Jesus had spoken these words,
he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where
there was a garden into which he entered and his disciples.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus
oft times resorted there with his disciples. Judas then, having
received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,
came 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? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. 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. Then
asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Our Lord answered, I have told
you that I am. If therefore you seek me, let
these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled of
which he spake of them which thou gavest me, have I lost none? Then Simon Peter having a sword,
drew it, smote the high priest's servant, cut off his right ear.
The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus, put up thy sword
into thy sheaf. The cup which my father hath
given me shall I not drink it. I want to talk about Christ. Christ
in the garden. Christ in the garden. You know, wherever our Lord Jesus
was found, you see His personality. You see His character. His blessed person. I don't care where you read that
in the New Testament or the Old Testament. You can see our Lord's
blessed personality. You see His character. You know,
we like people that have character. We say people have character,
that means they have some principle. It means that they have some
integrity. Our Lord, His character was different
than any man that's ever lived on this earth. Awesome. And wherever he was, in whatever
situation he was in, and whoever he was around, his unique personality
could not be hidden. It couldn't. If he saw a multitude
hungry, you know what he did with them? He fed them. Come upon blind beggars, what
did he do for them? Gave them sight. A bunch of lepers
come down off of a mountain one time. And said, Lord, if you will,
you can make me clean. And he said, I will. And he said,
just be clean. And they was clean. And when they looked on the fields,
he said, see all these fields out here? He said, they've got
these flowers on them. And my Heavenly Father, my Father
put those flowers on them. And if He clothes them, what
do you think He'll do for you? How He'll clothe you? And then
He said, see that sparrow up there? See that sparrow in the
picture? He said, that sparrow will fall
to the ground without my help to follow. And you're worth much,
much, much, much more than sparrows. So everything our Lord did, oh
what a, what a blessed person, what a character, huh? And he
talked about, this is what, if God does this for the things
in nature, imagine what he'll do for you that he loves. For
you that he died for. Huh? Oh my. In which we read
the scriptures, and hear our blessed Savior's voice, We really
begin to see what a wonderful Savior, what a wonderful Savior
is Jesus our Lord. Huh? Now here in these verses
that I read, He's in the Garden. Garden of Gethsemane. This is
His last trip there. But I'll tell you what, in our
Master's earthly weakness right here, we see that in His, even
in His weakness, He's still God. He's still glorious. He still
has all power. Let me tell you some things about
Him as we see Him in the garden, down here in John 18. First of all, it says, when Jesus
has spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over
the brook seedland where there was a garden. This is the garden
of Gethsemane. It's the Garden of Gethsemane,
into which he entered and his disciples. Now another place
these disciples was Peter, John, and James. And you remember that
as our Lord prayed, those three men slept. He went over and woke
them up. He said, could you not watch
just for an hour? They went back to sleep. So here
is the first thing that Judas also, which betrayed him. knew the place, now listen to
this, where Jesus oft times resorted there and went there with his
disciples. Now why did our Lord go into the garden very often?
This is his last time there. But why did he go into the garden?
Because Judas knew that place. Judas knew exactly where it was.
Because the Lord often went there with his disciples. Why did he
go there for? He always went there to pray.
This was the place where he prayed. Went off there often times with
his disciples, but he always went into the garden to pray. Not only did our Lord Jesus Christ
have the spirit of prayer, he also had a place where he went
to pray. Where he went to pray. And you
know when it says, when he had spoken these words, you know
what that tells us? That he was praying. This was
the Lord's Prayer in John 17. After he had spoken these words,
when he spoke to him, he lifted his head, eyes up, and spoke
to heaven. He spoke to his Father. Of all
of John 17. That was what he just prayed. He just went through praying
publicly for these disciples. and he was over here in the garden
of Gethsemane and he came to the garden came to this garden
of Gethsemane for prayer to pour on his heart to his father and
this is where we find where our Lord Jesus Christ when he prayed
his sweat became his great gospel blood he says in another place
this is in a place where he went out prayed for one time came
back They didn't wake up. He went a strong throw. Like
you threw a rock. He went a strong, strong throw
from those disciples and knelt down again and began to pray.
