Luke 23:7-12 – Jesus before Herod

Pilate wanted to extricate himself from having to make a judgement on Jesus so he passed the buck to Herod who happened to be in Jerusalem at that time. Herod had quite a large force under his control and was in town to help keep law and order during the time of the feasts. Of course he was glad to have the opportunity to cross examine Jesus. In Luke 9:9, we are told that Herod was curious concerning the report of miracles he heard Jesus was performing. He had John the Baptist beheaded and was wondering who Jesus was, and had been wanting to see Him. So here he must have again been reminded of the miracles Jesus did and was hoping to see some signs being performed by Him.

Luke tells us in verse 9 that Herod questioned Jesus at great length. But as Isaiah had said earlier: - like a sheep led to His shearers Jesus did not open His mouth. Meanwhile, the chief priests and the scribes were accusing Him intensely. Jesus remained silent answering neither Herod nor the priests and scribes.

Not being able to induce Jesus to perform the miracles he had hoped to see, Herod became frustrated and turned spiteful. So he and his soldiers began to mock Jesus. They showed utter disregard for Him and poured out great contempt upon Him. He dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and then sent Him back to Pilate. It must be noted that though Pilate and Herod were rivals and hated each other bitterly, they became friends because of this incidence.

Here, the Lord left us an example on the necessity to control our tongues, especially in times of overwhelming pressure. It is good to keep silent in those moments. If we need to speak, do so only discerningly. And as Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit will come alongside us, we need to learn to tune in to His presence. We must seek to guard against speaking words that we may later regret. Bear in mind the words of Proverbs 17:27:- “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”   

Luke 23:1-6 – Jesus before Pilate

Legally, the Sanhedrin did not have the power to execute anyone. This right was reserved by the Romans for themselves. Therefore the Jewish ruling council had to send Jesus to the Roman authority to get the permission to execute Him. That account for why Jesus had to appear before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea at this point of time.  He was known to have a dislike for the Jews and did not make any attempt to understand them.

In this account we see Pilate showing a bit of compassion for Jesus because of His dislike for the Sanhedrin, which he felt was opposing him. He did not see Jesus as a threat to his rule. But in order to convict Jesus of the charges brought against Him, both the Sanhedrin and Pilate must agree on the charges. Although the Sanhedrin wanted Pilate to affirm their charge, he refused. Of all the accusations, Pilate only reviewed one that he felt could have nailed Jesus. It is likely that he felt all the other charges were not serious enough to warrant a death sentence. So Pilate started with the claim Jesus had made for Himself, that is: “He is the King of the Jews.”

Notice that Jesus gave a cryptic answer. He did not say a clear cut yes or no. He just said, “It is as you say.”  In this Jesus was not denying that He is the King. Of course Jesus is the King but His Kingdom is from another realm. As King, He came to make the Truth known, and His desire is still for each one of us to face up to it. Pilate was afraid to face up to it. The issue for us is: would we face up to the Truth and acknowledge it? This question is for each one of us individually to answer. Having found no fault in Jesus, Pilate told the chief priests and the crowd that He found no incriminating evidences to execute Jesus. But they insisted, by naming all the charges they had against the Lord.  

When Pilate heard that He went everywhere to incite riots, he asked if Jesus was a Galilean. And when he learned that Jesus hailed from Galilee, an area that came under the jurisdiction of Herod, he found a way to extricate himself from his sticky situation. So he sent Jesus to Herod, who was at Jerusalem at that time, for the ruling.    

Pilate was bold enough to acknowledge the innocence of Jesus, but was not bold enough to act according to what He knew. He dared not release Him because he wanted to play to the crowd’s pressure that insisted Jesus should be condemned and crucified. The issue confronting us today is: do we dare face up to our inner conviction and act according to it? Pilate knew the Truth in his heart of hearts but he acted hypocritically. What about us? It’s a decision we all have to make - let’s act for His glory. 

Luke 22:66-71 – Seeing beyond the now

At daybreak, Jesus was led into the chamber to face the hurriedly assembled Sanhedrin. This council would usually comprise of 70 members led by the High Priest who presided. Other council members included chief priests, scribes and elders of Israel. Perhaps on that morning, not all the members were there. During the time when Pontius Pilate was the governor, this council would judge all matters pertaining to the Jewish community. And matters requiring capital punishment had to be referred to the governor.

Rabbinical law also required that a trial must take place during daylight. So what they did to Jesus in the night was not legal. Hence, they had to quickly assemble at dawn to try Him legitimately. The meeting with the Sanhedrin was a mere formality. For they had already prejudged Jesus and decided that He was guilty. Jesus knew their wicked intention perfectly. Everything they asked Jesus was to nail Him. So He exposed their insincerity by not responding to them directly.

Throughout Luke's account, he had portrayed Jesus as the upcoming Messiah. His ministry clearly showed His Messiahship. The reason Jesus didn't want to entertain the Sanhedrin's request was also that He didn't want them to politicize it. Jesus' whole concern was not the trial and all their antiques. He chose rather to side step all its intrigues and humiliation and focused on what's to come. So He told them, "But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

Obviously, the Sanhedrin understood what He was saying. Picking up the term "Son of Man” they then asked Him point blank, "Are You the Son of God?" The term "Son of Man” is synonymous with "Son of God." So Jesus fearlessly and sternly responded to them with a clear "Yes I am." With that the Sanhedrin felt that they needed no further testimony to deliver the death order, so they eventually did.

