Denial, Distress, Deception, Desertion, Part 2

Imagine the loneliness when Jesus was abandoned when it came point the disciples deserted him like rats on a sinking ship. Everyone, even John, even Peter chest pounding super arrogant overstating Jesus endured a week of intense suffering is commonly known as the passion today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll invites us to witness the emotional and punishing moments that define final week of Jesus life. It includes one of the loneliest moments of his ministry.

When Jesus was alone in the garden pleading with God the father for mercy. His loneliness was intensified by the betrayal and desertion of his friends titled today's message denial, stress, deception, desertion began with prayer. Thank you, dear father for giving us those is not faithful men and women who put aside the comforts and pleasures and privacy of home and give themselves to the military organization of which they were part thank you for their willingness to bear arms just to run toward the battle, not from it and to stand and defend our Constitution, our freedom, our great country, while not perfect, we acknowledge Lord. Nevertheless, it is the finest and we are extremely grateful to be a part of it, and on this day we honor those who help keep us free.

Bless those families of which they are part of the lengthening shadow of their lives bleed over into those who were younger so that they take up the torch of patriotism and heroism, discipline and faithfulness encourage we commit to our father. The future of this church that you would sustain us by your grace. Guard us from the clammy fingers of indifference keep us from self-satisfaction from arrogance remind us over and over that we are here by your grace and we are part of this ministry by your mercy.

Use our gifts today Lord to sustain this work to broaden its vision to minister to those we will never meet in places we will never go we give, by faith, and we do so joyfully and generously even as these who are standing gave of their lives in the name of Jesus Christ's.

We give we pray and everyone said study the book of Matthew Chuck Swindoll.

Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures by going to inside world.Ward/studies. Another message from Chuck titled denial distress, deception, desertion, realizing the key of his mission for this was in fact the reason he was sent to earth realizing that there was no further time to put this off. He was now there in the ever present now of his mission. Interestingly, as they entered this garden.

Verse 31 of Matthew 26 tells us of a statement he makes not meant to be insulting but a prediction with a severe warning tonight. He says to his faithful 11.

All of you will desert me for the Scripture say any records from Zechariah.

God will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered abroad been raised from the dead.

I will go to Galilee to meet you there.

That part of it all they remembered was every one of you will desert me that did it for Peter.

No, you read it right here. Verse 33 Peter declared if everyone else desert you.

I will never desert you and Jesus, perhaps with that long index finger pushed against his sternum said to Peter, I tell you the truth Peter is very night before the rooster crows, you will deny me free time before dawn. Three times Peter and in characteristic Simon Peter fashioned no this is no way over my dead body. What I desert you, Lord, I will never desert you, and you will notice at the end of verse 35.

All the other disciples about the same.

No no no that that's true, we won't either wear where we're notice he doesn't argue with it came to the place where the dialogue was. And prayer was to begin. So Jesus takes Peter exhibit these two sons, verse 37 James and John is three closest Peter, James and John, any sense away with them to a place some distance from where the others or to wait and pray and to keep watch with him. He went on a little further and bowed with his face to the ground, praying father.

My father, if it's possible let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done. Not mind that he returned to the disciples and found them asleep, and he said to Peter, look at Peter. Peter already asleep. Peter Peter can you watch with me even one hour keep watch and pray so that you will not give into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak. Jesus left and went a second time, my father, my father, this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it yet. Your your will be done. Your will be done amazing terrifying awesome revelation in all this anguish.

There was finally ultimate unconditional surrender and is a silent as all of us are at this moment. He willingly accepted the cup to get for you and he returned and found them sound asleep all of so he says to them, take your rest. You know what I believe the fight is over. The battle is in no way can identify can identify with anything near this anguishing, but I remember a time in my own life. When our children were very small and no we were really up against the city was ill and we had no money ever going in the little alley behind our house.

My just poured my heart out to God, sick wife at home finally got the kids down. They were all sleeping and I just said Lord if you don't come through.

I can't make it to cool. I was engaged at the time as an assistant pastor to a very fine man and few people knew what we were going through and I remember walking that Allie is Isis remember it so vividly. There were no lights in the alley I walk past a little intersection and I got about half of maybe four or five houses further and suddenly it was like load lifted. I heard nothing. I saw nothing was no flash in the sky. The dead of night may be 1230 1 o'clock in the morning and am the battle ended even though we had some tough tough days ahead of us modifying through it that so I will never forget walking back to our little home and opening the back door close the door and just slid down my back against the door. I slid down the sill of the floor and I just broke into sobs as I thank the Lord for whatever he planned to do for relieving me of this battle. Despite I think when Jesus returns to them. He's there. You will never find again, from here all the way to the resurrection a fighting reaction or he answers questions when he is interrogated by Pilate. Yes that and and and these make statements that are strong but the struggle of the of the bearing of the cup.

The drinking of the cup done happened in Gethsemane. Don't ever forget Gethsemane disciple slip through it. They are not ready for what's ahead. Jesus is matter-of-fact while I was knee-deep in my study, I suddenly had a flashing thought of a statement written by the prophet Jeremiah listen to it because it fits the disciples perfectly. Jeremiah 12 five states. If you have wrong with the footman and they have wearied you, how could you contend with horses and live in the land of peace wherein you trusted they will read you.

What would you do in the jungle of the Jordan you hear that cold and I know you must wonder why on world would I interrupt this, but it isn't an interruption. If it's Jeremiah has come to a difficult place and he looks at his fellow Jews, realizing that they have compromised their lives and given into corruption.

He is saying to them. Hard times are coming there, not now, but they will soon be here so important in today's terms, if you have been fighting on foot with the infantry and you wearing on foot.

What would you do when the cavalry comes strongman on strong horses with their swords and clubs, and if in this relative time of peace you find yourself weakening what will you do when jungle fighting happened when there is an acceleration of persecution and resistance.

