TEXT: Luke
22-24
TIME
& PLACE: 30/03/08 ELBC
SUBJ: SPIRITUAL
DARKNESS
THEME: TRIUMPH
IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS
P/S: E.C. CAN HAVE TRIUMPH IN THEIR SPIRITUAL DARKNESS
T/S: BY FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLES THAT CHRIST GAVE AS SET FORTH IN SCRIPTURE.
INTRO: We find in this passage of
Scripture the last days of Jesus earthly ministry if you will. He has as well
gathered His disciples with Him to have the Last Supper. While with them He
instructs them of things to come and the days ahead. What looks very much to
the unspiritual eyes as defeat and discouragement is the very pinnacle of
Christ’s finest hour. When we look at the last moments of Christ earthly
life much can be learned by the Disciples of Christ today. For many people
today the hardest thing if not the most difficult thing to endure and press on
from is difficulties in darkness. We all want to serve God and have a slice of
cake to go with it. We say things like if He quit blessing me now I have enough
to go on till He comes back; however that isn’t necessarily true. It is
difficult as Christ has shown us to give and give and love and take care of
only to be deserted at your most difficult time. However He taught us how to
triumph in it. Jesus helped many...yet when He was hurting no one could be
found. It has been well said by someone “those that you help the most
will most of the time hurt you the most” or never be around when you need
them. Christ unlike us came through it all gloriously and gave us a heavenly
example if you will of driving through the darkness. And with that being said I
want to tonight just glimpse through His last few moments as recorded in the
last 3 chapters of Luke and see what we can learn so we can triumph in our dark
days..... Preaching on this thought.....”SOME THINGS I LEARNED FROM
CHRIST DURING HIS MOST DARKEST MOMENT” We pick up His Story in Luke 22
just after He has gathered the disciples together for the “Last
Supper” After the meal is over and Judas has ran off to betray our Lord
we find the first lesson learned in getting through our dark moments......
I.
HE SURRENDERED HIS WILL TO THE SOVEREIGNS 22 vs39-46
A. SINCERELY vs39-40 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount
of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he was at
the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter
not into temptation.
B. SATISFACTORIALLY vs42
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless
not my will, but thine, be done.
C. SYMPATHETICALLY
vs45-46 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come
to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 And said unto them,
Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into
temptation.
D. SCRIPTURALLY vs37
For I say unto you, that this that is written must
yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for
the things concerning me have an end.
Note:
In order to get through the dark days in life I think the first thing we all
must learn is that if we are in the will of God then all that comes must be
because of that and no matter how difficult it may be it was ordered by the
Lord.....not my will, but thine, be done.
Appl:
Have you completely surrendered your will to His will? If not we have much to
learn.
II.
HE SITUATED HIS WALK TO THE SCRIPTURES 22 vs47-71
A. OPENLY vs52-53 Then
Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders,
which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and
staves? 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched
forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
B. OBEDIENTLY vs63-65 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. 64
And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him,
saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? 65 And many other things
blasphemously spake they against him.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
C. OPTIMISTICALLY vs69
Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the
right hand of the power of God.
Note:
The second thing that I believe we can learn if we are going to get through our
darkest moments is that our walk has to line up with the Scriptures. I f Christ
be our example then He set the proper one because He fulfilled all Scripture!
The reason most folks never make it through the tuff times is because they wont submit to the Scriptures....they want an easier path than
the one God has given them.
Appl:
Can we all proclaim that our day to day walk in the will of God is aligned with
the Scriptures?
III.
HE SPREAD HIS WORD TO THE SINNER 23
A. LOVINGLY –
Christ loved them all and expressed it to all.
1. To Pilate vs1, 3,
4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 20, 24, 52
2. To the Priests vs4,
10, 13, 23
3. To the People vs4,
5, 13, 14, 27, 35, 48
4. To the Politician
(Herod) vs7, 8, 11, 12, 15
5. To the Prisoners
vs18, 32, 33, 39
6. To the Penitent vs43
B. LEGALLY vs13-22 And
Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the
people, 14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that
perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have
found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15
No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death
is done unto him....17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them
at the feast.) ...22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what
evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will
therefore chastise him, and let him go.
C. LONGINGLY vs43 And
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To
day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Note:
If we are going to get through the dark days we must learn from Christ dark
days that His life was about spreading His word to the Sinner.
Appl:
The Devil has learned that it is in the dark days that we stay silent about
Christ therefore he petitions the Throne and asks for dark days in our life so
we worry about ourselves and not our Saviours desires.
IV.
HE SUPPLIED HIS WAY TO THE SAINT 24
A. THROUGH EXPECTATION
vs21-24 But we trusted that it had been he
which should have redeemed
Note:
There was an expectation by one and all that Christ triumphed in His darkest
moments and he placed that in the heart of all His followers.
B. THROUGH EXAMPLE vs44-48
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was
yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law
of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened
he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said
unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to
rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48
And ye are witnesses of these things.
C. THROUGH EXHORTATION
vs49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon
you: but tarry ye in the city of
D. THROUGH EXISTENCE vs50-53
And he led them out as far as to
Note: And lastly we can learn from
Christ that our triumph during our darkest moments can lighten the path of
those that are following Christ.