Piney Grove Baptist Church

John 19: 1-15 "Behold The Man"

John 18: 28-40 "Not of This World"

At the time I begin jotting down some ideas for this week’s sermon, my stomach is a Little upset. It may have been that I filed my stomach up with a good breakfast and two bottles of water before we left, and the winding road up and down the mountain twisted and churned my stomach like a washing machine. I am resting in the van and the team is heading through the ancient ruins of Ingaperica. As I sit in the van looking out across the mountain side, I am reminded, God owns it all. He painted the skylights in the heavens, He swept the mountain peaks up to their highest with His might. He owns it all, even the many cows and pigs grazing and rooting on the countryside. I had entered into a world, in all of its vastness, which reminded me. No matter what we think we own, no matter what little plot of land we think we have complete control over, God really owns every square molecule. If that measure makes sense. I am also reminded of a very theologically rich truth, a theologically and philosophically rich and robust truth. Here it is so write it down, “Jesus loves the little children.”
On July 9th, on Expo Sunday, the Ecuador mission team will craft a worship service to share what the Lord did in their hearts, and with the children in the villages. We had many God appointed encounters and we will share what we can, and have just a small amount of pictures as well. Mission trips do something to you. For some, you know you are going to try and make an impact for Christ on some people in another land, but Christ impacts you through it all. In a brief moment of time, we get to see the world, in real time, the way God sees them, in need of the savior.
As Christ followers, we have got to remember, this world is not my home. Jesus said similar words during His trial. As He stood before Pilate He said, “My Kingdom is Not of This World,” and that is the title of today’s sermon.  I want to propose a few questions throughout the message. “Have you gotten too comfortable with the comforts of this world?” Have you been too comfortable in your cultural bubble? My prayer is that God would invade that bubble, and do so very soon.
Too Good For The King: 28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.
When we talk about Jesus as King, we want to focus on Hi in this way: He is King of kings and Lord of lords. As Andreas Kostenburger wrote, “Jesus was the otherworldly king who had come to this word as a witness to the truth; He was the one who would one day serve as as its judge, but who was to give His life for the sins of the world.” The temple guards led Jesus from the high Priests home, (which was unlawful anyway), to the headquarters of the governor Pontius Pilate. The scriptures say the Jews didn’t want to get close to the headquarters, a place where the gentile dogs live, for they thought they might be unclean. Praise the Lord God didn’t see clean and unclean in terms of ethnicity. All this business with unclean people was a misrepresentation of the Hebrew Scriptures, just read the book of Jonah. Jesus sees all people in need of a savior. They would not go into the office of Pilate, as if stepping in would add any more dirtiness to the filth and depravity they carried around anyway. The fact that I mention this so harshly, or even mention it at all, is because sometimes we act the same way. There are people all over the world that are hurting and lost, even in our own neighborhood, but we think we are too good to talk to them, or even invite them to church. Sin, sickness, addictions, etc., Jesus didn’t die on the cross so we could be comfortable locked in our own little Kingdom. A Kingdom where we have the draw bridge up, the moat is full, the doors are locked. You might say, our church isn’t like that, but I guarantee there are some that wants to limit access to the Kingdom and that is sin my friend there is no other way to put it. These guards would not even go into Pilate’s headquarters. Then get this, as to add irony to the narrative, go to get ready for the Passover. They were dirty before their feet even hit the ground in the morning, much less getting close to a Gentile. They thought that somehow, participating in the Passover would make them clean. Not so! In fact, many people today rely on ceremonies and traditions to make them acceptable to God. Many people are still in sin, and still act as if taking communion, coming to church, or getting baptized makes one clean. Those things are worthy of participation and used in worship. If you are a Christ follower and have been saved. It is only the blood of Jesus and His sacrifice that makes one clean.
29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
A young man had a fire and a zeal to serve the Lord and to be on the mission field.  He felt the call, even at a young age, to go to a foreign country and share Jesus with them. He prayed about it and knew the Lord was calling Him to go, and so he sought his Pastor’ counsel. He sat down and shared what the Lord was doing in his heart and life, and told him he felt called to foreign missions. Amazingly, the Pastor was not in full agreeance with the young man’s calling. He said, “I think you are too young to go to another country instead of encouraging the boy, He seemed to crush his hopes and dreams of working for the Lord. Having enough wisdom, even at his young age, the boy looked at the obviously inner focused pastor and said, “I might not be a pastor, and I might not be a biblical scholar, but when the Lord says GO I Go. It wasn’t long afterwards, the pastor retired due to infidelity towards his wife, and the young man went on the mission field in China. What is amazing about the story, this young man started a revival in his church by being obedient. People were being saved, people that thought they were in Gods will and saved but were in fact lost. To be part of Gods work is to understand this, we are not too good for Gods mission, nor do we build up a little impenetrable kingdom of our own.
