Realistic Reminders

During our prayer time this morning, I talked to you about our triumphal entry in Luke chapter 19. It was in October of 2013 that we covered Luke chapter 19, the triumphal entry. And we told you at that time that it was on a Monday. And we told you at that time in October of 2013 that we will take five months to cover five days of our Lord's life. Well, many things happened between November, December, January, and February into 2014. So in April, the first Sunday in April of 2014, we covered the cleansing of the temple, which followed the triumphal entry on a Monday.

It was on a Tuesday that Jesus entered the temple and cleansed that temple. And again, we told you in April of 2014 that we will spend five months covering the last five days of our Lord's life on earth. Well, now it's almost April 2015. And we've only covered three days of those last days of our Lord's life. So I was a little off in my assessment of the time it would take us to cover this last week of our Lord's life. But I hope that you'll be able to understand and digest all the ramifications of this week, a week that took place 2,000 years ago, and all the teaching and all the cleansing and all the miracles and all the ramifications of that last week, and especially the last night, the Thursday night.

For Luke chapter 22, we are still on Thursday night of that week. We are still looking at that upper room discourse. We are still looking at the events surrounding that night. And it's so important for us to come to grips with what it is Jesus said and what he did. You need to remember.

You can't afford to forget, because it would be the angel who said to Mary of Magdala, do you not remember what he told you while in Galilee? That would be the day of the resurrection. That would be on Sunday. Do you not remember? And the answer is, of course, she didn't remember.

Of course, the disciples didn't remember. Because if they did, they would know that he said to them that he would rise three days later. But they just did not remember.

And I can't help but think that those of us who are here today and those of us who have been with us for a long time, so easily we forget from week to week, from day to day, the things that Jesus said. If the people that were with him every day heard him teaching every day, watched his miracles every day, could not even begin to remember a simple statement that he gave to them, how is it we who come together once a week can remember the words of Jesus? They forgot. And that's what would cause Peter in the second epistle to tell the people he was writing to, I'm going to stir you up by way of remembrance.

I need you to remember what it is I have told you before. To remember the things that you already know, because so easily we forget. Let me give you an example.

If I was to ask you, what are the rewards of remembering? For those of you who are with us on Wednesday night, I wonder how many of you could tell us the four rewards of remembering from Wednesday to Sunday. Probably not many of you. And we told you on Wednesday night that the reason Nehemiah was so successful is that he remembered the Lord and that he encouraged the people of Israel to remember the Lord, which gave him the credibility to say to the Lord, Lord, remember me. Remember me. He says that in Nehemiah chapter five, he says it twice in Nehemiah chapter 13.

But you see, because he had already honored the Lord by remembering the Lord, he only asked the Lord to honor him by remembering him. But he didn't forget. That's why Nehemiah was Israel's greatest leader ever. So we need to remember the Lord simply because it instills comfort. Right? Remember that? If you want to be comforted, you need to remember the Lord and remember the words of the Lord. When you remember the Lord, it inspires commitment, commitment. It imparts courage. It initiates communion with the Lord.

Now, if you're with us on a Friday night, you remember those four principles? That's what remembering the Lord does. When you lack comfort, when you lack courage, when you lack commitment, when you are not involved in communing with the Lord, it simply goes down to one simple principle. You do not remember Jesus Christ. You do not remember what he said. You don't remember what he did. That's it. That's why we encourage you to come to hear the word of God, to be a part of what happens at the church, that you might grow when you walk with the Lord, to spend time in Bible study, memorizing scripture, studying the scriptures, so you don't forget.

You need to remember. And that's why we are taking the time to take you through Thursday night because you need to remember.

Because what Jesus says provides comfort for his men, provides courage for his men, provides commitment for his men.

And that will, in the book of Acts, initiate their communion with him for the rest of their lives, as long as they don't forget. You need to remember.

And so we have reiterated for you the events of this night to help you understand that this was a night, the most monumental night, the most magnificent night, the most marvelous night, the most majestic night of all the nights in the history of the world, is on Thursday of Passion Week. It's this night in what happens in the room called the upper room in the discussion with his men, that this is the night that of all nights, if you remember, this night, it will bring you through each and every day in a very successful way because you will not have forgotten what Jesus said and what Jesus did.

Your emotional state depends on how well you remember the words of Jesus. Your life depends on how much you remember.

And that's why the text of scripture is filled with exhortations not to forget. Remember what Jesus said. And so it was a night of predetermination, all planned by God. Nothing happened without him orchestrating the event and conversation. It was a night of affection. Hopefully you've written these down so you know what they are about. As he says that in John 13, having loved his own, he loved them to the very end. He said, I desire to eat this Passover meal with you. It was a night of affection because it was a night of predetermination.

It was a night of celebration because they would gather together to celebrate that last Passover. It was a night of transformation because he would transform the bread and the cup on that night, the cup of affliction, I mean the bread of affliction, the cup of redemption. It was a night of prediction where he would predict the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter. It was a night of prediction and because it was, it was a night of dissension among his men as there was an argument that arose among them as to who was the greatest in the kingdom of God.

It was a night of humiliation because it would be at that time that he would take a slave's apron and tie it around himself and begin to wash the disciples' feet. It was a night of declaration because he would declare that you are to love one another as I have loved you. This is the new commandment. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples because you have loved as I have loved you. No longer is loving yourself, loving others as you love yourself good enough. The standard is me. It was a night of declaration.

It also was a night of revelation. John 13 says, I have done this for you so that you will know that I am. A night of revelation. It was a night of consolation as we will see in our text this morning. A night of supreme consolation for his men because they needed to be comforted. They needed to know what the Lord God was doing. We will see next week it will be a night of temptation, a night of rejection, a night of defection, a night of confusion. It was a night that is to be remembered above all nights.

You need to remember what Jesus said and did on this night. That's why we go over it week after week after week because you cannot afford to forget. For once you forget, all things you engage in and encounter will cause you to fail miserably because when the disciples forgot, they failed miserably. We'll see this in Peter's life. Although all men deny you, I will not. But he forgot what Jesus said until it happened and then he remembered the words of his Lord that before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.

But they entered into temptation because they did not remember the words of his instruction. Will you not pray with me for just one hour lest you enter into temptation? And we wonder why it is we fall into temptation. We wonder why it is we succumb to temptation. Why it is we can't handle temptation when it comes our way simply because we don't remember the words of our Lord. Pray, watch, lest you enter into temptation. All that to say is we need to remember this night and that's why we are taking it verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph, word by word because you cannot afford to forget.

Having said that, our text for today is Luke 22, 35 to 38. And he said to them, seven times that phrase is used because this night is a night of instruction. He said to them, when I sent you out without purse and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you? And they said, no, nothing. He said to them, but now let him who has a purse, take it along. Likewise, also a bag and let him who has no sword, sell his robe and buy one. For I tell you that this, which is written must be fulfilled in me.

And he was numbered with transgressors for that which refers to me has its fulfillment. They said, Lord, look, here are two swords. And he said to them, it is enough. Now, when was the last time you heard a message, a sermon on those four verses? In fact, most of you would not even know these four verses even existed on the eve of his crucifixion, if we had not read it to you this morning. And what do they have to do with everything? How does this become a night of great consolation to the words that Jesus gives them?

What makes this paragraph, a paragraph of supreme comfort to his men? Simply because in the past, there was receptivity. In the present, there'll be hostility. But in the future, there'll be victory. Those are the three points on these four verses for us this morning. In the past, there was receptivity. Jesus says, said to them, when I sent you out without purse, bag and sandals, you didn't lack anything, did you?

No, no, we didn't. These are what we call realistic reminders. Why? Because we can't afford to forget. We must remember.

Realistic reminders. You need to remember the way it was. Because you need to remember what I said during the time it was, so that you'll remember what will happen in the present, so you won't forget what's going to happen in the future. You got to remember.

You got to remember that in the past, there was nothing but receptivity. That is, when you went out, didn't carry a purse, didn't carry a bag, you just went out and did your thing. What's he referring to? Luke chapter 9, Luke chapter 10. He takes them back. If you got your Bible, back to Luke chapter 9, verse number 1. Verse number 2, he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God. This is the 12 disciples. Sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And he said to them, take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money, and do not even have two tunics apiece.

And whatever house you enter, stay there and take your leave from there. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from the city, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. Departing, they began going out among the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Jesus says, here are the instructions when you go out.

There is no need to take a staff. There's no need to take a bag. In the bag, they would carry money. They didn't need any money. Why? Because people would receive them and take care of them. No need to carry food, because you carry food in the bag, simply because people would feed them. They would be readily received by the multitudes. And they were. I mean, Jesus was received by the multitudes. He was received on Monday when he came into the city. He was received on Tuesday. He was received on Wednesday of this week.

He would have been received on Thursday had he come into the city on that day as well. Okay, it's Thursday night. There was an overwhelming reception for Jesus the Messiah simply because of what he did for people. In John chapter six, they wanted to make him king right there because he fed 25,000 people. They loved Jesus because of what he did for them. And the apostles who went out and preached in his name, they were beloved as well. And they were, for the most part, received very well. In fact, in Luke chapter 10, it says these words, when he sends out the 70, he says, go your ways.

Verse three, behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. There is a hint of what's going to happen in the future. Carry no purse, no bag, no shoes, and greet no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, peace be to this house.

If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you and stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. And whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you and heal those in it who are sick and say to them, the kingdom of God has come near to you. He sends the 70 out and they go out and they were received. They had no need to carry a purse. They had no need to carry a bag or staff or two tunics because they would be taken care of.

They would be housed. They would be fed. They would be taken care of. It was a life of learning to depend upon what God would provide for them through the people who would receive them. That's the way it was. In the past, there was receptivity. You'd be received well and they were. And Jesus says, when you went out, did you lack anything?

No. Didn't lack food, didn't lack money, didn't lack a place to stay. Nope. We had, we had it all. And they did. And that's what led to them to believe that the kingdom of God was coming at that moment. That's what caused them to think that at that time, God would restore the kingdom to Israel and in the kingdom would be set up. That's why they kept arguing about who was the greatest of the kingdom because they thought at that time, the kingdom was going to come. And after all, Jesus said, you will sit on 12 thrones and rule over 12 tribes in Israel.

They always expected the kingdom to come immediately. Why? Because part and parcel to their ministry was the fact that they were all received so gloriously that Jesus was the greatest thing going and everybody adored him. For the most part, the religious leaders had a problem with him, but the multitudes loved him because he did so much for them. That's why there were so many people following him. You were with us in our study of, of, of Luke chapter 19, when he went into Jericho and there were scores of people following him and he healed two blind men there.

And, and Zacchaeus was converted and those group of people going to Jerusalem for Passover. And there were hundreds of thousands of people following Jesus. So by the time he came to the city, it was jam packed with Jewish pilgrims who praised him for his miracles. Hosanna to the son of David, Hosanna to the King, they cried. That was on Monday. So in the disciples mind, everything is going rather well, you see, except for the religious establishment that he had to curse and throw out of the temple and, and, and speak the truth to, they didn't like him very much.

So Jesus says, remember the past. Remember when I sent you out? You can imagine them scratching their heads. Yeah, we, we, we remember that. Then he says this, these words in Luke chapter 22, but now remember the, but all of Jesus scripture, the, but all of these give us our greatest theology, but now things are going to change. They're going to change drastically. But now he says, him who has a purse, take it along. Likewise, also a bag and let him who has no sword sells robe and buy one. Whoa. Jesus says, this is the way it was, but things are going to change.

Now they're going to change tonight. They don't know that yet. They're going to change this night. So now you've got to take a purse. Now you must take a bag. Now you must buy a sword. Why we're going to, we're going to fight Rome. Why buy a sword? Well, it wasn't the fact that they were going to get a wind people to Christ because they were going to threaten their lives. Nowhere in the, in the book of Acts did the apostles ever use swords to convince people of following Christ. They, it was simply a sword was used to cut wood.

So they would have a fire to keep warm at night. It would be used to defend themselves from, from wild animals and from robbers. It would be a defense for these men because before this time didn't need that before this time, everything was running smoothly before this time they were received. They were given food. They were given money. They were given shelter. They were given clothing, everything was taken care of. But now everybody's going to be an enemy of the gospel. Things are going to change in the past receptivity in the present hostility, supreme hostility.

And Jesus had already warned them about this. He had already given hints to this member over in the book of Matthew, Matthew chapter five, he told them these words, blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of me, rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great for. So they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

That was Matthew five early on in the ministry of our Lord on the Mount of Beatitudes as he would forecast the future of those who lived a godly life that there would be one day persecution that would come your way. They had not experienced that yet. This was not a part of of their normal everyday ministry. In Luke 9, 23, he said, if any man came up to me, let him take up his cross and follow me, which was a symbol of death. In Luke 12, he tells them you're going to be dragged into the courts and into the synagogues.

In Luke chapter 14, he tells them to count the cost because the cost is going to be great. But up to this point, the cost has been minimal. For these three years, there's been nothing but receptivity, but now hostility. And if you read the book of Acts, it's a very hostile environment because persecution spreads. So he tells them this is the way it was. This is the way it's going to be from here on out. How do we know that? Because Jesus tells us of the fulfillment of prophecy that he is that fulfillment of Isaiah 53.

Listen to what he says. He says, for I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in me. And he was numbered with transgressors for that which refers to me has its fulfillment. In other words, right now is that fulfillment. What's going to happen is a fulfillment of a prophecy that was written specifically about me. Jesus says, Isaiah 53 is me.

And he quotes Isaiah 53, verse number 12, to tell you that the whole chapter refers to him because the whole chapter refers to how Jesus was numbered with the transgressors. That phrase has nothing to do with the fact that there was a thief on either side of Jesus. That is a ridiculous interpretation of that verse. It has nothing to do with that because Isaiah 53 is not about two thieves. Isaiah 53 is about the suffering servant who would bear the sins of the world. And Isaiah 53, 12, in its context, interprets what it means to be numbered among the transgressors.

So if you have your Bible, turn to Isaiah 53, would you please? Isaiah chapter 53, it says in verse 12, and he was numbered with the transgressors, yet he himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors. In other words, Jesus is placed in the category of a transgressor by God, and then he is punished by God. That's what it means. He has bore the sin of the world. So he is treated as a transgressor. He was numbered as one of the transgressors, even though he had no sin and there was no sin found in him, but he would be numbered along with all the other transgressors and he would intercede for those transgressors.

Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing. Because all of Isaiah 53 is about the suffering substitute that would die for the sins of the world. And when you read Isaiah 53, it is written from the standpoint of a Jew looking back at what took place with Jesus, the Messiah. They're looking back and they are lamenting the fact that someone would come who was sinless and would die for them. Someone would come and take their place. Because you have all these personal pronouns in Isaiah 53, which drive every rabbi bonkers.

Because every Jewish rabbi has now changed the interpretation of Isaiah 53 from the 12th century on to include this as a suffering nation, Israel. But it can't be because of the personal pronouns that are used. What does it say in Isaiah 53? It says this, he was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And like one from whom men hid their face, he was despised and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore and our sorrows he carried, yet we ourselves esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.

But he was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon him. And by his scourging, we are healed. You see, it's from the Jewish standpoint, looking back at what Messiah did for them. That's why in Zechariah 12, verse number 10, they will look on him in whom they have pierced and mourn for him as an only son. They're looking back and lamenting the fact that they killed their Messiah. And it says, all of us like sheep have gone astray.

Each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. Why? Because he was numbered with the transgressors, that's why. He was treated as a transgressor. By who? By God. Because it says, as you read on, he was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth like a land that has led to a slaughter and like a sheep that are silent before its shearers. So he did not open his mouth by oppression and judgment. He was taken away. And as for his generation who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, he died for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due.

His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet he was with a rich man in his death because he had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth. But the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief. If he would render himself as a guilt offering, which he did, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his day, speaking of his resurrection and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in his hand. As a result of the anguish of his soul, he will see it and be satisfied by his knowledge, my servant will justify the many as he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore, I will allot him a portion with the great and he will divide the booty with the strong because he poured out himself to death and it was numbered with the transgressors. Yet he himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors. That's what Jesus did. So Jesus says to his men on this night, this is how he's going to console his men.

This is how he's going to bring comfort to them. Remember the way it was. Remember how it was. Remember how you received, how you were welcomed, how you had all of your needs provided for from village to village, from house to house, from place to place, but no more. That's all going to change at one time receptivity, but now hostility. I've warned you about this. I've told you about this. I've told you it was going to come. You must expect it because it's going to come as I have prophesied. Why?

Why will it come? Because of the fulfillment of prophecy of Isaiah chapter 53, that I will die for the sins of the world. They're going to kill me. They're going to kill me, but I will rise victoriously. This is their victory. This is their victory in the past receptivity, in the present hostility, in the future victory, always victory. You will come out victorious. How do we know that? Time does not permit us to go through all the verses, but if you read John 14, John 15, John 16, it adds to this story, this snippet in Luke chapter 22 to tell you exactly what Jesus said in John 15, because they hated me, they will now hate you.

That's the addition to what he says about taking a purse and taking a sword. You got to take these things. Why? Because if they persecuted me, they're going to persecute you. If they hated me, they're going to hate you. And he goes on in John 15 to talk about the persecution they're going to face. That's all in addition to or completing what Luke is saying to us in Luke chapter 22. And then, and then he tells them about the fulfillment of prophecy that will instigate all of this hostility because they will crucify the Messiah.

He will die as one numbered with the transgressors, but there will be victory. How do we know that? And they said, Lord, look, here are two swords. We got two swords. We have two. Now who had the two swords? I don't know. I think Peter probably had one because we know that he cut off the high priest servant's ear later that night in the garden of Gethsemane. So Peter must've had one. Maybe Simon the zealot had one. Maybe Matthew, the tax collector had one. I don't know, but they had two swords. Look, Lord, we have two swords.

And Jesus says it is enough. What does that mean? That means that two swords are enough. Two swords are enough to accomplish what needs to be accomplished. Two swords is enough to protect you from the hostility. Don't think so. I think Jesus is saying that's enough. It's enough as if to say you don't get it, do you? You don't get it. And that's where John chapter 14 comes in because it fills in what's missing in Luke chapter 22. So turn to John 14 with me for a moment. John chapter 14. Jesus says these words.

Remember, John 14, 15, and 16, along with 17, provide that great comfort for the disciples on that night. So Christ says in John chapter 14, verse number 12, these words, truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, shall he do also.

And greater works than these shall he do because I go to the father. So he's going to die. He's going to go to the father. And what's going to happen if I go to the father, there will be a greater extent of the works, not the kind of work that you do, but the magnitude of the work that you do will be far greater because there'll be more of you. And I will be in all of you. See, this is their victory. And so Jesus expands in John's gospel, what Luke leaves out in his gospel to let us know what exactly is going to happen in the life of these men.

I must ascend to my father. That's why when Mary grabs a hold of him on resurrection Sunday morning, he says, Mary, stop clinging to me. I must ascend to my father and to your father. I got to go very, you can't hold on to me. Our relationship has changed. It's going to be different because at one time I was among you at one time I was with you, but that's not the way it's going to be anymore. Now I'm going to be in you. If I don't ascend to my father, I can't get in you. And I want to be in you.

