Join Tony Perkins for a special Good Friday edition of Washington Watch as he explores the profound events of the Passion Week. Delve into the timeless narratives of Matthew 26-28, examining the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through the lens of Perkins’ daily devotionals. Learn how these pivotal moments in history demand a fresh perspective on the power of hope found not on Capitol Hill, but on a hill called Calvary.
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From the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
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Welcome to this Good Friday edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for joining us. Well, coming up, Congress has been out this week, but the world hasn’t slowed down. There is no shortage of headlines or events that demand our attention. But today, as we approach Resurrection Weekend, I want to step back from the breaking news and focus on the good news. Because our hope, we know this, our hope is not found on Capitol Hill, but on a hill called Calvary. So today we’re going to do something I’m not sure we’ve ever done before on this program. We’re going to walk through the timeless account of God’s grace and mercy as it’s recorded in Matthew chapters 26 through 28, the crucifixion, the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But we’re going to do it through the lenses of Stand on the Word, our daily Bible reading plan. And what you’ll hear today actually comes from the morning devotionals that I do each day, walking step by step through these defining moments of history. We began a new two-year journey through the Bible this past January, and I’ll share later how you can join us in that journey each day. But before we begin, let me just say this. Good Friday reminds us that the darkest moment in human history became the doorway to redemption. What looked like defeat was in fact the unfolding of God’s greatest victory. And that changes how we see everything. So with that, let’s turn our attention to Matthew chapter 26. Verse 1, Now it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings that he said to his disciples, You know that after two days is the Passover and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified. Now, this follows Jesus’ prophetic discourse that we read in chapters 24 and 25. It’s now Wednesday, and Jesus says that he would be betrayed, and on Friday, Passover, he would be crucified. Verse 3, Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. But, they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people. Now don’t miss this. The so-called religious leaders wanted to avoid killing Jesus during Passover for fear of creating a riot among the people. This is more evidence, and we’re going to see even more, that Jesus’ life was not taken from him, but he gave it. The leaders did not want to kill Jesus during the Passover, but yet he died on the cross on the same day that the Passover lambs were being slain in the temple. Coincidence? No. The Passover pointed back to the deliverance from Egypt when the angel of death passed over their homes, and it looked forward to the Messiah, the Passover lamb. this next event actually occurs four days prior to the first part of this chapter so this one event is not in chronological order verse six and when jesus was in bethany at the house of simon the leper now we don’t know anything else about simon but it’s obvious that he’s no longer a leper because he’s hosting jesus and others so it’s very likely that jesus had healed him and restored him to fellowship to his family in his community Verse seven, a woman came to him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. Now from John’s account, we know that this was Mary, who was the sister of Martha, and Lazarus, who were at the dinner along with others. Now from Mark’s account, he actually lists the cost of this oil, which was roughly a year’s wages. Verse 8, But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, Why this waste? for this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. Now, there have been many self-enriching actions taken in the name of the poor. John tells us Judas was the one who raised the objections here, and he happened to be the one who held the money bag. He was the one who held the money for the group. Verse 10, but when Jesus was aware of it, he said to them, why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for me. For you have the poor with you always, but me you do not always have. Now the main message here was concern for the poor was not an excuse to not worship the Lord. There would be other opportunities to serve the poor. And I think this is also an acknowledgement that material poverty would not be eliminated until spiritual poverty had been eradicated. So Jesus saying, look, as long as there’s sin in the world, there’s going to be poverty. verse 14 then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priest and said what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you and they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver verse 17 now on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying to him where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover Now, let me just kind of give the order of events from this point forward based on all four gospels, all right? Because Matthew keeps a very kind of a thin record. It’s just the basic facts. And when you look at all the gospels together, and we’re going to have a chance to go through all of them, you get a more comprehensive picture. So number one, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. That’s first. Number two, Jesus identifies Judas as the betrayer. Number three, Judas leaves the dinner. The Lord’s Supper, number four, the Lord’s Supper is instituted. This is after they eat. He passes the bread, the wine. There’s then the discourse. Jesus has a conversation in the upper room. Then there’s the discourse on the way to Gethsemane. Then number seven, Jesus prays for his