Luke Part 3 Week 23

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 22:60 

⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 

When Peter denied for the third time that He knew Jesus, the rooster crowed. Jesus had predicted this and now it had come true. A chill must have gone through Peter’s heart when he realized what he had done. Previously Peter had vowed to go anywhere with Jesus and even to die with Him. Now he had denied three different times even knowing Him.  

REFLECT 

Is Peter’s weakness at a crucial time a reminder of your own weakness sometimes to claim you know Jesus?  

RESPOND 

Roosters crow in the early mornings. This is another indication all of this was taking place in the darkness of the night. The reason this is important is because some modern translations pose a conflict when they do not realize the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) used Jewish time (about 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and the gospel of John used Roman time (midnight to midnight). Check your modern translation to see what it says in John 19:14 about the sixth hour. By Roman time it would have been 6 a.m. 

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 22:61-62 

⁶¹ At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” ⁶² And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. 

Imagine the Savior looking directly at you when you have denied Him. His look caused Peter to remember what He had predicted about Peter denying Him. Heartbroken, Peter left the courtyard where the guards and servants were. He was weeping uncontrollably because of what he had just done. 

REFLECT 

Put yourself in Peter’s place. What would you have done? How condemned would you have felt? 

RESPOND 

Share with a friend some of the joys and heartaches you have had in telling others about Jesus. Be honest about missed opportunities. Discuss what occurs when believers are unfaithful to their Savior. Read 2 Timothy 2:11-13 to see what Paul wrote to Timothy about God’s faithfulness in spite of the believer’s unfaithfulness.  

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 22:63-65 

⁶³ The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” ⁶⁵ And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him. 

Jesus suffered humiliation at the hands of the guards. Apparently they would strike Him while He was blindfolded and then ask Him to guess who did it. The Creator of the universe stood there and took that abuse. Why did He do that? Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us. This passage also acknowledges that He despised the shame.  

REFLECT 

Think about all the suffering Jesus endured at this time because He believed He was carrying out the Father’s will in being willing to die for lost mankind. 

RESPOND 

Join a friend in reading Philippians 2:5-11. This passage reminds us that Jesus is our example. It also reveals that believers will either bow to Him in this life, or as unbelievers they will bow to Him in the next life.  

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 22:66-69 

⁶⁶ At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council, ⁶⁷ and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?” But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. ⁶⁸ And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer. ⁶⁹ But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.” 

The “high council” was the Jewish Supreme Court known as the Sanhedrin. The unbelieving religious leaders engaged Jesus in conversation and wanted to know if He was the Messiah. Jesus knew it was useless to answer them or even to ask them any questions. His statement that enraged the unbelievers was when He said, “But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.” 

REFLECT 

Imagine how those who did not believe in the supernatural would respond at the statement Jesus made to them about being at God’s right hand. 

RESPOND 

Read Mark 16:19 to see about Jesus sitting at God’s right hand after He ascended from the earth to heaven. This was predicted in Psalm 110:1 when Jehovah said to Jesus to sit on His right hand until His enemies were made His footstool. 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 22:70-71 

⁷⁰ They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?” And he replied, “You say that I am.” ⁷¹ “Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him say it.” 

The unbelievers clearly understood that Jesus was claiming to be the Son of God. In John 5:18 the Jews also understood by Jesus’ statement about His Father that He was making Himself equal with God. Those today who say Jesus never claimed to be God should rely on what the Jews understood about Jesus. That was the only reason they wanted Him killed. 

REFLECT 

Have you had some knock at your door and claim that Jesus was not God? They don’t believe what the Jews believed about Him.  

RESPOND 

In answering those who do not think Jesus was God, try using a technique in witnessing that Ron Carlson, President of Christian Ministries International has used. First, he goes to Revelation 1:8 and asks, “Who is Alpha and Omega?” Their answer is that it is Jehovah God. Then he goes to Revelation 21:5-7 and asks, “Who does verse 6 refer to when it speaks about Alpha and Omega?” Again, they are quick to say it is Jehovah God. Then he goes to Revelation 1:17 and asks, “Who is the First and the Last?” Again, the answer comes that it is Jehovah God. Then he asks them to read the following verse. Revelation 1:18 says, “I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” Carlson’s question is, “When did Jehovah die?” This group cannot admit that Jesus is Jehovah.