Preparation for the Passover (Luke 22:1-18)

by | Nov 16, 2006

Luke 22:1-18

1

 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

2

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

3

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

4

And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

5

And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

6

And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

7

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

8

And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

9

And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

10

And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

11

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

12

And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

13

And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

14

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

16

 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

17

 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

18

 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

Jesus was preparing His disciples for one of the most decisive events that would take place and that would be what would happen in Jerusalem. We’ve talked earlier about when Jesus, on the Mount of Transfiguration, met with Elijah and Moses and Luke says that they literally discussed, they spake of His decease and what it would accomplish at Jerusalem. That word that is translated ‘decease’ is really the word where we get the word ‘exodus’. They were talking about His exodus when He would, as in the first exodus when there was great deliverance for the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, then in the exodus of Christ as He left, He would also bring great deliverance and triumph and victory through His death and the shedding of the blood. This would mean a new era would begin in many ways and we’re going to talk about one facet of the new era that begins as we talk tonight from chapter 22 about preparation for the Passover. Jesus is making plans for Him and His disciples to eat the Passover feast. This would be their last. This would be the last Passover, in a sense, that God would put His approval upon because after that Supper, Jesus would institute what we call the Lord’s Supper, and that’s the one that we are to commemorate and show forth the Lord’s death until He come.
 
I want to talk to you about the preparations for the Passover Supper. What we will see in the reading is that there are three particular powers and forces in the world that are converging upon this particular special holiday; a) the preparations of earth, of earth’s people, b) the preparation of hell itself, what Satan is trying to devise as he faces the Passover, and then c) the preparation of heaven in regard to what is about to take place. Look for those three things in the Scripture passage.
 
In this special holiday, perhaps the most prominent in the Jewish religion and especially at that time, there would be 100,000 + people, pilgrims coming into Jerusalem to observe the Passover and prepare the meal and meet this sacred meal. They would be doing all kinds of things to get a lamb ready for the meal and the unleavened bread and all that went along with the Passover Supper. But these were surface, obvious preparations that were going on. There were some sinister plots, some conspiracy and intrigue being played out undercover. In the background, very deadly, much more serious than we could ever imagine preparations that were being made.
 
First of all, let’s look at the preparation of the earth, earth’s people. Luke tells us that the religious leaders, those in charge of the temple and leading in the Jewish religion at that moment were making preparations, outwardly, openly, preparations for the Passover. Oh yes, organizing and planning everything so it would be carried out in a very traditional way so that nobody would suspect anything other than true religion and true worship of God. But they were preparing to kill Jesus. It’s strange that people under the guise of something sacred will be attempting to perform something that is murderous and evil and wicked. For example, in our world we have seen in years past all kinds of atrocious acts carried out against different peoples in the name of holy war or in the name of some particular great cause, so that if you are working for a particular cause, it should give you the license to perform any particular crime you wish, especially if it is against your enemies. It is amazing that throughout this earth how many people hide behind the garb of religion in order to carry out the most devastating cruelties and wickednesses in this world.
 
So here are the people who should be most concerned about the spirituality of the people of Israel, who should be embracing a new word from God, who should be leading the people to enter into this holy week and holiday and special time with great ceremony. There should surely be great preparations made that would cause people to humble themselves before God and look back upon His salvation, healing history and recite all the marvelous acts of the past that God had done and much attention would be focused upon God. But that may appear on the surface, but it’s not in their hearts, because in their hearts they are plotting the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth, this One who had been called prophet and teacher by so many and this One who had upset everything that they were trying to do, especially when He came in to purge the temple. When He attacked the very foundations of Jewish religion, that was like an empty fig tree and it had the curse of God upon it. It was like a temple that had been turned into a house of merchandise rather than a house of prayer for all nations. Jesus was bucking up against the tide of those religious leaders and here they are preparing to kill Jesus.
 
At the same time, there is also the preparation of hell itself. Getting ready for the Passover and again the focus is aimed toward Jesus Christ. Satan didn’t have much to worry about concerning the Jewish religious practice of commemorating the Passover and the deliverance. He didn’t have much to be concerned or worried about. The coming of Jesus Christ and the gospel of the kingdom and the real true Christianity, this was then and ever is a tremendous threat to the power of Satan. So, Satan begins to make plans. He does this by searching in the very inner circle around Jesus, the twelve apostles, to see if he could find an opening, a weak point, a spot where he could enter in with his influence and power. I don’t need to remind you, but Satan is constantly examining the Church and constantly examining individual lives and seeing where he can get an opening and gain entrance to do damage and do hurt to the body of Christ as he did on this occasion. The Bible literally says that Satan entered in to Judas Iscariot. He found an open door and I don’t know how in the world we can explain the circumstances that led up to this condition of Judas that would cause him to open his life to the influence of Satan. We have had all kinds of theologians, liberal, conservative, whatever discuss it. Someone has tried to be a little kind to Judas and say well, he was so interested in seeing Jesus take charge and take command and throw off the Roman government and show Himself to be the king until he just did this to force the issue and force Jesus out in the open so that the world would see that Jesus was indeed the Christ. This doesn’t really harmonize with that; the idea that Satan entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot to cause him to go astray and betray the Lord and deny the Lord.
 
Let me just say this to you that anything that Satan can do to attempt to drive a wedge between you and your Lord, he will do it. He constantly looks for a weakness. He constantly looks for a besetting sin. He constantly looks for some door that can be pried open that he can enter in and cause that kind of problem as he did with Judas.
 
When this happened, when Judas seemed to open up his life to the evil influence of Satan, and you know comedians have made jokes saying ‘The devil made me do it,’ and that kind of attitude in these days, but there are some things that happen, crimes and whatever that can only be explained by the fact that Satan has entered into somebody to do some dreadful and terrible kind of thing. It is so dastardly that only a person who was controlled with a demonic kind of mind and spirit and heart could perform some of the crimes that we hear about. One crime recently right here in Chattanooga demonstrates that. It wasn’t enough just to kill a young man, but to drag him on the street until he was beyond recognition behind the automobile.
 
Satan entered into his heart. Now Luke is going to tell later in the book of Acts, he is going to explain it that Judas by transgression fell. I know there are a lot of people who would argue that Judas never was a real Christian, never was a real believer, never was a follower of Christ, but he was with that group when they returned and Jesus said rejoice not that the devils are subject unto you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven. That sounds to me like he was a disciple and at one time his heart must have been right. We are given other clues that he got to desiring money and he was the treasurer. You remember when Mary offered a very expensive ointment in sacrifice to Jesus to honor Him, it was extravagant. But you know, love in its worship in often extravagant. Jesus had to protect Mary and said ‘Let her alone,’ when Judas raised a fuss about how much she had spent on offering this special ointment upon the body of Jesus Christ.
 
John always writes us little notes on the side to bring us in and this he said ‘Not that he cared for the poor because he suggested it should be given to the poor, but because he was a thief and he carried the bag.’ So that gives us a little insight into his personality and the kind of thing that began to lead him when he became a thief at heart and wanted more and more money and it looks as if he saw here an opportunity to make money, and indeed he did make 30 pieces of silver.
 
 So hell is pulling off its greatest scheme right now, entering into the heart of a man and causing him to do such a dastardly deed. He went in and communed with the Chief Priests and Captains that he might betray Christ into their hands. What an unholy communion! Jesus is getting ready to eat the Passover and then He is going to establish the Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper that we still observe to this very day in Christianity. Judas is not interested in Holy Communion with Jesus Christ. He goes and communes with people who have murder in their hearts how he might deliver Jesus to them. He has to be careful because he has to bide his time and wait, because he cannot do this when the crowds are around. He has to choose a precise time and moment to do this.
 
Oh, what an application. What a message. It comes pounding in my heart as I have mentioned these words, if you don’t have time, if you don’t have opportunity to commune with the Son of God and stay close to Him when He is teaching and establishing the Lord’s Supper and the Holy Communion, then you could wind up in unholy communion somewhere. What a word that strikes into my own heart.
 
Then, not only was it a hell-inspired communion, but it is also a hell-inspired covenant. He made a covenant. What about other covenants he had made? What about following Jesus? What about leaving all to follow Him? What about the covenant relationship between him and his Lord and Master? This is set aside. There are times when covenants can be so easily set aside and unholy covenants can take their place. A person starts on this road like this man went and the first thing you know he is making alliances with the very enemies of God. The covenant was for 30 pieces of silver. I’m not sure how much that is in money, but we’re told it was something like the price of a slave. This must have been what he really thought of Jesus Christ, his Lord and Master at that time; looking upon Him as nothing more than somebody who needed to be in bondage to someone else, whose life was of very little value according to his plans and expectations. Judas is not by himself with these unfulfilled Messianic expectations that are so premature. The other disciples, we will see next time, that even when they come into that sacred supper, they are arguing over who would be greatest in the kingdom. They, too, would like for Him to show Himself in a hurry and come on and be the super strong man, the king, and set things in order for them and for the Jewish people. So here is a hell-inspired communion that leads to a hell-inspired covenant that puts Jesus up as the price of a slave and takes away the honor and the glory that is due him as Savior and Lord and Son of God.
 
But heaven has a hand in this, too. Thank God! I’m glad that in our world, heaven is concerned and makes plans and carries them out and God’s will is performed and God Almighty, in His sovereign, divine purpose and will can move regardless of the preparations or the schemings of people of this earth or even hell itself. Jesus Himself said it like this: Upon this rock I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Hallelujah! I’m glad our God is able to perform His will even in our own lives.
 
So Jesus sends His disciples to make ready. They asked where they were to go and He told them to go into the village and you will see a man at a certain place and you follow this man, and wherever he goes in, you go in and ask ‘Where is your guest room?’ because our Lord wants to prepare for the Passover Supper in that guest room. Don’t tell me that God can’t go before you and me to open up the way. Sometimes we didn’t know it. It wasn’t plain that Jesus said you go and you’ll see a man and you follow him and that’s the place. Sometimes it’s not that plain, but nevertheless, we can come to the place where we see that we have been in the will of God and God’s hand was working before time.
 
I’m glad God knows how to work out His divine will and I’m glad that He knows how to go before us and open up the way. God knows how to work. Jesus said you go and prepare it, and they did. They sat down to eat the Passover and He said I have really had a desire to eat this with you before I suffer. Then He went through it. The usual ritual and ceremony and style go something like this. First of all, there is a prayer and a blessing over the meal and then they drink the first glass of wine. Then there is the eating of the lamb with the bitter herbs to remind them of where they have come from. Then there is the second glass of wine. Then the recital of the salvation history of the Jewish people how God delivered them out of Egypt, and later that turned into a prayer after what happened in Jerusalem  later in the destruction of Jerusalem and the people were scattered. That turned into a prayer of Lord, bring us back to our homeland. Bring us back to Jerusalem. Then they had a third glass of wine which was called the cup of joy. It was this cup of joy that Jesus handed to the disciples and said ‘Here, take this and divide it among yourselves, because I won’t drink it anymore with you until we come into the kingdom.’ Here he is facing the darkest hour of His life, facing Calvary and it is not time for Him to drink the cup of joy. Later in the garden He will be drinking a different cup and He will be saying ‘Oh Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me.’ But He will turn that cup of bitterness and drink it to its bitter dregs, the suffering and the sorrow. But for them, it was going to be a new beginning. They wouldn’t be eating the Passover necessarily anymore. What they would be doing later is taking the Lord’s Supper and in it would be a time of celebration for all that God has done and rejoicing. He said you will be happy to do this and you will have joy when you do this. In these days, the earth and hell itself and heaven itself still has tremendous influence and pressures upon the Church and upon us as disciples of Jesus Christ. We are still caught in a battleground where we are called upon sometimes to take our stand and to suffer. Sometimes we wish for the cup of joy, but we might have to have the cup of suffering and sorrow.
 
Nevertheless, in it all, God works out His will and His plan. Now the Holy Spirit is saying to my heart right now that there is someone here tonight that you are not so certain about God’s will for your life and maybe you are weary and maybe you are impatient and maybe you wish that God would hurry up and open the door and make it clear and plain. I’m here to tell you that there are forces that work, some against you, hell itself does, there may be people that work against you, but God Almighty knows about our lives and He knows what is right for us and His perfect will for us. You can know it and you can have it even tonight.

Will you stand please?

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Pray or Faint (Luke 18:1-8)

by | Nov 16, 2006

Luke 18:1-8

1

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2

Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4

And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8

 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

This is a parable of real contrast; a description of an unjust judge. Then he is compared and set over against God, and there is no comparison of course. Then there is the story of a widow. She is compared to us and our need to cry out to God. I want us to look at these contrasts that are given to us tonight in this respect and try to determine what the real message of this passage really is. I think Jesus sets forth in the very first part of the first verse what the real message is all about here. People ought to always to pray. Their lives should be one of prayer, that it should be a lifestyle of prayer. Not just so that we can give reports to people of how many hours a day we pray, but an entire lifestyle where the heart is open to God and reaching up to God. Things we do show that we have our hearts set on God and our minds on Him and reaching toward His will and reaching toward His word to understand Him better and better and more and more. He is saying that prayer is appropriate for all times, all ways. This whole way of living your life where you are open to God and there is communication, there is worship and praise, and prayer and petition from your own heart as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer. Then there is a very direct connection and response from the Father because of this relationship between us and Him.
 
It is the picture of closeness. It is the picture of a Father who is constantly keeping his eye on his children and is aware of their needs and he knows beforehand what they have need of before they even pray. He is just waiting for them to come with boldness before His throne. He is waiting for communication. He is waiting for our approach.
 
That strikes a streak of glory in my soul to think that He is waiting on us just to approach, to come. He has made it so plain and so clear. We come in Jesus’ Name. We come with boldness to the throne and here is how the Father is waiting for us.
 
We are told first of all of a woman who had a special need and she came to this man who we learn later is an unjust, a dishonest, judge. Let’s look at him for a minute. He is one of the main characters in this scene that we want to look at. This judge is exactly opposite to what he is supposed to be. He is exactly opposite to what he should be from the pages of the Holy Word because there are certain kinds of regulations and instructions for judges in Israel. If you would compare for example Exodus 23, verses 6-8, the judge is not to rest judgment from the poor. He is to keep back from false charges. He is not to execute or kill some innocent purpose. He is not to take bribes. His judgment and what he renders is not to be influenced by the amount of money that he can get. That is spelled out very, very clearly in the Old Testament as far as judges are concerned in Israel.
 
Here is a man who is exactly opposite to that.  In the first place, this judge does not fear God. He does not honor God. He doesn’t even look to God. He doesn’t regard Him, who indeed is the greatest judge of all. He does not seem to be aware that one day he will come under the judgment of the Almighty God and have to give an account. He has no sense of accountability that he has to give to God or anybody. He doesn’t have any respect for human beings. You can read the Bible all the way through and any time you see any person or any group or any nation that does not have respect for human beings and human life, they come quickly and swiftly under the divine sovereign judgment of Almighty God. He moves very swiftly to bring down judgment upon people who do not regard other human beings and their rights.
 
Read the messages of the prophets. For example, Amos and his oracles to foreign nations. Every one of those nations that engaged in something like slave trade or they sold the poor just for a pair of sandals or they mistreated people like they were just property and they didn’t have the image of God within them, God moved upon them drastically in a very determined way to simply show His sovereign will against that kind of treatment to human beings.
 
When we get to the place that we cannot regard human beings regardless of who they are and we have no respect for them, that is dangerous ground. God loves the whole world, not just certain kinds of people. We may consider abusing people that God loves, that is dangerous.
 