disciples and those who would believe based upon their testimony. That’s you and I. That’s in John chapter 17. Number eight is Jesus in anguish in Gethsemane. And then number nine, Jesus is betrayed and arrested. Verse 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to his disciples and said, Take, eat, this is my body. Then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Now this is the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of the new covenant brought about by his death, burial, and resurrection. Verse 29, But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. So this is, the scholars believe, this is the millennial kingdom when Jesus comes back to reign on this earth. Verse 31, Then Jesus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered away. Verse 33, Peter answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you that this night before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. All right, in verses 36 through 46, we have Jesus’s travail in the garden. This is human will versus divine will and Jesus’ submission to God the Father. Verse 42, again, a second time, he went away and prayed, saying, Oh, my Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, your will be done. Three times Jesus prayed to the Father as he faced carrying the sin of mankind to the cross. and experiencing the separation of himself from the Father. Now, verses 47 through 56 are his arrest, which we’ll actually look at when we look at the book of Luke, because it’s a much greater detail there. But I do want to point out verse 53. Or do you not think that I could… Or do you think that I could not now pray to my father and he will provide me with more than 12 legions of angels? Again, Jesus makes clear that his life is not being taken away from him. This was during his arrest. And then we’ll read later that Peter actually pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of one of the servants coming to arrest Jesus. And he said, you know, look, I could call down angels. uh to rescue me but that’s not the point so again it shows that jesus’s life was not being taken but it was being given and that’s very important look at uh verse 20 look at matthew chapter 20 well let me read matthew chapter 20 verse 28 just as the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many to give his life a ransom for many All right, verses 57 through 75 is Jesus before the high priest in that kangaroo court that he experienced. Verse 57, and those who had laid hold of Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Verse 58, But Peter followed him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard, and he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward. They were looking for false testimony, and finally they found two that would lie. Now think about this for a moment. two people that would bear false witness against God. God’s law for the Jewish people to safeguard justice required two or three witnesses in order to find someone guilty. Now, this is another example of publicly abiding by the letter of the law, but secretly violating the intent of the law, because justice was not done at the hands of these religious leaders. verse 61 this fellow said i am able to destroy the temple of god and to build it in three days and the high priest arose and said to him do you answer nothing what is it these men testify against you but jesus kept silent and the high priest answered and said to him i put you under oath by the living god Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you hereafter, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven. You know, throughout this whole ordeal, even as we’ll see next time as he goes before Pilate, Jesus’ words were very few so that there was great clarity in what he said. Every word had meaning. He meant what he said, and he said what he meant. Verse 65, Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need do we have of witnesses? Look now, you have heard his blasphemy. Then we have Peter’s, in the close of this chapter, we have Peter’s three encounters, two with girls, servant girls, one with the crowd, and he denies Jesus all three times. Verse 74. Then he began to curse and swear, saying, I do not know the man. Immediately. Recall in verse 31, Jesus said that all would be made to stumble or fall away. Why? I mean, Peter was so bold in saying that he would die with Jesus if need be. And it was a heartfelt declaration. I have no doubt that Peter was all in when he said that as Jesus was was said about their inability, as they were in the garden with him praying, and he said about their inability to stay awake and pray, he said, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Peter had good intentions, but the reality is we cannot faithfully serve God or stand in the face of the enraged and desperate forces of darkness in our own strength. We must have the power of the Holy Spirit. We’re going to see that in the life of Peter as we continue our journey into the New Testament. What you’ve been listening to is my morning devotional on Matthew chapter 26. It comes from FRC’s Stand on the Word. And this is a special Good Friday edition of Washington Watch. And by the way, if you haven’t joined us yet for our two-year journey through the Bible, as I mentioned at the top of the program, we started a new one in January. But… You can join us at any time, and I encourage you to do so. You can simply text the word Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. Or if you would like to take a deeper look into the book of Matthew, I’ve got a study guide available for the book of Matthew, and you can get that as well by texting Matthew to 67742. That’s Matthew to 67742. Well, coming up, we’re going to continue with this special Good Friday edition of Washington Watch, turning to Matthew chapter 27 as we look, as we continue this story of Christ’s crucifixion, his burial, and his resurrection, which gives us hope, not just for today, but into eternity. So stay with us. We’ll be right back after this.
