Podcast Summary: 2819 Church
Episode: CROSS TO COMMISSION | But After | Matthew 26:30-35
Date: November 17, 2025
Speaker: Philip Anthony Mitchell, 2819 Church
Overview
This episode, part of the “Cross to Commission” series, centers on Matthew 26:30-35—the moments immediately after the Last Supper, when Jesus prophesies his disciples’ imminent abandonment. Lead Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell delivers an impassioned, deeply personal message on human frailty, the inevitability of betrayal and failure, and the extraordinary grace and faithfulness of Jesus, who assures restoration and recommissioning “but after” the fall.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Gospel Urgency and Welcome
- (00:32 – 06:15) The episode opens with a heartfelt invitation to all—believers, digital attendees, and seekers—to find belonging in the church family. Pastor Mitchell warns of life’s uncertainty, urging listeners not to harden their hearts but to respond when the Spirit calls:
“For there is no one prepared to die apart from the covering of the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Lead Pastor (02:13)
2. Matthew’s Narrative Apex: The Crucifixion and Resurrection
- (06:15 – 09:42) Framing Matthew 26–28 as the culmination of all previous chapters, Mitchell underscores the uniqueness of Christ’s resurrection and the centrality of the Passion narrative.
- The resurrection should spark joy in every believer, forming the foundation of the faith.
“If Christ is not raised, all of this is in vain.” — Lead Pastor (04:48)
3. The Pain and Gift of Human Relationships
- (09:42 – 15:16) Human connection is a double-edged sword:
- Our greatest joys flow through relationships (“Some of the greatest blessings you’ll ever know… will come into your life on two legs.” — Lead Pastor (08:14))
- Betrayal and abandonment, often at the worst moments, yield the deepest pain.
- Jesus, fully human, intimately knew both sides—the beauty of friendship and the agony of betrayal.
4. The Upper Room: Last Teachings and the Lord’s Supper
- (15:16 – 19:39) Jesus spends his last night with his disciples, giving profound teachings (John 13–17), introducing the new covenant, and serving the first Lord’s Supper.
- Notable: The importance placed on worship—teaching crowned with song (the “Hallel”)—even when the disciples are unaware it’s their final chance to do so with Jesus.
5. Spiritual Dullness and Missed Moments
- (19:39 – 24:49) The congregation is admonished not to take corporate worship for granted. Spiritual dullness leads to missing sacred, unrepeatable moments with God and one another.
“We act like you will always have these moments. These disciples did not know this is the last time they will sing with the Lord.” — Lead Pastor (22:01)
6. Mount of Olives: Place of Vulnerability and Betrayal
- (24:49 – 27:16) Jesus and his disciples retreat to the Mount of Olives—a place of both intimacy and, ironically, betrayal (since Judas knew Jesus’s habits).
- Prophetic significance: The Mount of Olives is not just a setting but tied to Jesus’s ultimate return (Zechariah 14 referenced).
7. Prediction of Abandonment: Humanity’s Frailty Foreknown
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(27:16 – 34:46)
- Jesus predicts: “You will all fall away because of me this night…” (Matthew 26:31).
- The pain: Those closest to Jesus will abandon him in his hour of greatest need.
- Yet, this abandonment is not accidental or outside God’s will.
“The abandonment of Christ is inside the sovereign will of Almighty God.” — Lead Pastor (34:01)
- God can use even failure and falling away as part of his plan. Listeners are urged not to be consumed by condemnation but to see God’s providence even in setbacks and stumbles.
8. Failure as Preparation for Faithfulness
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(34:46 – 39:20) Mitchell shares personally:
“What I'm living right now is called a second chance. So my faithfulness to him is on steroids because I've already abandoned him in the past.” — Lead Pastor (37:25)
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The disciples’ failure eventually produced deeper faithfulness; “These men will get another chance.”
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Failing does not disqualify; it often prepares and deepens faith, character, and future ministry.
