Jesus' foreknowledge and promise

Q: What does the Bible say about Jesus' foreknowledge?

The Bible teaches that Jesus has complete foreknowledge of all events, knowing who will come to Him in faith. Scripture reveals that Jesus possesses omniscience, which means He has complete knowledge of all things, including future events. In Matthew 26:31-32, He prophesies the scattering of His disciples and assures them of His resurrection. This foreknowledge is founded on His divine nature as the Son of God, who not only knows the future but also controls it with His divine will. He understands that His sacrificial death is essential for salvation, explicitly stating that He will lay down His life for many. Thus, Jesus’ foreknowledge underscores His intimate connection with the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

Q: How do we know Jesus' sacrifice was necessary for salvation?

Jesus' sacrifice was necessary to satisfy God's justice and provide salvation to sinners. According to Scripture, Jesus' sacrifice is central to God's redemptive plan. He uniquely lived a perfect life, which qualified Him to be the Lamb of God, a sacrifice without blemish for sin. Matthew 26 illustrates the profound moment when Jesus foreshadows His impending death, explaining that He must be smitten for the salvation of His people. This sacrifice satisfies God's righteous justice, allowing sinful humanity to be reconciled with Him. The principle of substitution is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Old Testament and found fulfillment in Jesus as seen in Isaiah 53, which describes the suffering servant who bears the iniquities of many.

Q: Why is the concept of being 'scattered' significant in the Bible?

The scattering of Jesus' disciples symbolizes human frailty and the fulfillment of prophecy. The scattering of Jesus' disciples, as foretold in Matthew 26:31-32, illustrates the inevitable weakness of humanity in the face of trials and temptations. Despite their previous vows of loyalty, the disciples were unable to stand firm when faced with persecution. This scattering was a fulfillment of prophetic scripture, indicating that even in their failure, God's sovereignty is at work. Jesus reassured them that His resurrection would restore their fellowship, demonstrating His grace despite their shortcomings. This theme resonates with believers today, reminding us that while we may falter, God remains faithful and brings us back into communion with Him.

Q: How does Peter's denial of Jesus and his subsequent restoration relate to grace?

Peter's denial shows human failure, but his restoration highlights God's grace and forgiveness. Peter's denial of Jesus serves as a potent reminder of human frailty and the potential for failure in the disciples' lives. Despite his bold declarations of loyalty, he succumbed to fear and pressure, ultimately denying Christ. However, Jesus' loving restoration of Peter after the resurrection emphasizes the depth of God's grace. In John 21, when Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him, it reflects Peter’s need for redemption and assurance that he is still called to serve. This narrative beautifully encapsulates the heart of sovereign grace: no failure can remove us from God's love, and His mercies are new every morning, inviting us to restore our relationship with Him.

As the Lord may be pleased to help us this morning, I'd like to invite your prayerful attention to the words we read in the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 26. We'll take as our text two verses, verses 31 and 32. Matthew 26, verse 31. Then said Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep and the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Matthew 26 verses 31 and 32. We have here the discourse of the Lord Jesus as he was going up to the Mount of Olives.

And we must always keep in mind that the Lord Jesus is he of whom the writers of the Hebrews begins his epistle with those wonderful words telling us who our Lord Jesus truly is. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. The brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power.

Truly, as the Lord Jesus said at one time, he that has seen me has seen the Father. I and my Father are one. Our Lord Jesus had a full knowledge of all things. He is omniscient. Omni means all things, and the scient bit comes from the word science and science is knowledge so the Lord Jesus has a full knowledge of all things even today and he is omnipotent all power belongs to him and therefore he has the ability to foretell the future and he knew that the only way whereby souls could be saved and God's righteous justice can be satisfied is for him, he who uniquely lived a life of perfection on this earth, none before and none since have achieved this, he only.

And therefore, our Lord Jesus knew that this was the way of salvation and he had to give himself that sacrifice for sin to satisfy God's righteous justice, pay the penalty that was due to sinners, whereby salvation's wondrous love and mercy is secured, and souls are saved.

Those who come to Jesus, they're never cast away. He welcomes sinners. Those who come in a spirit of repentance and living faith, which is God's gift to his people, are those who go away rejoicing because they have been with Jesus. Jesus was about to give his life a ransom for many.

He had more than once told his disciples that he would be taken by wicked hands, he would suffer, he would be crucified, and on the third day he would rise again. But we read the disciples did not understand these things which he told them. And now that time has come that his disciples were with him and the prophecy is being fulfilled. It's quite remarkable that the prophet Zechariah had a wonderful inspiration of God of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth, his finished work, and the events that would come to pass.

