Now Is the Time

In one paragraph

On March 17, 2024, Pastor Ray walked First B through the final hours before Jesus' arrest, covering the institution of the Lord's Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the arrest itself. The message drew from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John side by side, along with Paul's account in First Corinthians and the Old Testament passages Jesus was fulfilling. Before the sermon, elder Josh Gibson shared a...

Read together

1. John 13:31-35 Jesus speaks of being glorified and gives the new commandment to love one another after Judas leaves
2. John 13:36-38 Peter declares he will lay down his life and Jesus predicts the rooster will not crow before Peter denies him three times
3. Luke 22:31-32 Satan has demanded to sift the disciples like wheat but Jesus has prayed for them that their faith would not fail
4. 1 John 5:4 whoever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith
5. Luke 22:35-38 Jesus tells disciples things are changing, to take money belt and bag, and whoever has no sword to buy one
6. Matthew 26:26-29 institution of the Lord's Supper, Jesus takes bread and cup, blood of the covenant poured out for many for forgiveness of sins
7. Mark 14:22-25 institution of the Lord's Supper, Jesus takes bread and cup, blood of the covenant poured out for many
8. Luke 22:17-20 institution of the Lord's Supper, Jesus takes cup and bread, this is my body, the new covenant in my blood
9. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Paul recounts the institution of the Lord's Supper, do this in remembrance of me, proclaim the Lord's death until he comes
10. Exodus 24:8 Moses sprinkles blood on the people saying behold the blood of the covenant, pointing back to the Old Testament origin of the phrase
11. Zechariah 9:11 because of the blood of my covenant I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit
12. John 6:35 Jesus declares I am the bread of life after feeding the five thousand
13. John 6:66 many disciples walked away because the teaching about feasting on Jesus was too hard
14. Jeremiah 31:31-34 God promises a new covenant written on hearts, forgiving wrongdoing and remembering sin no more
15. John 14 Jesus answers questions about his destination, I am the way the truth and the life, and about the Father and the Holy Spirit
16. John 15:1-5 the vine and the branches, I am the vine you are the branches, abide in me and you will bear fruit
17. John 15:18-16:4 opposition from the world that the disciples will face
18. John 16:16-22 prediction that disciples will weep and mourn but their grief will be turned to joy at the resurrection
19. John 16:23-33 promise of answered prayer and the peace Jesus gives
20. John 17 the high priestly prayer Jesus prays for his disciples and all who will believe through their testimony
21. Matthew 26:30-35 after singing a hymn they go to the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicts all will fall away, Peter insists he never will
22. Mark 14:26-31 after singing a hymn they go to the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicts scattering of the sheep, Peter insists he will not deny
23. Zechariah 13:7 I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, Jesus quotes this predicting the disciples will fall away
24. Matthew 26:36-46 Jesus prays in Gethsemane three times, asking if the cup can pass, disciples found sleeping
25. Mark 14:32-42 Jesus prays in Gethsemane, Abba Father remove this cup, disciples sleeping, the hour has come
26. Luke 22:39-46 Jesus prays at the Mount of Olives, angel strengthens him, sweat like drops of blood, disciples sleeping from sorrow
27. Matthew 26:47-56 Judas arrives with a crowd, betrayal kiss, disciple cuts off ear, Jesus rebukes sword use, disciples flee
28. Mark 14:43-52 Judas leads crowd to arrest Jesus, slave's ear cut off, disciples flee, young man escapes naked
29. Luke 22:47-53 Judas approaches to kiss Jesus, disciples ask shall we strike, ear cut off, Jesus heals the ear, this is the hour of darkness
30. John 18:1-11 Jesus crosses the Kidron ravine to a garden, I am he causes the crowd to fall back, Peter identified as the one who cut off Malchus's ear
31. Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious but present requests to God with thanksgiving and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds

Talk about it

1. Josh read a poem that says 'I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.' Where have you seen someone's life communicate the gospel more clearly than their words did?
2. Pastor Ray pointed out that when Jesus warned Satan would sift the disciples like wheat, the 'you' is plural, meaning the warning and the prayer were for all of them, not just Peter. How does it change the way you read that passage to know Jesus was interceding for the whole group, and by extension for us?
3. Peter insisted he would never deny Jesus, even to death, right before he did exactly that. Pastor Ray said we often do not realize our own limitations the way Jesus does. Where in your own life have you been confident you would hold up, and then discovered you were weaker than you thought?
4. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed three times that the cup might pass, each time surrendering to the Father's will. Pastor Ray connected this to Abraham trusting God on the mountain. What does it look like practically to pray honestly for a way out of something hard while still submitting to God's will?
5. Luke notes that Peter, James, and John were found sleeping 'from sorrow,' meaning they had cried themselves to sleep watching Jesus' agony. How does that detail shift the way you feel about them, and what does it say about how grief and faithfulness can exist at the same time?