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9. The Power of “But After…”
- (39:20 – 44:52)
- Jesus’s prophecy does not end at failure:
“But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” (Matthew 26:32)
- The assurance: Your failure isn’t final.
- Jesus’s shepherding continues “but after” mistakes, promising restoration and future purpose.
“You will forsake me, but I will not forsake you.” — Lead Pastor (44:29)
- Jesus’s prophecy does not end at failure:
10. Resurrection Power and the Holy Spirit
- (44:52 – 49:02)
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Jesus trusts the Father’s power to resurrect him—a model of faith even in the face of death.
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That same resurrection power, through the Holy Spirit, lives in believers.
“The power that raised Christ from the dead…lives on the inside of you.” — Lead Pastor (46:58)
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The Holy Spirit enables Christians to face trials and accomplish God’s assignments, despite feelings of weakness or inadequacy.
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11. Blind Spots and the Dangers of Self-Reliance
- (49:02 – 54:54)
- Peter’s overconfidence mirrors common tendencies: self-reliance, pride, dismissing needed correction.
- Everyone has blind spots; community and the Spirit’s conviction are gifts from God to reveal and refine us.
“You all have blind spots and you need to thank God for the conviction that shows you those blind spots.” — Lead Pastor (53:41)
12. The Lord’s Unchanging Faithfulness
- (54:54 – 59:16)
- Even though the disciples desert Jesus, he remains committed and faithful.
- God isn’t surprised by our flaws—he called us in full knowledge of them.
“He knew exactly what he was getting when he called you…Nothing in you has surprised him.” — Lead Pastor (59:05)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Spiritual Awakening:
“That's what we need—an alarm to go off in this country…because I feel like in America we're doing church and we're sleeping and not paying attention.”
— Lead Pastor (06:16) -
On Betrayal:
“From the same well [of relationships] comes our deepest joys…and even our deepest pains and sorrows.”
— Lead Pastor (11:13) -
On Overconfidence:
“Peter is a victim of…a dangerous misplaced confidence—in himself.”
— Lead Pastor (51:16) -
On the “But After”:
“You’re going to fail me tonight. But after…I will go before you.”
— Lead Pastor (44:23) -
On God’s Faithfulness in Weakness:
“He deals with us in our strengths, he deals with us in our weaknesses, but he does not abandon us in our weaknesses.”
— Lead Pastor (56:25) -
On Being Known and Still Chosen:
“He knew exactly what he was getting when He said come. There is nothing happening in your life that he did not know or did not plan for.”
— Lead Pastor (59:05)
Key Segment Timestamps
- 00:32 — Welcome and Gospel Urgency
- 04:48 — The Resurrection’s Centrality
- 08:14 — Value of Human Relationships
- 11:13 — The Deep Pain of Betrayal
- 15:16 — The Upper Room and New Covenant
- 19:39 — Importance of Not Missing Sacred Moments
- 24:49 — Mount of Olives: Setting and Significance
- 27:40 — Jesus Predicts the Disciples’ Abandonment
- 34:01 — Abandonment as Part of God’s Sovereignty
- 37:25 — Pastor’s Testimony: Second Chances
- 39:20 — “But After” and Assurance of Restoration
- 46:58 — Resurrection Power of the Holy Spirit
- 51:16 — Peter’s Blind Spot and Self-Reliance
- 53:41 — The Need for Conviction and Community
- 54:54 — The Lord’s Steadfast Faithfulness
Tone and Style
- The sermon is passionate, earnest, and personal—punctuated by warnings, invitations, and encouragement.
- Language remains biblical, urgent, and direct, but laced with pastoral care, vulnerability, and occasional spiritual admonishment.
- The emotional arc runs from sobering assessment of human frailty to triumphant proclamation of grace.
Conclusion
The episode concludes with extended worship, cementing the message’s call to depend not on self, but on the presence, power, and faithfulness of Jesus—especially “after” failure. Listeners are invited not to be paralyzed by mistakes, but to live out their “but after,” trusting in the God who knows, forgives, restores, and leads even through our darkest, most disappointing moments.