3x7 Things in Luke s Gospel

… Und die Engel sagten zu ihnen, habt keine Angst, denn ich bringe euch gute Zeugnisse von großem Freude, die für alle Menschen sein werden. Und die Engel sagten zu ihnen, habt keine Angst, denn ich bringe euch gute Zeugnisse von großem Freude, die für alle Menschen sein werden. Und die Engel sagten zu ihnen, habt keine Angst, denn ich bringe euch gute Zeugnisse von großem Freude, die für alle Menschen sein werden. Denn für euch wird dieser Tag geboren, in der Stadt von David, ein Heiliger, der Christus ist, der Herr. Es wird euch ein Zeichen geben, ihr werdet die Baby finden, verkleidet in schmutzigen Kleidern, liegend in einem Schlafzimmer. Und plötzlich war da mit dem Engel eine Menge der göttlichen Gäste, die Gott präsentieren und sagen, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. I have been impressed much lately with the gospel by Luke. How many fine, excellent golden threads there are, traced through this lovely gospel, which we can pull together in the meditation of our souls, that are for our blessing. What a happy thing, that a gospel has been singled out by the Holy Spirit and soul and body. One of the ways in which the perfection and completeness of the perfect, dependent manhood of Christ is emphasized in the gospel by Luke, is that again and again things are collected in sets of seven, God's number of completeness and fullness. And how many there are that we can rejoice together in. Now, time does not permit, and it is not my intention, but let us note in passing verse 10. Fear not. Seven occasions in the gospel, where there are those who are encouraged not to fear. Among other things, Luke's gospel is the gospel of peace. Verse 18, all they that heard it wondered. Seven times in the gospel, there is a demonstration of the proper sense of awe and wonder that comes upon the soul in meditating upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the perfect man. Again, it's not the intention to look at that tonight. But what I do want to look at is that which comes into verse 14 and verse 20. And it is this. From the outset of the sojourn on earth of the Lord Jesus Christ in perfect manhood, our attention is drawn again and again to the fact that God was glorified in him. We enjoy thinking about our blessing, things that have been done for us, challenges that are open to us, and that's right and proper. But it is entirely as laid out in the canon of scripture that before there can be any blessing for man, mankind, there must of necessity be that which satisfies and maintains the glory of God. And so, in this first little study here this week, let us look at the seven occasions where it is said of the Lord Jesus that God was glorified in him. Now, it's a good, solid, scriptural phrase to say that God was glorified in him, in Christ, in the Lord Jesus. It is perhaps not so easy to convey to each other in words what we understand by that term, God is glorified in him. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to manifest God, to fully reveal him. And because of the revelation of God that is resident in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is produced that capacity in man to respond to God and to ascribe to God that of which he is truly worthy. I want to make a statement which some of you may recognize. You may feel it's rather trite. Work it out, discover what it means, and then put it into your own simple words and tell me afterwards. It is because God is who he is that he does what he does. Axiomatic, I suppose. And it's when he does what he does that he reveals who and what he is. That's a statement which is worth thinking about, and certainly when we come to the Gospel by Luke, we find that God manifested in flesh, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is that knowledge of God which is gained and could be gained in no other way. Let us go to Colossians. Image of the invisible God. We don't get our teaching, our exposition from the words of hymns, even our excellent hymns. But after pondering for many years, I eventually came to the conclusion that the words of one of our hymns really puts in a very clear way what we can understand by that term, image of the invisible God. Listen to the words. And it is as that spotless, perfect life of the Lord Jesus in the days of his flesh is detailed in the Gospel by Luke, that we learn some of the facets, some of the aspects of all that there is to gain in the knowledge of God in the person of Jesus Christ in manhood. I want to refer to these seven in brief. Tonight we'll be using the telescope, not the microscope, and we'll see what it is that was happening at the time that caused glory to be given to God. That there should be that understanding of who and what God is in the manifestation of God in the person of the Son that made it possible for man to appreciate, respond to, and to ascribe worthy of all acclaim, dignity, and honour the blessed God who was revealed in him. When you take up your private studies, you will take note that in this incident, the entrance into this world of the Son of God as a babe at Bethlehem, it's so wonderful that more than one of these full demonstrations of God in the person of Jesus comes through. In other words, this is one of the fear nots. It's not the first. There are two, I think, in chapter one. It is certainly the first of the causes of wonder that here there were those who were in awesome wonder here upon earth because God was manifested in flesh. Here the incarnation of the Son of God began as far as outward manifestation was to be concerned. Now, let us look then at verse 13. