Jesus: Willing Sacrifice

John 18:1-11

August, 4 2002

 

  1. Introduction
    1. John Chapter 18
    2. Final Four!
    3. Names of Jesus and Prayer.  These names ought to be particularly rich with meaning. I fear that we get locked into patterns of speech. Prayer deserves hard-thinking, careful delivery. Each word counts; let’s not waste a single one.
    4. Today we add Jesus: Willing Sacrifice.
  2. Prayer
  3.  John Chapter 18 - The Arrest
    1. Really a fascinating passage. The powerful tension between Jesus the Man, and Jesus God reaches its practical, spiritual climax in Jesus’ life.

                                                               i.      Matthew points out the pain, and human fear involved in this evening.

1.      “My soul is overwhelmed to the point of death.”

                                                             ii.      John here makes it plain that while he was troubled in his humanity, he was clearly the divine savior absolutely in control of the moment.

    1. Still Thursday evening. Jesus having delivered his final teaching, now walks across the Kidron valley, east of Jerusalem to an Olive Grove at Gethsemane.
    2. When he had finished praying in the Garden, after he had wept so hard that blood dripped from his brow (recorded by Luke the physician). He stood, a man determined, to receive those who came to arrest him.




                                                               i.      Let me say a couple things about that moment. The moment he stepped out as  THE WILLING SACRAFICE.

1.      A careful point. Although the killing of Jesus was wicked. It was his to bear, by the Godhead’s choice. In other words, by God’s choice he was the Due recipient.
Accordingly Jesus stepped forward in the Garden to receive His coming judgment. For the “only innocent” had been made wickedness himself, bearing ALL sin of all sorts.

a.       God does not forget sin, it is terribly paid.

2.      Conversely, the first Adam hid in the garden when sin was due to be answered

a.       Genesis 3:1-2.  When the lord called Adam out. Adam hid

                                                                                                                                       i.      In the “Cool of the Day” should probably be translated in the “Spirit of the Day”  The Wind of the Storm” “
A Majestic Theophanic presence!  Imagine the fear in a place which was nothing but peace. God was clearly angry.

1.      This is the primary revelation which is repeated time and time again, such as @ Sinai. Kills in the temple, sticks Uziah down by merely stabilizing the Ark.

                                                                                                                                     ii.      God: Adam Step out!   Now.

                                                                                                                                    iii.      I think of my son. I know what he has done; I want him to step forward.

                                                             ii.      Two critical moments in human history, the first federal-head of humanity, who brought sin into creation, and the second, who conquered sin for all time. The first hid, the second did not shirk, and rather he stepped forward in the garden.
The first guilty by his own action. The second guilty by his choice.
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    1. V.2 A detachment of armed soldiers from the Tower Antonia, temple officials and Pharisees

                                                               i.      While the word here is unclear, many scholars believe it would have been a regiment of 500 battled hardened warriors.
As Jerusalem is a well known powder-keg, especially during the festal period

                                                             ii.      They came with torches, prepared to hunt and search,  and swords prepared to fight

    1. V. 4 “ Jesus knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them ‘Who is it you want.”

                                                               i.      I imagine, the commander of the regiment responds, “Jesus of Nazareth”

                                                             ii.      Jesus replies, “I am he.”

                                                            iii.      At the moment he says this, the Gospel of John records that they all drew back and fell to the ground.

1.      What happened here?

2.      Greek is “apelthov eis ta opisoo kai epesan chamai”
                 they went backward and were thrust/put/fell to the ground

a.       While pipto could mean bow down, notice they went back. All he said is I am he. Why would hardened soldiers, temple officials and Pharisees bow in reverence. I think it is more appropriate to conclude that Jesus demonstrated HIS CONTROL.

                                                                                                                                      i.      I believe he issued a divine blast. He could as well have killed them all, but he did not. He turned himself over on his own terms.

1.      John 10:18, No one takes it from me, but lay it down of my own accord.

    1. When Peter foolishly tries to use force, Jesus rebukes him and even heals Malchus’ ear.
    2. Then at his mock hearings before Annas (the Roman removed high Priest, and Father in law of Caiaphas the High-Priest that year). Caiaphas himself and finally before a weak roman governor who was in trouble with Caesar (Pilate), and not even living in official housing, next Herod, then back to Pilate, he is finally condemned to die. While his disciples flee and deny him Jesus faces his captors with quiet resolve and dignity. CONTROL. He goes as Isaiah prophesied quietly as a lamb to slaughter, a sheep before her shearers, he did not proclaim his innocence.
      Rather Jesus went as THE WILLING SACRAFICE.
  1. So What?
    1. Because Jesus accomplished what no other human could do, absolute perfection and obedience, and then, stand in as the willing divine sacrifice for all sin, he has given to us the legacy of his imputed righteousness. Because he was a willing sacrifice we miraculously can willingly sacrifice ourselves. Sharing in his death we may have life by the Spirit. Without Jesus we are slaves to sin, unable to willingly do anything, but Jesus sets us free to give ourselves willingly (John 8:34, Galatians 5:1).  Cf. Power of No sermon.

                                                               i.      Petition

1.      Mathew 5:17-20

2.      Jesus reminds us that absolute holiness is still our command. We ought to live in humility and trembeling. Sin ought to be our hated enemy. Because we have been given grace. We must seek to live it

                                                             ii.      Peace (Shalom) with God

1.      Romans 5:1-2

2.      We have no holiness of our own, but have been made holiness itself before the Father. In the same way Christ became wickedness for us. We become Holiness in him. Quite a deal! 

                                                            iii.      Power

1.      II Timothy 1:6-7

2.      We are the only one who can possibly act! Jesus has issued an Emancipation Proclamation from ourselves.