You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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We're returning this morning to our study of John's Gospel, the account of the most
influential person in the history of the world, written by his most beloved friend.
It's been a while since we've been in John, longer break than usual.
So let me remind you John's purpose.
It's to focus our attention on Jesus, that we may see and come to believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the promised King, that we may find life in relationship with Him.
All of us who think we might find the meaning of life in our stuff, in our performances,
in our performance, in our self-determination by being who it is that we want to be, are
invited to find the meaning of life in Jesus.
For ourselves, for our friends and our neighbors who struggle like us and wonder which end is
in this crazy world.
What about Jesus?
Some pretty amazing claims about His identity from His own lips, including that He is the
only place that we will find our longings fully satisfied, our lives to be eternally purposeful,
our hearts deeply fulfilled, only in Him.
And throughout the story of Jesus' life, as we've followed it for 17 chapters so far, has
stood the specter of His death.
We've been told from the beginning that He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world, even as He will be lifted up to draw all men to Himself.
And so often through the Gospel of John, we've read that His hour has not yet come, even when
people set out to kill Him, but it's not His hour.
But now His hour has come.
The cross is in view within even 24 hours.
Jesus has lived in an amazing way, certainly.
Unheard of miracles, astonishing claims, unusual company, challenging teaching.
But how will things go at the end?
John just spent five full chapters, our entire fall, on Thursday alone of Jesus' final week.
And He's going to zero in now as we head towards Friday and the steps leading to the death of
the one who promised to be life for all who believe in Him.
The crucified King and eventually the risen King.
Let's ask God to help us see Him clearly.
Father, You delight to show us Jesus.
We're so thankful.
It's our first commitment as a church to be Christ-centered.
And as simple as it sounds, it is so hard for us.
Fix our eyes even now upon Him.
Holy Spirit, shine the spotlight on Jesus.
Don't let us miss Him this morning or leave unchanged by Him.
We ask it in His name.
Amen.
John chapter 18 at verse 1.
The same night that Jesus has washed His disciples' feet,
has taught them in the upper room,
has shared the last supper with them,
has then prayed to His Father for them and for us,
He now moves toward the cross.
When Jesus had spoken these words,
He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley,
where there was a garden which He and His disciples entered.
Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place,
for Jesus often met there with His disciples.
So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees,
went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him,
came forward and said to them,
whom do you seek?
They answered Him,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus said to them,
I am He.
Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them.
When Jesus said to them,
I am He,
they drew back and they fell to the ground.
So He asked them again,
whom do you seek?
And they said,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus answered,
I told you that I am He.
So if you seek Me,
let these men go.
This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken.
Of those whom you gave Me,
I have lost not one.
Then Simon Peter,
having a sword,
drew it and struck the high priest's servant
and cut off his right ear.
The servant's name was Malchus.
So Jesus said to Peter,
put your sword into its sheath.
Shall I not drink the cup
that the Father has given Me?
Thus far God's holy word.
Those are tense,
powerful moments, aren't they?
right outside the crowded streets of Jerusalem,
the weekend of the big Passover feast.
I want you for a minute
to imagine yourself
as one of Jesus' followers that night.
Perhaps John himself,
peering out from behind a tree in the garden,
getting his eyewitness view.
Or maybe another disciple,
perhaps further off,
watching from a distance.
What you would see
if you're looking out from there
is a stark opposition
and a total mismatch.
You look up
and in one corner
is a group commentators agree
number several hundred men.
More than perhaps you imagined
when I read the story.
You'd forgotten, hadn't you,
how many soldiers
the Romans sent
to keep peace
during the busy feast week.
Judas,
you know him.
He's there
and he's surrounded
by these armed
and dangerous soldiers.
Hundreds of them.
As well as some key Jewish leaders.
You recognize even some of them
from the temple.
There they are,
a band of several hundred
stepping forward to meet them.
is Jesus.
A solitary figure
who's been praying
emotionally in the garden.
Now with just a handful
of followers behind him.
There you are looking.
Who you got?
Maybe better,
how fast can you disappear?
This is not going to end well,
is it?
You know it's not.
Now Jesus is pretty amazing.
I mean you've seen him
do lots of things.
You've seen him escape
the crowds before
when they came to make him
king by force
and he disappeared.
On another occasion
when they would have stoned him
and he slipped through.
But this feels different.
Now you can tell
the forces of darkness
mean business.
Consider all of the opposition
that Jesus is facing
in this moment.
He's facing
personal betrayal
from a friend
like Judas.
That can feel overwhelming,
can't it?
Overwhelming enough
for any of us
to be broken.
Combine that
with the religious leaders
of his day.
Corrupt as some of them were.
They were in charge
and they were out
to get him.
How discouraging
must that be
for a man who himself
is seeking
to lead people to God
but all of God's people
are out to get him.
And lest any doubt
be left
as to the ability
of the group
to finish the job,
the greatest
political power
on the planet
comes with lanterns
and torches
and weapons
to extinguish
the so-called
light of the world.
Emotional
opposition,
spiritual
opposition,
physical
opposition.
Jesus
is way outmanned
it seems.
And yet
what unfolds
is utterly
unbelievable.
It's also
eternally hopeful.
I hope
that it fills you
with hope
this morning
because
we've faced
overwhelming
opposition too,
yes?
Even as we hide
behind the tree
and look on,
what's going to happen?
In the face
of overwhelming
opposition,
Jesus
stands out
and he shines
bright.
Don't take
your eyes
off Jesus
as we follow
this story,
okay?
Don't miss him.
It's really amazing.
First,
we're going to notice
his sovereign
control.
there may be
nothing more
striking in this
whole interaction
than the fact
that Jesus,
outnumbered
as he appears
to be,
is in charge
of the whole
encounter
with hundreds
of Jewish
and Roman
leaders.
Just as he said,
no one takes
his life
from him.
Right?
John wants us
to realize that.
Whatever the outcome
here,
whatever happens
to Jesus,
he is calling
the shots,
isn't he?
I mean,
notice,
wouldn't you expect
him to make
pretty quick work
of him,
numbers-wise?
He's certainly
not in a strong
position for
negotiation,
is he?
And yet,
he initiates
the conversation.
I can't say
for sure,
but even the fact
that he's asking
the questions
here makes
it sound to me
a little bit
like it must
have been,
whom do you
seek?
And the response,
well,
sir,
I mean,
Jesus of
Nazareth?
Maybe?
In just a moment,
he will give
them directions,
demanding,
if you can
imagine it,
that they let
his followers
go.
And he
remains so
in control
of this whole
scene that
somehow,
can you imagine
this?
When Peter
cuts off the
ear of one
in their party,
they seem
frozen.
They seem
to look on
calmly while
Jesus handles
it.
He handles
the instigator,
Peter,
and the
injury.
There is
something about
this Jesus,
isn't there?
Something very
unusual.
In the moment
that he
appears to be
least in
control,
most powerless,
he absolutely
is in
control.
Maybe you
can trust him
too,
when you face
opposition.
Maybe he's
still in control
in your life
when it feels
like he's not.
God.
But then if
his first
question didn't
rattle their
helmets,
his next
words clearly
did.
Ego
a me,
I am.
And John
says,
as Jesus
others those
words,
Judas was
standing,
the several
hundred men
were standing,
standing,
and suddenly
Jesus alone
was standing.
They drew
back,
and they
fell to the
ground,
all of them
together.
That's a
sure sign of
defeat,
isn't it,
in any
encounter that
you would
have.
The lone
object of
their focus
just uttered
two words,
but there's
power in
this name,
isn't there?
Jesus has
repeatedly in
John finished
the sentence,
I am
the bread
of life,
the good
shepherd,
the light
of the world,
and so on,
all of which
may be in
view here,
but when he
says merely
ego a me,
Jewish minds
are running
much further
back than
Jesus
life.
As he said
just a few
chapters ago,
before Abraham
was,
I am.
And on
that occasion,
when they
heard those
words,
they picked
up stones
to kill
this blasphemer,
the one who
would claim
equality with
Yahweh,
the one
true God.
This,
as you know,
is the name,
the powerful
name by which
God identified
himself to
Moses,
first in a
burning bush,
and then to
his people in
Egypt.
You can even
go back to
creation because
John 1 tells
us this,
Jesus was in
the beginning
with God.
Now,
please understand,
we have to
understand,
this is different
from every
other religion,
okay?
Christianity,
this Jesus
standing before
overwhelming
opposition
cannot be
one among
many,
an option on
the buffet.
Every other
leader,
teacher,
guru,
influencer
says,
let me show
you the way.
Jesus says,
I am
the way.
every other
prophet says,
let me tell
you the truth.
Jesus says,
I am
the truth.
Every other
religion says,
let me point you
to life.
