Following Charles Spurgeon’s daily devotions for today, I noticed these words at the conclusion of the morning devotion, “Let me praise him, this morning, as I remember how he wrought his spiritual cures, which bring him most renown. It was by taking upon himself our sicknesses. “By his stripes we are healed.” The Church on earth is full of souls healed by our beloved Physician; and the inhabitants of heaven itself confess that “He healed them all.” Come, then, my soul, publish abroad the virtue of his grace, and let it be “to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.” The Lord wants to heal you this morning. The healings I am speaking of are not so much in the physical realm as they are spiritual. Unforgiveness, doubts, fears, and the list goes on. First and foremost, the Lord is the ultimate healer in bringing the spiritually dead to new life in Him, maybe that is you this morning. Maybe your life is so spiritually dry and drought riddled, that you feel as if you are on the edge of depravity yourself.
You might feel as if you have been betrayed by a friend, church member, society, or you might even feel as if the Lord Himself has betrayed you. I want to tell you this morning, no one suffered like my Lord Jesus, no one has been hurt or betrayed like our Lord Jesus.
There are some theological lessons we learn from John 17. We found that Jesus was teaching us some very importantly theological lessons. We learned that salvation is through Him alone, we learned that God’s people will love, cherish and obey God’s word. We found that we have a purpose in the world as Christ followers, to be dispensers and broadcasters of the truth of the gospel. Jesus gave us a purpose, in what I like to call a “proto or pre” gospel purpose. Joh 17:23 I am in them, and you are in me. May they be completely one, so that the world may know that you sent me and that you have loved them as you loved me.
With you Bibles in hand, let’s look at the betrayal and the arrest of our Lord Jesus, and what you and I can learn from God’s Word. Let us sit the stage for the arrest and death of Jesus. You will notice there are a few items that are not recorded in John’s account of the Gethsemane narrative. This doesn’t mean they didn’t happen, but John was simply lifting up the divinity of Jesus, and it seems He does this in every chapter. You will notice there is no kiss offered from Judas, Pilate does not wash his hands of the ordeal, Cyrene doesn’t carry the cross of Jesus, no temple veil ripping. John just takes a different angle and we can rest in the other authors of the gospel narrative to give complimentary accounts.
- Who Are You Looking For? Joh 18:1 After Jesus had said this, he went with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Joh 18:2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place because Jesus often met there with his disciples. Joh 18:3 So Judas took a detachment of soldiers and some officers from the high priests and the Pharisees and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Joh 18:4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen, went forward and asked them, "Who are you looking for?"
- You know that you have a good teacher when his or her habits of teaching make an impression on the students. Even bad students like Judas. Judas knew the prayer habits of Jesus and Judas would lead the high priests and Temple guard to a little garden that lies just on the east side of Jerusalem called the Kedron valley. There is much mention in the Old Testament concerning Kidron especially a well-known brook that runs there. This is a historical landmark concerning the casting down of the idols of Ahaz and casting the remains in this famous brook. This was a place where Jesus took His disciples on many occasions.
- There is a sense of irony that also runs through the opening of this narrative. In all actually, it is a thread I think that runs from Genesis up until this garden scene. The first garden scene involved Adam and Eve, people that were created by God alone to be His worshippers and to have communion with His. Remember that relationship was broken when the both rebelled and betrayed the Lord God. Now in this occasion, this Gethsemane scene, you have yet again, rebellious humankind attempting to rebel and betray the Lord, but this time it is different. This time the prophetic visions and sacred writ of old will be realized. This time, God Himself will finish what was started since creation itself. Betrayed again, only to lay down His life so that we might be justified in the eyes of the Lord yet again.
- So, here they come up to the Garden to “secure” Jesus. Unless we are sympathetic to Jesus in the garden, Jesus was in command. He was in control. Judas got together a few soldiers and some temple guardsmen, and went to Jesus carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. The amazing thing about this episode was there were going after a peaceful person with torches or lights and a weapon. Where they afraid that His arrest would incite a riot, did they know they were wrong so they went under the cover of night? Regardless, the irony is yet thick once again. I can almost hear the words of the Lords Jesus when He said, Joh 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Here are people, that are in spiritual darkness, coming to arrest the one that is the light of the world, and laying seize to the only one that can bring them out of this depravity and darkness.
