On the Mount of Olives

I know this is somewhat rhetorical for those who live in the Flint Hills, with all our great unpaved roads. But, have you ever been cruising along merrily minding your own business when suddenly your tires, suspension or cooling system begins to give you a fit?

When those unplanned events of trouble arise, your attitude in the moment will largely be shaped by your preparedness. Is my cell phone charged? Did I subscribe to AAA? Did I buy the road hazard option? Is there a gallon of water/coolant in the trunk? Do I know how to get the spare out of the trunk or out from under the truck?

Just as road hazards are best handled with proper forethought and preparation, in today’s text Jesus gives the disciples a crash course in survival before they enter the most unexpected 4 days of their lives.

The Disciples Must Prepare (vv.35-38)

God will provide all that you need (v.35)

1. Has provided all things – Past/Present

2 Peter 1:3 ESV:2016

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

2. Supply all your needs - future

Philippians 4:19 ESV:2016

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I have a friend who was a Sargent in the National Guard while also serving as a policeman. On this Sunday before Veteran’s Day I’d like to retell a tale from a soldier. Glenn was one who got the call to participate in the early days of search operations when the Murrah building was bombed in 1995. Because of the physical and emotional toll on rescuers, they had very strict time limits on how long they could be in the debris until they had to exfil and participate in stress debriefing. Glenn personally told me when I was riding in his police car one night how his team came upon some rebar that kept them from moving forward. If they went back for a pair of bolt cutters their time limit would expire and they couldn’t go back in. Sgt Zink told me that he asked the Lord for direction and when he looked over his shoulder there was a pair of bolt cutters in an elevator shaft where they should not have been. Glen said that moment, that he attributed to God’s answer to prayer, provided him the strength and determination to continue in that operation until he was no longer needed. He later told me that he had no idea how those cutters got there. They could have been left by a previous crew (which would have been out of protocol) or they could have supernaturally been placed there, but he attest that he did not see them until after he prayed.

3. As Jesus begins to explain upcoming difficult times, the first thing He does is remind them “I’ve got your 6.”

God’s Provision does not permit Foolishness (v.36)

1. Get the equipment needed for the circumstances you will face.

A hunter doesn’t head for the blind with a fishing pole. A scuba diver doesn’t bring a shotgun. None of us would take a 9x13 casserole to weed our garden.

2. Faith is NOT an excuse for recklessness!

God’s Provision is part of His Plan! (vv.37-38)

1. When I first read over this passage on Monday I asked, “Why does Jesus command them to get swords in v.36, then chastise the one who uses it in v.50?” v.37 answers that question. It was to fulfill prophecy.

2. V.37 cites Isaiah 53:12 and has a double fulfillment.

a. We readily see Christ between 2 criminals on Calvary as a fulfillment of this prophecy.

b. But what if something happened BEFORE the crucifixion that included Jesus in a band of rebels?

c. When the group that includes Jesus beginning in v.47 acts violently against the servant of the high priest, the group is considered transgressors (even though Jesus has not transgressed).

3. Jesus’ awareness of prophecy knew that the disciples did not need a locker full of weapons, so hunters please do not use v.36 as an excuse to sell your spouse’s clothes, in order to buy more pheasant or deer gear.

4. These “swords” referenced by Jesus are 1 of 12 words the New Testament used for various weapons. This word specifically is a dagger or short sword, not unlike a hunting knife. Jesus knew that two swords would be more than enough for one of them to respond violently to His arrest so that he would be counted, and the prophecy would be fulfilled.

Transition: Lest we think that weapons are the best resource during conflict, Jesus took them to the Garden and before bedtime, He has one important lesson for the eleven.

A Time for Prayer (vv.39-46)

Prayer changes Us

1. There is one word that appears 4x in these 7 verses. There is something VERY significant about the word Luke uses to describe what Jesus does and what Jesus commands the eleven.

2. Some verbs are done to other things: e.g. you adjusted your clocks. We call this active voice. Some verbs are done to you: e.g. I was awakened by the sun. We call this passive voice. In the language of the Bible there is another option called middle voice. It is something that we do that impacts ourselves. E.g. I got up at 7:00 today. The word pray only appears in the middle voice.

3. Prayer is NEVER a passive experience where we dump a request. It is always a request that at the core admits I am willing for this to impact me.

For example, if we ever pray for patience, we are submitting ourselves to the events that would cultivate us to respond in a less reactive way. If we pray for someone to get saved, we are submitting ourselves to be used by God toward that end. If we pray for someone to be healed, we are inviting God to do something, and opening ourselves up to the possibility that we believe in the supernatural. Which changes us by growing our faith.

2 unique perspectives on Prayer (v.40b & 42b)

1. Avoidance – may not enter carries the idea of crossing the threshold or stepping over the line.

In our manly discussion on Wednesday, we discussed the difference between temptation and lust. We identified that we often cannot help but to see something, but if we are to be morally pure as challenged in 1 Timothy and Titus, we can’t allow ourselves to think about what we saw.

Seeing and thinking about are on two sides of the threshold.