So he got up twice and prayed in the darkness. So our Lord
was a man of prayer. And oh my God made us a people
of prayer. Made us a people of prayer. Now
I'm not telling you that you've got to have a place to pray.
I'm not telling you you have to have time to pray, because
God's everywhere, and God can be reached any moment. And if
it comes from the heart, and He comes with earnestness, and
with a great need, whether it's for yourself or somebody else,
God hears it immediately. And it comes from the heart.
You hear something about somebody and your heart automatically
says, Oh Lord, help them. Oh God have mercy on them. Oh
God strip them. Oh God hear us and please help
them for God's sake. And just immediately you do that.
That's what is called prayer. That's what's called prayer.
And then the Book of Mormon says here in verse... I think it's
verse... Jesus look what verse 2 again
Judas also which betrayed him knew the place You know every
time Judas is mentioned He's always mentioned as Judas who
had betrayed him Every time his name's mentioned Judas which
betrayed him And you know what another thing about John it says
that disciple who Jesus loved him One of betraying and one
Jesus loved. And that's a solemn warning for
us. A solemn warning for us. Why is it a solemn warning for
us? Because Judas had been with the Lord Jesus Christ for three
years. He had preached. He had heard his preaching. Heard his voice. Ate with him
at the table. been his companion for three
years, saw his miracles, joined his private instruction, professed
himself to be one of his children, had word and preached in the
Lord Jesus Christ's name. No wonder, David said, Lord,
why is man that your mind will love him? Demons have forsaken
us, having loved this present evil world. And I tell you, you
think, well, I couldn't do it? That's what Paul meant when he
wrote and said, listen, take heed. Take heed. Next year, Paul. Oh, my. I tell you, the devils had 6,000
years experience dealing with little old weaklings like us.
And that's why we flee to Christ, run to Christ, trust Christ,
believe Christ, and need Christ. Huh? Oh, my. And I'll tell you
why. Look what it says there. That
Judas stood with them. Down in verse 5 it says, And
Judas also which betrayed him stood with them. Stood with who? The Lord's enemies. Stood with
them. Those who come to arrest Him.
You know, I wonder how many ships have sunk because of a leak. Uh-huh. And I say this time to
time of year, if there's a bad spot in your heart, it'll come
out. If there's a spot in your heart
that God don't have, it'll come out on you. I often pray this, and I know
you do too. Lord, I don't want to be lost.
I want to know Christ. I don't want to miss Him. I don't
care if I miss the doctrine, but I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss Christ.
I don't want to know Christ. I mean know Him. Oh, I don't
want to know Him. And I don't want to be in Judas.
I'll tell you... What was that black preacher's name that was
up in Kentucky? D.J. Ward. He used to sing this song,
I don't want to be in Judas, in my heart. I want to be a Christian
in my heart. I don't want to be a Judas in
my heart. I don't want to be a Judas. Lord,
if there's anything in me that keeps you, keeps me from trusting
you, reach in there, grab it, and rip it out by the root. Rip
it out. Because I can't do it. I can't
even take my own nature. But you can reach in there and
rip it out. Tear it out. Oh, He's doing something
for me. And then look what else our Savior
said here about verse 4. Jesus therefore, knowing all
things that should come upon Him, went forth. Went forth. Now what is this? Jesus knowing
that all things should come upon Him. You know why our Lord knew
the future? Because he ordained the future.
He predestinated the future. And he know all things, listen
to this, know all things that should, not would, should. Now if he just knew what would happen,
then it may would happen. But he said all things that should
happen to me, that's got to happen to me. It's necessary for it
to happen to me. And our Lord went forth, went
forth knowing all things would be fulfilled concerning Him. Now this is no act of a weakling.