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill toward men, giving God his place, his right place, the highest place, was the true precursor to man being brought into blessing. But the phrase in verse 20 is what I want to single out. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. From the outset then, there is that which is taken account of, which results in glory redounding to the blessed God, beginning in outward expression in the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I leave that for your meditation and we must move on to chapter five. The section is verses 17 to 26. For brevity, I will read verses 25 and 26. Immediately he that was sick of the palsy rose up before them and took up that whereon he lay and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today. Terrible chapter, Luke chapter five. Everything is in a terrible mess. Everything is broken down. Have you considered why it is that the order of the miracles, the parables, the incidents that take place is different in the different gospels? Matthew gives us the dispensational order in the presentation of Christ as King. Mark gives, as near as we can tell, the chronological order of the activities of the perfect servant. Luke, speaking of moral matters, gives us the moral order of events, and John has its own sequence. One of the plainest chapters in which to see that is to see the moral condition that's described in chapter five. Everything under man in responsibility broken down. Have a look at chapter five, verse six, broken nets. Verse 12, a man with a broken body. Verse 28, Levi with a broken career. 36, a broken garment. 37, broken bottles. A terrible mess under the hand of men. This incident that we read is no exception. A broken roof, broken tiling. A general commentary on man's moral condition before God outside of Christ. Here, this poor man is found, his friends bring him, let him down through the tiling. The Lord says, thy sins are forgiven thee. The scribes and the Pharisees quibble, who can forgive sins but God alone? Jesus perceived their thoughts. What reason ye in your heart, which is easiest to say, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, he said unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, arise and take up thy couch and go into thy house. John, in his epistle, tells us that the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world to undo the works of the devil. Indirectly, Luke chapter 5 is a catalogue of the results of the works of the devil in God's fair creation. Man in responsibility being the devil's tool. And here, the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, come into the world to undo the works of the devil, to demonstrate that he is the man who is competent to deal with sin. Here he makes an open display of his ability to deal with the effects of sin, even before he went to the cross. The result, as ever, first of all, glory to God. Verse 25, he departed to his own house glorifying God. He gave glory to God. The onlookers, they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, we have seen strange things today. Trace it out, this moral grouping in the Gospel of Luke, and see what a solemn picture it gives of the effect of sin. But here, the Lord Jesus comes into the world, and here, his first work in this group after his birth, it results in God being glorified. Again, yes, a man was brought into blessing. Yes, his life was put right. But the important primary thing is that God was glorified in that which Jesus did. Chapter 7. Verse 11. It came to pass the day after that he went into a city called Nain, and many of his disciples went with him and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came, and touched the bear, and they that bear him stood still, and he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak, and he delivered him to his mother, and there came a fear on all, and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God hath visited his people. And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about, and the disciples of John showed him of all these things. Verse 22, Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard, how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. I'm not sure whether it was here or in another place that mention was made that the number eight very often tells us that God is making a new start, bringing in something new. It is not without significance, of course, that apart from the Lord Jesus personally, and that rather strange incident recounted in Matthew 27, when we read that the bodies of many of the saints arose, albeit temporarily, no doubt. Apart from those special occasions, there are eight persons of whom we read in the scripture that they were raised from the dead. Interesting again, that there were three in the Old Testament, three in the gospels, one by the apostle to the circumcision, Peter, and one by the apostle to the uncircumcision, Paul. Again, it's worthy of note that Elijah was responsible under God's hand, privileged to, of raising one individual from among the dead. Elisha, who asked for a double portion of the spirit Elijah to rest upon him, seen in that he was privileged to be responsible for two being raised from the dead. In the