notes from Luke 22

Learn of Christs love and that it is present even in Peter’s failure. Much as it is present in us even when we fail.

Luke 22:39-40 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."

God knows whats right around the corner. He will often put on our heart to seek him in prayer to keep us away from the coming temptation or to empower us to overcome it. Knowing the future, He prepares and guides us.

Luke 22:41-42 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

This is a window into the relations of the trinity. The cup is the fury of the Father that will fall upon Him on the cross. The wrath of God.

Isaiah 51:17

Awake, awake!

Rise up, Jerusalem,

you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord

the cup of his wrath,

you who have drained to its dregs

the goblet that makes people stagger.

The cup of unmerrited favor is passed to us at the table so that we could become the righteousness of God. But Jesus' cup had a great price that He would become sin for us nailed to a cross. Knowing this and desiring another way Christ still in love surrendered His will.

Hebrews 5:7-9 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

Jesus had to come under the authority and be obedient to the will of God even unto death. He none the less wrestled with this. As we also wrestle, so we too must be obedient to the Lord's will in our life... every word of His will for us. This is love just as Christ’s obedience to the Father was His love for the Father and also for us.

Luke 22:43-45 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.

Marks account of this tells us He came back to them three different times and told them to stay awake and pray. Now i think it’s often assumed that the reason they kept falling asleep was out of laziness. But i think it was because of sorrow. Such a strong overwhelming emotion that kept them from prayer and drained them to the point of sleep. This is what happened to Peter. He wasnt praying as he should. He was spiritually sleeping and unprepared thus easily being lead into denying the Lord. Be awake. Be prayerful.

Luke 22:46-48 "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

I'm sure you have been betrayed. But what about when it’s from a close family member. What about when a member of the body of Christ hurts you deeply. Run to the One that understands betrayal. Run to the arms of Jesus. He understands how it feels to be betrayed from your closest of family.

Luke 22:49 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?"

We are pretty tough on the disciples here but it was Jesus who just recently told em if you don't have a sword its time to go buy one. The problem here is that they ask Jesus but don't wait for Him to answer. They ask and then jump into the wrong action impatiently because they didn't stop to listen.

Luke 22:50-51 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.

Christ in his love fixes our mistakes. If he hadn't fixed the ear, history may very well had shown all four of them crucified together. U just don't go and cut off a high priest guard’s ear without a severe punishment.

Luke 22:52-53 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns."

The religious leaders didn't arrest him during the day from fear of the people seeing and protecting or reacting in anger. But Jesus knows that God has allowed this. It’s not outside of Gods control and its not unseen by God. It needs to happen and Christ in love allows it knowing that he must willingly lay down his life.

Peter was sleeping when he should have been praying and now makes another mistake in following Jesus at a distance. Christ doesn't want us to follow him at a distance. He wants us to follow him completely. Too many "Christian" s will follow at a distance so that people at work don't judge them. What are you reading? "An ancient manuscript of historical literature", or "the Bible"? How do u respond? Are u trying to hide that you follow Christ so that you aren't socially crucified?

Luke 22:54-55 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.

He warms himself by the enemy's fire. This is what you have done when you seek your comfort among the world. When you hide your God and before long you are no longer hanging with the world but soon you too are doing just as they do. It’s a very slippery slope my friend. Don't be found at the wrong camp fire. If you are there then get up right now and get where you are supposed to be. Stand up by Christ.

Luke 22:56-60 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."

"Man, I am not!" Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

Peter in his failure did what he thought he would "never" do. We can't anticipate the future in over confidence. We are capable of every kind of sin under the sun in our flesh. Do not look down on a fellow believer and ever say of their sin that you would "never" fail in the same way.

Luke 22:61-62 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

God doesn't give up on us when we fail. He turned to go and show by his action just how much he loves us. Now peter is broken and goes to wept. Christ loves peter and sinners alike. He is mocked and beaten for peter and for us. Christ endured not only physically but also emotionally as they mocked. He was beaten to a greater degree because he was blind folded. Completely different than seeming the punch or kick coming. Far greater damage is inflicted when you don't seen it coming.

Isaiah 52:14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—

his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being

and his form marred beyond human likeness—

Christ was beaten beyond recognition as a human... for us.

Luke 22:63-71 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" And they said many other insulting things to him. At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. "If you are the Messiah," they said, "tell us."

Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"

He replied, "You say that I am." Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."

Why was Christ crucified? Because he was who they said he claimed to be. Only the Messiah could fulfill the prophecies in just such a way.

As you walk in faith, please remember to be real because you too can fall into the same failures as peter. We all have the human ability to fail to pray, to allow emotion to overwhelm us and forget and to deny and to become lazy and scared and sit at the enemies fire. We aren't perfect. Pray and stay awake follower of Christ. Don't follow at a distance but stand fully known as His disciple. If you find yourself at the enemies fire, stand up and stand for God. If you have found that you have lived even shortly in failure, then turn from that and accept the loving forgiveness of Christ. He has poured out for you and for no other reason than to redeem you.