Lord of the Darkness

Luke Following Jesus Gives Focus Lord of the Darkness

Text: Luke 22:47-71

Intro: Being afraid of the dark, the darkness brings scary things. Sometimes scary things in life end up finding you: divorce, evictions, bankruptcy, being alone in marriage, children who are rebellious, drugs, and alcohol addiction. Jesus experienced betrayal, arrest by the authorities, and a kangaroo court. King Jesus reveals His power and authority in this darkness. Jesus has asked his disciples to pray with him, but they fall asleep. Jesus is encouraged by an angel sent from God and prays if it is possible for this cup (of God’s wrath) to pass from Him; nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as we delve into the text: first, recognize that even during this dark night, Jesus is not a victim but the Victor. Second, be thankful that the scriptures include the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter. These facts in scripture reveal the authority and veracity of the Bible. Today begins the section of scripture that includes the trial of Jesus, but what I need us to notice is that we are on trial throughout this section, not Jesus, and we are found guilty.

1. The Kiss of Judas
   1. Judas
      1. Sometimes we have a view of Judas as the shifty disciple who slipped out in the middle of the night to get drunk or smoke weed, but that is not the case. The disciples trusted Judas so much that he managed their finances. Judas represents us in this story.
      2. Betray - hand over or sell. 22:21 Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. What is your price?
         1. You downplay your relationship with Jesus in front of your friends.
         2. An area of your life you don’t want to let God have complete control over.
         3. For some, you should not be having sex with who you are having sex with.
         4. You are unwilling to say “no” to work, and you neglect God’s priorities of giving Him and your family the time they deserve.
         5. Simply becoming committed to a local church: faithful to attend, give, and become connected.
         6. baptized
      3. All night, the evil works of darkness are clearly at work. Judas is under the control of Satan. Lk. 22:3.
      4. He earned his 30 pieces of silver in a private setting as he led the temple guards to Jesus.
      5. He signals the guards so they would know who Jesus was by fervently kissing Jesus' cheek. It is interesting to note that the Greek word translated as “kiss” here is not (phileo), but an intensive form of the word (kataphileo), which refers to a fervent, affectionate kiss. This fact reveals how low the human heart can sink, and how adept we can be at playing the hypocrite.
      6. Jesus ensures that Judas sees the irony and how hideous it is to experience betrayal through a kiss.
      7. Why did Judas betray Jesus? His disappointment in Jesus lowered his price from full commitment to 30 pieces of silver. Our view of the grace of Jesus should surpass all of our expectations in Jesus that go unmet.
   2. Some disciples see the scenario and ask Jesus if they should grab their swords. 22:36 Peter doesn’t ask but grabs and swings his sword, cutting off the high priest’s servant's ear. Let’s be clear, the ear wasn’t the mark he was aiming for. Jn. 18:10-11

• Peter was similar to the taxi cab driver who didn’t hear the destination but heard “and hurry,” so he took off quickly and sped through the streets of NYC. Finally, the passenger asked if he knew where he was going, and he replied, “No, but we’re going there very fast!”.

1. This moment would have been bloody as every wound to the head bleeds.

• Throwing walnuts, stones, and flat bricks

1. Jesus’ final miracle, preceding the cross, is the healing of his enemy. Jesus’ miracle also protected Peter from legal action. Jesus’ plan included the kingdom moving forward, but not through physical violence.
2. Jesus notes the religious elite have come against him in darkness, as if he were a criminal with swords and clubs, when He was daily available in the temple.
3. Jesus knows this is their hour, as darkness has come. Who determined it was their hour? Jesus himself. Jesus knew that everything that was happening at that moment was part of God’s plan. Mk. 14:48-49 “Let the scriptures be fulfilled.”
4. Jesus commands the moment: he confronts Judas, rebukes Peter, heals Malchus, and rebukes his enemies. Jesus is Lord at all times, including this moment. The question is never about whether Jesus is Lord, but whether we are submissive to His lordship.
5. Jesus has been betrayed, but is not a victim. At no point in the story should we think “poor Jesus.”
6. Jesus is always greater than the darkness 1 Jn. 1:6, 8:12, 3:19-21, 2 Cor. 4:4-6.
7. The physical darkness of the night is inferior to the spiritual darkness of the moment. Physical darkness will return from noon until 3 pm, while Jesus is on the cross and spiritual darkness is at its peak.
8. Jesus is always in complete and total control. Jn. 10:17-18

