God’s Mission Triumphs Through Prayerful Suffering

0:02 Father, I ask now that you would come and help me be faithful to what Luke is trying to communicate by your inspiration. and that you would come upon this people with a spirit of humility and hearing and obedience and sight. and that you would do your saving and strengthening and empowering and guiding and healing and reconciling work among us. In Jesus' name, amen. Did you know that the five martyrs that were speared to death on January 8, 1956, Jim Elliott, Nate Saint, Ed McCulley, Peter Fleming, Roger Udarian had guns?

1:04 At least one of them... as the natives were spearing him, shot it in the air and not at them. That was not an accident. That was not an impulse. It was a plan, a principle.

1:33 First, they said, Christ conquered suffering, conquered by suffering. Christ conquered the world by suffering and death, and he called us to deny ourselves and shoulder our crosses, not shoot our guns. Second, they said the natives are not ready for heaven and we are. I wonder if that's the way you think. I wonder if any of us would presume to say, God... if they had saved their lives, five young, strong, valiant, Christian, devoted missionaries had saved their lives by taking out just a couple of natives, they would have had five decades of glorious, fruitful ministry far better than that.

2:43 Would anybody dare say that? I wouldn't. So I'm going to try to show from Luke 22, 35 to 53 that the mission of the church, your mission, our mission, is to call people from all the ethnic groups of the world to repentance and faith, and we do it through prayerful suffering, not self-defense. where we're going. It's not a sermon about the biblical legitimacy of police force or military, both of which are invested with the sword in Romans 13. It's about a mindset in the church of Christ.

3:44 It's about a mindset in this body. countercultural Christians sojourners exiles on planet earth It's about representing a kingdom that is not of this world. It's about a people whose mindset says with the Apostle Paul, when reviled we bless, when persecuted we endure, when slandered we conciliate. It's about a mindset that does not say when preaching the gospel of sacrifice of our Savior, don't mess with me, I got a gun.

4:29 That's not our mindset. And some of you probably in this room right now have a gun on you. I know that. I don't like it. But that's your call. I'm preaching another mindset. There are four scenes in this text. and I want to walk through them. I'll name them for you, and then we'll walk right through. We'll watch what happens. Watch what Luke is teaching, what Jesus is teaching. Scene 1, verses 35 to 38, I call it God's sovereign care through suffering, not sword. scene 2 verses 39 to 46 God's sovereign care through prayer not sleep scene 3 47 to 51 God's sovereign care rejected Scene 4, verses 52 to 53, God's sovereign care through temporary demonic triumph.

5:51 I'm using the word sovereign because God is manifestly in absolute control throughout these scenes. You see it in verse 37. This scripture must be fulfilled. You see it in verse 53. Jesus says to the evil forces, you get one hour. You see it in verse 42, thy will be done. and I'm using the word care, sovereign care, because from beginning to end, Luke is telling this story to strengthen his disciples, Jesus' disciples, for the mission. He's going to talk about the mission after his raise. Right now, he's getting them ready for the kind of mission that it is, and what he's done to purchase the success of the mission, how he's going to do the mission. He's going to describe them. I'll read it to you in just a minute. But he's providing care for them. So that's why I'm using the term sovereign care, sovereign care, sovereign care, sovereign care for every scene. Scene number one, verses 35 to 38.

7:12 God's sovereign care through suffering, not sword. And he said to them, when I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything? And they said, nothing. And he said to them, but now let the one who has a money bag take it and likewise a knapsack and let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled. And he was numbered with the transgressors. For what is written about me has its fulfillment.

8:08 And they said, look, Lord, here are two swords. And he said to them, it's enough What's going on here? what's going on is that Jesus is preparing them for a radical shift in ministry. You've spent the last three years in a fairly small, familiar, geographic, Palestinian, village-oriented, Jewish setting, moving from town to town, expecting people of peace and hospitality, and you don't need to worry. Everything's changing, man.

9:02 Everything's changing. In just a few weeks, you're on your way to China, India, Ethiopia, England, thousands of miles, unknown territories, unknown dangers, unknown languages. is, fellas, everything's changing. He's going to announce the new mission in chapter 24. Let me read it to you. This is 24, 46 to 47. Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem. That's where we're going guys. That's what tonight is about and tomorrow morning that you can think of.