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When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them.
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A decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men are created equal. That they’re endowed by their Creator.
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With certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men. Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Happy 250th. Happy 250th. Happy 250th. Happy 250th birthday, America. May God bless America.
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I think all people really need to have this type of education. Well, I can tell you that it’s been an amazing course period.
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I think this course is a reminder that a biblical worldview should really impact everything. It impacts our government from the federal to the state to the local. It should impact what we’re doing with our families and with our work.
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God and Government is a video-driven, Bible-based training course from Family Research Council that explores the connection between biblical principles and American government. In this six-session video series, FRC President Tony Perkins equips participants with a practical understanding of civil government from a biblical worldview.
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I would encourage all people to take it. I almost wish I would have took it earlier that I could have taught my kids this.
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I wish I had known these things when we were homeschooling because I think children and my adults now would just greatly be influenced by that information.
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So I’m an attorney, and for me, it gives me some direct practical knowledge of what I can do to try to impact my legal community, to make better legislation, to try to encourage legislators to make choices that have a biblical worldview, which is what we really want.
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Any pastor would benefit from taking this course because we are dual citizens, right? We are citizens of the kingdom of God, but we’re also citizens of this great land, and that comes with responsibility.
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Even as someone who has been involved in these types of issues for a while, you’re learning little bits and pieces of new stuff all the time. But it’s also approachable enough that newer people, younger people, high school, college students, they can really glean something from this. So I would encourage everybody to take this course, whether it’s the videos, whether it’s doing it in person, bring your Bible study group through it, bring your homeschool group through it, and equip yourself for these challenging days ahead.
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View the course at frc.org slash God and government or on the Stand Firm app.
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Welcome back to this special edition of Washington Watch, this Good Friday edition. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, on this Good Friday, we’re stepping away from the news of the day and bringing you the good news. Drawing from my morning devotionals for Stand on the Word, FRC’s two-year Bible reading plan. You can find out more about that. In fact, I would invite you to join us. on this journey. Simply text the word Bible to 67742. Now, we ended the last segment with Peter’s denial of Jesus after his arrest. In this part, we’ll move into the book of Matthew, chapter 27, starting from Jesus’ appearance before Pontius Pilate, who found no fault in Jesus, but like too many politicians, yielded to the angry crowd who called for Jesus to be crucified. And that’s where we begin. Verse 24, when Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and he washed his hands before the multitude saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, you see to it. So Pilate, he was afraid of the people, but he was struck by the silent confidence of Jesus. He didn’t know what to do, so he tried to wash his hands of the matter, wash his hands of Jesus, but he found out that he could not. Now, remember, the Book of Matthew was written for the benefit of the Jewish people who are reading it, connecting Old Testament prophecy to the fulfillment in the life of Jesus. So in this chapter, there are actually several prophecies that that come from the Old Testament that are fulfilled in this chapter. I’m going to try to point those out. along the way. Now, combining the narratives from the four gospels, we can construct a more thorough account of the events that are recorded here in Matthew Chapter 27. And here’s a quick overview, taking information from all of the gospel accounts just to give us kind of a bird’s eye view of what took place that night. So Jesus was arrested after midnight. So it would take a while to assemble the Sanhedrin. In the meantime, Jesus was taken to the house of Annas, the former high priest, who was really the puppet master. Jesus is then taken to Caiaphas, the sitting high priest, who happened to be the son-in-law of Annas. And Jesus then appears before the full council, the Sanhedrin. Jesus is then taken to Pilate, the Roman civil authority, because the Jewish religious leaders did not have the authority to execute people. Then Pilate finds out that Jesus was from Galilee. So in an attempt to sidestep the situation, he sends him to Herod Antipas, who was the governor of that region. Now, Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, whose kingdom was divided among his three sons when he died. Now, Antipas was given the