Luke 22:54-62

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54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. ~ Luke 22:54-62

We come back to early Friday morning just after the Lord Jesus had been betrayed by Judas. From this point onward, the Lord Jesus endured six different “trials” before He was condemned to be crucified, three trials before the Jews and three before the Romans.

To set the stage for today's text, you will remember back in Luke 22:33, “Peter said to the Lord Jesus, ‘Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death.’" To which the Lord Jesus responded, "I say to you, Peter, the cock will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me."

In v.54 of today's text we read, "Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance." It was during the second Jewish “trial,” the one before Caiaphas, that Peter in the courtyard denied the Lord Jesus three times. “Peter followed at a distance.” When we follow the Lord at a distance, we will deny Him every time.  

Peter’s denials reveal his weakness in its saddest form, and yet, so necessary. Sometimes we must fail miserably in order to learn to be dependent upon the Lord. Peter's denial also reveals the strength of the Lord Jesus. It was Peter during his lowest moment of failure, yet, it was the Lord Jesus at His greatest moment of grace and triumph.

In reality, Peter’s story is the story of all who have come to know Christ. It is a story of devastation and disappointment. But, it is through moments like these that we come to the end of ourselves and we learn of the Lord Jesus' huge heart for us. It is through moments like these that we learn to view all things, even ourselves, through His eyes.

I love that scene at the end of the movie, Bruce Almighty, when God, played by Morgan Freeman, asks Bruce, played by Jim Carrey a question. The scene is in heaven just after Bruce had just been run over by an eighteen wheeler. God asks Bruce what he wants and Bruce speaks one word, "Grace," the name of his girlfriend. God asks Bruce, "You want her back?" Then Bruce says, "I want her to meet someone who will treat her with all of the love that she deserved from me. I want her to meet someone who sees her always as I do now through your eyes."

In v.55-57 we read, "55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him. 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said."

When we compare our text with Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 18, we discover that Peter's three denials actually took over a period of two hours. Peter's first denial came on the heels of one of the high priest’s servant girls accusing him of being with the Lord Jesus. 

In v.58 we read, "A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied." After his first denial, a second servant girl recognized Peter as one of the Lord Jesus' disciples. And, for a second time, Peter lied and denied knowing the Lord. Have we not all been in that very spot? Have we not all struggled acknowledging that we know the Lord before the world?

In v.59-60 we read, "59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed."

An hour later, the bystanders were not convinced, especially when one of Malchus’s relatives showed up and identified Peter. Then one of them said, “Surely you are one of them, because the way you talk gives you away. You talk like a Galilean.” At this point Peter cursed and said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 

Peter pronounced curses on himself. It’s as if he was saying, “May God damn me if I am lying.” He pronounced divine judgment on his own head if he was lying. It was at that moment that the rooster crowed for the second time and the Lord’s prediction was fulfilled.

In v.61-62 we read, "61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly."

In the thickness of that moment, the Lord Jesus, being led away to the next trial, turned and looked at Peter, and His look broke Peter’s heart. It was from the place of the servant that Peter saw the Lord best. It was in that moment that Peter gained the vantage point of God taking him deeper with God.

Peter slipped out and went off and wept bitterly. It is to Peter’s credit that all the Lord had to do was look at him to bring him to the place of repentance. Ah, there's another word that we do not naturally, repentance, turning away from self to the Lord.

For one rooster to crow at the right moment while the other birds in the city remained silent was certainly a miracle. But the crowing of that rooster was a special message to Peter, a message that revealed to him the heart of God for him which helped to restore him to fellowship again. 

That rooster crow was an assurance to Peter that the Lord Jesus was still in control of all things even though He was a prisoner, bound and seemingly helpless before His captors. 

Peter was later used mightily by the Lord to help many in our struggling faith. This moment of intense failure was turned around by our loving God to make of Peter one of the greatest leaders ever. In order to lead sometimes we must fail miserably because our leadership success is the result of His presence in and through our yielded lives.

Luke 22:47-53

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47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.” ~ Luke 22:47-53

It is early Friday morning and the Lord Jesus was about to be betrayed with a kiss by one of His disciples. This event was so fascinating, and so dramatic, it appears in all four Gospels. 

