The Story of Good Friday: Luke 22-23

[0:00] Hey, I’m Dave, one of the pastors here. And Good Friday’s our day each year where we take time out to remember the events of Jesus’ death over 2,000 years ago. And isn’t the weather so lovely at Easter time each year, in the mountains at least, and a great time to reflect? I don’t know about you, but I find reading the events of Jesus’ death quite harrowing, quite sombre, quite appalling, but also rich in that we see God’s love we see why Jesus died and we see how we’re to respond to him and we just get a sense of the awesomeness of Jesus and the glory of God, it’s quite extraordinary, and this year I thought it’d be helpful to just go through the story.

[0:55] And the original Good Friday story, which starts the night before, the Jewish day starts the night before. So the Passover on the Thursday night, and then later that night, midnight in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then early in the morning, his arrest and his trials later in the morning and his crucifixion, which goes from morning to halfway through the afternoon. So we just want to go through that whole process, make some comments on the way, and do it from Luke 22 and 23, I guess as an act of reflection and devotion. So I’m asking for you to really allow yourself to be moved, as Jack prayed earlier. And we’ll have lots of pictures to help and help the kids. There are kids’ activities out the back as well.

[1:56] Toby’s then going to do an item, a sing to us, and Dan’s going to lead us in communion. So this is the story of Good Friday. In Luke 22, verse 1, we arrive at Passover time, and it begins with a plot. The chief priests and the scribes, look for a way to kill Jesus. And we discover that this plot isn’t just about human authorities being worried about Jesus and wanting to do something about him. No, something else is going on. And we find this out later in verse 53, where Jesus says to the crowds who come to arrest him, Your hour has come, and so has the power of darkness.

[2:45] And Satan now steps onto the stage and enters Judas Iscariot, 1 of the 12, verse 3. That’s how Luke puts it. Satan enters Judas. Who is Satan? He’s this mysterious figure in the scriptures. The word Satan means accuser. And the accusation is going to be leveled at Jesus. He’s going to be accused in all kinds of ways, just like in the temptation when Jesus first encountered Satan in the wilderness. And Satan is out to get Jesus and to throw it and prevent him redeeming the world. And the Satan, the Hassassan, the accuser, is using Judas. Judas is going to do the satanic job of handing Jesus over. So Judas goes to the chief priests.

[3:45] They agree to pay him, verse 5, and he starts to look for an opportunity to hand Jesus over. And then when we come to the Passover meal, verse 14, Jesus says these amazing words, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat this again until it’s fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he repeats that in verse 18. When he takes the cup and gives thanks, he says, I won’t drink of the fruit of the vine again until the kingdom of God comes.

[4:24] And this makes it absolutely clear that as far as Jesus is concerned, his death and resurrection will be the inauguration of God’s kingdom on earth. How can this be? Well, the kingdom of God is what happens when the ruler of this world, the dark lord, who is claimed to be the ruler of this world back in chapter 4, when he was tempting Jesus, he made that claim to be the ruler of the world. When that dark Lord is finally defeated, that’s when the kingdom of God comes. That when Jesus dies under the weight of the world’s sin, that is the defeat of the powers of evil. So that from the moment of Jesus’ resurrection onwards, the kingdom of God has begun. And that’s what this is all about. and the meal, the Passover meal, the bread and the wine point to a time very soon when Jesus rises again and the kingdom dawns. He took the bread. This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me. And after supper, he took the cup. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. The new covenant, according to Jeremiah chapter 31, is the covenant of forgiveness, of the lavish forgiveness that God will now offer the whole world.

[5:54] But the dark shadow is right there on the table, verse 21. The hand of the one who will betray me is next to my hand on the table, says Jesus.

[6:08] And so Jesus warns the disciples that bad times are coming, and Satan wants to sift them like wheat. But I have prayed for you, verse 31. And verse 37, Jesus quotes Isaiah the prophet, Isaiah 53 verse 12. He was numbered with the transgressors and he says, this must be fulfilled in me.

[6:34] Verse 39, Jesus heads to the Garden of Gethsemane and says to the disciples, pray that you won’t come into the trial. What is the trial? What is the parasmos in the Greek? This is the great trial. This is the great showdown between God the Creator and the powers of evil. And Jesus sees this great trial coming. And Jesus is very anxious and concerned that his followers don’t get caught up in that trial. They’re going to be pretty close to it. Judas has been engulfed already by it. It’s going to threaten Peter, and Peter will deny Jesus. It’s going to threaten them all in one way or another. But the parasmus, the trial, ultimately is something that Jesus is going to have to face himself solo. He’s going to go by himself and do what has to be done and take on these powers of darkness. It’s a terrifying thought. And Jesus prays, verse 42, Father, if you’re willing, take this cup of suffering from me. And there’s an angel there strengthening Jesus.

