Jesus Christ Is My Defender

Jesus Christ Is My Defender

John 18:1-11

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - March 14, 2010

*Have you ever seen a brand-new baby walk out of Glenwood Hospital? Of course not, and you never will. Every baby needs the help, care and protection of its family.

*Well, you may be the biggest, toughest guy in town, but you still need the care of someone bigger than you. You may have never thought about it, but none of us could make it a moment without the watch-care of Almighty God. We need Jesus Christ, and this Scripture helps us see why.

1. First: We need Jesus because no one knows like Jesus knows.

*Here Jesus was on the night before the cross. He gave vital words of instruction and comfort to His followers. Then He prayed to the Father for all believers. Next Jesus and His disciples headed out to the Garden of Gethsemane, but vs. 2-4 tell us that:

2. Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples.

3. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?''

*Vs. 4 tells us something amazing that we must not miss: Jesus knew “all things that would come upon Him.” There were no surprises. Jesus could see down the road of His life. And though He was about to take the sins of the whole world on His shoulders, He could take it. So, He didn’t run away. Jesus went forward, straight into the jaws of danger and death. And He did it for us!

*It’s good for you and me that we can’t see all things. I don’t think we could take it. But Jesus can see down the road of your life, and He will help you along. He knows all things! -- How awesome and mighty He is! The Bible tells us that God even knows the exact number of the hairs on our head.

*Alma Guinness thought about this and wrote: “Scientists know the average number of hairs on the human scalp is between 100,000 and 150,000. (Of course, that’s the average.) Each hair lives about 3 to 5 years and grows around one-half inch per month. On a daily basis, the average person loses 50 to 100 hairs.

*Almost 7 billion people inhabit earth, each having an average of 100,000 hairs, and everyone losing 50 to 100 of them a day. Yet, God always knows the exact number of hairs that are on your scalp. (1)

*What a picture of the Lord’s all-knowing love! By the way: God also knows every beat of your heart, every thought in your mind and every tear you’ve ever cried. He knows you better than you know yourself.

*We need Jesus, because no one knows us like Jesus knows us.

2. But we also need Jesus, because no one can do what Jesus can do.

*Our Lord has unlimited power! And we see just a little sample of it in vs. 4-6:

4. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?''

5. They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth.'' Jesus said to them, "I am He.'' And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.

6. Then when He said to them, "I am He,'' they drew back and fell to the ground.

*With just a word, Jesus miraculously sent them sprawling to the ground. This was a most amazing thing, especially when you understand the crowd in the Garden that night.

*William Barclay explained: There is something astonishing about the force that came out to arrest Jesus. John said that there were soldiers along with officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. The officers were from two branches of the Jewish police force. But vs. 3 mentions a band or detachment of troops there. In the original language that meant a force of at least 200, and up to 1,000 soldiers that came to arrest Jesus! What a compliment to the power of Jesus! When the authorities decided to arrest him, they sent a small army to do it. (2)

*And with a word, Jesus laid them all flat on the ground. -- Mighty, mighty God!

*Matthew Henry said that with that simple saying, “I am He,” Jesus showed plainly, what he could have done with them. When he struck them down, he could have struck them dead. When he spoke them to the ground, he could have spoken them to hell . . . Jesus also showed what he will do at last with all his hardhearted enemies who will not repent to give him glory. They shall flee, and they shall fall, before him. . . (3)