This man had no regard for human beings, the exact opposite of what he is supposed to be. He acts only in his own self-interest. His judgments and his rulings on a particular case are determined by the size of the bribe that he gets. Yet, here is a woman who keeps coming to him. She knows what kind of a man he is. He gives her the silent treatment all the time. He wants to get rid of her and yet she has a complaint. She needs to be avenged of her enemy. Somebody has done her a severe injustice and she wants justice. This woman wants relief and she wants help from this problem and injury that she has had. Then out of his own selfish interests, finally the unjust judge says Though I don’t fear God and I don’t regard man, and I certainly don’t pay any attention to this widow and her need, yet because she keeps coming and troubling me, I’m going to grant her request and rule in her behalf so I don’t have to put up with her any longer and she won’t have to take any comfort away from me. It is purely selfish interest that he grants her request and rules in her behalf in this case.
 
Most of the time we don’t see this man in absolute direct contrast to our heavenly Father, but I want us to do that right now. I used to read this and think What’s the matter with God? Does He want to just string us along? Is He some kind of God that we have to keep hammering and hammering and knocking and knocking and knocking? I used to try to see God in this unjust judge. I could never see Him in there, because he is not representative of God. No. The Bible says that God will avenge His chosen people. He will fight their battles for them and will see that they get justice. Hallelujah! Now that does me a lot of good. That is totally opposite to this unjust judge. God is looking down and He knows your life and mine. He knows when we are mistreated and when we don’t get justice. He knows when things are not right. He knows when people persecute His people. He knows the enemies to His people and His church. He knows about all that. He has a way of avenging. He has a way of moving in judgment.
 
Sometimes it is longsuffering. Sometimes it takes a while. Some of Amos’ prophecies concerning the nations, it took a hundred years for some and over a hundred years for others before they came to pass. Amos had long ago departed from the scene. But as far as Amos was concerned, when he read them and spoke them it’s as good as done. The prophet spoke in what is called the prophetic tense which means that though it may happen in the future, they speak as if it has already been seen, that it is already done. They speak as if it is past tense and has already happened. For them, it is as good as happened when God speaks to them that way.
 
That’s the way it is with God and His judgment and the way He works and the way He moves. Praise God! He sees what is in the future. He will bring judgment. Sometimes He brings judgment when we are already off the scene. Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. One day judgment will come. You can mark God’s word. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Judgment comes. That gives me comfort because I can just turn those rough cases over to Him and say Ok God, it’s in your hands. You take care of it. You can turn it over to God. You know He is better than any lawyer, better than any law enforcement system, better than any FBI or Secret Service. He knows what goes on and He knows when and how to make His move so as to give glory to God and do whatever He desires. He is still on the throne and He still controls.
 
Not only will He avenge His people, but He hears their cries day and night. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the suffering that is going on in this world, the injustice, the killing and the slaughter and the wars. Sometimes you don’t even know how to pray and all you can do is come back to the Lord’s Prayer and say Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That’s about all you can wrestle with in praying because we don’t even know how to pray. But for God’s people who keep crying out to Him around this world, He comes moving in power and judgment. Because people prayed, the Iron Curtain fell. Because people prayed, the German wall fell. I tell you, God moves in His own time in His own way and He listens and He hears the cries of people who cry out to Him. No wonder Jesus said you ought always to pray. Keep on praying because sometimes He may be longsuffering with you as long as the answer. Most of the time, however, He answers speedily. Even though He is longsuffering, it says here He will avenge them speedily.
 
This is the main point of this message tonight: you don’t have to go to God like this woman kept going to an unjust judge. You don’t have to bait Him up and you don’t have to pay Him off. You just come as He has invited us to come. Come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy to help in time of need. That’s when you come, in the time of need. Sometimes you don’t have time to pray. In an emergency situation you just immediately cry out to God.
 
God is not some hard hearted kind of indifferent person who has no regard for human beings. He looks with understanding upon people with their needs. He sees suffering hearts and worried minds and He understands dilemmas and puzzles and He knows when people need direction and they need help, and He answers speedily. He comes quickly. All He wants you to do is to believe in Him.
 
Jesus is saying if somebody so evil and wicked would finally do something good just for his own selfish nature, how much more would your heavenly Father avenge His own elect that cry out to Him? Even though sometimes He bears long and suffers long and waits through some things, yet He says He will avenge them speedily. God is a God who answers prayer quickly!
 
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Oh, I feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit!
 
I know there are times when in my own life the Lord needed to work some things out in my own life and He let me pray awhile. That may happen, but the general rule is, He answers speedily. He answers quickly. He is waiting to hear your cry. He is waiting for you to ask.
 
Let’s look at the contrast between the widow and us. The woman was not asking for vengeance. She was asking for justice for herself. She was willing to let the court or the judge’s action take care of the person who had wronged her. It is not our place to ask for vengeance. God has said Vengeance is Mine, I will repay. Don’t worry about it. You mark it down. God will pay. She was just asking for justice for herself. She had a determination in her heart to keep going and pressing her case. She was persistent, relentless because she knew she was right and she wanted things to be set right. She kept going. She wants things set straight. Whether or not she gets it exactly like she wants it as far as her enemy is concerned, that’s not her main problem. If you read the book of the Psalms, about a third of them are what is called Laments. In many of those laments, David or somebody else is really asking God for a little more than justice. Sometimes they are asking for God to beat up on their enemies. One time, David even prayed and asked for God to break his jawbone. Well I guess God understands that kind of praying too. Our purpose in prayer is not to tell God how to bring judgment and bring vengeance. Our purpose is to be sure that things are working good for us according to His divine will.
 
What about us? Jesus said you have an alternative in your life. You can pray or you can live a faint-hearted life. If you keep this openness in prayer and you pray always, you don’t have to faint. I don’t know exactly what causes people to faint. I think I get the idea that it is a spell of weakness that comes upon you and you lose control and you have not strength. You just black out. Jesus is saying occasions like that come to you in your life. You ought to pray and keep this prayer life going to keep from having fainting spells! He is saying you can build up by your openness to God and walking with Him and walking in prayer and walking in faith and you don’t have to faint. He is talking to people who are living in hard times and troubled times when it is hard to live right and when there are many, many who went back and who no longer walked with Jesus. They thought it was too hard. They thought the Christian life was too much trouble. We are living in the same kind of days when it is difficult to maintain a positive attitude of faith and maintain a bright, glowing testimony. But Jesus says you ought to pray and not faint. Prayer is the antidote to fainting! Prayer is the antidote to losing faith and losing your strength and just blacking out.
 
We are to pray believing that God will answer quickly, that He is wanting to hear us, that He wants to answer, that He will come on the scene and He is, in fact, just waiting for us to come to receive. He is ready to give.
 
Yes, we ought to pray because we have a heavenly father who wants to hear us pray and He wants to answer our prayers and do that speedily. We do not have a heavenly Father that is like the unjust judge that you have to keep pounding and pounding and try to bribe. He just wants us to ask Him right out of His mercy and His lovingkindness because that’s the way it comes.
 
Please stand for the closing prayer.

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The Ministry of Mercy (Luke 10:33-35)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 10:33-35

33

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35

And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 

If you wanted to look in the Scripture that you would find the word ‘mercy’ used so many, many times that it’s almost innumerable. It would probably take a computer concordance to count them throughout the Bible and do it accurately. We have a God of mercy, and if there is any one great thing that we can usually thank Him for first of all, it is for His gracious mercy. The Scriptures are filled with references to mercy and to a God of mercy. One of those special places where it is mentioned in a very special way is in Romans, chapter 12 where Paul gives a list of gifts of the Spirit in that chapter. He talks about prophesying and other gifts. Then he also mentions ‘…he that showeth mercy, let him do that cheerfully, diligently.” It would appear that among the great gifts of the Spirit is this spiritual gift, this special kind of gift that God places upon certain individuals in the body of Christ to have a special leading to show mercy to people. People who have this gift very seldom condemn others. They very seldom are harsh, but they always look upon the needs of people wherever they may be and whatever condition and situation they are in and they go to them to bring mercy. I think it is a God-given gift. Paul also lists it as a fruit of the Spirit, along with gentleness, love and so on. That kindness and gentleness makes up what we are calling mercy here. It should be a natural out-growth of the Christian. At the same time, there are some who are moved on in a very special way to perform acts of mercy.
 
I want us to look at this person tonight called the Good Samaritan. I know this is a big story and I’m not going to tell the whole story. I’m not going to go into the background, the setting, and the theological background even though Jesus was striking hard at a cold, hard systematized religious system that no longer could feel and no longer minister to people when He referred to the Levites and when He referred to the priests and others that had no mercy upon this man who was fallen. He was letting us know as He did in many, many ways in the gospels, that when religion gets to the place that it is just something that we serve and support that it is no longer a movement of God’s grace and power that serves people. There is something dreadfully wrong with a religious system like that. He used the illustration of the old wineskin that could hold no new wine. There was nothing new and nourishing for people, but it was just the old skin, the form that was left there empty and could not contain the new wine of Christianity that He was trying to bring to Judaism. So, often He struck out very hard at the old religious system of Judaism that no longer had mercy, no longer had help, no longer would minister to people. This was an unusual kind of thing when He said a Samaritan did. This let the Jews know that there would be others that would take up where they had left off, where they had pushed aside responsibilities and pushed aside their interests and their love for people. There would be others who would come and take their place and perform ministry of mercy. Out of what this man did, I want us to look at some special ways you can tell mercy, some manifestations of mercy. We all know about the manifestations of God’s mercy in our behalf. When I start to pray, the first thing I thank God for is His mercy. Here are some signs, some manifestations of what it means to have the ministry of mercy.
 
First of all, it means that we see people who are fallen and who are hurt and who are wounded and who are half dead and who are in a condition where they can’t really help themselves at that moment. Now I believe this has to do with both physical and spiritual needs of people. Seeing people is the first step. Some people are blind to people who are in need. They never, never see them. Here is a man who saw this person. He came close enough to actually take a look and examine and see. That’s what it means when it says he saw him. He came and took time to examine his condition and see where he was and see that he was hurting and wounded and had been attacked. That is the first step in showing mercy. It is a dreadful thing to be attacked, to be suffering, to be hurting and people act as if they are unaware and don’t seem to notice and go on their way. I know as a pastor for many years, there were times in my own life when I seemed to be so busy and so preoccupied with so many things that there were times I missed understanding somebody who was hurting and was trying to talk to me and tell me something. It was later that the Holy Spirit would bring it to my mind and would say that person needed your understanding and your prayers and your comfort and your help, and you gave them the light touch and the light treatment. Have you ever been convicted of something like that? When the Lord convicts you of passing by somebody, that will cut you to the heart and will help you to start thinking about how you missed it and how you can make it up and how you can minister to that person. The first characteristic of this person who has this ministry of mercy is that he sees it. He looks at it long enough to see what’s there, to see the trouble, to understand and not just guesses at it and goes on.
 
Not only does he see the condition, but he also is moved with compassion. This Samaritan was filled with compassion. I have talked to you about compassion from the book of Luke several times and I have learned – I want to emphasize it more – that when you are moved with compassion, I don’t think you are ever any closer to God than when He moves upon you with compassion and love. I don’t think you are ever any closer to God’s power, healing, blessing power than when you are moved upon with compassion because that is God’s great signal that ‘I am wanting to reach out in love and mercy to that person and I want to minister to them through you. Now if you will open your heart and if you yield yourself, now is the time to show mercy and understanding and to minister the mercy of God’s love and grace.’
 
The next thing I see in this story is that when he saw and was moved with compassion, he went directly to the person. He didn’t pass by like others; other very religious people, other people who were in a hurry to reach an appointment or some goal.
 
This reminds me of the story of where they were trying out some young men to preach. They had assigned each one of the young men to preach on this subject of the Good Samaritan and the man who had fallen. They had them in a special room in a building and they had to walk across a little alley and go in the side door of the church and step right in to the pulpit and begin to preach. The only thing was, in that alley every one of them had to pass by a person who was down and out and hurting and was made up to look like he was hurt and injured and suffering. They wanted to see if these preachers-to-be would stop and show mercy and minister to the needs of the person. Strangely enough, they each one walked right on by because they were in a hurry to go and preach about mercy.
 
I’m saying to you it’s a lot easier for me to get up here and preach about it than it is for me to live it out and act it out. It is a lot easier for us to talk about it than it is for us to allow God to work through us. But this man went directly to the hurting man. He got down on his knees beside him. He began to talk to him. He began to find out what’s wrong. Oh hallelujah!
 
You see, behind all this story of course, is Jesus, the Lovely Lord who shows mercy and He comes to us when we are in horrible conditions of sin to rescue us. He comes down on our level. Oh, if we could testify tonight of where Jesus brought us from. When I look back on it and think of His wonderful mercy and where He brought me from, it touches me to my very soul that He would show such mercy and come down, stooped down to such a level to reach where we were. I like that old song – sing it with me, “When my Savior reached down for me, when He reached way down for me, I was lost and undone without God or His Son, when He reached down His hand for me.” Yes, I was near to despair when He spoke to me there. What a song! Whoever wrote that song knew what the mercy of God was like and knew what it was like to come with great power and the ability to do something about it. The person who has the ministry of mercy reaches down, gets on the level where the person is hurting, is willing to touch him and find out what’s wrong and is able to help.
 
Strangely enough, people who have this ministry and especially the gift of mercy, they are always equipped. God seems to prepare them and equip them to be able to do something when they get there. Oh, praise God! I like that, don’t you? If God wants to use you to help get somebody healed, He is going to equip you along the way and talk to your heart and inspire you and get ahold of you, anoint you. If God wants you to be merciful to somebody who is in need physically, financially or some other way, He is going to prepare your heart. You are going to be ready when the time comes. You never know when He is going to speak to you in a special way and say, “This is the one. This is the person.”
 
I already talked to you once before on mercy in this series in Luke and it seems to be flowing out of this great book almost everywhere you look. So, here is what the man did. He was ready. He started binding up the wounds. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Have you ever bound up somebody? Have you ever had somebody to bind you up? Hallelujah!
 
I hear the message of Ezekiel crying out against the wicked prophets of Israel and saying, “You haven’t sought for my sheep and you haven’t bound up the brokenhearted. You haven’t healed the diseased. Some of them have been driven away and you haven’t brought back the ones who had wandered away and the ones who were driven away. But with force and cruelty you have ruled them.” What an indictment against the shepherds of Israel that the prophet Ezekiel brings in Ezekiel 34. You should read that sometime soon and see what the actual work of the shepherd really is when you look at this ministry of binding up broken hearts, binding up people who are wounded.
 
Then he pours in healing balm. He pours in oil and wine. He pours in wine for cleansing. The eastern world is filled with examples and illustrations of how people used to use the wine to cleanse wounds and then pour in oil for soothing and healing after the wound has been bound up. There is some wonderful cleansing that you and I can bring to people who are fallen and who are hurting and who are wounded. There is the oil of the Holy Spirit that is the greatest balm that Gilead has ever known. It brings power and it brings soothing. How many of you have ever been troubled, about to panic and have the Holy Spirit to come over you like a healing balm and put your heart and mind at ease and you could rest in God? That’s one reason why everybody in the whole world ought to have the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They ought to have this glorious access to the healing balm of the Spirit, that oil and joy and gladness that comes in to bring soothing healing.
 
People who have the gift of mercy not only bind up and help cleanse and help heal and help soothe and help comfort, but they also get involved with something other than just the light touch. They do some follow-up. Most people that are delivered out of sin or any bondage of any sort, it’s hard for them to make it on their own right away. Most people who are delivered from bondage need help to be able to get their feet planted on the rock and be able to stand when the problems and troubles really come. That’s where the mercy of the whole church and every one of us is really involved, being able to reach our arms out to people and show that love and mercy and say to them, ‘I am ready to walk this road with you until you have a steady pace – until you can stand in faith.’
 
