A young man asked an evangelist, “what must I do to be saved?”

The evangelist said, “You are too late!”

Alarmed, the young man said, “Do you mean that it’s too late for me to be saved?” “Is there nothing I can do?”

“It’s already done!” “The only thing YOU can do is believe it & receive it”.

That is it! We either believe it or we don’t. If we believe it, it will change your life.

This of course is referring to believing in our heart that Jesus rose from the dead, and that He is God.

This morning we celebrate the debt Jesus paid in full, when He died for our sins. The cross was not defeat, but victory!

And the risen Lord Jesus Christ indicates the battle has been won. Death has no sting.

Continuing where we left off last week, Pilate releases to the people Barabbas and hands Jesus over to the Jews for crucifixion, after having Jesus flogged.

The crucifixion and details that lead up to it are incredibly hard to stomach. This message will most likely fall short of what the witnesses would testify to. In order to be as accurate as possible it’s important to know the medical and physiological factors that are involved in such suffering.

Show of hands, how many of you know what flogging is?

This is Palm Sunday, where we commemorate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We briefly hit on this a few weeks ago, but just as a quick review—Matthew 21:1–11 tells us how the disciples fetched a donkey that had never been ridden. People spread their cloaks and palm branches, shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.That word “Hosanna” comes from the Hebrew hoshi’ah na, meaning “save us now.” they all new this song it was Psalm 118 says, “Save us, we pray, O Lord… Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Luke tells us they cried out, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And all of this fulfills Zechariah 9:9—your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey.

It’s such a powerful scene—the crowds are excited, Jesus is smiling, the disciples are ecstatic… and yet, if you’ve ever watched The Chosen, there’s a moment where His countenance changes. Because Jesus knows something the crowd doesn’t.

Matthew places four scenes before us: the plot to kill Jesus, the worship of a devoted woman, the betrayal of Judas, and the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Each one reveals something about the heart of humanity and the mission of Christ.

The central truth is this: Jesus willingly gives Himself so that sinners can be forgiven and welcomed into God’s covenant family.

Scene 1

Matthew 26:1-5

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

26:1-2 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

Jesus has just finished what we call the Olivet Discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem, signs of the end times, and when these things will occur.

And Jesus says to His disciples, Passover is two days away–and the Son of Man, referring to Himself will be handed over to be crucified.

Can you remember when you realized who Jesus really is?

Today, we read about the 3 disciples who went from one of the most discouraging weeks they have experienced to a divine encounter with the Holy trinity of God.

The Disciples have had quite a week in the region of Caesarea Philippi.

First, Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God. And gets the highest accolades of his life… You heard from GOD, they HS revealed

Then, Jesus predicts He will be killed, which totally contradicts in Peter’s mind what could ever happen to the Messiah.

So Peter pulls Jesus aside and says, may it never be. Spare yourself this suffering. This shall never happen to you!

And Jesus rebukes Peter, get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns. Which would be Peter’s personal low … all in one day

Jesus turns and instructs them if you want to be my disciple you must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me. He tells them the road ahead is going to be difficult. It’s going to be dangerous. And it will cost you. Jesus goes further by adding, lose your life for me and you will find it. Let go of all the ways you will be tempted to save yourself, and follow me. Those of us who follow Jesus know this to be true. There is some serious suffering that a disciple, a follower of Jesus endures but there is divine peace and purpose and fruit that you would not trade an ounce of that suffering, bc of what God has done in you.

Today, the story takes place a week later as Jesus leads three disciples to a high mountain. It doesn’t say where in the text. But it most likely is Mount Hermon. The highest point in Israel (9600ft - think Mt. Lassen) Because this is a high mountain and the region is relatively secluded, and ideal for what is about to happen. And what is about to happen is the infamous TRANSFIGURATION.

Matthew 16:28-17:1-13

(28) “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. (2) There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. (3) Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

(4) Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

(5) While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

(6) When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. (7) But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” (8) When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

(9) As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

(10) The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

(11) Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. (12) But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” (13) Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Several years ago, a story circulated about a mountain rescue team sent to save stranded hikers after a sudden storm. The rescuers knew something the hikers did not: the only safe route down the mountain was not the scenic ridge they had climbed. That ridge was now unstable and deadly. The only way down was a narrow, steep, exposed descent that felt more dangerous than staying put.

When rescuers reached the hikers, some argued.

“That path looks worse.”
“There has to be another way.”
“Why would the safe way feel so hard?”

But the rescuers had the full picture. They knew where the avalanche risk was. They knew which ridge would collapse. The path that looked hardest was the only path that would save their lives.

From the hikers’ limited perspective, resistance felt reasonable. From the rescuers’ perspective, resistance was fatal.

In Matthew 16, Peter is standing on that mountain. Jesus says, “We must go through suffering. We must go to Jerusalem. I must be killed and raised.” Peter says, “Never.”

From Peter’s limited view, suffering made no sense.
From God’s eternal perspective, it was the only way to save the world.

Very often, obedience to God looks like the harder path. But heaven sees what we cannot.

(21) From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

(22) Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

(23) Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

(24) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (25) For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

(26) What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

(28) “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

(14) “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. (15) To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. (16) He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. (17) So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. (18) But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. (19) Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. (20) And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ (21) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (22) And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ (23) His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (24) He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, (25) so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ (26) But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? (27) Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. (28) So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. (29) For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. (30) And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

ASK so what have we been given?

God has entrusted us with each other.

We are what belongs to Him, His very own possession.

1 Peter 2:9 says: But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

He has the entrusted us with the Great Commission: Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV): "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age".

This passage is a call to faithful stewardship of God’s possessions. It is a heart check as we await the second coming of Christ. It is a lifestyle check to ask: Am I putting full effort into furthering His Kingdom? It is a soul check to confirm our joy that HE has fully forgiven us — and that our response is a life of grateful, purposeful obedience to further the gospel of Jesus.

It is not a sermon on investment strategies, or putting money, abilities/talents to work… my heart as business coach can find some crossover LOL. Actually one of my favs.

This parable is part of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25), Jesus' extended response to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple, his coming (parousia), and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). This discourse, delivered on the Mount of Olives shortly before his crucifixion, emphasizes watchfulness, preparation, and faithful living in light of the Messiah's return and coming j

We have finished Matthew’s accounts of the parables~ YAY We are take some time to flip back now in the book of Matthew to capture some of the major teachings of Jesus for two weeks, then we hit the last couple days of Jesus' life leading to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead on Easter Sunday.(our superbowl sunday - April 5th) Start praying about who you can invite now.

(13) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

(14) They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

(15) “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

(16) Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

(17) Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (18) And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (20) Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. THIS IS GODS WORD

(13) Jesus and the disciples came to the region of Caesarea Philippi. Geographically this place is roughly 25-35 miles North of the Sea of Galilee and about 120 miles north of Jerusalem. This is the most northern edge of Israel.

It is here that Jesus affirms He is the Messiah.

It is here that Jesus says I will build my Church.

It is here that preaching the gospel opens the kingdom of heaven to all people.