- John, highlighting the deity of Jesus, records Him asking a question that has been echoed ever since, “whom do you seek?” The question was not one of ignorance, Jesus knew all that would happen. Jesus knew everything that would transpire, for that is why He said, “my hour is at hand.” He had spent the best part of three years preaching, performing the minacious, and now the most wonderful and tragic event in history is about to transpire, and He knew it all. This question He still asks everyone the world over, “who do you seek?” Can we answer Jesus and fill or lives in with His love and teachings?
Remember, even in this garden scene, Jesus is still teaching His disciples. People the world over are seeking significance, are seeking purpose, and without Jesus, purpose becomes wasted and empty. I want to introduce to a former Atheist by the name of Peter. Peter was searching for something as well. Ultimately, he didn’t realize the answer was in response to the question, “who do you seek?” This arrest episode teaches us something about ourselves and the Lord. He is in control of life and wants all to know Him. Peter found his purpose and it is Jesus. The million-dollar question, “who do you seek,” is for you as well.
- An Encounter with the ‘I AM’ : Joh 18:5 They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. Joh 18:6 When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
- This narrative has many resemblances with the encounter between God and Moses. In, Exo 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" This narrative has always been an amazing telling, for we see the soldiers and company fall to the ground. Much like Moses was taken aback and tries to hide his face from the Lord, the soldiers were afraid and taken aback in this one instance. But the hordes fear of man outweighed their fear of God. The response is one of Holy fear. Jesus’ response sends them to the ground because they did not understand. It would be like someone, “seeing a ghost” and being startled to the place where you didn’t know what do you. The only two responses are to fall prostrate before Him as Lord or to repel away as sinners. Then …Joh 18:7 So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Giving them a second chance to respond, they said, “Jesus of Nazareth. Joh 18:8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go. Joh 18:9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one."
- They may have come as an arresting force, but it is clear who is in control. Jesus was ultimately giving Himself up to the horde. Even in those words, “let these men go,” there is grace. Thinking about that phrase, that is what Jesus came to do, to pled before the Father to “let them go.” Not to over look sin, but to look at the righteousness of Jesus on our behalf and “let us go.” Almost sounds like the case with Moses when he begged the Pharaoh to let God’s people go. Again, John pointing to Jesus as the ultimate prophetic realization of THE long-awaited deliverer. Were Moses was a shadow of deliverance, Jesus is the fulfillment.
Let me introduce you to another group of people. Different from Peter the Atheist but with the same need. When one is confronted with the “I AM,” they are never the same. These people have never heard the gospel, watch what happens when they realize what grace is. Did you have a similar response? We might not have danced in the street for 2.5 hours, but there should be a noticeable difference. Can you see now why missions is so important? An encounter with the I Am will change you forever.
III. I deserve death, but grace abounds: The Bible says, Rom_5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Rom 5:21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Every one of us can identify with the people in that garden. In fact, we probably would be one carrying torches and seeking to arrest Jesus. We most certainly would be like Peter: Joh 18:10 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.)
Joh 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?" Peter’s reaction fits well within the narrative for it mirrors every person in that garden. For we are prone to be judgmental, act out in fear and anger, we are prone to try and hide in the darkness. So, there in the garden, on full display, is an open view to the human fallen condition. But where we would lash out and strike down, the Lord Jesus teaches us not to retaliate. Where we would be like Peter, prone to fight, Jesus teaches us to seek healing and restoration. Jesus once more reiterates His purpose, He must drink for the cup the Lord has given Him,” for He has come to die.
There is much application in these verses. We see the Lord that asks every one of us, “who do you seek?” We could even recast that question and ask, “what or who do you seek?” We see that when one encounters the living God they are never the same. When we see Jesus, it demands a response. We see Jesus teaching the importance of forgiveness and grace. When we think we have the rightful place to retaliate and seek instant justice, Jesus demonstrates we must be slow to anger, slow to retaliate and be quick to show grace and mercy.
No one has been betrayed like Jesus. If you have been betrayed by someone in this life get in line. “Line starts here.” But the line also starts right here right now for forgiveness an healing wounds. Who would be so bold as to get in line?
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