Many times, members of my family
have read that scripture, Revelation 20, and said that they were judged
every man according to their works. And they said, see, see,
we got to do something. I hope to not. We'll see what
those that the Lord died for. One of the works that we did
was counted to us. Our text tonight is going to
be in the book of John, John chapter 18. And as you're
turning there, I'm going to tell you, by accident, we're looking
at a miracle tonight. One of the miracles. It seems to be a theme on Sunday
evenings with us lately to see the miracles our Lord performed,
but there's so many of them. So many of them. John had wrote,
he closed his epistle with the Gospel of John with, and there
were also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they
should be written every one, I suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that should be written.
We get a glimpse. And what a glimpse we have. Here
in John 18 is the betrayal and the arrest of Christ. It's recorded
here. It's recorded in Mark 14, Matthew
26, and in Luke 22. We're going to look at a few
of those tonight. Each one covers just a little
different aspect of it. Give us a clear picture of what
was going on and we're only scratching the surface. That's all we can
do. John 18, verse 1. When Jesus
had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over
the brook Sedron, where was a garden into 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, that's at least 500. A lot of argument over that,
but it's a bunch. At least 500 men for one unarmed
man. 500 men. And officers from the chief priests
and Pharisees cometh thither with lanterns and torches and
weapons. well quit. Verse four, Jesus
therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went
forth and said unto them, whom seek ye? They answered him saying,
Jesus of Nazareth. And Jesus saith unto them, I
am. And Judas also, which betrayed
him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto
them, I am, they went backward. and fell to the ground. His voice
knocked them down. The truth of who He was knocked
them flat on their back. Then ask Him again, whom seek
ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you
that I am If therefore ye 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. Then Simon Peter, having a sword,
drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right
ear. The servant's name was Malchus. and said, Jesus unto Peter, put
up thy sword into the sheath, the cup which my father hath
given me. Shall I not drink it?" We see here the great response
and power to the name of the Lord. They came seeking Jesus
of Nazareth and our Lord said, I am. He's the great I am. and they fell backwards. If you
were in this band, if you were one of these 500, 600, 700 people
that was there, armed, well equipped, torches, weapons, and you come
and they ask who this man was, they said, here's who we're looking
at, and he said, I am, and everyone there fell flat on their back. Would you get up?" And when he
asked again, he said, no, I'm looking for Jesus in Nazareth.
Would you try again? Would you be persistent? I think
I'd run for the hills. Wouldn't you? But the scriptures
must be fulfilled. Turn over to Exodus chapter 3.
Exodus chapter 3. Moses asked the Lord what to
tell Israel whenever he brought his message to them. And they're
going to ask me, who gave me this message? What do I tell
them? Exodus 3 verse 14. And God said unto Moses, I am
that I am. And he said, thus shalt thou
say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses,
thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord
God of your fathers. the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my name forever, and
this is my memorial unto all generations." Christ saying,
I am to this band of men is a memorial to those standing there, and
it's a memorial to us. It's a memorial of who He is.
Not what He is, what He was, who He is right now. He is the
Almighty God in human flesh. And during this whole time, His
Lordship is on full display. That was more than two or three
witnesses out of 500, wasn't it? Every one of them was. And
even as what it would appear unto men, that this is one of
His most vulnerable times. He's unarmed and surrounded.
He was surrounded by that large multitude, and He was unarmed,
and He showed them with a word. He didn't have a sword with Him.
There were two swords there. He didn't have one. He showed
them with a word that He was God. Prove to them. Now back
in our text there, John 18. In verse 7, our Savior asked
them again, who do you seek? And they answered Him again,
Jesus of Nazareth. And He replies there in verse
8, if you're looking for Me, let these others go on their
way. If you're seeking Me, you take these eleven with Me and
let them go. And it says in verse 9, John writes that the saying
might be fulfilled. What saying? It's John referring
to that must be fulfilled. Look over one page to the left
there on John 17, verse 12. John 17, 12. Our Master speaking, He says,
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me have
I kept. and none of them is lost but
the son of perdition, Judas, that the scripture might be fulfilled."
