Orienting Ourselves to Jesus' Time, Enemy, and People
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Once spoke with someone from a different faith background, talking of the Scriptures and that person said somehting that really spoke to me. This perosn talked of the Scritprue that were HER STORY. Made me stop in my tracks and ask - Are we a people of a story? That is especially how Jews and Chrsitian’s speak - we are people of the book! And not just any book, unique in that this is not just a bunch of spiritual lessons revealed in dream or some teachings and parables of the psiritual world - mythology - The living God’s real work in real history. The Bible is one continuing story of God and His people!
There is plot - there is a story - God’s story that’s whose story his-tory really is! put
History is a story written by the finger of God! C.S. Lewis
Do you know your story? Amazing how much ink is spilled on creation vs. evolution - but how many pages does God gives us. Hold in your hand . = not the focus - more on Adam in teh garden and the relationship, the calling duty, the forgiveness and protection, -promise relationship and covenant. SO much of Israel’s story - little iminature kingdom mirror the kingdom Messiah would set up for whole world! The centre could be said to the Exodus story - and when didn’t result in kngdom of rightesouess being set up - God says after exile - NEW EXODUS!
And that is really teh heart of the Old and New Testament put together the neew exodus - Put you fingers around 4 gospels - four cmera angels on life of Jesus. really just covers 3 years. And almost half of the gospel is about the last wek before the Cross and ressurection. Obviously the big deal of our story! Ought ot come to tit again and again - one retired pastor - ought tosee the heart o these characters exposed and open wide here, but even more the heart of God! You know it was wonderful to travel to Bible Lands, like got to walk into the stories Ire ad every day! Well you and I get to do somehting even better - walk into the heart of God’s action in this world, wlakin to the heart of how he makes sinners into saints, and those in despair and doome to death - poeeol of hope - part of the everlsasting kingdom! So it is my invitation to you to come to the heart heart of our story - journey to the Cross and the empty tomb. Primarily through Luke! He has set his face like flint to get here, the expectation on Palm Sunday feverish pitch - Messiah coming to town, people are with him, and the leaders as v.1 alludes to they are not waiting for his plan - they met probablly Tuesday of the week, and ater Jesus teaching in the Tmple courts, his cotrdiction of what they stand for - determined to kill him! And now Chapter 22 really makes up the hear tof th epassion narrative. Want you to get he hbearings of your story!
Key Truth: Our story is about Christ accopmlishing a grace that brings deliverance, and establsihes a new kingdom!
A. Discover the TIME for Your Deliverance: PASSOVER
When does the heart of yor story and mine happen? And here we are at a disadvantage not being from Jewish descent. Luke has to explain for Gentile readers
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover.
Does anyone know when Passover and the 7 day feast which followed it happens? 1500 years before, on which month = Nissan = first month of the year. Many times that authorities sought to put Jesus to death - but sometimes walked right between, sometimes Jesus stayed hidden from them - not his time. But now Luke records the timing is going to be critical. The people won’t le tthe authorities get him, - could be huge riot, and so they are waiting for when he is away from the crowds. But God has orchestarted that this will only happen on this most iportant of Jewish feasts.
Jesus has alluded that this is thye exodus through death he must accomplish. We saw last week in repsonding to Jams and John this is the baptism, like Red Sea baptism of the poeole of ISrael - where there is slavery oprression, and old life of slave peole in Egypt, really spiritual and physical death on e one side - and new life of deliverance, new kingdom established, proiseland beyond that on the other side. Why the Passover month - reallythe beginning of a whole new kingdom a whole new world - as Jesus goes to the Cross, God orchestrated it t so - New Passover, New Exodus - beginnign of not just another New Year, but whole new Era of our world’s hisotyr, a whole enw kingdom!
This is what it actually meant for the Jews in Jesus day to celebrate Passover. At the end of the 14th between 2:30-5:30 they would slaughter a sacrficial lamb withint he tempole and take it to home or rented room - and that evening would celebrate the commeration of their dleiverance. That sacrfice hugely important to their right standing with God deliverance from death. But by Jesus time after the exile, the celebration also took on nother tone, and this is why the crowds were so excited. As Beale explains the Jews also connected Passover with all their hopes for the Messiah to come as the propeths told in teh last days. And they would fuse this hope with the delierance from oppression with the which were sung ihn the middl e of their feast:
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.
Now some of you choose to celbrate Chrsitams with your traditionas on Xmas Eve, others of you in Morning. Well Whole celebration of week known as Pasover Week, Feast of Unleavened Bread. And actually on that Tuesday before the lamb was selected - Jesus in meal abou thte Passover - says that his body - perfect spotless righteousness like first born lamb - is what will be offred, up; his cup is the new covenant just like the OT pOassvoer was the old, his blood - atonement by whcih curseand death and wrath of God - absoberbed into hismelf, and the blessings of God would flow. Passover is the time at the cetnre of your story and mine - and like the Jews of Jesus day we ought to be asking -
What is the conection between this sacrficial death and the new kingdom?
And so Luke records:
And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
At the very time the sacrfical lamb is being selected, they have selected the Real Lamb of God who would be slain for the sins of the World. Do not miss this connection regarding the WHEN of your story. The Passover deliverance is at the heart of your salvation and of God’s plan.
Jesus dind’t die by happenstance, he was not a victim, this is not a sad tragedy - they would later see all happened by the forekowledge, the active ordination of God himself.
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Listen to how Revelation puts it:
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Jesus was the Lamb Slain from the foundation of the world. DO you know what that means? It means God knew this world would fal linto sin, he knew you would be a sinner, broken, despiate all our rebellion and show of self-sufficeincy - ultiamtely weak - bound to death and destined for hell in our selves. He didn’t cause that but he knew it - and at the cetnre of the world he created with the freedom and the bability ot sin, His great plan was to reveal to this world the Pasvoer Lamb, and what he accomplished would not only be the forgiveness of sins, but the Exodsus, the erneewal of people from within that would start as hwoe New Creation!
SO as we travel to the Cross and the empty tomb. you need to be sure what time it is. On God’s time table with the world, nations, but with you personally - what time isi it - at the centre of oour story - Time for Forgivenes,s Time for delivarnce from powers of sin and death and hell in your life and world, It is time for grace greater than all your sin!
DOn’t lose sight of this soe real darkness in the Cross, inoiu world, - why Christ hasd to come -but the Cross is ulitately a victory and brightness and light and life! Take courage this morning - your sin is abounding, this world hruts and is hurting - take courage go to the Cross, come to this time of Passover - why? Look at
… but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
It is not enough to have a bit of religion, a bit of maorlity a bit of law - actually just increases our guilt. YOu know how sin increases in this world iand in our lives - what we need is to come to this place, the only place in the world - wehere - its not more sin, more pain, more hurt that increases - ie. but that where grace increase more. Come into the is time of the New Passover. And you willbe suprised what happens to you there!
But make no mistake about it, we need this light of the Cross and the Empty tomb , because there is a darkness and an evil that the light is set in.
B. THE ENEMY: Satan & His Kingdom of Darkness
NOw here is a part of the story
Acknowledge the Backdrop of SATAN’s Kingdom of Darkness
Now here is s a par tof our story essential for oreitnation, yet one we deliberately ignore. The passover time is more our ignorance, but our plaing down of Satan’s role in our story - in our lives and at the Cross - that is something we’d rather just re-write. It would be a safer story if the characters wre just our loving God and some human being that may or may not turn to this God for help. But the way the gospels give it to us, the Cross brings us face to face with evil, not only human crualty and condemnation, but face to face with demonic, Satanic evil. MOst of us would just skip over to Judas, the scribe and the Pharisees - to the disciples and them women. But the gospels say no, not so fast, don’t concern yourself with your own human reaction to the Corss of Jesus yet, udnertand Satan’s involvemnt in the Crss, and in our own lives!
We will have to look at Judas, but why the Cross. It is not Judas’ greed that was his main sin, nor that Luke highlights. Satan uses that one mani weakness , as the opprontunity to gain a foot hld to work his evil will, so too in our lives it can be too. But the main sin is something different. HIs main sin is unbelief! His main sin is to say no to the grace of Jesus, to dney he needs that grace that Jesus Himself is extending. Jesus gets so close - he will wash Judas feet, he will serve the Passover meal as a host - arranged not sitting as usuall meal but in u-shape with Judas in place of honour to the left, and JOhn to the right. And he will take the morsel, dip it in the comon dish - touch Judas lips. And do you remember what Judas says - all the other’s say - surel not I lord, Judas in his hypocrisy will says: Surely not I Rabbi.
Do ou understand that this isn’t what the Bible calls demon possession. Loose faculties and even personality speaking through. We read teh words Satan entered into Judas.