Just think of it. The One who went to the cross is no ordinary person. He is the Son of God. What great hope! God the Son, He bore our sin! Throughout the trial, Jesus refused to see Himself as a victim of man's injustice. He chose to look up and see Himself in His rightful place as the Son of Man, seated gloriously enthroned at God's right hand. And according to the Apostle Paul, God has also "...raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...."

Positionally, we are already seated with Christ. Hence, we need not crumble under our circumstances. We must learn to look down at our circumstances from where we are seated. So keep looking down for we are seated in the heavenlies!

Luke 22:63-65 – Enduring sheer hostility

Luke 22:63-65 describe Jesus in the custody of the guards. He became the subject of a mob cruelty. When acting alone, a person tends to be less cruel, but when acting with a mob, the intensity usually increases. This is certainly the situation that the Lord was facing. He became the victim of a bunch of guards who were probably bored and looking for fun. So they made Him the object of their fun. They blindfolded Jesus and hit Him. Then they asked Him to prophesy and tell them who it was that had beaten Him. What irony! Didn't Jesus' prophetic words about Peter's denial just happened?

In Luke 18:32-33, He had prophetically said that He would be "... handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him..." The other Gospels tell us that He was spat upon and continually punched or slapped. They even used a rod to beat Him. He was also subjected to all kinds of verbal abuse. They must have used the vilest and all the stinking, vulgar words of their vocabulary to insult Him. The Creator was mocked and abused and blasphemed. Everything happened as He had foretold beforehand.

Everyone associated with Him had fled for safety and no one was with Him, only the Father in heaven. Condemned, bound and blindfolded, His captors jeered at Him the whole night long. And He was allowed no sleep. He didn't retaliate nor say a word, exactly as foretold by Isaiah. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

It must be said that it was within Jesus' power to free Himself from the insane behaviour of the guards. But He chose to remain and subject Himself to all the mockery and insults of those ignorant guards. Up till today, His name is still often used as a curse or swear word. Think of the extreme cruelty our Lord went through. None of us can say that we have been through such a situation. We may have been insulted before but they all pale in significance compared to what the Lord had gone through. So how should we respond the next time we are insulted? Let's allow Christ's nature to shine through us in our most difficult moment. We must seek to emulate Him, for His sole objective on earth was to fulfil the will of the Father above. Do we?

Luke 22:54-62 – Peter denies Jesus

Jesus was led to the high priest's house after the arrest.  When a fire had been set up in the middle of the courtyard, the religious authority sat down together. Peter who was trailing at some distance eventually sat down among them, near enough to be warmed by the fire. At this point of time, every disciple had fled and left Jesus. To his credit, Peter had at least followed Jesus to see what would be the outcome. Being near the fire, his face was revealed by its light. A servant girl who had been gazing at him with intense, recognized him. Peter's first reaction was, "Woman, I do not know Him." That was a lie and his first denial. He denied knowing Jesus.

A little later, a man recognized him as a disciple of Jesus. He said to Peter, “You are one of them too!" Sternly Peter said to him, "I am not." This was the second denial where he refused to acknowledge that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. An hour passed by quickly. They must have asked Jesus many questions. Lo and behold, a third man was certain that Peter was a member of Jesus' band. But Peter vehemently exclaimed, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” This was the third denial and the real drama was about to begin.

It was precisely at this moment, even before Peter could complete his sentence that the rooster crowed. In the heat of his denial, Peter did not notice that Jesus was brought into the courtyard. Dramatically, Luke described the moment of truth. As the rooster crowed, Jesus looked straight into Peter's eye, and he remembered what Jesus said to him at the Upper Room. “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” And these words kept ringing in his ear. Something inside of Peter died that night. We would never know what anguish he experienced that moment. He couldn't bear the searching eye of the Lord He claimed to love. That look of Jesus striped Peter of all his rhetoric. So he went out and wept bitterly.

The Lord was after Peter's perfection. And this was Peter's moment of truth. That short moment of look from the Lord linked Peter's soul with his Master's. He was saying to Peter, "Remember I told you about this moment." It was also a reminder to Peter that when he had picked himself up from the fall, he was to strengthen the brethren. Similarly, the Lord is also after our perfection. Like Peter we are marked by the Lord. Moment by moment He is changing us. Everything we encounter in life is by divine providence. We either let them perfect or embitter us. We either become discouraged or allow them to build our resolve. Meanwhile let us not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Let us think with sound judgment according to the grace that God has given to us. 

Let’s take counsel from the Apostle Paul recorded in Galatians 6:3 and 1 Corinthians 10:12 - Firstly, "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” And secondly, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

Luke 22:47-53 - The hour has come

At this point in time, Jesus came to His disciples, whom He had instructed to pray. Having just struggled with the anguish of His impending death, Jesus came looking for their support. But He was disappointed instead. They were truly insensitive to the crisis that was confronting the Master. Before Jesus could even finish what He was saying, a mob approached. Leading them was none other than Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve. The agreed signal to indicate Jesus to the Jewish authority was a kiss. So Judas approached to kiss Jesus.

A kiss was a customary greeting meant for a friend, but this kiss that Judas planted on Jesus' cheek was sinister. It was a kiss from hell. Using an act of affection, Judas betrayed his Master. It was so incongruent, so deluding. What could be more deceptive? To use an act that was meant to express warmth to betray a friend. Haven't we been guilty of acts such as this before? To do things that give the appearance that we love the Lord, but with a very different agenda. To give the impression of a deep passion for the Lord, yet knowing deep within how far and remote is that love for Him.

