Luke's Gospel

Okay. If you want to grab Bible, we're going to read from Luke chapter 22, and we're gonna be reading verses 1 to 6. Now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas called Esariot. 1 of the 12.

And Judith went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them. When no crowd was present. Finally, we pray that as Dean comes now to open this passage to that you would by your holy spirit show us great truths, you would warn us of things, you would encourage us about things, and most of we would help us to see the lord Jesus who he is and to love him more in his name we ask amen.

Over the last 6 months of lockdown, we've all missed weekly gathering together, but maybe you've had some big events that were especially hard to miss. Events like birthday parties or weddings, big summer camps like contagious or maybe you were due to graduate from from Uni or secondary school or maybe even primary school. I have a year 6 lad who's missed a whole raft of events that him and his classmates were looking forward to even before they got into year 6. 1 event I really missed doing in June was at the hub, we do every year, we do something called It's your move with with insight, the the school's work trust. And we it happens for nearly every class u 6 class in Kingston at different churches.

And we we have our local primary schools coming in coming in and we do it with them. And we used to cram the hub full of year sixes and talk about going up to secondary school. Darrell would do a a big interactive bible story, and we would help them, you know, it would be a fantastic event. And and we would help them to know that, you know, God, he knows them and sees them and he can be with them. And it was brilliant.

And it was hopefully helped these young ones as they prepared to make the big move from going from going from the smallest fish in the pond in year 6 to the to the little tiddlers in in year 7. Now the thing that the thing about these little year sixes is they will have to make the move. They can't just turn up at their primary school in September and say, no, I don't fancy secondary school. I want to stay here. They can't do that.

They and their parents have chosen schools and the governing authorities have made decisions about who will go where. And a lot of it seems out of their hands. But while we have them, we talk to them about the smaller moves they're gonna make, daily at school. We try to talk to them about being wise and about making good choices and and getting the most out of about out of their school time. Well, if tonight's bible passage had a name, I think it would be it's your move.

Time is moving. People are moving, making choices, doing deals, and it comes at a transition in Luke's gospel account of Jesus. So we're gonna look at Luke chapter 22 verse 1 to 6. Now the festival of of unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus. They were afraid of the people, then Satan entered, Judors called a Scariot.

1 of the 12 And Judith went to the chief priests and the officers of the Temple God and discussed with them how they might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them. When no crowd was present. So this is a big transition point.

And ever since chapter 9 verse 51. Jesus has been on the march to Jerusalem. Remember that that verse says, at the as the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And between chapter 9 verse 51 and chapter 22. Jesus has been teaching.

He's been drawing massive crowds as he went. He's been making friends of big sinners. Telling them they they can come home to God and be forgiven, but he's also cemented plenty of enemies. But he's he's not just a teacher or a radical. He knows his ultimate mission is to be put to death, to die on a cross, and to rise after 3 days.

Just look again at chapter chapter 22 verse 1. The festival approaches fast. The festival approaches fast. First 1 says, now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching. The feast of unleavened bread was the biggest festival in the Jewish calendar.

Thousands of people would would have been moving around in and out of Jerusalem And we've already heard that the crowds would gather in their masses at the temple to listen to Jesus teach. What would it have been like to have been there? The place would have been buzzing as Jews and converts from all over the Roman Empire made their way to the holy city. For this week long celebration culminating in the passover meal on the Sabbath of that week. But not only is the calendar moving at pace now.

Others were getting ready to make their move. Look at chapter verse 2, the plotting priests. Now the festival of unleavened Brit called the Passover was approaching. And the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus for they were afraid of the crowd. So you see, the gloves are off.

The knives are out as their intentions. These the intentions of the religious leaders are revealed. They want Jesus dead. They they want to get rid of Jesus. And that doesn't just mean drive him out of town.

They wanna give him a pair of cement shoes and send him for a swim. The world wasn't big enough for them both. And they were sick of Jesus taking the spotlight from them by his miracles and by his teaching. They were tired of Jesus insulting them calling out their hypocrisy and exposing their racketeering temple trade. They were done with this upstart claiming divine authority to forgive sins and taking himself taking to himself titles like son of man and calling God his father.