Too Good To Persecute (Dirty Work):  Joh 18:30  They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you."
Joh 18:31  Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death."
Joh 18:32  This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die
This is a classic case of getting someone else to do the dirty work, or to get a scape goat. We quickly see, they were not even willing to execute Jesus. They were willing to point the finger, but we’re coward when it comes to executing Jesus. They wanted someone to do their dirty work. Pilate was a man of business, a man that wanted to know exactly what the defendant did to merit such a request of execution. He must have done something to force the religious leaders out of obeying their own laws. Exodus 20:13, “thou shalt not kill.” They didn’t care if the gentiles broke the law of god, I mean, “they Jews are God’s chosen people.” They misunderstood what that meant for centuries. Despite the Jewish nature of the whole narrative, the method of crucifixion will be used to kill Jesus, as reality that Jesus already predicted. Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Joh 12:33  This he said, signifying what death he should die. 
There was a committee that didn’t like the Pastor was running things. They gathered all the people that had the same idea about him and decided they wanted one person to address the pastor first. They gathered all the appropriate people for their “noble cause,” but they themselves were to dignified to go to the pastor with their concerns. They finally got themselves a scapegoat. This person was respectable in the church sent the person on their way to execute the deed. This person went to the pastor and stressed the disapproval. I believe the cause of upset was they thought he spent way too much of the churches resources. The pastor sat and listened intently to all of the grievances, he didn’t utter a word. He paused at the end of all of the grievances, looked at the young scapegoat and said this to them, “Kingdom focused people don’t enlist others to do their dirty work, they come seeking health and what is right for the kingdom of Jesus.” The Pastor had flaws just like everyone else, but don’t call up a rallying squad to execute. Listen, have enough faith that God will work it out, so much so, that He will give you boldness, even when confrontation is difficult. The very first thing we should do when we have an issue with a brother or sister is most of the time the last. Jesus died so we can be Kingdom people, He stood before Pilate persecuted so that we could be Kingdom people.
III.             Too Good TO Proclaim Him King:  Joh 18:33  So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Joh 18:34  Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?"
Pilate asks a very simple question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” In true Rabbinic fashion, Look at Jesus’ reply. Did Pilate come to this realization on his own or just what He was told? What Jesus is doing, in some regard, is showing that of the spirit and that of the flesh. He asked the disciples, “Who do the people say that I am,” and Peter said, “thou are the Christ the Son of the living God.” Peter’s confession was one that could only come from the spirit. Likewise, Jesus is asking, although He knows, where did he come up with the notion that Jesus was the King of the Jews? Jesus own people turned Him over to the Roman government because He disrupted the corruption in that was in the temple, He constantly called them out for their false interpretations of the law, Jesus stirred the pot with righteousness, and being confronted made the Jews angry.
Notice the last part of the question, “what have you done?” That’s the whole point, Jesus did not have any offense other than being right and true. That’s the whole point of the cross of Christ Jesus, which is what makes the cross so crucial in His sacrificial work, Jesus was innocent, but His own people wouldn’t proclaim or see Him as the way of atonement, or amends with God almighty. Here is the thing, we don’t make amends with God, and He makes us righteous and pure in His sight. We offer nothing. They were too good to proclaim Him as King and they were separated from God, so Christian, what is your excuse? If you are saved, sanctified and secured in Him, you will lift up the name of Christ. One of the effects I see coming from the trip to Ecuador and many more, is that it teaches us to be mission even in our own back yard. Tell, the neighbor about the love of Jesus, even if you might have a hunch he knows Christ. God is moving, why aren’t you?
Jesus Proclaims His Kingdom Borders: First, Jesus, as co-creator with God the Father owns all this world. Second, we have Kingdom borders similar to Jesus. Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."Joh 18:37  Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."Joh 18:38  Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him. Joh 18:39  But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" Joh 18:40  They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.
If Jesus Kingdom was of ancient Israel or the Roman Empire, He could have had His servants fight. Jesus answers the way we all should. Here is the thought, “this world, and the ways of it, are not my home.” We don’t rest in the ways of the world and all of its depravity, we rest in the Kingdom of God. Jesus could have easily rallied some troops, in the garden He could have commanded His people to raise up arms, but He didn’t. He could have ensued a right but He didn’t, because this world, and the way of this world, is not His home, and it isn’t for the Christian either. We spend such a short time here on earth and we become some of the most wasteful people with the time God has given us.