I know that is totally contrary to our society today. These are the days when we shun involvement with people because we don’t want to get too loaded down and too filled with cares and with too many people. Sometimes we’re like the disciples. When this woman who had a demon possessed child came to them and they said ‘Lord, send her away. She’s crying after us.’ The church is always on the spot when there are crying people who are crying after you. The ministry of mercy reaches out instead of trying to get rid of the problem. I think one of the sins of the modern church worldwide is that we go seeking for the people who have got it made and who will be able to support and contribute to the church and who will not be any liability. Is that too hard? I think about when John was in prison and sent word to Jesus and said, ‘Are you the one or do we look to another?’ And one of the great characteristics that he mentioned as far as his authenticity as the Messiah was the poor have the gospel preached to them. People who  have the ministry of mercy and they have the gift of mercy as this man did, they get involved long enough to see about the person and see that their feet get on solid ground and their life gets cured and healed and shaped up. It is not easy. It is not easy. I have walked the road with alcoholics for months before they got on solid ground. I have dealt with people who had family troubles for weeks and months before they finally got on solid ground. Anybody who has been a Christian very long knows what it is like to be burdened about your loved ones and friends and people who have trouble. You know what it’s like to feel like you are about to have complete relief and take a vacation from the burden, it seems like it suddenly falls in on top of you and it gets a lot heavier. We know what that’s like. The ministry of mercy somehow reaches up and receives new help and new strength from the Lord or else we couldn’t do it, and goes on to reach the people who are hurting.
 
This Good Samaritan shows us these great characteristics of what a person who does the ministry of mercy is really like:
 He SEES people. He is not blind to them. This causes him to have COMPASSION upon them in their need.
 
Then he GOES directly to them. He doesn’t shun. He binds up. Sometimes it doesn’t take anything but words to bind somebody up. It is so easy. It ought to be so easy for us to use healing words. Sometimes just healing words and healing prayers are like the new wine and the oil of the Spirit.
 
Then he PROVIDES for that person to have a future. He did not leave him to die, but he provided for him to have life and have a future. Aren’t you glad Jesus did that for us? I want to stop here to allow us time to have prayer together. If there is anybody here who is hurting, who may have been wounded by an attack from Satan, I want to tell you that the mercy of our gracious Lord fills this house now and fills the saints of God. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! You come now if you want prayer and we will pray with you.

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The Drama of the Ages (Luke 21:20-36)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 21:20-36

20

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21

 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

24

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25

 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26

Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28

 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30

When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35

For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

I intend to be very brief and I want us to be able to spend a good bit of time at the end of the message all together praying and seeking God for His grace and divine favors. A lot of things are being played out all over this world on the stage that we call earth. I’m going to talk to you about the greatest drama of all the ages; what God is doing and will climax with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter 21 gives us a tremendous record of three different stages of the development of our Lord and especially as it relates to His coming in power and glory. These stages are like acts of a great drama and I’m going to relate to those three acts of this great drama of the ages. I want us to focus our attention on what God is doing, and the fulfillment of the prophetic word, and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe that even though there are great things happening, heart-searching, heart-rending, heart-breaking things that are happening in this world, far above the drought in one place and floods in another, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, far above that is this great eternal drama that is being played out when God has His own divine will in the lives of people upon this earth.

Jesus, in this chapter, is teaching and talking to His disciples and they are looking at the temple and how it is adorned (verse 5) and how beautiful it is. They are just commenting about it. Jesus begins to describe what I’m referring here from verses 5-24a, the first act in this great drama of end time events. Leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall and destruction of the temple and Jerusalem being overrun by Gentiles until the time the Gentiles would be fulfilled. He describes what it is going to be like in their immediate future. He says, first of all, that the temple itself is going to be destroyed. Not one stone will be left unturned upon another. We don’t know the exact date when Jesus was saying this to His disciples. It could have been around the year 33 or so. But in 70 A.D. it was not long until it completely came to pass. It was an absolute prophecy that came to pass that people could see and the disciples and the apostles were able to see it. The very words and prophecies of Jesus that Jerusalem would indeed be compassed about with armies. He said there would be many false Christs that would arise (verse 8). He said “Don’t you follow them. Don’t listen to false voices. Don’t listen to false claims. Don’t be deceived with people who are saying ‘Here is Christ and There is Christ. Here is the Messiah. There is the Messiah.’ All these types of things are going to be taking place right here in your near future. There will be wars and commotions on the earth, but the end is not yet.” When these things are taking place in the tribulation that is being poured out upon the earth before the destruction of Jerusalem, He said that’s not the signal, that’s not the signs of the end because the end is not yet. It will come by and by.

He describes that there would be earthquakes and famines and pestilences (verse 11). He talks about all of these sights and signs that would be in the heavens; unusual demonstrations in the natural world, unusual things for them to see. Then He described the seriousness of life for the Christians themselves; great persecutions, imprisonments for some, execution of others, some denying each other, some betraying one another, and some turning back. It would appear from what Jesus said and from what other writers wrote to us in Scripture, for example the Hebrews writer, that there was a tremendous problem with people turning away from their faith and going back to Judaism, turning away from Christianity. There is a strong statement in Hebrews 6 that people who turn away from the Lord and from the blood of Jesus Christ that they crucify the Son of God afresh and bring Him to open shame. He says it is impossible to bring them back to repentance, seeing what they do. So, there must have been problems in those days as Jesus predicted and prophesied with people losing their faith.

It would appear that in times of trouble and questions that people do become uneasy and shaky and they want to turn to something they can see and put their hands on. They want to see a kingdom that will materialize right in front of them before they can feel safe and secure. But Jesus is saying ‘For My sake they will imprison you. For My sake because you are a Christian and you are holding up My Name, it will mean that persecutions will come upon you and trials and troubles will come.’ Then He said that one thing you need to know for sure is when you see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, then you know that that city is about to fall and it is going to be bad for people who are in that city then. People will need to flee from there. It will be bad for a woman who has a child or a baby, because they will become refugees. They will have to move out of that city if they are to escape the destruction because if they stay they will be destroyed. Some will be taken to all different countries of the world and will be scattered and dispersed everywhere all over the earth. The city itself will be destroyed and not one stone will be left upon the others. He said that when you see this you know that the desolation is near to Jerusalem. The awful desolation and destruction of the temple that would be by Gentile powers, Roman powers, and others in charge who come in to destroy the temple and all the sacred things of the Jews and all the familiar places of the Christians themselves.

Then He said that Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. What He is saying is that with the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming in of Gentile rulers over it, like the Roman Empire in particular, He said then Jerusalem will be trodden down until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

He is beginning to what I would refer to then as Act II, the time when Jerusalem is destroyed and Gentile powers come in and take over and they cover that land and that country and have rule over it for many, many, many years, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. We have looked back in history and we know that for almost 2,000 years Jerusalem was indeed covered and ruled and governed by Gentile forces and powers. One of the greatest things that ever happened despite all the things that happened through the years was the fact that in our own time, in 1948, one of the greatest acts or developments in this drama of the ages is Jerusalem being turned again to Jewish people and the Jews being able to come home and being able to come back to their land. Amos prophesied about this and he said that they will be brought back and planted in their own land and they shall never be plucked up again. There have been many efforts to dislodge them and to turn them out and take that country away from them. There are many, many schemes of different nations now that would like to simply go in and wipe that Jewish nation completely off the map. But according to God’s Word and God’s divine prophecy that He has given to us, that is a divine impossibility.

I’m glad that regardless of what moves and shakes and happens here in this world and regardless of the schemes, God is still on the throne. He is still the divine eternal sovereign God and He can bring forth His divine will and all His people have to do is keep their eyes focused upon Him, His Word, His promised and His mighty power and nothing can shake us or turn us aside from following hard after Him.

That Act II has been underway for such a long time that now then we can see the beginning of Act III. The times of the Gentiles is just about fulfilled totally, completely and absolutely in Jerusalem. There are some who are still there. There are some opposing forces that still claim part of the city. We do not know exactly what will take place to bring about the rebuilding of the temple. We don’t know exactly when this is going to happen and when other forces and nations and nationalities and powers will be moved out of there. But we know God in His own time, in His own way will bring into being the beginning of this Act III. We think that this beginning of this third stage is already begun with Jews coming back home and the Jewish nation. There are some things that are to take place with them yet. For one thing, as a nation and as a people, they have not turned to God. They have not accepted the Christ. They are still heathen in that respect. There are some covenants and promises from God in the prophets and old that are related to them as a nation that do not bind in a spiritual sense because God has grafted in others to bring us in, the Church in, the new Israel, to be the beneficiaries of His covenants with the children or descendants of Abraham. So that now every person who has faith in Jesus Christ is considered a descendant of Abraham and of Abraham’s seed because of faith in the true Messiah.

We don’t know what God will do yet in Israel. We don’t know what He will do yet the Jewish people who have stood so hard against Christ. We know that they have suffered for centuries because of the stand they took in the first place against Jesus Christ and were guilty of His crucifixion. We know that they have suffered and have been scattered all over the world and have suffered all over the world and great prejudice and great sorrow have they reaped through the years. We think of the six million Jews destroyed in Germany alone by Gentiles. I want to tell you, we don’t know what else is to be written, what other dark chapters that may be written. But we do know that God is moving on His divine calendar according to His own will. He doesn’t figure time like we do. He doesn’t have to wear a watch to keep up with the events. He doesn’t have to use a calendar. He dwells in eternity. He sees the ending from the beginning and it is all moving according to His divine decrees and His divine power. Hallelujah! I’m glad it’s in His hands. Aren’t you? Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Oh, thank God. I’m glad it’s all in His hands.

But then Jesus moves on to talk about this third phase. After the time of the Gentiles is up, then that ushers in this third act that I’m talking about. I want us to look at that. What He has given in this portion is signs of the return of the Lord in power and glory and the great day of the Lord. 
He says that there will be great signs that will alert us to be looking toward the very end time itself and the appearing of the Lord when the Son of man shall come in a cloud with power and great glory. He is to return where every eye shall see Him and that is the climaxing moment when the curtain of eternity, so to speak, and the curtain of this world and the curtain of time is rolled back and this whole world views the coming of the Lord in power and great glory. He begins to say that when you start to see these signs coming that He mentions here, you need to start looking up. Let’s look at these signs for just a moment.
He said there will be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars and upon the earth, distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the earth shall be shaken. He said when you see these kinds of signs happening, when things are shaken all around this earth, He said that that should be a signal to you to start looking up because your redemption draweth nigh. When trouble comes to you, look up. Redemption draws nigh. When things are shaken, look. Your redemption draws nigh. When things we don’t understand happen, look up, for your redemption draws nigh. I wish we could sing that song right now that says ‘Signs of the time are everywhere. There’s a brand new feeling in the air. Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky. Lift up your head, redemption draweth nigh.”
He said when you see all these troublesome signs, these troublesome things happening, things in the heavens and things in the stars and things on earth, and distress of all nations, look up, your redemption draweth nigh. The end of our age is much nearer than we could possibly imagine and recognize and believe tonight.
Then He gives the parable of the fig tree and other trees, too. No doubt, He is saying when you see the fig tree budding out and other trees too, you know that summer is near. Spring is here and summer will soon be coming. That is a natural kind of illustration He is using. But He is using it in relation to these particular signs. He said when you see these particular signs, you know that right away the kingdom of God is very near to you and the fulfillment of what God is saying. I want you to look at verse 31: “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” He is saying to us that when these happen that we can so readily and even identify even right now, He is saying that the kingdom of God, when the King of Glory will come on a cloud with great power and great glory, that time is near. That is near. The kingdom of God, the literal Kingdom of God when He will reign on this earth and put down all enemies and defeat all foes and will establish His kingdom and He will reign and the saints of God who have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb will rule and reign with Him, He is saying that that kingdom is near when you see these signs taking place. He said Heaven and earth can pass away, let everything that happens in the heavens, even stars can fall, the earth can pass away, but My Word shall not pass away. There are no powers in this earth or in hell that can thwart the divine purpose of God. There are no powers in this world that can prevent the divine will of God being done according to His Word. He says His Word will not pass away. You can stand on it. You can depend on it.
I want to look closely now at verses 34-36 because even though I am referring to the coming of the Lord in power and great glory to reign, we are looking forward to a special event before that when the Lord comes to receive His own people in what we call the Rapture or the catching up of the Church – the saints of God, people who are in Christ Jesus. That puts that date, even though no man knows the day or the hour, that puts that date even closer than the idea of the kingdom on earth and the Lord coming in power and glory for every eye shall see Him. He gives this warning and admonition. “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time you hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life…” It is not a time for us to be careless with our soul. It is not a time for us to be indifferent. It is not a time for us to turn to the right or to the left or lose the vision that God has given to us and this church and His work in this world. It is not a time for us to be overcome with cares. But He says to us to “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man.” This is a time for special watching with our eyes upon the Lord. This is the time for prayer and seeking God and His perfect will and understanding what He is doing in this earth. It is the time for us to examine our own hearts and let the sanctifying power of God through the Word and through the blood of Jesus keep us pure and holy and undefiled so that we may be accounted worthy to escape the great wrath that is coming upon this earth and go and be with our Lord.

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The Great Harvest (Luke 10:1-24)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 10:1-24

1

After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2

 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3

 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4

Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6

And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 

7

And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8

And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9

And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10

But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11

Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12

 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

13

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14

 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

16

 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

17

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18

 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

21

 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 

22

 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. 

23

And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24

For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

I want to talk to you tonight about the very heart of this passage. It is the Lord’s burden and vision about the great harvest. We have seen Jesus turning his face toward Jerusalem, setting His heart and His whole being toward carrying out the perfect will of God, as we talked about last time, in that process of moving toward Jerusalem to the great climactic experience of His own life to bring about redemption, His death on the cross and then the resurrection and ascension. As He moves in that direction He hurriedly begins to make certain plans for the work of God to be carried on through His disciples. He is about ready to give them on-the-job training. I think Jesus goes down in Scripture and in history as perhaps the greatest equipper of men and women of anybody who ever lived. After all, it is not enough for us to live and for us to minister, but for us to help to train and to equip someone else to carry on and see the vision that we have and carry on the ministry we have. This is, I think, one of the greatest challenges and greatest opportunities we will ever have in this world. Jesus is the supreme model giving these disciples training for around three and a half years and other disciples, like the seventy that He is sending out, special on-the-job training, loving them, calling them, praying for them, and giving them training. This is what you do as an equipper of people to work for God.
 
As we look at His vision and burden of seeing the world as a great harvest field, He tells the disciples that the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. While it might seem strange that Jesus had to say this again and again to His disciples: the harvest is ripe, the harvest is ready, the harvest is plenteous, several times he said this – twice before this event. He said it as recorded in John’s gospel in chapter 4 when He was looking at a city and a people who were despised and hated by most Jewish people. He said, “Don’t say that harvest is way off so many months, but I want you to look on the fields right now that are ripe and white unto harvest.” And again He calls for this prayer that God would send forth laborers into His harvest. That leaped out at me today as I was reviewing notes and this work, because I had never quite noticed it exactly before where He calls it “His harvest,” not ours. This is something that God has brought into existence and He calls people to go out and reap and it is His harvest. God wants laborers to enter into His harvest to reap what He wants brought in. He said it again in St. Matthew, chapter 9 when He saw the multitudes scattered and distressed and tormented as sheep without a shepherd, and He said “The harvest is great.” He repeats it here in Luke, chapter 10. That says to me that God so loved this world, all of it, not just certain parts and He sees peoples of all kindreds and nations and tongues as the harvest.
 
One of the problems that the Lord had with His own disciples and that He has always had with the church down through the ages Is getting us to become willing to see and understand all the harvest. I remember as a child growing up in Mississippi all the to-do with preaching and crying and raising mission offerings to reach the black man of Africa. It was a little bit confusing because nobody ever said a thing about the black people in Mississippi, and I wondered. It takes a long time, even for Christians, to understand God’s great harvest. So as we look at this passage, the Lord for that particular occasion and time, gave some special strategies for reaching the harvest. I think those strategies would still apply to us today to a very great extent.
 
