”Jesus: Faithful Under Pressure ” Luke 22:47-71 by Pastor Kevin Dibbley

One of the common illustrations that is frequently used to describe the gospel is that of a diamond.
Jewelers will display a diamond on a piece of black velvet in order that the many facets and the clarity
and color of the diamond might stand out to the human eye. In Luke 22:47-71, we see the incomparable
beauty of the diamond who is Jesus Christ against the backdrop of evil and sin. This is now the darkest
period in Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Here he faces betrayal and abandonment by his closest friends. Here he faces the hypocrisy and injustice of the religious system that simply wants him out of the way. Against the backdrop of this ugly moment, Luke wants us to see the beauty of Jesus. In fact, Luke wants us to do a couple of things. He wants us to see ourselves in the scene. We are those who have been unfaithful and disloyal to Christ. We are those who, like the high priest’s servant, have gone along with those who have failed to do what is right and good. We like Peter have been embarrassed by Jesus. We have been guilty of a failure to be just towards others even though we had no excuse.

 

If we examine the Scriptures honestly, “we all like sheep have gone astray.” Like Saul of Tarsus, we are confronted with the fact that we are guilty of persecuting Jesus. What do you do with all that sense of
guilt and shame and betrayal? What do we do when we see ourselves in the dark places of the Bible?
Luke says “Look to Jesus”. In this text we see everyone around Jesus, it seems, being deeply unfaithful.
But Jesus is faithful under pressure! He is faithful to God and faithful to us. Our hope when we are
growing as Christians, confessing sin, and being honest with ourselves before God, is not in our own
faithfulness.

It is in the faithfulness of Jesus towards us. Jesus who was faithful in Luke 22 will continue
to be faithful to us to the very end. So, come this Sunday, and bring your unfaithfulness and lay it at the
feet of the One who sees you, loves you, and is committed to you to the very end. Let’s be captivated by
the beauty of Jesus again this Sunday.

Looking forward to worshipping with you!