26 BSF Matthew Week 26 – The Notes are Good

26 BSF Matthew Week 26, Day 5

My Daily Journal:

Jesus made the choice to be killed on the cross. It wasn’t forced on Him. It wasn’t a surprise. He made the choice to yield completely to His Father’s will. And the fulfillment of that will was for His death and resurrection.

But that did not mean Jesus ran blindly into the fray. He worked incredibly hard to ensure He stayed firmly in the will of Abba, Father. He prayed intensely. Not trying to change God. Not trying to make a deal or to get out of something. He prayed to completely and clearly understand God’s timing.

The scriptures imply that He prayed for approximately an hour at a time, with 3 trips. Each time He asked a question and He listened, intensely. I don’t have any issue asking God questions, but I struggle to listen. My mind wanders, my stomach grows, my knees ache, and I get distracted. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.

How can we follow Christ’s example? We can bring a friend for support. We can find a quiet place away from the normal situations of life. We can be focused and keep it simple. We can not negotiate but concentrate on being fully in God’s will.

There is peace in prayer, a peace that comes not from our own understanding, but comes from submission to God’s design.

My Answers:

11.
a.
joy, life, self-determination/will, justice, reputation, Enough!

b.
watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Still sleeping? The hour has com

c.
distress, despair, a branch bending completely to the will of the Father but not breaking

12.
Abba, everything is possible with you, “couldn’t you keep watch 1 hour?” withdrew about a stone’s throw, knelt down, angel appeared and strengthened Him, prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling, exhausted from sorrow

13.
a.
Abba, everything is possible with you, “couldn’t you keep watch 1 hour?” withdrew about a stone’s throw, knelt down, angel appeared and strengthened Him, prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling, exhausted from sorrow

26 BSF Matthew Week 26, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

I love Peter because I can see my own dimwitted self reflected in his approach to things. I have no doubt of his immense love and admiration for Jesus. I have no doubt that he recognized, through the power of the holy spirit, who Christ was, just as it is written in the scriptures. But he gets in his own way.

Basically he says, I know you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Creator of all, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Eternal, but, uh, you’re wrong. I know better than you do.

Jesus didn’t ask them, he told them what would happen. But instead of accepting this and using this knowledge as strength, Peter jumps into denial. In his journal down the river of denial he and the other apostles miss the promise of a risen Lord to meet with them in Galilee. They want to take up arms to prevent this from happening. While they think they will raise up arms to be standing for Jesus, they in fact are standing in direct opposition to the words and promise he has just made. This is not a surprise to Jesus. He is not a victim. He knows who, what, when, where, why and how. There is no mystery. There is simply a gift.

How often do I argue with God? Every time I insist on doing things my way first, I tell Him I know better. Every time I rely on myself more than on Him, I yield to temptation.

But, there is one other amazing part in these verses and that is Jesus prayer for Peter in Luke 22:32 – “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Temptation and testing is not something to just be endured and survived, it is something that strengthens us so that we can strengthen others. Like exercise, it may tear us down and wear us out temporarily, but when we heal, we heal stronger.

My Answers:

8.
a.
Contradicted Jesus – Convicting that I will never fall away while simultaneously doubting Jesus’ word

b.
33. Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will

c.
Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you (other disciples agreed)

9.
a.
i.
There are no surprises – Satan is only allowed to tempt/test God’s people as God allows

ii.
Self confidence will not prevail, only trust in the Lord

iii.
Prays for us and directs us to use strength given through trials

b.
Reluctance to be a cheerful giver has given me insight into understanding the traps of “wealth management”

10.
a.
you will all fall away on account of me

b.
After I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee

26 BSF Matthew Week 26, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

From the beginning of time God had designed the feast of passover to be a forebearing of the gift of salvation and life through His son. The chief priests and elders were plotting to murder Jesus, “but not during the festival.” However, there plans were no mystery to Christ and their timing was not how things were to be.

For them passover had become a meal and a time of reflection of looking back. We do this today with our own feasts and celebrations. We prepare for weeks for a big party or to host a big dinner and then we just want to crash, to take a nap.

But that wasn’t what passover was supposed to be about. Yes, it was a time of remembrance, but they were to remember the entire thing. Look at Exodus 12:11 – This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover. The passover meal wasn’t the ending. The day of passover wasn’t the goal. It was the doorway that was to be passed through to enter freedom and salvation, to live as a people set apart for God. It is a time of looking forward to the promise.

That is also the message of the cross. Jesus’ death at passover wasn’t an ending, it was an opening of a doorway. We can get so busy and focuses on the event and the meal that we, too, can forget, when the sun rises we are to be ready to go out into the world and proclaim the good news of freedom.

My Answers:

6.
a.
Passover

b.
Final Egypt plague, death of first born, the angel of death passed over the household’s marked with lamb’s blood

c.
perfect lamb, without blemish, family/community, killed at twilight (not sunset), hyssop branches used to paint blood over door (same branches used to give vinegar to Jesus), that night judgment brought upon all false gods, households saved by the blood of the lamb

7.
a.
Luke: He took, gave thanks, broke it, gave it, “body given for you, remember, cup new cov. blood, for U.
John: I am living bread, eat and live forever, unless you remember you have no life, but do and live
1Pete1: precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect
1Pete2: He himself bore our sins, might die to sin, live in righteousness, by his wounds have been healed
1John: walk in light, fellowship with one another, purified of sin by blood of Jesus

b.
It is a new covenant and when you eat and drink, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again

c.
Focus is not just on my sin and forgiveness, but a joy of salvation, His return and eternity through this promise

26 BSF Matthew Week 26, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

In the first verses of Matthew 26 we see the parables of Matthew 25 lived out. The wise virgins and the foolish virgins. The servants with the talents. The wicked and lazy servant and the good and faithful servant. Nowhere is this contrast as evident as in the lives and love of Mary and Judas.

Mary performs the ultimate Gatorade moment for Jesus. When she breaks open the bottle of perfume and pours it over our savior’s head, it reminded me of joyful football players dousing their coach in the fourth quarter of a championship football game. What joy and dedication.

I thought it was also interesting that Judas did not have an issue with Mary giving away the perfume. He was fine with it being a donation to the poor. He and the disciples evidently felt the poor were more deserving than Jesus.

My Answers:

3.
She had a heart filled with love for Jesus and followed her heart. She didn’t follow the direction of His apostles or the teachers. She didn’t hold back because of cost. She simply poured herself out to Him.

4.
a.
1. resentment can be masked in “good works”, 2. what we value reflects our values

b.
It was the price of restitution for a life of a slave, the amount Zechariah threw to the potter

5.
a.
It was an anointing of Jesus. What is its value outside of this world? It was a demonstration of unrestrained love.

b.
A balance of time with family, work pressures, other volunteer. When you commit to BSF, then every obstacle is thrown in your way – but turning those over to God resolves them