The first one is that He did not want us to delay entering into the harvest. Do not delay the harvest at all. He says to them first of all that there are two things I want you to do: number one, pray. Now if you can get people praying about the harvest, praying about missionary work, praying about evangelism, praying about strengthening disciples, then something great and wonderful and good comes out of that. When people begin to pray, visions become clearer. Inspiration becomes stronger. Divine leading is more perfect and more direct and the power of God begins to work in a more powerful way in the lives of people who pray, and especially who are reporting for duty to do God’s work. So, He said, “I want you to pray. I want you to pray about the harvest, and especially that the Lord would send forth laborers because the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” I think that is true in every generation. We are always thrilled at the School of Theology when people come and find their calling and their place and their gifts and they come out with a clear direction. I talked to a young man today who is a member of this church who has a clear burden and direction as to what God wants him to do in just a few months as he completes his work at the School of Theology. It is a wonderful thing to know God’s will and to know where you fit in and to answer His call and you feel in perfect harmony with what He has called you to do, because He has prepared your heart and you have responded. That’s the greatest experience of all time. 
 
So, He said the first thing you do is pray so as not to delay the harvest. Then, you go! You’re just simply to get with it! I have known a few people who are just all talk and very little action, always ready to do something else other than just getting with it. Jesus said just do it! Get in there. You pray and then you get up and go. He said, “I’m sending you like sheep among wolves.” That’s not much of a recommendation when you start sending somebody out to plant new churches or to reach the lost or to carry the gospel message. Another strategy here he says you have to depend on God and you have to depend on people. In this case, He said, “I want you to travel light. I don’t want you to pack big suitcases and have a lot of things to be concerned about. I’m going to send you out two by two, thirty-five teams.” He was going to send them out to every place and every town where He would come later. Isn’t it marvelous to be a kind of fore-runner for Jesus Christ! I’ve had the experience a time or two in my life where I went into a place and preached to people who had not heard preaching and where there was no church and was able to just simply be the first one to sow the seed of the gospel and preparing the way for the work of Christ to come. Of course, He was already at work way before I got there. He had already done some preparation in the hearts of people, but it just seemed like I was a kind of pioneer and that’s a great feeling. He said He wanted them to go every place that He was coming to. It lets you know that if you go where the Lord sends you, sooner or later, He is coming to that place. He is going to confirm your work and your ministry and your message by His presence and His power and His miraculous work. Sometimes we feel like it would be a lot better if we could know that He was going right with us. But sometimes we have to go without that great assurance, but we’ve learned that He has gone before, yes He is indeed with us, and He comes behind and He does this miraculous work, because He chooses to use people to be involved in His harvest and in His work. He doesn’t do it by Himself. He very well could and He has the means, He has the power. He could use angels. But one day in the midst of the Great Tribulation He will use angels to go and preach the gospel all over the world. They will fly through the air having the everlasting gospel. That will be alright because by that time, I think most of His evangelists and witnesses will be gone from this earth. He will need angels then. But now, He depends on people like you and me to get involved with Him and hear His voice and get a vision of the harvest and get into it. He does not want us to delay it, but move right on in and depend on God and depend on people, as well.
Now this part is tedious. This is a real drawback, realizing that you have to depend on the very people to whom you bring the message to help support you and take care of you. That becomes tedious. I think a lot of us would have felt a lot more comfortable in entering the ministry if we already had it made and didn’t have to rely on the hospitality of the people to whom we minister. But you know, I didn’t plan this strategy or this way. This seemed to be the Lord’s way. In fact, that’s the way He lived. He entered into people’s houses and He received beautiful, wonderful hospitality and He developed great friends and He wanted the disciples to understand. He said the laborer is worthy of his hire. Now he was understanding that when you carry the good news to somebody who is in darkness and they are delivered and brought out, then they will have the spirit of generosity to welcome you in hospitality and they will understand somehow in their heart that the laborer is indeed worthy of his hire. You depend on God and you depend on people: God and the people that God works through. 
The next great strategy that Jesus is pointing out is maybe the greatest one of all is a minster of deliverance. He said as you go you heal the sick and you cast out devils and you preach. You have a healing preaching. You preach that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Be sure that when you enter into a home you pronounce a blessing and peace. If the Son of Peace has gone before you, if His peace is there, you say Peace unto this house and it will rest upon it. If not, it shall return to you again. He said you go and bring peace. You go bringing good news. You go bringing the gospel. You go bringing the message. You go preaching and having a deliverance ministry because He will come later. I have given you power and authority over all kinds of things so that you may be able to deliver people from the bondage of sin and evil and sickness.
 
It lets us know that entering into the harvest in any phase of it is spiritual warfare. There is no getting away from spiritual warfare. But at the same time He has given us the equipment, the authority of His Name, the power of the Holy Spirit and especially the power of the Word of God. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for people who believe it. He said that with this kind of equipment I’m furnishing you with everything you need to harvest. Now that’s a marvelous thing. In my short lifetime, I have seen harvest methods change so drastically. I remember as a small boy, barefoot in the oat field following behind the farmer who had a big oat cradle. It was big with a sling on the back and when you cut a swath, then you reach and gather up that bundle of oats that has been cut – or wheat or whatever – and you drop it on the ground. Somebody comes behind you gathering up the bundles. That was my job. You tie it to stalks of oats or wheat and it gets hauled in. But then I had the privilege of living in North Dakota for a while and watching those great combines cut great wide swaths across huge fields. What a drastic change in harvesting. I was raised in the cotton fields in Mississippi and when I was a boy we picked and dried the cotton and we picked it by hand. A year or so ago, my wife and I were in the Mississippi Delta and the fields looked like great snow banks. There sat this guy up there in a great big cotton picker air conditioned with a stereo going and he didn’t worry about a thing in this world, going down through there gathering the cotton and putting it in big pallets that held twelve bales. A big truck came that somehow had a big conveyor hooked to that and slid it onto the truck and took twelve bales at a time. We used to weigh up 1,500 pounds of cotton and put it in a wagon and I would get to ride with my dad to the gin, one bale at a time. I always loved to do that because he would usually give me ten or fifteen cents and back in those days, ten or fifteen cents worth of candy was a whole sack full! Harvest methods have changed.
 
I heard someone introduce Brother Bonnke at a meeting and credited him with leading 2,000,000 or more people to the Lord last year! I think God somehow is helping us to understand about His harvest that is ripe and ready and if He could get us mobilized just right, records could be broken that have been set for years of bringing the lost into the Kingdom of God.
 
Our ministry of deliverance is the primary requirement because these days when you get people delivered from the power of Satan it takes more than just talking to them. It takes the manifestation of the power of God that confirms and backs up the Word of God.
 
And then here’s a principle that seems a little odd to me. I don’t know exactly how to apply it for our own time. But Jesus said that if you go to a place and your peace doesn’t rest there, He said to leave there. If people reject you and they reject the gospel, then you go outside of that house and into the street and you brush the dust of that city, the dust of that town off of you. Let it be a testimony against them. You don’t have anything in common with those people, not even the dust that you walk on. He said it would rise as a memorial that would bring judgment upon those people. The principle that we talked about in church growth that relates to this is don’t waste your time over unreceptive people who reject the gospel. I don’t know exactly how that plays out in our world today but saying it in a positive way, let me say it like this: if you had an orchard that had peaches that ripened at different times and you had workers to go in and pick peaches, you wouldn’t put the same amount of workers in every section of the peach orchard. You would send the most to the place where they were ripe and ready and you would tell them to pick them. You might send one person over to another place in the orchard just to watch and see when the other section gets ripe and ready to pick. It’s the idea of doing the most you can do for people who are receptive to the gospel. I apply it like this. I know where there are places and where there are people where thousands of dollars are spent to try to reach the same unreceptive people over and over and over and over again. A lot of money is spent trying to have a revival meeting hoping to win just one certain person. When, if that same kind of investment was made in a receptive area, think of the difference in the harvest. I think that’s the kind of thing Jesus was talking about when He said to shake the dust off when people reject and when they don’t receive the message. Just shake the dust, just brush it off of you and go on your way to a place where they will receive you.
 
Now I know that there’s a flip side to that of people that labor in certain places for years and years and then finally the break comes and God honors that. They have spent their time in planting and cultivating and sowing seed and after a while the harvest forms. I understand that. But I think the principle that I’m trying to get across to us tonight is that people who are receptive in wanting the gospel, they need to hear it now because the harvest is ripe. That’s where the laborers need to be sent. That’s the reason Jesus said “Don’t say there are several months before the harvest. Look at it now. The harvest is ready now.” I’m glad our whole church is involved with things for this whole decade that have to do with looking on the harvest and understanding it and preparing it and getting into it, because it is the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
I close with giving just a little report of what happened to these first seventy who were sent out. They came back full of joy rejoicing. They had had great success. They had been received. People had been blessed and delivered and they were rejoicing over the fact that the devils were subject unto them. Jesus responded to them, and it’s difficult for me to understand. He said, instead of complimenting them on what they had done and what they were doing and the fact that they were rejoicing over their success, He said “I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” One thing He was saying was that Satan has fallen. Oh, that’s a truth we need to remember. He was in a fallen state. And He goes on to say “I will give you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy.” He says this is what is normal for the laborers who enter into My harvest because Satan has fallen. We fight a defeated foe. Through God’s grace and power that He bestows upon us, victory is already assured if we go in His Name and His power and His Word and His Spirit. Victory is already assured because Satan is fallen like lightning. He said “Don’t rejoice because the devils are subject to you, but because your names are written in heaven. Your names are written there from whence Satan fell. His name is not there anymore. He has lost his authority and power. You will have authority and power over him through Me. Your names are written in heaven.”
 
Sometime ago I was in a church that had a country preacher. They got up on Sunday morning and sang that song “When my name is called in glory I’ll be there.” I’m telling you I absolutely rejoiced in that old song. It just thrilled me. The power of God fell and it was one of these kinds of meetings where you got to singing, you didn’t have to tell people to clap their hands or rejoice or anything like that. It was spontaneous and they got to shouting and they were singing and the first thing you know, the power of God was sweeping all over that place. I got one of those blessings thinking about my name being written there. I want to tell you, that’s big stuff – to know your name is written in heaven!
 
Please stand to your feet and let’s rejoice in His love and praise Him together.

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The Ascension of Jesus (Luke 24:36-53)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 24:36-53

36

 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39

 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40

 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42

 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43

And he took it, and did eat before them.

44

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48

And ye are witnesses of these things.

49

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

50

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

I want us to look at some of the special preparations that the Lord Jesus made as He was preparing to leave this world and turn over the work of Christianity, the work of the church, the work of God into the hands and lives of disciples and people that He had been with only a few years. What does a person do when He is about to move off the scene of action where He is no longer visibly seen as a leader? What does He do in order to prepare for the work of God to continue? I suppose that some of the greatest work that we could ever accomplish in this world is to make it possible for somebody else to carry on our work, our ministry after we are gone. I know there was a time in my own life when I felt the heavy hand of God upon me to try to prepare so that I might be able to minister to other, and in particular, be able to minister to people who are in training for ministry. Like the apostle Paul said when he was writing to Timothy, you teach others who in turn will teach others and then in turn, they will teach others. It sets up a chain reaction so that probably the greatest work we could ever do is that when our time comes to go, there is really not much of a vacancy because somebody else is ready to step right in and carry forth in the Name of the Lord. I think that is a tremendous step of success if we are able to somehow call somebody else to have a testimony to share, cause somebody else to have a song to sing, cause somebody else to have a message to deliver and it just keeps going on and on and on. That seems to be the way that God does it down through the ages and has done it down through the ages. That is certainly what Jesus seemed to have uppermost in His mind as He was about ready to leave. He did this in several different steps that I want to talk to you about.
 
First of all, there was divine visitation upon these disciples. We talked last time about Him talking with two of the disciples, and then they had returned to Jerusalem and they told everybody that Christ had risen. There had been some women who had told them and people didn’t quite believe them. Then there were other witnesses saying they had seen Him. They were there explaining all of this to these disciples and some of them still doubting about whether or not Jesus had risen from the dead when we take up at verse 36. While they were speaking and talking about this, Jesus Himself came and stood in the midst of them and He said, ‘Peace be unto you.’ Now there are several times when Jesus comes to fearful and frightened disciples and the first thing He has to do is speak peace to them. This indicates that in this world there are frightening experiences. When He came to them walking on the sea during the storm, the first thing He said was ‘Be not afraid, it is I. Peace.’ When He entered into this room when He was about to leave, He tells them ‘My peace I leave with you, I give you.’ John describes His words in the last scene here with His disciples before His ascension. One of the outstanding things that Jesus always does is come in with His presence and then He speaks peace.
 
Don’t you love that old song we used to sing, “He whispers sweet peace to me. When I am cast down in spirit and in soul, He whispers sweet peace to me.” The voice of Jesus can speak to you in a time when you are frightened, in a time when you are unsettled, in a time when you are under stress, in a time when you don’t know exactly what decisions to make, He can speak to you then in such a way as to give you perfect peace of mind. I’ve seen it when I was so torn inside, I hardly knew which way to turn when trying to make decisions and just simply say ‘Lord, you must help me because I can’t get it to go straight in my own heart and mind.’ And in a moment’s time, His spirit would come and suddenly I knew.
 
That is exactly what happened next that He is going to confirm that He is alive and then He is going to clear up some of their questions and doubts and fears. That is the work of our Lord. He will come to you even when there is fear and when there is trouble. When He comes with His presence, you know He is there. The first thing that happens, He will tell you ‘Don’t be afraid and I’m bringing you my peace. Peace be unto you.’
 
The next thing He did was to give them divine confirmation that indeed He was alive. Now, here are disciples who knew that He had died. Some of them had seen it. They knew He had been buried. They knew He was missing from the tomb now, but they did not know for sure where He was or what had happened precisely. Suddenly, He is standing in the midst in visible form. One thing this does is let us know what it’s like to cross over into the supernatural realm of the hereafter. The Bible has given us a few close, clear insights into what it is like over there, beyond our world and beyond our own life and death existence here, but into the new resurrected transformed existence. There is Jesus appearing and can be seen in bodily form. They think they are seeing a spirit, or a ghost as we might say. Naturally, that adds to their fright and their fear to think that here comes a ghost. The whole world now is caught up with all kinds of things about ghosts and I think Hollywood must be in love with ghost stories because they keep bringing out all kinds of programs and movies that have to do with ghosts and people who seem to be able to understand them and deal with them. The fact remains that they are playing upon the fears and the anxieties of a lot of people and giving them thrills that to some people are hard to live with.
 
But, here are men and women who are frightened, thinking they are seeing a spirit. Jesus understands at seeing they are so terrified. He understands why they are, and so He confirms His life and that He indeed is living and is not just a spirit. He says to them ‘I want you to look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. I want you to handle me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have.’ Apparently, according to this, the resurrected body can become visible and appear as flesh and bones. Later on, to take this a good bit further, He says to them ‘What have you got to eat?’ And they bring Him some broiled fish and some honeycomb and Jesus ate. That is a tremendous confirmation of what the resurrected body is like. The Bible teaches that we are to share in Messianic banquets with our Lord. We call it the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We get some insight into what it is like to be resurrected. At the same time, to be transformed in a supernatural way but also be able to be visible and have a body of flesh and bone that is absolutely governed and kept alive or motivated by the Spirit of God.
Notice He didn’t say flesh and blood. He said flesh and bones, which indicates the Holy Spirit must be that life-giving force that gives eternal life. We know it is the Holy Spirit because when we are born again and born of the Spirit, we have eternal life right then. John would put it like this: ‘Now are we the sons of God. We don’t know what we shall appear, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.’ Everything we get of the supernatural comes through a spiritual operation, the new birth, so that we become sons of God and citizens of another world, citizens of heaven with our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Oh, thank God for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit! Amen!
 
