Jesus is Sovereign
John 18:1-14, 05-31-2020, Remsen Bible Fellowship
Introduction
Do you ever look around and wonder if this world is out of control?
Maybe you’ve lost a job and the mortgage is due; there’s a terrible accident and you’re sitting in the hospital waiting for answers about your loved one
What possible circumstance could be more confusing than the betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion of the only perfect man to ever live?
As we move out of the upper room discourse, we jump right into what, for the disciples, must have been the most bewildering possible series of events.
If you remember John 13:27, Jesus had dismissed Judas.
Judas goes out into the midnight of his life, turns his will completely over to darkness, and betrays Jesus to the authorities. And so we get v30, And it was night.
The intervening hours have heard Jesus giving the disciples words of warning and comfort, and in ch 17 we have the longest of Jesus’ recorded prayers, in which he prayers for his own glory to be made manifest, for the disciples to be protected, for them to be united to one another, and for them to experience the love of God himself.
But now this time of intimate conversation and communion is over, and the scene transitions: v1, Jesus and the disciples leave the walls of the city and cross the brook Kidron.
They head up the Mt. of Olives, upon which were several gardens or orchards; this one we know to be called Gethsemane (Mk 14:32), which means “olive press.”
Many have noted how that name bears a lot of symbolic weight: Jesus heads to Gethesemane, and here he will be pressed by the weight of what lies before him.
Why does Jesus come to this particular garden? V2 tells us that he often met here with his disciples, Luke 22:39 says he came here, as was his custom
Some commentators have suggested that this could be a garden owned by a wealthy patron of Jesus who gave it to him for the use of prayer during the Passover, which would have been very convenient as he withdrew each night to Bethany.
But he also comes to this garden because he has no need to hide.
The authorities might have expected Jesus to be hiding somewhere, to be in an unusual spot or hard to find. Instead, he’s right where Judas knows to look. V2, Judas knew the place.
Does it seem to you, when you read John’s account of the garden experience and the arrest, like he’s forgetting something? Where is the agony, where is the suffering? (Luke 22:39-46, Mark 14:32-42, Matthew 26:36-46)
John by no means denies the suffering of Jesus as he looks forward to the cross (12:27), but this is not his emphasis.
As John unfolds the dark events of this moonlit night, he wants us to clearly see that Jesus is not the victim, but the victor. He rules, he reigns. Even where darkness seems to hold sway.
As we move through this text we are going to see Jesus’ sovereignty on display through his power, his protection, and his plan.
Jesus, Sovereign in Power
In v3, we find the betrayer with the mob he has gathered. We need to pause for a moment here to get an accurate picture in our minds of just how many people this is.
First we are told he has a band of soldiers. Band refers to a Roman cohort, which typically consisted of about 600 men. It could include as many as 1,000, but 600 was typical. The word could also refer to a smaller unit of those men, perhaps 200. While that is a wide range, the point we need to grasp is this: this was not a half dozen guys coming out to arrest Jesus. This was a show of force. They came armed, they came bearing lights, they came to do business.
Why would the Romans have come out? The Romans often served as crowd control, and arresting someone of Jesus’ popularity could have incited a large protest (which also explains why this is happening at night).
Second, there are officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, and this probably refers to the temple police. Based on the fact that Jesus is taken to Annas, it seems likely that these were the primary arresting officers.
How does Jesus respond to this show of force? As the crowd of lantern and torch bearing men march up the hillside, does Jesus sit back and wait?
No. v4, he knows what’s coming-and he steps forward.
Jesus comes forward and asks them, “whom do you seek?” Is Jesus fishing for information? Obviously not, we just read that he knows all that is coming. But he wants them to answer his question.
In v5 they reply, “Jesus of Nazareth”, and he replies, “I am he.”
This might seem like a pretty pedantic, boring exchange for John to record. Expect for the weight of what Jesus has just said.
I am he, is two words in Greek, ego eimi. It could simply be translated I am. We’ve heard this before from Jesus, haven’t we? I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the door, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I am the vine.
