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In Luke 22:35-38 Jesus challenged his disciples to prepare for a change in their ministry. Previously, they were well received by many as they proclaimed the message of Christ and his kingdom. But the King was about to be crucified. Those who despised him would despise his followers, as well. This change in their circumstances should not dishearten them. Jesus’ death occurred according to the eternal plan of the Sovereign God who sent him to be the Suffering Servant (cf. Isaiah 53) who “bore the sin of many.”

It is our pleasure to have as our speaker this Lord’s Day, missionary Michael Carlyle.

In Luke 22:31-34 Jesus foretold Peter’s failure. Despite his bold assertion that he, of all people, would never fail to follow Jesus before the night was finished he would deny Jesus three times. The text reveals that Satan attempted to undermine the entire band of followers by causing Peter to fall away. But Jesus interceded on Peter’s behalf, thus preserving him from ultimate failure. He also predicted that Peter would be restored and be made useful in Jesus’ service.

The scene is still the upper room where Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples (Luke 22:24-30). The blessings of hindsight deepen the offensiveness of what we see: the disciples bickered with a spirit of contentious rivalry, vying for position in the Kingdom. Ironically, they had missed the example of their Leader who presented them with the ultimate symbols of humility: the bread and the cup. Jesus did not chide them but called them away from the world’s values. Instead, he called them to embrace servant-leadership. This is the path for citizens of his future kingdom.

Luke 22:14-23 contains an account of the Passover meal Jesus shared with his disciples on the night before he died. Though it was a meal designed to remember God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery, Jesus used it as an analogy of the deliverance from sin he would secure on the cross. Thus, it marked a transition into a new age.

In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day (Luke 22:7-13), Jesus oversees the preparation for his Passover meal with the disciples. Jesus embraces the imagery of the Passover to describe what he will accomplish the next day. He is the Lamb of God delivered up in sacrifice for our sins.

This Lord’s Day, our sermon series comes to Luke 22:1-6. It includes the first details of the plot to kill Jesus. Judas, the betrayer, will make his agreement with the religious leaders who hated our Lord. It is unthinkable that one of the disciples would plot to bring about Jesus’ death. Luke includes an important element of the story: “Satan entered into Judas Iscariot” (v. 3). We will explore what that means and its implications then and now.

Luke 21:5-38 contains Luke’s account of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse. The theme of the passage is the Second Coming of Christ, both the circumstances of the current age leading up to his return and the event itself. In the final paragraph of the text (Luke 21:34-38), Jesus challenged his hearers to live with constant expectation of Christ’s return. The kind of expectation Jesus had in mind is a commitment to resist careless worldliness while praying for persevering strength.

In Luke 21:29-33, Jesus told a parable about a fig tree. Just as the appearance of leaves on the tree signals the imminent approach of summer, so the events Jesus described in the previous paragraph (Luke 21:25-28) will signal his imminent return to the earth. He finished the parable with an explanation that makes his point unmistakable: these promises are certain because his word can never fail.

The idea of the local church has suffered much criticism. Many seem to

think they can improve on God’s design. However, a fresh look at the

institution of the local church as revealed in the Word will serve to increase

our appreciation for the plan of God. There are five areas in which the local

church cannot be surpassed by any plan of man.