He confirmed His divinity and His life to them, and invited them to handle Him and see. I know the Scripture would teach us that seeing is not believing. Seeing is just seeing. But at the same time, I am impressed with the fact that the Lord Jesus understands us and our doubts and fears enough that He comes to us in ways to simply wipe away doubts and fears. Even if He has to do something that we can see with our eyes or feel with our senses and experience. That is one thing that has made Pentecost so powerful and wonderful throughout the world, the fact that it is a dynamic experience and especially the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Such a dynamic experience that you can feel throughout your whole being. It is so powerful in what it does to our senses that it can even take over and take charge of even the most unruly member of the human race and that is the tongue itself and use it to enable us to be able to speak in a heavenly language which may be unknown to us or to other people.
 
One of the most marvelous things in all the world is the fact that the Lord pours out the Holy Spirit and baptizes people with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. That is one of the greatest miraculous experiences that has come to this world, especially after the new birth because the empowerment of the Spirit is the thing that Jesus paved the way for here in this last visit just before His ascension. What is He thinking about? He wants to drive away their fears and worries. He comes to them with a divine visitation. He answers their questions. He pushes back the clouds that have come over them of fear and doubt. He is wanting them to open up their lives for the fullness of the power of the Spirit. That’s the way He will operate His church as Head of the Church. After He has left this world, it will be through the dynamic leadership of the Holy Spirit. So He says ‘I want you to see this, see Me, and feel and handle…’ and He showed them His hands and His feet. While they were still wondering, He asked for something to eat.
 
The next thing He did was give a divine explanation related to the Scriptures. Now you and I will never, never, never get away from wanting to be sure we have a definite experience of the supernatural in our lives. We cherish the experience. But along with that in perfect balance, Jesus comes to explain the Scriptures to the disciples. He did that with those two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. Here He explains that ‘…now you need to understand that all the Scriptures had to be fulfilled and must be fulfilled concerning Me. Everything that is written, and He says there are things written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), in the Prophets, and in the Songs concerning Me.’ One of the outstanding things we will see in the early church and especially in the Book of Acts is that many times they quote their Scriptures, which is our Old Testament. They quote from that to show that the Scriptures have been fulfilled about Jesus Christ. As a matter fact, that is the main point of every sermon they preached. Look at the sermon of Peter on the Day of Pentecost. The first thing he begins to say is ‘This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel…’ and he begins to quote from Joel, explaining ‘…here’s what it is that he was talking about, this outpouring of the Spirit and that God was going to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh and sons and daughters would prophesy…’ He quoted from the Scriptures and that’s where the sermons of the people of the early church in the Book of Acts began, by saying the Scriptures are fulfilled. If they were preaching to Jews, they would say ‘Your Scriptures have been fulfilled and they have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ and His life that He lived, His ministry, His death and resurrection and ascension.’ They included it all and then they would say that He is coming back. They would add that on as one of the main points of the sermons. Nearly all the apostolic preaching had the same number of points: the Scriptures are fulfilled, they are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, His life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension and He is there interceding for us and He is to come again and receive us. So therefore, repent and be converted and get right and get ready to meet Him. I don’t think you can improve on that outline much anytime, anywhere in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. That sums up our whole faith and hope and all that Christ has done or is going to do for us. So, he talks about the Law, and he talks about the Prophets, and he especially refers to the Songs. You will see in the writings of the apostles in the New Testament that often they are quoting from the Old Testament and saying this is the fulfillment in Jesus Christ when He says this or does this. They are constantly bringing us up-to-date to say that the Scriptures are fulfilled.
 
I don’t know why people can’t see that. I don’t know why Jewish people in the world can’t see that. I can’t understand why they have to push Christ aside even to this day, and will not have the New Testament as the Word of God. It seems so realistic and clear to us, those of us who have experienced new life through Christ Jesus, it is not hard for us to accept the New Testament as our rule of faith and discipline – not at all. We wonder why they couldn’t see Jesus in the Old Testament like Jesus explained and the apostles later taught.
 
The Bible says here that He opened up their understanding. This lets me know that a lot of people can read the Scripture and don’t really understand what it is saying. They know a lot about it. I know of theologians who have studied the Bible from historical, critical standpoints. They are able to ‘tear it all to pieces,’ they say! But when it comes to comprehending the voice of God speaking and the Word of God that is coming through that Word, they seem to be void of that kind of understanding. That is sad; for people to give their entire lives in the study of theology and never quite know the God who is behind it all.
 
I’m reminded of an old story I heard years ago. There was a young man who was to quote the 23rd Psalm and he was so eager. He got it all down. He had his inflection, intonation and his rhythm, his enunciation was perfect, and he really shined while he quoted the 23rd Psalm. Nothing happened to the congregation. After awhile an old gentleman who had preached the gospel for many years got up and he quoted the 23rd Psalm. People wept all over the house and were moved and touched and blessed. The young man was upset. He asked ‘Why in the world when I quoted the 23rd Psalm didn’t it have any effect on the people?’ A fellow tapped him on the shoulder and said ‘Young man. You know the 23rd Psalm. That man knows the Good Shepherd.’ It does make a difference.
 
He opened up their understanding. Oh hallelujah! I have read Scripture and it would be just like a blank wall and then get touched of God and read it again and it comes alive. How many of you have had experiences where you read over something over and over and it didn’t much of anything, but later on your knees or in some situation it leaped out at you and the Lord opened up your understanding and let you see far beyond anything you had experience before. You understood what it means and what He is saying to us.
 
He opened up their understanding to the Scriptures. Here is part of the understanding that He opened up to them. It had to do with a divine commission that He was going to give them and did indeed give them right before His ascension, as Luke tells us in the Book of Acts, first chapter.
 
Here’s part of the understanding, not only about His death and rising again on the third day, because they fought that idea to the very end. That repentance and remission of sin should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. If there is any one thing that we ought to understand, it is the foundation of the gospel of Christ it is the fact that God grants to us the privilege of repenting of our sins so that they may be remitted or forgiven. A lot of mixed up people in this world would soon get straightened out if they would just repent of their sins and be forgiven and receive God’s peace. How many loved ones and friends do we have and we know that all they need is to pray and repent and get right with God and get His peace and everything would be alright with them? We attempt to try to tell them, and sometimes they are impatient and don’t want to hear it. In reality that is exactly what they need, the good news of the gospel of Christ. That is indeed the good news, that sinners, people have the opportunity to hear the good news and repenting of their sins and having their sins forgiven them. This is one thing that was so different from Jewish teaching of the day. The Jews in their proselyting, they would latch on to people but hold them at a distance and say you’ve got to go through this ritual and this ceremony and abide by these laws before we will ever accept you. Before you can join in with us, you’ve got to go through years of apprenticeship as a God-fearer, as a proselyte. It is a process that takes a long time before we will ever finally accept you. That is not the way of Jesus and that is not the way of churches that preach the gospel. They come to people just where they are. We take the song “Just As I Am” as one of our theme songs. We say that the Lord will come to you just where you are, just as you are. When you repent, He forgives and you are brought into the kingdom of God. Thank God! Thank God!
 
I’m so glad that when Jesus comes to you offering power to be delivered from anything, including tobacco or alcohol or drugs, including sins of any sort, He comes to you to receive you. Aren’t you glad He did? Hallelujah!
It was going to be hard for these Jewish disciples to embrace this gospel to that extent. It is still hard. It is very easy for some people to become so self-righteous in their own mind until they are not quite willing to share the gospel with others. They want saints to begin with and that’s not the way it happens. That’s not the way evangelism is. That’s not what evangelism is. Evangelism is taking the good news to the lost so they can be found and brought into the fold, into the kingdom of God.
 
He explained the Scriptures, opened up their understanding to their commission and said in verse 48 ‘And ye are witnesses of these things…everything that I have said and taught and done you are going to be eye-witnesses, in fact. You will tell people that you were there.’ John will say ‘We handled the word of life. We saw it. We heard Him. We handled it. We know what we are talking about. We know He is alive.’ The apostle Paul will say ‘He came to me at different times and to others and I saw Him and I know.’ Oh, he came to me as one born out of due season, unworthy, but still He came to me.
 
This is Jesus’ work just before His ascension. Then He gives them a great promise and a great command. He has just opened up their understanding to the Scriptures about being witnesses and about the great commission of preaching the gospel to everybody. Then He says ‘I am going to send the promise of my Father upon you:’ Luke will explain further in the first chapter of Acts what that promise of the Father was. He will explain that that is the promise of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Those are the words that the resurrected Son of God used. He used the word baptized. ‘You will be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ That is the day we keep hollering and carrying on so much about the baptism of the Holy Ghost because Jesus did not want them to do anything. He said ‘tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued (or clothed upon) with power from on high.’ That’s what that word endued means. It literally means that you put on your clothing. You get up and get dressed. You put on clothing in the morning. He says ‘Don’t go out to face the day, to preach the Word, to do anything until you are clothed with the power from on high.’ He is saying that you can’t do what I want done without the power of the Holy Ghost. You can’t preach it. You can’t witness. You can’t pray. You can’t live the life. You can’t overcome. You must have the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life if you are going to come to your full potential as a Christian in this world and as a Christian witness. This is the last thing He has on His mind before He ascends to the Father and leaves out of their sight. He says ‘You tarry here. Stay until you be endued with power from on high.’ They did it. They obeyed Him. When you get ready to be filled with the Spirit, that is the first step you have to take is to understand what Jesus is saying and simply obey Him and wait on Him because He is the baptizer. Simon Peter, in that first chapter of Acts, says ‘He’s the One that has poured forth this which you see and hear.’ So many people, in seeking for the baptism of the Holy Ghost, get their minds on a lot of things, when what they should do is just look by faith to the baptizer and let Him pour it out upon them.
 
So then, He led them out of the city; out of the old Jerusalem, away from the temple and He led them out as far as Bethany. You remember Bethany, don’t you, where He raised Lazarus from the dead? That seems to be a hallowed place where resurrecting power operates. Even though Lazarus wasn’t resurrected in the sense of the resurrection, he was raised from the dead. He would die again. He will be resurrected with the saints of God. To be resurrected like Jesus means you have a supernatural body that can ascend to God. He led them out as far as Bethany and He blessed them. His last act upon this earth was to bless somebody. Somehow I am touched by that! His last great act upon this earth was to lift His hands and bless them. While He was blessing them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. They watched Him. Angels came and said ‘Why do you stand here gazing? This same Jesus will so come in like manner.’ They worshipped Him. I don’t know exactly what they did. They may have first fallen on their knees as they looked up to Him and worshipped Him as He went away and went out of sight. They may have been so excited that they went running and worshipping and praising God as they entered into the city because it says they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. I know this. When you’ve had your heart opened to the Scriptures, and you’ve been in the presence of the Lord and somehow by faith you have seen Him, and He has reached forth His hands and has blessed you and you have been empowered and received great joy, you come from that place with strength and boldness because of the joy of the Lord and the power of His holy presence. It doesn’t soon go away. Thank God, it doesn’t soon die down. They were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.
 
That’s the way Luke ends this great gospel that he writes. Let me close then with this simple admonition and instruction here tonight. If you have fear, if you have frustration, if you have questions about life after death, if you have doubts, allow the Lord Jesus to come to you with His peace. Stay there long enough until He gives you insight into this Word. Go to this Word and live in it. Live in it until He begins to open up your understanding through the power of the Holy Spirit. The first thing you know your eyes of faith will be seeing clearly and you will be blessed of Him and you will worship to the fullest extent and have His great joy; because you now have a faith and an understanding of the Scripture that is based upon Jesus’ presence and experience with Him and what He has taught Him.

Will you please stand tonight.

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The Agony of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-62)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 22:39-62

39

 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation

47

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

48

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

49

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

50

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

51

 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

52

 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

53

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

54

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.

55

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

56

 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

57

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

58

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

59

And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

60

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

61

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

62

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

This is the beginning of one of the greatest scenes and acts of unholy injustice that has ever been witnessed in this whole world; the betrayal of Jesus, the arrest of Jesus, and the things that would follow leading up to the cross. Christ is seen here preparing Himself for this ordeal. As is always the case with Jesus, Jesus always prepares for whatever He is about to step into by seeking the Father’s will and by prayer and opening up His heart to the Father and finding out indeed the very will of the Father. He prayed earnestly in the time of His temptation at the beginning of His ministry and He conquered that time of temptation. He prayed during His ministry at special events and special times, and sometimes all night on a mountain by Himself in prayer. Here, he goes to a place that is called the Mount of Olives where He is accustomed to going. It would appear that Jesus made a practice of going to this garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives and there spending time with His disciples and sometimes in private in prayer. His disciples knew about this and as they came there, the disciples stayed in one place and He warned them by saying, ‘Pray that you enter not into temptation.’ Now He will tell them that twice. Simon Peter will fall into temptation before very long. Evidently, he has failed to receive this warning and admonition to really pray. What Jesus is saying here is that prayer is our source of protection from falling into temptation. Prayer is the kind of experience that causes the grace of God to come around us in a tremendous protective way.
 
I heard a man talking about ministers who fail and he had ministered in counseling to several hundred ministers who had suffered the awful ordeal of ministerial failure. He said ‘I have never had one to suffer failure in his ministry and his marriage – never had one to suffer moral failure who maintained a daily prayer life to God, spending time alone with the Lord in prayer and with the Word of God.’ I think Jesus is saying, not only to the disciples but to us all, here is your protection from temptation. Here is the way you get clothed with grace. Here is the way you hide yourself in the love and power of God. It is through prayer. Pray that you enter not into temptation. Even in the Lord’s Prayer that He taught us, He taught us to pray ‘forgive us our sins, forgive us our debts…’ Luke uses the word sins. Matthew uses the word trespasses. Mark uses the word debts. Then He said to pray ‘lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ This is something Jesus taught His disciples how to pray and that they should pray and here He is reminding them very solemnly to pray that you enter not into temptation. He left them there and He went on. And He prayed.
 
His prayer was one for the will of God to be done. Regardless of what He requests, Jesus always winds up at that place where He surrenders His will to the will of the Father. It was not always so very easy. In His human state, there must have been all kinds of forces from within Him physically, mentally, emotionally crying out against the suffering He would have to face and what He would have to do, and the bitter cup that He would have to drink. He was crying out ‘if it be Your will, but nevertheless Thy will be done.’ Let this cup pass from Me. Let this ordeal, this cup of bitterness that He must take in His hands and drink it to the very dregs of the sins of the whole world, the bitterness and sorrow of the suffering of humanity caused by sin, He had to take this whole cup and drink it and He said ‘if it be Thy will, let it be put aside. Let me avoid it. Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done.’
 
We get some idea about the sorrow and the struggle of His prayer because at this point Luke tells us that an angel came and strengthened Him. Then He prays again. Being in great agony, He proceeds to pray more earnestly. What a wrestling of prayer until His sweat drips like great drops of blood. The scientists teach us that what happened to Jesus is that He literally sweated blood. There is such a condition of the heart that can come to such grief that it causes a physical reaction to the very bloodstream. That is the reason that on the cross when He was pierced in the side out came blood and water. The blood seemed to have become unmixed somehow. They say this literally can happen because of intense grief and sorrow and agony. The inward pain of sorrow and agony can be so great that it can cause chemical and physical changes to take place in our own body.
 
So, an angel had to come and strengthen Him. Then He prayed more.  I get a tremendous lesson and application from that point. It leads me to say to you that when you come face-to-face with agony in prayer, that it may very well be that God is bringing us to such a place so that He can come to us and strengthen us even if He has to send an angel. How can we know how many times we have prayed in such agony that an angel stood at attention while we prayed and communed with heaven? How could we know but what the Holy Spirit has hovered over us and overshadowed us and has given us strength that we could not have borne the burden and we could not have carried the load of prayer and we could not have surrendered to the will of God had not there been a divine visitation from on high? We were strengthened and helped. You see, when it comes to spiritual struggle and spiritual warfare especially, there seems to be no greater than battling over the will of God for yourself, it seems that that’s when heaven itself takes an interest to come and enable us to come to the place that we can say not my will but Thine be done.
 