And we read in Zechariah 13 and verse 7, a Waco sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts. The Lord there is in capital letters, that is Jehovah, the eternal God. Smite the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. it shall come to pass that in the land shall the lord saith the lord two parts therein shall be cut off and die but the third shall be left therein and i will bring the third part through the fire and we'll refine them as silver is refined and we'll try them as gold is tried They shall call on my name and I will hear them. I will say, it is my people. And they shall say, the Lord is my God. What a wonderful gospel we have in the Old Testament. Looking forward to our Lord Jesus, who is the fulfillment of all the prophecies.

And the picture there, of gold and silver being refined is that when the refiner of these metals is working, the raw ore of the gold and silver are put into a container, usually an earthenware one because a metal one would melt the same as the metal that is in it, and the heat underneath turns the metal into liquid and the impurities come to the top and the refiner very carefully skims off the top until there are no impurities coming up to the surface and it shines like a mirror now when the refiner can look in it and see his face clearly he knows that that is then pure gold or pure silver And God himself works in the heart, mind, and soul of his people so that he can see his own image, his own righteousness at work in them, and his divine authority is satisfied.

It is his work. He says, I will work, and who shall let it? Who shall hinder it? And he tells us about those three thirds, two thirds, and one third, and it would seem as though the people that are tried, they will come through. My people are referred to.

They become instruments in God's hand to do his will. It must surely have been frightening for those disciples to see their dear saviour led away as a criminal. They loved him because he first loved them. They worked with him. He taught them. They were his disciples, his learners.

He was equipping them for the future and the formation of the New Testament church. and what a privilege they had but what did the savior say in john chapter 10 we have so so much in the scriptures to encourage us and we read in john's gospel how that um where we have the chapter 10 regarding the sheep and the shepherd chapter 10 and verse 18 the Lord Jesus says no man taketh it from me so I lay down my life that I might take it again no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of myself I have power to lay it down I have power to take it again this commandment have I received from my father In that same chapter, he says, and other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. He's speaking there of the Gentiles. Not only the word came to the Jews, but the other sheep, they will come to a saving knowledge of himself. and they will all belong to the same sheep, the same fold, the same shepherd.

And it's interesting to note that in the middle of all this, we have a clear account of what we refer to as the Lord's Supper. And we read together how that the Lord Jesus presided over this Passover service, and it was that very time that the Lord's Supper, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, replaced the Passover of the Old Testament. The Passover, of course, refers to the children of Israel coming out of Egyptian captivity, and they had to They had the instructions to take a lamb of the flock, a lamb without blemish, and that was sufficient for the sacrifice. It had to be a lamb, not with any perfection, any disease, any inability, no, a lamb without blemish.

When John the Baptist, who had the privilege introducing and heralding in the work of the Lord Jesus. He didn't just say, this is the Lord Jesus, listen to him. He told people to look at him. Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Behold, look to Jesus. All those who look, lived in the time of Moses when they were bitten by those snakes. And what a blessing it is that we can look to Jesus today and see in him his complete work finished, his ongoing work of intercession continuing on our behalf.

And the Lord Jesus told them to go into the city such a man and say to him the master saith my time is at hand i will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples the disciples did as jesus had appointed them and they made ready the passover and jesus sat down with the 12 and as they did eat that was during this passover service One of you shall betray me. They were exceeding sorrowful and began, every one of them to say, is it I? And we read together how this worked out. The Lord Jesus would surely be very sorrowful.

He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but there was one Judas who betrayed him. And going on to verse 26, he said, as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and break it. He blessed it and break it. I don't need to tell you that when the bread is broken before it's distributed, it's foretelling the suffering, the bodily suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. He gave his life, a ransom for many. And the very fact that the bread is broken and is distributed tells us of the spreading of the gospel.

It goes forth. Jesus said of himself, I am the bread of life. This we read of in John chapter six. He that believeth in me hath life everlasting. I'm the bread of life, he says. Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup and gave thanks. And in like manner, the cup is shared amongst all those believers who are there. And each one, he says, drink you all of it.

Not some of you, by this time, we can well understand that Judas would have separated himself from them. But the Lord Jesus said to them, I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you, with you dear disciples, in my father's kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

The teaching we have in this part of God's word, dear friends, is that God leads his people. He is the good shepherd. And the good shepherd in the east leads his sheep. The sheep know that they depend on him for pasture, and he leads them where the pasture is. But God is the good shepherd who never leaves his people. He leads them, yes, and he never leaves. He said, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. It's a wonder and a blessing.