Notice the way Jesus responded to Judas. Addressing him, he asked, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” What Jesus said to Judas was cloaked in a deep love for his lost soul. He was telling him, "Judas, how could you do this? Why a kiss? Couldn't you choose another means? Are you so unfeeling, so beyond hope that you would use a kiss?" What happened next revealed the calmness of the Lord. He showed that He was in total control. His disciples must have thought that this was the moment to use the two swords they found earlier. They awaited the Lord's command.

But one of His disciples, which John 18:10 identifies as the impulsive Peter, struck a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.  gain we are told by John that the name of that servant was Melchus. We are told Jesus immediately rebuked Peter and have the ear of Melchus fixed. Have you ever wondered what Melchus would have thought of the whole incidence? Do you think he would be cursing Peter or praising Jesus for the healing? The answer is as good as anybody's guess.

Knowing that fighting would have given the Jewish authority the perfect excuse to prove His guilt, He ordered the disciples to stop and restrain from violence. Jesus went on to question the legality of the arrest. In verse 52 when Jesus asked, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber?" He was questioning their intention. They could have arrested Him anytime in the temple if He was in the wrong, why did they come in the cover of the night? Unless they knew there was no basis for their action.

What did Jesus mean when He said, "...but this hour and the power of darkness are yours"? He was telling them that they had control of that moment because of the cover of darkness of the night. Jesus further indicated that it was the hour that the power of darkness reigned. What they were doing was only acting on impulse of the evil one that ruled that hour. Unwittingly, they were fulfilling the moment for which Christ had come for. This is the hour that the Lord prayed in the beginning of His prayer in John 17:1. He said, "Father, the hour has come...." and indeed it has.

As God ordained the hour of Christ’s life, He has also lined up the program of our lives. And He says to us through Jeremiah 29:11-14, "For I know the plans that I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes...."  Oh, what a glorious Hope! And such a wonderful promise!

Luke 22:39-46 - Submit and pray

All the events leading up to this moment in Gethsemane had been disappointing to Jesus. Think of the impending betrayal; the disciples' fight on who would be the greatest; the Lord’s prediction of Peter's impending failure; and the disciples' lack of perception that led to Jesus’ disappointing words, "It is enough." Now we see His disappointment about to be carried into Gethsemane. In verse 40, Jesus instructed them to pray, and came finding them asleep instead of praying (verses 45-46). At a time when their support for Him was most needed, they failed Him. They couldn't even stay awake to pray for Him. This account re-enforces the importance of prayer. It is in prayer that we find the strength to avoid temptation. It is the best defence from temptation. Here the Lord demonstrated it.

Luke tells us that Jesus withdrew a little distance from them and He knelt down to pray to the Father. There He struggled with the anguish of death. He pleaded to the Father to spare Him this moment of death. The fact that the angel had to come and minister to Him attests to the fact that death was not an experience Jesus took lightly. In verse 44, coupled with the angel’s ministering to Him, Jesus continued, in great agony, in prayer fervently. His was an intense moment in prayer. So much so that beads of sweat fell off His brow became drops of blood. He refused to yield to temptation. He was demonstrating His instruction - prayer is the answer to triumph over temptation.

What could Jesus be thinking about when He was praying for the cup to be passed? There are many possibilities. Here are two sanctified postulations: Firstly, Jesus' relationship with the Father had never been broken but now it was about to happen because of the sin of the world. He couldn't bear the thought of that separation. So in anguish He asked for the cup to pass. Secondly, Jesus knew what death meant. It is the wages of sin and the judgment of God. As He thought of the immensity of the wrath of God that would be poured out because of sin, He recoiled. If it could be avoided, He would rather avoid it.

But in this account, we also see Jesus' total yieldedness to God. His submission has no equal. His was a life of total and utter submission to the Father. This moment in His prayer was the ultimate expression of His submissiveness. Much as He would prefer another way to deal with the sin of mankind, He would only yield to the one that the Father had chosen. Hence His words, "Not My will but Yours be done."

Thoughts to take away. First, sin must not be regarded lightly. It could mean an eternity of intense pain and agony and total separation from God. Even Jesus shuddered as He thought of the wages of sin. How then, should we estimate sin? Second, prayer must be given top priority. It's the one instrument that God has given to us to deal with Satan's luring temptation. Pray that you may not fall into temptation. Third, live a life of total submission to the Father. Like Jesus, let's live to please the Heavenly Father. His will must always come first. Not my will but Yours be done. Amen.  

Luke 22:35-38 - Be perceptive

Have you ever misunderstood something that you heard, where what was said was totally misinterpreted? This was exactly what happened to the disciples in Luke 22:35-38. Having dealt with Peter, the Lord now turned to address the group. They were reminded of their two earlier missions recorded in Luke 9:3 and 10:4. When they were sent out then, the instruction was to go without money belts, bags, and sandals. Yet they lacked nothing. In those missions they were amply provided for in the ministry and they completed their tours of duties successfully. Now in a surprising reversal, Jesus told them not to do the same. They were told to bring their money belts and bags and were specifically told that if they do not have a sword, “to sell their coat and buy one.” 

Sword! We can understand if they must bring along money belts and bags, but why get a sword? In reading this passage, perhaps some of us are puzzled with this instruction as well. We must know that the situation for them was changing. With the increased hostility and His impending trial, suffering and death looming, He needed to prepare them. He wanted them to be adequately prepared for what they would soon encounter. They had misunderstood that bringing a sword meant that they should be ready for an actual fight. Jesus’ whole idea was to warn them of changing circumstances so that being forewarned they could be forearmed.

In verse 37, Jesus quoted Isaiah 53:12 and applied it to Himself. He was truly numbered among the transgressors. They grouped Him together with transgressors. That's how they would treat Him. And He was ultimately nailed between two transgressors on the cross. And His followers, the disciples, would also be seen as transgressors and outlaws. But the disciples concentrated and grappled so much with the necessity of a sword that His intended message was lost on them. And they did not get what He meant. We know that Jesus wasn't advocating violence, as this was seen in how he healed the high priest servant's ear at Gethsemane, after Peter had cut it off.

Verse 38 shows us explicitly that they totally misinterpreted Him. They failed to grasp what the Lord was saying. So they responded by pointing to two swords that they found. So lost for words that the Lord had to say to them, "it is enough." It appears that in those three words, the Lord was expressing weariness. How can two swords be enough to resist the might of the Romans or the coming arrest? So to cut off the foolish talk the Lord said to them "It is enough."  It's almost like saying "Okay. Enough of your foolish talk."

This is precisely the reason why we should be slow to speak and quick to hear. We need to cultivate an inner attentiveness to what the Lord is saying to us each moment of life. Especially in the face of competing circumstances and voices. Oh, how we need to cultivate silence and solitude! To do so we all need to learn to come apart, to be still and silent before the Lord. How can we ever hear rightly when all the competing noises are obscuring the message of God? Can we still hear His words in Mark 6:31, calling us to “...Come away by yourselves to a secluded place ….”? It’s in the secret quiet place that we can shut out the competing noises and hear more clearly! 

Luke 22:31-34 –Find strength through prayer

The Upper Room had suddenly become still and silent. The bickering over who was the greatest had stopped and the whole mood was sombre. The disciples must have all felt ashamed of their self-centredness and worldly outlook about greatness. But what was to come would be even more humbling. At least it was for Peter. In verse 30 we see Jesus assuring them of their future roles. Immediately following His assurance, the Lord turned to Peter personally and tenderly hinted to him of his impending failure. The other Gospels tell us that Peter was not the only one who fell away. In fact, every one of the disciples also fell away. Luke specifically singled out Peter. Perhaps, he was the one whose voice had overpowered the rest in their dispute.

In verse 31, Jesus started by revealing that it was Satan's intention to cause Peter's downfall. That old scheming, conniving devil had sought for the Lord's permission to stumble him. Satan wanted to sift Peter like wheat. Although Jesus' disclosure would have alerted Peter but he couldn't quite believe what he had heard. We find great relief from what the Lord had said here. We learned that nothing can happen to us outside of the Lord's approval. The tempter cannot have his free hand on us without the go-ahead from the Lord. Everything that will happen to us, can only take place with the full knowledge of the Lord. Isn't our Lord gracious?

To assure Peter, the Lord revealed to him that it would not spell his end, as the Lord Himself had already prayed for him. In asking him to strengthen the brethren when he "turned again," the Lord was indicating that Peter's fall would not be a permanent thing, but that he would be restored. As the Lord prayed for Peter then, He is praying for us today. What a privilege to know that He is also our eternal intercessor. The author of the book of Hebrews said that as our permanent High Priest, "(Jesus) He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (us included)"(Hebrews 7:25).

In verse 33, in the uneasy atmosphere of that Upper Room, the outspoken Peter vehemently vowed that he would be willing to go both to prison and death with the Lord. But the Lord would never say anything that would not happen. So He told Peter in verse 34, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.” From this scene here, let us be reminded to walk gingerly before the Lord. To be slow to anger and slow to speak. But to be quick to listen and obey. These might just help us to avoid the necessity of having unpleasant circumstances in life to stir us out of our complacency, and prideful boasting. Remember, being sincere is one thing, but having the gumption to see it through is quite another. For all his bravado, this once confidence Peter would finally give in to his cowardice, and deny the Lord.

Peter was a man who spoke too fast, boasted too much but prayed too little. He shot off his mouth at many junctures of his journey with Christ. And just shortly before his infamous denial, the Lord had to tell him and James and John, to get up and pray that they might not fall into temptation (Luke 22:46). This warning to Peter is a timely reminder for us to be slow to speak and quick to hear. And also to stay prayerful through life. Your connection to the Lord is vital in overcoming temptation.

Luke 22:24-30 - Greatness through serving

The ugly side of their fallen nature surfaced among the disciples. Each of them wanted to be greater than the rest. After Jesus had revealed about His soon departure, they, each of them, were eyeing the leadership.  They did not share Jesus' spirit at that moment. It must have been disheartening for the Lord. We are told that a dispute arose among them. A dispute is more than just an argument. It's a sharp contention. Verse 24 tells us that there arose one. And the disciples were engaged in a heated dissension. Just imagine the volume it must have generated, the decibel that must have increased. Each of them wanted to outdo the other to prove that he was the greatest. Their bickering had exposed their self-interest. Yet the Lord patiently helped them to resolve the issue.