This is no act of a man who is scared to death. The hour has
come. My Lord, how many times do you
say the hour has not yet come? Well, the hour has come. Our Lord is not hiding. He didn't
go to the garden to hide. He didn't go to the garden to
keep them fellas from coming after him. He didn't go to the
garden to show himself as a man who was weak, trying to keep
his enemies from coming and getting him. No, no. He knew Judas. He knew Judas. He even told Judas,
said, you won't betray me. And oh, my. And he knew that
Judas knew exactly where he was. He knew that these people would
come to get him. Look over here at John 13. 13.3 with me for
a moment. What does it say here? Look at verse 3. Here's another
one. Jesus knowing. Oh boy. Jesus knowing that the
Father had given all things into His hands. Did you notice that? Given all things into His hands.
That He was come from God and He went through God. All things
is in His hands. And since all things is in His
hands, He's come here in this garden to empty Himself. To humble Himself. to be handed
into the men's hands, to be humiliated, to be mistreated. He went forth,
as Isaiah said, to be cut off out of the land of Israel. He
went forth to the agony of betrayal. He went forth to be wounded for the transgression
of his people. He went forth to be bruised for
the iniquity of his people. He went forth to have his soul
pulled out. He went forth to be satisfied
and see the truth of his soul. Oh my. He went forth to the shame
of becoming a prisoner and being treated as a common criminal.
And we're forced to be left into the hands of wicked, sinful,
God-hating, Christ-rejecting men. Huh? And Jesus knowing that
all things should come upon Him. When we talk about our Lord knowing,
He knew all things perfectly. Perfectly. Perfectly. He wasn't
surprised when this crowd came up. He wasn't surprised with
that. You remember when Elijah and
Moses came, you know what they were talking about? Of his death
that he should accomplish. That's what they were talking
about. Not just his death, but what
his death would accomplish. Oh, there was no surprise this
time, Lord, here. He knew his sufferings that he
was fixing to do, and he went forth and said, do what you gotta
do. Do what you was predestinated
to do. Do what you do from your heart
of wickedness. You know, you hated me without
a cause? Now! Now manifest your hatred
for me. Manifest it. And when our Lord
Jesus Christ said in knowing all things, He knew all things
decreed from God by God from the foundation of the world.
You know why He went forth? Because He was the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. He knew all things that was coming
upon Him as the Eternal Son of God. He knew from eternity what
was going to happen. When he was born into this world,
he come into this world through that womb of a virgin knowing
that he was going to this time, this place, this suffering, and
all things that was going to happen to him. He knew it! He knew that his father had given
him a people. And he knew that whatever his
father required for him to be justly, save those people. He said, I will go forth and
I'll do whatever's necessary to save those people. Save them
from what? Their sin. Save them from what? Their flesh. Save them from what? The wrath of God. Save them from
what? The justice of God. Save him
for what? Death? No, he come into the world
looking at that. He knew what Isaiah 53 said,
he wrote it. He knew what Genesis 3.15
said, he wrote it. You're going to crush his head,
but he's going to bruise your heel? Oh my. He went. He went because of all
the Old Testament scriptures. And I'll tell you, I'm telling
you something. We don't know all things. In
fact, we know very little. But I'll tell you one thing.
I'm glad we don't know all things. I'm thankful that I don't know
all that, but I know him who does. And whatever happens in
this world, listen, I used to get surprised at myself at some
of the things I do, but I'm not surprised at myself anymore.
