Leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.
Through the course of our message this morning, I want us to come to grips with the fact that Jesus was not a victim of his circumstances.
! Jesus was the master of every circumstance that we'll look at this morning.
He is in complete control. He is in command of all that we will see.
And we'll look at the details of that as we jump into our passage for today.
And as we look at this new segment of time from chapter 18 to chapter 19, the events that lead up to his crucifixion, then his actual crucifixion,
I want us to understand that the journey that Jesus takes is not just a journey that he is on,
but a journey that he intends for followers of him to emulate.
That there is a way of the cross that Jesus moves through in these next two chapters.
And the model that he sets will be the model for us as those who are followers of Christ as we emulate the way of the cross.
Are you a follower of Christ this morning?
You will emulate the Savior's example, as we'll look at specifically this morning, the example of submission.
We'll see coming to the surface the supremacy of Christ in all that takes place, and yet his active submission to the Father's will.
In a book written by David Platt, maybe you've read the book Radical, he recounts this story of going to Indonesia.
And surprisingly, Indonesia has the most Muslims of any other country in the world, heavily populated with Muslims.
And he's teaching in a seminary there, and those who are intending to graduate from this seminary have as a requirement the need for them to plant a church in a new location there in Indonesia,
and to lead 30 individuals to faith, and to baptize them, and to essentially plant a church in a new location.
Well, sitting there in his classroom was a man by the name of Radin, who gives his testimony.
And this young man, in looking at David Platt, with fire in his eyes, recounts this story of how God worked this out in his own life.
There he is going into this community and beginning to share the gospel with these Muslims who are in this community.
And wouldn't you know who shows up at the door is a witch doctor, who are apparently very prevalent in Indonesia,
and challenging this young man named Radin to say,
listen, why don't you meet me outside, we're going to take care of business.
Now, before Radin had become a believer,
he had done some work in terms of becoming very adept in ninja jiu-jitsu.
So he's thinking about this situation, and he knows that he could quite handily take care of this witch doctor without any problem.
But as he begins to exit this house, he is prompted by the spirit who speaks to his heart,
says,
Radin, instead of taking matters into your own hands, trust me in this situation.
So Radin takes a chair, and he sits outside this house, and he faces this witch doctor,
and he says to him,
the Lord will handle this situation.
I do not need to fight you with my fists.
The Lord will deal with you as he chooses.
And in the next few moments,
this witch doctor begins to choke and to gasp for air.
It gets the attention of the people with whom Radin had just been sharing the gospel with,
and now the villagers begin to come and to observe this situation that's unfolding in front of them.
And within moments, this witch doctor is lying on the ground, dead.
His decision to yield and to surrender,
to submit this situation to the power of God,
leads to a dramatic display of God's supremacy in this situation.
And as a result, many of the villagers not only hear the gospel,
but come to faith in Jesus Christ.
The same is true for us this morning.
The same is true for you.
Whatever situation in which you find yourself today,
however small or large,
there is a demand for your life as a follower of Christ
to determine what you will do.
Will you take matters into your own hands,
or will you surrender and submit
to the guidance and instruction of the Scripture
and let God's supremacy work itself out in your life?
There is a privilege of those of us who are followers of Christ
to see the supremacy of God show up in this world.
It's not our supremacy.
It is His.
And as we submit to the Father's will,
in the various circumstances in which you find yourself,
you will see the supremacy of Christ come through for you.
You ever find yourself taking matters into your own hands?
Well, the way of the cross is the way of submission.
Look with me at John chapter 18
as I read these first couple of verses.
We're going to take this a couple of verses at a time.
Kind of break this down.
And what I want you to see is
I want you to see through this passage
the complete supremacy of Christ
and yet His full surrender to the Father's will.
It begins this way.
When Jesus had spoken these words,
He went out with His disciples across the Kindred Valley
where there was a garden,
which He and His disciples entered.
Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place.
For Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers
and some officers from the chief priests
and some officers, excuse me,
and the Pharisees went there with lanterns
and torches and weapons.
The public ministry of Jesus had come to a conclusion.
Hear the finality of the first few words of this chapter.
When Jesus had spoken these words,
the message of the Father had been delivered.
The secret, private information
that Jesus sought to deliver to His disciples
had been conveyed.
And now the culmination of all that Jesus had come to do
was about to take place
in His arrest, in His crucifixion,
and then in His resurrection.
Jesus had shown up.
He had come near.
The Messiah was at hand.
His message was accessible to the people.
