Message
John 18:1-27
“Where It All Starts”.
For the next 8 weeks, and also on Easter Friday, we are going to focus our attention on the chapters 18-21 of John’s Gospel as we look at the Passion of Jesus and His willingness to give His life for us.
We are entering the story at the point where Jesus has just finished praying.
The prayer is in John 17 and it is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus.
Then the events which lead to His death start … and they flow very quickly.
Let’s read Scripture… John 18:1-27.
Since we don’t really keep a map of first century Jerusalem in our back pocket let me put up this helpful map gives us a clear understanding of where everything is.
The group comes out of the city, across the Kidron Valley – and over to a garden on the Mount of Olives.
Putting the towns in context here is a map showing the local area.
I wonder if anything about the location of Jesus stands out to you?
Maybe these factors will help.
When Jesus came to Jerusalem for this Passover he did not stayed in the city – he stayed in Bethany (cf. Mark 11:11; John 12:1).
So it is a quick walk from the Mount of Olives to Bethany … an easy get away.
Additionally while Jesus was in the city He is also safe because, as Luke 22:6 tells us, the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard wanted Judas to hand Jesus over when no crowd was present.
They are outside the city at night at the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem is an ancient city where street lights have not been invented yet. So, even if there is a full moon, it is going to quite dark. They are outside the city amongst an Olive grove. You could easily hide yourself behind an olive tree then quietly slip away up the hill and disappear.
John 18:3 tells us that Judas was leading a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Have you ever listened how far a man’s voice travels at night … even when they are talking in a normal voice? You would easily have a good 100 metre start to get away and disappear.
Jesus is out of the city, in the dark, able to flee, with a good head-start. There is only one reason why Judas finds Jesus on that night … it is because Jesus is allowing Himself to be found. Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples says John in verse 2.
What does this tell us?
Jesus stepped into the process. Deliberately. In complete control.
Jesus did not begrudge the fact that He went to the cross. Rather He chose the path knowing that this was the way for His spiritual brothers and sisters to come into the family of God.
Jesus did this because He knows us.
He knows how we think and the truths we hide.
He knows the masks we put on and the pretend answers we give.
He knows how our minds think and the difference between what we say and what we do.
The short-comings of your life. The sin you allow to determine your actions. The failings you desperately try and cover-up. He knows it all.
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep … 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
(John 10:1-2, 10-11)
Jesus knows … and Jesus goes. Our Good Shepherd in complete control.
Which brings us to the confrontation.
The Greek word used to describe the detachment of soldiers means, as a minimum, 200 men and possibly up to 600 men.
Which sounds like a lot of people for such a small task.
But the Romans were always keen to have the strength of numbers in every situation, especially when the possibility of a riot could occur.
We see this happen in Acts 23.23 when Paul is transferred from Jerusalem to Caesarea.
Claudius the commander sends “a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen”.
So when the arresting group arrives it is not even a contest. 200 verses 12.
Actually it is 200 verses 1.
The arresting group is in a very commanding position.
Who do you want?
Jesus of Nazareth.
Not Jesus Christ.
Or Jesus the Messiah.
Or Jesus the King of the Jews.
But Jesus of Nazareth.
This is the name that His enemies use. Trying to remind him of the fact that He is really a nobody, from a tiny town in the area of Galilee. A pretender who has been stirring up trouble. an inconvenience who is going to now be put out of the way once and for good.
Or so everyone thinks.
We want Jesus of Nazareth. Then Jesus steps forward and says:- I am He.
The literal translation says I am.
It is a key phrase in John’s gospel.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35).
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9).
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11).
Jesus said to (Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25).
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
I am the total answer to the needs of humanity.
I am your life, hope, security, direction, support, foundation, confidence, refuge, guide, light, peace, love, acceptance, forgiveness, focus, provider, enabler, beginning and end.
That is our King.
Waiting!
Waiting for 200 plus grown men … harden soldiers and Pharisees … to pick themselves up off the ground and arrest Him for His time has come.
It is time to give His life.