Galilee region. Philip the Gentile was in the area north of the Sea of Galilee. Archelaus was given the area of Judea. However, there were numerous problems surrounding him, Archelaus, that led Caesar Augustus to take that territory from him and establish a Roman governorship with Pilate being the Roman governor of that region. Now, Herod, he doesn’t want to handle this situation, so he sends him back to Pilate. Pilate tells the Jewish leaders that Jesus is innocent. And he says, well, I’ll punish Jesus and release him. But the priests, they balk at that offer, and a crowd builds, and then Pilate offers to release a prisoner, thinking, you know, I can pacify them. Now, the crowd, coached by the priests, demand Barabbas. Pilate tries to wash his hands of Jesus. Jesus is flogged once again as Pilate was hoping that this would satisfy the crowd. It does not. Pilate tries to persuade the crowd a third time, but they accuse him then of being disloyal to Rome, which sends shivers and chills down his back because he’s afraid. So Pilate relents and orders Jesus to be crucified. All right, verse 2, chapter 27. And when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, saying that he had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priest and elders, saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us you see to it? So when Judas realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. Now, some think he was trying to prompt him to become that civil leader, to reestablish the Jewish people, the nation of Israel. And he realizes that he messed up. He’s more remorseful, so he takes the money back, declares Jesus is innocent, but the religious leaders didn’t care because Judas had served their purposes. Verse 5, Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself. Now, by the way, this is the first of the fulfilled prophecies. We read this in Zechariah 11, verses 12 and 13. So here’s a question. Could Judas have been forgiven and restored to relationship with Jesus? Now, we know that God had a plan and it was carried out. But, you know, Peter denied Jesus three times and he too was remorseful, but he was restored to fellowship with Jesus. Judas could have been, I believe, but he took his own life instead of persevering. You see, I think suicide is the means by which Satan often secures a lost soul. Verse six. But the chief priest took the six silver pieces and said it is not lawful to be put into the treasury because they are the price of blood. I mean, what hypocrisy, all right? They kill an innocent man, but they’re concerned about putting tainted money into the temple treasury. Jesus’ words so accurately describe these religious leaders. You blind guides who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. Now here is the next Old Testament prophecy. Jesus stands silent before Pilate. That’s found in Isaiah 53, 7, verse 12. And while he was being accused by the chief priest and elders, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said to him, do you not hear how many things they testify against you? But he answered him not a word. so that the governor marveled greatly. Now, Pilate was described in other sources, historical sources, as a very evil, ruthless and brutal man. Yet he saw something in Jesus that caused him to marvel, which explains why he tried to avoid condemning Jesus. What you’ve just heard was my morning devotional on Matthew chapter 27 for FRC’s Stand on the Word. And this is a special Good Friday edition of Washington Watch. Stand on the Word is a chronological reading plan that navigates through the entire Bible. And you can join us by investing 10 to 15 minutes a day in God’s Word. To find out more, text Bible to 67742 or go to frc.org slash Bible. We’ve got… a reading guide, many helpful resources that can help you in your journey through the Bible, including these video commentaries that you’re watching. So text the word Bible to 67742. Don’t go away. We’ll be back with more right after this. For over 4,000 years, the Jewish people have had legal, historical, and biblical ties to the land of Israel, especially the heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria, which much of the world still calls the West Bank. To Israelis, Judea and Samaria is far more than a name. It’s the center of their ancestral homeland where nearly 80% of the Bible’s events took place. Abraham purchased property in Hebron, Jacob in Shechem. Joshua made an altar on Mount Ebal and led the Israelites into a covenant before God. On Mount Gerizim, overlooking Shechem, Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well about worshiping neither on Mount Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, but in spirit and in truth. Judea and Samaria is nearly a quarter of Israel’s current land mass, not a small strip of land on the Jordan River, but a vital and strategic part of the nation’s identity. The October 7th massacre, launched from Gaza, shattered the illusion that giving away territory brings peace. Gaza, which was once seen as the cornerstone of a two-state solution, became a launchpad for terror. Today, only 21% of Israelis support a Palestinian state. Trust in a two-state solution has all but collapsed. The Middle East is changing. Iran’s grip is weakening. New alliances are forming. But Western countries and some U.S. officials still chase the mirage of a two-state solution. History speaks clearly. The 2005 Gaza withdrawal, backed by the U.S., led not to peace, but to a terrorist regime. Judea and Samaria are 24 times larger than Gaza, deeply woven into Israel’s geographic and spiritual fabric. To surrender them would not bring peace. It would invite conflict and existential danger. Family Research Council stands with Israel’s rightful claim to sovereignty. It’s time for America to do the same