Sermon 041298
Lk. 22:1-20; The Serving, Suffering Savior 04/12/98
Jn. 13:1-5 ABCC
I. Introduction 618
Trouble & suffering are definitely a part of the Christian life. God has never promised that we would be totally immune or protected from it, but He has promised protection in our trouble & we will never encounter more pressure or temptation than we are able to bear or endure. What effect does the anticipation of suffering have on you? When you are facing a difficult trial, what are you thinking about? What do you find yourself doing when you are facing a difficult trial? Well, let’s consider Jesus & how He was affected by suffering & His response.
II. The Earnest Desire of Christ Before Suffering (Lk. 12:14-15)
A. The emotions of Christ: Compassion (Lk. 7:12-15), Grief (Lk. 19:41-41), Trouble in soul (Jn. 11:33; 12:27)
B. Jesus’ earnest desire to be with the apostles (v. 14-15) – “a strong, overwhelming craving or longing”
He did not isolate Himself & withdraw from those who knew Him best. Jesus was not afraid to be vulnerable & real with people when He was under pressure, severe pressure; even facing death – He has this strong, overwhelming craving & longing to be with those who would carry on the great work of the kingdom “the sent ones”.
C. Jesus’ earnest desire to eat the Passover with the apostles (v. 15)
Jesus had this strong, overwhelming craving & longing to establish & crystallize in the hearts of these sent ones the memory of the Savior who loved them; to establish this memorial in their hearts that would carry them through the rough times that they were going to experience. This memorial was established with a Promise which gave them HOPE (v. 16, 18). When we face suffering, we need hope for the future. Christian hope is hope with CERTAINTY (Heb. 6:17-20). Every other form of hope is simply wishful thinking without any certainty at all. The promises of God (2Pe. 2:2-4). Each time we come to the Lord’s Table, we come with the promises of God (Mt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5; Jn. 14:1-3; Ph. 4:19; 1:6).
The Serving, Suffering Savior, pg. 2
D. Jesus’ earnest desire to wash the disciples’ feet (Jn. 13:1-5)
Here the twelve are not called apostles (sent ones) but disciples (learners) because they are learning something very significant from the response of Christ. Within just a few hours, He is about to be humiliated, slandered, illegally prosecuted, beaten, scourged & crucified and what does Jesus do as He faces that kind of future – He washes the disciples’ feet. He’s teaching them how to love one another to the end; how to serve one another to the end, even as they & we face suffering (v. 12-17). We are not to withdraw from service to God and our brothers & sisters because we are facing suffering. We must remain faithful in our service & persevere in our suffering and follow our Lord’s example. The Lord’s Supper, then, is a reminder that we ought to remain faithful in our service as we suffer for Christ. How are you holding up in your suffering? Are you thinking about pulling back, doing less? Are you afraid for other believers to see you in your time of trouble; afraid to be real & vulnerable? The Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to repent & remember the faithful service of our suffering savior whom you follow!
Consider Jesus about to suffer & yet His central, all consuming desire is to be with & eat this Passover with His apostles. But His desire was not self-center, it was for their good. He is about to endure suffering unlike any human being, and His all-consuming desire is for the good of others. Hallelujah, what a savior. Jesus knew that He was about to suffer & die for the sins of all who would believe in Him. But He also knew that suffering & death were not the end, it was simply the pathway to glory because he was going to conquer death & the grave and be raised from the dead on the third day just as it had been written.
