In this very sacred passage of
scripture, we have the Apostle John's comments concerning, or
I say comments, his divinely inspired writing, inspired of
God to record these things, which happened in the garden called
Gethsemane. He does not say what Matthew,
Mark, and Luke said. But he does say some things they
don't say. And this is the purpose of God,
the Holy Spirit, in giving us four gospel accounts, each from
a slightly different perspective, with a different emphasis. They're
different men. But it's not to contradict, but
it's rather to complement each other's writing, and it does
that. Uh, it's complimentary. The four gospels are, but now
in thinking about this passage, we've read here where they come
to the garden to arrest the Lord Jesus. You know, sometimes we
hear on the news of the police having apprehended a criminal,
uh, not so peacefully sometimes he's either ran or or shot at
an officer or tried to fight. And when they do that, along
with the other charges, we'll be tacked on this charge, resisting
arrest, resisting arrest. So with that thought, as we see
the calmness and the cooperation of the Lord Jesus here, I've
titled the message this morning, Arrest Without Resistance, Arrest
Without Resistance. These verses, so rich and so
full of content, certainly are inexhaustible. But as we look
at them this morning, I would view our Lord, the person of
Jesus Christ, in a five-fold identity. And we may not get
to all five, but I want to talk about these five things if we
get that far. Number one, Christ the Lord is
the Sovereign one, the sovereign one. Now that word sovereign
is a word that's used by some of us, uh, quite often in our
teaching and preaching. It's not exactly a Bible word. It doesn't appear in the Bible,
but sovereign, it has a specific meaning to it. Uh, we've told
you before that the prefix Sov, S O V means highest. And of course, the suffix reign
means to rule. You know what to reign means?
It means to rule. So sovereign means highest rule,
answerable to none. Now there's a lot of men in this
world in high positions. The police, the mayor, the governor,
the president, And kings in other countries and so on, they have
a lot of authority. And they have a reign, some of
them a huge reign, but they're not sovereign. Because there's
no man that is answerable to none. You see? But our God is answerable to
none. He is the one and only sovereign. I know over in the old country,
Great Britain, I think they call some of the kings sovereigns.
And they even have a coin that they call a sovereign. It's not
really sovereign. It can't buy but so much. And
then it's gone. You see, a sovereign is one that never runs out. Highest
reign, accountable to none. And that is our God. And that's
who Jesus Christ is, is Emmanuel, God with us. He is the sovereign
one. So first, I would show us here
in verse 4 that the Father's purpose was well understood. Verse 4 says, Jesus, therefore,
knowing all things that should come upon him. What a profound
statement that is. Knowing all things that should
come upon him. May I say He also knows all things
that should come upon you and me. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing slips up on Him. Nothing
catches Him off guard. Oh, to worship one who is conscious
of all things. He's a bigger Christ than the
natural man can conceive, I promise you. Back in chapter 1, He and
you can follow this through this gospel back in chapter one. He
calls Simon by name before Andrew even introduces him. And also
in chapter one, he tells Nathaniel, I saw you when you're still way
over yonder sitting under that fig tree before Philip came and
got you and brought you to me. He knows all things that should
come up on him and everybody else. In chapter 2, knowing all
things, he needed not that any should testify of man, for he
knew what was in man. Chapter 5, the impotent man laid
at the pool of Bethesda. The Bible said that Jesus knew
that he had been a long time in that case. He knew, knowing
all things. John 6, 64, Jesus knew from the
beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray
him. He knew that all along. Chapter 13, verse 1, Jesus knew
that his hour was come, that he should depart out of the world. Didn't catch him off guard. Chapter
13, verse 3, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things
into His hands. So we're talking about one who
knows all there is to know about everything and everyone. And
the purpose of God from eternity past, before He created the world,
was well known to Jesus Christ in the flesh at this very moment. all things that should come upon
him." Then notice here the person that they sought. These officers,
chief priests that came, Pharisees. Notice the person that they sought. They're not seeking the sovereign
one that we're talking about, but verse 5 said we're seeking
Jesus of Nazareth. That was not a compliment. Nazareth
was a little village of poor, uneducated peasants, uninfluential
people, and everybody had the attitude, can there any good
thing come out of Nazareth? To them, Jesus of Nazareth was
nothing, a nobody. a common criminal. That's who
they sought, not knowing that He's the Sovereign One. And then
I want us to see also the person that He was, the Sovereign One. In verse 5, when they said that