Perhaps most relevantly, 8:58, before Abraham was, I am.
In these statements, Jesus identifies himself with the God of the burning bush speaking to Moses. He identifies himself with the God speaking to Isaiah who repeatedly says I am the Lord, and there is no other. Jesus identifies himself as Jesus of Nazareth, to be sure. But he’s not just the carpenter from Nazareth. He’s YHWH in the flesh.
An interesting difference between those earlier I am statements and this one is noted by John, though. Before, Judas had supposedly been with Christ. There was the pretense of his belief. Now that pretense is gone, and Judas was standing with them. He has taken his place, lined up in opposition to Christ. How will that work out for him?
V6 records what must be one of the most stunning sights imaginable. This man speaks, and an army falls flat.
Some commentators try to explain this away as Jesus simply surprising them, and they fall back in surprise or clumsiness. Think about how ridiculous that is. It’s Passover, so the moon is full. They are carrying all kinds of light. They’ve already spoken to Jesus. He didn’t surprise them by speaking. He overwhelmed them by what he said.
What we are witnessing here is some glimpse of Divine self-disclosure, Jesus showing who the real power is. Does the power belong to the political leaders? The arresting authorities? The most heavily armed? No. The authority belongs to God alone, and he stands here in the person of the Son.
The Romans and the Jews, representing together the whole sinful order of this world, are arrayed against Jesus. And he rules them all with his mighty word.
Calvin uses the metaphor of a thunderbolt, and quotes Isaiah 11:4, he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. When we consider this, these men should be thankful that hell itself did not receive them when Jesus cast them backward.
Note that in v5 they’re looking to arrest him, by v8 they’re taking orders from him. Who’s in control of this situation?
What causes you to question Jesus’ authority and power? Is it a prideful desire to hold onto a particular sin? Is it a fear that the opinions of your family or your friends are more real than Jesus? Is it a feeling that Jesus doesn’t really come through when you need him?
Trust Jesus in every circumstance. Submit to Jesus in every aspect of your life. Judas had given up on Jesus. And now he is laying on the ground, dropped by Jesus’ power. Proverbs 29:1
Jesus, Sovereign in Protection
In v7, Jesus asks these men, perhaps still on the ground, the same question. Whom do you seek?
After they answer the same as before, he tells them in v8 to let his disciples go.
John inserts in v9 that this was to fulfil the words he had spoken. And we read essentially these same words in his prayer back in 17:12
These both pick up the theme of 6:37-40, and 10:27-29
Have you ever considered the fact that the disciples were most likely in line to be arrested this night as well? Yet Jesus has them in his hand. He keeps them safe. Even in spite of their best efforts to get killed.
One pastor notes on v10 that when we’re waiting around for someone to do something dumb, Peter is the one we should look for. And he doesn’t disappoint.
Peter reaches for his short sword and apparently takes a swipe at the nearest servant, a man named Malchus. Thankfully for Malchus, Peter was a fisherman and not a swordsman; so he only loses an ear (for a minute: Luke 22:51)
Think about the danger this puts the disciples in: 200 plus trained soldiers against a rag-tag group of 11 disciples, only two of whom carry swords. Had Jesus not already displayed his power, this could easily turn into a bloodbath.
And yet the One who controls what’s going on in this garden stops the violence short: he commands Peter to put his sword away (v11), and apparently the crowd is still stunned enough by Jesus’ power that they are going to obey his command to let these men go their way.
Have you ever felt like you’ve made too many mistakes for Jesus to still love you and keep you, to bring you safely into his kingdom?
Look at Peter. Jesus kept him safe, he’s got you.
Are you facing a situation where it seems there is no good outcome possible? Look to Jesus, he will give you the protection you need.
It may not look like the protection you want (remember how this night goes), but it will be what you need.
Trust the Sovereign Protection of Jesus.
Jesus, Sovereign in Plan
In v11, what’s the reason Jesus gives for having Peter put the weapon away?