I want to be in you. The spirit wants to be in you. The father wants to be in you, but I got to send to my father. That's the whole impetus behind stop clinging to me, Mary. I got to go, got to go. And Jesus says in John 14, these words, he says, and I will ask the father and he will give you another helper.

And he, that he may be with you forever. That is a spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it does not know or behold him or know him, but you know him because he abides with you and will be in you. You see, you guys don't understand. You don't need two swords. That's irrelevant. It's not about you protecting yourselves. It's about me protecting you. See, it's about me watching out for you and the spirit of God's going to be in you. I'm going to send you another helper, a helper of the same kind.

Like me, the spirit of God is going to dwell your life. You see, that's the whole new Testament. That's the whole mystery that was concealed in the old revealed in the new testament, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. If I don't leave, if I don't die and rise again and send to my father, I won't be in you. I want to be in you and you will do greater works than I have done in terms of their extent, because I will be in every child of God that believes in me. And Christ goes on to say these words.

He says in verse 25, these things I've spoken to you while abiding with you, but the helper, the Holy spirit, whom the father will send in my name. He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance. All that I said to you, listen, the spirit of God is going to help you remember this night. He's going to help you remember everything that I've said to you because you can't afford to forget. And if you don't have the spirit of God in you, guess what? You're going to forget, forget, but the spirit of God is going to bring everything back to your remembrance.

It goes on and talks about the peace. I leave with you. My peace. I give unto you not as the world gives. Do I give to you? Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. Don't be afraid. Yes. Hostilities coming, but don't be afraid. I'm going to be in you. You heard that. I said to you, I go away and I will come to you. If you love me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the father for the father is greater than I. And now I've told you before it comes to pass that when it comes to pass, you may believe in John 16.

Christ says these words in verse number nine or verse 11. He says these words, I'm picking up in verse number 13, but when the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth for he will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he hears, he will speak and he will disclose to you what is to come. He's going to disclose everything to you. See all this is added to Luke's snippet of four verses to show you that yes, there was receptivity. Now there's going to be hostility and John 15 covers that hostility.

But on top of that, there's going to be victory because of what I'm going to do for you. I'm going to die for your sins. I will be numbered with the transgressors. I will bear your sin in my body. I will rise again. And you then because of my victory will be victorious in your future has nothing but victory written all over it. So Jesus would say these words in John 16, he said, these things I have spoken to you, verse 33, that in me, you may have peace in the world. You have tribulation, but take courage.

I have overcome the world in the world. You're going to have tribulation, but don't worry about it. Take courage. Don't be afraid. Remember what I said, because when you remember there is comfort, when you remember there was courage, when you remember there was commitment, when there was a memory that doesn't forget, you'll always be in communion with me. I've overcome the world. And then in John 17, he seals everything he says with a prayer. He prays, he prays for his men. He prays for those who one day will believe in his name because they too will be victorious.

That's people like you and me. He says these words in John chapter 17, he says, I do not ask thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As thou did send me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. And everything was about the fact that they had believed in Jesus. This is their victory.

And Christ seals their victorious spirit with prayer. That's why Paul would say in second Timothy chapter one, that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-discipline.

He's given us a spirit of power. That's why in Acts chapter one, when the disciples still had a hard time digesting the fact, Lord, are you now going to restore the kingdom of Israel? Christ says, listen, yours is not to know the times or the epics that your father has laid out from eternity, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be my martyrs.

You'll be the people who will die for me because you will have a victorious spirit, a powerful spirit that resides within you. These are the realistic reminders that God gives to on this night, right before they leave to go into the garden of Gethsemane, because in the garden, the temptation will be overwhelming for them. And they would have forgotten in a short 10 to 15 minute walk from the upper room to the garden, what Jesus said about their victorious life. We cannot afford to forget. We must remember the words of our Lord.

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for the truth of your word. Lord, truly you are a great God and you alone are worthy of praise. We love you and thank you for your word that explains to us this marvelous night, the most glorious of all nights, what you said to your men, how it applies to our lives. We thank you in Jesus name. Amen.