The worldly concept of leadership is to dominate and show who has the upper hand, the authority and power. But Jesus told them that with His followers, it ought not to be so. The attitude of one who wants to lead, must be unassuming. In Jesus' reckoning, a leader's greatness is found in service and not in demanding service. Jesus asked two pointed questions to help them see the core attitude of the one who wants to be great. Greatness is found in service, not in waiting to be served. Jesus is the clearest example of that true greatness. He is the ultimate model. He stood as one who serves.

The Lord was far more patient with them than us. He terminated the discussion by reminding them of the authority that would be theirs in the Kingdom. So in verses 28-30, He told them that their authority in the future would definitely be unlike the delusive authority of the earthly kings. The authority of the Kingdom would not be found in exerting lordship and demanding authority, but to follow in the steps of Jesus closely. Let’s be engaged in meeting the needs of the fallen humanity. Be armed with a humble readiness to serve. Be cheerful and willing to fill any post, no matter how lowly. For these are the true tests of Christian greatness.

As Paul said in Philippians 2, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind ...; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus...He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant...."

True greatness is best seen in serving!

Luke 22:21-23 - The betrayer revealed

The Lord was clear about His mission. He was certain of what would soon happen. Wanting to prepare the disciples for His departure, He openly told them that one of them would betray Him. The presence of the betrayer was not a random thing. He was not a sub-plot. His role was predetermined in God's program and foretold in Scriptures. Verse 21 tells us that he was one of the disciples, who was on the table with Him.

While the betrayal was part of God's program for the Messiah's mission, the man who betrayed the Lord would be miserable. However, all praise be to God for His unsearchable wisdom. He ingeniously turned a sin into a glorious plan - the salvation of mankind. We all may well sneer at Judas' betrayal of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. But we should be careful and not be carried away. If we scrutinize our own actions in life, we may well discover areas in our own life where we had compromised our position for a morsel of bread.

Verse 23 reveals that the other disciples didn't know about Judas' intention. The fact that they did not know shows the goodness of the Lord. For one, he would not be ostracized by them. And perhaps the Lord was giving him the time and opportunity to ponder and change. As we think of Judas and his betrayal of the Lord, we should also do a search to see if there are areas in our life that the Lord is waiting for us to change too. Do not be so blind ended by a passion that we fail to see the obvious! Don't wait too long till it's too late to change! Let Psalm 139:23-24 be our constant prayer:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

Luke 22:14-20 - The Lord's Supper

The critical moment in the history of salvation had arrived. Jesus was about to reveal His heart. Here they were seated, reclining round a table. This historic meal that they were about to partake, is also known as the Last Supper. It was the last earthly meal that Jesus took with His disciples before His suffering. While taking this last meal, Jesus also anticipated the fulfilment of the covenant in the consummation of the Kingdom. At that moment, a meal, like that of the Passover, would be celebrated in fulfilment of the promise. Jesus said He longed for that moment, but meanwhile He had to suffer and it was looming large.

In an actual Passover meal, four cups of wine were drunk. With every cup they would actually rehearse one of the redemptive process. The first cup would mark Israel as God's chosen. The second and third cup would mark their redemption and deliverance. The fourth cup was to remind them of their hope that would follow. It's a reminder of Deuteronomy 26:18-19 that say, "The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honour; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken.”

However, only the Gospel of Luke mentions two cups. The first cup is seen in verse 17, followed by the breaking of bread. As Jesus told the disciples, He also tells us today, that the bread signifies His broken body. He did it for the remission of our sin. Following the bread they partook of a meal together. After the meal, Jesus gave them the second cup. It coincided with the moment in the Passover meal when they would rehearse Exodus 6:6 that says, "I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments."

As Jesus told His disciples as He gave them the second cup, He is also telling us today, that He is our Redeemer. His blood, represented by the cup of wine, sealed the covenant for our redemption. Every time we partake of the Lord's Supper, we are reminded that our sins are forgiven because of His broken body, symbolized by the bread. And when we drink the cup, we recall the eternal covenant between God and us, which Christ sealed with His own blood.

Beloved, we are God's redeemed people. He gave us the bread and the cup to remind us that He did it all for us. When we partake of the Lord's Supper, what we think about is important. Knowing that we are to be the salt of the earth and light to the world, is necessary for us to be effective witnesses. But to know that we are dearly loved because we are His redeemed is important because it gives us great hope for the future. May His name be forever blessed!  

Luke 22:7-13 - Simply trust

The home and family based Passover celebration had changed since its institution in the book of Exodus. By the time of Jesus, Passover lambs were slaughtered in the temple and brought home for the meal. Furthermore, the meal which was originally celebrated with family members, could be celebrated by a master with his disciples, so long as there were ten or more of them. The Passover celebration was not just another festival. It was intended to help God's people to recall how He had delivered them from their bondage. Hence, it was no co-incidence that the Lord's sacrifice should take place during the Passover. For He is the ultimate sacrificial Lamb that could truly deliver one from the guilt and weight of sin.

In Luke 22:7-13, the place where Jesus was going to celebrate the Passover with His disciples was unknown to them. Jesus had kept it a secret because He probably knew of Judas’ arrangement with the Sanhedrin. He didn't want him to alert the authority and made known where their Passover meal would be held. It was a closely kept secret till the proper time. Like Luke 19:30, where He sent the two disciples to fetch the donkey for His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, He now sent Peter and John to prepare the place for the Passover meal.