Not without Judas consent. Gospel are quick to record Satan activities in Jesus life -In the wiledreness at beginning, get the kingdomos of this world, without the Corss and Suffering show yourself now in power - get the fame glory, but leave huanity - rot in their sin, unchanged in their hearts, unforgiven in their guilt. No matter how good peope try to be that’s how it would end, if there was no Cross. But Jesus resisted - and Satan left him to a more opprotune time. Temptation from without that even Christ felt, more opporutne time in the garden each night - tempt to get to split God teh Son and God teh Father in saving will for us.
Do you ever feel Satan works to split you from God’s good and saving and rightouesn and revealed will? Judas did - he had entertained ideas of Jesus as Messiah, he had performed miracles, preached the word with t the other 12 - but he also heard Jesus say - Your faith, has mad eyou well. Not your money, or your strength, successs. Faith. He had seen Jesus just go with pure compassion - touch the undesriables, and forgive sinners - he had seen Jesus resist - his plan of ptlical king. He had - and he yeilded to the influence of Satan. Jesus was so close again to -in his pateint mercy to wooing him - and forces Satan to act and act quickly - 3 different times it is recorded taht Satan activelty entered Judas - here to side with the priests and scribes to kill Jesus. and get some money out of it too. But then in the Supper - and after the supper, betray him with a kiss.
Don’t consider Judas and the people of this world at the Cross frist. But the Son of GOd and Satan. The Kingom of Heavne and teh Kingdom of the Evil One. Satan’s goal was not just Satan, or you or me. But the whole world turned against God, the whoel world without the suffering love of Jesus. The preists and the scribes - just tools of Satan and Judas too - not his goal - no his goal is to have this whole world push the Messiah out!
Oh we have the gladdness of those leaders here and reward of money, but do you see the gladdness of Satan - He is delighted to keep this world in the fear of death.
… through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Satan his goal is to have you and the whole world not only unforgiven, in fear of God; but to have, blissfully deceived in to living as if God - someone you don’t really have to deal with - beignin granfather, unipmparotn - just tip hat a little here and there - busy things of life… Satan’s chief goal to deceive the people of this world - active goign out to the four croner of thsi world. Like God said to Cain, Satan is crouching at the door, and Judas by his pet sin - leaves the handle of the door to his hear open - and Satan enters - his influence overwhelms.
You cannot really get close to the Cross and understand it and apply it if you don’t udnerstand that the central crissis of the cosmos is happening there. And you like Judas are effected by it! Two kingdoms at war and in astruggle to the death. Listen to
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Do you udnerstand the battle comes into focus if you go to the Cross, it has been playing itself out - bu tmore in the background since Adam’s fall into sin: …
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Look at it with
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
- It’s been gong onint he background of your life and mine and in our world - Ie Romeo DeLare Shaking Hands iwth the Devil. But listen Jesus shows his love even more and it exposes that darkness in Jeudas, and it hastens Satan to set in otion Judas bringing Jesus to the Cross -
But remember Acvts 2 - Jesus has forced Satans’s hand, and by suffering love he will defeat Satan, evil, death and hell on that Cross Listen to
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
The Cross forces us to ackneodlge as Jesus taught that there are two kingdoms in this world, with two kings, two fatehrs, and the Cross press in on us to choose - and it reveals wo which one wwe are turning! Pay attention to Staan and His kingdom and what the sufferin golve f CHrist does in repseonse to it! Understand that this is why Jesus gave Judas ooprotunity to reveal HIs heart, to draw Satan to the final conflict. It is why it was porpehsied and arranged that the dear friend of Jesus would turn on him
Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
Yes Jesus was in full control even over this evil that though it would truimph over him. It is why the priests pay the thrty pieces of silver and do you udnerstand they are paying for the Scrificl Passover Lamb that would unwittingly defeat the very eveil they were planning! Oh stand in awe of the story thta Jesus says must become your story!
But there is a third and fourth orientation we must undergo, and tehse deal with our response to Jesus
C. Avoid the Hypocrisy of JUDAS
Here is the shocker in how the Journey to the Cross and the Resurrection is set up. It is not the cruelty of the leaders - Jewish or Gentile that is highlighted. It is not the settled unbelief of say the soliders, for whom Jesus pray father forgive them for they know not what to do. The evil highlighted as the journey to the Cross begins is not unbelief but hypocrisy.