The Jews saw Jesus
and His display of miracles,
casting out demons,
healing those who were sick,
exercising authority over the elements.
They saw Jesus.
They saw the divine.
They saw God face to face.
And yet, as we'll see
in these next few chapters,
instead of acceptance,
there was rejection.
It's almost too hard to believe
that those who saw Jesus up close and personal
would be those who would reject
the very one who came to rescue them.
And yet,
for those of us who have grown up
in a church,
for many of you who have been here at Maranatha
for years and years and years,
for those of us who have heard about
the significance of making Jesus
the Lord of our life,
who have heard the faithful teaching
of the Scriptures,
unfortunately,
we find ourselves in a similar situation
like the disciples
and like the Jews,
who instead of accept
the message and the knowledge about Jesus,
we choose to take matters into our own hands,
we choose
to do things our way
instead of submitting
to the will of the Father.
And in doing this,
we might say,
God, you are strong,
but I'm stronger.
God, you are good,
but I'm better.
God, you are wise,
but I really don't trust you
in this situation.
Now, we wouldn't say that
in public,
but in our hearts,
that is the posture
of what's taking place
when we refuse to submit
to the knowledge we have about God.
You are sovereign,
you are all wise,
you are all powerful,
but in this situation, God,
I just want things to go my way.
And as we look at Jesus' example
this morning,
as we see the way of the cross,
we will see
the way of the cross
is the way of surrender.
The way of the cross
is the way of submission
to the Father.
First,
in these first three verses,
we see that Jesus
determined the details
of his arrest.
Jesus determined
the details of his arrest.
I want you to see
the supremacy of Christ
in all things,
and yet,
in the midst of supremacy,
there is surrender.
There is submission.
We see it in so many different ways.
I just want to highlight a few.
First, we see
the surrender of Christ
and the supremacy of Christ
in terms of the timing
of his arrest.
The timing of his arrest.
Here in verse 1,
when Jesus had spoken
these words,
he went out with the disciples
across the book
Brook Kidron.
His ministry,
public ministry,
was over.
And now was the time
for Jesus
to be killed,
to be handed over
to the Gentiles,
to be delivered up
for crucifixion.
Chapters 15
and 16
and 17,
we see Jesus
with his disciples
delivering some final
parting words to them.
They've included
faithful reminders
of things that they have heard
in the past
of Jesus' ministry,
but even new things.
He's concentrated
on his departure.
He's tried to comfort them
with the promise
of the Holy Spirit.
He's warned them
about the conflict
that they would face.
He's consistently
pointed their attention
to the unchangeable reality
of the Father's care.
These final words
were vital
for the ongoing
endurance
of this group of men.
But now that the time
has come,
Jesus now makes his way
with his disciples
outside of the city
of Jerusalem,
and now they begin
their trek
to the Mount of Olives
into the Garden
of Gethsemane.
Jesus was concerned
about this band of men.
He talks about
the great celebration
that they will enjoy
in a future day,
looking forward
to when the Father
would come
and to take them home.
but he has predicted
on at least three occasions
that this moment
would come,
the moment of his
arrest,
the moment of his
crucifixion
and his resurrection.
And now the long
awaited day
was here.
Jesus knew
the timing
of his arrest.
Jesus also knew
the betrayal
in his arrest.
He knew the circumstances
of the betrayal
and the betrayer.
Here we see
in verse 2,
it says,
Now Judas,
who betrayed him,
also knew the place.
Jesus was not surprised
by the man
who stood before him
at this point
of time.
From the beginning
of Judas' time
with the group,
Jesus was well aware
of the way
that he would be
instrumental
in betraying him
to the cross.
Early on
in his ministry,
in the feeding
of the 5,000,
Jesus points
to this very issue
in John chapter 6.
Turn with me
there for a moment
as we look
at this together.
John chapter 6,
verse 64.
Jesus has shared
some difficult words
with the people
who were participating
in the feeding
of the 5,000.
And as a result
of the difficult words,
it says that
many of his disciples
who heard it
then left him.
But in verse 66,
it says,
After this,
many of his disciples
turned back
and no longer
walked with him.
So Jesus said
to the 12,
Do you want
to go away as well?
Simon Peter asked him,
Lord,
to whom shall we go?
You have the words
of eternal life.
And we believed
and have come
to know
that you are
the Holy One of God.
Jesus answered them,
Did I not choose you,
the 12?
And yet,
one of you
is a devil.