gospels, three by the Lord Jesus Christ. Cyrus' daughter, Lazarus, and here the widow of Nain's son. Pulling together various verses and references from the prophet Isaiah, the Lord reinforced what he did by his statement recorded for us in verse 22. If John Baptist has any doubts, tell him what's happening. Tell him that the word of the prophets is being fulfilled. See if he has any doubts after that. It just occurs to me, we should have had 30 minutes prayer before I started, is that right? I'm sorry that I didn't remember, and I'm sorry the brethren didn't remind me too. We are looking at those occasions in the gospel by Luke where God is glorified in Christ. There's one thing I'm even-handed. I did the same once at High Street, I now recall. The widow of Nain's son then. The personal bodily resurrection of the widow of Nain's son, resulting in fear coming upon all and God being glorified in the event. Let us pause again. Here we have an incident on earth where the activities of a man, a perfect man, result in glory redounding to the blessed God, and God is glorified in him. John Baptist, obliged to take account of what was going on, and receives the exhortation, blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. Now, that is the third incident, and we can move on to chapter 13. Verse 10. Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, and behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. Two or three years ago, I remember visiting a city where there was a Christian lady I hadn't seen for a few years. I enquired, she was at home, and would appreciate a visit. I was warned that the dear lady was in a sorry plight. And I knocked at the door, looked straight ahead, expecting to look at the sister eye to eye, and I was horrified when she opened the door that she was just as the woman in this incident in the gospel. The highest point of her body was the lowest part of her back. She was bent double, and her head was at about knee height. And what a terrible state, what a constant ordeal for a poor woman to be in. I'm sure that's not unique. And here we read of an incident of a woman in that very case. She'd been like this for 18 years, couldn't no wise lift up herself. Now, again, the words of the Lord Jesus, chosen with care, woman, thou art loosed. Oh, how much man is in need of liberty. In all its horror, with its terrible effects, causing this and other kinds of physical conditions that won't go away, all the terrible commentary upon the works of the devil and the effect of sin. Thank God for those of us who know what spiritual liberty is all about. Our souls have had their burden removed. Luke consistently gives these moral pictures of sin, its effects, and the Lord dealing with them. And here we have this poor woman who's taken up by the Lord Jesus and is loosed from her infirmity and is able to be erect. It is a cause of wonder to me how quickly lives which are soiled and spoiled by sin can be cleaned up. How quickly we can be clothed and in our right mind if we study the scriptures and obey the word of the Lord revealed therein. Sometimes the transformation is so great that someone who was still as we were might walk into the room and get entirely the wrong impression about the sort of people that we used to be. Because our lives have been cleaned up and brought into liberty. And as the Lord said, if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. The true liberty is the liberty that the Son of God brings you into. I remember many years ago now, a friend of mine saying, judge the results, he said, I hope we never get so respectable that sinners will stop listening to us. Now, I think you know what was meant by that. Wouldn't it be sad if a sinner walking into the room, conscious of his or her sinful state, had a quick look round and said, well, there'll be nobody here that understands me, there's no help for me here. Of course, these are moral things, but mustn't we be careful not to give the impression, as some get, that all we are is middle class do-gooders who don't understand what people really feel like. Of course, like the man in the Gospels, the Lord has cleaned us up in every way, in our thinking, in the way we attend to personal hygiene, in the way that we dress. And it's right that we should be clean and tidy, but let us make sure that the way we speak to people and respond to people, yes, may well result in glory being given to God at the transformation, but that our moral response is so kind and compassionate that no one is put off. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, came into the world at Bethlehem, as we have read, performed these miracles, raised the dead even, but so was his composure and compassion that none were put off from coming to him, with the result that glory was given to God. Verse 13. He laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. Chapter 17. Verses 11 to 16. The cleansing of the lepers. If the woman who was bent double needed liberty, and the bringing in of liberty caused glory to be given to God, lepers don't need healing, they need cleansing. This is why the gospels are full of references to those who tell us how dirty sin really is. And here, ten lepers, all cleansed, and yet of the ten, only one came back and gave glory to God. Verse 15. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God. I'm not bothered about percentages here. The challenge does come to me. If I am in a group that receive blessing from the Lord, and there are ten of us who are so blessed, if there's only one who returns and gives God the glory, my only possible exercise must be, if there's only one, it must be me. I mustn't look at other people. This is personal. Personal opportunity for God to be glorified in that which he has done for us. And so we have it in this little incident. Chapter 18. Incident 35-43. The giving of sight to the man who was born blind. It came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man, Luke always particularizes, doesn't he? And he says, a certain man, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging. Hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. They told him, Jesus of Nazareth, the despised one, passeth by. He cried saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. In his terrible plight, he didn't think of the Lord Jesus as the despised one. He said, here is the one in whom the promises of God are to be fulfilled, Jesus, thou son of David. The point comes where the Lord Jesus says, receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved thee. Further than leprosy, the clearest picture of the results of sin is this condition of blindness again and again and again. Unable to see God as he really is. Not one spark of response to God possible in any way. As we learn, dead in trespasses and in sins and unable to see. The poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind. Not one spark of response. The impediment being dealt with, again, the blind man's first movement is Godward. And we find that God has been glorified in that which the Lord Jesus Christ has done. Chapter 23, verse 46. When Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man. If in his birth into the world there was glory for God, if in dealing with the several impediments, God was glorified in him. When we come now to this vital moment, when as to his life on earth was concerned, that he died and died the death of the cross. We learn that one of the beholders, Gentile though he was, glorified God for what was going on. We are now at the crucial point of the gospel. This in verse 47, certainly this was a righteous man. The seventh of seven occasions, when the microscope is focused upon this perfect man, and we read this man, this man, this man, and here for the seventh time. The centurion glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man. Many true believers would consider what has been said tonight as rather trite. Many earnest believers would consider this kind of study to be purely academic, purely not being the right word in their estimation, entirely academic. An intellectual pursuit. But here we have a clear outline within the gospel speaking of the perfect man, that the first primary all important consideration is that having come into the world, the primary consideration was that there might be glory for God as a result of his coming into the world, going through the world, and then going out of the world. We do well, if we single out these opportunities to see where God was glorified in him, and join in the praise that is due. …

… Luke, Kapitel 4, Vers 1 Jesus, der voll von dem Heiligen Geist war, kam aus Jordan und wurde von dem Geist in die Wildnis geführt. Ich sehe, dass die meisten von euch auf mindestens einer Angelegenheit in der Woche hier sein können und dass sie bemerken, dass wir zum Beispiel im Gospel von Luke schauen, welches die Schönheit Gottes, wie sie in verschiedenen Aspekten und Ergebnissen seiner Menschheit hier auf der Erde sieht, darstellt. Am Montag sahen wir Beispiele von Angelegenheiten, bei denen der Text spezifisch sagt, dass Gott in ihm, in Jesus, in den Dingen, die er tat und sagte, glorifiziert war. Am anderen Ende der Zahl, am Donnerstag, sahen wir die Art, wie er jede Art von Bedürfnissen, die auf der Erde beobachtbar war, begegnete. Und das wurde in den Fällen und Referenzen zu sieben Beispielen von Schöpfung dargestellt. Und die Zahl der Arten, in denen die Kompletenheit und Vollständigkeit und Perfektion der Menschheit Christus hier auf der Erde dargestellt wird, wird in der Zahl von Sätzen von sieben dargestellt, die im Gospel herauskommen. Am Abend sahen wir das Highlight, dass in seinem Leben Gott in ihm glorifiziert wurde, von der Treffung und der Ehre Gottes, Gott in ihm glorifiziert und vollständig veröffentlicht wurde, nachdem wir an der anderen Seite des Spektrums geschaut haben, wie jede Bedürfnisse der Menschheit in ihm begegnet wurde. Wir schauen heute Abend, wenn der Gott will, an sieben Beispiele, wie er persönlich den Art von Mann, der er hier auf der Erde war, demonstriert hat. Und zu diesem Ende schauen wir uns an sieben Art von Umständen, in denen er sich leiten durfte. Sieben Male vorbei, so weit ich kann sehen. Kein mehr, kein weniger. Aber an sieben Beispielen hat er sich leiten lassen, in eine bestimmte Umstände, in eine bestimmte Richtung, in eine bestimmte Art von Verhältnis. Nun, es ist nicht immer eine gute Sache, dass wir so nachvollziehbar sind, so nachvollziehbar sind, dass wir leiten können, geführt werden oder gedrängt werden, dass wir bereit sind, mit allem zusammenzugehen. Das wäre nur eine Schwäche. Und wenn wir an diese Beispiele schauen, werden wir sehen, dass während der Gott Jesus sich leiten ließ in eine Situation, bedeutet das überhaupt nicht, dass er sich leiten ließ, Gott zu schämen, in allem, was er tat oder sagte. Der erste, Kapitel 