Luke 22:39–42 -- Faithfulness in the Midst of Hard Choices

Luke 22:39-42 

English Standard Version 

  Obedience doesn't always equate enthusiasm.  Jesus asked for another option.  He was looking for plan B.  And yet... he was willing to do whatever was necessary according to the will of God.  Jesus was faithful first, and willing to submit his own desires to God's desires.

  And so we pray for God to change our hearts, but we also have to discern sometimes what God's will is, even if our hearts aren't leading us in the same direction.  Faithfulness and obedience to the call of God matters more.  

  This passage always makes me think of CS Lewis, who notes that the door to hell is locked from the inside.  He wrote that in the end, there will be two types of people -- those who are willing to say to God, Thy will be done, and those to whom God will ultimately say, thy will be done.  

  Whose will shall we follow today?  

Luke 22:35–38 -- Discipleship in Different Chapters of Life

Luke 22:35-38 

English Standard Version 

  There was a time in my life when I moved everything I owned in the back of a Ford Explorer.  It was easy.  I still remember the feeling when I realized that everything we owned wasn't going to fit into the back of the moving truck we'd rented in Chattanooga.  I knew how much we had when we moved into that house -- it wasn't even enough to fill half of the truck.  Things had changed.

  Life changes all the time.  The same is true of our discipleship.  At one point, Jesus sent out the disciples with no moneybag or knapsack, and they had enough.

  Now, Jesus is telling them to take the moneybags and buy a sword.  Much has been debated of this over the years.  I'm not in a position to tell you exactly what Jesus meant when he said this, but it's clear that the church has been oppressed, sometimes violently, over the years.  As we talked about on All Saints' Day, before too long it became a problem to commemorate the martyrs on the anniversary of their death because there were so many martyrs. I don't think that means that each Christian in the present day and age needs to run out and buy a sword... but I do think that our individual calling and equipping changes over the years.  Life and discipleship looks different in different chapters of our lives.  So may we trust in God and lean into the ways God prepares us and sends us into the world.  God will ensure we have enough.

Jurassic Park, Halloween Costumes, and the Gospel

Caleb and I dressed up in Jurassic Park style for Halloween... and I think we mostly confused people.  But there was one person who got it!  And that made it all worthwhile.

Which is a reminder of the Gospel -- in the midst of so much sin and brokenness, there are moments where the Gospel shines through and reminds us all of the grace and beauty in the world.

Luke 22:31–34 -- Failing and Rebounding

Luke 22:31-34 

English Standard Version 

  Being a parent involves the temptation to try and remove every single obstacle from your child's life.  We want the road to be smooth and easy for them.  But it's also a process of knowing that they need some opposition to build resilience.  That's a vital trait, and so how does one decide where to let them stumble and where to clear the way?  I haven't yet figured out the answer to that.  I probably lean towards clearing the way.  

  What's interesting to me is the way that Jesus sets this all up.  Jesus tells Peter that he's about to be sifted by the Devil.  At which point, if I were Peter, I'd ask for plan B.  Jesus tells Peter that Jesus will pray for Peter... but he doesn't remove the trial from Peter.  Peter is going to fail -- Jesus prays that Peter will have the capacity to rebound from his failure and then serve his brothers.  Jesus prays that Peter will use this weakness to strengthen others, that it won't be wasted.

  Peter denies that he will deny Jesus  (spoiler:  Peter denies Jesus soon).  Peter claims he will die before denying Jesus, showing us that we barely know our own weaknesses.

  Jesus loves him anyway.  Jesus knows he will fail, and yet Jesus prays for him -- not that he will avoid pain and trials, but that he will come out of the trials stronger.

  Just because you are going through something hard in your life, it doesn't mean that Jesus has forgotten you.  Jesus is still praying for you.