All Alone

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

Matthew 26:30

This is an important verse to truly understand all the people involved during this time in Jesus’ life. The traditional story makes Judas to be the big bad guy. He is the betrayer. He is the one who left Christ for his own gain. This verse however makes it very clear that all the disciples leave Jesus. All became afraid and run when they feel their life is in danger.

The best of the bunch is Peter, and we believe John, who stayed at a distance from Jesus. These two are like those who are split and don’t know which side of the fence to take. But let’s also remember that it is Peter who then betrays Jesus from a distance three times.

The truth is that Jesus really has no one. At the most crucial and painful point in his life, Jesus was forced to walk alone. His disciples left, those whom he healed were nowhere to be seen and even God himself had taken a step back into the darkness of the night.

When we read that Jesus suffered just as we do, it is not lying. Just as we have moments in our lives when we feel alone and abandoned by all, so did Jesus.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:14-15

Jesus understand the pain of feeling alone and abandoned. Don’t forget how he cried out to God himself in that dark moment.

But he continued on in faith. That is the power and glory and love of Christ. Even in the darkest, most painful moment, Jesus fulfilled his mission even though he saw no help around him. Let us, like him, have that faith.

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

Wine and Blood?

²⁷ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. ²⁹ But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Matthew 26:27-29

The early Christians were persecuted and called a cult because it was believed that they drank human blood. Of course this was just a rumor spread by those wanting to erase Christianity from the area.

The Bible makes it very clear that the juice was just to be a symbol for the blood of Christ. It was something to be done as a remembrance.

Jesus called this part of a new covenant that he was making with the world. No longer was the truth and by extension salvation to be held by just a few. The chosen people, the Jews, had broken the old covenant, distorting its truth and ignoring the evangelistic outreach that was supposed to be attached to it.

Instead now, the new covenant was to be for everyone and anyone who was willing to accept it. Your blood line, birth or heritage meant nothing now. As all who accepted received the spiritual blood of Jesus, everyone was deemed worthy.

By accepting the blood, the person also accepted the sacrifice that caused the blood to be shed. By accepting the sacrifice, the person’s sins were forgiven and a new life was created. This new life would be filled with the Holy Spirit and would build up a character like Jesus himself. That is the plan and covenant that Jesus is talking about here.

Then Jesus said that he’d never drink grape juice again until all were saved and living in heaven. That day is the great feast that is mentioned in the Bible for all the saved in heaven. What’s interesting is that Jesus’ first miracle is found in a wedding feast and it will all conclude in a heavenly wedding feast. Jesus loves symmetry.

Today you have the choice to be part of that new covenant. If you think you’re not worthy, just remember that all the apostles there with Jesus, who drank that juice, would be fast asleep while Jesus needed their prayers in Gethsemane. It is the same apostles who would betray him and run away in just a few hours after this meal.

They were found worthy and so are you.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

Not Been Born

²³ He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. ²⁴ The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Matthew 26:23-24

There are few verses more scathing than Jesus own words found here in verse 24. Jesus was obviously feeling the weight and pain of the next few hours of his life. Not only would he be condemned to die and do so in an excruciating way, but it would all happen at the hands, or kiss, of one of his closest friends and followers. Make no mistake, Jesus loved Judas, just as God loves all men, but he would not deny Judas his choice and consequence.

Last week we saw how all the disciples thought that they could be the betrayer, but here Jesus points the finger in the gentlest of ways- without ever actually saying his name.

The strong words used in verse 24 start with prophetic words of his death but quickly add a ‘but’ to change the direction to the betrayer. Think about what Jesus, the creator and savior of the world, says about Judas here. It would have been better for Judas to have never been born than to be the person that makes the choice he does.

I once spoke with a man who was convinced that Judas would be in heaven. He claimed that Judas simply did what Jesus needed him to do. He followed God’s plan in his life. Verse 24 really puts that whole idea into serious doubt. Judas had all the advantages and chances that the other eleven had. He saw the same miracles and heard the same sermons. He saw the goodness and holiness of Jesus, yet for 30 silver coins was willing to betray that perfect man. Everything that was done and all the consequences that Judas suffered and will suffer one day suffer are all on his own personal choice.

Judas never knew that this was to be his role. Judas never saw himself as the bad guy or betrayer but his series of choices and thoughts brought him there.

We too, each day, face a series of decisions. Every day we shape our future. How important it is to use Judas life as a lesson and warning. None of us live our lives to be the bad guys or betrayers but is it possible that one day we will be?

How important is it to see our actions and choices today before it’s too late. Let us make good choices and follow God’s good path for our lives.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

Feast of Unleavened Bread

¹⁷ Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”

 Matthew 26:17-18

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was one of the Jewish festivals or holy days practiced by the Jews. It was connected with the Passover in that it was the bread that had to be made and eaten quickly as Israel would quickly have to leave Egypt.

For seven days the Jews would have to eat unleavened bread to remember the salvation of God from Egypt. The bread was also called the Bread of Affliction, Deuteronomy 16:3, because God’s deliverance from Egypt came at the cost of all the firstborn of Egypt of those who didn’t cover their homes with blood.

To the disciples it was just another ceremony. To Jesus it was much more. Not only had he been there in Egypt when the firstborn died and Israel was set free, he also knew that he would be the sacrifice this time around.

We know this because Jesus himself says in verse 18, ‘My time is at hand.’ Just like the rest of his life here on earth, everything was planned well in advance. He knew that there would be a man in town that would give up his upper room for them. The Bible says that the plan of salvation was all planned out since the beginning of the world. Even before sin existed there was a plan to conquer it.

Your life is also planned out by God. You have the choice to follow it or not but there is a good life in store for you if you trust God and follow Him.

One day, we too will have our own experience of quickly having to leave our homes. As the end approaches, the last days will be filled with its own afflictions. With God however we can be sure that we will have our own salvation as well.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

My Burial

¹² For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. ¹³ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Matthew 26:12-13

Jesus never seemed to be shy about talking about death and his death in particular. As he understood his purpose here on earth, he knew that his death was a vital part of that. This confuses a lot of non-christians. Why do we follow or worship a killed man or god? That is how many people see it. Jesus was just a man with some clever ideas but who ultimately died thousands of years ago. Some compare him to Buddha or other influential person in history.

We of course know that his death was only a part of his story. We know it wasn’t the end of his story. Just as he promised, he died but rose again. As important as Jesus’ death is, his resurrection is of even more importance because it gives us hope in our own lives after death.

But his death and resurrection was more than just a sign of what could be our future. It was also a door and plan for how we, while still alive can already experience death and resurrection. A real Christian must die to his old self, habits, ideas and path and embrace a new life which follows Christ. That is expressed in the act of baptism. Just this last Sabbath we partook of a baptism at Bronte.

The woman who poured the fragrant oil on Jesus probably didn’t know how Jesus would take her act and use it in expressing his main message. She was simply trying to do something good for Jesus and he probably had done something good for her.

We too can do good things for Jesus. Perhaps not to him directly, but we can help those in the world. We know that Jesus himself said that doing things for others is like doing it to him. We may think it is just a small thing we do, but like this story, we don’t know if Jesus will transform it into something much bigger.

Let us, like Jesus, embrace a new life with him. Let us be new creations that have his love in our hearts. But let us also be like the woman who gave what she could and let Jesus take her actions and transform them.

Like the woman we too may be remembered by an action we do. If nowhere else, you can be sure that in heaven it will always be remembered.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto