Title I Have Prepared / Luke 22:28-36
I have prepared the contents / Luke 22:28-36
Key Verse: “He said, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33).
Word: Let's think together about what kind of preparation God wants us to do.
First, you must be prepared to suffer with the Lord. Following as a disciple of the Lord is not preparing to avoid suffering or to prevent it. Rather, it is preparing to suffer with the Lord. In verse 28, Jesus said to his disciples, “You have always been with me in all trials.” Therefore, the person who shared suffering with the Lord is the greatest person in heaven and the person who has shown the greatest faith. Do you want to be recognized and glorified in heaven? Then, from this moment on, decide to suffer for the Lord on this earth. Join in the rest of the suffering of the Lord.
Second, we must prepare a sense of mission with a constant zeal (verses 29-30 of the text). If you look at a marathon race, the runner who runs fast at first and gets ahead of the crowd doesn't necessarily win. Rather, the crown is won by the person who runs hard at a steady pace while maintaining his own pace. In Matthew 10:22 our Lord says: “And you will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” Those who endure to the end will be saved. Those who are faithful to the end will be rewarded.
Third, we must prepare a humble heart. In verse 33, Peter confidently said, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Peter was by nature a quick-tempered and impulsive person. He liked to be recognized, overconfident of himself, and bragging about himself. On the other hand, Peter was also a very loyal disciple. In Matthew 16:15, Peter was a wise man who answered Jesus' question, "Who do you say I am?", "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).
But Peter, who was overconfident that he would not give in to any difficulties, eventually faced difficulties and made the foolish mistake of denying Jesus when trials came. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride precedes destruction, and a haughty heart precedes stumbling.” We should all live with a humble heart and attitude before God and people.
God wants to use those who prepare. Now, I hope that all of us will be ready to suffer together with the Lord, prepare for a zealous sense of duty, and prepare a humble attitude to become workers who will be used by God at any time.