The power of God's grace is such that they might forsake the Lord Jesus, but he will not and cannot ever forsake them. so that before they're outpowered by the reality of what Jesus had told them would come to pass. Although we read earlier on, we read very clearly in Luke's gospel, but they understood not what he said. And surely people can sadly grow cold and walk at a distance. but not so with our Lord Jesus. They shall be scattered, it says in verse 32, but after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

What a promise. The Lord Jesus knew what would happen. He knew all about what would happen to Peter. Peter made that solemn vow to the Lord Jesus He said, though all men forsake thee, yet will not I. And the Lord Jesus looked at Peter, and he said very clearly to him, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. The Lord Jesus had power to permit this to happen.

But what a blessing it is The Lord Jesus didn't leave it there. He said, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And this surely the apostle Peter did. Peter still followed the Lord Jesus, but we read he followed him afar off. And he came and sat down where the Lord Jesus was being tried. That unofficial judgment, it took place at night, which was not according to the law. But the Lord Jesus, we must always remember, he was still in control, he was still in power. Whatever they did to him, they could not do more than he would permit.

And he knew, as we used to sing sometimes, you know, the hymn, He knew how wicked man had been. He knew that God must punish sin. So for his people, Jesus said, I'll bear the punishment instead. There's wonderful truths laid out simply for us to understand in so many children's hymns, aren't there? But what a blessing it is that God has given to us a mind to attempt to understand and comprehend God's loving kindness, his wondrous grace laid out and explained in scripture whereby we might come to a fuller and deeper knowledge of our need and our Lord Jesus who alone can meet our need because He came for this very purpose. He came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him, he said, and to finish his work.

And he knew he would rise again. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Following the greatest conflict that was ever won, the battle that the Lord Jesus fought, whereby sin could be put away, there was so much blessing and favor following the finished work of the Lord Jesus.

Yes, his disciples did scatter, we're given more detail about Peter than the others but then Peter had to go through Satan's sieve and when Peter came through it and got to the other side and the Lord Jesus was restoring him Peter who comes over rather big and bold and unafraid and yet The Lord Jesus was with him, although he failed. The Lord Jesus had not left him, and he restored him so remarkably, didn't he? The enemy of souls is so vicious. His darts are referred to as fiery darts and God is able to use whatever situation he chooses to lead us and teach us of his wonderful love. Our risen saviour made sure his disciples met with him again in Galilee. Oh yes, we sometimes sing, the soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes. That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

What a wonderful truth. Job, knew something of these wonderful truths, didn't he? We read in Job 17 these words. There's a man called Bildad who's supposed to be one of Job's friends. Remember, there was Job in all his affliction. He'd lost everything. He was suffering from boils all over his body. And when his three friends came to see him, they hardly recognized him.

And their mission, it would seem, would be to find out from Job what great sin he had committed, whereby all this judgment had come upon him. And Bildad sought to go into Job's life to see what he had done upright men shall be astonished at this and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite and job says to build ad the righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger the righteous shall hold on his way god put this into job's very heart, mind, and soul, that his righteousness in the coming Lord Jesus is that which is sufficient for him. And what a wonderful belief in the resurrection was given to Job in chapter 19. This work goes on with them trying to Judge Job. But Job answers them, why do you persecute me as God and are not satisfied with my flesh?

Oh, that my words were not written. Oh, that they were printed in a book. Praise God they are. We've got them, haven't we, before us this morning. This is Job 19 and verses 22 onwards. And we read in verse 24 that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever. And then what a vision Job was given. In all his doubt and despair, God shines through.

For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. But ye should say, why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? Be ye afraid of the sword, for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is judgment."

What a blessing was given to Job when he was in darkness and he didn't know how long God would permit that condition to continue. But what he did know was that his Redeemer lived. He could look forward to the blessings to follow in the finished work of the Lord Jesus, whereby redemption, the price to redeem is paid. And all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are those who are redeemed, brought back, and our dear Savior has paid the price.

Going back to the Apostle Peter, we have more detail of Peter's experience than the other disciples. We don't realize our weakness, do we, compared with the power of the enemy. Satan's temptations, as we've already mentioned, are referred to as darts. Epistle to the Ephesians we have these wonderfully encouraging words Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 16 Above all, take in the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." God has provided us with a shield, a shield of faith. And this part of God's word begins in Ephesians 6, verse 11, and the Christian is told to instructed by God, put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

I well remember a man coming to see my dear old dad years ago. He came knocking on the door and his face looked so sad. And he wanted to tell my father that he'd done something to upset someone. And he said, this man provoked me. He said, and I answered him back. And I didn't share the gospel with him. brushed him off. He said, what I did, he realized what he did, he said, I'll let my shield drop. He said, I felt as I was being fired at by the devil, and my shield wasn't there to protect me. And it put him in a wrong spirit.