Now John said the same. He's referring just a few verses
up. Our master says that the scripture might be fulfilled.
That scripture might be fulfilled. He's speaking of Psalm 109. Christ
was. And it says, set thou a wicked
man over him and let Satan stand at his right hand. That's what
Christ was saying. He was referencing the Scriptures.
John said the saying. Why would I labor that? Why would John say in our text
the saying instead of saying the Scriptures? Did John write
it down wrong? Was he confused? Was it an error?
Did he have a mistake? Christ is the Scriptures. He is the Word. He's the one
speaking in Psalm 109. He's the perfect and true one
and He is the being that is God's Word. He is the Word of God.
Everything that comes from His lips must be fulfilled. Remember after Christ's resurrection,
He was walking with them, two disciples, on the road to Emmaus.
They saw that they were so sad and so downtrodden. He hadn't
revealed Himself to them. And what did He do? He said,
in beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto
them all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself. He's our Scriptures. He's our
Word. The men of old were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the
Lord's Word. And those apostles moved by the
Holy Spirit to write the New Testament. And if Christ were
to merely speak a word, any of those, those three, must come
to pass. It always has come to pass, and
it will always come to pass. In our text, John 18, verse 8,
And Jesus answered, I have told you that I am. If therefore ye
seek me, let these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled
which ye spake. Of them which thou gavest me,
I have lost none." Physically, here in this garden, Christ and
the apostles were surrounded. Certain death was upon them. They were about to pay. They
were going to satisfy the lust of all those people coming to
get them. And our substitute declares the message of the gospel. He's preaching. Take me and let my people live. Take me and let my people live.
That's what he did. But when we hear or see the scriptures
fulfilled in front of us, or in our hearts, or in our ears,
we see these things and we melt. Those that love the Lord, how
precious is that? How often do we continue to work
in our own will? How often are we prone to wander
back to our knowledge? Prone to wander back to our wisdom?
Right after seeing it, right after hearing it. Look here in
verse 10, John 18, 10. Then Simon Peter, having a sword,
drew it and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right
ear. That servant's name was Malchus. Now turn over to Luke
22 and mark your place there in Luke 22 because we'll come
back to it later. Peter had just gotten this sword.
When the Lord called His disciples, they did not bring anything with
them. He told them, leave all behind
and follow Me. Don't bring anything with you.
And we know this is the same recording of what the events
took place, because down in verse 50 is where Peter cuts off his
ear. But we're going to look at verse 35. Luke 22, 35. And
He said unto them, When I sent you, Who sent them? When I sent
you without purse and script and shoes, lacked ye anything?"
And they said, nothing. When Christ sends His messengers,
they will lack nothing. He will ensure that all is provided.
Look at verse 36. Then He said unto them, He that
hath a purse, that's a bag for money, let him take it. And likewise
a script, that's a bag for food. And he that hath no sword, let
him sell his garment and buy one. For I say unto you that
this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, and he
was reckoned among the transgressors, our master speaking Isaiah 53,
for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord,
behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, it is
enough." Two swords ain't a lot against
the multitudism. You and I carry two swords now. We have two swords right in front
of us. We have the Old Testament and the New Testament recorded
and preserved for us. We have Christ prophesied of
old and we have Him crucified. We have the Gospel concealed
and the Gospel revealed, both. It says the Word of the Lord
is sharper than any two-edged sword. And our Master says it's
enough. It's enough. Now back to our
text in Luke 18. How much more likely are we to
use a physical sword or the sword of our tongues instead of the
sword of scriptures? How frequently do we rely on
our own means and our own strength of doing instead of the power
of Christ and what has already been done? It's already accomplished. Look here in verse 10, And Simon
Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant,
and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
Now like Malchus, every one of us from our birth are turned
against God. We strive against Christ. We
want to arrest and restrain the Almighty God. And to many that
hear the word of Christ preached, they have an ear cut off. They
despise Christ and want to control Him, not be controlled by Him. And they forever lose the ability
to hear. At Bulletin today, there's an
article by Brother Henry. Give that a slow, heartful read. We may lay down the banner of
Christ and never be able to find it again. Sobering. How frightful that is. But there's
not much to find about this servant, Malchus. But it can be confidently
said that he was raised up and preserved to this point in his
life just to have his ear cut off. The Lord sustained him. It's recorded in all the Gospels.
