First I got to open my notes
to the right page. Y'all join me this morning in
John chapter 18. I am indeed thankful that we
were able to be here. It was a Well, I got up Saturday
morning expecting to call and say, we've got ice. I can't get
there. But the Lord was pleased to send
a wind and drop the water before the cold got it frozen and we
were able to come. So. I'm glad to be here. John, Chapter 18, verse one. When Jesus had spoken these words,
he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, which
was a garden. Where was a garden? Into the
which he entered and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed
him, knew the place. For Jesus oft times resorted
thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a
band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,
cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus
therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went
forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? This four verses gives us a description
of a group of people. They've gathered together. As friends. In what we would
probably call a park. And as they're gathered. We're
told a band of soldiers comes upon them. A band have read consisted
of at least 500 men, possibly as many as 1,000. So put yourself
in their place. You're in a park at night. And
off in the distance, you hear sirens start wailing. The police
are mobilizing and going into action. Okay. Here in a little bit, you
hear more sirens. Something big's going on. Everybody's
involved here. No biggie. They're heading towards you.
Sirens are getting louder. They turn into the park where
you're gathered. You're getting concerned at this
point. There's something big going on, and it's right here
at my doorstep. And then the police officers
stop in front of you and draw their weapons and they're aiming
them at you and your friends. You're scared. You're confused. You don't understand what's going
on. We haven't done anything wrong. We're just friends gathered
in the park. This is what the disciples were
experiencing. It was not quietly done. 500
men do not move through a city quietly. They do not come into
a park quietly, particularly when they're armed. In the midst of the fear and
confusion, one man steps forth. Jesus went forth. Who is this
man that went forth? How and from whence did he go
forth? What caused him to go forth? And what did he accomplish when
he went forth? Let's introduce you to this man. This man was born in Bethlehem
to Mary, who was a spouse. She was engaged to a man by the
name of Joseph. both of whom were descendants
of David, king of Israel. Mary was a virgin. She had never
known a man. Yet she was pregnant. That's not possible. It is not
possible for a woman to become pregnant without a man. Unless there's divine intercession. How did she become
pregnant? Mary asked the same question.
An angel came to her and said, behold, thou shalt conceive in
thy womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus.
He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest.
And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father,
David. and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and
of his kingdom there shall be no end.' Then said Mary unto
the angel, How shall this be? Seeing I know not a man. The
angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee. The power of the highest shall
overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. This man who
went forth in the garden is none other than the man promised in
Genesis 3.15. He is the seed of woman. His
mother and foster father were both children of David, the king
of Israel. Oh, how far they have fallen. They are now poor, so poor that
when they go into Bethlehem, they're unable to get a room. This man that went forth started
his life born in a stable, laid in a manger, in a feeding trough. son of the highest, laid in the
trough where animals eat. Because there's no room for him
or his family in the inn. There were angels that were sent
to announce his birth. A star was revealed to lead wise
men from the east bearing gifts for him. At about two years old,
he and his family were moved to Egypt to escape the deaths
of the children in Bethlehem. They were in Egypt for a while,
but by the age of 12, they've returned and they live in Nazareth. Luke 2.40 sums up his childhood. And the child grew and waxed
strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God
was upon him. At the age of 12, we find him
sitting in the temple in the midst of the doctors, both hearing
them and asking them questions. Those same doctors were astonished
at his understanding and his questions. Luke 2.52 says, and
Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God
and man. This is no ordinary child we're
reading about, no ordinary man that we're reading about. This
is the God man. He is fully God, yet fully man
in one body. He is God, yet he increased in
wisdom and stature. He is God, yet he increased in
favor with God. God increases in favor with God? This is not possible. Paul answers that and he says,
this is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God cannot increase in wisdom. Man can. God cannot increase
in stature. Man can. God cannot increase
in favor with God. Man did. One man did. Peter said of this man that he
went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil. This is the God man, God in the likeness of sinful flesh
that went forth to meet this band of men and officers sent
to take him. Jesus knowing all things that
should come upon him This is Jesus, the Son of God,
all-knowing, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent. In this passage before us, limiting
it to just this particular point in time, Jesus knows Judas betrayed
Him, the band of men had come for Him, They were going to take
him, have a mock trial, shamefully abuse him, and eventually lead
him to the cross of Calvary. For this moment in time, he knows
all of that is coming. What else does he know? Let's
expand on that. Father, consider where Jesus
went forth from. All of the scriptures that we
have, Genesis to Revelation, point to and talk of one man,
this man who went forth. John 5, 36, you can turn over
there if you'd like to. John 5, 36. Our Lord speaking. And he says, but I have greater
witness than that of John, for the works which the Father hath
given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness
of me that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which
hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard
his voice at any time nor seen his shape. and ye have not his
word abiding in you. For whom he hath sent, him ye
believe not. Search the scriptures, for in
them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which
testify of me." All the scriptures testify of Christ, whether they
be focused on Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, Peter, or Paul, they
all testify of Christ. Now, those of you who know the
scriptures know that we are not given a direct record of what
occurred in the Council of Eternity. There's no record that says God the Father said this, God
the Son said this, law said this, justice said this. There's no
record of that. And in that council of eternity,
that was where the covenant was established that would result
in the salvation of sinful men. Though we're not given direct
access to what happened in that council, we are given some glimpses.