Jesus has a cup to drink (a common metaphor for God’s wrath, Isaiah 51:17, Jer 25:15-16)
Jesus came with this mission from the Father, and terrifying though it was, he would not turn aside. 12:27
It’s striking that not only does the crowd seem to miss the full significance of Jesus’ power (they do, after all, continue down their course of action), the disciples do as well.
It should be clear that if Jesus can flatten them on their backs, then he isn’t in any sort of danger which he couldn’t immediately remove himself from, if he so chose. Again, Jesus is not playing the part of a hapless victim in this narrative.
We see that even as the story leaves the garden, v12
John goes through and mentions group by group again; implicating the soldiers, their captain, and the Jewish officials.
But who isn’t listed? Judas. a) he had no arresting authority, but b) it’s also interesting that he actually isn’t mentioned again in this Gospel.
Judas took his stand with Jesus’ enemies, lined up in opposition to God, and does he gain wealth, power, or status? No, he loses his soul.
Why are they leading Jesus to the house of Annas? V13 tells us that Annas was father-in-law to Caiaphas, the high priest, but that hardly makes his house a good place to start a trial.
A little history helps here. Annas served as high priest from AD 6-15, when he was removed from office by Valerius Gratus. The high priesthood at this time had moved from being an office passed through heredity and lasting as a lifetime appointment to being a political office, with the priest essentially serving at the will of the Roman leadership.
However, while Annas was no longer officially the high priest, he continued to exercise massive influence, and 5 of his own sons, as well as his son-in-law Caiaphas each end up spending time as high priest
Additionally, the Jewish people seem to have resented the interference of the Romans in their religious affairs, and thus still considered Annas an important figure
All of this combines to show us that Annas was the Patriarch of the high priestly family, and was considered so relevant still that v19 will actually refer to him as the high priest, and Luke 3:2 speaks of the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas
So Jesus is brought to the halls of power, as it were, to stand to account. But in v14, John drops us a hint that even this is yet one more outworking of Jesus’ master plan. Cf 11:49-50
The context for that statement had been the Sanhedrin’s concern over how to deal with Jesus. Caiaphas says, better to kill one that many might live.
But if you keep reading in John 11, v51-52 show us that these words were the result of God speaking through the high priest
Jesus came to gather into one the children of one who are scattered abroad. How did he gather them? By being lifted up on the cross.
17:19, Jesus sanctifies himself for death-for you.
Jesus came to die.
Thus, being led away by this lawless mob in the cloak of official power isn’t some accident of history that could have been avoided if he’d been more careful. Instead, this is an example of the perfect will of Almighty God, the Sovereign Plan, being carried out through the voluntary actions of wicked men.
Do you trust that God knows what he’s doing in your life? Are you questioning his plan, the circumstances around you or even the struggles within you? Do you believe that Romans 8:28 is true or just a slogan?
Conclusion
We’ve seen that Jesus has Sovereign Power, and that he uses that Power both to Protect his followers, and to carry out his perfect Plan. What is your place in that plan? Are you trusting him for your salvation? Are you trusting him for the grace to carry you every hour? Are you one of the children of God gathering at the foot of the cross and praising The Savior for carrying out his perfect plan to set you free from the power of sin and death? Are you walking daily with him?
Or have you lined up in opposition to him? Are you resisting his desires for you, seeking to do life your own way? The ironic thing about running from God’s will is that we cannot get away from it.
If you imagine life as a grand drama, written, directed, and starring God, we each have our role as creatures who have been written and created by him. But as people, creatures, in this drama, we don’t know what our part is. But we have the option of listening to and trusting the director, or rebelling against him. But what we must realize in rebelling is that it doesn’t ever thwart him. He uses even your rebellion in the story he is telling. In his book, The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis says, “For you will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John.”
Don’t be Judas. Don’t line up against Jesus. He’s the one with the Power, he’s the one with a Plan. And if you trust in him, that plan and the power are bent toward your eternal Protection: life with him.