[7:52] But he’s in agony, and he keeps praying fervently with sweat, like drops of blood falling to the ground, which does happen to people who are under severe stress. The disciples have no idea what’s going on, and Luke says they’re asleep because they’re exhausted by sorrow. And Jesus says, get up and pray that you won’t come into the trial, the Perasmos. This is the moment when the power of evil throughout history, the dark force that has corrupted humanity from the very beginning and brought all these wars and violence and a thousand varieties of wickedness. And Jesus has met so many disturbed and destroyed souls in his ministry, people who have been under the sway of the evil one, demonic forces, and Jesus now sees the dark vortex of evil coming upon himself. And the trial arrives in the person of Judas and the crowd he’s leading. Judas comes forward to kiss Jesus. This echoes the Psalms, my own familiar a friend, whom I trusted, now has lifted his hand against me.

[9:18] With Judas are the chief priests, the temple guards, and the elders of Israel. Very serious people, a whole crowd of them come. And Jesus says, am I leading a rebellion that you come with swords and clubs? And then there’s the moment when Jesus says, verse 53, this is your hour and the power of darkness. The powers of darkness have now come upon Jesus. and Jesus is going ahead of the people and ahead of the world to take the full force of that evil upon himself. As he said in chapter 13, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often have I longed to gather you as children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings and you were not willing. In other words, Jesus’ desire is to take the full force of everything that evil will do to him upon himself in order to give the world a way of salvation from that evil.

[10:33] Like a hen who is killed by a fire, but the chicks are still alive, protected under the hen’s wings.

[10:44] And so in verse 66, he’s taken before the Jewish council.

[10:53] And then beginning in chapter 23, the whole assembly of that council, it’s about 71 men and others who were there. This whole crowd drags Jesus to face Pilate, the governor, the Roman governor.

[11:13] Saying, verse 2, we found this man deceiving the nation. That’s a charge which goes back to Deuteronomy. Moses said, watch out for false prophets who lead Israel astray. So this is Satan, the accuser at work through the chief priests and the elders.

[11:35] Accusing Jesus of deceiving our nation and opposing taxes to Caesar, which is exactly what Jesus has not done. Because as far as Jesus is concerned, Caesar is dark, Caesar is evil. But the real enemy is the Satan himself and that’s the enemy that Jesus is now going to do battle with the third charge is that he was claiming to be the Messiah a king and they’re interpreting that as Jesus claiming to have earthly sovereignty and yes Jesus is saying that through him the kingdom of God will come on earth but we’ve seen through all of Luke’s gospel that Jesus has taught that that kingdom is about forgiveness and peace, and generous love. It’s not the kind of royal claim that would be a problem to the Roman governor. So Pilate asked Jesus, verse 3, so you’re the king of the Jews? And Jesus replies, you said it. In other words, you’ve used those words and I’m not going to complain.

[12:51] But Pilate sees right through the chief priests, and he knows that Jesus has not been fomenting violent revolution. And he says, I find no fault in this man. But the crowds are insistent, and the chief priests, seizing this moment, say, he’s stirring up the people throughout the whole of Judea. He began in Galilee and now has come down here. And Pilate hearing that Jesus is from Galilee says that’s the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas and Herod is in Jerusalem for the Passover.

[13:32] And Herod is the would-be king of the Jews. He inherited that title, King of the Jews, from his father, Herod the Great. And so Pilate sends Jesus to Herod. and so Jesus confronts the would-be king of the Jews and Herod is delighted he’s heard about Jesus but he’s so superficial he wants Jesus to perform some signs verse 8, that musical Jesus Christ Superstar has a really lovely scene that catches this so well where Herod says, prove to me that you’re divine. Turn my water into wine. Prove to me that you’re no fool. Walk across my swimming pool. I love that. And Jesus refuses, of course. Herod loses his temper and yells at him. Herod questions him every which way, verse 9, and Jesus gives no answer. And the chief priests and the scribes who’d come along to see all of this, they’ve tagged along.