for history, for justice, and for lasting security in the Middle East. Welcome back to this special Good Friday edition of Washington Watch. As I mentioned earlier, we’re looking at Holy Week and reviewing it as covered in FRC’s two-year Bible reading plan, Stand on the Word. And you can find out more about that chronological reading plan by texting BIBLE to 67742. As I mentioned, we began a new journey in January. And so this is kind of looking back last year. We were in Matthew. and just sharing those devotionals with you here on this special Good Friday edition. Now, before the break, we looked at Jesus’ encounter with the religious and political leaders. We’re going to pick it up right there and see how the general public responds to Jesus’ arrest, more events leading to the crucifixion, and how those events began to persuade unexpected observers to recognize that Jesus may in fact be the Christ, the Son of the living God. Verse 15, now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time, they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to release to you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called the Christ? But the priest, this is verse 20, but the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, which of the two do you want me to release to you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate said to them, what then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? And they all said to him, let him be crucified. The fulfillment of Isaiah 53, three, he was despised and rejected by men. Now think about this for a moment, Barabbas, was a notorious criminal, a rebel, and possibly from other sources, a murderer, and here a guilty man. And he set free as an innocent man is condemned. You know what? We each stand in the place of Barabbas, guilty, and Jesus has taken our place. Next, in verses 26 to 31, we see that Jesus is beaten. This is a fulfillment of Isaiah 50, verse 6. And then verse 34 of chapter 27, they gave him sour wine mingled with gall to drink, but when he tasted it, he would not drink. This was prophesied in Psalm 69, 21. They gave me poison for food in my thirst. They gave me vinegar to drink. Then Psalm 22, 18 is fulfilled. Verse 35. Then they crucified him and divided his garments, casting lots that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets. They divided my garments among them and for my clothing, they cast lots. Next, we see the fulfillment. of Psalm 22, verses 7 and 8, all who see me mock me, they hurl insults. Look at verse 39 of chapter 27. And those who pass by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, you who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself. If you are the son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise, the chief priest also mocking with the scribes and elders said he saved others himself. He cannot save if he is the king of Israel. Let him come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusted in God. Let him deliver him now if he will have him. For he said, I am the son of God. Even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled him with the same thing. Let me think about it. Why would they have believed him then if he would have come down off of the cross? I mean, considering all the miracles that Jesus had done in their sight, one more was not going to convince them. And here’s the reality, though. Time would reveal truth to all mankind, not just the few who were there present at the time. Here’s the fulfillment of another Old Testament prophecy, Psalm 22, 1. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? We read that in verse 46. At about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lama shabbatani. That is, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and he yielded up his spirit. You know, from start to finish, and I think this is really important, from start to finish, Jesus was in control. His life was not taken from him. It was freely given. for you and for me. He yielded up his spirit. He had control over his spirit. Verse 51. Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn into from top to bottom and the earthquake and the rocks were split and the graves were open and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Now we We actually know very little about this occurrence other than it was a testimony to Jesus’ conquering death in the grave. I believe it was a physical manifestation, just a physical manifestation of what had happened in the spiritual realm. Occasionally we get those glimpses of what is really happening in the spiritual realm. I think this was just a sign of what had happened. Verse 54. So when the centurion and those with him… excuse me, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, truly, this was the Son of God. The hardened Roman soldier was so gripped by the reality of what he saw, standing there at the foot of the cross, he declared Jesus as the Son of God. The remainder of the chapter, verses 57 through 66, provide the narrative of the burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the guards being set at the entrance to ensure Jesus’ disciples did not steal the body. And, of course, that didn’t work. Once again, that was an excerpt from FRC’s Bible reading plan, Stand on the Word, from my daily devotionals. Since we began offering this two-year plan, folks from all over have emailed us to let us know how systematically reading through God’s Word has aided them in their walk with Christ, strengthened them in their faith, and made them bolder in declaring and living out their faith. If you’d like to join us, simply text the word Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. And you can join us on this journey. All right, coming up, we’re gonna jump forward to the resurrection of Jesus. So stick around.