Jesus says,
I am
the life,
the one
true God
himself.
Did he really
mean this?
Some would ask.
Oh,
absolutely.
just ask one
of his few
followers
who could
have easily
saved their
own skins,
but instead
one after
another
give their
lives
to spread
this claim.
Just ask
one of his
opponents if
you prefer,
like Malchus
for example,
whose otherwise
not noteworthy
name is almost
certainly included
here because
this is how you
write ancient
history.
Ancient
history is
written with
eyewitnesses,
likely as
servant a
younger man
in the group,
likely then still
alive when John
circulates his
account and
likely if you
talk to Malchus
he's got quite
a story.
He can even
hear you.
But as much
as Christianity
is different from
every other
religion,
we have to
understand this
is also different
from irreligion
and naturalism
and humanism
of our day.
This Jesus
is unlike
any other
man.
He doesn't
bow to
power dynamics.
He doesn't
yield to
normal human
limitations.
He stands
out as an
otherworldly
presence in
this world.
Something most
in our culture
would have no
room to account
for.
We can't
explain him.
This is no
man to be
taken lightly.
When he speaks
his name,
I am.
No one else
is standing.
Have you
encountered
Jesus like
that?
And been
knocked off
your feet?
We need to.
That's what it
means to be
Christ-centered,
by the way.
God-man
is standing
in your own
strength,
but rather
from the ground
each day
to see Jesus
as the
strong one.
Yes,
he will pick
you up in
love,
but it starts
with hearing
him say,
I am,
and falling
on your face
before him.
He is the
last man
standing,
the unparalleled
God-man
before whom
no one
can stand.
He stands
out among
the most
powerful
of the
powerful.
No one
is his
equal.
No one
else
stands.
Except,
instead of
them all
just disappearing
as they've
fallen back,
Jesus instead,
invites them
back into
conversation.
It's a bit
comedic,
honestly.
It's as though
he's saying,
sorry,
could you tell
me again
who it was
you were
looking for?
Did you
forget why
you came?
Just notice
briefly the
power of
his word.
Something more
than intellectual
recognition was
going on when
he said,
ego,
a me,
because many
of those
Roman soldiers
wouldn't have
been familiar
with Yahweh,
and yet they
fall down
when he speaks.
That's
inexplicable
power.
It wouldn't
make sense.
And when
Jesus responds
to them this
time,
we're told in
verse 9
that his
order to let
these other
men go
was why?
To fulfill
the word
that he had
spoken.
In case you
don't recognize
it,
that's language
being applied
to the
words of
Jesus
that was
used for
all the
sacred
scriptures,
all the
holy prophets
when they
spoke.
When John
quotes them,
that's what
he says,
and now
he does it
with Jesus'
words.
Jesus'
word is
utterly
trustworthy.
Jesus
here is
in sovereign
control.
His very
presence,
his name,
his word,
are worth
trusting.
They can
flip any
power dynamic
you've ever
encountered,
any opposition
you've ever
faced.
I wonder
what he'll
use that
amazing power
for as he
turns the
tables on
them.
Can you
start to see
yourself getting
a little bit
fired up at
this point if
you're watching
Jesus and
you're one of
his followers?
I mean,
certainly,
clearly he's
going to use
it to get
away,
right?
But also
he's probably
going to humiliate
this band of
soldiers.
This is going
to be great
except not
exactly.
Verse 7,
he asked them
again,
whom do you
seek?
And they
said,
Jesus of
Nazareth.
Jesus answered,
I told you
that I am
he,
so if you
seek me,
let these
men go.
This was to
fulfill the
word that he
had spoken,
of those whom
you gave me,
I have lost
not one.
Jesus has
said this as
recently as
earlier tonight
in his
prayer in
John 17,
Father,
while I was
with them,
I kept
them in
your name
which you
have given
me.
I have
guarded
them and
not one
of them
has been
lost except
the son of
destruction
that the
scripture
might be
fulfilled.
I mean,
as his
followers,
you've got
to know,
their lives
were certainly
on the line,
right?
When you
come and
the leader's
going to be
taken out,
they would
be rounded
up with
the leader
typically.
But this
leader,
this good
shepherd,
is looking
out for
his sheep.
Don't miss
the wonder
of this
shepherding
protection.
Dear ones,
please don't
miss this.
When the
pressure rises
for Jesus,
he doesn't
forget us
in a race
to save
his own
skin,
to rescue
himself.