He spoke of Judas,
the son of Simon Iscariot,
for he,
one of the 12,
was going
to betray him.
It's unbelievable
to think
that even
in the selection
process
of his disciples,
as Jesus
submits himself
to the will
of the Father.
He knew exactly
what Judas
would be.
Judas would be
the betrayer.
And all the while,
Judas is participating
with the disciples,
with the 12,
in the ministry
of Jesus,
seeing what he does,
observing the works,
hearing the words,
and even,
at one point,
receiving the power
that Jesus gave
to the 12
to cast out demons
and to do
and perform miracles.
Judas was a
full participant
in the public
ministry
of Jesus.
But Jesus
was not surprised.
Jesus was not
convinced
of Judas'
loyalty.
He knew his heart,
the heart
of a betrayer.
And on this night,
as the disciples
were gathered
for the Passover,
Jesus again
exposes Judas
for what he was.
Turn with me
to John chapter 13
now,
verses 10 and 11.
John 13,
10 and 11.
Jesus has just
washed the disciples'
feet.
Peter protests
and says,
wash not just
my feet,
but just wash
all of me.
Jesus' response
in verse 10,
the one who is
washed does not
need to wash
except for his
feet,
but is
completely
clean.
And you are
clean,
but not every
one of you,
for he knew
who was to
betray him.
That was why
he said,
not all
of you are
clean.
Jesus knew
the heart
of Judas.
Jesus knew
his role
in being the
betrayer,
in turning
Jesus over
to the
authorities.
So Jesus
knew the
time,
Jesus knew
the betrayer,
but Jesus
also knew
the place
of his
arrest.
We find that
here at the
end of verse 2.
John chapter
18,
verse 2,
continues this
way.
Judas,
who betrayed
him,
also knew
the place,
for Jesus
often met
there with
his disciples.
from the
other gospel
records,
we find
that Judas'
heart was
just moving
in the
direction of
this betrayal.
So that
likely on
the very
day that
Judas is
about to
betray Jesus,
he goes
to the
authorities,
to the
religious
authorities,
and he
sells Jesus
out.
Now Judas,
looking for
opportunities,
to betray
Jesus,
finds the
perfect
moment.
Now remember
that during
the Passover
meal,
Jesus concealed
the actual
location of
where that
meal would
take place
by sending
the apostles
into the
city of
Jerusalem to
look for
the man
carrying for
the pitcher
of water.
Jesus
masterfully
understood
that in
order to
have this
meal with
his disciples,
needed to
conceal the
actual location,
otherwise it
might be
jeopardized by
Judas
interfering.
So the
next opportunity
that Judas
would have
is to go
to the
place that
Jesus often
met with
his disciples
and where
was that
place?
We find
that as a
pattern,
Jesus and
his disciples
through this
Passion Week
after teaching
the temple
would go
into the
Mount of
Olives and
that's where
he and his
disciples would
stay for the
night until
the next day.
Listen as I
just read
Luke chapter
21 verse
37.
It says
this,
And every
day he was
teaching in
the temple,
but at
night he
went out
and lodged
on the
mount called
Olivet.
And early
in the
morning all
the people
came to
him in
the temple
to hear
him.
Jesus
set Judas
up.
Jesus in
spending time
at the
Mount of
Olives knew
that this
was the
place where
Judas would
bring this
band of
men.
This was
the place
where Judas
would know
that the
twelve
disciples,
the eleven
disciples now
with Jesus
would be.
A place
where Jesus
often found
refreshment.
A place
where Jesus
often was
encouraged,
was strengthened
by the
comfort of
his relationship
with the
Father.
Do you
have any
of those
kinds of
places?
Places of
refreshment,
places of
comfort?
One of the
things that I
like to do
when I visit
different
cities that
I once
lived is I
like to go
to the
places where
I met
with God.
The places
which were
common
locations of
fellowshipping
with him.
Being reminded
of God's
goodness in
that specific
place.
That's what
the Garden
of Gethsemane
was for
Jesus.
Whenever he
was in
Jerusalem,
the Garden
of Gethsemane
and the
Mount of
Olives was
the place
of refreshment,
the place
of communion
with the
Father.
And Judas
knew that's
precisely the
place where
he could find
Jesus at
this point.
Jesus moved
to the
exact location
where he
had been
the previous
nights this
entire week.
And so Judas
knew where to
find him.
Jesus was
masterfully in
control of
the circumstances.
We also find
the participants
in his arrest.
Jesus understood
who would be
involved in
this process.