[14:48] They stand by, accusing Jesus vehemently. And Herod and his soldiers begin to ridicule Jesus. Oh, you’re a king, are you? Let’s put the best robe on you. That’ll be fun. We’ll pretend you’re the king.

[15:06] And they send Jesus like that, wearing that robe, back to Pilate. And verse 12, Herod and Pilate, who previously were enemies, They hated each other. Luke says, now become friends. And there’s a sense that the powers of darkness are now getting together to conspire against Jesus. Pilate says to the Jewish leaders and the crowds, you brought a man before me on the charge of inciting the people to rebellion. I’ve examined him, found no basis for the charges. I’m going to flog him and let him go. But they aren’t having it. away with this man. Release to us Barabbas instead. And this is how Luke develops the theme of Jesus the Innocent One, dying in the place of the guilty, because Barabbas was a revolutionary.

[16:07] He’s in prison for murder that had happened during an uprising in Jerusalem. Barabbas is exactly the man of violence and rebellion that Jesus is definitely not.

[16:25] And there’s a tradition that Pilate releases one person each year at Passover, and you’d think he’d release Jesus, but the crowds call for Barabbas. Crucify Jesus, they cry, and release Barabbas. So Luke draws it together in verse 25 in a way that tells us what Jesus’ death is all about. How are the powers of darkness? going to be defeated by Jesus taking the place of the sinner.

[17:04] Represented here by Barabbas, Jesus releases the man who is in prison for murder and insurrection, and gives Jesus over to the crowd for crucifixion. The innocent one dying in place of the guilty. Isaiah 53, wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, As Jesus has said, he wanted to be the hen Who gathers the chicks under her wings, And here, that’s exactly what he’s beginning to do Taking Barabbas’ place.

[17:52] And it’s a very concrete example Barabbas, the one who has deserved this fate But the fate was taken by the innocent Jesus, in the words of Isaiah 53 again by oppression and injustice his life is taken away and the result is that the power of evil is broken not just the power of Rome, though from now on Rome is under judgment, but rather the power of the Satan the dark power that has used Rome and has brought the chief priests and the crowds stars, under his sway.

[18:36] That power is now defeated as Jesus heads for his death. So Pilate releases the rebel and the murderer and crucifies the innocent Jesus instead. That’s the meaning of Jesus’ death. So Pilate hands Jesus over to the will of the crowds.

[18:55] Verse 25, handed over is another phrase from Isaiah 53, the prophecy of Isaiah. He’s handed over to the place of sin and condemnation the place of shame just as in chapter 15 people accused Jesus of eating with sinners now he’s going to die the death of sinners.

[19:16] Verse 26 Jesus by now has been beaten up mocked, humiliated he’s incapable of carrying the cross beam the horizontal piece, that he will be crucified on And so the soldiers grab a man from Cyrene, that’s North Africa, called Simon, who’s a pilgrim there for Passover. And they force Simon to carry the crossbeam behind Jesus. And a great crowd of people are following, including the women who are mourning and wailing for Jesus. Jesus turns to the women and says, Verse 28, daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me. Weep instead for yourselves and your children. There are terrible times coming that will come on Jerusalem.

[20:07] In verse 32, two other criminals will be crucified alongside Jesus as a way of saying this is who he is. He’s just a criminal. He’s a violent revolutionary. And he’s going to die the death of the violets.

[20:27] Verse 33, they come to the place called the skull, and they crucify him. With a criminal on his right and a criminal on his left. This is the extraordinary moment that Jesus prays. Verse 34, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. The one who had taught the gospel of forgiveness is praying, Father, forgive these people who are crucifying me. And Luke doesn’t give us the details of crucifixion because in that world everyone knew what crucifixion was it was terrifying, horrible, dehumanizing, torture that went on for hour after hour after hour, and they divide Jesus’ clothes, casting lots for him for those clothes and that’s fulfillment of psalm 22 and the rulers mock jesus verse 35 he saved others let him save himself if he’s the messiah if he’s god’s chosen one let him come down from the cross this goes all the way back to the temptations by satan in the in the wilderness if you’re the son of god turn these stones into bread if you’re the son of god i’ll put you on top of the temple, throw yourself down and the angels of heaven will stop you from hitting the ground.

[21:56] And now Satan, through the crowds around Jesus, is saying, Save yourself if you really are the chosen one of God. But Jesus, calling from his baptism on, was to be the chosen one by not saving himself.