And my father, a very kindly natured man, he did his best to encourage him. That's not the end of this thing. He said there is a way back to God, and he tried all he could to encourage him. This man was in a state of despair because he realized where his problem was. He said, I was given a shield bullet and hold it up, and it's done damage in me.

But how remarkably, Peter was restored in Galilee. Yes, three times the Lord Jesus asked him, lovest thou me? The apostle Peter said, yes Lord, I love thee. And he said, feed my lambs. He asked him again, the second time. Lovest thou me?" And Peter said, yes Lord, I love thee. And he said, feed my sheep. And then he asked him a third time. And we read that Peter was troubled because he asked him a third time.

Surely, going through Peter's alert mind, and he was blessed with an alert mind, wasn't he? He'd be looking back to the third time of those series of three, when he denied that he knew the Lord Jesus. And we don't read at that time that the Lord Jesus said anything to him. Following that, we read that the Lord Jesus turned and looked at Peter. He looked at him, and Peter's heart then melted. He went out, we read, and wept bitterly. went bitterly.

His confession was there before the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus saw it. And where they were in Galilee, just as the word was given to them, I will go before you into Galilee. It was there. The third time, the Lord Jesus said to Peter, feed my sheep. And this he did.

Peter boldly preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus and his risen power, and how that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin. And 3,000 souls repented and believed. We rejoice when we hear of three, don't we? There were 3,000. May the Lord come in power. and mercy. Our prayer is time and time again, will thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee. And so when we think of the way the Lord Jesus was going at this time, the Mount of Olives. Olive means the press. The olive press was there, and for the olive oil to come out of the olive fruit, that fruit has to be crushed. The Lord Jesus permitted his life to be taken.

He was so mocked and cruelly treated, and then died that cruel death on the cross. But what a blessing. has come from this event, this most crucial event in the history of this world. And as we read Isaiah 53, it's almost as though this wonderful part of God's word, God had pulled back the curtain of time because it reads as though it's all in the past tense. The Lord Jesus himself is, in the mind of God, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, and he is the Lamb which is the eternal sacrifice for sin.

We read, the Lord shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the small with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death. For he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made into session for the transgressors.

The Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world is our dear Savior on whom our hopes of heaven depend. And what a blessing it is that we have a record of the wonderful prayer, the high priestly prayer of the Lord Jesus We have it in John 17. Nine times in that chapter, in that wonderful prayer of the Lord Jesus with his disciples around him, he's praying to his Father with them and for them. And nine times he says, I have. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have manifested thy name unto the world. I have given them The words which thou gavest me, I have kept. He says, I kept them in thy name. Those whom thou gavest me, I have kept.

And none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, Judas, that the scriptures might be fulfilled. And now I come to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in them. Verse 14, I have given them thy word. Verse 22, I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one. Verse 25, I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. Verse 26, I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it. that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. But it's well worth noticing, dear friends, verse 20.

It's the Lord Jesus praying with and praying for his disciples. And then in verse 20, we read, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. that they may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

To think that the Lord Jesus himself, knowing all that was before him, he was about to be betrayed and become that supreme sacrifice for sin, and he could see others than his disciples and the Jewish people that he knew, he says, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word.

The word which they're inspired to record in the scriptures, the word that is the construction of the New Testament church, We, dear friends, are the recipients, we're the beneficiaries of that wonderful covenant of grace. And therefore, surely, we should ever rejoice because God leads his people and never leaves them. And he has prayed for us, and what high things they are, that they also may be one in us, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, united with the New Testament Church of all every nation, kindred, and tribe. And just as the Lord Jesus prayed, as he is one with his father, so they might be one with him and his father. What wondrous grace, what mercy, So may the Lord bless these words to us this morning and may he cause us even as we read those words given to the Philippian church so many years ago the apostle Paul wrote to them he said he which has begun a good work in you will perform it he will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ. What a wondrous saviour we have, whom once he loves he never leaves, but loves them to the end, and then he's with them for all eternity. May the Lord bless his word to us this morning. Amen.

Jesus' foreknowledge and promise

What does the Bible say about Jesus' foreknowledge?

How do we know Jesus' sacrifice was necessary for salvation?

Why is the concept of being 'scattered' significant in the Bible?

How does Peter's denial of Jesus and his subsequent restoration relate to grace?

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Jesus' foreknowledge and promise

What does the Bible say about Jesus' foreknowledge?

How do we know Jesus' sacrifice was necessary for salvation?

Why is the concept of being 'scattered' significant in the Bible?

How does Peter's denial of Jesus and his subsequent restoration relate to grace?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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