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The family is the oldest, most tested, and most reliable unit of society. It is divinely created and sustained. And yet, there are those who are always tampering with its values and structure. That’s why we need organizations like the Family Research Council that can effectively defend and strengthen the family.
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Family Research Council began over 40 years ago, like all great movements of God, with prayer. Today, rooted in the heart of the nation’s capital, FRC continues to champion faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
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FRC is one of those bright lights that helps us focus on true north. And I shudder to think, had they not been here, that it could have been worse, worse, worse.
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The Family Research Council is key. It’s one of a handful of groups that I think will determine whether our children live in a country that enjoyed all of the freedom and all the opportunity that we enjoyed in this great land.
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It’s just a wonderful parachurch organization that doesn’t seek to take the place of the church, but it seeks to assist the family and the church as we try to move forward successfully, not in a defensive mode, but in an offensive mode as we seek to live our lives according to the Holy Scriptures.
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FRC is not going to be whooped. You know, we’re going to fight. We’re going to take a stand. And again, we don’t retreat.
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You will never see in front of this building here in Washington, D.C., a white flag fly. We will never step back. We will never surrender. And we will never be silent.
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Should a Christian support Israel? That question has become one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time, both in the world and within the church. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins offers a clear biblical and prophetic answer. In his latest book, he examines Israel’s past, present, and future through the lens of scripture, revealing why support for Israel is not rooted in politics, partisanship, or cultural sentiment, but in the unchanging promises of God. Drawing from Genesis to Revelation, Tony Perkins demonstrates that the ultimate rationale for a Christian’s support for Israel is spiritual. Should a Christian Support Israel invites believers to see beyond headlines and ideologies, returning to the foundation of God’s Word to understand His heart for His chosen people and the blessings that flow when we stand with what He has established forever. Text the word Israel to 67742 for more information.
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Welcome back to Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins, your host. And this is a special, special Good Friday edition of Washington Watch. And for those of you who tune in regularly, you know that we discuss issues of our day with leaders from Christian ministries, political leaders and numerous experts from around the world. Typically, during this last segment of each program, I begin with a highlight. from FRC’s daily Bible reading plan, Stand on the Word. Well, on today’s special Good Friday edition, we’re focusing the entire program on it. And before the break, we looked at the events leading up to Jesus’s crucifixion. As we continue in this final segment, we’re going to look at the final chapter of Matthew and pick up with those who gathered at the tomb on that resurrection Sunday. Now, in this final chapter of Matthew, we have Christ conquering the grave. We have those conspiring, the critics conspiring to lie. And we have the commissioning of the disciples. Now, John and Luke’s version provides much more detail of Jesus’s 40 days between his resurrection and his ascension. Matthew says, is more of a truncated view, but it’s focused really on one aspect. And we’re going to look at that in greater detail today, and that is the commissioning. All right, verse 1, chapter 28. Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb and behold there was a great earthquake for an angel the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and set on it his countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow and the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men But the angel answered and said to the women, do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. So notice the contrast here. I think this is very fascinating. The brutish military guards who were, I mean, they were horrible. I mean, they were just… I mean, we saw what they did there at the cross. They gambled over Jesus’s clothes. They beat him. They were made to fear God. But through the angel, God sought to remove the fear from the women. There’s no fear. There’s reverence for God. But there’s no fear. God takes away from us the fear when we are walking in love in a relationship with him. Perfect love cast out fear. Verse six, he is not here for he is risen. And he said, by the way, I think the angel came and rolled back the stone, not so that Jesus could get out, but that the others could see in and see that he was gone. He was risen again. As he said, come and see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And indeed, he is going before you into