4, Vers 1, er wurde in die Wildnis leitet. Nun, nachdem wir an ein paar Beispielen von diesen Sätzen von sieben geschaut haben, selbst wenn wir sie noch nicht vorher geschaut haben, werden wir uns jetzt an die Idee gewöhnen, die Hintergründe, die Umgebung, die Umstände zu schauen und zu sehen, was bedeutend war. Und wir werden auch beginnen, wenn nicht zuvor, zu sehen, dass es bedeutend ist, zu sehen, ob oder nicht die Art, wie ein Unfall, ein Wunder, eine Parable oder ein Narrativ anders in Bezug auf die anderen Gospel bezeichnet werden. Nun, sicherlich mit dem, mit dem wir heute Abend beginnen, ist das der Fall. Matthew sagt uns, wenn wir auf die genaue Bedeutung des Wortes schauen, werden wir finden, dass der Herr Jesus in die Wildnis gefahren wurde, in einem Zustand, in dem er die Verzweiflung des Teufels begegnen konnte. Und da Matthew das Gospel ist, welches ihn als Gottesgenössischer König hervorstellt, können wir sehen, wie, in Ordnung damit, egal, wie die Umstände sind, dass er in der richtigen Lichtung gesehen werden kann. Es war richtig, es war passend, dass er zu einer staatlichen Angelegenheit gedreht wurde, dass er seine Gerechtigkeit und Segenheit auf solch eine Angelegenheit beeindrucken konnte. Mark sagt uns, dass er in die Wildnis gefahren wurde, um vor der Verzweiflung zu stehen. Und natürlich sind wir nicht überrascht, dass das in dem Gospel ist, welches von dem Herrn Jesus spricht, als Gottes perfektes Servant, Gottes Verbündeter, derjenige, der jede Aufgabe zu ihm vertraut hat, ohne Quibbel. Und wir können sehen, wie passend es ist, dass ein Meister uns beschlägt und ein Verbündeter mit ihm vorgeht, und wir sehen die Relevanz davon. Nun, nachdem wir ein wenig über die Jahre im Gospel angeschaut haben und es so sehen, wie wir es tun, Gottes perfekter Mann, die Lebendigkeit und Charme des Heiligen, als er sich hier in diesem Weltraum bewegt hat, wie schön es ist, dass, wenn es um die Verzweiflung im Wildnis geht, es von ihm gesagt wird, dass er in das Wildnis geleitet wurde. Er hat sich ermöglicht, in diesem kontrollierten Weg zu verhalten. Nun, es ist klar, dass er sich, als ein heiliger, abhängiger Mann, ermöglicht hat, sich in das Wildnis zu leiten. Das bedeutet nicht in irgendeiner Art und Weise, dass seine Reaktion zu den Verzweiflungen hier anders aussieht als seine Tätigkeit, die Gerechtigkeit eines Königs oder die Verzweiflung eines Servants. Aber hier lesen wir das nochmal. Diese ganze, vollständige, furchtbare Verzweiflung, die sich in seiner Menschlichkeit, Geist, Seele und Körper, beeinflusst, und wenn Sie die Details der Verzweiflung anschauen, werden Sie sehen, dass er zu Verzweiflungen hingewiesen wurde, die ihn vollständig testeten. In jeder Teilung seines Seelens, während er sich in diese Sphäre der Verzweiflung einleiten durfte, er lehnte nicht ein wenig zu den Verzweiflungen des Teufels. Wir können sehen, wie gut es da war, dass der perfekte Mann sich in diese Art und Weise leiten durfte. Wir lassen das dort und schauen auf Vers 29. Zuerst einmal, um das zu verstehen, schauen wir uns auf Vers 16 an. Er kam nach Nazareth, wo er aufgenommen wurde. Und wie er es gewohnt war, ging er in die Synagoge am Samstag und stand auf, um zu lesen. Denken Sie nur an diesen Vers. Wie er sich mit seiner perfekten Kindheit und Jugend und Menschlichkeit vermittelt hat. Es spricht von ihm, dass er aufgenommen wurde. Teil dieses guten Aufbringens war sein Verwohnen, sein Habitus, in die Hause Gottes zu gehen, die Synagoge, für den Moment, am Samstag, und stand auf, um zu lesen. Der Schriftzug des Propheten Isaiah wurde zu ihm geliefert. Vers 20, er schloss das Buch. Er gab es wieder dem Minister und saß auf. Die Lehre in den Gospelzeiten war, dass der Lehrer aufsatzte. Und er saß nicht hier auf, weil er fertig war mit dem, was er vorhatte. Er saß auf, um zu lesen, diejenigen, die in der Synagoge waren. Und er begann zu sagen zu ihnen, dieser Tag ist diese Skriptur in euren Ohren. Alle nahmen ihn als Zeugen und wunderten auf die gläubigen Worte, die aus seinem Mund kamen. Vers 22, da, schau dir das Wort an, Wunder, sieben Malzeiten im Gospel, wo Wunder in den Behörden von dem, was er tat, eingeführt wurde. Wieder, eine Tribute an seine Perfektion. Sie wunderten auf die gläubigen Worte, sie sagten, ist das nicht Josephs Sohn? Und dann sagte er, du wirst mir sicherlich dieses Proverb sagen, Physiker, heile dich selbst, was auch immer wir in Kapernaum gehört haben, mache es auch hier in deinem Land. Und er sagte, ich sage dir weder der Prophet ist in seinem Land akzeptiert. Er gibt das Beispiel von Elijah, der Bruder von Serepta, welchen wir angenommen haben, und der Leber in den Tagen von Elijah. Und dann Vers 28, sie wussten, was er fahrend war, die ganzen Tage in der Synagoge, als sie diese Dinge hörten, waren gefüllt mit Wut und wuchs auf und zog ihn aus der Stadt und führte ihn zum Brau der Berge, auf dem ihre Stadt gebaut wurde, und sie führten ihn auf den Brau der Berge. Nicht jetzt geführt in die Wildnis um die Bedrohungen zu verhindern, aber jetzt geführt von seinen Feinden, die auf den Brau der Berge geführt wurden, die Dinge, die er in der Synagoge sagte, und sie waren entspannt die Leben auf der Erde dieses Menschen zu einem plötzlichen Ende zu bringen . Er könnte sie mit einem Wort zerstören . Er wird das mit seinen Feinden tun, wenn die Zeit richtig ist. Er wird sie zerstören durch die Lichtung seines Kommens. Er kam nicht in die Welt