The Great War

March 22, 2022

One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born"  (Matthew 26:23-24; Mark 14:20-21; Luke 22:21-22; John 13:23-26).

The contrasts in this scene are stark. There is John, whom Jesus loved. There is Peter, the disciple who loved Jesus but denied Him, and there is Judas Iscariot, who never loved Jesus and had already betrayed Him, ‘sealing the deal’ with 30 silver coins, the price of a slave, from the Chief Priests. All 3 were at the table with Jesus the night He was arrested, tried, and condemned to be crucified, as were the other disciples who seemed to have no role in the affairs of the next 24 hours. But these, though important, are minor players in the drama of redemption. How so? A few things come to mind.

This drama is played out thousands of times in plays, movies, novels, etc. It is the war between good and evil, light and darkness, righteousness and sin, godliness and godlessness, truth and lies. It is not a struggle. It is not a fight. It’s an all out-war. It is the sovereign power and authority that is YHWH, the LORD God against the created, fallen angel and usurper that is Satan. But even though this war is cosmic, and the Lord God is the victor, it is fought over and over again in the hearts and minds and lives of people. It began in heaven when Lucifer challenged God and was drummed out of the throne room of the Lord on high. It continued on in the Garden of Eden with the successful temptation and fall of Adam and Eve. It continues on today, even though Jesus won the victory over Satan, sin, and eternal damnation when He died and was resurrected, and will continue on in the life of mankind until the last enemy of God, which is death, is finally and ultimately defeated (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

There in the upper room, reclining around the Lord Jesus Christ, eating the Passover meal, God the Father and Satan, Jesus and Judas, John and Peter, were engaged in this drama, though Judas, John, and Peter, like the old patriarch Job, had no clue what was going on behind the scenes. Is it not the same way with us? Oh, we may get a hint or a glimpse now and then of the struggle between good and evil, God and Satan, sin and righteousness, but we cannot even begin to comprehend the greater war that goes on for our souls and the souls of others. Did not Jesus say to Peter (Luke 22:31-32), Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. . . . 

Satan stands before the throne of God this very moment, demanding to sift us all like wheat. But it is our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who stands at the right hand of the Father, praying for us, pleading our case, advocating our forgiveness by His love, grace, mercy, and atoning sacrifice. Amen.

Pastor

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