It is time to fulfil His calling.
It is time to secure salvation for all those who will call upon His name.
So Jesus is arrested.
Then, as the process unfolds, we are told of the reaction of three specific individuals.
Firstly we meet Annas.
John 18:13 tells us that Annas was the father-in-law of the High Priest.
However we also know from historical records that, about 15 years earlier, Annas was the High Priest.
To be the high priest was a was a very special calling. Only those who were a direct descendent of Aaron could be appointed.
It was also a job that came with a very significant responsibility – a responsibility which happened on the day of atonement.
This happened once a year.
Going into the Most Holy Place – to sprinkle blood on the Atonement Seat (expand)
- He had to dress a certain way; there are very exact instructions.
- He had to offer a series of sacrifices; following a very precise procedure.
- The sacrificial goat and scapegoat.
It was a huge responsibility.
So you can imagine that the person who had this responsibility was one who was respected.
A holy man among holy men.
One who had great wisdom.
Knowledgeable in the Scriptures.
Able to make sound judgements.
Yet Annas does not give Jesus justice.
And the “court” is held at night – which was not allowed by law.
Despite all this Annas – the father-in-law of the rightful highpriest – thinks he is acting in a godly manner. But he is out of control.
John gives a hint at just how out of control Annas really is when we get to verse 14.
Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
John 18:14
When Caiaphas originally said this in back in John 11:49-50 he was thinking that the death of Jesus would resolve the growing problem of many Jews following Jesus.
He wants to take control.
But he is out of control.
And so is Peter
It all starts with the decision by Peter to follow Jesus from the place of the arrest. While waiting to enter the location Peter is asked by a servant girl who is on door duty if he was a disciple of the man on trial.
This was the man, who just a few hours earlier, took out a sword in front of 200 Roman soldiers and the Pharisees, and temple leaders and start to attack people.
Now it is a servant girl. I’ll stress that … a servant girl. She has no status. She isn’t armed with weapons. She hasn’t brought a group of guards. All she says to this man who has come into the courtyard with John you are a disciple.
“I am not.”
It doesn’t take long for Peter to be out of control.
And that is where we see this power contrast.
Everyone is out of control
Annas wants a Saviour who is power, might, authority, control. Wanting to have a God who is showing His strength and destroying all those who oppose.
Annas doesn’t have time for a Saviour who serves, and is humble and gentle.
Annas is out of control.
Caiaphas wants the problem removed. To get Jesus out of the way and just get on with life. Even though Caiaphas actually speaks the truth He does not realise the significance of have one die for all. He doesn’t realise that the atoning sacrifice is the key to the salvation of so many.
Caiaphas is out of control
Peter Jesus at the moment has become a liability. He is a disciple, but he is feeling vulnerable and cornered.
He Jesus and has seen Jesus in action.
But just for the moment it is not quite enough to bring Peter over the line to freely admit that he is a disciple.
Peter is out of control.
Everyone is out of control.
Except for Jesus.
And that is the hope we have today as we think about the work of Jesus in our lives.
For isn’t it true that there are days and times when we feel out of control?
We don’t always have time for the Saviour.
We have days when we just get on with life on our own strength … just getting Jesus out of the way.
We find ourselves in that place where we are hearing the crowing of failure in our discipleship lives.
In that space the truth remains.
Jesus … will be dead by the end of tomorrow.
The one dying for the many – to cover all those times when the many have nothing but failure ringing in their ears.
Jesus deliberately enables Himself to be arrested so that no one who is in God’s family will be lost.
On those days when you wonder if you are good enough
… you may have doubts, but you are not lost.
In those times when life is overwhelming
… you are in a cloud but you are not lost.
When you have questions about eternal life
… you may lack answers but you are not lost.
For those moments when you wonder if you have a purpose
… you might need convincing but you are not lost.
When you wonder if you will ever forgive yourself
… you might feel guilty, but you are not lost.
No matter what you feel, or experience, or think.
When you know Jesus you are never lost.
For we are secured by the “I am”.
Prayer