When Jesus reveals one of them will betray - all of them genuinely ask Is it I Lord, and Judas with them, though he can only .. Judas realizing the SOn of God knows his thoghts and intetniton, answer Judas: but ble to lean over when asked You have said so! ,s even tellinghim, what you are about to do do do quickly. Not just feet, mouth, son become kiss of lips to his face. Come pretending as friend.
Juda’s sin wasn’t the worst sin, it wasn’t just treachery, or greed for 30 pieces of silver. It was to live a life of self-assertion and self-reliance. To see what Jesus was doing by way of grace, and say I want nothing to do with that kingdom- I am not going to live in radical faith and obedience. That’s what caused him to reject Jesus. Iscariot, from the rgion and town of karioth all the rest were Galillean, many fishemran unrefined. He alone a Judean - with higher tastees and goals, JUdean nationalism - He was enamoured for a while, on the outside all the looks of a blever - but he was a disciple who would become the one who betrayed the Lord. The real follwing never happened. he would not accept the vison of the Messiah - lived egocentrically, materialistically, and Klaas Schilder remindeds us the struggle between the Spirit of Christ and the Satan in Judas - revealed there - stand dangerously close to us.
Jesus descrbied seed that fell on thorny ground, bleive in a sense for awhile butnever ereally took root.
Jesus himself, had said many will say, like Judas could - did not we teach, do miracles, - said Lord Lord, but didnt really know him, say depart from me.
speak of those who even taste the things of the Spirit, but Spirit doens’t abide with them, haven’t turly closed with Jesus and Lord and Saviour - impossbile for them to be brought back. Warning to those not had the new bith - apostasy - make sure in the faith. Not about if we are inconsistent, but inwardly turned to Christ in true faith! Jesus himself, had said many will say, like Judas could - did not we teach, do miracles, - said Lord Lord, but didnt really know him, say depart from me.
Charm that appealed to Judas for a while, was not enough to restrain him from his pet sin, nor to steer him from the ultimate betrayal of saying I will live by earth’s resources, I don’t need the Cross, the Resurrection the kingdom of Heaven the Spirit and Law of the Messiah.
That is the greatest atrocity of our passage, not the ignorance or even the hardness of heart of the leaders, but Satan’s grip is tightest on the one who - so close to Jesus , the greatest beneficiaries of Jesus love and power and teaching, - but no real faith of his own, no real obedience of his own.
Hypocrisy:
Mask of outward without inward, play acting, easiest sin to enter into, but strictest judgment! Hides evil heart under a cloak of outward piety.
- in the end, under condemnation. Not inconsistency, we all are, but ... Paul himself takes heed lest even as apostles he himself not preach this to others, but not have the gospel transform him!
So pay careful attention now - Jesus washed that ones feet, let him sit at his table, all the while calling for him - last call to repentance - but Judas would not see Jesus as he truly was, will you? maybe one of us - Judas in sense could have turned, but it was his rejection of Jesus that lifted the door of that handle open that sealed his fate. He hardened his heart tot he way of Christ! There is no fatalism here, fully involved, fully responsible! And he is so blinded that even when he feels remorse and throws the money back on the temple floor - he can’t pray - but only despair - runs back to that garden - hangs himself
Well that quite somberly brings us to the last characters we must learn from responding to this opening scene of our journey ot the Cross.
Look at the end of v.3 who was of the number of the twelve.
Respond to Christ’s Mind-Boggling Passover, Baptism, Death & Resurreciton Plan by
D. Stay with Christ in His Contest As a DISCIPLE
Now imagine it you are Christ’s dsiciples and you know the expectation of the crowd, and the conflict with the leaders, and that he is going to die - worried, confused, and he with all confidence prepares for household feast = curious thing. ie. meal in 17th century church basement on thursday before Lord’s Supper - taht kind of community… YOu know something big is going to happen, you love this one who says he is leaving, and with somen confidence he sets a feasting table! But then he breaks the news one of the gourp is oging to btray.
I don’t know about you but like those disciples I find myself often saying: Is it I Lord? There is no rpesumption o their part. Every true believer is so aware of this spiritual battle and of the influence of Satan, and of their own weakness - dare not trust in their own strength or merit. Maybe like me you too wonder could it be that I have and will miss the Cross and Resurrection . And I want to lay before you at the beinning of our journey - that it doesn’t have to be! Wea re going to see when Jesus declares that Peter will fall away and while not betraying, in my mind kindo f the same thing - he diwons his LORD, do remember what Peter’s response is?