In v.47 we read, "While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him."

It was customary in that day for disciples to greet their teachers with a respectful embrace and kiss on the cheek. This kind of embrace was a sign of close intimacy and warm affection between a Rabbi and his student. Judas really overstepped the protocol that morning. It was appropriate in their culture for the Rabbi to initiate this embrace, but Judas had an agenda. He used the embrace and the kiss to identify the Lord Jesus for the arresting guard.

In v.48 the Lord Jesus asked, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” This question revealed the omniscience of the Lord Jesus for He asked the question before Judas had embraced Him. There is nothing in our lives that is beyond His awareness. In fact, He is more aware of all that goes on in our lives on a day to day basis more so than we. 

In v.49 we read, "When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?" Earlier, the Lord Jesus had said, “From now on, if you have a sword, you better carry it.” 

In v.50-51 we read, "50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him."

Malchus was the servant to the High Priest. He was what they called the “ears” of the High Priest. Whenever anything happened in Jerusalem, Malchus was right there to report the happenings to the High Priest.

According to John, Peter cut off the right ear of Malchus. In the scriptures, right is always the sign of power and authority, therefore Peter cut off Malchus' ear and his power and authority. At that point, the Lord Jesus reached down, picked up Malchus's ear and put it back on Malchus' head. Miraculous! And, I have always wondered, "Why have we no more information about Malchus in the scriptures?" This just goes to show, signs do not always change hardened hearts. 

Since Malchus' job was to go back to the High priest to report what he had seen and heard during the day, the fact that the Lord Jesus put his ear and authority and power back in its place, Malchus could go back and tell The High Priest. He probably said something like, "This Jesus of Nazareth, whom we are trying to kill, He put my ear BACK ON my head!"

The Lord Jesus' response in v.51 was to say, "My kingdom is not advanced militarily, it is advanced by my grace." The Lord Jesus gracious treatment of all who were there in the garden underscores this principle of His kingdom. We do not advance the cause of God with a sword, we advance it by His grace. 

In v.52-53 we read, "52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns."

It was in that hour that the power of darkness was given ultimate power. These events had to be as they were so that all righteousness could be sustained. Aren't you glad the Lord Jesus was aware of the details, all of the details? Otherwise, His righteousness would be insufficient.

Think of it. There was the fulfillment of Psalm 41:9 which reads, "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me." And then, there was the fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7 which reads, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My fellow,” saith the Lord of hosts. “Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn Mine hand upon the little ones." 

God truly is in control of every detail of our lives. Whatever happens in our lives come through His will and we can trust that even the bad has a good ending. To the degree that we trust Him will be the degree to which that we see His mighty hand at work in this world and in our lives.

Luke 22:39-46

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39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” ~ Luke 22:39-46

The Lord Jesus truly has our best interest at heart. In the middle of one of the biggest struggles for Him, He is most concerned about His disciples. This is what motivated Him to come to earth as our Savior in the first place: the need of mankind for a Savior.

Human history began in the Garden of Eden and so did human sin. According to Revelation 21, for the redeemed, the whole story will climax in a “garden” where there will be no sin. Between the garden where man failed and the garden where there will be no sin, we come to the garden where the Lord Jesus accepted the cup of God's wrath Him. 

By now, in this narrative, it is probably early Friday morning. The Lord Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane which is on the Mount of Olives. Gethsemane means “olive press.” The first Adam rebelled against God in the garden of Eden and brought sin and death into the world. The Last Adam submitted to God in the garden of Gethsemane and brought life and salvation for all who will believe.

Before going into the garden, the Lord Jesus gave His disciples the weapon against temptation: PRAYER. According to Mark 14, eight of His disciples stayed at the entrance to the garden. Three of them, Peter, James and John, went into the Garden with Him a little further, but only the Lord Jesus went all the way in, alone. A sign that only He could accomplish the impossible for humans.

In v.40 we read, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." To pray that we will not be pile-drived by temptation is the answer. Though we have been forgiven, and though we have been made new in Christ, we’re like Lazarus. We came out of the grave; we have new life, but we stink. We have our dirty grave clothes on. We are citizens of heaven, trapped in unredeemed bodies. And we are seduced by the remnants of our fallenness. The temptation is to hold onto sin and not invest in His righteousness.

