Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
One of the privileges I have as a part of our team at Venture Church is directing our LEAD TEAM program, an 11-month apprenticeship for those exploring ministry as a vocation. (To find out more, check out venturechurch.org/leadteam). In that role, I get to do a deep dive into our mission: “Leading people to know, love, and follow Jesus.” As I do that each year, it solidifies in my mind why we do what we do at Venture Church. As I unpack today’s chapter (Matthew 26), I want to do so through the lens of our mission statement.
Mission: Leading people to know, love, and follow Jesus
As we read Matthew 26, we must understand that we are not reading an isolated account. This chapter stands at the center of one of the most consistently told stories in all four gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are writing to different audiences and from different viewpoints, but they tell the same story with remarkable unity. That alignment matters! It reminds us that the Gospel is not built on legend or sentiment, but on a shared, carefully preserved witness to who Jesus is and what He has done.
1. A woman anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. Others criticize her, but Jesus defends her act of devotion. She recognizes who Jesus is and responds with extravagant worship.
TO KNOW JESUS is more than being able to win at Bible trivia. It’s a recognition and a relationship that leads to worship. The anointing at Bethany appears in multiple gospels with varying details, yet the conclusion remains the same: Jesus is worthy of wholehearted devotion.
• Does my devotion to Jesus reflect personal knowledge and recognition of who He truly is?
2. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane appears in three Gospels (Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14; Luke 22) and each writer captures the same tension: real anguish and real obedience. Mark preserves the raw emotion. Luke adds Jesus’ compassion. Our man Matthew emphasizes submission. The unity of these accounts shows us that Jesus’ suffering was not exaggerated or symbolic - it was real. It reveals a Savior who understands pain and willingly walks into it for our redemption. In Gethsemane, Jesus prays, “Not as I will, but as You will.” His love for the Father is expressed through surrender, even when the path leads to suffering.
TO LOVE JESUS is to trust Him with our fears, plans, preferences...our lives. To trust Him enough to surrender, even when obedience is costly.
• Where is God inviting me to trust Him enough to pray, “Not my will, but Yours”?
3. All four Gospels (Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18) record Peter’s denial. None softens it. None hides it. And that alignment is powerful!
You see, TO FOLLOW JESUS doesn’t require perfection; it requires honesty, repentance, and obedience. God does not erase failure; He redeems it!!! The same Peter who failed publicly would later lead boldly. Failure is not the end of our story!
• Am I letting past failure keep me from present faithfulness?
4. Lastly, the arrest of Jesus is recorded in every Gospel: John emphasizes His authority, Luke His compassion, and Mark the abandonment by the disciples. Matthew emphasizes His obedience, but understands there is one shared truth: Jesus is not a victim of circumstances! It is His plan being fulfilled! Be encouraged today! When we follow Jesus, we join a mission rooted in God’s unstoppable plan!
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.