March 30, 2025
Morning Service

If you have the “red letter” version of the Bible where Jesus’s words are in red, you will notice the last four chapters of John, 14-17, have been all Jesus speaking, teaching and praying.  This is the end of His earthly ministry and He is investing heavily in these men around Him to carry on when He is gone.  Last week Jesus prayed for Himself as He knows that He faces the biggest challenge of His life.  The cross is closer than ever and Jesus will face the immense physical pain involved as well as the unimaginable burden of having the sins of the world cast upon His shoulders.  Through His prayers in the Garden, God has given Him the resolve to go forward and complete His work that was designed before the creation of the world.  I would argue that our salvation was sealed in the Garden as Jesus was able to fully yield His will to the will of His Father.  John does not go in to detail as do Mark and Matthew of the agony He experienced there with the fate of the world in the balance.  When we are faced with what seems like unimaginable circumstances in our lives, remember what Jesus was able to endure for us through prayer and the yielding of Himself to God’s plan.  With just three weeks until Easter, it is not surprising that our study lines up perfectly with our celebration.  Today we will see Jesus arrested and tried by the Jewish leaders.

John 18:1-6When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.  (2)  And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples.  (3)  Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.  (4)  Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?"  (5)  They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, “I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.  (6)  Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.

            With His Spirit strengthened to face his destiny, Jesus calmly faces His betrayer and this intimidating detachment of both Roman soldiers and temple guards with torches, lanterns, and weapons.  John does not record that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss as the other gospels do, but He does acknowledge him as the betrayer.  In this moment, the change Jesus had warned the disciples of was about to happen.  The disciples’ lives would never again be the same.  The difficulty, doubt, and heartache that they are exposed to over the next few days will seem overwhelming in the moment, but would eventually become the strongest foundational block in their faith.  This is true for us as well, as it is certain that during times where we face our greatest challenges in our lives and we only have Him to call upon our faith goes deeper in Him.  That is the purpose of many of our struggles that we learn to let go and let God.

            John is the only one to mention the occurrence in verse 6 (read).  This intimidating detachment of trained soldiers all fell to the ground at the sound of Jesus’ voice.  Just as it will be at His coming as Paul tells the Philippian church:

 Php. 2:9-11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

            The Jesus we follow is the Lord of lords and the King of kings; no one is like Him and He has chosen us to be His children through the redemption found in the cross.  At His return every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord; some in great rejoicing and some in great regret.

 

Joh 18:7-11 (7) Then He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."  (8)  Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” (9) that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none."  (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.  (11)  So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"

            We see the heart of Jesus as He asks that His disciples be set free thinking of them in this moment, not Himself.  We also see the heart of Peter, who had claimed he would die with Jesus.  I believe that was a true statement had Jesus not forbidden him to fight and ordered him to put away his sword.  I do believe he would have fought to his death, but God had different plans for this time and for him.  Luke tells us that Jesus touched Malchus and healed his ear and it was at this point all the disciples scattered as He had prophesied to them.

 

Joh 18:12-14 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.  (13)  And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.  (14)  Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

            The Romans allowed the Jews to judge among themselves the smaller matters of their law as long as it did not create any issues so Jesus is first questioned by Annas.  It was Caiaphas who had prophesied that Jesus must die for the good of His people, but he was speaking on an earthly perspective not knowing the truth his words held.

 

Joh 18:15-23 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.  (16)  But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.  (17)  Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."  (18)  Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.  (19)  The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.  (20)  Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.  (21)  Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed, they know what I said."  (22)  And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"  (23)  Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

            Peter did not run away, but stayed close and we see here he denies Jesus for the first time knowing his admission would bring him unwanted trouble.  Jesus is questioned, but defers the answer knowing these leaders have all stood and listened to Him and know His message.  In being struck, He again brings out where they are in error to do so as He is only speaking the truth.  The persecution has begun.

 

Joh 18:24-27 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.  (25)  Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore, they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"  (26)  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"  (27)  Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

            Luke tells us that right after the third denial, “the Lord turned at looked at Peter” and he realized His prediction had come true. (Luke 22:61).  Peter went out and wept bitterly.  Have you been there?  Peter realizing what he has done is devastated in the moment.  Have you had some of those moments in your life?  You proclaim to be a Jesus follower, but in a moment of compassion, excitement or anger you yield to sin and are led by your flesh and not by the Spirit?  I have and it is not a place I want to be.  By Peter weeping we can assume he did repent and seek forgiveness in this moment.  He did however, have to live with his failure for a short time thinking the last thing he had done for His Jesus was deny Him.  How could anything ever be the same.  How could he ever look Jesus in the eye again without shame and regret.  Do you know the feeling?  God has planned for that knowing it would happen, but we are called to own the mistake and come asking for forgiveness.

 

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

            Notice the process; we must first realize we sinned and confess it to our Savior.  If you are truly seeking the Lord, this is not easy to do because it is hard to admit our failures.  He then forgives us and cleanses us (returns us to a state of acceptance) and moves forward.  We must accept Him at this word and believe we are forgiven and move forward as a cleansed vessel again ready to be used by Him.  We have the example of Peter to follow as he did in fact move past his failures and serve the Lord well.

            We leave Jesus today in the hands of the Jewish leaders.