Jesus' Final Table Talk - Nathan Rages

 

In Luke 22:24-38 as Jesus and His apostles shared their Last Supper, our Lord discussed several topics of practical importance for His apostles and for us:  
1. Attaining true greatness
     Reject shameful rivalries (v24).
     Pursue Christ-like service (v25-27).
2. Anticipating future rewards
     Christ’s commendation (v28).
     Heavenly benefits (v29-30).
3. Arming for battle
     Use available means (v35-36).
     Look to Christ’s prophecy-fulfilling death (v37).

The First Lord's Supper - Nathan Rages

 

As a follow-up to last week's sermon on the "Last Supper" from Luke 22, we focus on Jesus initiating a new symbolic meal, usually called the Lord's Supper, the Lord's Table, the Breaking of Bread or Communion. We discuss five aspects of it:
1. It began with a thankful prayer (v19).
2. It included two symbols (v19-20).
3. It was to remember Jesus’ substitutionary death (v19-20).
4. It should be repeated perpetually (v19).
5. It points to the New Covenant (v20).

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The Last Passover - Nathan Rages

Luke 22:7-20 records Jesus' "Last Supper" with His twelve disciples.  It was a very special meal that began with the Old Covenant Passover  which was then transformed into the New Covenant "Lord's Supper".  

This message is focused on five aspects of the Last Passover: 
1. Its historical background (v1,7).
2. Its providential preparation (v8-13).
3. Its emotional importance (v14-15).
4. Its optimistic ending (v16-18). 
5. Its Christ-centered fulfillment (v16).

The Man Who Made the World's Worst Bargain - Nathan Rages

 

This message from Luke 22:1-6,21-23 is about the downfall of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who sold out Jesus Christ in exchange for thirty pieces of silver -- the world's worst bargain. We highlight six elements in the story:

1. His desperate partners (v2,4-5).
2. His Satanic possession (v3).
3. His privileged position (v3,47).
4. His shocking betrayal (v21-23,47-48).
5. His terrible bargain (v4-6).
6. His fulfillment of prophecy (v21-22, Ps. 41:9,55:12-14, Zech. 11:12-13).

What Jesus' Prophecies Mean to You - Nathan Rages

 

In this Second Part of our teaching from Luke 21:5-36, we focus on practical application.  How can we apply Christ's prophetic message in our own lives?  Here are seven ways:
1. Trust Jesus’ reliable words. (v32-33).
2. Realize the Old Covenant era is totally finished (v5-6,20-24).
3. Don’t be misled by “end-times” teachers (v8).
4. Expect persecution to result in Gospel opportunities (v12-15).
5. Take comfort that Christ’s suffering people will triumph (v16-19,28).
6. Know that all God’s threatened punishments will happen (v22-23).
7. Stay spiritually alert and ready to face Jesus (v34-36).

The Amazing Accuracy of Jesus Prophecies - Nathan Rages

 

Luke 21:5-36 contains Luke's version of Jesus' longest prophecy discourse in the Bible.  This message first walks through an outline interpreting the meaning of the passage and then describes how Jesus' prophecies were amazingly fulfilled in history just as He had predicted.
1. Initial prediction of Temple’s destruction (v5-6).
2. Disciples’ questions about the timing and the sign (v7).
3. Jesus’ answer:
     Preliminary upheavals in politics and nature (v8-11).
     Persecution of Christians (v12-19). 
     The sign that destruction is now imminent (v20).
     Actions for believers when destruction is imminent (v21-23).
     Jerusalem’s great suffering (v23-24). 
     Signs in the heavens and fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy (v25-28).
     Parable about trees (v29-31).
     How soon all these things will happen (v32-33).
     Exhortation to obedient alertness (v34-36).   

Historical fulfillments of Jesus' prophecies
1. Temple destroyed without one stone on another (v6).
2. False messiahs misleading people (v8).
3. Wars, revolts, and political disturbances (v9-10).
4. Earthquakes (v11).
5. Famines (v11). 
6. “Great signs from heaven” (v11).
7. Christians persecuted by Jews, including martyrdom (v12,16). 
8. Persecution leading to witnessing opportunities in which  believers had on-the-spot eloquence (v13-15).
9. Jerusalem surrounded by armies (v20).
10. Christians fleeing from the city to safety (v21).
11. Extreme suffering within Jerusalem (v22-23).
12. Jews dying by the sword (v24).
13. Jews sent into captivity throughout the nations (v24). 
14. City “trampled underfoot by Gentiles” (v24).
15. Catastrophic political changes (v25-26). 
16. All happening while members of “this generation” were alive (v32).