questions for consideration

“all of you will desert me” was directed specifically at the disciples, but does it apply to us as well? Please explain.
In spite of Jesus’ prediction, all the disciples vowed loyalty. Can you think of a time when you vowed loyalty to Jesus, only to falter and fail? Please explain.
Can you think of a time when Jesus gave you a second chance to live up to your vow to follow Him? Please explain.
What is your greatest challenge in following Jesus? Please explain.
What does participation in the Lord’s Supper mean to you? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: Eucharistic Liturgical Prayer –

We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness,
but in your abundant and great mercies.

Thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal Kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
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“With All I Am” – Hillsong

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Thursday Morning, 24 Oct 2019 – Matthew 26:1-19 ~ The conspiracy unfolds.

Thursday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Guidance – Thursday)

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: Guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our lives we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 26:1-19 (NLT)

The Plot to Kill Jesus

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

The Last Supper

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

“As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.
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Morning Reflection:

The conspiracy unfolds.

At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest,
plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.
– Matthew 26:3-4 –

In today’s reading, Matthew surrounds Jesus with a wide range of characters – each with their own relationship to Jesus, each with their own agenda. Most of them fade from memory, but two will be remembered forever.

The woman who anointed Jesus – “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
Judas who betrayed Jesus – “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.”

But there are several other interesting characters in the background –

Simon whom Jesus’ healed of leprosy welcomed Jesus into his home as a gesture of gratitude.
The disciples who chided the woman for wasting her resources instead of attending to the needs of the poor.
The religious leaders who rejected and secretly plotted against Jesus, careful not to incense the crowd.
The crowd, religious in form, but passive concerning Jesus.
The man who opened his home for Jesus and the disciples to celebrate the Passover.

Each one of these characters experienced Jesus differently and responded accordingly. but with very different consequences for them and those around them.

Questions for consideration:

With whom do you identify in today’s reading? Please explain.
Can you identify some of these characters in the contemporary world in which you live? Please explain.
Each of these characters respond to Jesus with varying degrees of enthusiasm, both positive and negative. How would you rate their levels of enthusiasm? Please explain.
How would you like to be remembered by future believers? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer – A Covenant Prayer – John Wesley

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which
I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
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“Jesus At The Center” – Darlene Zschech

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Wednesday Morning: 23 Oct 2019 – Matthew 25:31-46 ~ The Separation

Wednesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (A Collect for Grace – Wednesday)

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading –

The Final Judgment

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“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 creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
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Morning Reflection:

The Separation

‘I tell you the truth,
when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,
you were doing it to me!’ – Matthew 25:40 –

At the Final Judgement, Jesus – enthroned in heaven – will separate the righteous from the wicked. The basis for His judgment will be reception or rejection of Him, as seen in people’s reception or rejection of His brothers and sisters.

Who are Jesus’ brothers and sisters? Certainly those who do God’s will – including the believing poor of the world. Are all the poor of the world Jesus’ brothers and sisters? I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Questions for consideration:

When you consider the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, who comes to mind? Please explain.
Do you think that Jesus’ brothers and sisters, in this context, include both believers and unbelievers? What are the implications for you? Please explain.
How have you cared for the poor included in Jesus’ description of His brothers and sisters? Do you view this as a burden or privilege? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: You Offer Us the Kingdom – written by Christine Jerrett,

We name you gracious Master and our God, Great Redeemer and King.

You offer us the kingdom, Lord Jesus;
a realm where the hungry are fed, the thirsty are given something to drink; and the homeless are housed, You offer us a realm where those who are shivering are clothed, the sick are visited, those in prison hear good news.

We wonder how we are to receive such a gift:
Will you require of us more than what we are already doing?
Will you judge us for what we have done and what we have left undone? Will you leave us out of your community of salvation?

In your great love and mercy, move us beyond fear;
move us beyond guilt; move us beyond our anxious worry. Move us deeper into your surprising grace; Heal the blindness that does not see you when you come to us in distressing disguise. Set us free from serving lesser gods.