They're no longer holding their cards close to their chest. They're ready to play and it's been a long time coming. Do you remember back in in in what we first meet the Pharisees in chapter 5 verse 17? It says 1 day Jesus was teaching and the pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galile and from Jude and Jerusalem.

So it wasn't just the little the little parochial leaders. It was the big wicks from the capital city. They'd come to hear him. And and after Jesus had done a bunch of of messianic stuff, stuff like forgive sins and and heal people and claim to be lord of the Sabbath. The Pharaces and teachers of the law in chapter 6 verse 11 were furious and began to discuss with 1 another what they might do to Jesus.

And they go from being furious and discussing what they might do 2, okay. Now, we're ready to strike, but they were afraid of the people. These men are cowards. So they're lying in wait waiting for an opportunity. Well, they weren't the only ones who were enemies, and they weren't the only ones waiting and watching.

Do you remember remember back in in chapter chapter 4 verse 13? Chapter 4 includes the the temptation of Jesus by the devil in the wilderness. And and it says in verse 13 of chapter 4, when the devil had finished all his tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Now listen to chapter 2 22 verse 3. As an enemy enters an enemy enters.

Now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judus, called a Scariot, 1 of the 12. It's not just the religious leaders that want Jesus gone. There is a greater enemy working behind the scenes. Most people might find the first part of this this verse troubling because it says Satan entered Judas.

Now we haven't really got time this evening to go into great detail about what looked like? What what does it look like for Satan to enter Judith. But but get any kind of Hollywood movie out of your head. We go on to read that Judas was in complete control of his faculties, joining in with the discussions and even giving consent to the plan that he'd made. Also, if you want to look at John 13, it also sheds light on the the fact that Satan prompted Judus before he entered him.

And again, if if you want to chase up this kind of theme as well, Peter in acts chapter 6, he's talking to Adanias and Saphyra. And he says to Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit. And have kept for yourself some of the money you receive for the land. So we see in other parts of the bible, this this kind of language of of of satan tempting and and prompting and entering people filling their hearts. And you're gonna find this with the bible and it is quite amazing.

The holy spirit has inspired the writers of the bible to do this all the time. They they will they all over the place. There's 2 truths side by side that seem hard to hold together at first glance. Like God being sovereign and man being responsible, like Jesus being fully God and fully man, or or like the bible being the word god but written by humans. And this seems to me to be another place where this kind of compatibility is going on.

So, you know, so that's the that's the g that's the satan entered judas part of the verse, but I find the end of the verse way more perplexing and and incredibly sad because of the words, just listen to these words. 1 of the 12. Judas was 1 of the 12. He was 1 of Jesus' close disciples. He was a follower.

He'd been with him for 3 years. How sad how sad is that? How sad that this man had been with Jesus He'd eaten and slept next to him. He'd heard him teach. He'd seen him do miracles and yet this is the move Jesus makes.

And isn't it sad when when people you served with and people who've professed with their mouths, a love for Christ and his church only to abandon them for a moment of pleasure for for, you know, for money as as as was the case of Judas. And and it's also perplexing to me because it raises all kinds of questions of of of assurance. If Judus if if Judus was so close to Jesus, Jesus wasn't able to keep him. What what does that mean? What does it mean for me?

Will Jesus be able to keep me safe in him till the end? Or will I betray him? Well, The answer of course comes later in this chapter as we see Jesus pray for and protect Peter from Satan. And he promises it's a it's a wonderful verse that we're gonna get to in in a few weeks, but but Jesus promises Peter that his faith will not fail. So it's wonderful.

But Judith has made up his mind. Just look at verse 4 and see the briefing of betrayal, the briefing of betrayal. Now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus. For they were afraid of the people, then Satan entered Judas called a Scariot, 1 of the 12, and Judas went to the chief priests. And the offices of the temple and discuss with them how he might betray Jesus.