"Will You Deny Him?" John 18: 25-27 ( Graduation Sunday 2017)

Once again I would like to say congratulations to class of 2017. I know it has been a long journey for those graduating from high school and College. I must confess, I was not the ideal student in school. My days in school was filled with moments of rebellion and trouble making. My brother quickly learned of the rebellious reputation of his older brother. He signed up for shop class, the teacher was calling out the roll, got to my brother's name, looks up and sees the family resemblance. Teacher asks him, “are you related to Larry Stephens? My brother said, “yes, he's my brother.” I want to tell you, that teacher looked right at him and said,” I have had one Stephens in my class and I’ll not have another.” He kicked him out. I can tell you a thing or two about the Grace of God. I can think of the apostle Paul when he said in 1Ti 1:12  I thank the Messiah Jesus, our Lord, who gives me strength, that he has considered me faithful and has appointed me to his service. 1Ti 1:13  In the past I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief, 1Ti 1:14  and the grace of our Lord overflowed toward me, along with the faith and love that are in the Messiah Jesus. 1Ti 1:15  This is a trustworthy saying that deserves complete acceptance: To this world Messiah came, sinful people to reclaim. I am the worst of them. 1Ti 1:16  But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the worst sinner, the Messiah Jesus might demonstrate all of his patience as an example for those who would believe in him for eternal life.
I learned fast that graduating from high school, although it was difficult at times, was the easiest part of this thing called life.
I want to challenge the class of 2017 and I want you to bear with me as I do so. I do not think we as Christians need to walk out of any worship setting without being challenged by God’s word. If one leaves a worship setting and they have not been challenged, then one must wonder if they have been to worship. One must ask, has the Word been adequately and rightly divided if I walk away feeling adequate in myself? Today demands much more than some twinkle toe sermon that dances around sin and depravity, what we need is more meat and potatoes preaching and teaching. Do you think when you guys get in the dorms that a fruity little sermonette will do in feeding your soul? No, we need the truth. It cannot always be Prim and proper, sometimes our toes must be stepped on in some regard at every worship service.
I want to offer some advice to you guys today that I believe would be effective both in college and in a new-found workplace. We must think of everything in our life through the lens of scripture. And when we do not line ourselves up with God’s word, we often find that life becomes way more complex and more of a struggle than it needs to be. So, the end of the sermon today I want to offer a few words of guidance on the college level and then also for those entering a newfound workplace.
 If we would call the life of the Apostle Paul up to this moment, we know that his life was one of ups and downs much like all our lives. In chapter 18 of John’s gospel, we see on display, some of Peter’s actions. We saw how he was very fast to pull out a sword and to striking a soldier, we saw how he was in the presence of Jesus at his first hearing and how he denied the Lord Jesus and denied him comfortably. There is much that can be said about Peter’s denial and how everyone of us in some way can relate to Peter. In other words, Peter can teach us a lesson about our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ or the lack thereof. How does this offers a word for us? How this offers a word for us today, is it allows us to answer the question “do we deny Jesus and if so how often?” Do we live a life that revolves around daily denying Jesus? And if this is the case, then does that in imply that we are not really Christ-followers at all?
College graduates high school graduates how you display Christ to the world is so vitally important. They’ll be moments in your college life when you will be pressed, or your beliefs will be pressed. They’ll be times when your professors will stretch your faith. They will doubt your faith, they might even be times when you will be called out in front of the class as being a Christian. And yes, that does happen more often than what we would like to admit to.