He hasn't
forgotten
you,
no matter
the level
of opposition
that you
are feeling,
he hasn't.
Other than
Judas the
betrayer and
the fulfillment
of the
scripture,
he doesn't
lose a one
of his
twelve
disciples,
does he?
And perhaps
more to the
point for you
and me,
Jesus
doesn't
lose a
one of
us who
have
believed
in him.
When Jesus
tells us
back in
chapter 6
that he
is the
bread of
life,
and he
speaks not
merely of
the twelve,
but of
whoever
comes to
me,
whoever
believes
in me,
Jesus
ensures
us,
it is
his
father's
will that
he lose
none of
those,
none of
those who
come and
believe,
that he
will raise
us up
on the
last day.
Do you
hear his
words
speaking that
not just
to the
twelve in
the garden
that night,
but to
you and
me,
as you've
come to
believe in
him,
he's got
you.
What a
comfort
that should
be to
the ears
of those
facing all
sorts of
opposition,
from the
mouth of
the one
who has
overcome
the forces
of
darkness,
and in
the darkest
hour,
has not
forgotten
us.
In fact,
he has so
stood for
us that
we don't
have to
fight for
ourselves.
Maybe you're
like Peter,
I am,
and it takes
you a while
to learn that
lesson.
As the other
disciples presumably
begin to slip
away, let's
imagine we're
with them,
right?
Slipping
away,
Peter slips
out his
sword.
Aha,
a great idea
at a great
time.
He decides
to take
his last
stand beside
his Messiah
King until
the king
stops him.
We learn
elsewhere,
heals the
ear.
Again,
somehow,
staves off
a response
from the
armed soldiers.
I don't
know how
Peter's not
killed here.
Jesus is
in control,
and he
allows Peter
to exit
stage left,
if you will,
except graciously.
not shamefully.
If, like
me, you
have ever
forgotten
that your
king is in
control,
I don't
know, maybe
there's somebody
in here who's
had that
experience.
If you've
forgotten that
you can trust
him and you've
started flailing,
if you will,
with your
sword to
maintain
control,
to protect
yourself,
to advance
his cause
your own
way,
if that's
ever been
you like
it has
me,
I want
you to
treasure
this calm
but clear
gospel
reminder,
gospel truth
from Jesus.
Not a
shaming of
you for
that.
Out of
love for
Peter,
what does
he say?
Not giving
up on
him.
Not,
as you
might imagine,
oh,
second thought,
take that
crazy guy.
Go ahead
and take
him.
I could
lose
one.
No.
put your
sword away.
Shall I
not drink
the cup
the Father
has given
me?
The cup
Jesus is
referring to
is the
cup of
God's
wrath.
The death
due to
sinful
men.
We know
from the
other gospel
accounts that
Jesus has
just been
wrestling in
this very
garden
moments
before
with the
wretched
poison
of that
cup.
The longing
to avoid
it as he
submits his
spirit to
his Father's
will and
he turns
to meet
the oncoming
opposition.
But listen,
friends,
don't miss
this.
With
literally
hundreds
standing
before him
to take
him to
his
death,
what enemy
is most
prominent
in Jesus'
mind?
Political
power?
Seems scary.
Religious
corruption?
Personal
betrayal?
The cup
of God's
wrath.
That's what
he's facing.
That cup
compared to
which we
all should
think,
what can
man do
to me?
This is
what should
really make
sinners
like us
tremble
and shrink
back and
fall to
the ground.
We can't
meet our
own standards,
much less
stand before
God's
judgment seat.
Can you
imagine?
But see,
this,
Jesus,
it's different
from moralistic
Christianity.
This is very
different.
Where I stand
before God
on my own
merits and I
hope to
measure up
and I
hope to
appease
his wrath.
No,
no.
See,
Jesus
stands
and says
to all
of us,
don't
dare
face
that
enemy,
that
opposition
without
me.
He sends
all his
followers
away.
So that
he,
the last
man standing,
can drain
the cup
to its
dregs.
This
Jesus,
who has
on more
than one
occasion
before a
crowd,
humbly
refused
the crown,
now willingly
receives the
cross.
He goes
willingly.
He knows,
we're told,
all that
is coming
crashing
down
upon him
and he
steps
forward
to embrace
it.
Do you
see that
suffering
substitution?
the king
who's in
total
control
takes on
to protect
his sheep
once
and for
all.
He's not
merely in
powerful
control
of the
whole
situation.