[22:18] And the soldiers add their taunts, offering cheap wine and saying, if you’re the king of the Jews, save yourself. As far as the soldiers are concerned, he’s obviously a rebel king. In fact, verse 38, the charge is written above his head, this is the king of the Jews. This is mocking Jesus. But for Luke, this is so important because right at the beginning of Luke’s gospel, the angel’s announcement to Mary is.

[22:48] From that time, we’ve known that Jesus was going to be given the throne of his father David. He was going to become the king of the Jews. But now we see what Jesus’ throne will look like. Now Jesus is being enthroned as the Lord of the world through his suffering and death. His lordship is all about suffering and self-giving love for those in need, we’ve seen jesus teaching that we’ve seen him modeling it and now we see jesus giving himself away giving his very life for the sins of the world and for luke this is the moment of jesus victory. Jesus is facing the darkest of all dark foes, not just Rome, but the dark power, Satan himself. And this is how Jesus is genuinely exalted.

[23:51] The mockery is the truth. The charge above his head is the reality. This indeed is the King of the Jews, this one who comes through self-giving love, for that is the very heart of God.

[24:13] And here is Jesus hanging between two criminals, verse 39. Isaiah 53 again, he was numbered with the transgressors, and one of them starts insulting Jesus, but the other tells him to shut up. Don’t you fear God? We’re sharing the same fate as this man Jesus, but in our case, we’re getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. This is the theme of the innocence of Jesus yet dying, the death for the guilty. And this man next to Jesus is saying exactly that we deserve it. But he is getting it. And then the man extraordinarily prays. This is the first person who looks at Jesus dying on the cross and realizes Jesus is the means of his salvation. Verse 42, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

[25:19] I don’t know what he understands, but he’s saying, Jesus, when you come into your kingdom, I want to be with you. And I know that you can save me. And Jesus says, yes, today you’ll be with me in paradise.

[25:40] And the point is, the same is true for anyone who looks at the crucified Son of God and comes to him in faith. That’s what Luke is saying, that anyone who looks at Jesus, even the worst offender in this world, who looks at Jesus and says, Jesus, remember me, that person is assured that Jesus will look after them, that they will be in paradise. They will be in Jesus’ kingdom with Jesus forever.

[26:18] And just as we were told before this is your hour and the power of darkness now the darkness descends verse 44 from the 6th hour there was darkness over the whole land until the 9th hour, and Luke adds the sun’s light failed and in the middle of that the veil of the temple is torn in two. The story of the temple’s destruction and the story of Jesus’ death are woven together. I love this picture because you can see the temple and Jesus’ execution are across from each other and they are related to one another. And as Jesus dies, the temple is destroyed. The curtain torn in two. The temple is desecrated. It’s no longer the way to God. And the way now has been made open through Jesus.

[27:20] To come to God, so that all that the temple represented, the coming together of heaven and earth, now Jesus is that place where heaven and earth come together. And continuing, the centurion who sees Jesus dying says, truly this man is righteous, verse 47. This echoes again, Isaiah 53, by his knowledge, Shall the righteous one, my servant, make the many righteous, and he will bear their iniquities. And he praises God. It’s the first Gentile who gives glory to God in Luke’s gospel, and it’s right at the end.

[28:08] Jesus breathes his last. And the crowds, verse 48, seeing what happened, beat their breasts and leave. and Jesus’ friends and followers look from afar in grief and horror.

[28:28] So we have this criminal on the cross, Jesus, when you come into your kingdom, remember me. And we have this centurion saying, surely this is a righteous man. We have his friends and followers in shock. We have the crowds beating their breasts and just going away.

[28:53] And Luke leaves us with the question, how will we respond? How will we respond?

[29:06] Father, surely he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. Surely the punishment for our sin was placed upon him, and by his wounds we have been healed.

[29:28] He is the one who is righteous we are the ones who are guilty, thank you father for this wonderful news that the son of god died in our place, so that we could be in paradise forever with him, we ask you father to make us true people of faith who do indeed give glory to God because of what we see here. Father, may we repent of arrogance, repent of superficiality, the way Herod wanted Jesus to do party tricks for him, the way Pilate acquiesces to the crowds rather than standing up for truth. Help us stand for the truth, to see the reality of who Jesus is and to live for him, our hearts full of praise to you. We pray that we will be absolutely strong in our faith, absolutely in love and devoted to Jesus, and we pray it in his name. Amen.