This is the only place in John 18 where it says his name. All
the others just said a servant of the high priest had his ear
cut off. He was part of this unjust mob. You think it was
unjust? We've seen some mobs recently
doing some things we know is illegal and ain't right up the
road from us. But the Lord allowed this band
to come arrest Him. He allowed Judas to betray Him. And He allows whatever happens
in our daily life to come to pass in our day. For what purpose? Why does He allow these things
to happen? To accomplish His will and the salvation of His
people and the declaration of His name to go forth. Here, the
God-man standing in front of this servant, Malchus, is the
same God that spoke to Pharaoh. He told Pharaoh, in very deed
for this cause I raise thee up for to show in thee my power. He shows his power. And that
my name may be declared throughout all the earth. Malchus was raised
up for a purpose. The Lord did it on purpose. There
in verse 11, John 18, 11. Then said Jesus unto Peter, put
up thy sword into the sheath, the cup which my father hath
given me. Shall I not drink it? Peter's corrected here. He trusted
in the wrong sword. I've been corrected before. Trusted
in my sword. He trusted in the wrong power.
If he were trusting in the declaration of the entire Old Testament,
everything that prophesied of our Master, or on the word of
the Master, He heard spoken with His own ears for years, several
years. If the Spirit had given Him eyes
to see what must happen to the Son of Man, He would not have
drawn a physical sword, would He? The payment for the sins
of God elect was guaranteed in Christ. When we were put in Christ
and He said, I'll take them. I'll die for them. Take me and
let them go. Before we were ever created,
it was done. It was sure. Guaranteed. And
it must happen. Why? He said it would. I ain't
gonna lose none of them. That's gonna happen. Now while
Malchus probably was the first one to lay a hand on Christ,
He was the closest one and the first one. He was standing there
missing an ear. The Lord performed one more miracle
before he was taken away to complete the miracle. Performed one more
miracle. A lot of commentators wrote that
this was the last miracle. I disagree. I think something
a little more powerful than having an ear put back on is about to
happen. But in this, He teaches us some things. Let's turn back
to Luke 22. Our poor efforts to defend the
gospel in our own power are shameful. But our Lord addresses those
sins as well. Our sins of ignorance, our sins
of inability. We think we have a good intent
and it's horrible. He takes care of those too. When
Christ suffered, died on Calvary, He was successful in putting
away all our sins and all our sin. He did both. Not making
it possible for them to go away. Not a few of them. Not getting
rid of most of them. He got rid of all of them. Satisfied
that judgment. Including our sins while we're
praying. Including my sin while I'm preaching. including the
sins while we're reading the Scriptures, including our feeble
attempts to protect Christ's name, to defend Him. Look here in Luke 22, verse 48.
But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man
with a kiss? When they which were about him
saw what would follow, they saw what was coming, they said unto
him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? Do we attack? They
didn't wait for an answer. They acted on the idea instead
of waiting on the Lord. They didn't wait for Him to respond,
did they? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest
and cut off his ear. I've referenced this so many
times in conversation and probably in messages. This is my nature. You all don't see this side of
me. Good you don't. I'm wired to be like Peter. I'm
wired to lash out. to lean forward in the saddle,
as we used to say. Be aggressive, jump the gun.