The power of evil is still strong in the believer in Christ, even though we have been born again and the Holy Spirit dwells within. We struggle because sin still dwells within us. Our battle is to fight against our natural attraction to sin, to fight against our fallenness, and to kill it and embrace Him.

The Lord Jesus struggled with temptation in exactly the opposite way as we do. He struggled because He was and is holy. We struggle with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. He struggled against three impulses: holy, holy, holy. Whereas we try to abandon sin and embrace holiness, He was being tempted to NOT embrace being the sin bearer. 

In v.42 we read, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." It was not the will of the Father for Him to NOT take the cup. There will always be a certain agony in legitimate prayer. The only way we can overcome the flesh is by yielding ourselves to the will of the Father. In the Old Testament, the "cup" is associated with judgment of God. This is the cup the Lord Jesus had in mind, the cup of suffering, agony, pain, and wrath. He did not do this for Himself, He did it for you and me.

In v.43 we read, "An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him." There were only two times in the life of the Lord Jesus when angels showed up to directly help Him. The first time was during His temptation in the wilderness. The second time, during His temptation in the garden of Gethsemane. In both cases the angel affirmed Him, reminding Him that His Father was totally committed to Him. 

In v.44 we read, "And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." The agony the Lord Jesus experienced in Gethsemane describes combat unto death. The medical term Luke used here describes the stretching of muscles to the max of their capabilities. His anguish expressed itself in tremendous sweating. It was the Spring of the year, thus it was not very hot. Yet, He sweat profusely as if He were bleeding.

In v.45 we read, "When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow." The sleepiness of the disciples was an argument from God to the Lord Jesus that only He could endure the cross for man's salvation.And so, Theo agony the Lord Jesus  escalated. He agonized in prayer and then He went back to find the disciples asleep. Then He goes back and continues and goes through that process until finally His agony is over. The sleepiness of the disciples was undoubtedly a reminder to Him that we could not endure the cross like He. Satan had given his best shot, he tried to divert the Lord Jesus from the will of God, but the Lord Jesus prevailed. 

The disciples yielded to temptation because they could not endure in prayer. In addition, they were exhausted by the sorrow. It was after this that the Lord Jesus set out to go to the cross where He crushed the head of the serpent. At His cross, He did what we could never do, He was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

Luke 22:35-38

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35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. 36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” 38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.” “That’s enough!” he replied. ~ Luke 22:35-38

It is still Thursday night, the last night the Lord Jesus spent with His disciples. This was the night in which they celebrated the last Passover and the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. This was an extremely long day for the Lord and His disciples.

In v.35 we read, "Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered." The Lord Jesus reminds the disciples how they had previously trusted Him and how the people responded positively to them and the Gospel during their ministry trips. Before addressing anything else, the Lord Jesus zeroes in on the subject of trusting Him. We are at our best when we are completely trusting Him.

God didn't tell Abraham where he was going, because if He had, Abraham would have kept his eyes on the destination instead of God. If God is the only one who knows where we are going, then we’re going to have to keep our eyes on Him. This is why God doesn’t always lay out everything for us. We have to trust Him if we are to know meaningful life.

Here, in today's text, the Lord Jesus tells the disciples that they are now moving into a whole new experience with Him. The response of their hearers will not be as positive as it was before. The disciples had expected that the Lord Jesus would lead them right into the establishment of His kingdom here on earth, and they had never experienced any persecution. Now, He is telling them that this is about to change, dramatically.

In v.36-37 we read, "He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

The hatred that the world has toward Christ and the Gospel has nothing to do with Christ or the Gospel; it is characteristic of the fallen condition of mankind. It doesn’t need a cause other than natural wickedness. And so, the Lord Jesus tells the disciples to expect to be hated as He has been hated. 

When we do not give our hearts to the Father who in heaven, the default influence takes over. This is why the Lord Jesus often referred to the Jewish religious leaders as being of their father the Devil. Whatever is in the human heart will express itself. If the Love of God is in there, well, we will have a measure of love for the things and people of God. If His love is not in us, well, we will hate the things and people of God.

As indicated in v.37, all the hatred of the world is connected to fulfillment of Scripture. God told us in advance what would happen, and therefore we must learn to rest in His sovereignty. Isaiah 53 is referenced six times in the New Testament. 