The indicator to them would be a man carrying a pitcher of water. This would make it easier for them to recognize the person who would lead them to the place. In Jesus' day, only women carry pitchers for water, not the men. A man would usually use a leather water bag instead. When they had identified that man, Jesus told them that they would be led to the exact house. The owner would then show them the large furnished upper room, to prepare for the meal. Peter and John left on their assignment and found everything exactly as the Lord had said.

Many lessons could be gleaned from this passage. But one key message to us is to have simple trust in the Lord. He knows exactly what we need to do. As His instructions to Peter and John were clear, His instructions to us will also be clear if we are attentive. So we need to be near enough to hear. What is important also is to trust Him enough to act. We may not know our future. Truly, many things about tomorrow, we don‘t really understand. But He does. He holds our future and our lives in His hand. So let’s just abandon ourselves to Him in sweet surrender and simply trust Him to guide and lead.

Luke 22:1-6 - The plot to betray Jesus

Luke tells us that the Passover Feast was fast approaching. The decision that Jesus must die was the overwhelming agreement among members of the Sanhedrin. An informal meeting among the chief priests and the scribes was probably called on that Wednesday prior to the first Good Friday. The place they met was likely to be in the home of Caiaphas, the reigning High Priest. What's amazing was the fact that they were afraid to arrest Jesus in the open. They consulted with each other on how the arrest could be made without a riot. Jesus' popularity was swelling by the day and the populace looked up to His leadership. So the arrest must be in secret. This was not the first time that they had tried to apprehend Jesus. There were several failed attempts before.

Jesus of course was not oblivious of the plot. He knew the pivotal moment He came for was drawing near. Since his failure to stumble Jesus at His temptation, Satan had been seeking a more opportune time to trap the Lord. So darkness had cast its shadow in the form of Judas Iscariot, one of His twelve disciples. Luke 22:3-4 said that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot. This phrase does not mean that he was possessed but that his act was satanically inspired. So he went to the chief priest and the Sanhedrin to consult how he could betray Jesus.

Judas had an inordinate passion for money. Being the treasurer of the group, he had often pilfered from their common purse. This same love for money, his weakest point, was exploited by Satan now and he was led further into sin. This is a grim reminder to us believers that once Satan has a foothold in our lives, he will exploit it to the fullest. It behoves us to be alert. Because like a roaring lion, that devil still prowls around seeking to devour us, at our weakest point. 

Could Judas have been disappointed with Jesus? Probably so. Like many, he was looking to Jesus to lead a revolt against the Roman government. It was obvious that Jesus did not have any intention of fulfilling any of Judas' wrong notion. The turn of events at Jerusalem told him that his idea of the Messiah was not going to be fulfilled in Jesus. So he turned traitor. To enrich himself at Jesus' expense, Judas joined league with those who plotted to kill Him. It blows one's mind to think that he was so near yet so far. For almost three years he walked with Jesus, yet his love for him had not developed a wee bit.

Psalm 41:9 is a messianic prediction. It says that "Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." And this scripture was fulfilled in Judas. He consented to expose Jesus by pointing Him out from the crowd. We all need to beware of this Judas' inclination. To walk with Jesus is wonderful. Deepening our love for Him is more needful. The cross was the ultimate expression of His love. He stripped Himself of all the glory He had with the Father in eternity, to come and cleanse our sin and free us. Even though we may have failed Him so often, He still offers us His everlasting friendship. His arms are still widely stretched, just as He did on the cross. He still wants to draw us near, and to embrace us with His deep love. O, what marvellous grace! Just like the lyrics of a hymn that say:

O the deep, deep, love of Jesus,

Vast, unmeasured, boundless free.
Rolling as a mighty ocean.

In its fullness over me.

Oh that we will experience this deep, deep love of Jesus!

Luke 21:37-38 - Perfect security

In just two verses, we see the Lord's daily routine. He was totally secured and settled. He knew the Father's will for His life perfectly, and would go about the routine to accomplish the Father's purpose for Him. In the day He would teach in the temple. At night He would spend time with His disciples under the star-lit sky of Mount Olive. We can safely imagine that He would also spend time talking to the Father. Luke also tells us that people would daily throng the temple early in the morning, just to hear Him teach. 

We know that He had to face hostile groups who were antagonistic towards Him. He also had to face the religious leaders who plotted and schemed to get rid of Him. They were out to get Him and often they would ask questions with the intention to ensnare Him. But He had taught His disciples not to worry about tomorrow. He had taught them to rely on the Father. So here in Luke 21:37-38, He was merely demonstrating such a life style. Despite all the lurking dangers, He abandoned Himself to the work that the Father had assigned Him to do. Although He was fully cognizant of His impending crucifixion, death, and resurrection, He did not shrink from the task. He was sure of what He came to do and went about it resolutely.

The point is this: He lived what He taught. He lived a worry-free life. He didn't even regard the dangers that he had to face daily. Why? Because He was totally secured in the Father. He knew that nothing could happen to Him unless God had appointed them. And nothing could happen to Him until God's appointed time. Christ was purposeful, selfless and dedicated to His mission. He was totally settled and He resolutely fulfilled the Father's will for Him.

What about us? What must we do? Like Christ we must trust and obey. Work while it is yet day, for when night comes, no man can work. Be assured of His abiding peace and security, and diligently live and work with and for Him.