And Peter here swung that sword to take off Malchus's head, and
he missed. He didn't seek to wound him,
he sought to kill. But consider this, Christ, 11 disciples, and
two swords against 500 well-armed men, and Peter drew first blood. Put yourself in them shoes. Why
do you think those unarmed men didn't instantly kill Peter and
the other apostles right then? Christ didn't allow it. He didn't
allow it. No one ever died in the presence
of the Prince of Peace. Some say, well, he raised Lazarus.
He wasn't there when he died, remember? He had a journey to
get there. Let him wait three days for several reasons. But
there was a period of time there. Those two that hung next to him
on Calvary, they didn't die until Christ died. Those soldiers came
by and broke their bones, broke their legs so it hurried up because
they had to observe a religious ceremony. We've got important
things to do. We've got to get these murders
over with. We've got to be pious this evening.
And they went to Christ and they said he'd already given up the
ghost. That fulfilled the scriptures. It said not a bone will be broken. Our sovereign God was ruling
and reigning and orchestrating the entire event of his betrayal
and of his arrest. Christ told him to bring some
swords. He wasn't surprised when Peter did this. He was not stunned
when Peter took off his ear instead of the head. He wasn't shocked
or worried, as you or I would have been, why he had a purpose. He had a will to fulfill. Look
here in Luke 22, verse 51, And Jesus answered and said, Suffer
thee thus far. There's two-fold meaning there.
He tells Peter, knock it off. Stop doing what you're doing.
And he tells Malchus, Suffer this far. You come to me. Come
here. And he touched his ear and healed
him. I can't put into words How beautiful
that is. Malchus, the one there to arrest
Christ, to take Him, crucify Him, he has a wound given by
Peter and it's healed by God. The one he's there to kill healed
him. The man that was at the very
front of the band, right up the head of all those hundreds of
people, has a miracle performed in his flesh by the one he was
coming to take. You and I are required by our
father to love our neighbor as ourselves. We're going to be judged by our
works. Right there is you loving your neighbor. Is that loving
the enemies? If they're to kill him, take
him. And he let them do it and he healed him. I wouldn't have
done that. The father sees that in us and
his people. Well done, my good and faithful
servant. Someone's wounded while trying
to arrest Christ and the Master heals him. Peter was trying to
kill Malchus. It was his intent. The Lord healed
Malchus. Put his ear back on. We try to
wound. Our Master heals. Much like Peter,
I often think that the Lord needs me to defend Him. He needs me
to defend this Gospel. And I get prideful believing
I can do it by myself. But the Lord teaches us, He humbles
us, protects us, preserves us, and He reminds us of who He is. It shows us. Turn over to Matthew
26. Is our might and power needed of
Christ? Here, we've covered that this
morning. So many people alive think that the Lord needs something. He wants something. He desires
something. He's got a plan. You've got to
let Him do something. Does He need us? Does He need our strength,
our wisdom, and our power? Look here, Matthew 26, verse
51. Matthew 26, verse 51. One of them, which were with
Jesus, stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck
a servant of the high priest and smote off his ear. And Jesus
said unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place, for all
they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. We do
not live by our doing, we live by the word of God. Our Master
said in Matthew 4, it is written, men should not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God. My heart has beat, I don't know how many times while I was
standing up here, he made it beat. He made me breathe. That's why I'm alive. Look here
in verse 53, Matthew 26, 53. Thankest thou that I cannot pray,
now pray to my Father and He shall presently give me more
than 12 legions of angels. But how then shall the scriptures
be fulfilled that thus it must be? How often I do not know the
will of God and I attempt to live by my own sword. And I think what James wrote,
for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
I'm good at getting mad. I'm good at doing bad. That doesn't
work the righteousness of God, does it? Back here at our text,
John 18, verse 12. John 18, verse 12. Then the band
and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound
Him. Why would that be recorded? Christ's
Word was fulfilled in all things. His Word to these men coming
to arrest Him was executed. He said, if you want me, take
me, but let them go. That was a great sign of his
power and his authority in the hearts of all men. Do you think
that wicked bunch of heathens would have listened to the one
they came to torture and kill when one of his just took off
somebody's ear? What would we do? Kill them, we'll keep him
alive and torture him later. But those other ones, those peons,
round him, a minion, just go ahead and chop their heads off.