Here in v.37, the Lord Jesus reveals that chapter refers to Him. He died with a criminal on each side, thus He was crucified between two thieves. The Lord Jesus was placed in the category of a transgressor by God, and then God punished our sin in His body while He hung on that tree. 

In v.38 we read, "The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.” “That’s enough!” he replied." During the whole time the disciples were with the Lord Jesus, they didn’t need any weapons. They would use them for purposes other than aggression.

According to John 14:16, the Lord Jesus promised the disciples a supernatural Helper who would be with them forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth who will provide them with greater power than all the enemies of the Gospel. This is how the Lord will abide with all believers throughout time and eternity. It is through the abiding Holy Spirit that Believers have at our disposal the resources of heaven.

The fight the believer in Christ is engaged in is not a physical battle. This battle, this war is spiritual. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, "For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds."

The weapons of our warfare are fourfold: First, there is truth, the revelation of reality, the exposure of things as they really are. In Romans 13:12 the apostle Paul calls it "the weapon of light." Turning on the light is a marvelous weapon for helping to dispel the darkness. Truth is the first of the weapons.

The second is love which is always linked with truth. Everywhere in Scripture we find these two great forces linked together, truth and love. Paul writes to the Ephesians 4:15, "speak the truth in love." In 2 John 1:3 we read, "Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love." 

Our third weapon is righteousness. In 2 Corinthians 6:7 we read, "In truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left." This means the weapons of righteousness are visible from the outside and in our inside life, as well. 

The Lord Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33 to "Seek first His righteousness and all these thing shall be added unto us."The fact that it comes from Him is what makes it righteous. We do not produce righteousness, He does.

Then the fourth of these weapons is a life of faith. In Ephesians 6:16 we read, "Take up the shield of faith with which you can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." Everyone has faith. The difference is the object of our faith. Our faith in the Lord Jesus can quench or put out the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Our primary weapons are truth, love, righteousness and faith  We end where we began in today's text. We end with faith which is found some 243 times in the New Testament. While faith involves believing and acting on things that are not fully known or seen, it is not blind. Biblical faith involves reason and evidence which gives eyes to our hearts for the God of the Bible. And, an interactive and personal relationship with God requires a faith that is willing to bow our will to this God who is known as the lover of our souls.

Luke 22:31-34

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31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” ~ Luke 22:31-34

In our text, the Lord Jesus was with His disciples in the upper room, and it was Thursday evening. They were gathered there to eat the Passover meal and to experience the very first Lord’s Supper. There was to be no Passover after that until the coming of the millennial kingdom, the one thousand year reign of Christ on earth after the Tribulation.

In v.31-32 we read, "31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Only hours after being told that he would be a ruler in Christ's kingdom, Peter is told that he would go from the heights of joyful anticipation and confidence to the pits of failure and bitter weeping in one night. 

The Greek word used for "asked" in v.31 means "demanded.” It is a compound word communicating in the strongest way Satan demanding to "sift" Peter who is the obvious leader of the group of disciples. And so, it is not surprising that Satan would want to go after Peter. And, Peter had no idea that his leadership skills were about to increase through the intensity of yet another trial.

God permits Satan to sift us so that through the stretching of our faith, our intimacy with God is refined. When we go through the deeps waters, we are forced to more strongly wrestle with the right questions which lead us to rely more ardently upon God. When we get to these places, we are granted a clearer vision of who the Lord Jesus really is, and we find ourselves being drawn closer in intimacy to Him.

Sifting wheat is a way to discern whether it is real or not.  Satan strongly demanded to violently shake not only Peter but all of the disciples to reveal their inauthenticity. But, God had other ideas. Through the intense shaking to come the disciples learned who was the secret behind their authenticity. In fact, the shaking will provide the fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7 which reads, "I will strike down the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered." 

According to v.32, we learn the Lord Jesus intercedes for His disciples who were weak and failure prone. They were full of self thus they were full of self-doubt which produced in them a lack of spiritual confidence and power. This was the perfect time for the enemy to go after them, but the Lord Jesus intercedes.

