sheep without a shepherd

Throughout this class, we have explored

Matthew’s use of how Old Testament

prophecies point to Jesus.

We’ll do that tonight (Matthew 26:31/Zechariah

13:7).

However, tonight we also have the opportunity to see

Jesus, the Messiah, has a prophet.

In our passage, Jesus makes two prophecies.

It’s no surprise, but both of His prophecies take place just as

He had said.

MATTHEW 26:31-35

In context, this is immediately after the Last

Supper.

Jesus has just instituted the Lord’s Supper (vv 26-29).

Jesus and His disciples have sung a hymn and have

gone out to the Mount of Olives (v 30).

Throughout Matthew 26, Jesus has predicted

His coming death.

Verses 18, 21, 24, 28.

The disciples should have understood at this point.

In Luke (22:31-31) and in John (13:36-38),

this conversation took place while Jesus and

the disciples are still in the upper room.

Matthew and Mark both change the order.

The purpose of changing the chronological order

seems to be to demonstrate the gravity of the

situation.

Jesus knows that His time is at hand.

Even His closest disciples are going to desert Him.

Jesus’ arrest and the disciples’ desertion are

very close – “this night.”

Jesus’ arrest would be a cause of

offense/stumbling block for the disciples.

How did Jesus’ arrest cause the disciples to stumble?

Do people still stumble because of Jesus?

Do we sometimes stumble because of Jesus?

How might we stumble because of Jesus?

How could we keep ourselves from stumbling because of

Him?

Jesus uses Zechariah 13:7 to demonstrate

that what is about to happen was known by

God for all of eternity.

Sometimes the question is asked, “Did prophets

prophesy because God knew what was going to

happen, or did the prophecies come true because

God caused them?”

It seems this is a case where we know that God used

prophets to predict what would happen.

God wouldn’t cause someone to stumble.

ZECHARIAH 13:1-7

This text certainly seems Messianic to its core.

The prophet speaks about the prevalence of

apostasy, and that God will cut off about two-thirds of

the land.

Yet, there will be a remnant (“one -third shall be left

in [the land]” (v 8).

The disciples seem to form the core of the remnant who

would remain.

Do the religious leaders of Jesus’ day stand for those who

would apostatize?

When the Shepherd is struck, the sheep will

scatter.

Why would the sheep scatter?

Why is a shepherd so important?

How is Jesus a shepherd?

“I am the good shepherd” (Jn 10:11).

“When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory

that does not fade away” (1 Pet 5:4).

How do we follow Jesus as our Shepherd?

It’s interesting to note that Jesus here makes

a prediction about what’s going to happen

with the disciples.

Jesus has supernatural knowledge about what is to

occur and how His disciples are going to act.

Does Jesus still have supernatural knowledge?

Does He know how you are going to act?

How should Jesus’ knowledge impact the way that we live?

Jesus promised that after he was raised, He

would go before the disciples to Galilee.

Matthew 28:16-20.

This statement would give the disciples hope and

direction.

Jesus wasn’t going to remain dead; He would be raised.

The disciples had direction/purpose.

They were to meet Jesus in Galilee.

From there, Jesus would send them all over the world.

Doesn’t Jesus still give us direction/purpose?

Peter boldly says that even if every other

disciple stumbles because of Jesus, he never

will.

Where did Peter get his arrogance?

What did his arrogance cost him?

What does arrogance cost us?

Before the rooster crows, Peter would deny

Jesus three times.

What’s the significance of the rooster crowing?

The significance seems to be that Peter would deny Jesus

that very night.

Rooster crow in the morning, and this discourse is likely

taking place late at night.

We know that Jesus’ prediction took place just as He

had promised (Matt 26:69-75).