10:10 So, a radical alteration in mission is being announced from this familiar village-oriented Jewish setting to a global world evangelization. All the peoples of the world, all the strange languages, goodness gracious, you have no idea what you were in for. So he asked this question, verse 35, did you lack anything? When you had no money bag, no knapsack, no extra sandals, did you lack anything? I said, no, we didn't lack anything. Do you think that verse 36... means I took care of you for three years, now you've got to take care of yourself.

11:14 Is that the meaning? Can't imagine that's the meaning. It goes against everything he taught, goes against everything in the Bible. You're on your own. I took care of you. You didn't have any needs. Now you better arm up and care lots of money. I don't think so. So what does he do to clarify what's going on? He quotes Isaiah 53 12 in verse 37, just a piece of it. He was numbered with the transgressors. Here's the whole verse. He poured out his soul, this is Isaiah 53 12, whole verse from which he pulls this phrase. He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors.

12:24 Yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. And he quotes, Luke adds this word at the beginning of verse 37, that must happen. This is a divine decree. This is going to happen to my son. And then the certainty is underlined at the end of the verse. What is written about me has its fulfillment. My time to die. is here. I mean, you've got to feel the tension of this moment if you just accumulate what's been said so far, right?

13:20 Judas has already now made a pact with the chief priests to hand him over. That's done. You know that as you're reading the Gospel. They know that he was sent out. Jesus said just a few minutes ago or hours at the Last Supper, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom comes. We're never going to drink together again. do you realize what that means guys about tonight or Peter the rooster will not crow this day like from six to six right you know six p.m. to six p.m. is the day it's nighttime the rooster will not crow until Peter has denied me guys, this is it. You feel this, what they must have been feeling at that moment as all these things are coming to a crescendo. And he's saying, I am about to be numbered with the transgressors. I will be treated as a criminal in a few minutes.

14:49 and they're going to kill me, and I'm going to bear the sin of you and many, and I'm going to intercede for those transgressors rather than defending myself against them. So that's why I'm alerting you here in scene one. I'm alerting you to this new situation.

15:19 God will care for you. I'm going to care for you. I'm going to die for you. I'm going to provide more care for you in the next hours than you would have ever dreamed. I will accomplish more for you on the cross than you could ever imagine. Now, here's the key question with regard to the swords. In verse 38, why did Luke include that verse? and they said look Lord here are two swords And he said to them, it's enough.

16:20 He didn't need to say that. He could have gone straight from, I'm going to die for you, I'm going to intercede for transgressions, I'm going to be counted as a criminal shortly, let's go pray. So what's verse 38 doing? We've got two. you told us to go get swords he just said he's going to be counted as a criminal before the night's over so who's got a sword? I got one, me too anybody else? we got two, we got two Jesus and we will do our dead level best to protect you and us. So what did Jesus mean when he responded, it's enough?

17:26 what's that it's singular it's not plural like didn't say two's enough we got this you guys forgot i'm the son of god we can handle this two's plenty he said enough it's enough that's enough now in view of what is about to happen with the swords these two swords in verse 49 9. So Peter takes one of these two swords and he tries to cut the high priest's head in half and he misses. As the guy jerks, I guess he jerked this way, took off his right ear. Must have been horrible, horrible wound.

18:22 And Jesus basically clarifies whether that's what he meant. Time out. I mean, the little Greek phrase there, I think time out would be a pretty good translation. Time out. and he touches this transgressor and puts his ear back on. So much for the swords. You have missed it, Peter. You have missed it, guys, so badly we're done talking about this.

19:14 I mean, can you imagine he's got, he needs to do some explaining here. He says, I got work to do with my father. I got to get on my knees. I don't have time to talk to you guys anymore about this. You're going to have to learn the hard way. That wasn't it. Whatever those swords were for, or the guns in Ecuador, by implication here, defending the representatives of Jesus in a Christ-like ministry. It's not the way it's going to be. Not once in Luke's second volume, Acts, not once do you find a Christian, an apostle, a preacher defending himself from stoning, from lashing, from mobs, from rods from imprisonment not once.

20:27 which if Luke had another intention in mind would be a very strange thing. We got swords, don't mess with us. We can take you out. There's a lot of us and we know how to use them. It wasn't their mindset. It might have been their mindset and it had to change. Summary of scene one, whether you live, whether you die, trust me, God's sovereign care is going to be there for you through suffering not sword. Scene two, verses 39 to 46, they leave the upper room, they go to the Mount of Olives, And at the beginning of this scene, verse 40, Jesus says, now pray.