Judus seeks out those with power, and the appetite to engineer all the moving parts to bring about Jesus' demise. Just just look at how this unholy trinity of fake holy men and fake friends all having their strings pulled by God's great enemy as they make their minds up. And make their own moves in response to Jesus. And what is that response? What is the move they make?

Look at verse 5. A done deal, delighted. A done deal, delighted. Now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching, and the chief priest and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas called Ascariot, 1 of the 12, and Judas went to the chief priests and the offices of the Temple God and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.

They were delighted and agreed to give him money. Now we all know the feeling, don't we? Of that feeling of delight at snagging or barging. I'm I'm reminded of of a bloke that used to work Cornerstone called Rob Neuem. He's over in Dagenham now, and this brother would loved, loved, loved to snag a bargain.

He would he would bring in all the half priced sandwiches to the hub. For lunch, you know, and they would sit there for weeks and weeks. But you know, you know that that feeling of the light. When when you when you get something on the cheap, and it and it and it's a good thing. But goodness, look at look at the bargain these men have got How wicked do you have to be to feel that sense of delight at plotting the death of an innocent man?

And and not just an innocent man. The son of God, this man who's been doing miracles and has done nothing but bring life when Jesus called these men whitewashed tombs He really did know what he was talking about. Spotless on the outside but full of stinking death on the inside. They've been waiting for 3 years. And finally, their moment was within their grasp.

They just couldn't hide their glee at the prospect, and off they go to devour another widow's house to fund their plan. And finally, we get to verse 6, and we see the hidden handover. The hidden handover. Now the festival of unleavened bread called the Passovals approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus. For they were afraid of the people, then satan entered Judith called Escariot.

1 of the 12, and judas went to the chief priests and the teachers of the Temple God and discussed with them how they might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money, he consented and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them. With when no crowd was present. The 1 stipulation they had were no crowds. And so the trap is set, and this time it's gonna be a trap that Jesus could not talk his way out of.

So that's that's the scene. Let me just let me just apply a few things as as we can't as we draw this to an end. I do love it when preachers get to the end of a bible story and they say they say to the to the people listening. Who are you in today's passage? And it's normally a good question.

You know, we we we are drawn to the good guys aren't we? You know? Well, who are you in this story? The crowd? The blank spaces in between the words.

There's no 1 good in this passage is there. There's no there's no there's no there's no righteousness here and you would expect it from these religious leaders. And with a man that's been with Jesus for 3 years, but but we find nothing. The big thing I want to challenge you with is it it's your move. What are you gonna do with Jesus?

Are you gonna be among those who plotted and betrayed the prince of peace, the son of God. What what do you love Who do you love? Judas, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law all loved money. And we we heard Jesus expose this over the last few weeks, haven't we? He he absolutely nailed them and called them out in front of everybody and that's why they hate him so much.

What do you love? What what has your heart? Do you love money or do you love Jesus? We're told army, you can't you can't serve 2 masters. What brings you delight that the teachers of the law, they were delighted when Judas came along with a plan.

What what is it that delights you? What plans delight you? Is it Christ? And salvation and the things of God? Or is it your plans and little schemes that hide in dark corners?

Trying to block out and blot out the sun. Take a minute and maybe write down how you want to respond. And maybe tell someone so that they can help you. Let's pray. Heavenly father, we thank you for your word.

We thank you that it is you give it to us to instruct us, you give it to us to reveal ourselves to reveal ourselves and reveal our hearts. Law, we thank you that that your words are strong sometimes. They call out and expose us. But lord, you do it for for our good. And Lord, thank you that even in these 6 short verses, we see we see you calling again.

That we see we see these men who loved money and loved their own glory. And we see them making moves to to destroy Jesus, to to block him out, to shut him up, But we pray that we would not be found among these people. We pray that we would be found among those who live for you, who love you, who are delighted with you. And so, Lord, help us we pray this week, help us as we think about what what the likes our hearts, what we live for, and what we love. And we pray that it might be you, and your son Jesus Christ and his gospel.

In his name, we pray, amen,