I’ve used this illustration before, but I’ll use it again in talking about our cross and the kind of agonizing praying it takes for us to be willing to take up our cross. That is when the will of God coming down in a vertical dimension cuts across our will on this horizontal plane, then that’s where our cross really is raised up, understanding the will of God and being willing to say not my will, but Thine be done.
 
When you get caught up in the throes of wrestling with self until you come to the place where you can deny self and the flesh and the devil and this world and say Lord, I am Yours. My life is Yours. I don’t hold anything back. I give it to you unreservedly. I make no claims for myself. I make no demands for myself. Oh hallelujah! That’s the place where you are about to receive heaven’s strength and heaven’s grace and heaven’s joy because the greatest joy you will ever know is when that surrender is made and you have said yes to the Lord completely. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Don’t you feel His presence? Just praise Him! Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for strengthening us in prayer. Thank you, Lord, for giving us strength when we did battle and for giving us victory. Hallelujah!
 
When He had finished praying and everything was set in His heart, no turning back now, the hour of darkness was closing in upon Him and there was no turning aside from the Will of the Father to give His life to save the world. When He had finished, it was all settled and He came back to His disciples and found them sleeping. Luke says they were sleeping for sorrow. It appears at this point that they are beginning to understand something of what they face and what Jesus faces. They must be overwhelmed with the total environment of His suffering, being in that atmosphere of surrendering totally to the will of God. Somehow, it would appear that the human body has mechanisms that work sometime to help us undergo pain and shock and especially great sorrow. I have been told that if we didn’t have that, that when someone delivers to us a death message, for example, of a loved one that the shock would be so great that we would just die. And some people do. But somehow the body is able to compensate and sometimes it can even bring on sleep as to form an escape from the sorrow and from the reality of the pain and suffering at that point. We may not understand it, but Luke said that they were sleeping because of the sorrow.
 
Jesus said unto them, ‘Why sleep ye? Rise and pray.’ This is the second time now. Rise and pray lest ye enter into temptation. Once again, He is saying if you rise and pray, you should not fall into temptation. Simon Peter will do this very quickly. But first, comes on the heels of that agonizing prayer, the agony of betrayal of Judas. Judas received thirty pieces of silver. What did Judas have to sell to make that money? The only thing Judas had to sell was to be able to tell the Chief Priests and others, the enemies of Christ, about this private place where Jesus practiced going to be with His disciples, to be in prayer. Sometimes He even spent the night on the Mount of Olives in that garden. That was the place where they could catch Jesus without a great crowd of disciples. That is the irony of this whole thing. That’s all Judas really had to sell was the place where Jesus could be taken without many people around Him. So they came and Judas led them there.
 
A lot of things have been said about Judas. It is the name that we never hear it, or see it, or say it without having some kind of recoil and reaction. Luke would tell us again later in Acts, that Judas by transgression fell. Judas was a thief because he carried the bag and he was interested in money. We will hear things that ate away at this man’s life and inner being and he saw his hopes being dashed because Jesus was not coming like the king of glory that he thought He should be. He was not appearing like the great Jewish Messiah that they had hoped for. Disappointment began to eat at him. He is not alone because we have already seen the others arguing over who would have the best place beside Him, one on the right and one on the left, being exalted. They had some carnal inclinations as well. When you keep company with carnal inclinations long enough and you keep entertaining certain thoughts long enough, finally they are conceived in your heart and they bring forth sin. James has that figured out: when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin and when sin is finished, it brings forth death.
 
Judas had spent too much time thinking of the wrong thing and loving money and being willing to betray. We’ve had novels. We’ve had writings of different people who tried to treat him kindly and say Judas just wanted to force the Lord’s hand quicker so that His kingdom would appear. And he just made a mistake. It was a matter of a mistake and mis-timing. But the Scripture doesn’t harmonize with that idea. There must have been great bitterness because when he came running up to betray the Lord with a kiss, Jesus said ‘Judas betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?’ About that time, the other disciples, if you remember they had only had two swords, and they began to say ‘Shall we smite with the sword? Shall we fight?’ Evidently, before Jesus could answer, Simon Peter – once again that blundering disciple who seemed to make mistakes, he drew his sword and took a whack at the servant of the High Priest. Most people think that he most surely must have ducked. If he hadn’t Simon Peter probably would have cut his head off, but when he ducked, he sliced off his right ear. Here is something that is so incredible. Jesus seems to take the ear and He tells Simon Peter ‘Don’t use your sword.’ And then Jesus answered and said ‘Suffer ye thus far,’ and He touched his ear, and it was healed! I somehow believe that would make a believer out of anybody to think well who is this that He can perform such a miracle even in His agony and when His enemies have gathered around Him to take Him and He is about to surrender Himself, yet even then does He perform a miracle of grace and of healing and love. My Lord, what a witness to those people.
 
John tells about it when they came to get Him in the garden and He said ‘Whom seek ye?’ And they said ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ and He answered ‘I am He.’ The Bible says they just fell back on the ground. It’s like some great super hand had snatched the rug out from under them and they fell to the ground. What signs? What more does it take to open the eyes of some people? What does it take to touch the hard hearts of some people who have become so steeped in attitudes against Christ and His love  until they cannot even see His miracle love when it takes place in the healing of a servant who is come to be part of a crowd that takes Him away?
 
This brings up a deep question. What does it take to touch some people’s heart when they see the mercies and graces of God again and again in their lives and in others, in their families and in their friends, and they still are not touched to believe on Jesus Christ? I think the most horrible experience that could ever come to an individual in this world is to become so hard and so indifferent that even when you are in the presence of God and in the presence of a miracle, you can walk away untouched. I can’t think of any kind of life that is more horrible than that. To have gone past feeling as the Scripture describes some people. Past the point of being touched. Past the point of being tender and responsive to the presence of God and to His miracle working power.
 
I like the song we sing sometimes ‘We are standing on Holy Ground, and I know that there are angels all around…’ I think we need to recognize His presence and His holiness and let it touch us deeply realizing that the angels of God bear witness to our worship to Him.
 
I look at this event of healing and I think of this application, too. I wonder how many times the Lord Jesus has had to heal a hurt that was caused by blundering disciples? I try not to think back, but to be perfectly honest, I know that in my life, even in my ministry, there have been times I blundered and somebody was hurt. It seems as if an apology would never quite heal the hurt. Sometimes it takes a special visitation of God to sweep that out of somebody’s mind and heart. I wonder if Simon didn’t set an example here that would be followed again and again by people who love Jesus and are following Him and want to be obedient and want to be faithful and yet, they blunder in the things that cause hurt that Jesus has to straighten up and heal.
 
Thank God, He can! He can heal the hurt! Regardless of who blunders, He can heal the hurt. He knows how. Hallelujah!
 
Just one touch of His hand put that ear back in working order. One touch of His hand can heal the hurt of your heart and mind. Hallelujah! Oh Lord Jesus, we love You. We love Your healing power. We love Your presence. Oh, how You can set things right, oh Lord Jesus.
 
Finally, there is the agony of denial of this great apostle. He has been warned twice. Pray that you enter not into temptation. He has made a blundering act, not fully understanding what Jesus is going to do, and then when Jesus says to the people ‘You come unto Me with swords and staves as if I were a criminal, why when I was out in the open with you in the temple and other places, you didn’t come to Me like this then.’ Of course, they were afraid because of the great multitudes around Him. That’s the reason. But they took Him to the High Priest’s house and Simon Peter followed afar off. You’ve heard sermons preached on that text about people who follow the Lord Jesus afar off. I don’t want to cast any reflections at all, I want to say it in the most positive way I know. At least he followed. Could you say Amen? At least he followed. That is something. He didn’t turn and go the other way and say ‘I’m through with this. I’m totally disappointed.’ At least he followed. It took him into temptation and three times we have in that passage where people spoke to him and say ‘You’re one of them,’ and he denies it three times. ‘I don’t know him.’ At the third time, he is looking at Jesus. The last time he denies Jesus, the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. The look that Jesus gave him must have been something! Oh! The look on His face. That look would have been of no significance whatsoever if Simon hadn’t been looking at Him. I know he followed afar off. I know he denied, but he was still looking toward Jesus. That gives me a whole lot of hope. That gives me a whole lot of comfort to say that people who may sometime follow Him afar off and people who may sometime blunder and do the wrong thing, they need nevertheless, to keep looking toward Jesus until He looks, until He turns and looks right into our own hearts.
 
When He did, without saying a word, Peter remembered because the cock crew. The Lord turned and looked at him and he remembered the warning. He went out and wept bitterly. Here was a man who went out in the darkness, but it was not the power of darkness and the time of great evil as Jesus referred to the leaders. When He gave Himself up to them, He said ‘It is your hour and the power of darkness,’ letting us know full well that the power of evil and darkness motivated the High Priests and all who had come to capture Jesus. It was into the darkness that Simon Peter went, but it was not with the power of darkness and evil because he wept bitterly and he found his way through his breaking heart back to our Lord Jesus. Jesus anticipated that because He said ‘I prayed for you and when you are converted or when you are turned, then strengthen the brethren.’ When Simon Peter wrote his great letter, he used the word ‘pasco’: to suffer fourteen times; seven times in relationship to the sufferings of Jesus; and seven times in relationship to the sufferings of Christians. Simon Peter learned it well. You don’t always live on the mountaintop of victory and transfiguration building tabernacles and going on, but there are times you come back in the valleys to minister and you face the power of Satan, and you learn what the ministry of suffering is really like, when you open up your heart to do the will of God.
 
I would say to anybody, if you are going to do the perfect will of God, don’t think it is going to be a pleasant journey. There will be some agonizing prayer and suffering involved in your complete surrender and obedience.

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The Peace of God (Intro to Luke)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Introduction to the Book of Luke “THE PEACE OF GOD”

I want to relate some of the great truths in this book that have to do with “The Peace of God.” When the angels announced the coming of the Lord Jesus to the shepherd on the hillside, they said in chapter 2, verse 14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The announcement of His coming included the message of peace on earth. When Jesus was making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem toward the very last of His ministry in chapter 19 of Luke, the people came out and said in verse 38 “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” The angels from heaven and the people from on earth are announcing the entry of Jesus. Angels are announcing His entrance into the world and the people are announcing His entry into Jerusalem. The angels say Peace on earth. The people say Peace in heaven. In both cases, Jesus is soon to go there, so to speak. When they say Peace on earth, it is because He has come there and He is the source of peace. When the people say Peace in heaven, He is soon to go there, so to speak, in His resurrection. So wherever Jesus is there is the absolute potential for peace, whether He is coming to a troubled world or whether He is leaving it and going someplace else, Luke is saying to us that wherever Jesus is, there is the absolute potential for His glorious peace.

Between those two passages, I want to mention very briefly five different times when Jesus brought peace in very unusual circumstances. Here he came bringing peace on earth and even in troubled times, He is able to step in and bring peace. In the very first chapter of Luke we are told about the searching of the people to understand about what God is doing. We have Zacharias who is moved upon by the Holy Ghost and he prophesies in chapter 1, verse 79. He says, starting n verse 78 “…whereby the dayspring from on  high [which is Christ] hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” In times of searching, in times of seeking, in times of wanting to know God, in times of trying to understand where God is and what He is doing, the Lord knows how to come to us and open up our hearts and our minds to bring peace to us in our searching.

I thought when we heard some of these testimonies tonight, especially this sister here, the searching that was going on in her life to come to the full reality of the power of the Father and His love and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to people who sat in darkness so that they could see a great light and so the searching could be over, that we could find Him and He could find us. I like the way somebody said it here tonight when he said they found him then he changed it and said He found me. In times of searching, He is able to bring the light to guide our feet into the way of peace.

In Luke chapter 7, verse 50 we’ve preached about this before now but here is a sinner woman who comes and washes the feet of Jesus and she wipes His feet with the hairs of her head. Jesus explains that this great act that she has performed is because she has been forgiven of so much. Now she loves so much so He said to her, ‘Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.’ So here in time of sin, not only in time of searching and seeking and striving and reaching out, but in the time of sin He comes to bring peace. When I’m cast down in spirit and soul, He brings and whispers sweet peace. Even in time of sin and sorrow that caused a woman to bow at His feet and open up her soul to Him in love and adoration, she heard the words of forgiveness. She heard the words of peace. What a beautiful and wonderful experience!

I want you to think back tonight; some of you have said it is 60 years, some say 50-some years, some in the 40s perhaps and then there are some younger people here tonight, but I want you to think of when you came to Him and your soul was troubled and you had all kinds of questions. You didn’t know what life really held for you. You came to Him in your sin and He brought and He spoke peace to you and said ‘Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.’

I remember in my early boyhood I was praying and seeking God and somebody came to me and knelt by me. They kept saying ‘Believe’ because at that point, that’s exactly what I needed to hear because I couldn’t believe that the Lord would take me in, that He would bring forgiveness and peace. Somebody just kept saying close to my ear ‘You have to believe what Jesus has said,’ and he would quote some Scripture. ‘You must believe the Lord, and that’s how it comes.’ When I began to think ‘Well, it might happen, well maybe so, yes!’ I passed ‘maybe’ after awhile and began to say ‘Yes! I do believe!’ and the peace came. Raise your hand if you know about when the peace came to your heart. The storm subsided. The worries and the troubles just vanished away. Everything in your heart was right in the world with God. What a glorious peace.

Not only does He bring peace to us in times of searching and in times of sin, but He brings peace to us in times of storm. This story is found in Luke 8:24 where the storm came upon the disciples and shook them, disturbed them. They were fearful. They thought they may go down, but Jesus arose and He rebuked the winds and He said Peace, be still. In Mark 4:39 He said Peace, be still. And oh what a calm it is. How many of you have been in storms? I know one couple that have been in an actual tornado that lifted their house up and floor and dashed them down a block or so. But there are other storms where you are so torn you don’t know where to go and where there are things boiling up all around you. Conflict is there and you wonder how in the world it will ever work out. Storms come even in the church to disturb the fellowship of the people. Then  you pray and God moves and He comes and speaks peace. Only He knows how to do that.

I remember pastoring in one place there was double trouble it seemed to me. I felt like maybe I ought to leave if that would solve the problems, but the Lord said no, that’s not it. One day while I was preaching and I had prayed so earnestly and God had touched me, I want to tell you, that right out of that storm all of a sudden, the power of God fell in that place and brought peace and that trouble and turmoil vanished. There was the glory and love of God that came to that church that day. You could have cut the tension with a knife when I started preaching. But when I was finished and God had done His work and His Word has spoken to the people and His Spirit had done His work, there was peace reigning in that church. We had  many more wonderful years there. Thank God how He knows to come to our storms. I don’t know why we get so worried and so upset and so afraid at certain times. After all, He is the Master of every situation.

I remember years ago when I was in Mississippi. Brother Wade Horton came and preached one of his hour and a half sermons that seemed like it was about 30 minutes long! He preached about Christ, the Master in every situation. He was Master of the storm. He was Master of the demoniac. He was Master of demons. He was Master of disease.  I want to tell you, He is the Master of every situation whether it is storm and danger, demons, disease, death, He is the Master and He brings peace. I love the song we used to sing “He gives me peace in the midst of the storm.” How many of you have had answers to prayer where He moved in with his peace when you were experiencing a storm in your life?

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise God!

