From Bondage to Freedom - Luke 22

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction

Today our message is entitled “From Bondage to Freedom.” What is bondage? Bondage is being a slave to sin of any kind. Bondage keeps you from fulfilling your God-given purpose in life.

Freedom is being empowered to carry out God’s wonderful plan for your life. This morning, we’re going to look at some of the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. It will help us understand how Jesus can take any person from bondage to freedom.

Jesus is the only way that you can experience true freedom in our world. The freedom that Jesus offers was purchased at great cost. And to live in that freedom involves complete surrender to Jesus.

John 8:36 (ESV) So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

The Old Testament story that exemplifies bondage to freedom is the story of the Exodus. The Exodus foretells what Jesus would accomplish with His death and resurrection. When Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, it says …

Luke 9:31 (NLT2) And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.

Jesus would be set free from death into the freedom of life eternal. And He would make a way for each person on the planet to have their own exodus, to go from bondage to freedom. So, let’s give a brief overview of the Old Testament Exodus story.

The nation of Israel was in slavery Egypt for 400 years, a long time. God sent Moses to send 10 plagues on the demonic gods of Egypt. The tenth plague was the death angel killing every first-born in the land.

Prior to the tenth plague, God instructed the Israelites how to be spared. They were to sacrifice a perfect lamb and paint the blood on their doorposts. When the death angel saw the blood, he would Passover that home.

In every Egyptian home which did not have the blood, every first-born died. As a result of the severity of the tenth plague, Egypt let Israel go free. The escape from bondage to freedom to worship God was called the Exodus.

This Passover Exodus was a prophetic foretelling of what Jesus would accomplish through His death and resurrection. Because of Jesus, a personal exodus from bondage into freedom is available for every person in the world. Let’s begin by talking about bondage and the …

Beware of the snares of temptation

Luke 22:1-2 (ESV) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.

The first people we meet in this chapter are the Jewish leaders, the chief priests and the scribes. Their goal was to put Jesus to death. Why did they want to kill Jesus? Because they feared the people.

You see, there were many people following Jesus. Jesus had called out the Jewish leaders as being corrupt. He had predicted that their temple would be destroyed.

He had claimed to be the Messiah. Jesus had upset their power in Israel and they were concerned about a Roman backlash. Take note, the Jewish leaders conspired to murder Jesus because of fear.

Luke 22:3-4 (ESV) Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.

Now, we are introduced to the Jewish leaders partner in crime. One of the twelve disciples that Jesus hand picked was Judas. Judas had followed Jesus for three whole years.

He had seen the miracles, he had heard the teaching. But something had gone wrong with Judas. He had opened a door in his heart and now Satan entered in.

Why had Judas turned his back on everything he had been taught? We told elsewhere in the Gospels that Judas was a thief, stealing from the disciples money bag. It appears that Judas’ motivation was greed and desire for money.

Luke 22:5-6 (ESV) And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

How much money did Judas get? 30 pieces of silver, which is about one’s month’s wages. That really is not very much money to conspire to murder, is it? Yet, money is a very real snare of temptation.

Guard your heart against fear and greed

What kinds of snares of temptation do you face? Fear is not of God, yet many people struggle with fear and worry. Jesus commands His followers not to fear or worry, therefore fear of any kind is sin.

Fear and worry often leads to greater sins, as it did with the Jewish leaders. Jesus was calling on those Jewish leaders to change their lives and follow Him. Jesus is calling on people today to change their lives and follow Him.

Yet, many people are afraid to make the necessary changes in their lives. Don’t let fear and worry be a snare of temptation in your life. The second snare of temptation was greed or we might call it lust.

There are many things we can be tempted to be lust after. Money, power, pleasure, possessions, people and the list could go on and on. Trust God to take care of your future, that closes the door on fear and worry.

Trust God to provide everything you need and that closes the door on greed. Be wary of the snares of temptation.

