Transcription
Today is the final night. Think about it as if your own parents were leaving or dying today. Isn't that right?
When we think of the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus leaves Mark's attic at 11 p.m. As soon as midnight passes, he is seized, beaten, torn. He has struck continuously until 8 a.m. starting from 100 a.m. See how they gathered the members of the Sanhedrin at 4:00 a.m. just to sentence him to death. Jesus went through all of this knowing it beforehand. How lonely and sad his heart must have been.
Today's title is the Lord's last day on earth. And it was a day of deep anguish and distress. He said, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. It is the last day. Jesus is God. He sees everything."
Look at today's text. One of the disciples asked, "Teacher, it is the Passover. Shouldn't we prepare the Passover lamb and a place? Isn't Jesus God?" He sent two disciples and told them they would see a woman carrying a picture of water when they entered the city. Follow her quietly and go into the house and say, "Our teacher wishes to keep the Passover here. Then it will be prepared."
Jesus is so pitiful. Originally, there must be a lamb for the Passover. A lamb? Did Jesus slaughter a lamb? No. There was only bread and wine. Even when he was born, he was taken to the temple 40 days later according to the purification rights of Moses. Usually people brought a lamb to the priest. But Jesus was poor. That is why it is recorded that they brought two turtle doves because they were poor. The savior of humanity who came to carry the burden of sinners. He did not even have a single lamb.
Read Luke chapter 2 verse 23 and below. Is it a lie? He was incredibly poor. He was the firstborn. The wealthy creator of all things became poor for the sake of our sins and brought only pigeons and barely even that. The Bible says a firstborn should be redeemed with the lamb, but they didn't have one. Shouldn't someone at least treat him to a lamb for his final Passover meal? There was nobody. So, they prepared only bread and wine, and it was humble beyond words.
If you truly believe and read the Bible, you cannot help but weep. God came to this earth and today is his last day. From his birth, he was impoverished. There was no inn, no clean linens to wipe the blood. Mary held the baby while still bleeding and fled to Egypt immediately after giving birth. He is God and he came for me. Who will realize this even though it may be late and do it for the church which is the body of the Lord and say, "Even though it happened like that then, we have understood and learned through the word, so Lord, I will serve you." Isn't that right? Lord, I will be faithful, give offerings, and I will do for the Lord now what could not be done for him then. We should have this heart. Everyone feels burdened when they are asked to give to the church. What is the need for that? If you don't believe, don't do it.
Look at today. The wealthy creator who did not even have to step on the earth lived a short 33-year life. He was limited by time and space, misunderstood, beaten, and insulted. His family was poor. His father would say, "Jesus, yes, the front gate of the house across the way is broken. Go fix it." Yes. He worked as a carpenter until he was 30. Apostle Paul realized this later on and wrote that Jesus who was rich became poor for our sake.
If it is the Passover, shouldn't we slaughter a lamb for Jesus? On the 10th day of the first month, they would get a lamb for four days. They examine it from head to tail for any ringworm or blemishes. They examine it for four days. Today, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., they would slaughter the sheep. You must not boil it in water. You have to roast it over a fire. You have to burn the entrails and such over the fire. Then you eat unleavened bread. Unleavened bread, bread without leaven. And then there are the bitter herbs. How painful was the 40 years of life in the wilderness. How bitter was their lives. It was foretold in advance. When Jesus came to this earth, when looking at the words of 1 Corinthians 5:7, he came as the Passover lamb. Knowing this, did any of you bring a lamb to treat the Lord? Did you discuss it with your family to say, "Dear, Jesus couldn't even have a lamb during Passover." They were thankful that John Mark allowed them to use their house, their attic, and they provided a room and bread and wine, and they broke bread and drank the wine, but there was no meat, was there?
How are you truly deacons, elderesses, elders, evangelists, or pastors? This is God's final moment on earth, the last. Who will provide the final hospitality? He should have had his mind at ease. But instead, he said, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. Look at Jesus." For three years, how hard did he work to save humanity? Jesus and his disciples never even had a relaxed meal together. You must know this. He had no time to eat. So at the end he said, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." He said this repeatedly. When you realize the hidden meaning behind those words, tears burst forth. He just wanted one meal with his disciples before leaving. And who prepared anything for him? Who prepared? It was shriveled up dry barley bread. They didn't even have soup. How can you say you believe in Jesus but spend a Passion Week like that? Even if you were told the right thing, you'd think I'm just asking you to pay money. He is the savior who came to take our sins. Yet he was treated worse than a dog. Even a dog is given food in his bowl at meal times. Jesus didn't even have that. I've shed so many tears this past night. It's hard enough just to write a five-page letter. I prepared this yesterday. How many pages is this? It's 25 pages. I prepared this last night, staying awake to record every detail. He's so pitiful. It wasn't a feast with grilled ribs or meat. It would have been better if there were many side dishes, but it wasn't even that. They brought barley bread and plain water, and that's all that was there. So Jesus said, "I have earnestly desired to eat with you before I leave." He said that twice. That heart. Imagine a mother is dying. She was unable to cook for them and she feels that she'll be leaving soon. Then she says, "I wish we could all just sit together and eat our fill together one last time." The family would be in a sea of tears. It's heart-wrenching. I have never wept so much while preparing a sermon in my entire life. It wasn't because I learned it from reading others' writings, but because I was right there on site. Because I crawled into the context of the word on that site, seeing the vision of Jesus.