21:29 Luke has a very collapsed narrative of what the other gospels say. They're not multiple prayers. Peter and John aren't going away by themselves. It's just one quick, brief description of the event as he sums it up. Pray, guys, you 11, pray that you may not enter into temptation. And then at the end, verse 46, why are you sleeping? Rise, pray that you may not enter into temptation. Now, what's the point of Luke's beginning and ending that scene with pray? Are you going to fail? temptation is going to overwhelm you tonight and on your mission if you don't pray you go to sleep on this mission you're cooked and they were cooked, they failed they didn't pray they slept so listen guys listen my dear dear disciples the mission that I'm setting you on here is going to test you beyond all human ability you're going to be tempted tested you know the word tempt and test is the same word in Greek every temptation is a test every test is a temptation just think it through. You're going to be tested. Your faith is going to be tempted to collapse beyond all human ability to withstand. You must get divine help.

23:10 So pray. That's what you say. In scene one, you followed me. If you got it, you follow me on the Calvary road of suffering, not sword. In scene two, you follow me on the Gethsemane road of prayer, not sleep. So come. Come pray. Bethlehem. Father, now let's go with Jesus. He's just stepped away from them.

23:51 Father, this is for 42. If you're willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. I wonder what he prayed. And his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. The human nature of Jesus recoiled from the prospect of having nails through his hands, wouldn't you? Recoiled from thorns piercing into his head, recoiled from a whip lashing his back recoiled from a spear entering his side, recoiled from the horror of bearing the sins of his people and the wrath of God. It was incomprehensible. It was incomprehensible what Jesus suffered then and in the morning. There is nothing sinful in expressing his horror at this prospect to his father. Nothing is sinful in expressing his unimaginable horror at what was coming upon him to the Father and then totally submitting to the Father's will. It was a horrible and beautiful moment in the life of Jesus. So he submitted. Verse 43, he submitted.

25:49 I'm in. totally you are my father and we conceived this in eternity we're not going to break it here I'm in that battle's over at verse 43 I think So, what happens in verse 44? Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. An angel had been sent to strengthen him after he submitted. I submit. And it says the angel came from heaven, that is it came from his father. The angel came and he strengthened him. This is what the disciples needed lest they fall into temptation. Jesus is modeling for them They failed, he succeeded.

27:10 What did he pray? If I'm right that not my will but thine be done, that battle was won right there. What did he pray? Earnestly, sweating blood. What did he ask for? I'm going to suggest that he prayed Hebrews 5, 7. because Hebrews 5, 7 seems to fit nowhere else better in the story of the gospel than here. So let me read it to you. This is Hebrews chapter 5, verse 7. In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his reverence.

28:15 That's what I think he prayed. So if we take Gethsemane as the chief instance of that prayer right there, loud cries to him who is able to save him from death, and he answered him, yes, what does it mean? What did he pray? I think it went something like this, Oh God, please don't let my human nature give way under the horrible pressure of this suffering. Don't let death conquer me, but me conquer death. Don't let the horrors of death tomorrow morning destroy my faith, destroy my obedience, my submission. Don't let me fail and be consumed by death rather than me consuming death. And God says Done.

29:29 Just like he prayed for Peter. God heard his son's prayer to keep him faithful. So he was saved from death, not in that he escaped physical death, but that death didn't destroy him. He destroyed death because he prayed. You can imagine him coming to his disciples and saying, you're sleeping? God, you have no idea what you're in for. I'm praying and you're sleeping? Come on, Christians. What are you doing? You think life is that easy? You think defeating the devil and all the temptations of your life to waste it on the world is that easy? Sleep on.

30:25 And they failed so badly. so scene two God's sovereign care through prayer not sleep Jesus won he won your life your salvation through prayer scene three verses 47 to 51 God's sovereign care rejected so first Judas rejects God's sovereign care, then the disciples reject God's sovereign care. Judas rejects God's sovereign care with the misuse of a kiss, and they reject God's sovereign prayer with the misuse of a sword. Verse 47, while he was still speaking, there came a crowd and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him.

31:31 And Jesus said to him, Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? In other words, a kiss? a kiss I mean I know you're going to betray me But to betray me with a kiss, that's a dagger before the nails. Judas.

32:18 This is what happens, Judas, when you have the money bag. Oh, cursed money bag. And you love it. And you sell me for 30 pieces of silver. This is what money does. I just read in my devotions this morning. No plan. Psalm 119, 72.

32:52 Your words are better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Thousands. He sold them for 30. He had the money bag.

33:15 So be sure to take a money bag and a knapsack and a sword. Verse 49, when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, Lord, shall we strike with the sword? Okay. and one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear but Jesus said, timeout, no more of this and he touched his ear and he healed him. They asked and they didn't wait for an answer. Shall we strike? Strike!

34:08 what kind of submission or obedience is that just sheer fear is what it is He had said, I mean, goodness gracious, he had said, sell your cloak and buy a sword. He had said the transgressors are coming. He had said he's going to be counted as a criminal. What do you expect us to do? Not that. Let me tell you what I think of your use of the sword, Peter. Everybody stop, cool it. I mean, that moment must have been amazing to everybody. Didn't make anybody courageous, didn't make anybody righteous. Judas rejected God's sovereign care for money, dependence on money, love of money.

35:11 Anybody love money? Crazy! It's insane to love money. Look what he makes you do. 30 pieces of silver, the son of God. Watch out folks, watch out for the money bag, watch out for money, watch out for the Judas syndrome. And the disciples, they rejected the sovereign care by providing their own with a sword. That's scene three. Last scene, verses 52 to 53. God's sovereign care through temporary demonic triumph. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and the officers of the temple and elders who had come out against him, have you come out as against a robber?

36:17 Oh, yes, they had. He's going to be numbered with the transgressors. Have you come out against a robber with swords and clubs? when I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me, but this is your hour and the power of darkness. I love that sentence.

36:49 It is so sovereign. You get an hour. Go ahead. Do it. Thank you. You had every chance to arrest me in the daytime and you do it in the dark. Well, of course you do it in the dark. That's where you do things like this. You do it in the dark. This is the embodiment of darkness, folks, isn't it? We all know this. This is the crescendo of darkness in the history of the world tonight and tomorrow morning. This is the embodiment and fulfillment of satanic darkness. You can't do anything darker, Satan, than to treat the Son of the living God as a criminal, a transgressor, and lead him to the slaughter.

38:01 In all the annals of hell it will be written, this was Satan's finest hour. One hour. One hour. So when Jesus said in 53, verse 53, this is your hour. and the power of darkness. In this hour, it's not 60 minutes. They didn't even know minutes in those days. No clocks. Everything was simply hours. This is your limited little moment in your life and history. And my Father gives it to you. Do your work, which is His work. Remember what Paul said in Colossians 2?

38:57 He said, God disarmed the rulers and authorities by triumphing over them in the cross. Here's my paraphrase. Satan and chief priests and elders and soldiers,

39:19 you think that right now you are triumphing over the Son of God. actually you're committing suicide. And so do you if you turn on Jesus. Scene one. This is summary now, we're closing. Scene one, verses 35 to 38. God is sovereign, God's sovereign care through suffering, not sword.

39:57 Two, scene two. God's sovereign care through prayer, not sleep. Scene three, God's sovereign care, Rejected. Scene four. God's sovereign care through temporary demonic triumph. So Bethlehem, this is our calling. Have you heard the calling? Are you submitting like Jesus in Gethsemane to your calling? The calling to rest gladly in the sovereign care of God through suffering, not sword. The calling to rest gladly in the sovereign care of God through prayer. No other hope. Not sleep.

40:51 The calling never to take matters into your own hands, but hand over to him who judges justly. and the calling to be confident in the face of every temporary demonic triumph in your life, in this country, and this world. That's why he was numbered with the transgressors, and that's why he died for us rather than defending himself. Let's pray.

41:30 Father, I pray that you would take these scenes and beyond anything I could ever say, just the inspired scenes and the beautiful Savior and the failing disciples and the traitor Judas, that you would take these scenes and grant, oh Lord, that we would behold the man of sorrows,

42:01 that we would be prepared in our hearts for the communion table, and that we would be emboldened to pray and to suffer and to courageously pursue your mission to the nations, whatever the cost.