Second Presbyterian Church

"From the Table to Denial
Preaching From the Gospel of Luke"
October 23, 2005

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2005 » Sermons for October 2005 » Sermons from the Series on Luke

#66 in the Series on Luke
The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• Luke 22: 24-62

In order to "preach" this lesson we are going to have to move from one passage to another. The purpose of this journey is to experience the pathos of Jesus and the Disciples as it led up to Jesus' crucifixion. There are also very important elements that Luke brings up that we, as Christians, need to hear. In other words there are lessons here for us to learn and for our benefit. It is not just a story of the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.

Jesus had just instituted the Lord's Supper. And in the passage just before today's lesson Jesus told the disciples that one of the twelve would betray him. As our lesson begins the disciples, still around the table, argue with one another about who is the greatest disciple.

Luke is the only one of the synoptic gospels that placed both the words of betrayal and the argument about who is the greatest at the table setting after the bread and wine had been served.

So what, one might ask? What's the big deal? With the placement of these issues around the table Jesus now speaks to us, and this is no longer just an account of a historical event. The message is this: There will be those who come to the table who will betray the Lord, who will betray their Christian duty to Love God and to Love neighbor. There will be those who will argue over who is the greatest and who has what power even though they have come to the table of the Lord.

Luke is very realistic. He knows we need to be aware of our tendencies to not behave in a Christian manner, even though we feel free to come to the table of the Lord.

The church is the body of Christ. Its head is Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Savior. The church is a divine institution that was given birth by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. The church is here for the purpose of living the love of Christ for others. The church is here to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, baptizing believers in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

The church, although it is the body of Christ, is comprised of people like us: imperfect human beings. Human characteristics get played out in the church just as they do in all other human organizations. There have been, and always will be Judas's: members who betray Christ. There have been and always will be disciples who are power hungry and want to be in control. They have no sense of acknowledging Jesus Christ as Head of the church and that He is the one to be served. There have been and always will be disciples, like Peter, who deny their knowledge of Jesus Christ while under extreme pressure. Some learn from their experiences; others don't.

Even Jesus himself had to struggle with his own human frailty! After supper they went to the Mount of Olives. When they arrived there Jesus went a stone's throw away and prayed earnestly to God the Father, "Father, if it be your will, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done."

Luke is the only gospel writer who describes Jesus as sweating blood. He is the only gospel writer who records that an angel was sent to minister to Jesus, to give him strength. Let's face it; just because Jesus was the Son of God, did not mean he looked forward to the human suffering that he had to endure! Undoubtedly, Jesus was as tempted to get out of this situation as much as he had been tempted in the wilderness. He felt as much temptation to change the course of the crucifixion, as Peter was tempted to deny that he ever knew Jesus!

Judas was in deep trouble. He had succumbed to the temptation to betray his master. I believe that he had hoped to push Jesus into doing something that looked more like liberating the Hebrew people from the Romans. He was too much enamored by the hope to be part of the leadership of a new earthly kingdom. Perhaps Jesus would make him state treasurer. Instead, Judas became a betrayer who betrayed our Lord to his death.

It had to happen. God's plan had to be fulfilled. Jesus had to go to the cross, in order for redemption to take place. But woe to the one who betrayed Jesus! Judas's betrayal became part of the overall plan of Christ's redemption. But Judas' betrayal was still his sin. He is the one who must take responsibility for the action that he chose to undertake: betray the Master.

Sometimes it doesn't seem fair. If it was God's plan to die on the cross, then why must Judas take the rap for betraying him? If it was God's plan, how could Judas have resisted the temptation to betray Jesus? We cannot answer that question definitely, but let me say this.

God's plan would have, could have used some other method of having Jesus arrested. Jesus would have been crucified, regardless of what Judas had done! And before we become too judgmental and self-righteous toward Judas, let's look at the behavior of the rest of the disciples. Not a single one hung around. They all fled after Jesus was arrested. These who just a few hours, or minutes earlier, were arguing about who as the greatest are now gone, fled.

Except one, Peter, tagged along at a distance. In many ways Peter was the bravest one of them all. There is no indication that other disciples tagged along; they were gone. Yet, even with Peter's bravery, he denied three times that he knew Jesus.

God's plan must take place. Despite what Judas, or the disciples, or what Peter did. As it turned out they are all included in God's plan of redemption. And most were the ones who, with the help of the Holy Spirit, started the church, the Christian Movement.

Peter left and wept bitterly. Like Judas he could have wallowed in despair and killed himself too. But he didn't. He gathered the disciples. And he was there when they found the empty tomb. But I am getting ahead of the story.

In conclusions there are these lessons for us. There will always be those among the Christians who betray Christ in some way or another. Pray for the strength not to be one of them. I do. There will always be those who will fight for power within the church. Pray for the strength to lead by service and humility. When we do this we obey the Great commandment: Love God with all your heart, mind soul and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.