“The Arrest”
15 Things They Did To Our Lord
John 18:1-11
January 8, 2006
Today we begin a new series. There are 15 weeks leading up to Easter. From now until Easter we will be looking at 15 different things they did to the Lord. We are going to look at some of the different aspects leading up to the crucifixion, and then we will end with the greatest event of all time- the Resurrection.
Jesus had just finished praying for His disciples and for all who would believe. Now He and the disciples went to a place where He often went- the garden of Gethsemane. Christ knew that His time had come to carry out the Father’s will. He was ready.
Read John 18:1-11
When the mob came that night:
I. They arrested the Great I Am v. 5-7.
when they came to arrest Jesus they came after Him like He was some type of hardened criminal. Jesus had spent His ministry helping the needy, teaching those who sought wisdom, healing the sick and disabled, and glorifying God. He had never been violent. Never had He carried a weapon or threatened to kill anyone, yet they came at Him as if He were the most dangerous criminal around.
When confronted with the crowd, Jesus asked a simple question- “Whom do you seek?” When they told Him they sought Jesus, He responded- “I am He.”
At first one just reads over this and wonders why such a statement can send this mob to the ground. Christ is revealing that he is God! In Ex. 3:14 Moses had asked God what to tell the children of Israel when they ask who sent him. God said tell them I Am has sent me to you. Why I am?
He is the Alpha & Omega- the beginning and the end, He is the God of Wonders, God the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who delivers, the God who saves. There are so many characteristics of God that the name He Gave to Moses was I Am. The children of Israel needed to understand that God was everything that they needed and more. He would bring them through this and deliver them in their time of need.
Christ too is God. He was with God in the beginning and took part in creation- John 1:1; Gen. 1:1; He and the Father are one- Jn. 10:30; Christ is the Son of God, but is God. When Christ said I am He, He was making a profound statement. He was not only the one they were physically searching for, but He was who they were searching for spiritually and missed.
They were put to the ground b/c of the glory of God being spoken. They were floored by Christ, but they were not changed. The power of God in His voice- the power to put men on their faces. They were slayed in the Spirit and no one was there to catch them!
They encountered Christ, but spiritually they were not changed.
Many here today have encountered Christ, but remain spiritually unchanged. They saw Christ, they experienced His power, yet refused to follow Him.
People everywhere do the same thing. Walking the aisle and getting baptized doesn’t make you a Christian. Joining a church and going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. Christ makes you a Christian. We have to accept Him.
As we will see over the coming weeks- Christ was not only arrested, He was beaten, humiliated, spit upon, mocked, and crucified for the sins of the world. He even died for those who were doing these things. He died upon the cross that our sins might be forgiven, and He rose again that we might have life.
It is not enough to come to church and play church- we must be changed by Him. He is the great I Am! He is everything that we will ever need. He is our strength, He is our comfort, our peace, our healer, our protector, He is our all in all.
II. They arrested the One who protected v.10-11.
Christ refused, even in the midst of what was happening, to forget His mission. His mission was to save that which was lost. While being arrested, He did not fight back, but continued to help His attackers. According to Luke 22:54-62, Jesus not only rebuked Peter for cutting off the ear of the hp’s servant, but He also healed the ear. Jesus could have called down legions of angels to fight for Him, but He did not. He came to do the will of the Father. In all that was happening, He was still the protector of those who wanted to kill Him! He protected them from His disciples and the angels! He protected His disciples. None of them were lost, killed, or taken. They were all in the garden. Judas traded the I am and the protector for money.
Christ is our protector. There are many people today who are willing to trade the protection of the Lord for something else. Some are willing to trade Christ for job security, for wealth, for position, for popularity, for pride, or just so they can “have fun.” They are trading the very one who can give them everything and more, for something that will pass away.
Christ is the greatest gift of all, yet so many are missing out. There are many that have encountered Him, but never let Him change them. Will you let Him change you? Judas was willing to trade Christ for 30 pieces of silver. What will you trade Him for?
Christian, there are many of us who have traded Christ for something else. Maybe it is for notoriety, or position in the church, or family, or some of the other things that have been mentioned. Why are you feeling overwhelmed? Why are you feeling alone or lost? Why do you feel abandoned? It is b/c you have abandoned the I Am. The one who can give you all and is there for you. The one that will never leave you nor forsake you.
Conclusion
Whom do you seek this morning? I Am is waiting. All you have to do is come to Him and let Him in. He will do the rest.