Galilee. There you will see him. Behold, I have told you. Now, let me stop here for just a moment. Why Galilee? What was the purpose of going to Galilee? Keep in mind that this was about a 90 mile journey from Jerusalem. That’s a pretty long walk. first the purpose we’ll see in just a moment it was for the commissioning now this is important both the angel in the tomb and Jesus here in just a moment when the women encountered him he gave them the same instructions all right Jesus said tell my followers to go to Galilee for what purpose well for what we’ll read in just a moment, as I said, is for the commissioning. That was Jesus’s priority, commissioning the disciples to establish and expand the kingdom. But why Galilee? Why go to Galilee? Well, that was the base of their operation. They had been in this area. Galilee was where most of Jesus’s followers were. And given what had just happened in Jerusalem, it would be a safer place for his disciples to gather. Verse eight. So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell the disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, rejoice. So they came and they held him by the feet and worshipped him. Jesus said, do not be afraid. I just love this. Every time God is about to do something significant, you hear these words, do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me. So there it is again. The angels tell the women, tell the disciples to go to Galilee. Jesus will be there. Jesus himself says, go to Galilee. His focus, as we’re going to see in just a moment, was on the commissioning. Now, let me stop here for a minute, though. Why is the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered the grave important? Well, this is one of the foundational elements of the Christian faith. As we saw in chapters 26 and 27, Jesus gave his life. He willingly became the object of God’s wrath as he took upon him the sin of mankind. paying the penalty for our sin. But he didn’t stay dead. He didn’t stay dead. In three days, he rose again, conquering death and the grave. As a result of what Jesus did, Paul could say this in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 55, O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? This conquering of death in the grave is what sets Christianity apart from other religions. Now, other religions provide some good, practical teaching, some basic ethics. Of course, they’re They all are established based upon the moral law of God, which is written upon the hearts of men, which Paul tells us in Romans. But they’re work-based. You keep these so that you can earn standing. That’s not why Jesus died. Not so that we could do good works to earn our salvation. He did that for us. You see, none of the other religions had leaders who died for the people and then rose again. Here’s what Paul wrote to the Corinthians again, 1 Corinthians 15, verse 14. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. That’s what makes it work. It’s what makes Christianity unique and different. God, the creator, sent his son to die for our sins. Next, we have the critics conspiring. The same ones who paid Judas… to turn Jesus over are now giving money to the eyewitnesses of Jesus’s resurrection, hoping for a coverup. Now, the response of the critics to the truth is very revealing because it reveals and confirms the truth. Verse 11, now, while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priest all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, trying to buy them off. Verse 13 saying, tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept. You know, deceit always has holes in it. All right. If they were asleep, how would they know that the disciples had come and stolen away the body of Jesus? And verse 14. And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure. So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. All right. The third aspect of this, which is really the focus, is the commissioning of the disciples. Verse 16. Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted and jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth so what does he mean by all authority well he means all authority in heaven and on earth god the father set him as king of kings and lord of lords jesus is lord he is the universal king now jesus did not assume this position He did not seek this position. He was not elected to this position. It was given to him by the father because of his obedience through his obedience to the father’s Paul writes in Philippians chapter two, verse eight, he says, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Even the death of the cross through that obedience to the father, Dying on the cross for the sins of mankind, he has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. So at his resurrection, Jesus has this authority. And what does he do? He sends word for the disciples to meet him in Galilee so that he can commission them, extending to them the authority that he has been given by the Father. He’s deputizing them. verse 19 go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit this is what we know is the great commission right this happened before he sent it into heaven he he calls them to galilee and and he commissions him he gives them the great commission and this is handed down from one generation of believers to the next this is the mission and the authority of the church you and i What they are, what we are to do, because this applies to all followers of Christ, Jesus tells them what to do. They are to