Luke 21:34-36 - Be Vigilant

Luke made it explicitly clear that everything Christ had said will come to pass. Every word of His will be fulfilled. With that, the Lord then turned to call believers to stay watchful and ready. Why? Because there are two erroneous views we can adopt:

·     Be overly obsessed with the imminence of His second coming that we become impractical in our daily living

·   Be indifferent, careless, relax and lethargic about our spiritual lives, thinking that His return seems to be afar off, because certain signs have yet to happen.   

So from Mount Olive, where His return would take place, the Lord issued the call for us to be vigilant and watchful. As believers, we must not be so intoxicated with earthly and secular matter, that lead us to living life as if it will go on forever here. Because life on earth will not go on indefinitely.

Christ's precise words to us are found in verse 34. “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come upon you suddenly like a trap..." Instead of being just consumed with the cares of this life and be fretful, Christ tells us to be alert and prayerful. We must take time to seek Him and find His strength to overcome the daily demands of life. We must pray for strength to escape all the impending disasters. And we must make it our goal to finally stand before the Son of Man, spotless and whole.

Where is our sight fixed on daily?                                                                        
    
Mabel J. Camp wrote:
Lift up your heads, pilgrims aweary,
See day’s approach now crimson the sky;
Night shadows flee, and your Beloved,
Awaited with longing, at last draweth nigh.

He is coming again, He is coming again,
The very same Jesus, rejected of men;
He is coming again, He is coming again,
With power and great glory, He is coming again!

Dark was the night, sin warred against us;
Heavy the load of sorrow we bore;
But now we see signs of His coming;
Our hearts glow within us, joy’s cup runneth o’er!

O blessèd hope! O blissful promise!
Filling our hearts with rapture divine;
O day of days! Hail Thy appearing!
Thy transcendent glory forever shall shine.

Even so, come, precious Lord Jesus;
Creation waits redemption to see;
Caught up in clouds, soon we shall meet Thee;
O blessèd assurance, forever with Thee!

Luke 21:25-33 - Signs of His Return

Having described the signs that would precede the destruction of the temple, Christ proceeded to talk about signs that would precede His return. He brought back the subject of increased natural disasters and changing cosmic signs. Much of what Christ said here were already foretold in the Old Testament. The subject of His second coming is virtually inexhaustible.  Joel 2:30-31, Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; and Ezekiel 32:7 all foretold of these signs.

As these natural disasters and cosmic signs take place, men will become anxious and apprehensive increasingly. But, it will be in the midst of all these that Christ will come, in the clouds with all His authority, power and glory. When these signs take place, Christ's exhortation for believers is to straighten up and look up, for our redemption is drawing near. The call of Christ here is to be ready in the midst of man's fear and confusion. We should brace ourselves for the ultimate deliverance from this sin-sick world, with all its temptation, sickness, sorrow and death. But when will this take place?

In verses 29-33, Christ gave some hopeful and encouraging signs for us believers. He said, when a fig tree or any tree is budding and its branches are being renewed, we will know that the new season will be here soon. In the same way when we see all the natural and atmospheric changes, we know that Christ is coming soon. Christ will return in glory with full power and authority. Our King will be here soon. His coming is not only near but will be sudden. So be prepared. As all these signs take place, lawlessness and wickedness will simultaneously increase, with frequency and intensity. As Jesus had said, every strata of society will be shaken. And we, believers, will also be shaken.

However, there is one way we can insure ourselves from fear and apprehension. That is: to build our foundation in Christ. Make it firm and solid. He is our sure foundation and hope. Take the words of Colossians 2:6-7 seriously. Paul said, "Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."

In summary:
Be sure Christ Jesus is in our life.
Be diligent in our walk with Him.
Be firmly rooted in Him.
Be built up in Him.
Be established in the faith.
Be abounding in gratitude and thanksgiving.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Luke 21:20-24 - Tough Times Don't Last

In Luke 21:20-24, Christ anticipated a time of great distress in Jerusalem. This literally took place some 40 years later when the Roman Emperor Titus, besieged Jerusalem. Two known historians, Eusebius and Josephus, both make allusions to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in their writings. In that event, there was intense suffering and people literally fled from Jerusalem. The Romans came upon them like a mighty flood. As predicted by the Lord, the temple was destroyed. This was when Jerusalem was trampled under the feet of the Gentiles.

The time of the Gentiles virtually began with Christ's death, the rendering asunder of the veil in the temple from top to bottom, and Christ's subsequent resurrection and ascension. This period, Luke hinted, would end only when Christ comes again! This would be when the time of the Gentiles would be fulfilled. With that, Christ then turned to complete His Olivet Discourse by discussing His second coming.

In the earlier verses, Christ promised His disciples His protective care. With the promise and the notion that they were enduring all things for Him, they were inspired to persist through their hard-times. Besides, they also had His indwelling Spirit with them to guide them through all their adversities until their ultimate triumph. Like them, we also know that our earthly life with Him will be attended by hard times. We can always draw strength for the journey from the promise that He will be with us even to the end of the age. All tough times have an ending. But what do we do in the meantime? 

Connect with Jesus and know Him intimately. Learn to live a Spirit guided life daily.  It's not what we know, it's who we know. When we know Him we shall do great exploits with Him! 

Luke 21:10-19 - Enduring Tough Time

Jesus' conversation with His disciples about the temple and its destruction started when they left the temple. As they walked toward the slope of Mount Olive, the disciples must have struggled to understand what He had said. Luke did not give us exactly when or where the following conversation take place. From the other synoptic accounts, we can deduce that it probably took place on Mount Olive.