I don't trust myself no more than I can, as far as I can see
it. So I don't need to surprise myself. And then look what our Lord Jesus
said here in verse 5. They went forth, and He said,
verse 4, and said unto them, Who are you looking for? They
had a band of men. One place it says that there
was over 500. And you know what they went out
and they had lanterns, they had torches, and listen to this,
they had weapons. Had weapons. to go after a man
who had never, ever heard a soul. Had never spoken an untimely
word. Had nothing but the truth ever
flowed out of his lips. But look what they come looking
for in Hoopsie Kee. And listen to what they said
now. They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. I love this. Jesus saith unto
them, I am. They come to take Him and He
just walks right up in the middle of this crowd. Looks them in
the eye. Said, who are you looking for? Jesus
of Nazareth. I am. Oh my. And I tell you what, there was
this great crowd, and when he walked up there, fearless, and listen, when they heard I
am, God said, I am, I was, I am, and I always will be, so I'm
always the eternal I am. And they got scared, and they
all started backing up, and there's a big crowd behind them, and
they just started all pushing. Next thing you know, they're
all bumping into one another and start falling. And our Lord
just spoke two warm, simple words. You think that He ain't got power? You think He can't control people?
Well, all He does is says, I am. We bow down in worship. These
fellas got scared and backed up and dumped into one another
and fell backwards. This mob here today that's running
all over America, they're going to find out that I am one of
these days when it just works. They're going to find out one
of these days why anarchy is where it ends up at. And that's why he said we're
looking for Jesus in Nazareth. We're looking for just a man.
Not somebody that's gone. When he said, I am, they understood
clearly. Oh my, we're in the presence
of the furry one that Moe just sent when he took his shoes off
and bowed down in worship to God. Huh? Oh, they didn't acknowledge
him as Christ. He's just a Nazarene. That's
the name of his humiliation. Where is that one that's despised
and rejected? Where is that one that calls
himself God and one with the Father? And three times, three
times, three times, I go over and say in verse 6, I am. They
went back and fell in together. Then he walked right up to them
while they was on the ground. And he said, he asked them again,
who are you looking for? And I believe they said this
very quietly, this guy. I believe these fellas subdued
a little bit. They said, Jesus is that? You
know what he said? I am. I am. I am. I told you. Oh, I told you. I told you. Why do you keep repeating who
you're after? I told you. that it's me, I am. And oh my,
they came to get him and arrest him, but they ended up retreating. And all he just said was, I am. And I'll tell you what, this
is the same voice on the mountain that spoke to Moses out of the
burning commission. You're talking about showing
that He's Lord, that He's King, that He's God, that He's Almighty? That He's the One that's part
of the Red Sea? Oh my. You're talking about majesty,
a display of His power, and just a quiet exposition of His power. He demonstrated uniquely here
that He was the Word. And this Word, not only does
it save souls, but it upholds the world by that same Word. Huh? Oh my. He never raised a hand. Not raised
a hand. And they couldn't handle it.
Why did our Lord act like this on this occasion? Why did He
act like this? that everyone that came after
him could clearly, clearly and plainly see that he was not just
Jesus of Nazareth, not just a man that was raised in Nazareth.
He's much more than that. They found out that this man,
just by his work, had incredible power. And all could see clearly,
plainly, that they came to get him. But they couldn't take him. They
couldn't take him. You know why they couldn't take
him? Because he said, he said, this commandment I received from
my father, that no man taketh my life from me. I have the power
to live now and I have the power to die. And you know what? He said also in Isaiah, he was
led as a lamb to the slaughter. So when he went out of that garden,
they came to take him. But he went. He went. The lick of the bit more took
him, and he not went. That's right. We just found out
that just these two words, one syllable words, that shook them
up so bad they couldn't stand. And he went for it. Look what
he said. Verse 8. If I have told you that
I am, therefore when you seek me, let these go to you. You know what? He said, I have
received from my Father. And I lay down my life for the
sheep. And he said, I lay down my life
for the sheep. And it's just like this. He came
down just like God. You can't have me and have them
too. Justice can't have me. If you want me, you got to let
the sheep go. And I can't get this thing watered. He said, let it go. Let it go. Oh, my. He delivered himself, voluntarily
delivered himself into their hands. They didn't apprehend
him. He submits himself to them. Look
over here at John 7. Look at John 7. Let's look at
this. John 7, 32. People bleed on him and so the
Jews Verse 32, the Pharisees heard that the people murmured
such things, that Christ was the Christ, that Jesus was the
Christ, they believed on Him. And the Pharisees and the chief
priests sent offers to take Him. Oh, look what the results of
it is. Go down here to verse 44. They sent those people, and some
of them would have taken Him. But no man laid hands on him.
