Calvary Chapel, Brazos, Eddie Sahakian, Pastor
December 3, 2023
“Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? O… Christian, Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
WERE YOU THERE?
Perhaps you have imagined yourself at the Last Supper, horrified as you heard Jesus say that he was about to be betrayed and executed; then watching as the twelve disciples revealed their pride, selfishness, ambition, and fear.
You might have wanted to cry out to Judas, “Oh, no, please don’t leave; please don’t betray Jesus!” But, you had the New Testament, and you knew that someone had to be the son of perdition, and pave the way for Jesus to be tried and executed, to cover the cost of your sins and mine!
WERE YOU THERE?
If so, what do you know about those twelve disciples who reclined around that table that fatal day? After following Jesus for three years, they certainly seemed less than angelic.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke devoted a combined total of only 41 verses to the Passover Supper.
John, however, dedicated four entire chapters. He recorded the various conversations between Jesus and his twelve confused and ignorant disciples.
But don’t be too hard on those guys. At that point in time, they hadn’t enjoyed any of the precious benefits that we have, and so shouldn’t be held to as high a standard as you or me. Consider this:
The disciples had wandered around for three years, following a frequently criticized itinerant preacher, but you follow The risen Savior.
They tried to comprehend his sometimes confusing but always heavenly thoughts, but you have the entire Bible.
Think of the confusion and fear that nearly overwhelmed them when he prophesied, “One of you shall betray me;” and made reference to his imminent death… “The Son of man goes….”
But you’re not confused! If you’ve been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, you are able to understand everything that transpired, because it’s recorded in the New Testament. And you have the Holy Spirit to teach you.
Not so the disciples! They were not saved, because He had not yet cried from the Cross, “It is finished!”
WERE YOU THERE?
Can you see your own personality reflected in one of them?
Matthew 10:2-4 states: Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
Count them; he started with twelve.
WERE YOU THERE?
With the exception of Judas Iscariot—who had other business to attend to, and left the dinner party early, and then decided to hang out by himself—the other eleven Apostles spent the entire Passover with Jesus, starting with an argument over whether he should wash their feet, and ending when they sang a hymn, and went out to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.
And later, just as Jesus prophesied, Peter denied him three times. Worse, all eleven deserted him when the going got tough.
But following His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ got them back together for forty days, during which time he taught many and performed countless miracles. Then he promised them: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses….” (Acts 1:8), Before his ascension, he said, “All power is given unto me….” Mt 28:19-20). When all was finally done, he was taken up into heaven.
And the eleven returned to the upper room, and were gathered there on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit infused the Church with spiritual fire.
But then what happened to them?
WERE YOU THERE?
Of the original twelve, ONLY Peter, James, John, Matthew, and Judas Iscariot, are ever again mentioned in the Bible.
In Acts, Luke records minute details about the ministries of Peter, John, and James. He writes of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch; of Ananias and Sapphira; and he tells how the Holy Spirit commanded the church: “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Yet, we have not a single such reference to any of the other seven Apostles. As far as they are concerned, we have only traditions, legends, myths, and apocryphal literature to attest to any Christian service. But there is no record in God’s Word. We have no real evidence.
We can only conclude that—in spite of their spending three years sharing Jesus’ ministry—that the majority of Christ’s disciples may actually have failed to carry out his Great Commission. They may have dabbled, but did they do?
Why do I mention this? Because every church I have ever attended had more than its share of glib “do nothings.”
The disciples were just human beings, like me…and you!
Peter was specifically anointed, but we see several occasions on which he fell short. According to Jesus Christ, you have as much opportunity and potential to change the world as the disciples. In John 7:38, the Lord Jesus Christ says, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
You are only limited by a couple of things: First The talents God gave you, and second, your willingness to undertake the work he gives you. Don’t make excuses!
(1) God gave you talents which you are to exercise. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus said(Matthew 25:15):
“And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability…”
(2) And that brings us to the second point; your willingness to obey. You are to put feet to your faith? James 2:14 states:
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
Perhaps you consider some tasks to be beneath you. I know a pastor’s wife who was criticized by her mother-in-law for demeaning herself by cleaning the church bathrooms. She could have answered, “No one else is willing.” But she really thought of it as washing the disciple’s filthy feet. Did God reward her faithfulness? Not long after, a Christian radio station provided free air time every weekday morning so that she could share her “Reflections.”
God is faithful to us. Are we faithful to him?
James 4:10 states, “Draw night to God, and He will exalt you.”
Time runs short. This world’s in trouble. As we partake of these emblems of Jesus Christ’s body and blood this morning, why not consecrate yourself to developing your own talents and using them for God’s glory?
“But what can I do?” you ask.
Start where you are, and the Lord will take you where you need to go! You might help in Sunday school, the nursery, or, even cleaning bathrooms. You might even touch the heart of God by going soul winning.
“But, wait!” another cries. “I’m old, infirm, poor, or I live far away.”
You can still send notes of encouragement, emails, text messages, and phone calls to those who need encouragement. Above all, you can pray!
If you’re faithful, Matthew 25:21 states what your Lord will say to you?
“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord”
In Luke’s account of the Last Supper, he distilled the essence of Christ’s entire life in two verses. In Luke 22:19, he wrote:
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me”
Then, in Luke 22:20, we are told:
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you”.