Lesson 3231

 (Lesson 3231)(11-07-20) Matthew 26:17-19

    “ Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.”

   Today’s quote relates that some of Jesus’ disciples were told to find and make ready the place where they, Jesus and His apostles, would observe and honor the Passover.

    It’s very important to make note that they were about to observe and fulfill an ordinance from God that was established in Exodus chapter twelve. Therein, God commanded the children of Israel to commemorate the passover by locking themselve inside their homes and eating a very special meal. The things that were to make up that meal were very specifically ordered by God Himself. 

    I want to express the importance of that because almost every “Christian” denomination now erroneously describe what Jesus and His apostles did that day as something totally different.

    We will discuss this issue further as these lessons progress.~

Lesson 3230

 (Lesson 3230)(11-06-20) Matthew 26:14-16

    “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.”

   Although it was an intregral part of God’s plan for the forgiveness of our sins through the sacrifice of His own Son, this is one of the saddest lessons in the New testament. It relates how one of Jesus’ closest friends and followers sat out to get our Savior killed for “thirty pieces of silver”.~

Lesson 3229

 (Lesson 3229)(11-05-20) Matthew 26:6-13

    “ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”

    In today’s quote, Jesus gave a direct command that is seldom, if ever, observed by today’s preachers and teachers. Jesus said that the lesson concerning the woman with the alabaster box of ointment should be preached every time the word of God is taught. That was a direct command that was to be observed all over the world. Yet, I think I might have heard one preacher in my liftime who actually had the story in his sermon. 

    Those kind of bible omissions constitute one of the greatest failures in today’s Christianity.~

Lesson 3228

 (Lesson 3228)(11-04-20) Matthew 26:1-5

    “And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

    In today’s quote, Jesus prophesied to His followers that He would be taken and crucified in two days. He knew that the Jews were already conspiring to kill Him.~

Lesson 3227

 (Lesson 3227)(11-03-20) Matthew 25:31-46

 “ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

   The greatest lesson that can be taken from today’s quote is that we are to love and worship God with all that we are and that we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves.~

Lesson 3226

 (Lesson 3226)(11-02-20) Matthew 25:14-30

    “ For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    In today’s quote, Jesus used another parable to explain that each of His followers have certain abilities and that we are to use those abilities to gain souls for the Lord. 

    It seems that many of today’s Christians take the place of the servant who got just one talent. They take their ability to a church pew every time the doors swing, but do nothing that will lead lost souls to Jesus Christ. 

    The signs of the times tell us that the time of Jesus’ return can’t be too far ahead. It is past time for us to work as hard as we can to reap the harvest before the Master returns to collect His due.~

Lesson 3225

 (Lesson 3225)(11-01-20) Matthew 25:1-13

    “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” 

    In today’s lesson, Jesus, using a parable, warned us all to be prepared for His return every minute of every day. Even so Lord come soon.~