Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak

Matthew 26:31-46

Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. Zech. 13:7

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will. Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!

It is Luke who depicts most vividly the agony of Christ's prayer in the garden. On the way to their special place, the olive-orchard of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. Jesus prepares his followers - Peter most of all - for their own failure.

The prospect of his suffering fills Jesus with horror. It was more than the fear of a terrible death, though no reasons are given here. Peter, writing later, says that Jesus 'was bearing our sins in His own body on the cross. (1 Peter 2:24)

Why?

Jesus knew what happens the next step, but the disciples did not sense what will be. 

For most of us same as Jesus described, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. So watch and pray so that we will not fall into temptation.

Jesus faces the coming death alone, his soul is overwhelmed with sorrow, but Jesus still chose to follow the way of the Lord.

--------

耶穌預言他被害，門徒會四散。彼得講大話，我們似乎也常常如此的說，沒有多久，我們可能就犯罪，違背神了。

客西馬尼園的禱告，看到耶穌面對軟弱，及門徒如何面對軟弱。主允許人跌倒，主復活後往加利利去等他們，是要他們重新開始。主知道我們會軟弱，會失敗，但是耶穌不會失敗，耶穌帶我們，讓我們靠耶穌重新開始。我們不要笑彼得，我們可能比彼得更軟弱，早就跑更遠，彼得還遠遠的跟著。自以為不會跌倒的，是最容易失敗的人。沒有人可以免疫軟弱。耶穌也是人，面對十架，他也會軟弱，難過，耶穌沒有用神性來面對。耶穌此時多麼需要有人陪他，明白他的苦難與軟弱。耶穌正視自己的軟弱，不足的，向天父傾心吐意！不是在宣告自己有信心！不是在喊口號。我們不要怕承認自己是軟弱的，我們只有在神面前承認自己軟弱，才能讓神幫助我們，不是我們不行神 旨意。不要照我們的意思，照主的意思，這是願意順服神。這樣照著神的旨意求，神垂聽。我們心裏願意，肉體軟弱不能拿來當做藉口。

起來！我們走吧。看哪，賣我的人近了！一般人是逃跑，但是耶穌卻往要捕捉他的人走去。耶穌沒有像彼得喊口號，反而是承認自己的軟弱。

---------

How?

Jesus shed his blood for our sins, what we can do is follow Jesus and proclaim the gospel to our neighbor. Be a good witness to attract people to come to Jesus.

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins

 Matthew 26:17-30

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”  Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

On the first evening of the festival. Jesus and is close friends meet as a family to eat the Passover meal together - and the old Passover is transformed into the Lord's Supper as the Lamb of God prepares to la down his life for the world. This is as the scriptures said it would be, but that does not remove the guilt from Judas.

To the familiar words of the blessing: 'Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who bringest forth bread from the earth. 'Jesus adds his own startling words, 'this is my body. He is going to be killed. And by his death, a new covenant will be made, in place of the old covenant between God and Israel made at the exodus. His blood is 'poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. By eating and drinking, his disciples share in the benefits of his sacrifice.

Why?

Jesus knew the time of his death is near, so the Passover is the old festival, but it also means a new covenant will be established between God and his people. 

Jesus knew Judas who betrays Him, but most disciples did not know it, or they did not sense it is real.

Jesus shed his blood for our sins, and his sacrifices become our salvation, through his body and blood we may be free from the sins.

--------

1.耶穌要門徒預備逾越節宴席

   逾越節的宴席，耶穌早就好了，表面上是門徒去想辦法。我們常常擔心一些事，其實耶穌已經預備好了。

2.耶穌指出有門徒出賣他。跟耶穌說和他一起吃飯的人當中有人要出賣他。在中東能一起吃飯表示關係很好，卻有人要出賣他。猶大想要30兩銀子且不是他所期待的彌賽亞。我們今天所信的耶穌、上帝是合乎我們的期待。我們希望自己的心意、自己喜歡的，被主認同，耶穌也喜歡。今天我們應該是耶穌所喜悅的，是我們所喜好的。不是為了滿足自己的好處。

3.聖餐：說明他這是最後一餐了，他早知這件事，也知道猶大要賣他。他在要死之前都還在門徒的事，教導門徒。耶穌把自己奉獻給我們，我們還和神計較什麼?

