Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen, 04 Apr 2015, morning
Luke 22:26-33
26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
When He went into the garden to pray He took Peter, James and John to watch with Him. He went a little further to pray. Then the soldiers came to arrest Him. When Peter saw what was about to happen he drew his sword to cut off the head of Malchus, the servant of the high priest. He missed and only cut off his ear. Jesus touched his ear and healed him and told Peter to put away his sword, for all they that live by the sword will die by the sword.
Maybe you don’t know why certain things are happening to you. But consider your ways whether you’re not perhaps reaping what you’ve sowed. Even as God had said, the soul that sins will die.
Become wise, that which you sow you will reap, even in this life.
When the rich man died and went to hell he lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. He pleaded with Abraham that he might dip his finger in water and cool his tongue for he was tormented in those flames. But Abraham answered him that while on earth Lazarus suffered and he enjoyed his riches. Now Lazarus was comforted and he was suffering.
Christian tradition have it that as Jesus was carrying His cross He leaned against a rich man’s house. The rich man came out swearing at Him and pushed Him away that He fell. He walked further until He couldn’t walk anymore, because He was already greatly weakened by the terrible scourging He received. Then Simon came and they forced him to carry His cross. Through him carrying the cross he and his family was blessed and became pillars in the church.
Maybe your problem is that you’re not carrying your cross. Your cross signifies death to yourself and your rights.
When Jesus went to the cross many woman followed Him weeping. Have you ever wept for yourself and your sin. Revival starts with yourself.
Has there ever been a day in your life where you’ve come to the realisation that He was on the cross because of you?
The story is told of Stenburg, who was a famous painter in Dusseldorf, being asked to paint a picture of the crucifixion. One day he decided to walk through the city and came across a small, poor Gipsy girl in a ragged red dress, but her face struck Stenburg as exceptionally beautiful and he decided to make a painting of her. He asked her to come to his studio three times a week. Her name was Pepita. Each time she came she enquired about the painting of the crucifixion, but Stenburg answered her roughly until one day he decided to tell her the full story and get done with it. When he had told her everything about Jesus dying for us on the cross, she exclaimed, “sir you must love him very much for what he did for you!”. After she left those words kept returning until he decided to seek help and came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He then thought to himself what he could do for Jesus, who gave His all for him. He realised he couldn’t preach but he could paint, and he decided to make a painting of Jesus face on the cross full of love and care, with this inscription below the painting, “This I did for you, what are you doing for Me?”. He donated the painting to the public gallery in Dusseldorf and regularly went there to watch from a distance how the people react when they view the painting. He saw many stopping awhile and looking intently at the painting. One day he saw a girl weeping in front of that painting and he asked her what the matter was. She exclaimed that she wished that Jesus loved her too, for they were a despised people, the Gipsies. At that moment he recognised her, Pepita, the Gipsy girl he painted. Then he explained the Gospel to her that Jesus died for her too and she was saved and left rejoicing. (Details of this story can be found here )
Have your heart ever broken before God? If not His death means nothing for you.