A Narrative Sermon on Luke 22:24-46
As Luke walked through the rain toward the corner house he was apprehensive. That surprised him. He knew all along that this was the climax of the process—that he would have to present his work to these men before it could be copied and used to teach the disciples. But he didn’t think it would be this nerve-wracking.
His wife had encouraged him by reminding him that they were all anxiously waiting for his account of the life of Jesus. They were his colleagues and friends, after all. And he reminded himself that his mentor and companion Paul had encouraged him and helped him with the work. Paul would be there tonight to support him. That helped comfort him.
When he arrived at the threshold, Luke prayed, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands; yes, Lord, establish the work of our hands. Amen.”
Mnason’s wife met him at the door, greeted him warmly, and took his cloak. She directed him into a warm, well-lit room filled with men standing around talking. Luke remembered that the Mnason household was among the first to be baptized and become Christians in Jerusalem. Ever since then his house, situated in such a convenient place in the city, had been a welcome home away from home for so many travelling disciples.
“Here’s Doctor Luke,” one of the men in the room announced. “Get him a glass of wine,” another one said. That was Trophimus, one of the first converts from Asia. Luke hoped that he had brought a bottle or two of that Asian wine he had tasted in Troas a few months ago. Trophimus was one of about seven men that travelled with Paul and Luke from Troas to Jerusalem.
As he walked in the room, a man Luke had not met before, greeted him warmly with a kiss, and said, “Master Luke. Peace be with you! I am Matthew…yes, that Matthew.”
Luke was ready to go down on his knees to honor Matthew, the author of the first Gospel account. But Matthew, smiling broadly, grabbed him by the shoulders and said, “I’m so glad we finally get to meet. I do hope my correspondence has been helpful to your work. Oh, speaking of your work, please let me take these scrolls from you. I’ll put them on the table for you, brother Luke. We are so pleased you are here with us tonight!”
After greeting the others and waiting for the arrival of a few more, James, the pastor of the Jerusalem church, finally called the meeting to order. “Men, it is time get down to business. Thank you all for coming tonight. Before we pray, I trust that everyone made sure they were not followed here. Okay, good. Any sign of trouble that needs to be reported? Yes, Bartholomew.”
Bartholomew said, “There is. I think everyone should know that I heard from credible sources that there is a malicious plot being hatched by the leaders of the Jews to capture Paul tomorrow…” From the back of the room he was interrupted by a loud voice, “What? Tomorrow? Does that mean they’re going to leave me alone tonight! What a relief. Praise God! I look forward to a good night sleep!” That, of course, was Paul.
After the laughter died down, Bartholomew continued, “Okay. I know Jewish plots against Paul are old news. But these conspirators seem to be much more serious and include Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. I’m just saying. When Paul goes to the temple tomorrow we should probably send a few men with swords to protect him against assassins.”
Everyone seemed to be in agreement that that would be wise, but Paul stood up in the back and said, “No, men. Not this time. No sneaking me out of the city in a basket lowered from the window in the wall. No defensive measures to keep me safe. I’ve appreciated that in the past. But this time, the Holy Spirit has told me that I will be arrested and suffer. I’ve told most of you this already. I’m prepared for it.”
“But look, my colleague Luke is here tonight to present his account of the Good News of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I don’t want to upstage him. Let’s talk about my situation tomorrow morning before I go up to the Temple. In some ways, the timely publication of Luke’s account is crucial. Given the new situation we find ourselves in since Matthew and Mark wrote their accounts, our churches need Luke’s work because it is written to speak to the challenges we now face.”
“So, James, if I may, I propose we pray and then listen to Luke read his narrative. I know there will be a great deal to talk about after we hear what he has composed.”
“Thank you, Paul,” James said. Yes, that is wise. Let’s open with prayer and then Luke can begin his reading. Peter, would you lead us in prayer? We should all get down on our knees and pray.”
Peter made his way to Luke and put his arm around him as if they were old friends. That made Luke’s stomach churn all the more. Peter was an intimidating presence. Luke had only met Peter once before, but now he was thinking of everything he had written about Peter in his narrative of Jesus and the disciples. Not all of it was flattering, to say the least. But they knelt together while Peter prayed. Peter’s prayer, however, was very reassuring.
Peter finished and everyone got up and arranged themselves around the table for the reading. Luke sat down at the table and unrolled the scroll and began to read.
“In as much as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have come to fulfillment among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”
Someone interrupted and asked who Theophilus was. Is his name really “Loved by God”? Luke answered that question and many more as he continued his reading late into the evening. More than once the oil lamps had to be replenished, but no one appeared to grow weary or lose interest in the story as Luke had composed it.
Of all the matters discussed that night, maybe the most instructive for everyone present was the conversation about the honesty of Luke’s narrative in describing the immaturity, the foolishness, and the sin of the original 12 disciples during the last days of Jesus’ ministry.
At one point during the reading, Nathaniel said, “Luke, I noticed that your account of what happens after the Jesus’ Last Supper is fuller than Matthew and Mark’s. And that between the Supper and the Betrayal of Jesus by Judas the story seems to focus more on the disciples than on Jesus. That’s a bit different than the first two Gospel stories.”
Luke answered, “Yes, that is correct.”
“Why is that,” Nathaniel asked. “I have an idea.”
“What are your thoughts? Let me see if I’ve written it in such a way that you can discern the meaning.”
Nathaniel hesitated. “Okay. But if I get it wrong that doesn’t mean your writing isn’t clear. I just may need to think about it more carefully. This is my first hearing of your version of the story.”