He is
so
completely
humbly
self-sacrificing.
The last
man standing
does
what?
Lays
himself
down
so that
we can
stand
in him
so that
we don't
face the
death
we
certainly
deserve.
Do you
see him
in this
passage?
Can you
see him
tonight
standing
out
as the
one
above
all the
others
in that
garden?
Shining
bright
as the
light of
the world,
the light
of life.
Won't
you run
to him?
Won't
you marvel
at him?
Won't
you,
as you
gaze
at him,
praise him
for his
greatness?
Trust
to fight
your
enemies?
Won't
you spend
your life
with him
wherever it
is he calls
you to
follow him,
to praise
his name,
to advance
his kingdom?
Won't
you see
yourself
with
Jesus?
As you
wander out
of the
garden,
can you
even take
your eyes
off Jesus
standing
there?
As he
exits with
the crowd
that came
for you,
are you
starting to
connect some
of the
dots
from this
overwhelming
otherworldly
night you've
been experiencing?
In a
sacrifice,
an act of
suffering,
substitution
that has
been retold
in countless
stories,
movies,
tales of
heroes and
heroines
throughout the
ages,
you can think
of one right
now,
Jesus says,
let them
go.
Take me.
centuries
before,
Moses told
Pharaoh that
Yahweh,
the true
God,
the I
Am,
says,
let my
people
go.
And for
that to
happen,
the first
Passover
came,
where the
lives of
all of the
firstborn
sons were
on the
line until
a Passover
lamb was
taken.
And killed
instead.
And its
blood placed
on the
doorposts
of the
home so
that the
firstborn
would live
and be
let go
to be
with God.
That's the
story that
was echoing
that night
through the
streets of
Jerusalem.
That very
night, it
did in the
upper room,
right?
Jesus told
it over
again with
his disciples.
Jesus had
just explained
that the
broken bread
would be
his body
and that
the blood
that would
cover the
sins of
those deserving
to die and
facing certain
death would
be his
own blood.
Now what
he said is
making more
sense.
Horribly,
yet wonderfully,
you see it.
The very
I am
in the
flesh
doesn't get
taken as a
helpless
victim,
but as a
powerful
shepherd,
yet willing
lamb,
he steps
forward
to lay
down his
life,
saying,
let them
go.
Take me.
It was that
very night
that he was
betrayed,
that Jesus
had taken
bread
and broke
it,
gave it to
his disciples
as I'm
ministering in
his name.
Give this
bread to
you.
And he
said,
take and
eat.
This is
my body
given for
you.
Do this
in remembrance
of me.
And in the
same way,
after the
supper,
he took the
cup and
said,
this cup
is the
new covenant
in my
blood.
Shed for
many for
the forgiveness
of sins.
Drink from
it all
of you.
See,
the Father
gave Jesus
the cup
of his
wrath,
which Jesus
willingly drank
so that God
could put in
your hands
this morning
the other
cup the
Bible talks
about.
The cup
of blessing,
the cup
of redemption,
the cup
of salvation
that you
will taste
here in a
moment.
If you
trust that
Jesus drank
that cup
of God's
wrath for
you,
paid for
your sin,
made you
one of his
own that he
will never
lose,
then you
come and
eat and
drink and
trust him
again and
wonder at that
again and
thank him
again and
praise him and
live with him
even right
now.
If that's
not your
hope,
if you've
come to
church for
years perhaps
but you've
never trusted
Jesus to
die in
your place,
to defeat
all your
enemies,
maybe you're
still fighting
them to be
good enough,
trusted him
to bring you
home forever,
if that's not
something you've
done, would
you consider
trusting him
today?
In his name
I offer you
not bread
and wine,
they're signs
like the
baptism to
point you to
Jesus.
I offer you
life today,
life with
eternal
purpose,
life eternal
with Jesus
who is
the life.
Feel free
to come
forward and
ask us to
pray with you,
ask to talk
with us,
we'd love to
talk with you
about him,
the Lamb of
God who
takes away
the sin of
the world.
Let's pray
and we'll eat
together.
Father, thank
you for this
great gift.
Another sign
to point us
to the one
who meets
our needs.
Guilty,
vile,
and helpless
we,
spotless
Lamb of
God
was he.
Full
atonement,
can it be,
hallelujah,
what a
Savior.
Might we
meet him
here.
We ask
in his
name,
amen.
For more
information,
visit us
online at
southwood.org.
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