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
He not only weeps, but he prays, and Jesus tells Him I have prayed for you. Weare going to learn about prayer both by Jesus but also by us. When Jesus in our human nature - faces this battle of the kigndoms - he prays as if his life depened on it and so must we - sign we rely on what Messiah is going to do by the Father’s Will adn Spirit’s Power. Peter is so humbled - and he did turn again - in wonder of forgiveness - he went on to love Jesus sheep and teach and guide and care for - shpeherd so genltly liek the master.
We may fall but by faith we don’t have to open th door to let Satan (whose influence we must reckon with) we don’t have to let him comoing sweeping itno our lives! Judas falls and he doesn’t return to Jesus, he goes away it says, and into the dark - and for him a darkn night that would never have a dawn
But the number of the eleven, soon add 12 for completeness - what happened to them? Though they eventually fell away for a time, they fell, still now they stick with Jesus and by faith in him. It is striking to note all the words used to decribe Judas interaction with those Satanically bent on pushing Jesus out: Look at them : CONFERRED - word for communion; and what else he consented/ covenanted /promised!
What and whom do you communion with ? What do you promise/covenant with ! Saw that with parents - communion with the LORD in worship and promises, vows, consenting how live - Think of what Stan communion with those make us rich, famous, those things push Jesus and His kingdom and his rightouenessness, out of our lives ; What promises do you make - you know if sign up for subscription to something like Itunes or Google Play - or Tack and Field watch Isaiah - Flowtrak - you know what didn’t read fine print - whoe year subscritpion; Reading the fine preint on your life commitments - relitships friendships . And here is where I find such hope - even though we’re not at all stronger than Judas even though all ask I si t I Lord, by faith in what He is about to do - sit at this table not as a hypocrite, but as a I believer - and you have commuinon with this Jesus, and He covenant and promises anad you promse back to Him!
There’s a big question, Jesus asked his disciples when some of the crowds fell away because his teaching was hard, invovled cross, self-denial to find new slef imemesed in lveo. Are you going to leave me too?
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
Have you checked out on Jesus’ kingdom and his way of the Cross. Does that path so upsdie down to our world, so full of self-denial and new life self - Does that freedom, that Passover seem too radcial? That would avoid the TIRAL< the great contest that Jeesus will under go for us on the Cross. STAY WITH HIM - follwo him to that Crosss. For though it is all by grace, gift of faith, not works… though it is all about that communiing with him, even in his suffering,s that we might be united to himin his rising ina in his glroy! And Jesus wants to encourage his circles. And that is where we fnish our orientation to our journey to the Cross and the Empty Tomb this morning.
“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
A vision is rocrded by Mcartney -that he got to heaven, searched the foundation stones… searching, .. foud 12 tribes of Israel, found 11 names and then added on e - but look as he may he could not findJudas name. Just like those twwelves tribesnames represented all believers of God in the OT preist represents them in tabernacle picture of heavnly dwelling place of God. So too in the real dwelling place of God, those name s of the apostles represent all NT believers… 21:14
And Jesus assuring you and me, come to the Corss stick by this TRIAL live BY HIs Contest with Evil ONE - not only victory and sforgiveness - but yourn name too written from the foundatio nof the World, - written on white stone by King … Why Luke and the gospel careful to say, not Judas also known as Jude,Thadeus, but Judas Iscariot … Every disicple sticks with Christ, endures to the end, can know, even ask is it I, not strong in self , but stick with HI - can know your name written in teh Lamb’s book of life - Come to full assurance that
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
An athlete in the games, given white stone for admission to the winners celebration. In a legal trial, the jurors give a white stone to one who was acquitted. And this morning Jesus says, journey to the centre of God’s story with this world, - to the Cross, to the empty tomb - contract covenant with Me there - and I will bestow on you a kingdom too - names written in heaven, not going to just associate with Christ for earthly gain, but with true belief go to the crisis the trial of the Cross and find new life!
This is the orientation to begin the journey - know the TIME of Passover, Know the Enemy, but also Know the reposne that will bring the kingdom -
This is the oritnation to begin the journey - know the TIME of Passover, Know the Enemy, but also Know the reposne that will bring the kigndom - not hypcirsy just assoiceates with Christ for earthly gain, but true belief go with Jesus to the heart of the Trial of the Cross - and find their your new life , and the eternal kingdom He will bestow up on you tehre!