Apostle Paul told the saints of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 11:23, "It was the night in which he was betrayed." The heart, the suffering, agony of our Lord. This day before going to the Garden of Gethsemane. He said, "My soul is deeply grieved. It is to the point of death. Go pray with me." I always tell you, don't I? Raising children without prayer, don't expect anything from them. Running a business without prayer, it will not work. You might think it will go well, but everything you earned ends up collapsing in the end. You have to pray. Prayer. You have to pray. Even friendships last if you pray. You have to pray.
He had to go to Gethsemane. It was the final night. One of the 12 had gone out to sell him. 11 remained. Before going up the garden of Gethsemane, there is a hollow. I've been there. Jesus told eight of them to stay there. He told Peter, James, and John to come with him. And he told the eight to stay here and pray until I return. Imagine his heart leaving those eight behind. All the satans of heaven and earth were fully mobilized. They were mobilized to stop Jesus from praying to God and to kill him. If this microphone is Jesus, then we must be a shield surrounding him like this at the center. The eight couldn't do it. They would have been destroyed instantly. So, he took Peter, John, and James. One of the 12 went out to betray Jesus. And imagine Jesus's heart.
When you look at John chapter 13, you have no idea how distressed Jesus was. When you look at the original Greek, it describes a distress so great he could hardly carry himself. He was going to Gethsemane in that situation. And the eight disciples weren't cut out for it. So Jesus told them to stay here. Even Peter, John, and James. They were not perfect, but they were better than the eight. Looking at Mark 5:37, when the daughter of Jairus, the synagogue official, had died, Jesus told the others, "You all, don't come in. Peter, John, and James, take off your shoes and let's go in." Looking at Mark chapter 9:2, when he met Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration, didn't he take only Peter, James, and John? From a human perspective, you'd be glaring with envy. You'd feel offended. You'd say, "He's discriminating against us." Well, if you don't want to be discriminated against, you should believe better. He took Peter, James, and John when he met Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. And he took Peter, James, and John when Jairus's daughter died. That is why even when going to the Garden of Gethsemane at the very end, he said, "You all, stay here." One fellow had already gone out to sell Jesus. So he took only the three disciples. "My soul is at the point of death. Let us stay awake and pray." He went to a stone's throw away and he told one to stay here. Then he threw the next one. "You go there." And he threw it again. He positioned the three with himself in the center. He knelt on the ground and pressed his forehead to the earth until his skin was all chafed and peeled away. You have no idea how grueling that prayer was. Billions of Satans were tormenting him. Why is this happening? The three disciples should be praying. So he went to see and they were fast asleep, caught in temptation. So the devil conquered those three. They were now on his side and had been defeated because the one who loses becomes the servant of the winner. So then the devil then came directly for Jesus. How hard is it when you struggle alone in desperate prayer?
When God looked at Jesus, when God looked at Jesus, he looked like he was about to collapse any second. So an alarm. Didn't God send an angel to revive his strength? The angel lifted his spirits. After his strength was restored by the angel and he received power, he prayed his last prayer very fervently and his sweat became like drops of blood and he was able to pray the prayer of victory. Didn't he? This is recorded in Luke 22:43-44. The angel helping is in verse 43. Even God upon coming to this earth could not endure it. God the Father simply gave him power and authority and sent an angel down saying, "Help my son Jesus, invigorate his strength." He gave him power and strength. In other words, he recharged him just as you would recharge a battery when it has run out. That is how he was victorious.
Jesus was seeing all of that. Seeing the person carrying a picture of water in the city, did he say that after he saw it? He saw it all spiritually. He was very distressed and troubled. This is in Mark 14:33-34. He was very distressed and troubled. When you look at the original text, it means he was seized by fear and was shuddering. He was startled and shuddering with horror. He was shrinking back because of fear and a chilling dread. That is what Jesus is going through today.