We find in
verse 3 more
details related
to that.
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.
Jesus had
predicted in
Matthew chapter
20, he
says,
Behold, we
are going up
to Jerusalem
and the
Son of Man
will be
betrayed to
the chief
priests and
to the
scribes and
they will
condemn him
to death
and deliver
him to
the Gentiles
to mock
him and
to scourge
him and
to crucify
him and
on the
third day
he will
rise.
Jesus knew
who the
players were
going to
be.
Jesus is
not surprised
to see
this band
and multitude
of individuals
show up
to arrest
him.
He knew
who was
coming and
Judas leads
them into
this garden.
Well, who
were they?
Well, a
cohort is a
group of
600 soldiers.
soldiers.
That's a
significant
group of
individuals
coming to
arrest an
individual who
for up to
this point
had been
all but
peace.
He brings
some officers.
These would
have been the
temple officials,
those given
authority in
the Jewish
realm to
exact some
level of
judgment on
individuals within
the Jewish
community.
And then the
Pharisees who
represented the
authority of the
moral law and
the scripture.
You may ask
yourself, why
so many?
Why torches
and why
lanterns and
why swords
and clubs?
Why the
weaponry?
What is
taking place
here?
Well, Jesus
had avoided
life-threatening
situations on
numerous occasions
leading up to
this point.
We find in
several occasions
through the
gospel of John
alone.
that the
officials came
to arrest
Jesus but
because his
hour had not
yet come,
somehow he
vanished from
their midst or
somehow he
moved through
the crowd.
Somehow he
was able to
hide himself
and escape
their captivity.
In one
particular example
in John
chapter 10,
it says,
the Jews took
up stones to
stone him,
therefore they
sought again to
seize him,
but he escaped
out of their
hand.
Well, this
wasn't going to
happen again,
at least not
in their minds.
So they bring
this multitude
of individuals
to ensure that
Jesus could not
escape.
But as we'll
see, Jesus is
not only supreme
over the details
of his arrest,
we'll also see
that Jesus
demonstrates
decisiveness of
his authority.
We see that in
the next several
verses from 4 to
6.
Jesus demonstrates
the decisiveness
of his authority.
Let me read
this for us.
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
fell to the
ground.
I want you
to notice two
things from
this circumstance
that demonstrate
that Jesus is
in command.
Jesus is showing
decisive authority
in this situation.
First of all,
notice that he
steps forward.
He takes
initiative.
He is moving
to the front.
How would he
do that?
Especially given
what we find in
verse 4.
knowing all
that would
happen to
him, he
moves forward.
Jesus,
understanding the
circumstances, the
events that would
follow in the
next 12 hours,
his crucifixion,
the scourging that
he would
experience,
he steps
forward.
Jesus has been
stepping forward
since leaving
the ministry in
Galilee.
For the last
six months,
Jesus has been
determined to
move towards the
direction of the
cross.
We find in Luke
chapter 9 that
he set his face
to go to
Jerusalem.
He knew exactly
what was waiting
for him there and
he knew the
Father's will.
He determined
to himself that
he was going to
follow through
with God's plan
for his life.
He did not run,
he did not cower,
he did not hide,
he did not evade
their advances,
he did not retreat,
but he takes
command of the
situation.
He steps forward
and he is the
one to initiate
this conversation.
The mob who
had come to
manhandle the
Messiah is
actually put in
their place.
As Jesus,
not a victim of
his circumstances,
takes control
of this process.
Who are you
looking for?
Jesus says.
And then they
respond,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus says,
I am he.
And with that,
this mob of
maybe as many
as 650 people
fall backwards
at the word
of God.
Not only does
Jesus demonstrate
his decisiveness
and authority
through stepping
forward,
but he,
with the word,
he knocks them
to the ground.
He demonstrates
his power
over them
in just a word.
I want you
to notice
the undeniable
authority
of the Messiah.
Undeniable
authority.
Jesus will not
escape.
He will not
be taken by
force.
They were
thinking,
he's not going
to be able
to hide.
He won't be
able to resist
to rest.
But then
when he says,
I am he,
he totally
immobilizes
them.
They didn't
anticipate
this turn
of events.
They didn't
anticipate
that they
would be
repelled
with just
a word.
Now they're
flat on their
backs.
Now they're
vulnerable.
Jesus at this
point could
have easily
have escaped,
but instead
he remains
committed to
the task.
In this
display of
divine authority,
Jesus continues
to remain
stationary,
committed to
the plan
of God.