For those entering the work force, there will be times when your faith in Jesus will be challenged. There will be those moments when you are offered a shortcut and to take it would be sin.
Do not get to comfortable in this world: It is very easy to fall into hanging with the wrong crowd. Sometimes, the occasions call for us to rub elbows and minister to the down and out, the sinner. In fact, evangelism is contingent on the gospel of Jesus rubbing elbows amoungst sinners. There is no getting around this fact. You are not good enough, no matter how noble you might think you are, to get around the fact that Jesus called us to go into the world. That being said, this does not mean we recline and get comfortable around sin. Let’s look at Peter, Joh 18:25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. Some people asked him, "You aren't one of his disciples, too, are you?" He denied it by saying, "I am not!"  John summarizes the other gospel accounts by saying “some people,” inquired of Peter if indeed he was a disciple. Peter had denied Him once before Jesus was brought to the high priest Annas. Have you ever had someone cut you off in traffic, and they knew they were wrong, totally their fault, and they avoid eye contact? Likewise, Peter is symbolically putting his head in the sound, he doing like some of the liberal media and covering their ears and saying. There is an occasion in the gospel of Matthew, Mat_26:73  After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you." Your Galilean accent gives you away. They obviously recognized him as one of Jesus’ disciples.
I begin to think about the implications of Peter’s standing with Jesus over the whole scope of Peter’s ministry. Peter had some ups and downs, there is no doubt about that, but there Lord Jesus obviously restored Peter. Peter became a might preacher for Jesus. I begin to think about this accent thing, and about the actions of Peter and what gave him a way as a follower. I want people to associate me with Jesus by how they see me live my life, and how I proclaim Jesus, just like Peter’s accent gave him away. When you get out in the world as students of workers, will people see enough Jesus in you to say, “you are one of His aren’t you?” This works two ways though. For when you proclaim to be a follower and act otherwise, the world notices it as well. Church, the reason many don’t come against your faith and beliefs is because we haven’t put it on display enough. People, put Christ on display, put the gospel out and in front of your lives, and employ the Holy Spirit to enable you to live it out. The flip side of people seeing enough Jesus in you to identify you as a disciple, the same objective to works o shame you as well. The world is watching and waiting for you to shame Jesus. It is no secret, it is nothing to hide, if you live for Jesus long enough, you will shame Him in some way, but we have an advocate that we identify with that will cleanse us and bring us back into a vibrate relationship with Him if we will just cling and call to Him. Look at how identity in Jesus works in reverse, Joh 18:26  Then one of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "I saw you in the garden with Jesus, didn't I?" Didn’t you walk with Jesus who was supposed to be a peace maker and yet back there you tried to cut off a man’s ear? Joh 18:27  Peter again denied it, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Here is Peter, denying the Lord Jesus, the very same Son of God that was part of creating universe. Apart for God almighty and His involvement in our lives, we would be like Peter, denial and all. When you are pressed because of your association with Jesus, will you deny Him or stand faith. If we were to fast forward a few days from this arrest scene. We see a vastly different Peter. We read about the apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preaching in power and boldness. Act 2:40  Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead with them, saying, "Be saved from this corrupt generation!" Act 2:41  So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

