Communauté et discipulat

Whom Did They Arrest in the Garden? (John 18:1~11)

2016.06.05Stephen Cha

Jesus is not a victim swept up by events in the garden; he is the sovereign King who knows what is coming, protects his people, and calls us to know him more deeply, trust him, and say yes to his will.

Jesus knowingly walks into the garden as King (1-3)

Jesus goes out with his disciples across the Kidron brook into a garden, and Judas, who betrayed him, knows the place because Jesus often met there with his disciples. Judas comes with a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. The preacher connects the Kidron Valley to King David, who was betrayed by a close friend and rejected by his own son and crossed the same valley. John shows the same pattern in Jesus. Jesus is not caught by accident; he knows all that will happen to him and is in control. John portrays him as King, from his trial before Pilate to the sign on the cross, 'Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.'

'I am he' reveals the glory of God (4-6)

When Jesus asks whom they seek and answers 'I am he,' the soldiers draw back and fall to the ground. The preacher explains that a band of about 200 Roman soldiers came because it was a festival and Jesus was a popular teacher. Jesus' words recall God's 'I AM' in Exodus 3, the self-existent God who will be present with his people. Jesus' 'I am' sayings in John, and his 'before Abraham was, I am,' claim divinity, which is why the Jews wanted to stone him. The Jesus who died for us is therefore not merely a special, loving person but the eternal and holy God who came near and became one of us. A small understanding of who God is keeps us from trusting him.

Knowing Jesus, not only serving, guards against falling away

The preacher points to Judas, who was involved in all the ministry the disciples did, yet did not come to know who Jesus is or truly love and follow him. When the woman anointed Jesus with costly perfume, Judas complained about waste, because he was really looking after himself. Ministry activity can become a substitute for knowing Christ, and a person can then drift away from a growing relationship with him. The first lesson, therefore, is to know Jesus, who loves you and is sovereign, and to grow in understanding who he is, so that your walk with him is affected.

Jesus protects his people while working unseen (7-9)

When Jesus says, 'If you seek me, let these men go,' this fulfills his word, 'Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.' Jesus was graciously protecting his disciples, since the soldiers could have arrested or killed them all. Later, Jesus let Peter face his denial, but he had prayed for Peter and would restore him so that he could strengthen others. Though nothing seems to be happening on the outside, Jesus is at work underneath and behind the scenes, protecting his people and keeping them from being tempted beyond what they can bear. So when we do not understand why things are not working out, we should learn to trust him with our job, our future, and our relationships.

Say yes to the Father's cup, not to our own zeal (10-11)

Peter draws a sword, strikes the high priest's servant Malchus, and cuts off his right ear. Jesus heals him and tells Peter to put his sword away, asking, 'Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?' Peter's zeal was real, but it was getting everyone into trouble, and God's will is done through obedience, not through our own plans for him. Jesus drank the cup of wrath so that he could offer us the cup of salvation and fellowship. The preacher recalls a college friend who faithfully kept going to a small group, and a woman at a youth retreat who prayed for the youth. God asks us to say yes and obey, even when we cannot see the fruit right away.

Apply to Life

  • Let us know Jesus more deeply as the sovereign King who loves us, and grow in knowing, loving, and worshiping him.
  • Let us examine whether our ministry activity has drawn us away from quiet time and a growing relationship with the Lord.
  • Let us trust the Lord with our work, our future, and our relationships, even when we do not understand what he is doing.
  • Let us say yes and follow him in obedience, trusting that he will work in and through our small faithful offerings.
  • Let us consider where God may be asking us to serve, such as in teaching or small groups, and offer our time for the next generation.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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