If someone who believes in Jesus does not observe Passion Week, they are not a true church member. 1 Peter 2:21 also says, "Follow in my steps. If you believe, follow me. That is how you can become the Lord's disciple." Matthew chapter 26:37-38. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed. Then he said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He had no one to rely on. In the NLT translation, he took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." These are his final words on earth. After this, you cannot hear the Lord's voice, his rebuke, or his counsel.
It is the final day. The final day. Distress in Chinese characters, it means suffering and agony. To be tormented by distress, it is to be utterly despondent, unable to find one's bearings, and suffering considerably, feeling completely adrift. How distressed was he? In John chapter 13 verse 21, in John 12:27 it says he was troubled. A bitter pain where the heart is burning and scorched. It should have stopped at the physical pain, but it kept ringing continuously just like a doorbell. It's true to say that he couldn't find his bearings. In times like this, someone should have believed and said, "I will pray for the Lord." We resolved and swore to die. So, teacher, do not be so distressed. Though I am weak and immature, I will help. Wouldn't it have been nice if there was even a single person that did this? But there wasn't even one. They couldn't fathom the heart of the Lord. The suffering did not stop at his physical body. It was transmitted all the way to Jesus's soul. And he was startled by it. He was startled. As I said earlier in John 12:27, "Now my soul has become troubled and what shall I say?" In the common English version, it says, "Now I am deeply troubled and I don't know what to say." He says his heart is overwhelmed and deeply troubled.
Today is the fifth day of Passion Week. It is the final day, Jesus's last, his last. Everyone write this down. The events that happened today.
First, prepare the Passover feast. In Exodus 12:1-28.
Second, wash the disciples' feet. John chapter 13 verses 1-20. Write this down.
Third, the Passover feast. Matthew 26:17-2. Mark 14 verses 17-21. Luke 22:7 through 13. John 13 verses 21-30.
Fourth, the last holy supper. The last holy supper. Matthew 26:26-30. Mark 14:22-26. Luke 21:14-23. And John 13:21-30.
And then Jesus's final farewell sermon. Jesus's final farewell sermon. He leaves completely. The farewell sermon. John 13 verses 31-35. Chapter 14:1-13. John chapter 15 verses 1-27. And John 16:1-33.
6. Predicting Peter's denial. Matthew 26:31 through 36. Mark 14:27-31. Luke 22 verses 31-34. John chapter 13. John John chapter 13:36-38.
7. The final battle with Satan in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is the final last battle. This is in Matthew chapter 26. Please make sure to read from Matthew 26 starting with verse 39 and following.
Listen carefully. When Jesus came to this earth, he held three offices. First as king. As king. Second as a prophet. And third as high priest. Priests on this earth, they can be replaced by someone else if they die. They are swapped. But Jesus does not die. While an earthly high priest is replaced when he dies, Jesus does not die. He is the eternal high priest. Look at Hebrews chapter 7:8 and N. intercessory prayer. As high priest, he offers our final intercessory prayer for all humanity, including the disciples. He is the one who did all of this before leaving. Write this down. John 17:1-26.
Looking at John chapter 17, if you do not know when these words were spoken, you are like someone who didn't hear their parents' last will and testament after they died. What greater impiety is there? It is the most impious. In Mark's upper room. He washed the feet of the disciples. So it is called the day of washing of feet. It is also the day he instituted the holy supper during the Passover feast. It is also called Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. This is the month of Nisan. It corresponds to the 14th day. Exodus 12 verses 1 through 28. And he has his final conversation with the disciples.
Look at this. Children often don't know when their parents are going to die, but a father or mother can't say, "Today is my last day." They think, if I die, who will raise these children? If I die, who will see them married? The future looks dark and endless tears fall. Jesus is in that state. At the last supper, they are fighting. "Are you greater or am I?" They are so immature. Jesus is at the point where he will be arrested after midnight. It is eternal goodbye with his disciples partying. Isn't that right? But they cannot fathom the Lord's heart. Even if you say you've become a deacon, elderess, elder, or pastor, if you don't properly realize this during Passion Week, you are not a true believer. They couldn't fathom the Lord's heart.
What does Philippians 2:5 say? Have this attitude. What attitude? The heart of Christ Jesus. It's not a matter of you can have this heart or not. You must have it. It is a command. If we have the heart of Christ Jesus, shouldn't we at least know this much during Passion Week? While he is giving his final farewell sermon, they are bickering over who is greater, fighting over positions. They are driving nails into the Lord's heart.