Continuing in Luke 21:10-11, we find Jesus talking about world and natural disasters before His second coming. He provided some insights on what would happen to world situations before He returns. There would be worldwide hostilities and war between nations and kingdoms. There would also be occurrences of natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, plagues, and famines. Then there would also be fearful and unusual cosmic signs. Down through the corridor of time we have seen these events escalating in frequency. These things are the result of man's sin and abuse of God’s resources and would continue till the end of time. We mustn't interpret these signs and think that life is over. Christ said we should not be deceived by them.

Then He turned to focus on the disciples. The Lord gave them some insight on what they personally would encounter. They would have to face hostility, be opposed and betrayed by people who could be close friends and relatives, even parents and brothers. He foretold that some of them might even be put to death. And because of their association with Christ, they would be hated. But as they endured they would not be harmed but would receive life ultimately. In what Jesus told His disciples are lessons for us as well. Christ knew human tendency so well. There's always the tendency to fear and fret when we think of being questioned. As He instructed them, He is also instructing us what to do in the face of persecution and hostile reactions toward our faith.

Like the disciples, we should see them as evangelistic opportunities. We may be brought before authorities, be it religious, secular or domestic, to give an answer for our faith. We are not to fret nor fear and try to figure out how to defend any of their accusations. He promises to grant us indisputable and irresistible wisdom, and also the ability to articulate them. Like the disciples who were taught, we should seize every opportunity to share our personal testimony. We should be assured of His protection in all situations. He promises that not a single hair on our head will be harmed.

In verse 19, Jesus' encouragement is to stand firm, to persevere and endure.  Remember that we are in a spiritual marathon. We are not in a 100 metres sprint. The key to achieving in a marathon is endurance. He will give us the grace and strength. He tells us that His grace is sufficient for us and His strength will be made perfect in our weakness. So let’s refuse to give up and attain true life ultimately! 

Luke 21:5-9 - Keep on keeping on faithfully

Luke 21:5-9 formed the best platform for the Lord to launch into His Olivet Discourse, His final prophetic address. This was a perfect link to His final days. Since coming into Jerusalem in His triumphant entry, Jesus had cleansed the temple, and had several successful debates with the religious outfits of Israel. We last saw Him commending the poor widow for her selfless giving before He passed judgement on the religious leaders of Israel. He was now leaving the temple.

On their way out of this astoundingly magnificent temple building, someone mentioned about its beauty. Mark's account of this same incident specifically said that it was one of His disciples who exclaimed, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” (Mark 13:1). What's puzzling was the way Jesus replied. He told them that a day would come when it would be totally destroyed. So total would be the destruction, that there would not be found one stone upon another. And this literally happened.

When the temple was destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans, the fire that was set on the building melted all the gold in the building. The liquid gold then flowed into every crack of the destroyed stones. Soldiers who tried to retrieve the gold from the stones chiselled them till not a stone was found upon another. How true the Lord's prediction was!

Continuing, the disciples then asked when this would take place and what would be the signs. They were asking about the timing of the destruction of the temple. The Lord's answer to them went beyond the timing of the destruction of the temple. He went on to talk about the event that would happen in the last days to encourage faithful service till His return.

He warned them of the widespread deceptions that would happen. He said many would be using His name.  Many would even claim that they are the Christ and would predict that the time is near. He told them (including us) not to be taken in. The Lord went on to say that there would be reports of war. And as His followers we should not be terrified. All these must take place. Even then, the Lord said, His return would not follow immediately.

Believers have always been interested in the events of the last days. There have been many predictions of the timing of His coming. Knowing the signs of His return is good, but what's more important is to keep on in faithful service. The Lord's clarion call is: keep occupied till I come! What are we doing in the meantime? How are we building our spiritual life? Let's not consume our energy in speculations! Let's trim the lamp of our witness by living right and cultivating our walk!

Luke 21:1-4 - Money Speaks

It is said that money speaks. Yes, it speaks volumes. How we use money reveals the condition of our hearts. That's why how we give to God reveals the degree of our affection for Him. For where our treasure is, there will our heart be as well. Jesus knew this well. Hence, He stationed Himself near the treasury in Luke 21:1-4. From there Jesus could observe not only how much people gave but also how they gave. Whether one was rich or poor, none escaped His notice.

As an aside, we need to know that Jesus is still watching our giving. But He is not so concerned about the amount we give, as much as the attitude we display when we give. Today, He is still assessing the attitude of our hearts as we put in our offering each week. And nothing escapes His notice too.

That day, what captured Jesus' attention and admiration was a poor widow and her giving. The amount she gave could not be compared with the amount the rich were giving. She probably walked toward the treasury gingerly but unpretentiously. Unlike the rich, she did not want to be noticed. So quietly, she just placed her two small insignificant copper coins into the treasury. Or so she thought. But while no one cared about the amount she gave, God did and Jesus did.

Apart from the announcement the rich would make before putting their money into the treasury, the amount would also make lots of sound when it hit the bottom of the treasury. But the poor widow's two small copper coins probably did not even create a sound. Yet what she gave spoke louder than all the money the rich gave. Why? She had given all that she had, while the rich had only given out of their left-overs. It's not the amount, it's the heart.

An analysis of the amount God has at His disposal would tell us that God does not need our money. While He does not need our money, He wants us. And the amount and the attitude in giving, express eloquently how much of ourselves we have given to Him. What does our giving speak about our affection for God? So be mindful, Jesus is still watching!