The reference to jungle is perfect. The Hebrew word is jungle in the jungle of the Jordan and I checked the jungle is an environment marked by intense open ruthless opposition or struggle for survival that the future isn't getting easier. The stories become increasingly more treacherous. And if in this time of relative peace for most were homes are comfortable and lives are somewhat satisfied and affluence takes the place of courage and compromise. Please its subtle role stealing away our commitment what will we do when our environment is marked by intense ruthless opposition or struggle for survival, my dear, dear disciples, implies Jesus, take your rest. What you have before you. For most of you a martyr's death.

Right now you have no idea he's finished. The battle he's responded now to the Lord God he's drunk the cup if you will, is ready for whatever. And wouldn't you know it that's slithering snake named Judas comes out of the darkness with that deceptive smile ready for kits and Jesus doesn't even slap his face or punch him in the nose. He doesn't even hold back. Judas says greetings Rabbi and kisses. It doesn't mean it is affection. It's the sign for those with clubs and swords to make their moves, here's your man. They grabbed him there's a little skirmish.

One of them in the place lots off one of the soldiers ears and Jesus looks at him like the league were no longer fighting with clubs and swords. I have the weight of the world on my shoulders get out of the way. I've resigned myself to that. So he says and then go ahead and do it. You come for they arrest him. Don't miss the end of verse 56 I told you to remember it. Look at the end of verse 56 when they came and took him at that point all the disciples deserted him like rats on a sinking ship. Everyone even John the beloved. Even Peter, the chest pounding super arrogant overstating Peter ran and now he is like a mouse in the mouth of the big cat when Caiaphas and his crowd get their hands on that sleep. Can you find yourself here we go through a passage like this, not simply to relive it but to see the mirror. Are you among the self-assured sitting listening today thinking I would never be me, but even look at me like you think I would be want to return to what never got even more arrogant bully others around the others in my Bible study. The others in my home class. The others in my don't public. They may walk about me. I'm here for the long haul. Bring it on. Or you may be in the struggle because you're facing something like I faced in the alley you're struggling with God's will or yours. What he wants or what you want who are not my will but yours about among those who are falling asleep or in your own flesh, lopping off fears of others trying to make your point about Jesus your somewhere in here now confess to you that there is something out face toward the conclusion of every message I deliver.

I rarely share this but it always on my mind.

How can I help everyone remember what they've heard. How can I help you when you come to the word Gethsemane to remember what happened. What can I say that will help you understand the agony of his soul. When he finally said to the father, not my will but yours be done.

It was while I was wrestling with that late in the preparation of my message got brought to my mind again.

I learned years ago, written by a woman who was a Quaker back in 1921. She too was concerned about the passivity of her religion.

She was afraid that somehow this sense of passivity would come over her and she would not be the woman of God that she longed to be a woman with gristle and guts and determination and discipline in her world that was adrift, God gave her words that she put into into print and the melody was added to it and it has been a part of our indemnity of the church for years.

One of the reasons I love it that we stay with the hymns is because of history like this that can't be duplicated in yesterday's song or last week's opponent. I want him this message in a different way, in hopes that it riblets these things in your mind find you have no please pull it out, turned to him 310 310, you will see in the stanza that she writes let's not forget Gethsemane, lest I forget, done agony must not forget thy love for me. Lead me to Calvary. I don't want us to sing this. I think it will mean more if we read it, but I caution you in your reading your tendency will be to move too quickly and are quickly song song is a wasted song linger pause these words were thought through carefully. Let's read them carefully first stanza the chorus. Then we pause again last stanza in the course beginning together, King of my life. I crown the now vine show the glory be, lest I forget thy foreign crowned morale lead me to Calvary lest I forget, Gethsemane, lest I forget, done agony, lest I forget thy love for me.

Lead me to Calvary may be willing Lord to bear daily microbes for the evening, thy cup of grief to share thou hast borne all for me, lest I forget, Gethsemane, lest I forget that I'm agony, lest I forget my love for me, leave me to come on this day our father in the hours the pass. As we move from one event to another bring to our minds the scenes where our Savior released his will and accepted you take us on those quiet moments in days ahead back to Gethsemane and this time is a pressure mount in hard times return. May we remember Gethsemane is agony his love and then take us all to the cross and leave us.

I ask this in the name all his people say it's been good to dwell in this scene reflecting on the enormous way. Jesus carried while in the garden of Gethsemane. This is insight for living and you're listening to the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll Chuck title today study in Matthew 26, denial, distress, deception, desertion. Now if you like to learn more about this ministry or to explore the resources we have available on this study in the book of Matthew.

Let me invite you to visit us online@insightworld.org and that's not all. To add to your daily time of reflection. Chuck has written a 30 day devotional book is called God's word for you and it's subtitled an invitation to find the nourishment your soul needs every entry in this book contains an insightful quote about the Scriptures.

A brief devotional from Chuck a prompt to help you grow in spiritual maturity in the Bible verse to meditate on and is printed in a beautiful leather like cover to purchase a copy of Chuck's book called God's word for you, go to insight.org/offer or give us a call listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 we are nearing the conclusion of Chuck's comprehensive study through the gospel according to Matthew, and I'll remind you his rhythmic commentary comes in two volumes. This too is available for purchase. Go to insight.org/offer and then let me send out a big thank you behalf of Chuck Swindoll entire team to those who faithfully supported insight for the reason things your consistent giving is enable us to continue providing Chuck's Bible not only here on your station around the world as well to give a donation today, listening in the United States, 1-800-772-8888 give a gift online today go to insight.Ives God's grace next time on insight for living in the preceding message denial, the stress, deception, the surgeon was copyrighted in 2017 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Application of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited