Crime investigation stories fascinates me. I believe that those who do this kind of job are very clever people. They spend hours, weeks, and months profiling their suspect. They study all possible movements of their suspect, the face, the body language, the voice, etc. before making an arrest.
What the gospel writers made obvious in the arrest of Jesus is the fact that the multitudes of people who came to arrest Jesus in the middle of the night did not know who they were after. Jesus had to ask them twice “Who is you want?” Before the mob arrived (Mark 14:32-42), he prayed in agony or hours in the garden. In John 18:36-37, He said “for this cause I have come.” So, its not like this whole saga was a surprise to Jesus. It is the very reason why he came. And he’s committed to finish it.
He is the kind of Person you want in your life, And this is what I want us to focus on this morning. Perhaps if they listened to what Jesus claimed about himself, they would not want to do anything with his arrest.
Who is it you want?
V4) Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” V5) Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) v6) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. V7) Again he asked them. “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
Luke 22:52-56 - Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with sword. (53) Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with mor than 12 legions of angels? (Matt. 26:55) I sat daily with you, teaching you in the temple, and you did not seize Me. (56) But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. THEN ALL THE DISCIPLES FORSOOK HIM AND FLED.
To the Pharisees, the chief priests, and the onlookers, Jesus is a joke, a blasphemer, a lunatic. But to this guy in John 9:25, 32-33, who was born blind, Jesus was nowhere near those description. To this guy, Jesus is a miracle-worker. He said,
32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing. So “I don’t care what you think about Jesus, all I know is, “I was blind but now I see.”
TO THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA, “Jesus is the Messiah (John 4:25-26) If you only knew who is talking to you, he would have given you living water.”
What I want each of us to reflect on this morning is what would be a most appropriate answer if Jesus is to ask you that same question. “Who is it you want?” Give me Jesus, and I’ll be fine.
Jesus makes 7 claims for Himself using 7 different metaphors. (the 7, “I am’s”). He said:
1. “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35-40)
Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
In those days, bread is a staple food. You cannot live without bread and Jesus used this metaphor to teach people that He like bread is what you need. It is basic for their survival. As long as you have bread, you’ll live because Jesus provides meaning and purpose for your existence. You’ll say,” I have good life here, I’m alright. I don’t need anything else.” But think long term, in fact think eternal!
Luke 12:20 - ISV
But God told him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you. Now who will get the things you’ve accumulated?’
2. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5)
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
Jesus did not mean a problem-free life. Rather, He meant that with Him in your life, you can walk in a dark, painful road with courage. You can face every fear you have while you take a step of faith at stair at a time. Martin Luther King Jr says: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” You trust that it is his hands that pulls you up to the last step. WE see this in the life of the Apostle Paul. He literally lived his life too close to trouble for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everywhere he goes, there is a price tag in his head. He never seemed to get out of a dark life. Yet, he confessed, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” And so, we become more and more like Him.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
3. “I am the door” (John 10:7-10)
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. (NOURISHMENT, REST, ABUNDANCE – YOU THINK OF PEACE, PROVISION, PROTECTION).
PSALM 23: 2-3 HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE LEADS ME BESIDE QUIET WATERS. HE REFRESHES MY SOUL. HE GUIDES ME ALONG THE RIGHT PATHS FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE.
V10) The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
V8) Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” V9) This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” This Jesus sticks to you closer than a brother.
4.“I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11)
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Like any good shepherd, Jesus will never leave you in your vulnerable situation. He will stick with you closer than a brother. He will carry you.
Psalm 23:4-6 – Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff; they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
5. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
To bring back someone from the dead is divine power! Jesus’ claims here that He is no ordinary man. He is Divine. And through Him and through the Spirit’s power that raised Him from the dead, we too can experience Christ’s power to restore life in our lives even now! Understand the power that commands the dead to wake lives in us. That same power that moves mountain when He speaks; that same power that calms the fiercest storm in the Sea of Galilee or the Red Sea. JESUS IS YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE NOT YOUR LAST RESORT! Don’t look at the storm look unto Jesus that can hush the storm. He can turn your defeat into triumph. We have his promises that are ever true. There are greater things in store for you and me in Jesus.
And this is the will of him who sent, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40).
6. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John14:6)
7. “I am the true vine” (John 15:1-8).
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does not bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. NO branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 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. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
THERE IS ALWAYS A STRUGGLE BETWEEN WHAT WE WANT FOR OURSELVES AND WHAT GOD WANTS. BUT TRUE BIBLICAL CHANGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF STRUGGLE BUT THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE HOLINESS IN THE MIDST OF STRUGGLES. (Christopher Yuan). This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Jesus of Nazareth – tells us that the mob knows Jesus only as a man from a small town of Nazareth. He is a mere mortal like everybody else. Nothing more than that. They inflicted pain on Jesus because they did not have a personal revelation of the Christ! And each time, Jesus said, “I am He?” not the criminal that you think I am. I am He, the Messiah whom the prophets Isaiah foretold long time ago. I am He the God of Israel who covenanted with Abraham. Sadly, they were short-sighted and blinded by the moment.
Peter’s confession of who Jesus is much better than what these guards thought. “Who am I to you” asked Jesus. And Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, you are the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:13-19)
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[c] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.”
When I was 15 -20 years old and a baby Christian, I have always thought that Christians let alone pastors do not go to movies. Somehow, we were thought that it was a big sin to watch movies. Later, I learned that Christianity is not about do’s and don’t’s. Instead, it is a life of growing intimacy with God from the inside out that goes beyond the superficial like not going to a movie house. I learned that I must seriously be careful of what I watch and if it is wholesome, God is not going to bring fire and brimstone from heaven to punish you
Anyway, sometime ago, I come across a wholesome comedy movie titled “RunAway Bride” played by Julia Roberts. The movie is about a beautiful lady Maggie Carpenter who has the habit of running away from her groom at the altar on their wedding day. Maggie is engaged 4x to 4 different grooms. And each time, she’ll ran away. Reason being she was too scared to commit that at the last minute, she’ll second guess herself and run away. Don’t because as we heard last Sunday, one day you will stand at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. It is not optional.
I thought of the Runaway bride story because I believe that there are times where we find ourselves at a loss of what we want or who we want to be in our lives. We can laugh about it, but the reality is, there is a far greater consequences to the question, “Who is it you want?”
Question? Would you want this Jesus who He claims to be or the Jesus that the religious people thought He was? A criminal, a lunatic, an imposter?
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Then, Luke 22:51, Jesus touched his ear and healed him.
V10-11) Even up to death, he’s still thinking of others.
You and I can hurt Jesus countless times, Yet, in his nail-scarred hands carved your faces and mine. He’s the one whose hands and feet are nailed on the cross. He was the one who suffered excruciating pain to bring the kingdom of God/heaven in our reality. What we need is to put our faith in Him. Are you in pain? Call on Jesus. Are you in trouble? Come to Jesus. Are you suffering? Cry out to Jesus. Because He is Elohim, the Almighty God. It is Him you want to be with from here to eternity.