Satan relentlessly appeals to God to turn against us, but his theology is so lacking. He doesn't get the fact that when we have been justified through faith in the Lord Jesus, nothing can separate us from God and He will never abandon His own. 

In v.33 we read, "But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Confident Peter was convinced that he could do anything for the Lord Jesus. In fact, this is what led him to grab his sword and proceed to cut off the ear Malchus in the garden.

In v.34 we read, "Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." And here is the only time in the Gospels the Lord Jesus calls him Peter. This trial of Peter and his recovery was yet another way that God would demonstrate the power of His saving faith. 

It is interesting that this word of warning followed the dispute over who was the greatest! Imagine how the disciples must have felt when they heard that not only would one of their number betray Him, but that their spokesman and leader would publicly deny Him! If a strong man like Peter was going to fail the Lord, what hope was there for the rest of them?

One of the reoccurring themes in 1 Peter is: as we endure trials, we are placed in the position to become a source of strength for others. Peter’s courage failed but not his faith. In fact, he was more intimately restored to fellowship with Christ and was more profoundly used to strengthen God’s people. 

Thirty years later Peter wrote, "Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in your faith." The Lord Jesus pictures Satan trying to tear us apart from our faith in the God of the Bible. Peter pictures Satan as a lion who can devour anything but faith. 

God broke Peter's pride and self-reliance that night in the agony of Satan's sieve. And, He used the tortures of Satan to strengthen Peter's faith. Even though Peter would shortly deny the Lord Jesus, all of this was used of the Lord to make Peter the leader he became. Napolean once said, "Leaders are dealers of hope." We do not have hope unless we have tested the faithfulness of God. It is through our most intense trials that we gain confidence in His FAITHfulness.

Luke 22:21-30

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21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. 24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ~ Luke 22:21-30

We come back to the events leading up to the death of the Lord Jesus. The death of the Lord Jesus was a must because sin is in every molecule of this created universe. God has long been known to overcome the evil that stands in the way of His purposes. He does not need a perfect world to achieve His ends. He will achieve His ends in an absolutely imperfect world. He will achieve His ends even though His enemies are in the way. It is the sins of all that endeavor to obstruct Him, even those sins of those who are believers. None succeed. The forgiven and the unforgiven both stand in the way, but God always achieves His purpose.

In v.21-23 we read, "21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this."  

The Lord Jesus uses this last Passover to institute the Lord's Supper. The disciples were aware of the Jewish religious leaders hatred for the Lord Jesus, but they were not aware that one of them would betray Him. And so, when the Lord Jesus says, “But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table,” it doesn't move Judas at all. It does have an effect on the others, but not on Judas. The others were too shocked to be outraged, and they were not at all suspicious of Judas.

Faith accepts, because it acknowledges that we don't have all the information, but we trust God. Reason rejects because human understanding is finite. This is why some wrestle with the fact that Judas' betrayal was predicted. Some have a hard time squaring up God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, but the words of the Lord Jesus at the end of v.22 clearly shows Judas was responsible for betraying the Lord Jesus.

In Matthew's Gospel we are given the responses of the Twelve. Peter spoke for the others when he said, "Lord, is it I who will betray you?" Judas responded with, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Judas didn't think the Lord Jesus knew who would be the one to betray Him but He did. And, Judas was unmoved. That's how hard his heart had become. The heart of the Lord Jesus had not become his. It was at this point that the Lord Jesus sent Judas out of the Upper Room.

The others knew their hearts were sinful and capable of such. Even though we belong to the Lord, we know we are capable of anything. And, in a display of honesty, they struggled with their own doubting, vacillating hearts. They were moved because they had gained His heart.

Then, in v.24 we read, "A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest." When we are interested in promoting self, it doesn’t take much to start an argument. It became so intense, they turned on one another. Not a fruit of the Spirit. Instead of being captivated by the Savior’s plight, they want to argue about which of them is going to be the greatest when he sets up His kingdom.

In v.25-27 we read, "25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."

The eleven are left wondering. They don't suspect Judas, even though he is gone by this time. Before they could enjoy His kingdom, there had to be His suffering and His dying. The world operates on dominance, but that is not the Lord's way. The Lord's way is a paradox. To be the greatest, we seek to be the least.

