Matthew records for us the final intimate moments of teaching. After these two parables and final prophecy, Jesus is off to the Passover, the final meal in the upper room with His disciples and then on to Gethsemane. His message to them is simple and clear through these last sentiments. Be aware that one day the music will stop and folks will have to face it…face the music. How we’ve lived, what we have believed, will matter eternally more than our carnal minds can even realize…and so Jesus says be ready, be ever aware of the fact that one day (one day soon) we will all give an account…
First, of what we’ve believed and to whom we have presented ourselves. Second, what we’ve done with what we’ve been given…and finally, how we’ve shown both what we’ve believed AND how we have used what we have been given in how we have served God in serving others…On one hand, well done…on the other hand, I do not know you…
Matthew Chapter 25 Verse 1
•Understand that in the Jewish culture, marriage was typically a three step process. First was the engagement to be married which could happen super early in someone’s life and it even could be an agreement between families. Then there was betrothal which was more of a contractual type of thing where dowry was worked out and all and a covenant agreement would be signed. At the time of betrothal, you were basically married. To break it would require a divorce and the loss of the dowry.
•After the betrothal, a period of a year transpired while the groom prepared for his bride and then, at some point, once that time had completed, he would come for her and the wedding ceremony (typically a 7 day party) would begin…and so this parable, this scene is the bridal party having waited for her groom, she goes out to see if he has come for her…
•Now of course this is a parable so it is meant to be a story that closely parallels a reality and so we can think of this as the ten virgins being believers and the bride groom being the Lord (in context with the discussion of Matthew 24). And I think this scene is totally appropriate…why do they have lamps and not party-poppers? Because it’s dark man…just like these last days…
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 2 – 13
•It’s a rough scene for some. Five were ready, Jesus calls them wise. And five were not ready, which He calls foolish. Very interesting words also because the word for wise can be translated, “mindful,” while the word for foolish can be translated, “godless.” It’s ultra difficult in this physical/carnal world filled with problems and difficulties and complexities…its ultra difficult to be aware and ready of the Lord’s return…but here’s the key…what are you filling your mind with?
•If you’re filling your mind with the things of God, it’s amazing how ultra difficult goes away…in many ways. And yet with godlessness and or “days filled less and less with God,” man foolishness, block-headedness will set in. I talk to all kinds of folks going through all sorts of problems but it never fails, the people that I see consistently in fellowship and in corporate worship and bible study, are always so steady and so full of hope and wisdom in whatever they are facing…why? Minds are filled with God…
•Five were ready, five were not. Five went in, five were denied. And the basis of the denial is not that they weren’t baptized…it’s not that they were not believers…it’s not that they weren’t pure in their behavior (all ten were pure), the basis is that they didn’t know God, or perhaps better said, He didn’t know them…and so heaven remains closed to them…
•It’s haunting…eerie…this word “know” is used 666 times in the Bible and literally Jesus is saying, “I never discovered you…I never examined or inspected you…” What does that mean? He was never allowed. Have you welcomed Jesus into your heart of hearts? That is how you come to know Him or better said, how He comes to know you…it’s the most important thing to do…in fact, for salvation, for heaven, it’s the only thing you MUST do…(Larry King Story)
•You must be born again…Jesus called it “born of the Spirit” in John Chapter 3…and oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit…do you have the Holy Spirit of God within you? We can’t share…my decision for the Lord cannot save you…You must make your own decision for the Lord…get your own oil, Napoleon!
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 14 – 15
•And so we move from what we’ve believed to what we’ve done with the faculties to believe that He has installed in each one of us. “According to his own ability,” Jesus says and so that way you are wired, that unique and special and wonderful design of yours…is not primarily for you to make cash or get the girl or squat 1,000 pounds or breeze through school…primarily it’s for you to invest in the kingdom of God! And really this life’s purpose is this…will you allow that truth to define you?
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 16 – 19
•Time to face the music…and here’s the thing…is God saying, “Go make Me some money!” HA, no. The thought or the point here is that they used what they had been given and gained for their Master by that use…
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 20 – 23
•Notice that verse 21 and verse 23 have identical responses from the Lord…well done…it’s not how much you gain, it’s how much you gain relative to your resources…your opportunity…And I love this…this side of eternity, called “few things.” The other side of eternity, He calls “many things!” And He welcomes them into joy…(chara…kin to grace…are you short of the grace of God in your heart and life? Invest in the Kingdom…enter into His joy.)