für das erste Mal. Einmal am Ende des Weltkrieges kam er in der Gnade , um Menschen Glück zu bringen . Und während er die Macht hatte und es war noch nicht die Zeit , um diese Macht in den Menschen Glück zu bringen . Er könnte sie mit Paralysen zerstören . Sie könnten auf seinen Füßen in Demonstration von seiner Macht sein . Aber der Charme und die Zeit , um ihn zu stoppen , würden nicht realisieren , bis es zu spät war , was passiert war , vielleicht später haben sie gewusst , wie er flieh noch nicht gekommen , aber hier , mit seiner Humilität und Leidenschaft , geht er ruhig auf seinen Weg , ohne auf sie zu verurteilen . Jetzt gehen wir zu dem Ende des Buches . Ich lese aus Vers 47 . Während Jesus noch sprach, sah er eine Menge und er, der namen Judas, einer der zwölf, ging vor ihnen und nahm Jesus mit der Scherze und schlug ihn um und er sagte ihm Herr , so wie wir mit der Scherze gehen und einer von ihnen schlug den Servant des Hochpreisters Dann sagte Jesus zu den Bürgern und Kapitänen des Tempels und den Ältesten, die zu ihm kamen, Seid ihr gekommen, als gegen einen Feigling mit Schwertern und Stäben? Als ich mit euch täglich im Tempel war, streichtetet ihr keine Hände gegen mich, aber das ist eure Stunde und die Macht der Dunkelheit. Dann nahmen sie ihn und lehrten ihn, und brachten ihn in das Haus der Höhenpriester, und Peter folgte weit entfernt. Seine Feinde beginnen, sich zusammenzuhalten. Wir kommen zum Schluss dieses Gospels. Judas beträgt ihn wieder, der Herr Jesus weiß voll und ganz, worum es Judas betrifft, und er lässt ihn weitergehen, weil es für diesen Grund war, dass der Herr Jesus in die Menschheit kam, dass er weitergehen könnte, und weiter, und weiter, in Richtung der Krosse, und diese Treppensteine sind auf dem Weg. Wir haben sie alle hier, Judas in Vers 47. Lasst uns dort pausieren. Es ist einfach zu sehen in dem Disziplin, Peter kennen wir aus einem anderen Gospel, dass Peter nicht verstanden hat, den Geist der Dispensation, die soeben eingeladen wurde. Er bemerkte nicht, dass er von dem Geist der Gnade bewegt werden sollte, als die Dispensation begann, in der Tat nach Pentecost, eine etwas andere Metapher, ein Sims-Gefühl, Christen müssen gezwungen werden, warum geht es Ihnen darum, sich zu zerstören und sich gegenseitig zu bewahren, wie Hunde? Wir sind sehr gezwungen, nicht wahr, das Schwert zu benutzen und als Hunde zu zerstören, völlig aus dem Charakter mit dem Mann, dem wir auch in der Beziehung sind. Nun, es war Judas dort, die Chefpriester, die Kapitän der Kirche, die Eltern, und der Herr sagt jetzt, was denkst du, was du tust? Er hat immer mit Gnade und Gnade gemacht, und trotzdem kam es zu ihm, als jemand, der sich gegen Verhaftung, gegen Verletzung, gegen den Kampf zurückwürde, wieder den Gospel zu lesen, den Gospel von Luke. Er war nicht dieser Art von Mann, war er nicht? Ja, wenn es nötig war, tat er in Gerechtigkeit. Er hat das Tempel gerechtfertigt. Er hat sich in Gerechtigkeit mit denjenigen gehandelt, die behaupteten, Gott zu servieren, und waren trotzdem Gott zu verurteilen. Aber der generelle Stampf seines Lebens war einer von Gerechtigkeit und Leidenschaft, Leidenschaft und Humilität. Er könnte sie wieder in Gerechtigkeit wegschleppen, aber er sagte, komm schon, denkst du wirklich, dass ich in dieser Art reagieren werde? Und als sie das Wort von ihm hatten, nahmen sie ihn, das lesen wir in Vers 54, und führten ihn, und brachten ihn in das Haus der hohen Pfarrer. Der hohe Pfarrer, der der fokale Punkt der Dienst an Gott sein sollte, der fokale Punkt der pfarrerischen Aktivität repräsentativ auf der Seite des Menschen an Gott. Dies, wie wir wissen, ist das Gospel der pfarrerischen Aktivität. Es beginnt mit der pfarrerischen Aktivität von Zacharias und endet mit der pfarrerischen Aktivität von dem Herrn Jesus Christus, die Hände hochgeheizt, um sein Volk zu heilen. Wie unzureichend ist das Gospel, dass dieser hohe Pfarrer, der der fokale Punkt der Dienst an Gott sein sollte, Gott in seiner Person, in die Menschheit zu kommen, um den Menschen nahe an Gott zu bringen, ohne dass der hohe Pfarrer ihn zu unterscheiden hätte, den Herrn Jesus Christus als denjenigen zu bezeichnen, der von jeder Ehre wert war. Wie unzureichend war die Funktion, die er dort vermitteln musste, dass er der fokale Punkt für die Bedrohung dieses wunderbaren Menschen war, dass er verhaftet und weitergezogen werden könnte, einen weiteren Schritt in Richtung des Kreuzes. Und wiederum, in dieser Situation, lesen wir, dass der Herr Jesus ihnen ermöglichte, ihn zu dem Hohen Pfarrerhaus zu leiten. Weiter in der Kategorie, Vers 66. Wir lesen Vers 63. Der Mann, der Jesus hielt, mochte ihn und schlug ihn. Und als sie ihn schlugen, schlugen sie ihn auf den Gesicht und fragten ihn, sagend, Prophezei, wer schlug dich? Und viele andere Dinge sprachen sie blasphemiert gegen ihn. Und sobald es Tag war, kamen die Eltern der Leute und der Pfarrer und der Schreiber zusammen und lehrten ihn in den Kanzel. Jeder von uns wird sich an Gott erkennen. Stets von allen Propheten stets durch die alten Testamentskripten gibt es einen Gott, mit dem die Menschen in der Entscheidung zu tun haben. Oder der Kanzel. Diejenigen, die die eklesiastische Leben der Nation verabschiedeten, waren diejenigen, die in der Position des Äußersten waren. Ich denke, sie haben das genossen. Mit Intelligenz, spiritueller Intelligenz, wenn derjenige, der der Äußerste und der Sterbende sein sollte, in ihrem