Shocking Encounter

Thesis: Prayer connects us to the explosive power of I Am. Takeaway: Faith to touch the “I Am” power of God.

Intro.

Following the Last Supper, Jesus and his remaining 11 disciples headed for the Garden of Gethsemane for a time a prayer.

For our purposes, this evening, it’s important to note that they were headed to prayer.

Judas, meanwhile goes to conduct… other business.

Jesus is keenly aware of what He is facing and His heart is fixed on prayer.

The disciples… not so much. It’s been a long day, They worked hard getting the Passover ready, and... it’s late.

3 times Jesus separates Himself to pray.

He knows what’s necessary to bring mankind back to the Father, AND He knows how hard it will be.

However, each time He returns to find his disciples asleep.

Mark 14:41 ESV

And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Judas and his entourage approach Jesus and His disciples.

Now this is no small detachment. There is a cohort of Roman soldiers (somewhere between 300-600) .

plus members of the temple police.

This is a small army... For ONE man.

That’s some serious overkill.

UNLESS the 1 man is the Son of God!

John 18:4–6 (ESV)

Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”

They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

When Jesus said to them, “I am,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Now, how did that happen? I can tell you how it DIDN’T happen.

Jesus didn’t get fed-up with the whole scenario and think to himself:

“Jesus of Nazareth? I’ll show you Jesus of Nazareth. Take this boys!”

Then throws a Holy Ghost sucker punch.

That’s NOT how it happened. I can tel you how I know that it didn’t happen this way.

After this, Peter cuts off the ear of one of the temple guards, and Jesus heals it and tells Peter to put the sword away. Violence isn’t on Jesus’ agenda.

He is focused on the salvation of mankind and ripping the keys of death hell and the grave out of the hands of the one who came to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus has bigger fish to fry.

Jesus separates the acts of aggression from the people performing them. Because he knows that the enemy is manipulating them. Less than 12 hours later Jesus will say, “Forgive them Father, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

That would be a moment where Jesus loses control. Every thing that Jesus does is intentional (Yes, even toppling the tables of the money changers in the temple.) Cory Asbury sings a song where the chorus goes:

“Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine

I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah”

I get it. the composer wants you to grasp how extravagant, over the top, spontaneous God’s love is.

And it can seem… reckless.

But I assure you EVERYTHING about God’s love for you has been thoroughly calculated.

So... “What WAS going on, and.... Why do I need to know about it?”

I’m glad you asked. Tonight we are going to explore why this account has been included in the Bible, and how that matters for our prayer time tonight.

I. Jesus is I AM

Jesus could have said:

“I am Jesus”

“I am the person you are looking for” or even

“Over here”

But He chose to say, “I AM”

“ego eimi”

It can be translated “I am he.”

But purely it’s “I am.”

Jesus does this intentionally. He is making a statement.

At the beginning of Jesus ministry, he was carefully managing how much information was “leaked to the press” as it were.

Sometimes he even instructed people whom He healed not to tell anyone.

But as time went on He opened-up more and more.

Eventually prying it out of the disciples:

Matthew 16:15 (ESV)

“But who do you say that I am?

Upon which the Holy Spirit wells up within Peter and he (in true Peter fashion) blurts out:

Matthew 16:16 (ESV)

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

But that was only among the 12.

But here... in the Garden of Gethsemane... all cards are on the table.

You want to know who stands before you.

I AM!

Of course, this is the name of God as revealed to Moses.

When Moses asked God His name... The Most High responds with:

Exodus 3:14 ESV

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

I AM.

YHWH

If you translate the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek (as in NT times, koine) what you have is;

ego eimi I AM.

All the Jews present understood that Jesus was saying:

I am God.

And for anyone who might say: “Hey Jesus, put your money where your mouth is .”

He did. With His words there was the unleashing of His person in the form of a forceful press that knocked 600 men on their backsides.

As I said earlier, Jesus had bigger fish to fry.

His concern that night was preparing Himself for the crucifixion and taking on the sin of all mankind.

Here me out.

If THAT MUCH of God’s power was released in the mere speaking of His name... What will happen when He intentionally speaks into our situations.

He’s going to knock your problems to the ground.

And just as Jesus had been praying in the garden... He is praying for you right now.

Romans 8:34 ESV

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

The message translation of this verse says:

And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Romans 8:34 MSG

Jesus was praying for strength to follow through with the Father’s plan.

He was also pushing for the disciples to be preparing themselves because:

II. Prayer Prepares Us

Jesus has been praying for his followers all along.

When Peter proclaimed that Jesus is the Messiah... the Savior shared about how He had been praying for Peter specifically.

But at the garden, Jesus is attempting to get the disciples to pray for themselves. (unsuccessfully I might add.)

Mark 14:38 ESV

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

But each time that Jesus returns to the disciples he finds that they have fallen asleep.

How often have you and I thought, “God understands how tired I am.”

Of course God is understanding. God is gracious. God is forgiving.

And... God knows the victories that we will win, if we press through and pray.

“Nights of prayer to God are followed by days of power with men.”

R. A. Torrey

III. Faith-filled Prayer Releases God’s Power

There were other times that Jesus spoke “I AM.”

“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 true vine.”

(Actually these are going to be a series this fall on the “I AM’s of Jesus”.

In none of these pronouncements did anyone wind-up sitting on the ground.

Actually in John 8:58 Jesus uses the same format as in the garden.

The religious leaders were comparing Jesus to Abraham, and Jesus lays it out:

John 8:58 (ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

The Jews didn’t fall down. Actually they picked up rocks to stone him.

So why did the soldiers in the garden topple over each other like so many dominoes?

Might, I suggest that Jesus wanted to show His disciples... and... us.... the power that is unleashed when we pray.

Remember that Jesus prayer had been in agony:

Matthew 26:38–39 (ESV)

Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me...”

But take notice. His anguish never diminished His belief.

Matthew 26:39 (ESV)

“...nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Jesus’ faith kept Him in sync with the Father’s will.

Prayer without faith! What sort of prayer is it? It is the prayer of a man who does not believe in God.

Charles Spurgeon

In the garden of Gethsemane, we see the breath of God flowing from the lips of Jesus.

Prayer is the breath of faith. Prayer meetings are the lungs of the church.

Charles Spurgeon

(shameless plug)

Worship team will you come

Closing:

As we move into our worship and prayer time...

Keep this picture in your head.

The picture of Gods power toppling the enemy.

I want you to see God doing THAT to your problems tonight.

Let’s pray.