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 24 – 26
•Listen, reaping where you have not sown is not the definition of a hard man…that is the definition of a man that entrusts his work to his servants…and notice this…God equates laziness with wickedness!! And that word means literally…full of labors, harassed by hardships…and blind to what things could be…WOW!
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 27 – 30
•Two servants took what they had been given and they invested in the kingdom of heaven. One servant took what he had been given and invested it into the earth. Investing in the kingdom produced eternal profit, investing in the earth returns eternal loss. And you know what’s so alarming here for me, this servant didn’t go off and spend what was given to him like the prodigal did, he just simply did nothing for his master…He essentially is a servant that didn’t serve…plenty of excuses…he didn’t even try…I tell you what, that was my faith for so long and here I am a little grown and I know now that was not a saving faith…I was not saved…because truth is, if you’ve received God’s grace and glimpsed His love and what’s been done for you, if the Holy Spirit of God in you cries out in worship…then you will be about His business…and that is bearing fruit unto salvation…
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 31 – 33
•The Bible speaks of three distinct judgments. There is the Bema seat judgment where the lives of Christians will be tried as it were by fire and the wood, hay and stubble will melt away but that which remains will be rewarded with position and responsibility and attire that will echo throughout eternal life. There is also the White Throne judgment which will be where the Book of Life is opened and all those that have died in their sin will be finally judged, removed from God’s presence and cast into the eternal loss of Gahanna.
•But then there will also be this judgment spoken of by Jesus here and this is called the Judgment of the Nations. This happens after the Great Tribulation and before the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ…before Jesus sets up His Kingdom on this earth to rule and reign for a thousand years, all the goats, all of the survivors of the Great Tribulation that took the mark, didn’t come to faith, are judged and removed from the world prior to the 1,000 years of peace…and look at what Jesus says, SO interesting!
Matthew Chapter 25 Verses 34 – 46
•There is a key to understanding this prophetic teaching in verse 40. Who are the least of these? His brethren and I believe Him to be speaking of the Jews. During the Great Tribulation, the Anti-Christ at the mid-point of it all will sharply turn on the Jews to the point that they will flee, many believe to the fortified city of Petra carved into the rock side of a rock mountain…and as the Jews throughout the world and in Petra will have no mark to buy food, will be hunted as they have been in times before, there will be some folks on earth that have not taken the mark, that have turned to faith in Jesus Christ and have rejected the Anti-Christ and his campaign against the Jew.
•These will help them, the brethren of Jesus…and Jesus will welcome them into His kingdom, welcome His Tribulation saints, His Tribulation sheep at His second coming. But all others, everyone who has taken the mark…they’re gone, man. The judgment of the nations…
•And so today as we close…is there oil in your lamp? Do you walk and live by the Spirit of God…are you ready for His return? What have you done with what has been given to you? Are you investing in the Kingdom of God, or investing in this world? And, are you a goat or a sheep? There’s a big obvious difference. Goats are almost IMPOSSIBLE to gather together and to lead. They don’t gather at all, really. They are destructive, they eat anything…and they butt heads all the time. Sheep are easy to gather, would rather be together and when their shepherd calls to them, man they are so easy to lead to green pastures…which are you?