John 18: 19-24 To Slap The Face of Christ- May 28th 2017

Message was recorded on May 28th, even though in the sermon it is mentioned as "May 29th"

"Called To Serve"

"Will You Deny Him"- John 18:12-18

 I remember reading about a little snippet of a little boy that was to recite some scriptures for Sunday Morning. His verse to remember was 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." He got up before the congregation to recite this verse and drew a blank, he could not remember it for anything. Looking down at his mother sitting on the front row, she mouthed out the verse. Still, he couldn’t make out what she was mouthing, so he leaned in to read her lips and he finally got it, he finally understood. He looked up and said, “My mom is the light of the world.” No, No, but thank the Lord for mom’s who teach their children God’s word.
As you might have figured, today’s message is not a traditional Mother’s Day sermon. Unless there are verses from the Gethsemane arrest scene that can be applied to mothers, today will be a travel through more verses from the garden scene. In reality, I do not have to spend 30 minutes trying to tie these verses into Mother’s Day when I can talk about Jesus and how He affects all of our lives.
Last week, I most of our time considering what transpired at the opening of the garden scene. We spoke about the thick irony that is through the narrative, how this episode reflects upon a time when man and women walked with God in the coolness of the day. I am of course speaking about what transpired in the Garden of Eden. How humankind sinned against God and if you fast forward a few thousand years, you see the same level of rebellion and deceit seen through those in the garden with Jesus. Here are people coming up the hill side to arrest Jesus, who is the light of the world. These people carrying torches and lights, and weaponry. Those light bearers were coming to arrest the Light that came into the world to lift the darkening and blinding effects of sin. Jesus asks the arresting party of people who they seek, they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” When Jesus answered the men here is what happened, Joh 18:6  When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. Jesus’ response was very similar what they know about the “I AM.” Could it be that Jesus was using the language that can only be used when referring about the self-existing one?  
We spent much time talking about betray. If anyone in that garden had the right to pick up a sword it would have been Jesus. So, Peter slices off the ear of Malchus then Jesus heals Him. Instead of rightfully standing over Him and saying, “see, that’s what you get,” Jesus healed him. To compliment last week’s sermon, here is the verses that demonstrate Jesus healing the ear. Luk 22:50  And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
Luk 22:51  But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and healed him.
Today we pick up in the narrative with a sermon I have entitled, “will you deny Him?”
Joh 18:12  So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.
Jesus basically turned Himself in to the captain who was a commander over a legion of soldiers. The Lord could have very easily could have upset the crowds and they could have followed Peter’s lead and started slicing away as well. Goes to show, the end result of retaliation leads to a vicious cycle of harm and ill intent. From this point on in the narrative, it is very easy to see ourselves in Jesus place. Jesus was bound because we were bound in sin.
Joh 18:13  First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Joh 18:14  It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
We quickly see that both Annas and Caiaphas were involved with the sentencing of Jesus. Where did Caiaphas first unknowingly prophesy that Jesus should die for the people? Joh 11:48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." Joh 11:49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, Joh 11:50  Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish." "You know nothing at all. I preached through these passages in a sermon entitled, “A View To a Kill.” Caiaphas had no idea the weight of the words that he said. Jesus would not only die for Israelite people, but people of every ethnicity, every tribe on earth, every dialect or language, every people group, Jesus died for the whoso ever will, He is no respecter of persons. Yes, one man had to die so that the whole world would not perish forever. Act_10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Joh 18:15  Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, Joh 18:16  but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.
West of the temple mount, is the court yard of the high priest. We have one Simon Peter mentioned and another disciple that many believe to be the apostle John. Since only men were allowed in the inner temple, and since there was a servant girl watching the door, it would be safe to say that this was at the house of one of the arresting party, probably a religious ruler.
Joh 18:17  The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."
The world, in the way of this girl, pressed in on Peter to test his allegiance. Was this a test for Peter to see if he would deny the Lord? Did the Lord use this chance to humble Peter. The lady sets Peter up with a lob pitch. She puts the ball on the “T” for peter and makes it easy for him to say “no.” She uses the phrase, “Art thou not,” and in the Greek, this would be a negative gesture towards Jesus. “Are you with HIM?” You know people in the world ask that of you all the time? People notice a different outlook of life according to you, and they notice. With a little digging, they come to find out you are a Jesus Christ follower and they ask, “Are you with Him,” or “you are one of them aren’t you?” The way we respond is pivotal in the rest of our walk, for each time we dismiss a gospel opportunity, it becomes easier the next. How many of us have said, even in our silence, “I am not with Him.” She speaks of Christ in the vulgar dialect of the Jews, calling him "this man"; not only esteeming him a mere man, but a worthless man.
We know of the scriptures that show Peter’s denial before the rooster crowed. Mar 14:72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.
Joh 18:18  Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
John shows us, that, up to a certain point, Peter was hard headed and rebellious, even in his denial. Sometimes the Lord has to knock us up side of the head to get us out of our funk we get in. To get us to think like Him and to acknowledge that His ways are always the better way. It took three times before Peter was broken.
F.B. Meyers said there are three lessons we can learn from Peter’s denial: (1) Let us not sleep through the precious moments which Heaven affords before each hour of trial, but use them for putting on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand in the evil day. (2) Let us not vaunt our own strength. We need more than resolution to sustain us in the hour of conflict. (3) Let us not cast ourselves down from the mountainside, unless absolutely sure that God bids us to do so. He will not otherwise give His angels charge to keep us.
Peter warms himself by the fire to escape suspicion, but the light reveals him yet again and he denies the Lord. This all was part of the Lord’s divine plan. Christ would be rejected so we may be accepted. In Act_4:11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
How do we reject the Lord today? For the church, it is not living out your faith. For the person that doesn’t know Jesus yet, rejection and denial is already there. We reject the Lord today by living in willful disobedience and try to have things our way and catered to our preference. We reject the Lord by not reconciling with each other, by being stingy with the gospel, by not looking at adversity in the body of Christ and using it for the glory of God.
I would like to share a dream with you…

"Betrayed"

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?
 
 
 

The Priestly Prayer: "Theology and Practice" -John 17

As we have been in deep with the gospel of John, it is important to note once again, the moto or theme that has run throughout. I mentioned this theme very early on in our venture together and I will share once again. The theme, or framework to with we look at John is this, “The I AM has come to dwell among us and redeem.” Today, I want to share with you a prayer and some theological points. Much of Jesus’ ministry was teaching and making disciples. Even in the way Jesus prayed, He was demonstrating how we must pray as well. Within this priestly prayer, and the soon coming Gethsemane prayer, we see a demonstration of the nature of Jesus. And may I say, as I will say again, understand the nature and work of Jesus affects everything in our life. Between this and the one offered in Gethsemane there is a difference we cannot help but to observe. Both were offered on the same night, yet in the one Christ is filled with calmness and triumph, and in the other with agony and dejection. This demonstrates the many facets of Jesus as Priest, Prophet, and King, but also demonstrates the human struggle that Jesus endured as He always prayed fervently.
I challenge you to put on the spectacles of Theology. What does this prayer teach us about our Great God, ourselves, and the Lord Jesus Christ?  In every narrative recorded in the gospels about Jesus, He is always teaching something. He did not have to pray audibly to the Father, but done so in order to teach.
Here again is the importance of the prayer, there are theological tid-bits that will help you see the priority of knowing God. So I’m going to offer a few points using the prayer, to drive some important theological road signs, to help us navigate our lives.
Theological Premise- Eternal Salvation is Offered By Jesus Alone: In all fairness, many of us here today get this premise. We understand that salvation is offered by Jesus alone, by faith alone and grace alone. But many do not act as if this premise is sound and reaches a firm conclusion. Let’s us look at the scriptures: Joh 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
Notice what is not stated in the opening verses. Jesus does not say anything about people adding on top of what the Son will do. There is no adding any merit towards salvation. John tells us that “when Jesus spoke these things,” what things? Chapter 16 explains much of what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, about persecution, and when it comes not to lose heart. He forecasted that they would be scattered but to have hope in the conquering King that overcome the world. After these words, Jesus models, in a didactic form, in teaching form, a prayer points us to glorify God. To lift up His eyes in prayer is a saying, it’s like saying, “let us now pray,” or “lets go to the Lord.” The hour has come, the hour when Jesus would suffer and die, the devil is at the door and knocking, ready to hang the Christ on the cross. Glorify the Son through His death and resurrection. Have you ever heard someone pray so beautifully or eloquently that you almost stopped to take notes for yourself? This is Jesus’ prayer, eloquent and pointed.
Joh 17:2  since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. Joh 17:3  And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Joh 17:4  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
Notice, Jesus leaves no room for human intervention. Meaning, salvation is totally contingent on who He calls and leaves no room for any human works. Jesus says, “all authority” has been given, much like the great commission verses, “all authority has been given to me.” Before we get to fast and try and demonstrate how these verses are ore reformed, the point of the prayer is didactic. The main thrust of the prayer is to demonstrate that the Lord Jesus was in total submission to His mission. Theologically, we see that eternal life is to know personally the Lord Jesus Christ. The word that Jesus uses for “might know” is a term that to recognizing or perceiving that salvation is only through Jesus and nothing more. We as God’s people, will let this fact dictate every area of our life. Jesus glorified the Father while on earth, completing the mission ahead. Dying on the cross was the mission, but along the way, He taught very pointed lessons. Here is a theologically lesson we all need.
Have you ever put your money in a snack machine, and afterwards just stood there looking at the selections and couldn’t make up your mind. You couldn’t decide what snack you wanted to eat for that day. Sadly, many of our churches have turned the way of snack machine theology, which in fact has become a lack of sound theology all together. The one most important thing on display is the attractions of what the church has to offer the consumer. Yes, for the worshipper now days have turned more into a consumer that a worshipper. The most important items in the church are sadly the things that are missing for churches across America. If salvation is by Jesus alone and not of works, why would we settle with anything else. My challenge is this, if salvation is offered by Jesus and no works can add to it, live your life in light of His glory. Why do you think there are so many world religions today, works salvation? Why do you think, even in churches that call themselves Christian can add the element of human works to salvation? The Catholic church adds Baptismal Regeneration, the Christian Churches the same. You cannot offer of add one thing to your salvation.