Trust in God’s faithful provision

Luke 22:7-8 (ESV) Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”

Jesus was going to celebrate His final Passover with His disciples. So He instructed them to prepare the Passover meal them in Jerusalem. Peter and John ask Jesus where they were to prepare for the Passover.

Luke 22:9-10 (ESV) They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters

Jesus’ answer shows us the miracle of God’s faithful provision. When they come into the city, they will see a man carrying a water jar. A man they had never seen before, a man who they knew nothing about.

Luke 22:11-13 (ESV) and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

But they were to follow him, right into the house that he went into. Once the two disciples were in the house, they were instructed what to say to the owner of the house. They are to tell the owner that the teacher want to use his guest room to eat the Passover with his disciples.

The owner will not ask any questions, but simply show them his large and furnished upper room. So, the two disciples went and everything happened, just as Jesus had told them. They prepare the Passover in the upper room.

This simple story is a vivid illustration of God’s faithful provision when you are following Him.

Step forward trusting God’s provision

The take home applications from this passage is that God always provides for what He commands. The disciples were miraculously directed to the place they were to prepare the Passover meal. God had arranged everything in advance for them to be successful.

The same is true for you today. Some of you are struggling with different things you believe God is asking of you. You struggle because you don’t think that you can do what He is asking.

Yet, God will always provide the way for you to follow His instruction. Nothing takes God by surprise. He knows the future, we don’t.

Step out in faith, even when you can’t see how God’s plan can possibly work. As you follow His leading, you will find that God faithfully provides as you follow Him.

Jesus is the Lamb of God

Luke 22:14 (ESV) And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.

All twelve disciples now cam together with Jesus in the upper room that He had led them to. Included at the table was Judas, who had already made the contract to betray Jesus. Jesus already knew that He was going to suffer and die on the cross.

Luke 22:15 (ESV) And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

He knew that He would be the perfect Passover lamb of God. His sacrifice would pay the penalty once and for all for the forgiveness of sin of those who believe in Him. The purpose of this last supper was profound.

As we’ll see in a couple of weeks, Jesus gave instructions during this Passover meal that we are to regularly observe it as the Lord’s supper. This meal would be one that the disciples would remember for the rest of their lives. As we take the Lord’s supper, we remember what Jesus did for us and gave thanks.

Luke 22:16 (ESV) For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus now looks forward to another supper, in fact a banquet this is in the future. He is looking forward to the wedding supper of the Lamb spoken of in Revelation 19. This will happen after Jesus returns to earth bringing heaven with Him.

The Kingdom of God will come in fulness and all evil will be removed to the lake of fire. The wedding supper of the lamb will celebrate the wedding of Jesus, the groom, and His bride, the church, consisting of all believers of all time. Jesus, the lamb of God will bring it about.

Live under the protection of the Lamb

When a person believes in Jesus, the lamb of God, the blood of Jesus protects them from Satan, the destroyer. Those who are not protected by Jesus’ flood will face eternal destruction in hell. The protection of the blood of Jesus is not just active in eternity.

It protects you from all the attacks of the enemy in this list, as you trust in Jesus. The Jewish leaders and Judas gave in to Satan and perished. Today, pray that the blood of Jesus the lamb of God would protect you from every evil attack.

That each attack will simply Passover you and your home.

Conclusion

Jesus makes it possible for you to go from bondage to freedom as the Passover lamb. The path from bondage to freedom is a lifelong process. If you’re not a believer today, the path to freedom begins by putting your faith in Jesus, the lamb of God.

If you’re a believer today, the path to more freedom comes by following Jesus ever more closely. All sin is bondage, but God desires to set you free. He will faithfully provide for your freedom to follow His plan.

Put Him first in your life, above all else. Trust Him in all things and fear nothing but the Lord.

📘 Continue the Journey

Reflect deeper and apply this week’s message with the Message Study Guide — perfect for personal devotions, family discussion, or your Life Group.

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