WHO'S IN CONTROL HERE?

Two days before Passover...                                       

The lambs are being scrutinized for defects – are they good enough for all those international visitors?(Matt 26:1-16)   

One visitor is certain of this much... 

“The Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified”                                           

Jesus, with universal authority as Son of Man, faces a Roman execution?? His disciples would think Him mad saying this!

Giving hands

Notice the stark contrasts here...

• Where are the chief priests, scribes and elders?  In a palace!    Where is Jesus?  In the house of a leper.
• Caiaphas the high priest leads a plot to kill Jesus - just not at the feast.  A nameless woman comes to honour Jesus.                                                         
• The ointment for Jesus’ burial is very precious. His disciples claim the poor are more worthy!                                                                               

Greedy hands

Now Judas Iscariote agrees to betray Jesus for 30 lousy pieces of silver – the price of a slave!

Yes, Jesus has deliberately come back to Jerusalem to be crucified like a criminal, He’s just been anointed for burial and now there’s a small price on His head, just as prophesied centuries earlier.                                                                                                          

So, who really is in control here?                                

Will Jesus really be crucified at Passover?

THIS KING MEANS BUSINESS!

Finally the Son of Man has come and sits on His throne of glory with all nations gathered before him.  (Matt 25:31-46)    

How will He judge them? Will the nations be judged as a whole or as individuals?  

The short answer is – I don’t know.  Let’s wait and see!             

We once ran merino sheep with cashmere goats and the best way to separate them was to force them into a corner – the sheep would escape to one side and the goats to the other. Maybe the nations will have been under so much pressure during the Tribulation that it will be obvious which ones have cared for the faithful Jewish witnesses.  

Haven’t we seen somewhat of a rehearsal of this during the last century?                     

Germany was torn apart after exterminating 6 million Jews, while nations like U.S.A. have prospered after giving Jews refuge. The British Empire and U.S.S.R. persecuted the Jews and are now just a distant memory.  

What we can be sure of is that the stakes are high:                
Eternal life or... eternal punishment! - everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Yes, hell is real. This King means business!

WATCH!!

Jesus the Messiah has used ~550 words telling His disciples what’s going to happen in the End Times...             

• Beginning of the end                             
• Tribulation, then...                                      
• Great Tribulation                                          
• Second Coming

...then another 206 words for those who will live to see these events. The Olivet Discourse sure seems done and dusted with 756 words in total.                                             

Hang on...there’s more...much more!  (Matt 24:43 – 25:30)      

Now Jesus will speak... 

over 800 words of warning!

Pay attention guys, to these 3 parables because there’s a day of reckoning coming and the Messiah means business - there’s going to be ‘cutting in two’, weeping, gnashing of teeth, darkness, doors getting slammed shut... even eternal punishment!               

He comes as...                                                       

• the Master of the house             
• the Bridegroom, and...                                     
• the Man of business

Maybe we should be diligent, with lamps trimmed and using those rich talents He has given us ...WATCHING so closely, as if a thief was about to break in and steal!

Jesus still hasn’t finished yet... Finally He comes as King. (NEXT)