Most of all, form in us the mind of Christ, so that we see the world through your eyes, so that our hearts are broken by the things that break your heart, and so that we delight in the things that delight you, and you create in us courage enough not to duck.

We ask in your life-giving name.

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“When Its All Been Said and Done” – Robin Mark

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Tuesday Morning, 22 Oct 2019 – Matthew 25:1-30 ~ use well what you are given

Tuesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening (A Collect for Peace – Tuesday)

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Matthew 25:1-30 (NLT)

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Parable of the Three Servants

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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Morning Reflection:

use well what you are given

He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone…
dividing it in proportion to their abilities.
– Matthew 25:14-15 –

Faithfulness, as Jesus illustrates in the story of the three servants, involves using what God has entrusted us to advance His interests in the world.

The teaching points include –

+ All that we are given are gracious gifts of God, distributed according to the abilities he has given us.

+ The gifts God has given us are a kind of working capital to use for his glory.

+ Faithfulness involves taking some prudent risks; fear of doing something wrong stifles our potential.

+ The greater our gifts and abilities, the greater our risk, and the greater our responsibility.

Questions for consideration:

How would you assess the gifts that God has entrusted to you? Think in broad terms, e.g.spiritual gifts, natural abilities, the gospel, opportunities for service, money, community, ethnicity – all that things that make you uniquely you. Please explain.
Can you think of ways that you have used some of these gifts to glorify God and advance his Kingdom purposes? Please explain.
When you consider the gifts that God has entrusted to you, do you think you have lived up to your potential? Why / why not?
Where do you need to risk stepping out in faith in order to glorify God and advance his Kingdom purposes? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For the potential You have given us –

+ For the potential You see in us and the possibilities that lie ahead:
Christ be before us.

+ For our plans and their fulfillment, for Your promises and their unfolding:
Christ be before us.

+ In the problems that beset us and the perils that ensnare us:
Christ be before us.

+ Be around us, above us, and beneath us.
On Your path, O my God and not my own,
be all my journeying.

Rule this heart of mine that it be only Yours.
Amen.

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“Rule In My Heart” – Beth Croft

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Monday Morning, 21 Oct 2019 – Matthew 24:29-51 ~ be ready all the time

Monday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening – A Collect for the Renewal of Life (Monday)

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Morning Reading -Matthew 24:29-51 (NLT)

“Immediately after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Morning Reflection:

be ready all the time

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”
– Matthew 24:44 –

Watchful preparation is necessary since no one knows the day, the hour, the month, or the year when Jesus will return. The alternative is to live life as usual without regard to the King’s return. Jesus deliberately discouraged believers from setting dates so that we would always be ready for his return. But that’s not easy to do since the daily grind, tends to lull us into dangerous complacency.

It’s normal for even remarkable signs of an impending change to have no effect on people. For example, when TV meteorologists announce the coming of a hurricane or tornado, there are always some people in its path who refuse to seek safety. All the more so when meteorologists hype the danger and often get it wrong.

Questions for consideration:

How do you prepare for an impending natural disaster such as a hurricane, or tornado? Please explain.
Have you ever ignored the warnings of TV meteorologists? Why? What happened? Please explain.
Earthquakes, on the other hand, occur suddenly without waning? How would you prepare for an earthquake? Please explain.
Jesus’ return is likened to something between a hurricane and an earthquake – there will be warning signs, but it will happen suddenly? What would it take for you to be prepared? Please explain.
As a believer caught up in the daily grind, what sort of things lull you into complacency regarding Christ’s return? Please explain.
What can you do to live as a faithful, sensible servant of King Jesus, always ready for his return? How would that change your priorities, or lifestyle? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer: For Watchfulness (Lancelot Andrewes)

Thou, who with thine own mouth hast told us that at midnight the bridegroom shall come: Grant that the cry, “The bridegroom cometh!” may sound evermore in our ears, that so we be never unprepared to meet him, or forgetful of the souls for whom he died, for whom we watch and pray. And save us, O Lord. Amen.
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“I Will Wait For You (Psalm 130)” – Shane & Shane