Umfeld war, sollten sie ihn lehren, sollten sie ihn verlassen. Und trotzdem haben sie sich selbst als diejenigen entschieden, ihn auf den Platz zu stellen, ihn zu beurteilen, wie ausgestattet mit Gottes Gedanken die Menschen sind als Resultat von Sünden. Und trotzdem hat der Herr Jesus wieder gezeigt die Perfektion seiner Leidenschaft. Er hat ihnen erlaubt, ihn zu nehmen und ihn in den Kanzel zu leiten. Er hat ihnen erlaubt, ihn zu beurteilen. Letztendlich sagen sie, Bist du dann der Sohn Gottes? Er hat ihnen gesagt, er sagt, dass ich es bin. Oder ein anderes Gospel sagt, du sagst es. Im 20. Jahrhundert-Vernärkel ist es das selbe, wie wenn jemand sagt, du hast es gesagt. Es ist nicht nur das Sagen, ja, du hast das Statement gemacht. Es ist, ja, du hast die Wahrheit erklärt. Er hat beurteilt, dass das, was sie ihm gesagt haben, wahr war. Und auf dieser Basis, dass er die Gleichheit mit Gott wieder und wieder erklärte. In den Gospeln, besonders John, sind die Menschen heutzutage in Zweifel. Sie sagen, Jesus hat nie wirklich Gott erklärt. Lese die Gospel. Notiere die Aktion und die Antwort der eklesiastischen Experten des Tages. Die Juden, die Regierer, die Zeugen, die Pharisäer. Sie haben seine Worte richtig verstanden. Sie haben Steine aufgenommen, um ihn zu töten, weil er sich mit Gott gleich gemacht hätte, dass Gott sein Vater war. Hier ebenfalls, sie haben die Bedeutung von dem verstanden, was er gesagt hat, dass er sich, während er sich in den Kanzel eingeladen hat, dass das nicht bedeutet, dass es irgendein Erklärung von seiner Beurteilung war, wer er war. Was brauchen wir, haben wir für irgendeinen weiteren Zeugen, wir selbst haben gehört, von seinem eigenen Mund. Sie waren richtig. In dem, was er gesagt hat, war entweder richtig, oder er war der größte Impostor, der je gelebt hat. Und sie kamen zu der falschen Begründung. Sie würden die Wahrheit nicht akzeptieren und sie sagten, er muss ein Impostor sein. Kapitel 23, Vers 1. Die ganze Menge von ihnen entstand und führte ihn zum Piloten. Der Tempelgott war involviert, die ekklesiastischen Regierer waren involviert und nun erlaubt er sich, zu führen zum romanischen Gouverneur. Sie waren alle gegen ihn. Schaut euch Luke an, und seht, wie viele Unternehmen es gibt, Individuen und Unternehmen, die gegen den perfekten Mann in Ehrgeiz gefeuert wurden, sobald das Kreuz sofort nach vorne fließt. Eine Sache, die das zeigt, ist die Anzahl der Begründungen, die gegen ihn kommen. Eine andere Sache, die man bemerkt, Vers 2, dieser Mann. Vers 4, dieser Mann. Vers 14, zweimal, dieser Mann. 18, dieser Mann. 41, dieser Mann. Und dann, für das siebte Mal, das Sanktuarium in Vers 47, dieser Mann war ein rechter Mann. Dieser Mann war rechter. Ja, der Fokus war auf ihm. Dieser Mann. Dieser Mann. Dieser Mann. Pilot, in der Gerechtigkeit seines Büros, auf so einem verantwortungsvollen Niveau hier. Wie oft merken wir, je größer der Privileg, desto größer die Position, desto größer und größer die Verantwortung. Um es zu tun, wurde er zum Pilot geleitet. Vers 26 They led him away. They laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. John's Gospel, in the dignity of his person, we read he, bearing his cross, went forth. In Luke, for part of the way at least, we learn that Simon shared the burden, the grace of Christ, that men were allowed to be associated with him as far and as long as that was possible, until the moment came when he was alone in bearing our sins in his own body on the tree. It says he was led away. Yes, geographically he was led from one location to another. I judge the Holy Spirit is careful to include this term. He was led away. We read in Isaiah 53 he was taken from prison and from justice. That phrase, he was taken from justice, means he wasn't even given the normal consideration due to a common criminal. The way he was arrested, the way he was questioned, the abuse heaped upon him, the way the judgment was arrived at, the way the sentence was pronounced, the way the witnesses were called and heard, the way that there was no appeal allowed, all things contrary both to Roman justice and the Jewish ecclesiastical justice. He was deprived of justice. That's what Isaiah 53 says. The common criminals were given every consideration. We've seen, don't we, in this wicked world, increasingly, getting to that sort of norm. The criminal given every consideration. The poor victim seems to be subject to every kind of abuse. Well, so it was with the Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing full well what lay ahead for him, he allowed them to lead him away, taken away from justice. Verse 32. When they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Verse 32. There were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death. I haven't been as careful as I normally try to be this week in talking about numbers. I would normally say there are at least seven examples in the Gospel of God being glorified in him. There are at least seven references to widows. Because normally if we count up and find a certain number of examples and we state it in public, usually someone can come along and say, well, how about another one and draw to our attention. It's only because I'm convinced the Holy Spirit has implanted this watermark in the Gospel by Luke of things happening in sevens and that I've kept them several times that I've been specific this week in saying seven of this or that. But I do remember once saying in the Gospel, the term Calvary, the associations of Calvary are so special that the term is only used once in Scripture. Afterwards, an interested believer came with a smile and said, if you check it carefully, you'll find if you go to exact translations, it isn't used at all. The word Golgotha is used. Well, in this ordinary English version, certainly Calvary is unique. Even if the word isn't, the thought is there's no place on earth. There's never been any transaction on earth like that that took place at Calvary. Absolutely unique. And the one who was crucified for you and me was absolutely unique. Oh, we say, but there were others there as well. Well, let's look again. There were also two other. Now, I think the translators have been careful. Whether or not there are commas in the Greek language is secondary. I think the translators were right in saying there were two other comma malefactors. The other two were malefactors. He never was. What clinches it is, as many of you will know from your concordances, there's two words for other. One word means another of the same kind. The other word means another of a completely different kind. When you look at your concordance, you won't be surprised to find that these two others were others of an entirely different character and kind to the one, the Lord Jesus Christ. They were other, different characteristically, different in their lifestyle. They were malefactors, and he wasn't. There's no other man that's ever lived in this world like the Lord Jesus Christ. The detail of the text charms the soul when we see the terms that the Holy Spirit uses. They were led, and he was led to be put to death, and there they crucified him. What a climax of circumstances and environments into which he allowed himself in holy manhood to be led, beginning with the temptations. The holiness of his manhood tested at the outset that he was the man that was competent and able and suitable to come to this climax being led to Calvary. He demonstrated that he passed the test of temptation in the first one, and then uniquely he was led and allowed himself to be conducted to the cross. Now, there are two other occasions where the term is used not of the Lord Jesus, but where he speaks of, or where he led others. If you turn back, please, to chapter 21, we'll look at them. 21. Verse 20. When ye shall see Jerusalem come past with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let them which are in the midst of it depart out, and let not them that are in the countries enter therein too. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled, but warn to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. We've read the instances in the Gospels where the leaders of that favoured nation said again and again that they didn't want him. The anointed of God presented himself to the nation of Israel, and they wouldn't have him. As they had rebelled in former days, so now again they rejected the anointed of God. And the Lord says, as in former days when they had been led captive into foreign lands, so having been presented with the claims of the Messiah in person, and having rejected him, the Lord who'd allowed himself to be led in these various ways, he says, they who have refused me, they shall be led captive until the time of restitution of all things. Chapter 24. An example in chapter 21 of justice. An example in chapter 24 of blessing. Verses 49 to 53. They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. Isn't it a joy to the spirit, we who love him as our saviour, that after 24 chapters of men thinking they could do as they like to him, and for our blessing he allowed it to happen. He allowed himself to be led in these various ways. The last touch of leading is a picture of priestly blessing. The exalted saviour, about to ascend where he was before, he'd died, he'd been buried, he was raised from among the dead, he'd spent 40 days with his disciples, and now he was going to leave them. And he was pleased to give this lovely demonstration of priestly activity, he there exalted in the midst, there associated with him, he with hands uplifted in blessing, and the centre of worship. This is what the high priest should have been occupied with instead of seeking to put him to death. But these despised disciples, the castoffs from the nation, one of them, who was brought in later, said he was prepared to be the off-squaring of the earth, to be associated with Christ in such wonderful blessing. Here we have then, in association with Christ, a picture of him in glory, being carried up into heaven again at the end of that perfect life. Here we find that he is conducted up in an appreciative way, in order that there might now be a living man in heaven. Lovely terminus to the gospel, that the man who allowed himself to be so led can be last seen leading his people in praise and in worship, and leaving them behind representatively on his behalf. Let us, as we notice these things in the gospel, appreciate the wonder and the favour that is ours, that we have this treasure in our hands, in our own language, that we can pour over its pages and receive such blessing for our souls. Let us now sing hymn number 230. O Lord, when we the path retrace, which thou on earth hast trod, to man thy wondrous love and grace, thy faithfulness to God. We wonder at thy lowly mind, and fain would like thee be, and all our rest and pleasure find in learning, Lord, of thee. 230 …