Under Authority

*The Personal Question: What did Jesus do FOR you?

*The Passage’s Point: Third, being judged by His own people who study the Scriptures but miss the point...

*The Passage’s Proof: Jesus proves they really don’t understand the Scriptures by confronting them with:

1.)            THE TRUTH ABOUT THEMSELVES (vv. 66-68) – (Take-Away: Jesus EXPOSES how dead set they are AGAINST Him. All people are born this way and thus live for LIES, just like the Sanhedrin.)

2.)            THE TRUTH ABOUT HIMSELF (vv. 69-71) – (Take-Away: Jesus EXPOSES how their opposition to Him has LED them into LIES. Therefore, their hearts are MURDEROUS. Without Christ, our hearts are too.)

Final Take-Away: The human heart naturally inclines toward making LIES to DEFEND against its own self-perceived vulnerability. Since we see Jesus, who is THE way, THE TRUTH and THE life, our hearts incline toward the MURDER of Jesus, just like the Sanhedrin. There is no NATURAL way out of this. The only way out is intervention of the Holy Spirit to BREAK our naturally hardened hearts to move from wanting to murder Jesus to wanting to embrace Him as our first real love. How’s your heart: murderous or embracing of Jesus?

*The Personal Question: What did Jesus do FOR you?

*The Passage’s Point: Second, being held in custody by some of the most degenerate men of His day.

*The Passage’s Proof: Jesus took their blasphemy by allowing their arrogant:

1.)            STRIKES (vv. 63-64a) – (Take-Away: Jesus ABSORBED the punishment of these degenerate men, NOT according to the demands of justice, but according to the demands their DEPRAVED nature.)

2.)            STATEMENTS (vv. 64b-65) – (Take-Away: Jesus ABSORBED the pronouncements of these degenerate men like THEY were the judges, jury and executioners.)

Final Take-Away: To understand the gospel means you understand God’s law. By God’s law Jesus didn’t deserve this treatment... WE do! These degenerate men thought that having power over Him meant they had a RIGHT to do these depraved things to Him. They are no different than us. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit’s revealing to you that Jesus went through this humiliation for you, you would’ve acted the same way. Do you TRUST in Jesus’ suffering for you?

Luke 22:47-62 — *The Personal Question: What did Jesus DO FOR YOU?

*The Passage’s Point: First, He was arrested like a criminal and betrayed by friends.

*The Passage’s Proof: Jesus Went through the SHAME of Arrest and Betrayals with:

1.)            TRUTH (vv. 47-53) – (Jesus told His disciples “Permit this…” betrayal. He knew the cross was the CUP He alone could and therefore, HAD TO drink it. There was NO OTHER WAY to save His people.)

2.)            MERCY (vv. 54-62) – (Take-Away: Jesus’ look at Peter was a look of mercy. Jesus had already prepared Him for His own BIG SIN. Jesus seems to be willing over to Peter the message He had already given him.)

Final Take-Away: Two betrayals of Jesus… Two different ways to deal with them. What’s the difference? The two types of hearts in Judas and Peter. Judas: A hardened heart that needs direct, truthful confrontation. Peter: A failed heart that needs a merciful, if painful, look. What do you need from Jesus – a direct, truthful confrontation or a merciful, painful look? Either way, you NEED the LOVE and GRACE of Jesus!

Luke 22:35-46 — *The Personal Question: What did Jesus have to face FOR YOU?

*The Passage’s Point: Sixth, He had to face the coming agony of the cross.

*The Passage’s Proof: Jesus FACED the Coming AGONY of the cross by:

1.)            PRAYER (vv. 36, 41-44) – (Take-Away: This is Jesus’ darkest hour before the cross; He is human and looks for relief, but regardless of His agony, He submits to the Father’s will FOR YOU!)

2.)            PASTORING (vv. 37, 45-46) – (Take-Away: At His darkest hour before the cross, Jesus STILL pastors His people showing You the resoluteness of His grace FOR YOU!)

Final Take-Away: What kind of love is this? It is a love unknown to any love ever experienced or will ever be experienced in the history of this world, fallen as it is now. And yet it’s all yours in Jesus if you receive it? Will you receive it?

Sermon Text: Luke 6:20-26

Sermon Title: Introducing the “Backwards” Kingdom

*The Big Question: How does Jesus, the Messiah/King, expect his subjects to live? *The Central Point: He Expects His Subjects to Live with “Backwards” Expectations: 1.) JOYFUL SUFFERING (vv. 20-23) – (Take-Away: The world expects that if you live “right” you’ll end up “right.” Jesus is saying if you live rightly for me, you should expect setbacks… Why? He’s NOT of this world.) 2.) UNNATURAL INSIGHT (vv. 24-26) – (Take-Away: The world expects that if you’re rich and happy NOW, you’ve “MADE IT!” Jesus is saying if you know me you can judge rightly what will make you truly rich and happy in eternity.)