Theological Premise- Because Jesus Saves, We Keep His Word: As Jesus was totally true to His Words and Promises, we keep and treasure His Words as well. One must live their lives relishing and committing unapologetically to His Words and Commands. Joh 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
These verses are packed with theological significance, and if we glance over them we will miss it. Jesus refers to the time, before humankind ever come into existence, eternity past, when the Son of God was in unity with the Father and Spirit. A time when the trinity of God was uninterrupted. If you think about it, this is the severity of sin, it even disrupted the unity of the triune God head. Before you think I speak heretically, the unity was never busted up or fractioned perpetually. Regardless, Jesus is pointing to the resurrection. Again, we are reminded of the prologue, “In the beginning was the Word.”
Joh 17:6  "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Notice the three-theological truth in this statement. “The Lord’s name is known to His people, we are given to the Son from the way of the world, Christs’ people keep God’s Word.” When Jesus says the He manifested the name of the Lord, it is like claiming victory, a successful mission, mission accomplished. Of course, the immediate audience is these disciples surrounded Him, but the application is the same. In fact, if we know Jesus, aren’t we His disciples. Jesus lifted up the character and nature of God.
Joh 17:7  Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. Joh 17:8  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
Jesus teaches still, the disciples now know that Jesus is indeed the Christ and from God. They know the truth, He is the long awaited Messiah, but will they hold the same status when they crucify Him? Will they continue to see Jesus as Lord when they put Him in the tomb? They can believe that God sent the Son, but will their beliefs and faith…only if they cling to every Word issued from the Lord Jesus Christ, and so will we sustain robust faith, if we cling to His words.
Joh 17:9  I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. Joh 17:10  All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
I believe Martin Luther said it well concerning Jesus praying for the world or “not praying for the world.” He said, “Luther justly says, “What must be asked for the world is that it may be converted, not that it may be sanctified or kept.”
Those last words that Jesus uttered in verse ten should be a frightful thing to a Child of God that has been saved, redeemed and set aside. You say preacher, “those words are beautiful,” and they are, but they are also frightful. If you were to evaluate your walk with the Lord right now, would you be able to say that you glorify the Lord? Does your life bring glory to God? Christ speaks of the things which were not, but which should be, as though they were. Jesus anticipates the glorifying of his name by the successful preaching of the apostles, and the disciples
Christ is glorified in His people that keep His Word
If you were to look at our lives, for those faithful to Christ, it isn’t hard to see how He is glorified. That being said, it is also just as easy when we are not walking upright in the Lord. A true disciple is one that has given up their own lives to follow Him, in this He is glorified.  We have seen the miraculous of a spiritual healing of many people, included we who know Him. We have seen His works, read His Words, and they have transformed our way of thinking and living. The early disciples, and many today had suffered the loss of earthly possessions and comforts for His name’s sake; we are transmitters for His truth both in words and in deeds; because we are in Christ we stand against the world when the world is against Christ; we are on a mission to take His word and gospel to the end of the earth with the truth that  the world is submissive to His power, and in His death, the way of the world is conquered. Because He lives you live, because He has power, you have power, not in yourself, but in the word of truth you bear and keep. Are you living as if the Word and commands of the Lord are true. Jesus continues to teach- Joh 17:11  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. Joh 17:12  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. Joh 17:13  But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Joh 17:14  I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Joh 17:15  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
 