Matthew 25 vs 1-46
Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek
June 4, 2017 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Matthew 28 vs 1-20
August 27, 2017 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 1 – 2 • Mark tells us that they were bringing spices to anoint the body, why? Because no doubt Jesus had been prepared for burial in a hurry due to the Passover and because of the quickly approaching Sabbath, and so they went to finish the job (if you will). But Mark also tells us that as they went, they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone?” They have a real problem in that statement! • It’s estimated that the stone used to seal the tomb weighed a couple tons! Certainly too big for the Mary’s to displace! I mean, I suppose they could have been body builders! Working that crossfit there in the temple gym…but even if they were buff, that boulder wasn’t budging! That’s not all though. Matthew told us in the last chapter that the tomb was sealed…so not only who is going to have the strength to move the stone, but who is going to have the insanity to break the seal!? That would mean certain condemnation by the Roman and the Jewish authorities (who by the way are definitely still there guarding the tomb! – I mean, this IS the third day!). • What’s my point? Crazy obstructions, disincentives, interference! But get this, they’re discussing it on their way! And note this, they’ve gathered spices…they’ve bought them…they’re invested…and they’ve risen early and they’re carrying those spices…they’re putting in work! This is the point that I’m getting to…we read the Word and we hear clearly the direction of God…often contrary to our reason and even our own expectations…BUT…that stone is not their responsibility. Neither is the seal…and neither is the Roman Guard…their only responsibility is to get to Jesus! • When we went through Mark I made this statement and I’m just as thrilled to make it again today, faith is often the denial of senses, sight and sentiment (emotions) for the sake of scripture! Every awesomely miraculous thing in your life or ministry or break through in your marriage or work or whatever will come with this kind of hope in faith…that in order to get to the Lord, man the path seems to be so very difficult…go…you may just find the rock rolled away, the seal removed and the guard passive and paralyzed…and perhaps even an angel waiting for you (then your only problem will be, “how do you talk to an angel!?” HA!) • One last thing here, never under estimate the importance and power of simply being there. The ministry of presence! Look at what God does just because these chose to be there!! So very important… Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 3 – 8 • One simple question I have for you. A question I love to ask and the answer I LOVE to teach…Who raised Jesus from the dead? God? Jesus Himself? The Holy Spirit? If you answered any of those then you know what? You’re right! The Holy and Eternal and Mysterious Trinity…the Godhead Three in One is expressed explicitly in the resurrection of Jesus Christ! • Want to see?… this is so cool! God raised Jesus from the dead! Acts Chapter 13 Verses 29 and 30 say, “Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead.” • Ok, hold that truth and look at this…Romans Chapter 8 Verses 10 and 11 say, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” So the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead! • Let’s complete the picture – because indeed the Bible is clear…Jesus raised Himself from the dead! John 2:19, Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up!” And in John Chapter 10 verses 17 and 18 Jesus said, “My Father loves Me because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again!” • And so how is it that Jesus raised Himself, yet God raised Him, yet the Holy Spirit raised Him? Because indeed they are all One God! A clear and awesome testimony of the Trinity in the resurrection that I wanted to show to you! Mark it down, remember it! Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 9 – 10 • Notice these women immediately, their response to Jesus, seeing Him after He was dead and now is alive again…their response is to worship Him! That is it, man! Your response to meeting Jesus is not to now be right in every argument or to take up your sword and defend Him…that’s an un-risen Jesus! (Like Peter in the garden!) The natural response isn’t to harden or close down or whatever…the natural response if you’ve truly encountered Jesus ALIVE is WORSHIP! • And this is so cool…An hour ago they were walking in the thought that everything was lost…Jesus is dead…now they are filled with awe, joy and worship because they know everything is gained because Jesus is alive! • Continue the scene – watch this! Jesus receives their worship…and His response is legend! You’re with Me now…no more fear…Go, and tell My brethren! Never before, throughout all 28 chapters, had Jesus referred to His disciples as His brethren…they’d always been His children, His creation, His friends, His disciples…but now, because of what Jesus has done, we share in the very eternal inheritance of the Son of God…being hidden in Him…, (and what grace is this! You’d think they would expect rebuke!). One other cool revelation… • Back in Matthew Chapter 25 Jesus said in verse 40, “In that day the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” This statement by Jesus to these women…go and tell My brethren…the King has come and in that the Kingdom has come! Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 11 – 15 • So let me get this straight…while you were asleep, you saw the disciples come and steal the body? Hmmmm. Any of you remember what happened last night while you were asleep? Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 16 – 17 • Matthew doesn’t give us the account of Thomas in that Jesus welcomed him to physically experience the wound left from the spear that pierced through His heart and the punctures left from the nails in His hands…and so that could be what he is referring to here but the word in the Greek is interesting. Its distazo…this isn’t a doubt of unbelief necessarily but rather of unfamiliarity! • Thomas or even some of the other disciples felt distant (distazo) in a way…this was so different…this was so brand-new…the implications of the whole scene were intensely overwhelming! What does all of this mean? And so the disciples, even those closest to Jesus, in the midst of worship…listen it can feel distant that God has given His grace…it’s not deserved, you haven’t earned it, you can’t walk into worthiness for it…you just simply receive! Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 18 – 20 • All power has been given to Me in heaven and on earth…such an anemic translation…look at the Greek in your own time…What Jesus says is what was due to Me has been delivered…Death has bowed, the Law has acknowledged, the enemy has been defeated and sin has surrendered…it is finished…therefore…go (you don’t need power or authority…I have all of that…your only responsibility…go) and make disciples. • How? How did Jesus make disciples? Baptizing them? He baptized no one…How did He make disciples then…? Loving them and teaching them the truth. Remember that disciples are made…they’re not spontaneous… And when you love His people like He loves them…well, that’s when I’m most catching up to Him…that’s when I see Him the most clearly…as He promised…I am with you always!