----------

How?

Jesus is my salvation, my Lord, and my way in my life. Please give me a humble heart to follow the way God gives to me.

The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me **

 Matthew 26:1-16

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

It is two days before Passover Day, when the lambs were killed in re-enactment of that day, long ago in Egypt, when their blood kept death from the Israelites door. The symbolism is deeply significant for Matthew. The chief priests and elders of the Sanhedrin Council make the death-plot official.

At this crucial moment, Judas, perhaps disillusioned about the kind of Messiah Jesus has turned out to be, or for some other motive, unexplained, changes side.

Why?

This woman is the only one who poured perfume on Jesus for him before he crucifies.

Jesus told them he will be handed over to be crucified. Might be caused Judah disillusioned about the Messiah.

There are many poor in our environment, but it is seldom walking with Jesus. For we are always busy in our business, but less have a close relationship with Jesus.

----------

1.大祭司等人商量一個計謀要殺耶穌，因為他們是既得利益者。抗拒耶穌，否定神。當人遇見神挑戰我們內心在意的事，很容易拒絕神。

2.玉瓶的香膏，價值一年的薪水。可以做很多善事，抹在主身上，何必枉費此事呢?什麼是有意義的事，什麼是沒有意義的?沒有成果，我們常常認為沒有成果是浪費時間。讀經沒有讀出亮光，這段時間好像浪費。這提醒我們，不是看是否有成果，但是是否討神的喜悅?重要的是親近神，不一定要有成果。以西結去傳神的話，神已經說沒有人會聽，以西結豈是都浪費呢?這女人知道耶穌的心情。耶穌講了三次主要受死的事，門徒卻一直沒有反應，只有這個女人注意到耶穌的心情。我們關心的事，是否是神所關心的事?

3.所謂將香膏賣了，就可以幫助窮人。猶大去和祭司長討價還價的價錢，也是這香膏的價錢。猶大寧可不要主，要30兩銀子，這個女人是被人拒絕的，卻不要銀子而要耶穌。我們好像要去幫助窮人，其實是為了自己，為了自己的名望。我們主日來教會好像一天浪費了，我們是要主還是認為要陪家人比較重要?不管神的心。

-------------

How?

Come close the Jesus for Jesus is our best friend.

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Matthew 25:31-46

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

The sheep and the goats. At the judgment, God takes account of how each one has treated others in this life. In the parable, the 'goats' are punished for failing to do what they should have done.

Why?

This is the last judgment in heaven, people are desperate to two groups, one is the sheep, another are the goats, one is righteousness, another is the evil group.

Jesus asked us to have mercy and favor to the needy men, such as the hungry man, the thirsty, the stranger, no clothes, the sicker, the prisons. 

Love our neighbor and love the Lord is the basic rule in the kingdom of the Lord.

———-

最後審判的區分。

是否我們要去做愛心工作？做善事的人才得救，豈非行為主義？

我弟兄中最小的，助人的對象是在卑微的人當中，不重要的人，可以說是人也是事。哪些人對教會增長有益處的？我們認為重要的與神認為重要的可能不同？讓我們思考什麼是神喜悅的事。

———-

How?

What we have done in our daily life will be revealed before the Lord on that Day.

===============

God is faithful to me! After struggling for two months the problem of IoT, access to the Arduino board from the web, are solved. It is not the problem of programming but the problem of my office wifi configuration. God let my boss purchased a new router set to solve the wireless signal issue, then when I turn the domain from 192.168.11 to 192.168.68, it is worked. I have prayed to the Lord long period for this issue.

神是信實的，垂聽我的禱告，雖然經過兩個半月終於解決了我在物體聯網開發中的瓶頸，神讓我的老闆忽然在賣場買下新的無線分享組，辦公室多了一個無線網路，問題就解決了。原來192.168.11的網路有缺陷。雖然如此，同時間我也接觸更多板子及處理方法。當時每個方法都做到一半可終止，的確令人氣餒。但是我沒有放棄。願一切頌讚、榮耀歸于神！

For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them

Matthew 25:14-30

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.  But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.  For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

A talent was a large sum of money, not a coin. Each man is entrusted with a capital sum in line with his business ability, and he is expected to trade with it. How people use what is given them in this life will determine their future destiny.