they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth, He never said, I am Jesus of
Nazareth. No. He said, I am he. Now, if you'll notice your Bible
carefully, both here in verse five and verse six and verse
eight, the little word he is in italics. That means that it
was added by the English translators to make this read more clearly
in English. But all he really says is, I am. Who are you looking for? We're looking
for Jesus of Nazareth. And he said, I am. This is God
incarnate. This is the same I am who spoke
to Moses way back at the burning bush in Exodus chapter three,
when he said, I am that I am. Same one who said to the prophet
Isaiah, in Isaiah 45, 5, I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God beside me. This
is him. This is the one who spake throughout
the gospel of John and said, I am the bread of life. I am. the light of the world. I am the good shepherd. I am
the door into the sheepfold. I am the resurrection and the
life. I am the way, the truth and the
life. I am the true vine. This is him. This is the great I am. Sovereign
one. This is not just a man. It is
God, our very God. And when they say we seek Jesus
of Nazareth, he says, I am. I am. Then in his sovereignty,
note with me the power of this announcement. Verse six, as soon
then as he had said unto them, I am. They went backward and fell to
the ground. Now, there was no physical contact.
There was no fighting. There was no swords drawn at
this point. No fist used. But simply by the
power of His Word, the whole crowd fell backwards to the ground. They lost their balance, they
were stricken, unable to stand, literally shocked and shaken,
and just fell backwards. It wasn't an earthquake, but
it was the voice of Him who decreed all the earthquakes. And all it took was the power
of His Word, which He made effectual for them to collapse and all
fall backwards. That's all it takes for any person
to fall is for God to make his word effectual. That's what it
took for me to fall. That's what it takes for every
rebellious sinner to fall is for God to pay you a personal
visit and make his word effectual in your heart. This falling, by the way, was
prophesied in the Old Testament, which is just another testimony
to the truth and the unity of all scripture. Psalm 27, when
the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes come upon me to eat
up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. See, this book's about the Lord
Jesus Christ beginning to end. Now here, those words are fulfilled
in the garden, they fail, they fail. The sovereign one. Then a second thought, and I
see this here, he is the secret one. He's the secret one. You see, the unbelieving world,
then and now, cannot see him. Cannot know him for who he is. Unbelief is the thing that locks
men out of the kingdom of God. And by nature, all men are locked
into unbelief. So it takes a power bigger than
us to do something about it. It takes something more than
talking people into making a profession or turning over a new leaf. No,
it takes the power of God. And when he asked in verse four,
whom seek ye, why didn't they just say, well,
it's you we're after? Because they never recognized
him. Even Judas at this point, whom
verse five says stood with them. He didn't even recognize him
right now. He was there to set him out.
When Christ came forth, by the way, there's a statement there
that He went forth. Went forth. I meant to say something
about that and I didn't. Yeah, verse 4. Knowing all things,
He went forth to meet them. He didn't turn and run the other
way. No. He went forth. Why didn't Judas punch him and
say, that's him, that's him? He didn't know him. He didn't
recognize him. Hadn't been but a few hours till
he sat at the table with him in the upper room and Jesus told
him what he was going to do and he went out to do it. But he
didn't recognize him. He didn't know him. He's the
secret one except to those whom he reveals himself to. This is
a precious thought. Precious thought. He's the secret
one. Judas heard his voice, but he
didn't hear his voice. He heard his voice many times,
but he never heard his voice. See the difference? Not as his
sheep hear his voice. So despite their lanterns and
torches. Verse 3, the artificial light
was not enough and it never is to see Him. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul said,
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost,
in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them.
which believe not. They weren't blind physically,
their eyes, but their minds were blinded. Their hearts were blinded
and locked in unbelief. And here he is, according to
chapter one, Jesus Christ, the light of the world, shining in
darkness. And the darkness comprehended
him not. He's the hidden one, the secret one, whom the world
cannot see. John 6, 40, Jesus said, and this
is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth
the Son, not with physical eyes, but with spiritual eyes, by faith,
we see him to be who God says he is. Everyone which seeth the
Son and believeth on him have everlasting life. All right,
number three, Christ, he's the saving one. Oh, he's the only
saving one. I saw one of these silly signs,
church signs a while back, and I haven't done this in a while.