Matthew 27 vs 52-66
August 20, 2017 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 51 – 53 • Certainly one of the strangest couple of statements in all of scripture. We don’t really know anything more about this event because no one else mentions it at all. Not any other Gospel, not Paul, not Jude (even in the midst of the creepy stuff he talks about)! So all we can do is take it at face value and move on. Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 54 – 61 • I love this squad, this cast of characters. First, we have Matthew talking about a totally spooky scene…that the dead somehow come out of the graves…and although the timing of that is at the resurrection (which hasn’t happened yet), that eerie account actually goes well with this squad. Why? Because the rough and hardened soldier, the centurion comes to life. He joins women like Mary Magdalene, the formerly demon-possessed woman who followed Jesus from Galilee. Joseph of Arimathea… • According to Luke Chapter 23 he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the group who called for Jesus’ crucifixion AND he was a very wealthy man…hold that thought. His buddy Nicodemus, confused and confrontational, conflicted and cowardly, coming to Jesus under the cover of night so as to not be discovered in John Chapter 3…Jesus had repaired all of them! • Restored them all, settled all of them and in that peace and power, they are now all one association. It is amazing, simply amazing, that the power of the touch of Jesus on a heart will always manifest itself in people of all different types, backgrounds and bents becoming family. Gentile killer (the centurion), demon-possessed prostitute (Mary Magdalene), harsh religious elitist (Joseph of Arimathea) and even the fearful (Nicodemus)… • The body of Christ, like the body of Christ actually being the body, should be unifying! Look at this cast of characters! Proverbs 6 talks about things the Lord hates and among the list is one who sows discord among brethren. Do you think a week before the cross Joseph of Arimathea would have been anywhere near Mary Magdalene? But now they are rallied around what Jesus has done! • Divisiveness, negativity, ill will, insult and all the like is not permissible within the body of Christ. That’s just all there is to it. But know this…it is SO easy. You know what’s hard? Unifying…gluing…bringing crazy different freaky and fault-ful people together…but here’s the shocker, each of you has the ability, capability and power to do it…what you lack is the worship! • Here’s your task, starting tomorrow because I can bet that many can’t start today…because it’s already happened…but do this tomorrow…say nothing negative, nothing…, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Oh church, have we forgotten that commandment? That love thy neighbor thing, yea I really meant that! HA!) And at the end of the day, put a little mark somewhere, perhaps on your fridge to show you did it…and then do it the next day and the next…in no time at all you know what will change drastically? YOU! • Your attitude, your mood, your mannerisms, your heart, man…if you’re not imparting grace then you are DEPARTING it when you divide the body…and division of the body begins in the abundance of our dark hearts and our mouths simply sell us out! • A story is told of a couple in marriage counseling and after months of session after session they just were getting nowhere…they just couldn’t see past each other’s shortcomings. It was so seemingly hopeless that they were heading for a split. And so the pastor told them look, one last thing to try, for the next 2 weeks I want you both to complement each other every day and for the next 2 weeks I want you to not say anything negative in front of or about each other. • Sincerely do this…they agreed and he sent them away…they never returned…they killed each other…HA! NO just kidding…they never returned to counseling! Their hearts slowly changed…healed…got back in line with the heart of God who said “Father, forgive them! They are SO in sin but they are SO in need!” Their hearts changed, their faces changed, their affections changed…and it all began with attacking their own divisive hearts! If you are divisive, defensive, negative, critical and condescending…that ain’t Jesus in you…He brings all kinds of creeps into communication and companionship and complete peace!! • Back to the scene. Jesus is buried and He is buried by Josepth of Arimathea, a rich man. Can you be wealthy and be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Absolutely! And here’s the thing…this guy wasn’t just wealthy, he was crazy rich! He had a tomb carved out of the side of a mountain! I mean, talk about a non-essential! BUT, notice when it came to the Lord, he gave it to Jesus! If you have a lot, if you are wealthy, is that a good thing? Well, is it yours or is it His? Ultimately rich or poor, a lot or a little, no difference to the Lord…I mean come on…you’re either filthy rich or dirt poor, HA! Pretty much the same thing…but do you honor the Lord with what you have…that’s the real question. Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 62 – 63 • Isn’t that just interesting!? Back in Chapter 26, the false accusations against Jesus, one of them was that He would destroy the temple of God and build it again in three days…and they all looked at Him sideways and ridiculed Him…well here it is…they knew the whole time what He was saying. Isn’t that just interesting…folks can hear, they can even understand, but the truth is, they choose not to believe Jesus…is that your heart towards Jesus? To you, is He just a deceiver!? WOW… • And notice this…look at their statement to Pilate…, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive…” What does that mean? He is dead. That’s important because there are numerous heretical thoughts out there including what’s called the “Swoon Theory” that ultimately attempt to explain away the resurrection…but listen, without the resurrection then all is lost…and the truth of the account is that even the enemies of Jesus admitted, stated, witnessed Him dead… • A funny letter was written to a Christian Magazine on this topic…Dear Eutychus: Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered • Dear Bewildered: Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his heart; embalm him; put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Eutychus. HA!! Matthew Chapter 27 Verse 64 • They’re not afraid of the disciples! They had all scattered. They’re not afraid of the body of Jesus being stolen! If the body was stolen and the disciples began to proclaim that He had risen from the dead, what are they going to do? Prop Him up with strings Weekend at Bernie style!? Leave Him hidden!? No one would believe them! • He is risen? Where is He then? What they were really afraid of is what if Jesus is the Truth!? They were really afraid of Him doing exactly what He said He would do…and that fear…which is still prevalent today…there is no quenching it…seal all you want…guard all you want…If Jesus is the Savior then there’s nothing that can stop Him from fulfilling His Word! Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 65 – 66 • This isn’t Pilate sending them away empty handed…this is him giving them a guard…they did have a way to guard the tomb themselves and they wouldn’t need permission for that…they wanted a Roman guard…the threat of death…and they got it…which, in the end, served to only make that much more certain that God raised Himself from the grave! The tomb was so well guarded that it can be certain that the body wasn’t simply stolen…way to go chief priests…thank you! HA! • And I love this…the stone speaks of a material obstacle…the seal speaks of a personal obstacle…the guard speaks of a societal, governmental obstacle…but nothing, nothing can contain or constrict the power of the Lord!
Matthew 27 vs 45-51
August 13, 2017 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 45 – 46 • We know from Mark Chapter 15 that Jesus was crucified around 9am. The sixth hour would be noon and so in total, Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours, from 9am to 3pm. Now, from 12pm noon (the sixth hour) to 3pm (the ninth hour) there was darkness over all the land. The word in the Greek for “darkenss” is skotos and it means darkness of night or darkness of sight. This is interesting…I’ve said this before and I continue to find this to be even more true Bible study time after Bible study time again…I think we, I, us, men, women, in totality have only begun to see and understand what happened at the cross of Calvary. • Hold the thought of darkness of blindness just for a moment…for three hours, the earth, in the Greek – the entire earth – lay under complete, spiritual and physical blindness…and at the ninth hour (3pm), Jesus cries out with a loud voice, “My God, My God.” Never before had He referred to the Father as “My God.” It was always, “Abba,” or Father…Daddy…but here, in this thickness of darkness, Jesus erupts…after three hours of silence…three hours of darkness…a voice is heard of a Son that is lost. What on earth happened? What in heaven happened? • John Chapter 1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In the arche the beginning without beginning…the infinite, the eternal now…always was…always was this way…the Word, the Logos, the Word that became flesh, Jesus the Son was with God, God the Father and the Word WAS God. Somehow One. Somehow there is and was distinction of Personhood and yet at the same time, Oneness of unity. Always was this way, from the beginning without beginning. • And the Word, still in perfect unity with the Father, became flesh and dwelt among men. Perfect Son and Perfect Father in Perfect Oneness just as had been ever since ever…but Jesus had a job to do. For the Father so loved the world that He sent His only Son to secure for His creation, salvation unto eternal life. To lead the coup against sin, man’s ever present patriarch and to overthrow the power of sin, the right and reign of sin….which is death. • 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that this Perfect Son, this Jesus the Christ of creation, “For our sake He who knew no sin was made to be sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” And so the weight, the whole, the consummation, the complete kingdom of sin was present at the cross as Jesus faced the penalty of sin…death…and yet was without sin Himself. The substance of sin met face to face with the glory of God, (check this out, man) hidden from the eyes of man as darkness was upon the earth and as Jesus accepted the penalty of sin, in that acceptance, He accepted the responsibly, the liability, the culpability, the ownership for every sin as well…He who knew no sin, became sin. • And He cries out for the first time in all of eternity, never before anything like this from the arche and never again will there ever