II. The Cry of Peter

1. Jesus goes with the religious elite without a struggle. Peter follows Jesus at a distance and lands in the courtyard. Why is Peter following at a distance?
   1. Afraid he would be arrested
   2. He loves Jesus enough to follow, as everyone else fled. Mk. 14:50, He along with the other disciples, forgot what Jesus said would happen. Lk. 18:31-33
   3. He had just spoken out of self-confidence, and Jesus admonished him. 22:31-34 Peter probably believed the denial was related to a physical attack on Jesus.
   4. Peter thought more of himself than he ought. 1 Cor. 10:12 Peter could not imagine that HIs love for Jesus would ever allow him to deny Jesus and even more so to deny Him three times.
2. I’m sure he is anxious and nervous when they arrest Jesus. Many thoughts rumble through his head.
3. Sitting by a fire, the light glowing against him, a girl recognizes him as one of Jesus’ followers 22:56 and Peter denies it - #1. Notice how light revealed the truth to the girl. Peter denied Jesus with language as if Jesus were dead to him.
4. Later, another person saw him and recognized him as a follower of Jesus, and Peter denied it - #2 22:58
5. An hour passed after the second denial. What do you think Peter thought about during that hour? Can you imagine his mind racing?
   1. About Jesus
   2. About his own failure - twice
   3. About Jesus predicting his denial three times before the rooster crows, and his fears of being arrested.
6. One came insisting that Peter was with Jesus because of his Galilean accent, but Peter denied it - #3 22:59
7. While he was speaking, Peter heard the rooster crow. The rooster’s crow alone did not remind Peter what Jesus had said, but in the providential plan of God, Jesus was in the courtyard at the moment the rooster crowed and turned to look at Peter.
8. Peter then remembered what Jesus said about the rooster crowing and ran out weeping bitterly. Peter thought he was strong, but he is now aware of how weak he is.
9. Peter never heard a rooster crowing the same way afterwards.
10. Jesus knew all of Peter’s failures, yet He never gave up on him. Jesus is not angry and vindictive when we fail. Jesus gives grace and hope to all who run from Him when life gets hard. If there is hope for Peter, then there is hope for us.
11. When Peter saw Jesus.
    1. Peter saw one who knew him fully and loved him completely.
    2. Peter weeps bitterly because he let down the one who would never let him down. Despite Peter's denial, Jesus’ Lordship doesn’t change.
    3. Peter went through an awful anguish of the soul over the next few days and hours until Jesus resurrected, and there was restoration between them.
    4. Peter forgot that his failure was not the end of the story. Jesus knew Peter would return and would strengthen His brothers. 22:32
12. In a few days, Jesus will restore Peter and point him forward into a place of fruitful service. “Feed my sheep” John 21:15-17
13. Peter would move from not standing up before a young girl to preaching confrontational truth at Pentecost. Acts 2:22-24

III. The Manipulation by the Religious Authorities

1. This moment is what the religious elite had waited for; they have Jesus and are in total control, but what they don’t understand is that Jesus is in control. 22:63-65
2. The Jewish temple guards beat Jesus and mocked him as a prophet. They blindfold him and mockingly (make a fool out of) ask who hit him. The beating went on all night as they beat Jesus for sport. Jesus knew each of those who beat him.
3. Luke describes their actions as blasphemous - who deserved death? They did not Jesus. What was Jesus’ response? Is. 53:7
4. During this kangaroo court, there were three titles of Jesus used:
   1. Christ 22:66 When the day comes, the beatings stop, and Jesus is brought before a council of chief priests and scribes. They ask Jesus if He is the Christ or Messiah.
      1. Christ is the Greek word for anointed one, and Messiah is the Hebrew word for anointed one. The terms Christ and Messiah are the same.
      2. Jesus rarely used this term for Himself because it had become so politicized.
      3. They want Jesus to say yes or no. If he says “Yes,” then Rome will take care of him because there can be no competing kings. If it is “no,” then they will parade Jesus as a fraud among the people and his followers.
      4. Jesus responds:
         1. If I answer, you won’t believe me
         2. If I ask you, you will not engage with me.
   2. Son of Man
      1. From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God - Jesus claims to be the Son of Man prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14.
      2. Son of Man was Jesus’ preferred title, but these were religious elites, and they knew the Old Testament connection to Daniel 7
      3. The term "Son of Man" refers to both the humanity of Jesus and His divinity. He was fully God and fully man. He suffered physically and was in total control.
   3. Son of God
      1. The religious elite ALL asked Him if He was the Son of God because if he is implying that He is the Son of Man who will be seated at the right hand of God, the implication is He is God.
      2. Jesus, in effect, says, “I will see your Messiah and I will raise you Son of God.”
      3. Are you the Son of God? You say that I am. The “YOU” is emphatic. The identity of Jesus is never simply an academic issue. What we do with Jesus is always personal.
      4. This statement was close enough of an admission for them, so they moved forward with Jesus’ death through the Roman authorities. Mt. 26:63-66 Jesus does not deserve death - they do, and so do we.

IV. So What?

1. No Darkness Changes Who Jesus is. Jesus Will Always Be King Jesus.
2. There is no darkness too great for Jesus. Col. 1:13
3. Jesus defeated Darkness, the Devil, and death at the cross. Darkness no longer has authority over followers of Jesus. Darkness had its hour, and its hour is over.
4. Don’t live as if Darkness is in control. Jesus is in control, and we are to submit to Him, not to the dark world around us.

B. Jesus Defeated the Dark So That Today I Can Have Victory

1. Are you living in darkness and under its control, or have you been transferred to the kingdom of Christ?
2. The presence of parents alleviates a child's fear of the dark. Parents aren’t always there, and some darkness is beyond their ability to fix.
3. In this darkness, I call out for my Father, King Jesus, who is always in control. He will sit with you in the dark. For those of you who are walking in darkness and living in sin.

C. Have you faced identified costs for you to follow Jesus?

1. If so, did you pay the price and keep following,, or did you betray, deny,, and stop following King Jesus?

Conclusion: Andrew Brunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina, spent 20 years in Turkey. He had a quiet but deep ministry there until 2016, when, after a failed military coup, the government arrested him along with journalists, activists, military officers, and others. The Turkish government labeled Brunson a spy and held him for more than a year without charges. He spent nearly two years in prison, often enduring long trial sessions. At one point, it looked like he could spend years or even decades in Turkish prisons. Finally, after pressure from the Trump administration, Brunson was released from prison and returned to the United States.

In a Wheaton College chapel talk, Brunson candidly said that he did not feel God’s overwhelming presence during his stay in prison. Instead, he experienced something even deeper. Brunson said, “[After a few days in prison], I completely lost the sense of God’s presence. God was silent. And he remained silent for two years.”

When he finally went to trial, things were even worse. He says:

There are some who enter the valley of testing, and some do not make it out. I was broken. I lay there alone in my solitary cell with great fear, terrible grief, and weeping. And the thought kept going through my mind, Where are you, God? Why are you so far away? And I opened my mouth as I wept aloud, and I was surprised at what I heard coming out of my mouth. I heard, “I love you, Jesus. I love you, Jesus. I love yo,u Jesus.” I thought, here is my victory. Even if you’re silent, I love you. Even if you let my enemy harm me, I love you. [As] Jesus said, “But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”