'Jesus Cares For You - Sermon Outlines. Org



"Jesus Cares For You!"

Matthew 26:47-56

INTRO. There is a beautiful old hymn which I love dearly which begins like this, "I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus, since I've found in Him a friend so strong and true. I would tell you how He changed my life completely, He did something that no other friend could do. No One ever cared for me like Jesus, there's no other friend so kind as He. No one else could take the sin and darkness from me, Oh, how much He cared for me!” Though the world forsake, though friends or family fail, Jesus never fails! He cares for you!

I want to title the message, "Jesus Cares For You!" The Scripture says in 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." In our text, we have before us the events just prior to our LORD'S conviction and crucifixion on the Cross for the sins of the whole world. Jesus and His disciples have come to the Mount of Olives into an enclosed place called the garden of Gethsemane. Our LORD has left eight of His disciples at the outer parameter of the garden; three He has taken along with Him deeper into the garden. The LORD tells these three, Peter, James, and John, "Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray." (Matthew 26:36).

It is here at Gethsemane that our LORD would face a night of great sorrow for you and me. Jesus turns to His disciples and says, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me." (Matthew 26:38). Then our LORD steps a little farther forward, falls on His face and begins to pray, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39). Three times He interrupts His prayer to come to His disciples, and three times He finds them sleeping. The third time He finds them asleep Jesus says, "Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." (Matthew 26:45).

After a brief period of rest for the disciples, in which Our LORD loving keeps a watch over His disciples, Jesus awakes Peter, James, & John by saying, “Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." (Matthew 26:46). As He is yet speaking, Judas, one of His disciples, arrives with a multitude of soldiers of the chief Priest & the Pharisees. Judas runs to Jesus saying, "Hail, Master” (Matthew 26:49), or as it reads in the Greek, "OH the joy, Rabbi," and kisses Him.

That kiss, which should have been a sign of love, devotion, and faithfulness, was a sign to the soldiers of whom to lay hold on. Jesus' simple response was, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?" (Matthew 26:50). I want us to focus on Our LORD'S question to Judas. Notice that Jesus didn't betray Judas, although Judas betrayed Him! Sinner, you may reject Him, but He never rejects you!

NOTICE:

(1) THE COMPASSION OF JESUS

Text: Matthew 26:50a—“Friend…”

A. HIS LOVE HAS NO LIMITS. The word “friend” is translated from a Greek word which means “companion, comrade.” Judas betrayed Jesus but Jesus never betrayed Judas. This is one of the most touching things recorded in the Bible. The Lord did not disown Judas even though Judas betrayed Him into the hands of wicked sinners. Friend, I am glad that morning that Jesus loved us before we loved HIM! Jesus said in John 3:16--“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” There is not one person who He doesn’t love! There is not one person for whom He did not die! How much it must have broke the heart of Judas to see the great love that Jesus had for him even though Judas had betrayed him! The Lord said to Judas, “You have been my companion for so long, and now you come against me, the Lord, thy teacher and friend?”

B. HIS LOVE IS LONGSUFFERING. There has not been a time when the Lord didn’t love us! There will never come a time when the Lord ceases to love us! Jesus still loved Judas even though Judas had come to betray Him. Ephesians 2:4-7 tells us, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Friend, the Lord’s love is longsuffering. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” The ONLY reason God has not allowed His judgment to fall on this sinful, wicked world is because He “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

ILLUS. A very wise, old theologian was asked by one of students once this question, "In all your years of studying the BIBLE, What is the greatest truth you've discovered?”

The old professor thought for a moment then replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the BIBLE tells me so!"

(2) THE CONCERN FOR JUDAS' ACTIONS

Text: Matthew 26:50b—“Wherefore art thou come?...”

A. A TIMELY QUESTION. Notice the LORD'S question, "For what purpose art thou come?" This question was not because Jesus was ignorant of the reason for Judas’ coming, but to stir in Judas’ mind the atrocity of his crime. The question served to cause Judas to consider what he was doing.

B. A TIME FOR DECISION. This question was intended not only to stir Judas’ conscience to his actions, but also to give him an opportunity to repent if he would. In Isaiah 1:18 the Lord invites, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 55:6-7 encourages the sinner, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” What an awful crime! : to betray the Son of God with a kiss! But I truly believe that if Judas had repented and in faith would have thrown himself on the mercy of God, Jesus would have forgiven him! Why can I say that? Because Jesus said in John 6:37—“… him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Judas had walked with Jesus for three and a half years. He had heard his teaching, saw His miracles, and enjoyed His love and friendship; and yet, for 30 pieces of silver, he betrayed Him! Judas was like those of the city of Jerusalem of which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 23:37—“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Could that have been Judas' greatest downfall, the inability to see himself as a sinner and hence receive God's forgiveness? For without that sense of forgiveness, life holds little joy and the future is hopeless.-- Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company, 1997.

(3) THE CONSEQUENCES OF JUDAS' DECISION

Text: Matthew 27:1-10

A. THE DECISION HE MADE. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Judas instead of running to Jesus for mercy, ran from Him in misery. Matthew 27:3-5 says of Judas, “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” There are only one of two choices we can make. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Friend, what is your choice?

B. THE DESTINY HE CHOSE. Judas chose the “broad way.” Instead of repentance he chose remorse, instead of salvation he chose separation, and instead of heaven he chose hell! Friend, to not choose is to make your choice already. Herbert Prochnow said, "There is a time when we must firmly choose the course we will follow, or the relentless drift of events will make the decision for us." The destiny Judas chose is the destiny of all who reject Christ and His grace. In Revelation 20:11-15 John said, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

ILLUS: There are always those voices who would like to eliminate this

matter of decision from Christianity. There is something in

human nature that hates to decide "Yes" or "No." Recently

there was a radio announcement that next week was National

Procrastinators' Week. "Actually," said the announcer, "they

were going to hold the celebration this week, but the organizers

decided to put it off until next week!" Our modern society has

made such a virtue of openness and neutrality that we forget it

is the fundamental choices we make that shape all of life, and

for that matter, the life to come. I heard about a woman who

said she would not become a Christian because there were too

many obstacles in the path of belief. "I'm not an atheist, but

I'm just not convinced that God exists, or that Christianity is

the right religion. I'm going to withhold judgment, and consider

the matter impartially." That's fine, except that I hope this

woman decides pretty soon. She is 87 years old, and her so-

called "neutrality" is fast becoming academic!

The simple fact is no one can remain neutral on the issue of

Jesus Christ. We must decide for or against him. -- Robert A.

Beringer, Turning Points, CSS Publishing Company, 1995,

0-7880-0284-8. Adapted.

CLOSING: What course is your life on this morning? The narrow way which leads to life everlasting or the broad way that leads to destruction? THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

Joshua declared in Joshua 24:15, "Choose you this day whom ye shall serve…but as for me and my house we will serve the LORD!"

Friend, JESUS CARES FOR YOU! His great love for you led Him to the Cross to die for you sins. Will you receive today? or Will you reject Him like Judas did?

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