I used to be awful critical of them. I still am. I just don't
say much about it. Some of them don't make a lick
of sense. But they had one, you know, said Walmart is not the
only saving place. Y'all have all seen that on some
church sign. Like the building was a saving place. No, it's
building not saving anybody. We people here are not saving
anybody. No, he is the saving one. He alone is the saving one. Now, not knowing who Jesus was
in verse seven, he asked him the same question he asked in
verse four, same words, whom seek ye? Well, they gave the exact same
answer. Nothing had changed. They didn't know him. They repeated
Jesus of Nazareth, same thing I said before. Verse 8, Jesus
answered, I have told you that I am he. This is the third mention
of the I am, verse 5, verse 6, and verse 8. But now his saving
work, his delivering work for his own It comes to the forefront
here in verses 8 and 9. Verse 8, he says, if therefore
you seek me, let these go their way. First, we see the shepherd's
care for his own coming out here. He's saying to this bunch of
wolves and wild beasts, let these go their way. He's the caring
shepherd, knowing that he's in for a night of abuse and beating
and shame and knowing that he's facing a cross in the morning.
His thoughts in this critical hour, this critical moment, his
thoughts are not for himself, but for his sheep. Let these
go their way. What about that? He was never
looking out for himself. He's always looking out for his
own, his loving care. But also note what he said here
is a command. There's no question mark. It's
not, would you let these go their way? It's a sovereign command
from the saving Christ. Let these go their way. How effectual
was that command? Well, I'll tell you how effectually
it was. Nobody laid a single hand on a single one of his disciples
at that point or all that night. Even though Peter will draw a
sword in a minute, chop a man's ear off, no one laid a hand on
Peter or any of the other disciples. That's a miracle. That's a miracle
in itself. This adds so much meaning to
Peter's three denials that's going to come a little later
in the night. You know about that. How that they said, aren't
you one of his? You're not me. And a little maid
recognized him and said, I know you as one of them. I know you.
Not me. Blankety blank. Not me. They knew he was one of them, but they couldn't touch him.
It was the unseen power of the word of this saving Christ that
was effectual. This command, let these go their
way. They didn't have a choice in
it. They'd have killed them all. And there's enough of them to
do it, but they couldn't do it. It's a powerful word, a command
that could not be ignored and was not ignored. Very effectual. Then in verse 9, notice the perfect
work of this saving one. He said this was that the saying
might be fulfilled, which he spake, of them which
thou gavest me have I lost none. Now this is not a fulfillment
of an Old Testament text, but it says here in the middle of
this verse, which he spake. When did he speak it? Just one
chapter before, in the previous chapter, in that tremendous high
priestly prayer, verse 12, while I was with them in the world,
I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me, I
have kept, and none of them is lost. but the son of perdition
that the scripture might be fulfilled. Of them which thou gavest me
have I lost none. Now right here is an important
part, an important statement of doctrine. In today's modern
religion, free willism, with a feeble, struggling Jesus that's
trying to save everybody, They don't have a clue why he
came into this world, but he tells us, he tells us right here. He came to save those which thou
gavest me. And he said, I've lost none. Well, when did the father give
them to the son? Ephesians one four before the
foundation of the world. 2 Timothy 1.9, before the world
began. 2 Thessalonians 2.13, from the
beginning chosen to salvation. That's when God's people became
God's people. When the Father gave them to
the Son in eternity past. Turn back one page to this John
17 and we'll just look at this. Look at this high priestly prayer
of our Lord. Don't fuss about it if you don't
look at the Bible. Look at the Bible with me, okay?