There is nothing like it in the world, is it, saints? When there is trouble, when there is division, when there are all kinds of things happening and He just moves in and it is gone and there is peace that reigns. Not only does He bring peace to us as Luke tells us in the time of searching to guide our feet and in the time of sin and storms, but also in the time of sickness. The woman who came to Him with the issue of blood, Jesus says some of the most beautiful words to her. First of all, He calls this woman who had been an outcast because of her affliction – He called her Daughter.  When others had said ‘Because of your issue of blood, you can’t even associate with people. You have to be set aside.’ This had gone on for years. Can you imagine the turmoil? Can you imagine the anxiety, the fears, the loneliness that she had faced? I think that’s the reason she tried to slip around behind Him and just touch the hem of His garment. I don’t think she wanted to be seen and brought out openly. So she just touched His clothes. But He told her, ‘Daughter, be of good comfort. Thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace.’ If you’ve ever been healed by the miraculous power of God, then you know that there is nothing so rich and wonderful as to have the pain to leave and the fear of what may be happening to you physically to leave. Suddenly His presence comes over you and you are healed. I know when I was healed of gall bladder attacks and gall stones it was like warm oil had flowed over me. I got drunk in the Spirit. My good people at West Frankfurt, Illinois gathered around me and prayed for me and God healed me. I never had to have the surgery. I don’t know what happened to the gall stones. What a wonderful peace comes over you when the healing virtue of God comes. He said to this woman ‘Daughter…’ which means you are accepted. You are in the family. You don’t have to be an outcast anymore. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.

When the anxiety and worry of disease and affliction is gone, thank God what wonderful peace comes into your life. When you know that His hand is upon you, His peace is abiding there.

There is one more incident in Luke I want to mention. That is in the time of sorrow He can speak peace to you. Chapter 24, verses 36-41. This is after the crucifixion and after the resurrection when Jesus comes upon a little band of people and He says unto them ‘Peace be unto you.’ Today as I have done a few times, I assisted Mark in a funeral driving the hearse. This is an unusual experience. I have always been in the other position as minister to speak. But as we stood at the graveside, their pastor spoke some sentimental things to the family, I didn’t hear his message so I might should not say what I’m about to say, but I wanted him to go to the Word because as I understood it, this was a Christian lady who was being buried. I wanted him to talk to the loved ones who were there in sorrow. I wanted him to preach a little bit and say from the Word that there is hope beyond this grave. There is hope for the resurrection. There is hope of seeing mother and grandmother again. I wanted him to just say a few words like that. He never did get around to it. I hope he did in the message. As I said, I didn’t get to hear his message as he preached the funeral. I think of the times that I have stood there in his place and felt God so real and could speak peace to people and give them the glorious consolation of seeing the Lord, the glorious consolation of having a loved one knowing that the loved one would overcome death one day through the resurrecting power of God. There is eternal hope because of His great power. Jesus brought it to them that night.

In this book of Luke, there is only one time that Jesus was unable to speak peace in a situation. I want to read that to you. It is right after the triumphal entry, right after some of the people have said to Him ‘Peace in heaven and glory to God in the highest.’ They said that in verse 38 of chapter 19. If you will, just turn in your Bible to chapter 19 and read with me at verse 41. Here is one time He was not able to bring peace like He would like to have had. The Bible says He came to His own and His own received Him not. Reading Luke 19:41, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it. Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast  a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” Here is the heartbreaking example in Luke when Christ could not bring peace. It is when people failed to recognize the things that belong to their peace and in their turning away from the Lord, even the very ones He came in Jerusalem and they turned aside f rom Him. He said ‘Your house is going to be desolate. You are going to have great troubles. Your enemies are coming because you didn’t know the time of your visitation. You missed it.’

I don’t mean to end this message tonight on this sad note, except to remind us the saddest thing I know that is happening in this world now is people who do not recognize their opportunity to receive peace. They don’t know the time of their visitation. They are rejecting Christ and His great love. I think it is up to us, somehow, to keep praying.

I was so touched by that testimony earlier in tonight’s service. How long did you say you had been praying for your brother? 42 years. And you didn’t give up. I tell you that ought to encourage us not to turn loose of anybody, to hold on. I remember Sister Warren in West Frankfurt, Illinois when Satan said to her ‘You may as well give up on Earnest.’ He was a 40-something year old man at that time, one of her sons. ‘Besides you’ve got all these other children that are saved. Just give up on Earnest. He’s never going to get saved. You may as well quit praying for him.’ She rose up in the bed, a widow, and said ‘It’ll be over my dead body that you get Earnest.’ She began to talk and rebuke Satan and she held on and the very next revival meeting we had, Brother C. E. French was the evangelist, Earnest got saved.

Aren’t you glad for the peace of God tonight?

Dr. May relates some of the truths in the book of Luke that have to do with “The Peace of God.”

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The Other Side of Glory (Luke 9:37-50)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 9:37-50

37

And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.

38

And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.

39

And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

40

And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

41

And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

42

And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

43

And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

44

Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

45

But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

46

Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

47

And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,

48

And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

49

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50

And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. 

I want to talk to you tonight about four particular problems that we face after great mountain top experiences, after we have seen the glory, after we have seen the manifestations of the great and mighty power of God, after we have seen divine revelation and we have heard the voice of the Father giving words of divine approval.  When we come back down to the valley, then there are problems that are always plaguing the church and plaguing every one of us that we have to face in our day to day kind of living and our ministry.  I want us to look first of all, the great problem that they faced immediately upon coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration is the valley of spiritual warfare.
 
I think as a pastor for thirty years, I used to go home on Sunday evening after we’d had great services, and sometimes for a while I would think well, maybe we’ll never see another bad day.  Maybe the momentum will just keep mounting higher and higher.  But I learned not to get too enthusiastic like that because that usually meant that the next week or in the next few days there would be some kind of serious battle and spiritual warfare that we had to face.  Seems like God always blessed us in a special way before we had to meet that. I suppose that’s the way it is in most people’s life.  When Peter, James, and John came with the Lord to the valley and the others were down there already wrestling with demonic power, they found this challenge of demonic power.
 
I don’t know if we ever actually get away from the pressure of demonic power in this world.  I know there are a lot of people who try to discredit demonic activity, but there’s no way, as we’ve already said, to understand Luke or the Gospels at all without understanding the constant spiritual warfare that goes on between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.  Sometimes we’re caught right in the middle.  I really appreciated some of the messages we heard at the General Assembly because this theme was lifted up with the idea that God has given us authority and power to cope with whatever demonic activity we may face.
 
I think most of us have or can identify a great deal with those disciples who were waiting in the valley, who did not see the glory, who were trying to tough it out and hold on the best they could against the forces of evil.  Waiting, perhaps, for some help, because no sooner did Jesus come down but what the man who had a child that had an evil spirit came to him and said, “Your disciples could not cast it out.” Jesus with a slight rebuke to these disciples, then took charge and cast out the evil spirit from this young child.
 
The challenge of the demonic is always coming.  Sometimes we don’t seem to be equipped to meet that challenge but anytime that Jesus Christ moves in with his authority, his power, his word, and the power of the Holy Spirit, then there is more than enough power and authority to meet any challenge that comes against us.  I think sometimes we forget that the battle seems to be constantly raging.  We work and we live and we minister in a valley and we do not sometimes see the glory of God.  We have to stand in faith, and upon his word, and upon his divine authority and just simply stand our ground in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Here is one of the great problems the church always faces – the constant pressure of evil that pushes against our prayers, our life that we live, the songs we sing, the sermons we preach.  There is no way in this world we can meet this challenge or handle it without the anointing of the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts in a very powerful and wonderful way.
 
Probably a more serious challenge faced these disciples with the announcement of Jesus that he would soon be delivered into the hands of men.  Now this is a sermon all in itself to talk about what is called the passion predictions of our Lord because he gave them three times and still the disciples did not understand.  You’d think, “Well, we’ve seen his glory.  He’s the Son of God.”  John would say, “We say his glory.  We were eye-witnesses to his glory.” And yet, when Jesus began to say on three different occasions, and this one I read to you tonight is the second one, he’s already told them once before and he will tell them again that the Son of Man must go to Jerusalem.  He will be delivered into the hands of men and he will suffer many things.  Then he will be killed.  Then he will always add, but he will rise again on the third day.  When you look at the three in Mark, and it is Mark 8:31, 9:31, and 10:33-34, when you look at those three predictions there, you see the details and somehow it does not register.  Because they do not fully yet understand how it is you live in this world and you live for God and you do his work with Jesus gone, out of sight, away from them.  They couldn’t understand the full impact of it either because with their hearts and minds so filled with Messianic expectations and enthusiasm, all they could see was the Christ of glory already been revealed.  His glory has been revealed.  How dare you think that he would have to suffer shame and be put in the hands of men to be mistreated and suffer?
 
It took some of the disciples a long, long time to learn that there is indeed a ministry of suffering for Christ’s sake.  That there are many people who really put their whole lives on the line for Jesus Christ.  That the Lord calls upon us to be willing to lay down our life and live our life for him and for his glory and honor.  They could never accept this.  Simon Peter would argue and say, “No, Lord!” and Jesus would have to say to him, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” because any attitude that resists the will of the Father is Satan-like.  Did you hear what I said?  Any kind of voice that would try to excuse us from the will of the Father and denying ourselves and taking up the cross, our cross, that is Satan-like.  Time and time again Satan would try to deter Jesus from the will of the Father, because verse fifty-one turns a whole new portion in the book of Saint Luke.  We’ll see that next time when Jesus then is setting his face to go to Jerusalem and all those great things that happen to him in his life on the way to Jerusalem and to the cross and to suffering and to death.
On the other side of the glory of God, there are the threats and the fears and the troubles and the sufferings, the labors and the challenge of the demonic.  It is warfare.  It is overcoming this illusion about Jesus.  It took them a long time to learn it.  These disciples would argue against it and they would not understand.  The next point I want to make reveals so vividly the fact that they never did quite get in touch with his suffering and what he had in mind.  In verses 46-48 we have the challenge of the ambitious disciples who wanted to be the greatest in the kingdom.
 
They could only see a glorious kingdom coming.  They had seen the king manifested in his glory and they had seen the shekinah had almost blinded them.  They could not perceive of him as a suffering servant Messiah.  It was the furthest thing from their minds.  All they could see is when he comes into his kingdom with power and glory, who is going to be on the right hand and who is going to be on the left?  Even a couple of the men’s mother got into the action in one case and said to Jesus, “I want you to grant my sons these high positions.” Well, Jesus didn’t say it like this, but he could’ve said, “If you want to see who occupies a position on my right hand and on my left, just wait til I’m on the cross and you’ll see it’s somebody who is crucified on each side.”
 
It is amazing how carnality, humanity, carnality can be so unsympathetic to the suffering of others.  It is amazing how selfish people, self-centered people can be so untouched by other people who give themselves to the will of God.  I know there are many great things to be said about the disciples, and we will say that, but again and again they show us the level of humanness and even carnality that they worked on as they thought about Jesus.  I think this day calls our time that we are living in, calls for a brand new sensitivity to divine leading.  There should be a special honor given to people who are sensitive to the leading of the Lord and the will of God.  Who will not push themselves forward with worldly ambitions but who will accept the divine leading of God and the will of God, wherever that may lead.
 
This argument and discussion would go on and be a part of their lives even to the very end, to the very night that Jesus went in to the last supper and instituted the Lord’s Supper.  Luke will tell us that they went in then still arguing who is going to be able to sit on the right hand or on the left.  That’s why John gives us the picture of the feet washing episode then.  John doesn’t talk much about the Lord’s supper, he just says, “when the supper being ended,” but then he talks a whole lot about Jesus’s example of being humble, his example of love, his example of humbling himself and washing the disciples’ feet.  Taking upon him the form not only of a servant but of a slave, because in those days you couldn’t even ask a hired servant to wash your feet.  If you had a slave, you could command a slave to wash your feet.  It was such an indignity to have to wash someone’s feet, yet here’s Jesus girded with a towel, not girded with a golden girdle now, not girded with a buckler and sword, not girded and clothed with these trappings of warfare.  We see that later when John saw him on the Isle of Patmos.  If you compare what he looked like and how he was dressed then with the feet washing scene, then I’ll tell you, you begin to understand to just what a low degree he actually came.  And he would have to teach the disciples again and again and again, the one who is greatest among you, let him become servant of all.  The one who is greatest in the sight of God, let him pay the price and cost of discipleship by becoming the least.
 
I don’t think we understand that even in this day very well.  We probably understand more than we are willing to practice.  But here, is one of the constant aggravations that come to people who would serve God and live for Jesus Christ.  How do I overcome suffering and the challenge of problems?  How do I rise to an elevated place?  Jesus would teach these disciples through the feet washing ceremony, that greatness is not where one sits but how one serves.  That is where greatness is measured in the sight of God.  So his answer is very short.  The least shall be the greatest.
 
Simon Peter may be ready to take a sword and fight, but he is not ready to take the towel of service and wash somebody’s feet or have his feet washed.  Who will be greatest?  Sometimes I shudder to think what that will be like at the judgment of the Lord and when the Lord himself elevates whom he will.
 
A fourth problem that they faced and that we still face, and I’m going to have to walk softly here, because I do not want to be misunderstood.  They said, “Lord, we saw a man casting out devils in your name and we tried to stop him because he’s not one of us.”  They had this exclusivism that said “we are the only ones” and the Lord said, “You let him alone. Let anybody alone who is fighting the devil. Let anybody alone who is casting out devils and delivering people from the power of Satan. Because, if he’s not against us, he’s for us, and if he’s for us, he’s not against us.”
 
I’m going to tell you that is a spirit that can literally cripple a church and bind them. Here’s why I want to be very careful. At the School of Theology, we’ve had quite a number of Church of God of Prophecy ministers and I know friends – I have quite a few friends there – who have preached that the Church of God of Prophecy is not the only bride of Christ and they have been dealt with and they have suffered. One man was a pastor, a good friend pastoring in Chattanooga, had to disagree with the Prophecy church because he took a firm stand and said that there are other people of God, and there are other people in the bride of Christ. This exclusive kind of idea that says unless you’ve got our label and you’ve got what we’ve got then you can’t belong to Christ. This is a serious kind of thing. Because you see, if God waits on a certain group to evangelize the world, it will never get done. I don’t want anybody else to go before us and beat us, but at the same time, I want to tell you, Thank God for the numbers and numbers of Spirit-filled Christians all around this world who are delivering people from the hand of Satan and winning souls by the multiplied millions!
 
We heard a man preach who was responsible for bringing two or three million souls to Christ last year alone. It was overwhelming. Rinehart Bonnke was responsible for bringing millions to Christ in one year. We will see some more attitudes that are contrary to real discipleship as we go further in this study. But let me say in this concluding point that these are the kinds of realities that can get ahold of us, not realizing we are in spiritual warfare and therefore not really praying and seeking God until we are endued with power from on high and are able to do what God wants us to do and the works that He wants us to do. Not understanding the ministry of suffering and what Jesus says, and not understanding what true greatness is and not understanding that the Lord is working through a lot of people in this world to get the message to circle this globe. Somehow I feel challenged. When I was putting this message together, I knew that each of these points is a sermon in itself if you want to approach it from a topical point of view. But it just simply puts together concepts that we face every day in our work for God that we need to watch for. I’m going to ask you to join in prayer right now that we may understand Christ and His will, that we will understand the road that He asks us to take, and like Simon Peter we would come to fully and finally understand what it means to suffer for Jesus Christ, that we could someway let the cross cut own and mow down our selfish ambitions and our self-centeredness, that we could rejoice and be counted worthy to be a part of the Body of Jesus Christ.
 
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Oh God, speak to our hearts by your Spirit. May the Word of God be quickened in our hearts tonight. Lord, help us to press the battle forward in the Name of Jesus Christ.

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The Coming of the Kingdom (Luke 17:20-37)

by | Nov 20, 2002

Luke 17:20-37

20

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21

 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22

 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23

And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

24

For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

25

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

26

 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28

 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

29

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

30

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

31

 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

32

Remember Lot’s wife.