He's not a
victim of
his circumstances.
He is in
complete control.
But if that
wasn't enough,
Jesus continues
to demonstrate
his authority
through the
situation.
Even through,
even though
his authority,
he is humbly
submitting himself
to the
Father.
But now we
see his
power as
he keeps
his promises.
Jesus proves
the dependability
of his
promises in
verses 7 to
9.
Notice what
it says,
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 no
one.
We see
that Jesus
now takes
command of
the situation
in another
way.
He has
asked this
question a
second time.
He has
asked them
to help
refine their
focus.
Who do
you seek?
Well,
Jesus of
Nazareth.
So if
you seek
Jesus of
Nazareth,
then here
I am,
leave the
disciples
alone.
I kind
of get
this picture
of the
Jedi
waving their
hand and
saying,
leave the
disciples
alone.
That's not
the picture
we're supposed
to get.
The picture
we're supposed
to get is
of Jesus
in command,
the king
of kings,
the master
of the
universe,
is making
a statement,
a command
to his
subjects.
It's
authoritative,
it's
decisive,
and it's
dependable.
The word
that Jesus
had given
to his
disciples,
the word
that he
had preached
in his
ministry,
the word
that he
had prayed
to the
Father,
is a
word that
he intends
to keep
in fulfillment
of the
scriptures.
To
demonstrate
that his
word is
true,
and
dependable,
and
trustworthy.
Jesus
demonstrates
the
mastery
over
the
situation.
Let
these
men
go.
Jesus
had
just
prayed
for
his
disciples
in
John
chapter
17
verse
12.
He
says,
Jesus
will
make good
on his
promises.
They are
dependable.
They are
trustworthy.
You can
trust them.
in
the
moment.
And even
in this
moment,
where Jesus
seems to
be at
the moment
of
weakness,
he
demonstrates
his
supremacy
of the
situation,
and yet
his
surrender
and
submission
to the
Father.
Challenges
will come
in our
lives.
Hardships
will be
faced.
But if
we walk
the way
of the
cross,
we will
walk in
the way
of
submission
to
Christ.
And when
we submit
to Christ,
we will
experience
the
strengthening
of his
spirit
in those
hard times
as Jesus
does here.
And finally,
Jesus shows
his supremacy
and submission
to the
Father
in verses
10 and
11 by
confirming
the
determination
of his
obedience.
confirming
the
determination
of his
obedience.
Then
Simon
Peter,
verse 10,
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 in
its sheath.
Shall I
not drink
the cup
the Father
has given
to me?
Peter,
in an
impulsive
fit of
courage,
decides that
he's going
to hack
his way
through
this
cohort
of 600
trained
military
men.
Peter
was
presumptuous.
Peter
thought he
knew what
God's plan
was in
the situation.
But rather
than follow
the lead
of his
Messiah,
rather than
walk in
the steps
of the
Savior,
Peter
decides to
take matters
into his
own hands.
Well,
that proves
to be
foolishness
as all
he's able
to do
is cut
off an
ear,
which again
gives
Jesus
the opportunity
to show
up in
divine
display,
healing
this man's
ear and
showing again
that he
is the
one who
is in
control
of all
that's
taking
place.
Peter
represents
presumptuous
action.
Those who
say they're
moving forward
in faith,
but are not
following the
lead of
their Savior.
But Jesus,
determining to
do what the
Father has
commanded him,
rebukes Peter
and we get a
glimpse of the
motivation for
Jesus that
comes again to
the surface.
He says,
put your sword
into its
sheath.
Shall I not
drink the
cup that the
Father has
given to me?
Missing from
this narrative
is the
discussion or
the
discourse of
Jesus in
committing himself
to the
Father in
terms of
prayer.
Three times
Jesus goes
to the
Father in
prayer and
says,
not my
will but
yours be
done.
And although
that is
missing from
this gospel
record,
we see that
that was the
heart of
Jesus in
this moment.
shall I not
drink the
cup the
Father has
given to
me,
Peter?
Shall I
not do what
the Father has
determined for
me to do
since the
beginning of
time?
Fighting was
not for this
night as
evident from
the other
gospel record
where Jesus
says,
don't you
know,
Peter,
that I
could call
a legion
of angels
to deliver
me?
But
scripture must
be fulfilled.
in this
way.
I need to
follow the
plan of
the Father.
Jesus
was interested
in doing
what the
Father had
said.
He would
drink the
cup of
the Father's
wrath for
the sake of
those who
would come to
him in
faith.
