Facing Isolation Luke 22:39-62

-Jesus walks a lonely road of obedience

About halfway through (a PBS program on the Library of Congress), Dr. Daniel Boorstin, the Librarian of Congress, brought out a little blue box from a small closet that once held the library’s rarities. The label on the box read: CONTENTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S POCKETS ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 14, 1865. Since that was the fateful night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, every viewer’s attention was seized. Boorstin then proceeded to remove the items in the small container and display them on camera. There were five things in the box:

A handkerchief, embroidered “A. Lincoln”A country boy’s pen knifeA spectacles case repaired with stringA purse containing a $5 bill—Confederate money(!)Some old and worn newspaper clippings

“The clippings,” said Boorstin, “were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln. And one of them actually reports a speech by John Bright which says that Abraham Lincoln is “one of the greatest men of all times.”

Today that’s common knowledge. The world now knows that British statesman John Bright was right in his assessment of Lincoln, but in 1865 millions shared quite a contrary opinion. The President’s critics were fierce and many. His was a lonely agony that reflected the suffering and turmoil of his country ripped to shreds by hatred and a cruel, costly war. There is something touchingly pathetic in the mental picture of this great leader seeking solace and self-assurance from a few old newspaper clippings as he reads them under the flickering flame of a candle all alone in the Oval Office.

Remember this: Loneliness stalks where the buck stops.

I. Jesus Endures His Disciples’ Immaturity vv. 39-46

In our passage this morning, Jesus is preparing for the last leg of His journey to the Cross. This is the critical juncture as He will soon be arrested

His inclination is to go, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives and into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray

He longs for His Father’s presence and seeks His strength in that place

This is a powerful picture of Jesus

He faces suffering with a desire to honor His Father; He is marked by obedience

However, He is in a genuine agony; His humanity is on full display

In this moment of commitment and weakness, His Father answers His prayer with a comforting angel. It is a side of Jesus that we are not used to seeing

We can contrast this with His disciples and their approach to sorrow:

They go to sleep, finding it easier to just shut down rather than wrestle with the things that are to come

They care for Jesus, they truly do. However, He is entering an obedience that they are not mature enough to handle yet

None of them will go with Him all the way. None can go with Him, but still He goes. And, He goes for them. He goes in their place.

John 13:36

[36] Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” (ESV)

II. Jesus Endures His Disciples’ Betrayal vv. 47-53

Next, we see Jesus confronted by an angry mob, with Judas at its head

Judas was a part of Jesus’ inner circle, one of His apostles

For three years, Judas walked with Jesus, was taught by Jesus, witnessed His power, and experienced His love

While Jesus knew that it was coming, I cannot imagine how personally painful this betrayal had to be

Likewise, the other disciples betray Jesus in their own way, missing His character and purpose

Jesus has made it clear that He must go to Jerusalem and He will suffer while He is there

Yet, when the time comes, they are prepared to go on the attack.

There’s a huge contrast here: Peter goes on the attack, while Jesus reaches out to heal and restore

This betrayal is also on display in the mob that comes to take Him.

There were plenty of chances to arrest Him in the Temple, but now they come out secretly to arrest Him like a common robber, as though He were a violent criminal

They do not understand, He is giving Himself up freely.

He is giving Himself for the people He is giving Himself to.

In spite of this bitter betrayal, Jesus goes willingly to die for them

No treachery is worse than betrayal by a family member or friend. Julius Caesar knew such treachery. Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 B. C. was Marcus Julius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he had favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, Caesar first resisted the onslaught of the assassins, but when he saw Brutus among them with his dagger drawn, Caesar ceased to struggle, and pulling the top part of his robe over his face, asked the famous question, “You too, Brutus?”

III. Jesus Endures His Disciples’ Denial vv. 54-62

Finally, we come to one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in the Gospel

Peter is at the High Priest’s house, attempting to see what will take place

Three times, Peter is challenged and three times, he denies even knowing Jesus

The same Peter who claimed to be prepared to die with Jesus now will not even acknowledge Him

I think we need to pay attention to how Jesus has handled this:

Earlier, He makes it clear that He knew that it would happen. He was prepared

In the immediate aftermath, He acknowledges Peter. Peter now must live with the understanding that Jesus knows what he has done.

It’s a time of intense sorrow, for both Peter and the Lord

Peter is left with deep regret, but there is hope

The grace that Jesus shows through His death on the Cross is a grace that is given to people like Peter

So much of this story is a failure of discipleship:

Peter failed at praying in the Garden

Peter failed at understanding the mission of Jesus at His arrest

Peter failed at faithfulness, denying even knowing Jesus

Jesus faces the worst of His own disciples and grants them the gift of His grace: Until you have it, you can never be His disciple! You cannot do it on your own.

If you were to look at Rembrandt's painting of The Three Crosses, your attention would be drawn first to the center cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you'd be impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes would drift to the edge of the painting and catch sight of another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. Art critics say this is a representation of Rembrandt himself, for he recognized that by his sins he helped nail Jesus to the cross.

Romans 5:6–8

[6] For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—[8] but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (ESV)