The Passover lamb must be slaughtered within 3 hours from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The lamb is bought on the 10th of the first month, kept for 4 days, and then slaughtered after being inspected to ensure it has no blemish. Who is the Passover lamb? Is it not Jesus? John 1:29 says, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." In 1 Corinthians 5:7, it also calls him the Passover lamb. He is the sacrificial lamb. If they had been hearing this for 3 years, it should have been engraved in their ears. But they didn't even have that engraving and had no thoughts.
Farewell sermon in Matthew 26:17-29. Luke 22:7-23. And Mark 14:12-2. Jesus told Peter, "You will deny me three times." Peter said, "What are you saying? That's hurtful. I will follow the path you go until the end. Even if I'm thrown in prison, I will be in prison with you. And I'll go to the place of death with you." Hey, Simon. Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. You'll deny me three times. Matthew 27. Matthew 26:31-35. Mark 14:27-31. Luke 22:31-34. And John 13:36-38. He denied him three times.
Jesus entered Mark's upper room and washed their feet. In such a place, they were bickering over who was greater. It is the end. It is the final Passover supper today. The Lord's heart. He sees that he will die tomorrow. He sees everything. More than the pain of a sword piercing the chest. He'll have nails driven through his hands and feet. They will put a crown of thorns on him. They will strike him with fists. They strike him with the reed. When the prophet Isaiah saw his back, it was full of furrows. There were ridges. His face was unrecognizable. He didn't look like his old self. It was so horrific. So people covered their faces with towels as they passed by.
Luke 22:24 in the NLT translation. Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus is preparing the bread and wine that symbolize his flesh and blood and his having his final supper. Yet they are arguing over who is the most trusted and who is the greatest. In the original text, they were bickering. How appalling for Jesus. It is in Luke 22:24. Would I tell you something that isn't in the Bible? Look at these disciples who, despite Jesus continuously predicting his anguish, suffering, and passion, cannot fathom the Lord's heart and are instead driving nails into the Lord's heart. Under the shadow of the approaching suffering of the cross, the disciples were arguing, "Are you greater? I am greater. Didn't I evangelize you?" They fought. It is the tragedy of tragedies. This wasn't the only time the disciples fought. This wasn't the only time. The previous ones weren't recorded.
Write this down. Matthew 18:1-5. Matthew chapter 20:24-28. Mark chapter 9 verses 33-37 and chapter 10:35-45. And Luke chapter 9:46-48. Usually Jesus would say, "Everyone, repeat after me. Let these words sink into your ears." If they had let the words sink in, would they be fighting like this? They were having their final farewell meal. In worldly terms, one would lose their appetite completely and that house would already be broken.
Jesus said this in Luke 14:10. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move higher." And it says, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all." This is in Mark 9:35. Matthew 18:1-5. Mark 9:33-36. And Luke 9:46-48. Jesus said, "The one who serves is the greater one. I did not come to be served, but I also came to serve." The word came to this earth, and I came to serve sinners. Only then did their faces turn red with embarrassment. Those words are in Luke 22:30. Luke 22:30. Do not forget. In Luke 22:27 and Matthew 20:28 he says he came to serve. Jesus said, "I came as a servant. I am not the middle manager and I am not the boss. I came as the bottom floor servant." He also said also in Luke 22:27, "Heaven." So he deeply moved the disciples. Matthew 20 verse 28. John 13 verse 4. Verse 13 verse 15. Philippians 2:6-8. 2 Corinthians 8:9. Chapter 6 verse 10. Do not forget. May everyone at Pyong Church become disciples of the Lord who serve rather than seek to be served. And this I bless upon you in the name of the Lord. Then in regards to God's will, he will exalt us to those who lived and suffered with him. Jesus Christ, he said, "You will reign as kings with me." Understood? Your servants now, but just you wait. You will reign as kings. When he spoke Luke 22:30, everyone's eyes widened. Thinking of themselves, they didn't seem fit to be ministers, let alone kings. Yet Jesus said, "You will reign as kings with me." Can that be believed? Then is Luke 22:30 a lie? It is certainly true.
And he said, "Even if you're insulted, people call you heretic, son of a dog, son, a doglike woman." He said, "Do not talk back. Endure." He said, "If you're insulted, you will receive blessings. Endure. Endure. Endure." Why? Just wait and see. Before long, you will reign as kings with me. So endure. This is in 2 Timothy 2:12. Please endure.