33

Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

34

 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35

Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36

Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

37

And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

It would appear that the Pharisees almost like some posse was always chasing after Jesus trying to put Him on the spot and ask Him questions so as to keep ahead of Him and perhaps to entrap Him. This is no exception in verse 20. The actual language used here when it says they demanded of him literally means that with hostility and criticism. They were demanding that He should tell them about His future plans and about the coming of the kingdom of God. If He claimed to know about that, and He had indeed preached the kingdom of heaven is at hand, repent. They had heard of His messages. They knew of His teachings. And now they are just railing upon Him wanting Him to disclose His future plans. You know our Lord Jesus had a way of getting around people who tried to hem Him up. Sometimes they would try to catch Him and stone Him to death and He would just ease out of their midst and they hardly knew where He went or how it happened. He had that ability.
 
I want us to talk about the coming of the kingdom and look at some observations that our Lord makes in regard to the coming of the kingdom and in His answer, first of all to the Pharisees and then some specific instructions to His disciples and indirectly to us, with warning and caution for us all at the end of this passage.
 
First of all, He answers their questions with two negative statements. He said the kingdom of God does not come from your vantage point or observation so that you can be apprised of it, so that you can see it beforehand. That’s not the way it will happen. It does not come that way. You need not think you are going to prepare yourselves and be ready and watch for the unfolding of the kingdom of God so that perhaps you can take action in doing some things that you want to do because you will not be in touch with the signs that indicate the coming of the kingdom. I’m glad there are some things Satan doesn’t know, nor the people who serve him. I’m glad that there are some great hidden mysteries that the Lord only reveals to His people by His Spirit and by the Word and gives insight and understanding, especially with his plans for the future and what He is planning to do with us and for us and through us in that future. He said not to worry about trying to figure it out. It will not come to where you can see it. It will be out of touch with you. You will not be on the inside to understand it. He says another negative, don’t try to point it out here or there. A lot of people would love to be able to figure it out. I’m glad the Bible is written in some mystery. I’ve known people who could take the Word, Daniel, the prophets, the Book of Revelation, and they can figure to a T.
 
Jesus said to the Pharisees, these people who were so wise in their own eyes, don’t try to figure it out. Don’t say look over here or see over there or go yonder and you’ll see that it is unfolding. He said No, because the kingdom of God is in your midst already. This expression ‘the kingdom of God is within you’ literally means it is in your midst. It doesn’t mean the kingdom was in the heart of the Pharisees by no means. They were not about to be in the kingdom of God or the kingdom of God within them, although they claimed the kingdom. He is saying the kingdom of God is already at work and you didn’t know it. The kingdom of God has already been introduced and the Lord is reigning. He is King of Glory and He is reigning in the hearts of people already. It is already in your midst and you didn’t even know it. You were not aware of it. If you could see, if you could have spiritual insight and understanding and would accept My Words and My teachings then you would know that God is already at work establishing His kingdom in the hearts of people who will repent of their sins and turn to God and embrace Him as Lord and Master.
 
I’m glad that God works like that! He can get ahead of Satan anytime because Satan just doesn’t know everything. He doesn’t even know all about the Bible. He likes to quote it every now and then to try to entrap somebody, but he doesn’t know the future. As a matter of fact, Jesus Himself taught that He Himself did not know the day nor the hour that the Son of Man would come. That’s left up to the Father. That’s the Father’s will. That is the Father’s business. Which is to say that no human being can out-figure God, or can unravel all of the mysteries of the Word of God or the Holy Spirit. We are only able to see as the Holy Spirit gives us insight into the Word and we can only see like through a glass darkly, not absolutely clearly. Anytime you hear anybody that has it all figured out, and they are working in numerology and astrology and all this, you can know one thing for sure. They are listening to the voice other than that of the Son of God. One reason the Lord doesn’t let us know when He’s coming is because we would all want to leave a day early! I shouldn’t be facetious over such a serious subject such as this. Perhaps there are a lot of reasons why the Lord doesn’t let us all know the inside track. I imagine that one of them would be a lot of people would say Ok, I’ll just wait. If it’s going to be next July, I’ll wait until about June 1 and then I’ll get right with God. I’ll know when to start getting everything ready. He is going to teach in this passage tonight that judgment and the coming of the Son of Man when He is revealed in power and glory, that is going to ease up on this world so gradually until people will not be aware of any special things.
 
Then He turned to His disciples. That was His answer to the Pharisees. Then He started talking to the disciples. Indirectly, that means He is talking to us as well. He said the days will come when you will long for one of the days of the Son of Man; days like you have spent with Him on this earth. You will long to see Him. You will long to be with Him in His presence and see Him with the natural eye. I’m glad He has arranged it so that we can walk in His presence every day. We can see Him by faith. We are aware of His presence and we can feel His presence. We know when He is with us. He said there will be days come that you will want to see Him, but you will not be able to see Him. But before that comes, before the day of the Lord really comes – and He is talking in this passage about the day of the revelation, the revealing of the Lord when He comes in power and glory to reign upon this earth – before that happens, you will see that the Son of  Man must suffer.
 
Now in the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, there are three special passion predictions that Jesus gives. This is the second one in Luke that He is saying the Son of Man must go to Jerusalem and He will be arrested. He will be mistreated. He will be killed and on the third day He will rise again. He tells in the gospel of Mark it has those three predictions. Jesus keeps trying to help His disciples understand that He Himself in bodily presence will leave their sight and He will go on to other things, literally to ascend to His glory on high at the right hand of the Father.
 
It is very difficult for the disciples to grasp it, to accept it. Even after He had told them three times that He must suffer, they still disputed with Him and argued with Him as Simon Peter in particular protested Lord, this is not to happen to You. Not to You! This is not a suffering Messiah that we are looking for. This is not what we are looking for on this earth. Nobody was really expecting to have a suffering servant Messiah, Christ and King. They kept wishing with all their might. They kept pulling with all that they had within them that He would reveal Himself now as King of Glory and simply show forth His great power and set the enemies of God’s people back on their heels and everybody on the whole earth would understand without any doubt, without any criticism that yes, this Jesus Christ of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah, the Jewish Messiah. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But Jesus had to teach them My Kingdom now is not of this world. It is a spiritual kind of kingdom and I want you to understand that the Son of Man must suffer. Then, He said things will go on just like they’ve been going on for centuries.
 
He uses two illustrations here. First one, He says in the time of the coming of the Son of Man, it will be as it was in the days of Noah. He said they were drinking, marrying and eating. In other words, everything was just going normal like it does in this earth. Northing was alarming or outstanding, just a world growing more and more evil and wicked. No particular cataclysmic kinds of occurrences that would cause people to stop and think Oh, judgment must be about to fall! Noah preached, we don’t know how long, but you can figure up how long he was working on the ark because before he started, he was 500 years old and he entered into the ark when he was 600 years old. So within a 100 year span Noah had his family and built the ark. He may have been working on that ark for 75 years. Who knows? All that time people were scoffing him and mocking him and calling him crazy because here he was building a ship here on dry land. It never had rained and they didn’t understand what God was about to do. So they ignored this wild prophet who preached to them and they went on business as usual, except there was a gradual worsening of everything.
 
This is one of the reasons why the day of the Lord and the end of the age will catch people in such surprise. They are expecting special signs and wonders. We see signs and wonders all the time. We’ve seen them all our lives. We’ve seen earthquakes in divers places, wars and rumors of war, and all these signs that are given. They have been for centuries and centuries all down through time since Jesus lived. It has just been enlarging and getting worse and gradually getting worse and worse and worse. That is the reason the end time will slip up on people who are not in tune with the Word of God so quickly and easily.
They were just building. Prosperity seemed to be everywhere. Corruption growing more and more. They kept right on until the very day that Noah and his people went into the ark. Jesus said that’s the way it is going to be at the coming of the Son of Man.
 
He used another illustration, the destruction of Sodom. There was nothing to indicate that there was going to be a great earthquake and fire spewing into the heavens and fire and brimstone falling upon these cities of the plain and wiping them out and destroying them. Nobody could sound any alarm or signal. No special kinds of things, people just going on as usual, blinded to what God was doing in the world, paying no attention to the warnings that were coming through righteous people like Lot and Abraham and others.
 
Pastor was talking about deception Sunday night, a very challenging and solemn message for us because we need to understand that nobody is going to come and wave a big flag and say it’s just down the road. It’s right around the bend. It’s the next day or two. No, they can’t do that with any kind of real correct approach, with any accuracy at all. Slowly, gradually the world grows worse. Evil men wax worse and worse. The church is doing its best fighting against the forces of evil and darkness and winning victories. We’ll ultimately win the war because Jesus will come in great power and glory. The fact is, there is not much to disturb and alarm people until some tragedy hits them specifically in their home, and then they start to call on God. People are interviewed after the tornadoes and hurricanes and stuff. When asked what they were doing, they say Oh man I was really praying to God!
 
Some of them thought maybe this is the end of the world.  He says as in the days of Lot they were doing the same kind of thing, eating and drinking and buy and selling and planting and building, just like in America, just like in any city in this world, just like in any country, just going on and on, with corruption and evil growing and growing. We know that there are some moral conditions that were in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot that we have seen come to fulfillment in a far greater measure than we ever knew here, like homosexuality in particular. You can read religious or secular history all the way back to Jesus’ times and they had it then in those times. Paul preached at a church in Corinth that had members who had been adulterers and fornicators and homosexuals and all that and he said Such were some of you. But you are sanctified and justified which is to say you are not that now when you come under the blood of Jesus Christ. I don’t believe a person can be under the blood of Jesus Christ and be cleansed and be a Christian and stay under the influence of Satan.
 
The point I’m making is, things continue as they always have, just growing worse and worse and worse, and that quite gradually. I doubt seriously if Corinth had a thing on San Francisco or even Atlanta, Georgia for all I know when it comes to sinfulness, wickedness and evil. He said that’s the way it is going to be; business as usual. People will be buying and selling and building and planting and everything and corruption and evil will be growing worse and worse and that’s the way it’s going to be.
 
If God were to send angels or if He were to sound some alarms, people might awaken but they have the word of the prophets. They have the word of God. They have the word of Christians. They have the lives and testimonies of people who pray and who know God and if they won’t hear them, they won’t hear it if somebody rose from the dead. What kind of a sign would it take to awaken some people and cause them to believe that they need to get right and get ready to meet God? Whether or not the world ends tomorrow, the Lord may come tonight. Whether or not the world ends tomorrow, you and I or one of us or any of us could be gone from this earth through death and be with the Lord. The end could come for anybody at anytime. He is saying, then, you better remember how it was in the days of Lot. Then He said to be sure to remember Lot’s wife who had formed such an attachment to this world that it was very difficult for her to turn her back upon Sodom. I don’t know what kind of ties may be binding you or attempting to hold your attention to this world. I’m sure we all have plenty of our own to struggle with and to pray about and be sure that we are completely dedicated to God and yielded to Him. But it would appear that Jesus understood that His disciples, all of them, all of us, need to remember situations like in the days of Lot and Lot’s wife who turned to look back. Her heart was longing perhaps for some of her children. Her heart was looking back perhaps to her possessions that she had accumulated. I don’t know what all was involved in that turning back for that last look, but I think I understand it a little bit. Don’t you? I think I understand what king of a feeling she may have had looking back. Just think on that for a moment.
 
Jesus was telling the disciples and us You remember that woman. Remember what she did. Remember what she lost. The urgency about focusing attention because no sooner had Lot moved out of that city than fire and brimstone and hailstones began to fall to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and all the cities of the plain and leave it nothing but a barren deadness to this day.
 
Then He gives a very strong statement after He says to remember Lot’s wife. It’s a great preaching text. It is a Word that I hope will sink deep into our hearts. He said Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. Now that’s not just some cheap double-talk. That is the profound statement of the reality of life in Christ Jesus that He states here. If you try to keep your life, hold on, grasp everything, you will lose it. If you put what you want and what your life is about here on earth, if you put that first you are going to lose it. But if you put that and if you put your life in the hands of God and you are ready to lose your life for His sake, then you find it and you find it forever. That is difficult for us earthlings to accept and understand because we really do get adjusted to this world.
 
He says to be ready to lose it for My sake. Be ready to do sacrifice of your own will. Be ready to take up your own cross and follow Me. That is what He is really getting at. If you try to avoid your cross, you will lose your life. If you accept your cross then you will gain life. Your cross is nothing other than the divine will of God coming down like a great light in a vertical dimension cutting across your will on the horizontal plane. Where God’s will cuts across our will, that’s where our cross is raised up. That’s what our cross is all about. It’s not having to live with a mean companion. A lot of people who are sinners have that and that’s not the cross. It’s not even disobedient children or some other thing. The cross has to do with our own personal will. When we can take up our cross and give our lives and surrendering our will, that’s when you find your life. That’s how you stay ready for the coming of the Son of Man.
 
Be prepared. This passage starts off by the Pharisees asking When? Give us a date. It closes with the disciples in verse 37 saying Where? When and where are You coming in power and glory with the kingdom of God? He has to say it is already working in your midst and it’s going to be some time. I have to suffer first. Then He says there will be some other things happen as it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot. You remember what happened in those days how judgment crept upon the people ever so slowly, but finally and decisively. Then He says remember that is the way it will come when the Son of Man will come like the lightning shining from the east to the west and from one side of heaven to the other. In His Revelation. When He is revealed is what we are talking about. When He comes in great power and great glory and is revealed to this whole earth.
 
Well just as the angel of the Lord hastened Lot out of Sodom before the destruction there, the church in our day is expecting the Lord to come to catch away His saints, His Bride, before this terrible and notable day of the Lord when He comes with power and vengeance upon this earth in judgment.
 
I have spent a lot of my lifetime studying the prophets of the Old Testament. I have watched them stand up one after the other and announce to the nations and announce to the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah that here is what God is going to do. Get ready. Turn to God. He is moving in judgment. Turn to Him. Turn to Him. We watched as they stood up and their message was unheeded and people bowed their necks in stubbornness and pride and went on independently as if they could live without God and finally, the day came. Sometimes it took a whole generation for the prophecy to come to pass. Sometimes it took a hundred years. Sometimes it took over that for it to come to pass. But we can look back and see the Word and see those prophecies that came to pass. Some, they talked about, especially in regard to the day of the Lord, have never come to pass yet. It is still to be seen. They could see the mountain peaks of what was going to happen in the future. People went on very indifferently until judgment came.
 
Now, where does that leave us tonight? I think it leaves us in this position of being members of the kingdom of God and already honoring the part of the kingdom of God that is already overlapping into our time. Brother French Arrington preaches and teaches about one of the great Biblical truths and it refers to the overlapping of the world as it now is with the world that is to come. That’s where we live now in an age where there are already manifestations of the kingdom of God like the outpouring of the Spirit of God, people turning to the Lord, people being filled with the Spirit. These are all evidences that the Kingdom of God is already in our midst and in the hearts and lives of people who honor Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and King. There is a lot about the Kingdom of God that is yet to come that now is but is yet to come. The prophets saw the whole panorama and Jesus is talking about that whole panorama too. He wants us to understand that in a day when people generally think not is when the Son of Man comes. It’s not that He is wanting to be secretive and catch people in traps. No. He goes to every length possible to show His love in this world to spread the gospel. That is why it is such an urgency for the church to carry out the great commission. That’s why it is such an urgency for the church to worship in Spirit and in truth because worshipping in Spirit and in truth and carrying out the great commission is the greatest thing we can do to let the whole world know that the coming of the Lord is indeed near.
 
I was challenged as the Pastor closed his message Sunday talking about thinking of someone we could go to and talk to this week about their soul, to encourage them to see and to understand the good news and turn to Christ. I would just add that I think coming out of this passage that Jesus is saying to us to be prepared and be ready. Allow the Kingdom of God to work in your life to its fullest extent. Let it be revealed in your life and let it be revealed to others around you and let God have His own perfect will. That’s the reason I think Jesus taught us to pray Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.
 
Would you stand please? Would you join me and let’s pray.

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