He would
drink the
judgment of
God for
sin by
dying on
the cross.
He would
absorb the
wrath of
God for
you.
And he
would offer
salvation to
any who
would come
to him in
repentance and
faith.
Jesus would
drink the
cup, the
bitter cup of
the Father.
He would
move forward
following after
the will of
the Father to
do what the
Father had
commanded.
As we've
moved through
this passage,
I hope that
it's been
clear that
we've seen
the supremacy
of Jesus
show up
through this
narrative.
And yet,
though he was
supreme in
all of these
circumstances,
he committed
himself to
obedience.
This morning,
as we think
about the
elements,
it's a picture
really of what
Jesus has done
for us.
A picture of
his body and
a picture of
his blood.
The broken
body of
Christ,
broken for
us, to
make way for
salvation.
The life's
blood that
was spilt for
us.
A picture of
this Passover
time, where
the blood was
painted on the
doorposts, and
back in Egypt,
Israel was
delivered, the
Jews were
delivered because
of this portrait
which pointed to
Christ, future
deliverance through
salvation.
Salvation through
the blood of
Christ, being
cleansed because
of the washing
of his blood.
Let's pray as
we commit our
time to him.
Lord, we're
grateful this
morning for
the supreme
example of
your son,
Jesus, who
in these
moments commanded
the situation.
He was in
control, and
yet he
willingly gave
himself up to
death, to
betrayal, to
be crucified, and
then to rise
again.
And Lord, because
of his obedience
to the Father, we
can participate in
salvation and in
fellowship.
Lord, this
morning we
understand the
way of the cross
is the way of
surrender.
It's the way of
submission.
It's not the
way of working
out our situation
for ourselves, of
taking matters into
our own hands, but
of seeing the power
of God working
through our lives as
we submit to your
sovereignty.
We trust that your
way is best, and we
prove to the world
that you are good.
Lord, as we come to
the elements this
morning, we pray that
you would unite our
hearts, call our
attention to the
wonder of our great
God.
May we submit once
again to your name
and follow you this
week in obedience.
We pray in Jesus'
name.
Amen.
As we move to the
communion time, I
just want to call your
attention to Philippians
chapter 2.
Philippians chapter 2.
We see what the
obedience of Christ
did for us in
Philippians chapter 2.
beginning with verse
5.
It says,
Have this mind
among yourselves,
which is yours in
Christ Jesus, who,
though he was in the
form of God, did not
count equality with
God a thing to be
grasped, but made
himself nothing,
taking the form of a
servant, being born in
the likeness of men,
and being found in
human form, he humbled
himself by becoming
obedient to the point
of death, even death
on a cross.
We find from Isaiah
chapter 53 that it was
God's will to crush
him.
It was God's will to
bring his wrath down on
the Son.
And Jesus, willingly
surrendering to that
will, obediently
followed God's plan,
and was obedient to
the point of death,
even death on a
cross.
This morning, as we
consider the obedience
and submission of
Christ, it stands for
us as an example of
people who need to
follow the pattern of
Jesus' life.
The way of the cross is
the way of submission.
And maybe this morning
you say, but Pastor
Scheer, you don't know
my husband, or you
don't know my wife.
The Bible says for us
as husbands to love
your wife as Christ
loved the church.
That's what I call
surrender.
That's what I call
sacrifice.
That's what I call
love.
Or maybe you say,
Pastor Scheer, you
don't know my boss.
And all we need to do
is look at Ephesians
chapter 6, and we
find that servants are
to obey their
masters with fear and
trembling as to the
Lord and not to men.
We find that we're to
work heartily as to the
Lord and not to men.
Or maybe those of you
who are students would
say, well, Pastor Scheer,
you don't know my
teacher.
You don't know how
difficult things are in
my classroom.
And to that, Jesus
would say, respect your
authorities.
Follow after them as
those who are
representatives and
stewards of God.
God's in control of
those things.
He desires for us to
submit to the
governing authorities
as to Christ.
Christ.
Rather than take
matters into our
hands, we submit to
the will of the
Father as Christ did.
And then we can see
the power of God
show up in our
lives.
So this morning, as
we consider the
elements today, we
consider the obedience
of Christ and what he
accomplished for us.
And as we take those
elements, and I'm
going to ask the men
to come as I pray, as
we take those elements,
consider this morning
how God wants us, how
he wants you, to obey
and submit to him in
the circumstances in
which you find yourself
this week.
Let me pray for us
again.
Amen.