be…He cries out in the greatest of loss…, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” What happened? Jesus was forsaken. Why? Psalm 22, begins with this prophetic proclamation, and goes on to say, “It is because You are holy,” and Habakkuk 1:13 and Isaiah 59:1 both announce, “You of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.” • Darkness fell upon all the earth. Blindness. Here is a depth of glimpse perhaps further today than before at that cross on the hillside. All men forsook Him. All men, all women, all creation, all the earth, covered with darkness of blindness. Jesus disappeared, He became nothing to all of creation…and for a moment in time, as sin charged the very heart of the Savior and the confrontational convergence caused even the earth to quake, the Father in complete and undefiled holiness, withdrew Himself from His Son and Jesus became nothing to all of heaven and nothing to His Father. Never before and never will there be someone so alone in all of eternity…and Jesus is broken. Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 47 – 50 • Jesus made seven statements while on the cross. “Father forgive them, for they know now what they do.” “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” “Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother.” “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” “I thirst.” “It is finished!” “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” • Matthew gives us only one statement and its crazy, some of those who stood there thought He was calling for Elijah!? What He did was quote Psalm 22. What He said was Eloi Eloi, not Elijah, Elijah…but some standing by never get past one word…I mean He said, “Why have You forsaken Me?” Not, “Come to save Me!” So they get the message all wrong. They miss the meaning completely. They miss everything really! • Maybe for some but not for me and man I pray not for you either, this simply will not do. There are so many talking heads out there and especially in the “church” that have position or power or some sort of jurisdictional force because of their name and I respect that, they’ve been running this race, but one word from Jesus? Half heard. Can’t do it man. I’m going in. I am going in to see Jesus, myself. And here’s the thing…the dangerous thing in that…I’ve got to have the non-stupidity to do it comprehensively and thoroughly. • God help our younger generations and any folks for that matter who have been disenchanted with the church or organized fellowship and so they take it upon themselves to doctrinally go it alone…WAY MORE WORK…no direction, guidance, authority or corrector in their lives? They have to put in work or they will be tossed around by all sorts of half truths and junk theology…and end up graceless…most likely towards the Body of Christ…no NEED to say, “Father forgive them…” • Many end up holiless! (New word!) Their lives won’t resemble paradise as promised by Jesus in John 10, caring for themselves intensely because man they’re just always trying to recover…feeling forsaken at times…thirsting…and never coming to the peace that is there when sin is finished and living in the constant spiritual presence of God because you’re actually like Jesus but, “oh man that’s just legalism,”…that statement is a mess…one word won’t do…I’m going in…I’m going thoroughly after every word! • And you know what I’ve found? That love does win. Love is everything and all of God. And I’ve found that THAT love is only found in relationship…a relationship that I have a part in and my part is humility and brokenness. Believing from WITHIN Jesus. • So are the reformed folks right? No. Are the legalists right? No. Are the bad pastors and bad churches right? No. Are the good churches and good pastors right? No. There is no one right, not one upon this earth. Jesus alone is right. But love is His way. Forsaking of Himself is His path and passage. Love and courage and honesty and humility is His and the truth. And believing from within Him, thoroughly going in is where there is life! So many live and stake their claim on one word…just like these around Jesus…but you heard wrong… Matthew Chapter 27 Verse 51 • Can you imagine the priests and the people in the temple that day? No one could see or go behind the veil or they’d be goners…only once a year could the high priest go alone and that was a gamble! Now the veil rips and they are essentially in! There is no room separation anymore! They see it all! Terror must have flooded their hearts…then after a moment or two…, “Hey, we’re not dead!” And perhaps a few moments later…well, there’s really no reason now for the high priest to do his thing again…we’re all in now…It’s like it’s finished…the covering of sin…the lawful appeasing of God year after year…what now then? • Everything else pauses, all talking heads muted, time for everything to stop…no more figuring out, no more condemnation of self, no more exaltation of self, no more darkness, no more thirst, no more trying to recover, no more feeling forsaken…press stop on all that noise…it’s all finished because of Jesus…and you, you’re welcomed, acceptable, adequate, admissible…so…go in. You’re world may shake and the rocks you’ve set up as foundational stones may split…so be it…that’s a good thing…what if you heard wrong? • In a moment, on the cross, God the Father went from Dad (Abba) to God for Jesus so that for all of eternity, He could go from God to Abba (Dad/Father) for you…