He washes their feet. It is astounding. Look, he says, "Hey, I will wash your feet." Then the disciples should have quickly brought the basin of water and a towel from a humble position. But they don't do the chore. They just sit there. Jesus is truly patient. He could have said, "Hey, you scoundrels. Am I not the teacher? Am I not the king? Am I not God?" But he doesn't. He fetched the basin, brought water, and placed the disciples' feet in it. They don't even bring him a towel. Not even a towel. Look closely at the Bible. I wept so much last night. Jesus had to find the towel himself and wrap it around his waist. Only such scoundrels were gathered there. Not even one person brought Jesus a towel. That is today. Today. The scene of Jesus rising from the table, taking off his outer garments, wrapping a towel around his waist, fetching water in a basin, and washing the disciples' feet one by one. "You also must do as I have done." He showed them the example as a teacher. He set an example in John 13 verses 13-17. He says, "Do so with the same heart I have." It would barely be enough for a disciple to wash the teacher's feet. Yet the teacher is washing the dusty, smelly feet of the disciples with his own two hands. Looking at it in the end, they are the hands of God. The hands of God to the disciples. Jesus, the King of Kings and Teacher, showed the example saying, "You do likewise." I mentioned in John 13:13-17 earlier, right? God became a servant even beneath his disciples. Beneath his disciples, beloved saints. A great person possesses humility even in the parts of their lives that people do not see.
Today the Lord's heart is distressed and sorrowful. His heart was aching enough to burst. Why? Jesus is God. Would God tell a lie? He said, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death." Looking at the original text, it says sorrow. That is pain beyond words. When it's too much, one strikes the ground and says, "Goodness, goodness is so suffocating. Goodness is suffocating. I'm dying. I'm dying." Then the sons and daughters would bring cold water to their parents. We see this often in our daily lives. It's too frustrating, too heart-wrenching. It feels like your chest will burst. So you say, "I'm dying. I'm dying. I'm dying. Goodness is suffocating." Today Jesus is distressed and sorrowful, said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray me." In the midst of sorrow and distress, Jesus also sees that one fellow is betraying him. He spoke of it. Then these fools say, "Is it I? Is it I?" So he says, "The one who dips his hand with me in the bowl is the one who will betray me." Then if Judas Iscariot heard those words from Jesus, he shouldn't have dipped his hand, right? Yet he is so brazen that he dips his hand even after hearing those words. He had already pocketed 30 pieces of silver. I'll talk about it later. But those wicked viper-like priests of the time resolved not to do it during the feast, to not kill him during the Passover. But Judas in Matthew 26:14-6, he says, "Hello, I am Jesus's disciple. I'll hand the teacher over to you. How much will you give me?" How perfect for them. They had postponed it for two days. But then they just weighed out 30 pieces of silver for him. He pocketed that and came to Jesus, reading the room and watching his reactions. Does Jesus not know? Aren't you going to sell me? So as he gave him the more soul, he said, "What you purpose in your heart, do quickly. Do it quickly. Fast. You have something purposed in your heart, don't you? It's in your money pouch. Do it fast." At these words, he just went out into the night. The Bible says Judas went out and it was night. It was eternal night. "You have something purposed in your heart, do it quickly." He went out and conspired with the chief priests and Roman soldiers. And while they were carrying torches, Jesus arrived after praying in Gethsemane for over two hours until his sweat became blood. Jesus went to the three disciples and found them fast asleep. Please stay awake and pray. Let us pray. He struggled while praying again. He came a second time and they were sleeping again. He came a third time and they were sleeping again. It is enough. The one who betrays me has stepped onto the threshold. And as soon as he stood up, Judas said, "Teacher, hello," and kissed him. Jesus said, "Are you betraying me with the kiss?" Look at this scoundrel, Judas. He told the captain of the Roman soldiers, "Jesus's skill is no ordinary thing. So, bind him tightly with ropes. Bind him tightly." Judas even said that.
This is the situation. So today, everyone please be careful in all your living and really think of him who is living his last days. Until today we've lived aimlessly only caring about our own worldly affairs. Just as Philippians 2:21 says, you only care for our own work, family's work, and we didn't do God's work. According to Jesus's words, though we haven't done it until now, after hearing today's word, please be solemn and truly cleanse your hearts as you prepare today and think of how we can face the Lord on his final journey as we read the Bible.
Let's pray. God, let there be a work of truly realizing the word given today among the saints present here. May there be a work where we understand even 10,000th of your sorrowful and distressed heart. God came to this earth and today is the final night. It is the final day. Please allow us to realize this. Let every step returning home be blessed. Allow us to become people who believe in Jesus, well understand the word, receive the power of prayer and the spirit of prayer, and allow us to pray until the day we go to your kingdom. May each household be protected from the forces of darkness through your grace. Please protect them strongly with the fiery wall of the Holy Spirit through your grace. We ask for all these things, lifting up the holy name of Jesus with thanksgiving. Amen.