Pastor's Sunday School Blog
Sunday School Lesson
“The Savior Is Arrested”
September 24, 2017
Matthew 26:36-68
Pastor’s Notes:
The emotional struggle, the spiritual battle in the Garden of Gethsemane reveals the humanity of Jesus. The impending humiliation, suffering, rejection, death and the separation from the Father strain the emotions of Christ. Jesus was not afraid to face His destiny, however, as a man he realized the pain and agony that awaited Him. In the face of suffering Jesus surrender to the Father’s will. It wasn’t what He wanted to endure; it was however, what the Father willed.
The suffering and sacrifice of Christ was not a coincidence, nor a cleverly devised scheme of man, but the premeditated plan of God. Mankind and Satan were pawns in the hands of God. Jesus makes it clear, at any point, He could have called angels from heaven to fight for His freedom.
It is amazing that it was the religious leaders who ultimately found Jesus guilty of blasphemy and sought His death. The greatest detriment to the work of the ministry is not the forces outside the church, but those within.
Jesus agrees to drink the cup of suffering and wrath (Matthew 26:36-46).
Struggling with life’s choices – PRAY! Spiritual conflicts are most often fought and won on the battlefield of prayer. See Ephesians 6:10-18*
Jesus wasn’t afraid to die, but in His humanity sought to avoid the impending suffering.
Knowing everything that was before Him, He yielded to the Father’s will
Jesus anticipated the emotional struggle … the physical suffering … the spiritual sacrifice and the separation from the Father. No wonder, Luke records, that His sweat became as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground.
Jesus knew everything, but still He prayed, “not my will, but thine be done.”
Such commitment demands commitment…
Jesus accepts the plan of His Father as foretold in Scripture (Matthew 26:47-56).
Driven by selfishness and greed, Judas, betrayed the Lord.
If you make life about “YOU,” the time will come when you will betray the Lord. Most church conflicts, if not all, find their source in the sin of self-preference and self-promotion.
Peter was ready to fight, but when Jesus demanded surrender, he fled.
Once again the Scripture reminds us that everything that happen was plan and premeditated by God for His own purpose. It had to be as it was for it to be as it is.
Jesus affirms the truth about His identity as the Messiah (Matthew 26:57-68).
Caiaphas and Annas served as High Priest …
Sanhedrin – was an authoritative religious council (usually consisting of 70+ members).
Consider the fact that a religious body, including the High Priest, sought false evidence to convict the Lord of a crime worthy of death
The only evidence they found was the “truth” … Jesus own admission that He was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus warned the religious leaders that there would be eternal consequences for their actions; their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.
NOTE- most everything that was done was in violation of the Law: convening court at night, the presentation of false witnesses, mistreatment of the prisoner …
Theological Theme: Jesus came to face the judgment and wrath of God of sinful man.
Christological/Christ Connection: Jesus set aside His personal preference (human desire) and surrendered to the will of God.
Missional Application: Following in the footsteps of Christ, believers are called to set aside personal preferences embracing the will of the Lord in order to share the life-saving Gospel of Jesus to a sinful world.