No more than they did this day. Then came the officers to the
chief priests and Pharisees and they said unto him, why have
you not brought him? Well, they only had one answer.
Never a man spake like this man. He got to talking and we just
had to shut up and listen. And that's what these fellows
had to do. They had to shut up. And listen. He said, I'm the
Lamb. I'll follow you. I'll follow you. Oh my. Know Jesus, knowing that always
John 19, it says this in verse 28, it said, Jesus, knowing that
the scriptures were fulfilled. You know what the last thing
he said? I thirst. They gave him that vinegar and
then he says, it is finished. Huh? Oh my. He has power over
his enemies. He can fill a man with a word
or a look. He can send them to hell just
as easy as they fell to the ground. He's like Thor and his bunch.
They decided they're going to run this. They're going to run
this. They're going to take over. Moses said, everybody's on God's
side. Believe God. Get over here. Boy, I'll tell you what, everybody
in this old corner that doesn't sign, get over there! Boy, by
the time they got over there and they raised their fists and
said, listen, we're just as, we're, we're, we're just, we
can do just as like anybody else can. God said, get out of the
way. He opened up the earth and swallowed
them whole. So, Barnard said one time, he
sent them to hell without giving them a chance to pack a suitcase. And this is why it's so scary. Look how we rejoice at these
blessed truths. Find such comfort and assurance
in these truths, such joy in these truths. And these people
that come after him hate it. And we love it. Who made the
difference? The same one who said, I did. Oh, listen, I'm gonna tell you
something. He wasn't at their mercy. They
were at his mercy. They were at his mercy. They
were helpless before him. I'll tell you, he could just
walk away. But he didn't. He didn't. He didn't come to walk away.
Then look at his last resort, I just said something about this,
verse 8 and 9. Jesus answered, I told you that I am here, therefore
you seek me, let these go away. Now watch this, that the same
might be fulfilled of which he spoke, of them which thou hast
given me, have I lost none. Having loved his own, which were
in the world, he loved them unto the end. He said to us, he said,
I'll never leave you, and I'll never forsake you. There's nothing
that will ever make me leave you. Nothing will ever make me
forsake you. Oh, no. Having loved his own,
how did we become his own? The scripture said he prayed
for his own, not for the world. I prayed not for the world. God gave us to him. When did
God give us to him? Before the world ever began. You know, in our experience,
we had to get lost. We had to become sinners. In
our experience, we were given faith and we trusted Christ.
In our experiences now, we're up and down in our own experiences.
But that's our experiences. But according to the Word of
God, there never was a time that Christ ever, ever viewed us other
than He has. And that's why Christ came to
die for the sheep. Huh? My experience, my experience
in what God says to everything. But this is the means where God
saves us. He could have saved us and took
us on to glory, but he said that's not the way I do things. I'm
going to strip you, I'm going to empty you, I'm going to put
you in the dust, and when I make you understand who I am, Then
you're going to say, Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner. And
you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to let you know that
I saved you. And you know where my purpose
to do this? Before the foundations of the
world. Oh, my word. Oh, oh, you know we're His own
by His power. Blessed is the man who thou choosest. And listen to this, and causes
to come unto me. The Lord said, seek ye my face. My heart said, thy face, O Lord,
I'll seek. In the day of His power, we'll
make revenge. but of his sheep. Not his own sufferings, but that
they don't suffer. It's the shepherd doing what
he does, protecting his sheep. And you know, the very last thought
their master had before he became a prisoner was for them and their
salvation, their protection. Does our Lord act like a cat
pig? No, he acts like a king. He didn't
ask and said, would you all please let these go their way? No, no.
