The Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ
Chris Patton
Luke 22:63–71
May 16, 2021
Sermon Video/Audio
Luke 22:63–71
[63] Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. [64] They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” [65] And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.
[66] When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, [67] “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, [68] and if I ask you, you will not answer. [69] But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” [70] So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” [71] Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” (ESV)
Introduction
- In chapter 1 verse 4, Luke stated that he wrote this book to Theophilus and by extension, to all Christians, that “you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”
- The Holy Spirit knows that as Christians we sometimes struggle with doubt, we sometimes struggle with unbelief, we sometimes struggle with fear and so the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to write this book in order to care for our souls, in order to clear away doubt, clear away unbelief, clear away fear and to replace those things with assurance of faith in Christ.
- Christian faith has an object. And that object is a person. That object is Christ! Luke wrote this book with the goal that as you see Christ in these pages, your faith in Christ and my faith in Christ would grow stronger.
- Our passage today is here mainly to draw our attention to Christ in order that our faith in Christ might be strengthened, reinforced, and fortified.
I. Christ’s Humiliation
- We must always remember and never forget that he willingly suffered this terrible humiliation was because He loved you, He loved me so much that he was fiercely committed walking that road to the cross to secure our salvation, no matter what it cost him personally.
“Every wounding blow and every taunting word was an expression of his love for lost sinners.” — Phillip Ryken
All that shame and suffering was endured by our Saviour for love of each of us… All this blindfolding, and mocking, and smiting was borne by Christ for your sake, beloved, and mine. — CH Spurgeon
- May the Spirit of God help us to feel the love of Christ and to trust Christ more as a result. May the Holy Spirit increase our certainty about God’s love! May He clear doubt away and renew and strengthen our assurance of faith, our assurance that our Savior loves us!
- Spurgeon says…Come, dear friends, in all this suffering of our Saviour, let us see fresh reasons for trusting ourselves more entirely in the hands of Christ.
- What a helpful encouragement to us all. As Christ suffered like this for us…and even more so when he died on the Cross for us, it would seem we have more than sufficient reason to entrust ourselves, our families, our futures into the hands of our loving Savior—-no matter what dark trials, tribulations and difficulties we may face.
II. Christ’s Exaltation
- The Sanhedrin didn’t want to have honest dialogue with Jesus. They just wanted to trap him. Jesus seeing through this said, “If I tell you, you will not believe, [68] and if I ask you, you will not answer.”
- Verse 69 Jesus goes on… [69] But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
- The Son of Man was Jesus favorite way to refer to Himself. The phrase Son of Man is taken directly from Daniel 7:13–14
[13] “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. [14] And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. — Daniel 7:13–14
- Daniel 7, is a reference to the ascension and enthronement of Jesus Christ. With the clouds of heaven…the son of man came and was presented before the Ancient of days. This is Jesus returning to His heavenly glory with the Father and then being given by the Father dominion and authority and rule over all things.
- Jesus in verse 69, speaking of himself, refers to the Son of Man figure and then says…from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.
- That’s a reference to Psalm 110:1.
The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” — Psalm 110:10
- That is the Lord (The Father) says to David’s Lord who is the Messiah…who is Jesus “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
- In scripture, the right hand of God is the place of ultimate power and authority in the universe.
- Jesus has just been mercilessly beaten, mocked and abused. He is presently enduring a mock trial that will lead to His crucifixion and in the midst of it all He says essentially, something like this: ‘You ask who I am. I’ll tell you who I am but I will do so on my own terms. I am the Son of Man. And from now on, meaning as soon as I’ve died, and risen, and ascended, I will be in my kingly glory ruling over all things, with my enemies being put under my feet…which includes all of you’
- Even in Jesus’ darkest moment, when the mood is overwhelmingly sorrowful and somber and tragic…there is this distinct note of victory. If we will but listen, even in this dark hour…we can hear this distinct note of the eventual exaltation of Christ and the supremacy of Christ and the victory of Christ.
“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” — Acts 7:55
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” — Hebrews 1:3
Jesus Christ ….”has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” — 1 Peter 3:22
- We do well to take note that Jesus himself reminds us less than 24 hours before going to the cross that while He is our Savior, he’s not just our Savior. He is our Savior king. He is our sovereign Savior king and He is reigning over all things.
- Perhaps even in our darkest hours, Jesus’ note of victory should be ours as well. He is reigning supreme over all things, including the very details of our lives.
Conclusion
- Is your faith weaker than you would hope it to be? Do you struggle to trust Christ with the challenges you face?
- If so remember how Jesus proved his love for you in all that he went through all that he suffered in both going to the cross and then dying on the cross for you. Don’t ever forget, “Every wounding blow and every taunting word was an expression of his love for lost sinners (Ryken).”
- And don’t forget exactly where the Son of Man is seated. He is seated at the right hand of the power of God. Don’t forget that Christ your King is reigning supreme over world affairs and over every detail of your life as well.
Questions For Discussion/Application
- Re-read the text, Luke 22:63–71.
- Read the Phillip Ryken and CH Spurgeon quotes under point #1. In what ways can you be tempted, at times, to doubt God’s love? How does it affect you when you consider that Jesus went through all of this out of love for you?
- What are some things we can do to regularly remind ourselves of how deeply God loves us?
- Read Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14, then come back and read Jesus’ statement in vs. 69, “from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” We do well to take note that Jesus himself reminds us less than 24 hours before going to the cross that while He is our Savior, he’s not only our Savior. He is our Savior king. He is our sovereign Savior king and He is reigning over all things. How should this truth impact the way we view the darkness we see in our world as well as the challenges and difficulties we ourselves face?
- In what ways can you at times struggle to trust God–to trust deeply in God’s sovereign, loving care? Perhaps its something related to your family, your job…our world.
- What impact do you think it would have on us, if we meditated more often, more frequently on the present, ongoing, sovereign rule and reign of Jesus Christ?
- Consider taking time to pray, asking God to help us to trust more fully in His love and His sovereign control.
Questions For Discussion/Application (parents with younger children)
- Re-read the text, Luke 22:63–71.
- Explain: When Jesus was being beaten and made fun of, he was doing that out of love for us. He was determined to go to the Cross to die for us!
- Share: Consider sharing with your child how it makes you feel that Christ went through all of this for you.
- Ask: How does it make you feel that Jesus did all this for you?
- Explain: The Son of Man is Jesus! The Old Testament speaks of the Son of Man as the One that the Father put in charge of everything and rules over everything as the great King of all. The right hand of God is the place of power and authority. Jesus, after He died and rose again, went to sit at the Father’s right hand. That means He is in charge!!
- Ask: What things is God in charge of? Parents, this is a great opportunity to have your child list as many things as possible that God is in charge of so that they can see how powerful and how in control Christ is as our king.
- Ask: Are their things that make you worried ever? Parents, this is a a great opportunity to remind your child(ren) that Christ Jesus is our King who can be fully trusted, even in times when we feel afraid.
- Consider taking time to pray, asking God to help us to trust more fully in His love and His kingly control.