“No problem.” Luke was glad Nathaniel was taking a charitable approach to his Gospel.
Nathaniel continued, “If I’ve heard you correctly, Luke, you want us to appreciate both the enormous privileges that were being promised to the disciples, such as ‘sitting on 12 thrones,’ as well as their pitiful qualifications for fulfilling those responsibilities.”
Luke said, “Yes, that was definitely part of my intention.”
Peter spoke up, “Uh, please remember, we were all young men. That was almost 30 years ago.”
Luke said, “Yes, of course, Peter. I believe readers will be able to appreciate the fact that you didn’t continue to behave the way you did back then. That you learned from your mistakes and matured.”
“Exactly right,” said Thomas. “We had to be broken before we could be ready to rule as Jesus redefined ruling. I am still embarrassed when I hear about that argument after the Supper. We were all posturing in relation to each other about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. I really wish we could just leave that out of the story. It’s humiliating. But we have to be honest about ourselves so that everyone can see that we all were duped by the way the nation was being led and ruled. Israel’s rulers had degenerated into mimicking pagan authorities, especially Rome, and the entire nation was infected with this disease of arrogance and pride. And that included us. We thought Jesus was going to be like Caesar and we would all get to be little emperors under him.”
Peter said, “That’s very well put, Thomas. Learning the lesson of servant leadership was like learning to walk or speak all over again. It was one of the most difficult lessons of my life. It changed everything. But, Luke, I have a question related to this. I see that you’ve added something to the story of Jesus predicting my three-fold denial of him.”
Luke answered, “I did. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes,” Peter said, “that’s a part of the story that Matthew and Mark left out. And they each had good reasons to do so. Why did you choose to include Jesus’ prophesy that after my denial I would return to him and then ‘strengthen the brothers’?”
Luke answered, “Good question. Of course, every disciple knows that you did return and that you did then become a source of encouragement to the brothers in their own temptations because most have heard Matthew and Mark’s stories. But those Gospels were written 20 years ago when the persecution against Jesus’ disciples had just begun. Since that time there have been many disciples who, like you, Peter, were weak in the time of temptation. If you, Peter, as a young man, having been with the Lord in the flesh for three years—if you could have denied him three times and still found forgiveness and restoration, how much more can others who have given into similar temptations find grace and restoration, even to leadership.”
Paul jumped up, “Let me second that, everyone. This is a huge problem now. The persecution has been going on for 30 years, and, if I understand our Lord’s prophesies about the years preceding the destruction of the Temple, it’s going to get worse in the next five years or so. I have met many, many men and women who have given in to their persecutors under pressure and then afterwards almost drowned in the slough of despondency and despair. And there are plenty of self-appointed teachers in our circles who proclaim some perfectionist nonsense about everybody only getting one opportunity to prove himself, that, if you fail, there is no hope for you. Nonsense. That’s rubbish. And the account Luke has given us will help put such destructive ideas to rest.”
After Paul finished, Luke smiled. “Well, now you see where I get all of my good ideas.” And everyone had a good laugh.
James the son of Alphaeus said, “I understand the importance of being honest, even brutally honest, about our ignorance and sin during the earthly ministry of Jesus. But I also believe disciples hearing these stories can get the wrong idea and get comfortable with their own immaturity and foolishness. I’ve seen people use these kinds of stories to, in effect, justify their own failure to learn and grow and mature. ‘You see,’ they say, ‘the disciples are all broken and sinful just like us.’ But I hear these stories again and I wonder if I’m even the same person anymore. I said and did things 30 years ago that were so immature and childish. Sometimes Christian people, when they read these stories of about Jesus and us…they forget that we are not like that any more. We repented. We learned. We grew. We matured. We’re not perfect now, but we’re not like THAT any more!”
Luke said “Yes, and I plan to make that clear in the next scroll.”
Someone in the corner said, “Your next scroll? What are you going to write about after this?”
Luke replied, “I’m sorry, but I guess there are some that don’t know that this scroll I’ve read tonight is part one. The second part will be the story of Jesus’ work through his apostles and church beginning with Pentecost. I’ve been collecting information and working on that manuscript now for a few months. It will likely take me a few years to finish. I’ll show how, after Jesus’ ascension, he graciously transformed his disciples into Apostles and began working through them to establish his promised kingdom. And of course Saul’s conversion and ministry will be a big part of that story. I’m not sure how it will end yet. Saul plans soon to go to Spain and beyond, and I hope to accompany him. But I don’t know how his conviction of being arrested here in Jerusalem will impact those plans. We’ll see.”
While everyone was talking about Luke’s new work, Mnason’s wife slipped in with her son Phillip. She motioned for everyone to be quiet.
“There are some suspicious men at the door.”
Hearing that, James said, “Extinguish these lamps. Except for that one. Phillip, gather up these scrolls and hide them with the others. Quickly.”
Paul said, “I won’t let them take me in the middle of the night. No way. They’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning when I’m at the temple in public.”
James said, “I agree. Leave by the side door. Some of the rest of you should go to. But stagger your departure so as not to call too much attention to the house. Go. The Lord be with you. Remember to meet at the Temple tomorrow morning at the third hour.”
Luke left with Paul almost immediately. They headed straight for the home they were staying at while in Jerusalem. Luke didn’t sleep very well that night wondering what would happen tomorrow morning at the Temple.
Jeff Meyers is Senior Pastor of Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church in St. Louis.