This is an exposition of Luke 22:21-30. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, December 3, 2017.
Intro:
There is nothing worse. There is nothing that compares with the awkward, tense, impassioned silence of a holiday meal gone bad. Now, by “gone bad” I don’t mean the undercooked turkey infected everyone with salmonella. I mean something was said that touched off deeply held hostility and that hostility just exploded! Accusations are flying. Nursed grudges have fought their way to the surface. The evening has become a free-for-all.
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It was supposed to be a night of solemn remembrance; an evening of celebration and thanksgiving, a time for praising God for his gracious salvation. Instead it was a pathetic display of petty bickering and self-serving delusion. If you have ever doubted that those first followers of Jesus were Baptists - doubt it no more. I present exhibit A, the “Last Supper.” It’s hard to look at but look at it we must for there is much to be learned. The grace, beauty and grandeur of our Lord shines bright against the foolishness of those gathered with him than night. For months he has told them that he must go to Jerusalem to be rejected, to be handed over to his enemies, to suffer and die. That time has come. He had already been betrayed by one of those in the room. Soon they all will abandon him. He has shown great love and humility as he has served them and they want to argue about which of them is the greatest. How could he possibly love this bunch? It is so disappointing, so discouraging to witness such ignorance. But honesty forces me to say, “How could he love me?” I’m every bit as petty as those gathered that night. I am often filled with my own importance and just as delusional about the honor due me. So the question is really, “How could he possibly love us?” The answer is, the Gospel. The answer is that he, out of the goodness of his own heart and not in any way dependent upon us, chose to love us. God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Come with me to the upper room and witness the grace and wonder of our Savior.
Text: Luke 22:21-30
It is Passover.
The night of our Lord’s betrayal.
He is at table, celebrating the Passover meal with the 12.
We are on holy ground.
All of history has been focused on this moment in time.
Salvation has come.
Redemption is about to be paid.
The Passover is at hand.
He has just instituted the new memorial meal.
The meal commemorating the new covenant.
This is my body…this is the new covenant in my blood…
What happened next is both tragic and glorious…
[Read the Text]
Thesis: In response to treachery and bitter disappointment our Lord reminds us of God’s unquestioned sovereignty, the necessity of a godly perspective and the wonder of God’s grace.
There are three things I want us to note as we work through this text.
- A troubling, yet remarkable word about betrayal. (22:21-23)
- A disappointing display of selfishness and a new definition of greatness. (22:24-27)
- An astonishing promise of future greatness and glory. (22:28-30)
Conclusion:
Yes, it was quite an evening as our Lord in response to treachery and bitter disappointment reminds us of God’s unquestioned sovereignty, the necessity of a godly perspective and the wonder of God’s grace.
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