And let's see what it says here. And you cannot read this and
tell me that Christ is trying to save Adam's race. Chapter
17, verse 2. He's praying to the Father. as
thou hast given him," talking about himself, power over all
flesh, that he should give eternal life to how many? As many as
thou hast given him. That's who he came to save. Now
verse 6, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou
gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest
them me, and they have kept thy word. Now verse 9, he says, I
pray for them, I pray not for the world. Boy, you don't hear
that quoted too often, do you? The Lord Jesus Christ said, I
pray not for the world. He's talking about the unbelieving
fallen world of humanity. But I pray for my own, them which
thou hast given me, I pray for them. I pray not for the world,
but for them which Thou hast given Me, for they are Thine. Verse 11, And now I am no more
in the world. Our Lord prays this prayer the
night before He's crucified from the standpoint that He's already
left this world. Now I am no more in the world,
but these are in the world, and I come to Thee, Holy Father,
keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me. that they may be one as we are. That's who he's praying for.
Verse 12, while I was with them in the world, I kept them in
thy name. Who? Those that thou gavest me, I
have kept. He says this seven times down
through here, that this is who I'm praying for. This is who
I came for. Those whom thou gavest me. This is powerful stuff, folks.
Verse 14, I have given them thy word, and
the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world. Verse 16, they are not of the
world, even as I am not of the world. Now up to this point, we could
say that he's speaking of the 11 minus Judas Iscariot. But
now look at verse 20. Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word."
That includes you and I. That comes all the way down. "...that they all may be one,
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me." And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them,
that they may be one, even as we are one. Verse 24, Father,
I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory. So he keeps saying this,
them which thou hast given me, given me. This is the intercession
of Christ on behalf of those he came to save. He said in verse
2, they're giving him. Verse 6, they gave us. Verse
9, in which thou hast given me. Verse 11, 12, 24. All of this answers to John 6,
37, where he said, all that the Father giveth me shall come to
me. There'll be a lot more than that
come to church. There'll be a lot more than that make a profession.
There'll be a lot more than that, be baptized. There'll be a lot
more than that, join the church. But Christ said, all that the
Father giveth me shall come to me. Oh my. And then he said, when
they come, here's what's going to happen. When they come, I
will in no wise, never under any circumstance, Cast them out. Matthew 1 21 says
he come to save his people from their sins. He never come to
put up posters, try to, try to start him a following. No, no,
no. His people were his people from eternity. You said that's
strong stuff. It's the book. It's God's word. Now here in our text, chapter
18, verse 9, he says, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost
none. He's the saving one, no question. All right. Number four, Christ
is the submissive one. Look in verse 10. Oh, it is courage. 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. Then said Jesus unto Peter, what
did he say? Peter, that was a bad shot, boy,
you missed. Should have got his head. Is
that what Christ said? No, not what he said. He said
this, put up thy sword into the sheath. He's saying, that's not
the battle I'm here to fight. My business is not with this
crowd. It's with my father. And then he says, the cup which
my father had given me, shall I not drink it? He'd prayed in Matthew, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from me. He'd prayed in Mark. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless,
not as I will, but as thou wilt. He prayed in Luke, if thou be
willing, remove this cup from me. But now the time has come. The praying is past. He is submitting
fully and boldly to the father's will. He tells Peter to put away
the sword, the cup which my father had given me to drink. Shall
I not drink it? This is why I'm here, bud. And then we look a moment at
the soldiers and their custody, Christ in
custody. Verse 12, then the band and the
captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus. Now, when you read that little
statement, took Jesus, Don't get the wrong idea. Pity the
thought that they took Jesus against his will. Oh no. Very
first thing, the whole crowd fell down backwards. They're
not taking him against his will. Not at all. And the idea is certainly
not that they forcefully, overpoweringly laid hands on Jesus and took
him. They couldn't do that. He said in chapter 10, no man
takes my life from me. They just can't do it. But he
said, I lay it down on myself. I have power to lay it down.