go, go with the understanding that they have the power of authority, right? They have the authority. When I was a police officer and I was a sheriff’s deputy, I was commissioned and I had authority. It wasn’t of myself. It was given to me. I had the power of arrest and the power to enforce laws because I was commissioned. I had the authority. We’re to go with the understanding that we have the power of the authority and we have the assurance of the presence of the Lord. Go and make disciples of all nations. The kingdom of God is open to all. So at that point, God’s relationship had been with the Jewish people. Now it was open to Gentiles as well. But they have to respond. To enter into the kingdom, you have to respond to the call to follow Christ. And then they are to be baptized as an outward sign of this inward commitment. Verse 20 says, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Now, this part is what I call the cultural commission. It’s establishing that biblical worldview. An inward transformation by the truth results in an outward change of one’s life. The commands of Christ are to be the rule for the life of his followers. And as individual believers yield to the word, what happens to surrounding communities and nations? Well, they’re transformed. Matthew Henry, the 18th century theologian wrote this. He said, quote, what is the principle intention of this commission to disciple all nations do your utmost to make nations, Christian nations, raising an army, It’s spiritual army for the carrying on of the war against the powers of darkness, enlist the nations of the earth under his banner, end quote. So was Matthew Henry a Christian nationalist? No, he was a follower of Christ operating under the authority of the Great Commission. And you and I are to do the same. Here’s the historical reality of this, OK? Western civilization would not exist had the disciples not gone forth in obedience to the authority that they had been given and sharing the gospel, making disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to live out the commands of Christ. And guess what? We are to do the same. One more aspect of this. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. All right, don’t miss this. As Moses went with the authority and presence of I am, so do we. And lo, I am with you always. The kingdom is being established, all right, which means there will be opposition. okay Jesus defeated Satan at the cross but that’s being carried out as the kingdom the spiritual kingdom is being established when Jesus returns to the earth at his second coming he will establish his eternal kingdom the the spiritual kingdom that has started will come into being with a physical kingdom as well but it’s in the process right now And so there’s going to be and there is opposition to the expansion of that kingdom. And there’ll be setbacks. But he said, I am with you. My presence, my power will carry you through the valleys and it will guide you over the mountaintops as you expand the kingdom of God until my purposes are accomplished and the kingdom is established for eternity when I return. So this is our mission. If, as Paul writes in Romans 10.9, You confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. If you believe that, if you’ve confessed that, then you are a follower of Christ and this commission is for you. You’ve been given the authority and the responsibility to go and make Jesus known, teaching and encouraging others to know him and follow him with submitted lives of obedience. You’ve been listening to a special edition of Washington Watch, as we’ve been highlighting segments of FRC’s daily devotional, Stand on the Word. And of course, we’ve been focusing today on the events surrounding Jesus’ last week on the earth, which the church now celebrates as Holy Week. Now, in this latest sample of the devotional, we ended with the Great Commission of Jesus, which really motivates our work here at the Family Research Council and here on Washington Watch. When we know God’s word and we know it well and we apply his teachings to our lives, we have a better understanding of what’s going on in the world around us. And we know how to respond to the issues of our day with God’s heart in mind. We know how we should respond in a way that brings glory and honor to God and peace. is beneficial to the world around us. And this is how we develop a biblical worldview. We see the world around us through the lenses of scripture. And so when you listen to Washington Watch, you’re getting news and information from that biblical perspective. I want to encourage you to join us on this journey through the Bible. Now, as I mentioned, this is a two-year chronological journey through the Bible, and you can find out more about it by texting Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. We also have a new resource available just on the book of Matthew. If you’d just like to study the book of Matthew a little deeper, text the word Matthew to 67742. That’s Matthew to 67742. All right, as you go through this weekend and Resurrection Sunday, remember this and remember the final promise in the Gospel of Matthew. This is what Jesus said. He said, he is with us to the very end of the age. What a reassuring commitment and promise that no matter what we face, no matter what happens, he is with us to the very end. Well, I hope you have a blessed weekend as you celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That’s GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