You know what he said? Let these go their way. That's
the command. I sure would appreciate if you'd
let these fellers go. If you're willing, let them go.
No, no. He said, let them go. When he
says, let it go, I mean, he's been letting it go. When they
said that to that colt, and the Lord said, go, he said, wouldn't
that man ask you why you're untying that colt off of that one area
he's tied to? He said, when you go get that
colt, they said, why did you take that colt for? He said,
the Lord asked me to. Did you loose it and let it go?
That's the way we was. How long last this colt? God
said, mercy, and let him go. Bring him to me. And I'm gonna
ride you, and I don't care if the Lord rides me as long as
He rides me into eternity. Oh my. Let these, don't take
me, but don't touch my anointing. Oh, you've got me. It's not just
for them to suffer. If I suffer, it's theirs to take.
Christ is the end, the end, the goal, the fulfillment of the
law of the righteous. To who? Them that believe. Well, who would believe? Them that's heard His name. Them
that believe His name. Them that trust Him. They can't
suffer with Him. He has to do this alone. He by
Himself purged our sins. The high priest must go into
the homes of the homies with blood by himself. And that's
what Christ did. And our Lord Jesus, I tell you
what, He's got the power to preserve us. The power to preserve us. You tell me what He said in John
17, 12? While I was with Him in the world,
I kept Him in thy name. John 17 put, while I was with
them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those thou gavest
me have I kept. And listen to this, none of them
is lost, but the son of perdition. That description might be for
you. Alright, let me give you another
one here. Oh my, look at our Savior. Back
here in John 7, 18. Look what he says now. Simon
Peter cut off that man's ear. The Lord told him, we don't live
by the sword. Then he said in the last part
of verse 11, the cup which my father hath given me, shall I
not drink it? Oh my, oh what a submissive,
here's a, he submits himself to man. submits himself to God. Here he is, perfect, showing
how much power he's got in his perfect, perfect submission and
his subjection, both to man and to God. Here's the sovereign,
but yet he's a servant. Here's the lion, and here's the
lamb. And he says the cut, when he
says, the cup which my father, listen to this, hath given me, shall I not drink? He doesn't
say a necessity is laid upon me to drink this cup. He doesn't
say that. He doesn't say my father's commanded me to drink this cup.
But he says, shall I not drink it? Do you think for a moment
that I wouldn't drink this cup? Did you think for a second and
all of eternity that I would ever turn from this cup and not
take this cup and drink this cup which my father drank? He
said, who was Isaiah? I think it's 63 where it says,
he said, he drunk the drinks. He took the drinks. to drink. Oh, shall I not drink it? This
shows us his heart, shows us his spirit. He didn't know how
to do anything other than to do his father's will. Huh? He couldn't help but do it. That's the highest willing that
can possibly be. I cannot do anything else. This
is in my heart, this is in my will. Shall I not drink it? And beloved, let me close with
this right here. You're talking about a lesson.
A lesson here. He says the cup which my Father
hath given me, shall I not drink it? And when God hands us a cup,
He hands us a cup every once in a while. And sometimes it's full of bitterness,
sometimes it's full of pain, sometimes it's full of sorrow,
sometimes it's full of sickness, sometimes it's full of death,
suffering, great suffering. But you know what makes it not
so hard to deal with? It comes from the hand of our
Father. And if He gives us a cup, He
gave every one of us in this congregation one time or another
a cup. And sometimes we've been awful
hard, awful hard to deal with and drink. But we drink them. You know why? Because they come
from the hand of the Father, who loves us more that you and
I could ever, ever imagine. Our Father, oh, our precious,
precious Father. Thank you for the gospel. Thank
you for our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, thank you. Oh, what a Savior. What a Savior. Oh, Lord. God bless our dear brethren.
Strengthen our brethren. Comfort hearts. Heal bodies. Speak to the heart. Thank you for the gospel. Thank you for our Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, thank you for what you've done for us. Blessed be
your name. Amen.