When Jesus commands the disciples to pray that they may not enter into temptation, He is telling them to choose to partner with God in a way that avoids the consequences of crossing the line.

2. Endurance – v.42 begins with a prayer of avoidance, remove this cup, but immediately moves into a prayer of submission to the plan of God.

This word for will in v. 42 appears 62 times in the NT. Only 2x does it refer to feelings/desire, the other 60 addresses the intent/will.

In submitting to the will of the Father, Jesus is voluntarily aligning with the purpose and plan laid out before him.

V.43 indicates that the Father’s will is for endurance, not avoidance.

3. V.44 describes the extent of Christ’s submission. He knows what the plan is. He knows what the process will look like. He knows the price that will be paid. And it fills him with agony. Of the 17 words Luke could have picked to describe sorrowor regret, there is a whole range to express this response. This is a top-tier extreme word that goes beyond torment in the soul or piercing of one’s heart. This word is so extreme it cannot be translated, so it is transliterated from ἀγωνίᾳ to agony. Sometimes there is no word you can substitute because it is so intense.

Sleeping during Prayer Meeting (vv.45-46)

I think each of us can identify to some extent with the Disciples sleepiness.

1. There a some people who kind of leap off the page for some reason even if their name only appears one time. I say Zacchaeus and you immediately know the story. But if I say Eutychus, do you have the same ability to remember his story? If you believe in patron saints, Eutychus may be the patron saint of long sermons. His story appears in Acts 20, but v.7 starts by describing that Paul had prolonged his speech until midnight, then v.8 mentions there were many lamps, so it is likely warm and maybe oxygen deprived, when our friend falls asleep, Paul talked still longer (v.9) so Eut falls out the window and dies. You’ll have to read vv.10-12 to see how things turned out.

2. Before we give the sleeping disciples too much grief. Go back and look at v.39. After the wine and the huge meal of vv.15-20, the disciples have just gone on a 2-mile hike to this garden. They’ve been making this hike to and from Jerusalem every day this week and, just like the unexpected breakdown in my introduction, these 11 have no idea what is about to happen.

Transition: Before the pools of drool from the sleeping disciples has a change to dry, while they are still rubbing their tired eyes, we are carried into the next scene.

A Compassionate Physician (vv.47-53)

Betrayed by a Kiss (v.47-48)

1. While we reserve kissing for special relationships, in other cultures it is no more significant than a handshake, a high five, or a fist/elbow bump.

2. Although a kiss would have been expected from a friend, Jesus turns the greeting upside-down. He implies, “Judas, are you going to act like nothing is going on?” The pivot in these verses is not the kiss, but the betrayal.

The Crowd gets the disciples agitated (vv.49-50)

1. In a heated moment, one disciple (identified as Peter in John 18) cuts off a man’s (also identified by John as Malchus).

2. I don’t think Peter was trying to trim his sideburns. Peter was a fisherman. He had cleaned his share of fish, but not trained in weapons of assault.

Just like the Stormtroopers in Star Wars can’t hit the broadside of a barn in a gunfight, I think Peter determined to end Malchus, but being tired, it being dark, Simon being unskilled, made him miss.

Not just what He does, It is who He is (v.51)

The Fellowship Hall Sunday School class has spent the last 2 months in Dane Ortlund’s book, Gentle and Lowly as we have been reminded from several vantage points how compassionate our God really is.

Just as Paul raises Eutychus and goes right to dinner as if it is no big deal. Here, Jesus compassionately heals Malchus and moves right toward the bigger issue.

Jesus doesn’t scold Peter, He puts the blame on the chief priests for creating a crisis (vv.52-53)

1. Going back to chapter 19, Jesus has been in plain view in the Temple all day, each of the last 4 days.

2. Back at the beginning of Chapter 20 the chief priests, scribes and elders questioned Jesus source of authority. Here Jesus brings up that same word (here translated as power or reign in NIV) to make no mistake that this is in conflict with the will of God.

3. Later NT writings will draw out this God vs. darkness conflict.

a. Satan had entered Judas (22:3)

b. Satan was demanding Peter (22:31)

c. Satan’s power is described as darkness

Acts 26:18 ESV:2016

18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

d. Paul later described the troubles for which we must prepare and pray in these terms.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV:2016

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Conclusion: A week ago, many celebrated the evil of darkness. As we move toward Christmas, we are moving toward the celebration of how Light overcomes darkness. How Christ overcomes Satan and his minions.

With Jesus’ clear division between the authority of God vs. the authority of darkness, we are going to set aside our study through Luke until the New Year.

As we move through the Thanksgiving and Advent seasons, I pray we will all be acutely aware that there are 2 realities that are fighting for your devotion.

Will you choose to prepare, to pray and to submit to God’s will, or will you choose to rebel against the God who loves you and wallow in the darkness?

If we are prepared and prayed up, we can go Anywhere with Jesus as we walk in the light!

Song of Response #467. “Anywhere with Jesus”

Benediction: Psalm 121:7–8 (ESV) — The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8The Lordwill keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.