Turn over to Isaiah 6. Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah records here, in the year
that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Above it stood the seraphims, each one had six wings. With
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and
said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth
is full of his glory. In this passage, we're allowed
a glimpse into entering in to the Lord's presence with Isaiah.
And in verse eight, we hear our Lord say, whom shall I send and
who will go for us? In that council of eternity,
when God set his purpose upon sinful men that he would bring
to himself, that he would redeem to himself, he said, whom shall
I send and who will go for us? and the Son of God, knowing all
things that would come upon him, went forth and said, here am
I, send me. He knew the will of God. Hebrews
10, seven says, lo, I come. In the volume of the book it
is written of me to do thy will, O God. When he went forth, he
knew he would suffer the wrath of God. Lamentations 1, 12, and
13 says, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold,
and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is
done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day
of his fierce anger. From above he hath sent fire
into my bones, and it prevaileth against them. He hath spread
a net for my feet. He hath turned me back. He hath
made me desolate and faint all the day. He knew of the suffering
he would endure. When he went forth, he knew the
Father and his love for him. John 10, 15 to 17 says, as the
Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father. And I lay down
my life for the sheep, and other sheep I have which are not of
this fold. Them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Therefore doth my father love
me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. And
when he went forth, he knew the joy that was set before him.
Hebrews 12, two, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Jesus Christ, knowing all things,
including those things that we just briefly touched on, went
forth in the counsel of eternity, said, here am I, send me. Then the day came that Christ
took upon himself a body, a body that was made like unto sinful
flesh, a body that God had prepared. He, the eternal God, went forth
from the glory of heaven and dwelled in the womb of a virgin. The Ancient of Days became an
infant, and He increased in wisdom and stature. God was manifest
in the flesh. And now we come full circle back
in John 18. In verse four. Jesus went forth
from his disciples. He went forth and he stood between
his disciples and this band of men come to take them. He went forth, excuse me, he
went forth this time just as he had in all other times before. Without timidity, without fear,
without hesitation, he went forth victoriously, knowing all things. What is it that caused this man
to go forth? He first went forth to bring
glory and honor to God the Father. The first Adam, who was created
in the image of God, had rebelled and he had attempted to steal
the glory of God for himself. This man, The last Adam went
forth as a man to glorify God. And secondly, he went forth to
fulfill that commission that was given to him. Joseph was
told to name the child born of Mary, Jesus, for he shall save
his people from their sins. It was impossible that our father
Adam should remain in his perfectly created state. Had he not fallen, God would
be no less glorious, no less holy, no less than he is. But how would we know the glory
of his grace, glory of his wisdom, glory of his love, glory of his
compassion, and even to some extent, the glory of his holiness. Had Adam not fallen, how else would we know that glory
of God? In our unfallen state, Adam knew
God in the glory of his being his creator, his ruler, his sovereign, but
he knew nothing of mercy, grace, and love. God in his wisdom purposed that
to give a full revelation of His holy character, He would
manifest Himself as the Redeemer of sinful men. Christ went forth when we were
yet sinners, victoriously and in compassion. Psalm 78, 38 says,
but He, full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed
them not. Yea, many a time turned he his
anger away and did not stir up his wrath. Now, did Christ accomplish what
he came to do? Turn back over to John chapter
12. John 12, 23. And Jesus answered them saying,
the hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the
ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit. He that loveth his life shall
lose it. He that hateth his life in this
world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me,
let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant
be. If any man serve me, him will
my father honor. Now is my soul troubled, and
what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this cause came I unto
this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from
heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. In this discourse, we're allowed
a first hand look at a conversation between God, the father and God,
the son. And we learned that without a
doubt, the son glorified the father. Did Christ accomplish the salvation
of his people? Back over in John 18, verse nine,
verse eight, excuse me. John 18, eight, Jesus answered,
I have told you that I am, if therefore you seek me, let these
go their way. that the saying might be fulfilled
which he spake of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. Skip down to verse 12. Then the
band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound
him. Jesus went forth before this
band of men comprised of soldiers representing the civil authority.
Those servants of the religious authority were also with this
band, and they took none save Jesus. That's great for this
crowd, this group of disciples. What's it got to do with me? When our Lord went forth in the
council of eternity, He also went forth and became the lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. Just as one day he
left the glory of heaven to become a babe. One day he was led up
a hill, buried his cross. He, the God man, was hung to
that tree and hung between heaven and earth. While he was on that
tree, my sin and the sin of all those for whom he came to say
was placed upon him. He who had walked perfectly before
God, who had done nothing worthy of death, God made sin. God who cannot die became a man
so that he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for
our iniquities. In his body, that body that was
prepared for him by God himself, in that body, the sin of all
the saints from Abel to the last that will be saved in time. At that one moment, were charged
to, that were placed on our Lord. God's justice went forth and
His wrath fell upon His Son. And God the Father turned His
back on His only begotten Son. Because He is of purer eyes than
to behold evil and canst not look upon iniquity. God the Father could not look
upon God the son as he hung on that cross because God the son. Was evil and iniquity. For myself. Because of what I
am. He hung on that cross and Jesus
Christ became. My soul. The Senate. and he suffered the penalty that
was mine. His precious blood flowed out
of his body and he died. That would almost lead one to
believe that he failed. Dead men are not victorious. But when Jesus went forth, he
went forth victoriously. John 10, 17, and 18, Christ said,
therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life
that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but
I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my father. Jesus in power laid down his
life. And early on the Sunday morning
after his crucifixion, he in power took it to himself again. And our father Adam, we failed.
So we cannot and will not call upon God. But now those in Christ
Jesus who were far off, We are made nigh. We are made close. We are made as close to God as
the Son of God himself is because we are in Christ. We are made nigh by the blood
of Christ. Our Lord accomplished the salvation
of his people. In these first four verses of
John 18, we have represented every man who has ever lived.
We have the men of the world who cry out with one voice, we
will not have this man to rule over us. We have those who are
of the moral righteous, who do so-called great things for God
in the name of religion. We have the pagan idolater who
knows no God but himself and everyone in between those two
groups. We have the chosen, redeemed, elect sinners, communing with
their Lord. And we have the Lord of glory
himself, Jesus Christ, who went forth. Which of these groups do we belong
to? Are we among the disciples communing with our Lord? Are
we among the righteous, the worldly, those who have come to take him,
those who hate him? Am I a disciple of Christ? I
don't want to answer this haughtily or hastily. Judas once was a
disciple of Christ. He walked with him, he preached.
He was one of the 12, separated out. And yet now he leads this
band of men coming to take our Lord. Let us do as Peter instructs.
Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. Are you still
in your sin? Lost, undone, without God, without
Christ. Without hope. There's reason to fear. But there's
great hope to. Every redeemed son of Adam, who
God has called out to be his own. was once a lost rebel against
God, who he had mercy upon, sent his Holy Spirit to, to reveal
to them their lost condition, and then to reveal Christ, their
Redeemer, who went forth to save us. Are you thirsty for righteousness? Do you want to get close to God?
Our Lord himself stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come
unto me and drink. Not unto your works, not unto
your religion, not unto your confession, your baptism. Come
unto me. Come to Christ. As you are guilty,
vile, helpless, sue him for mercy. He is plenteous in grace and
mercy, and he is able to save to the uttermost. Come today. Today is the day of salvation. After all, he went forth to the
salvation of his people. Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went
forth, glorified God, and saved his people. Amen.