And I have power to take it up again. Christ our Lord prophesied
his own death and resurrection. I have power to lay it down,
take it up again. Then note the submission here. the submissive one, Christ the
submissive one, how he's in full cooperation with these guys.
Look at the little word led in verse 13, and led him away to Annas first. Again, on over in verse 28, then
led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of
judgment, peacefully led. They never dragged him. No, led him. Isaiah 53, 7, he
is brought or led as a lamb, a sheep to the slaughter. Submissively,
he opened not his mouth. Christ is the Submissive One.
And the last thought, number five, Christ is to be the Sacrificed
One. He's not here to deliver Himself
from these who would kill Him. But rather, He's going to deliver
Himself to them. He knows what they're going to
do. He knew it from eternity. They're God's servants. to crucify
God's Son, and they don't know it. He's to be the sacrificed
one. Note in verse 12, the last phrase,
and bound him. And bound him. They took Jesus and bound him. Later in verse 24, now Annas
had sent him bound. unto Caiaphas, the high priest. If Christ was so submissive,
why did they bind him? Well, though he would not and
did not resist arrest, they pounced on him as if he would. We read
up there that they came with lanterns and torches and weapons. Oh boy, weapons. They're going
to need the FBI to take this one to custody. They didn't take
him. They didn't take him. He submitted
himself to them. Why bind him? Like savage beast pouncing upon
the prey. He said in Psalm 22, I told you
the whole Bible was about Christ. Psalm 22. A lot of the Psalms
David is writing, you know that, and he's writing about a circumstance
in his life, a feeling in his own heart. But prophetically,
it's also about Christ. Whether David always knew that,
I don't know. But it's God's Word. It's about
God's Son. And he said in Psalm 22, 12, many bulls have come
past me. Strong bulls of Bashan have beset
me round. They gaped upon me with their
mouths as a ravening and roaring lion. Dogs have come past me. The assembly of the wicked have
enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my
feet. That's talking about Christ.
Psalm 22 is about Christ. But why did they bind him? Why
did they bind him? Because he's The sacrifice. Remember the beautiful
picture of Christ back in Genesis chapter 22 with Abraham and Isaac. Abraham said, my son, God will
provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went both of
them together and they came to the place which God had told
him of. And Abraham built an altar there
and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac, his son, the sacrifices
to be bound, bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar
upon the wood. He bound him. Psalm 118 verse
27, God is the Lord, which had showed us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords,
even unto the horns of the altar. The sacrifice was to be bound. But there's a deeper significance
to the binding of Christ here. He was here for us, and we were bound by the ropes
of sin, every one of us. He's taking our sin. He was bound in our stead. Psalm 40, for innumerable evils
have come past me about. Mine iniquities have taken hold
upon me, have bound me. You say, well, Christ had no
iniquities when He took yours. And when He took mine, He had
plenty. Mine iniquities have taken hold
upon me, so that I am not able to look up. They are more than
the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth." He was bound
that we might be free. He was bound with our sins to
free us from our sins. That profound statement, Ephesians
4.8, He led captivity captive. Did you ever think about that? Because sin had captured us,
He captured sin. We who had been held in sin's
constraints. Oh, you think you know some sinners.
You don't know much of nothing. had the Lord not got a hold of
this boy. Of course, I'd have never been heard of by you folks.
I'd have been in hell long ago. I'd have done killed people in
South Carolina. And when I moved to North Carolina,
if I'd have got that far, I'd have killed people here. And
I'd have done been electrocuted, but for the grace of God. He led captivity captive. We who had been held in sin's
constraints are set free. And Paul said, now we're constrained
by the love of Christ. The love of God constraineth
us. Well, I'm going to stop right here. It'll suffice just to say
this, that our Lord and Redeemer, Savior, Shepherd, Jesus Christ,
I'm telling you, friends, he's in a class all by himself. He
is in a class all by himself. There is no other, as the song
said, there is no other such a friend or brother. It's Jesus
Christ alone. Bless his holy name. So I trust
these thoughts will mean something this morning as this is approaching
unto his suffering. This is the night before he's
crucified the next morning. Precious, precious to the hearts
of God's people. Stand with me.