The Lord Jesus was and is God. He lacks nothing. Since He is defined by the Father and He lacks nothing, He is not insecure and self-centered. He does not think of self. This is His way.

Then in v.28-30 we read, "28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." 

The eleven endured because they belonged to the Lord Jesus. Think of that. We endure because we are His. We are not our own. And, in the end, when all history is done, these men will rule in the kingdom over the 12 tribes of Israel because the Lord Jesus made them worthy to be honored.

Instead of berating them, the Lord Jesus gave His struggling disciples a lesson on humility. And, He was and would be the prime example. His genius shows through once again as He picks a very teachable moment to show them one of the greatest principles in leadership ever. The amazing thing is that He has chosen the weak things of this world to bring about His purposes in this world. We must continue to trust Him and make ourselves responsible to Him as He brings about those purposes til He comes.

Luke 22:14-20

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14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. ~ Luke 22:14-20

In Luke 22-24 we are given the story of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The paradox of all paradoxes. On that cross we see Him suffering yet exalted, punished yet innocent, hated yet loving, subjected yet sovereign.

The Lord Jesus willingly embraced His cross to die as God’s sacrificial lamb, the innocent substitute dying for His rebellious creation, bearing the full wrath of God for all of our rebellion. He came to earth as a baby and grew to be a man, in order “to give His life a ransom for many.”

Our text happened on Thursday night of the Lord Jesus' final week on earth. It was the day God had long ordained on the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of Passover, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was the time when everything He had ever anticipated was unfolding according to the perfect plan of His Father. But before He died, He met with His apostles, fulfilling the Passover and beginning the New Covenant.

In v.14-16 we read, "When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, 'I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.'"

On that evening the Lord Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant and inaugurated the New. He took all who would ever believe, from the Passover to the Lord’s Table. He ended a millennia of the sacrificing of countless lambs for the forgiveness of sin. And, in order for those trapped in sin to be delivered from judgment, the requirement of death was met through His perfect sacrifice. 

The message of the Passover is: God delivers the sinful  through the death of the innocent substitute. But, no person has ever been delivered from divine judgment by the death of any animal. The repeated sacrifice of animals was simply a continual reminder that God does deliver by the death of an innocent substitute. And some of the people waited for that perfect sacrifice that would be satisfactory to God. This was the point of all those Old Testament sacrifices. 

At the perfect time the long awaited day came when God offered His Son as the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. The Lord Jesus is that perfect substitute for all sinners who would invite Him to be our Savior. He became God's satisfying sacrifice when God poured out His wrath on Him on our behalf.

In v.17-18 we read, "17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

The cup, throughout the scriptures, was representative of the wrath of God. And, now, it is the reminder of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus on the behalf of each believer. The wine has long been the symbol of God's blessing, reflecting His goodness to His people in delivering us from the penalty of sin through His Son. 

In v.19-20 we read, "19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

The death of the Lord Jesus brought to the end the legal requirements of all the ceremonial law including all of the dietary laws and all of the Sabbath laws. In fact, immediately after the Lord's resurrection, the church started to meet on the first day of the week. His substitution brought to the end the Old Testament ceremonies, and rituals.

Now, the moral law has not changed because God doesn’t change. Of course, the moral law is sanctification teaching, not justification teaching. Obeying the moral law does not get us into heaven, it gets heaven into us, now. Following God's moral law garners for us His wisdom, and the more we walk in His wisdom, the more we will experience His sanctification.

The Lord Jesus took the bread, gave thanks and broke it. This bread was long a reminder of the affliction of Israel in Egypt, but now it is to commemorate the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross for our sin.

Sin can only be forgiven when just payment is made, and the payment is death. The only acceptable death could only be made by a sinless and blameless substitute. The Lord Jesus Christ is that substitute. 

The Lord's Supper is simply a remembrance of what He accomplished for us on His cross. He’s not in the bread or in the wine, physically or spiritually. The bread and the wine are object lessons of His body and His blood which were given for us. The two elements are meant to enable us to understand what He did for us on His cross.

Only when justice has been satisfied can we be delivered from the judgment of our sin. When the Lord Jesus died the death that we could not, He accomplished all that satisfies the righteous requirements of the God of the Bible. God made Him sin who never committed one sin so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.