III.             Theological Premise- We Are Sanctified For a Purpose (Truth):  Joh 17:17  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. Joh 17:18  As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. Joh 17:19  And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. Joh 17:20  "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
We are sanctified or set apart for a reason, but those reasons in fact are many. Now we can pinpoint them down to one, “to bring glory to God.” We are also called out to be distributers of truth. There are several petitions in this prayer. Within this prayer is a call to Holiness and unity. Just as the Father sent the Son into the world to be a light for truth, so are we to be a light for truth. In the world, we live in, truth has become a forgotten commodity. There are many other truths and application we can elevate from these passages, but to highlight the importance of truth in today’s time takes high priority.
Joh 17:21  that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (There is a call to unity)
Joh 17:22  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, (There is a calling to be on the same page of truth. Again, for Jesus to mention that He and the Father are one is to say of the same essence, highlighting His divinity.
Joh 17:23  I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
In this theological premise found in the prayer, you ask, “what is our purpose?” Even though this was addressed to the immediate disciples, the purpose is still clear: so that the world may know that you sent me and that you have loved them as you loved me.
Joh 17:24  Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
There is the theological reality of heaven, and to worship God forever. To be with Jesus forever, and to see the fullness of His glory.
Joh 17:25  O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. Joh 17:26  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
These words of Jesus have all the truths of a relational God. We have a Lord that wants relationship. If you have a relationship with God, you spend time with Him. Our purpose is to spend time with the Lord, and to demonstrate to the world that you are now a new creature. If you know the Lord Jesus, you will live your life, every decision, to glorify Him.