Hours before his death, in a room alone with his followers, Jesus is teaching hard. The disciples are questioning, disputing, over confident and over reacting. They seem quite far apart on basic life and faith perspectives such as evil, greatness, testing and opposition. Jesus uses these moments to teach us again about the basic and radical ‘point of view’ that is both illustrated in the cross and empowered by his death. Between his command to remember him and his time of agonizing prayer in the garden, Luke records 4 specific warnings from Jesus to his followers in 22:21-38.
The issues that challenged the confidence of Theophilus (1:3) which lead Luke to write his gospel were likely the same as the issues that challenge our confidence. How do you reconcile God’s good control with the many evil things that take place? Why do the rewards seem to always go to the strong and proud? What makes any sense about the most faithful being the most subject to testing and trials? Why can’t people be more open and receptive to Christ and his message? These are the very concerns that Jesus addresses in his farewell teaching time with his followers.
This week we are studying from Luke 22:21-38
Pastor Whipple's sermon notes are available for download.
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