They must let the apostles go because the Master said it. The
commandment of His lips will come to pass. And it was shown
to us that He must be bound. It says there He was bound. When Abraham took Isaac upon
that mountain, He bound him and placed him on the altar. Joseph
was bound and got to Egypt. Samson was bound. Why are all
these pictures? Why do they have to tie them
up? David wrote in Psalm 118, God is the Lord which has showed
us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords
even unto the horns of the altar. He keeps over and over and over
proving us that his word comes to pass. They were fulfilled.
Now John 18 verse 13, And they led him away to Annas first,
for he was the father-in-law to Cephas, which was the high
priest that same year. Why would it mention that they
took him to Annas? The sacrifice in the Old Testament
must be inspected by a priest before it went to the high priest.
Look here in verse 14. Now Cephas was he which gave
counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should
die for the people. Turn over to John 11 and we'll
close. John chapter 11. Here's old Cephas. John 11, 49. And one of them, named Cephas,
being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know
nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that
one man should die for the people that the whole nation perish
not. They said, we're going to lose
everything. We've got a good thing going here. Romans will
come in and take this away from us. Let's kill this man. They
want him. One's got to die so the whole nation doesn't perish.
And this spake he not of himself, but being a high priest that
year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation and
not for that nation only, but that he should gather together
in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from
that day forth, they took counsel together for to put him to death.
And all the things concerning the Scriptures, the Old Testament,
Christ Himself walking this earth, and the New Testament, His Word
is fulfilled. Nothing will be found lacking
at His command. So when we, like Peter, see the
Word being attacked, see what we consider the end, and we lash
out in pride and in sin, there will be pardon for that sin as
well. Our Master will handle it. He will use our weakness
and our ignorance to teach us His might and His power. What
are we supposed to do? What are we supposed to do when
this battle is on us? We see it. We got eyes. We got ears.
And we're surrounded. Everybody in our family, everybody
in this county, everybody in the world coming to attack us.
Stop doing what you're doing. Quit saying what you're saying.
What do we do? We draw a sword. Wherefore take unto you the whole
armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil
day and having done all to stand. Stand therefore having your lorns
gird about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." Be prepared
to say a good word. Be prepared to be peaceful back
to them and heap hot coals on their heads when they attack
you. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall
be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit." What's
that sword of the Spirit? Which is the Word of God. We've
got both swords still in our hand. Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. That's what Paul
wrote to Ephesus. We continue to preach Christ. If they come in and tell me,
I can't preach this. I have to marry those. I can't
do that. What do I do? Preach Christ. Come with that Word of Peace.
Guard myself in the truth. What should I attack with? Sword. That's the Word of God. That's
my weapon. Believing on Him alone, we pray
for grace for ourselves there, is what Paul told us, and for
our grace for our brothers and sisters that we love in Christ.
The whole time. That never changes, does it?
No matter what comes. Especially in joyous times. If
somebody comes into a bunch of money, pray for them. If they
come to a heavy trial, pray for them. Nothing changes. That's
what our Master did when He was tempted by the devil. Satan showed
him everything, and what did our Master reply with? The Scriptures. Thus saith the Lord. Thus saith
the Scriptures. We do not have to defend the
Gospel. Our job is to proclaim it. That's
it. We throw it out like that dynamite
Barnard used to talk about, and it does its work. There's power
in that. Not in me. Just light it and let it go.
When we're attacked, when we're surrounded, when we're Helpless. Have nowhere to turn. We don't
know what's going to happen. Look to the sword. This sword. Look to Him. Trust Him. And they'll
take Him and they'll let us go, won't they? What a salvation. Like we looked at this morning.
We're the sons of God. We're the children of the Almighty.
Behold, what more do we have to worry about? So come peacefully. Say that word of peace to them.
Amen.