Why?

Third story to describe the lazy servant will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The Lord gives us different resources, talent, and prosperity as gifts. Can we like lazy servants don't do anything? No. we should use these resources to make them more and benefit others. Especially the wealthy is needy to the gospel.

Different servant God gives us a different gift, it is fair to everyone. 

--------------

這是連續四個比喻中的第三個。1)按時分糧，2)十個童女，3)五千兩，二千兩與一千兩。誰是忠心有見識的僕人，按時分糧。4)山羊，綿羊

管理神家裏的事，好好分糧，為主人的好處著想，讓主人高興，為神的榮耀。神照每個人被造時的才幹付予不同的任務。神給人託付不一樣，賞賜卻是一樣。為主做事本身就是恩典。沒有貪污、沒有損失主人就滿意了嗎？這是指一種人什麼都不做，只是等耶穌再來。我們不是不做，而是繼續做，成為更多的祝福！這種僕人只顧自己，只要將來被提就好了，神是否得榮耀關心。

--------------

How?

Do our best of talent to earn more and waiting for the coming again of Jesus Christ.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour

 Matthew 25:1-13

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

The wise and foolish girls. This story makes the same point, stressing that one day time will run out. Preparedness is an individual thing. It cannot be borrowed from someone else.

Why?

Prepare the heart and be a faithful servant of the Lord, when Jesus comes again no one knows the time.

What we are doing could not be replaced or borrow from others. It is our credit make in our life.

----------

十個童女的比喻，沒有準備好，要哀哭切齒。這是當地的習俗，新娘的好友，童女準備燈迎接新郎。

1.為什麼? 只有燈沒有油，真的是愚拙。表達沒有好好預備的，只是外表，卻沒有生命，不能發光的燈。我們參加教會的所有活動，卻完全在乎耶穌再來，就如擺設品一樣。

2.燈的油不足。恐怕不夠你我用。表達一個概念，我們所預備的不能分享給別人，生命不能分享給別人，自己的成長不能給別人。可以互相影響，提醒，卻不能以為一個得道，雞狗昇天。一人得救，每個人當信主耶穌，全家才會得救。我們每人與神的關係是單一。

3.怎麼都睡著了。因為有人會通知他們，應該睡覺、休息就休息，平日做他該做的事。預備好就可以高枕無憂。警醒，預備不是緊張的，可是與主有好的關係，按時作習，等待耶穌來。.耶穌來的時間，沒有人知道。

4.神給我們預備的時間夠不夠。新郎延遲，不是延遲是寬容我們，讓我們去預備。當號筒吹響時就來不及了。神給我們預備的時間是足夠的。

----------

How?

Keep watching what I am doing as if Jesus comes today or tomorrow.

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him

Matthew 24:36-51

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The good and bad servants. Because his return will be unexpected. Jesus' followers must always be ready.

Why?

Jesus' coming time is unexpected, so we have to be ready for Jesus. 

The days of Noah will be the same as the coming of the Son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying as usual. But one will be taken and the other left on earth. There is no way to regret for his sins.

All of Christians are the servant of the Lord, only the good servant will be saved and rewarded by the Lord.

------

1.在人一般生活中就來了。一般人根本不在意末日到了的信息，不知不覺中耶穌就來了。

2.v40-41:如何預備主再來呢?耶穌來時，取一個放棄一個，被取的人一定是預備好，而且在田中，在推磨，一樣在工作！仍然在做今天本來該做的事。

3.45-51: 為什麼同樣在工作，有人被取，有人被撇下。有人為主而做，知道我們是僕人是管理者，主才是擁有者。惡僕人不按時分糧，分糧也是按照私意，所做的都是為自己。

-------

How?

Be ready in case Jesus will come today, and do the job that God has told us.