The Firm Foundation of our Faith

Re-watched Movies

Do you ever watch a movie that you have already seen and yet still in the tense, suspenseful parts you are at the edge your seat or even have a slight thought “what is going to happen?”?

I am re-watching the Marvel movies with me girls and I find myself having those very thoughts. 

Now some of it is I wasn’t paying attention during the first watch and am just seeing it for the first time, but I still know the end of the movie. 

That’s how this part of Jesus’s life in the Gospels is for me, and maybe for you too.

We know the end of the story, even how the immediately situations play out, but there is still a tenseness, a cringing that comes as we read about Jesus’s arrest, trial, humiliation, and crucifixion.

We have a short passage this morning, but it is a passage deep with meaning and one of the most aggravating scenes.

As Jesus is finishing His rebuke of Peter, James, and John for sleeping while He was praying, they heard a crowd approaching.  And through the olive trees comes Judas with what Matthew tells us was a “Great Crowd” of armed people.  Agents of the Chief Priest and elders. 

Matthew 26:47–56 CSB

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob with swords and clubs was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 His betrayer had given them a sign: “The one I kiss, he’s the one; arrest him.” 49 So immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 “Friend,” Jesus asked him, “why have you come?” Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him. 51 At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” 55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal, to capture me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me. 56 But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.

Knowing the whole story doesn’t lessen the aggravation we have toward Judas.  How could he turn Jesus over like this?  He could have just left, leaving Jesus and the other disciples behind, but he took it one step further and gave Him over to the authorities. 

There had been threats before, even efforts by the Religious leaders to arrest Jesus or even to stone Him. But in each case, Jesus had escaped or their efforts thwarted in some way. 

But not this time…Judas had led them to a quiet place, where no one of significance was watching.  They finally had Jesus right where they wanted Him.

The tension and frustration I feel in my heart as a read these verses and put myself into the situation reminds me of the moments of confusion, chaos, and calamity that happen in my own life.

When we hear news about the death of someone we love,

or receive news we weren’t expecting that leaves us stunned and sorrowful,

or we someone we thought we could trust hurts us in a way we are not sure we can heal from.

Those scenarios are real life for many in this room this morning, and I am so glad that God, in His perfect wisdom and timing, has brought us to this passage. 

In these moments, when the ground beneath our feet becomes unsteady and faith becomes difficult, where can we find a firm foundation for our faith? 

Here, in this passage, I want to point to three very sturdy pillars we can rest our faith in.

1) The unwavering SOVEREIGNTY of God.

Imagine the emotion that was in that garden as Judas approached with the crowd of armed men.

Jesus had told them 3 separate times that He would be turned over to the authorities to be crucified. He knew this day was coming and He knew that Judas was the one that was going to give Him over.

But it still hurt, as the man who said he loved Him, betrayed Him with a kiss.

The journey was over, the day had come, and the reality of the situation was setting in on the disciples and on Jesus.

Judas was on of their own, and he has brought the enemy into their midst.

We have spent time talking about Judas’s faulty faith and we will return to him in a couple of weeks.

But imagine the feeling of the disciples, the disappointment, the anger, the despair.

We don’t have to imagine it really, the moment they laid hands on Jesus, impulsive Peter unsheathes his sword and chops off the ear of one of the soldiers.

Matthew doesn’t give us his name, but as Peter fesses up as he recounts the story to Mark in his Gospel.

Peter understood that the moment they took Jesus from that garden this journey would be over.

He understood that his source of hope was about to be arrested and put to death...and he had to do something.

What Peter didn’t understand was the power Jesus had at His disposal.

With a word, God the Father would send 12 legions of angels to set Jesus free (72000).

God was never out of control here.

Jesus says “how else would God accomplish what He sent me to accomplish if this didn’t happen.”

Peter didn’t see the greater mission and purpose.

Jesus came to die! To die for sin in order that we who are without hope in this broken world would have hope in Him.

Peter didn’t understand the unwavering Sovereignty of God.

Jesus tells Peter to put down the sword, because He knew about sovereignty.

To be sovereign means to have supreme power or authority.

In the chaos, struggle, and sorrow of life, God is never out of control.

He is never surprised, never caught off guard, and never stumped with circumstances.

Paul’s says in Romans 8:28 “28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

God is in control and he is working all things for our good.

Whatever comes our way, whether success or failure, victory or defeat, celebration or mourning, all have passed through the hands of God our Father who loves us.

Everything in our lives is being used by God to mold and shape us and bring us closer to Him.

Because God is our good, loving, and faithful Father, we can rest in his holy purposes.

Even when we don’t understand what is happening, we can trust that God’s plan is good because he is good

There are some hard and heavy stuff facing many of us in this room today.

We might put on a big smile and act like we are all good, but inside we are buckling under the weight of worry, fear, sorrow, or despair.

And it is in these moments that we need to be reminded again and again that our God in heaven is not out of control.

He is working in all things for our good, because He is good.

And we see His goodness so is a beautiful way in this passage.

We see it in...

2) The perfect OBEDIENCE of Jesus.

Jesus knew Judas was coming...He had called Him out earlier in this very chapter.

And yet, He didn’t run, He didn’t hide when He heard the crowd, and He didn’t fight.

Jesus had been praying “let this cup pass”, but He was submitted to God’s will.

He knew, with a word, He could avoid the humiliation, the abuse, and the pain of what He was about to endure.

But He CHOSE not to.

Jesus’s death on the cross was by His own choice.

We will see this more and more clearly over the next few weeks, but what is clear here is that Jesus freely gave Himself over because He had fully submitted Himself to God’s saving plan.

He knew all of the Old Testament pointed toward this very moment, when the Son of God would be arrested, tried, beaten, mocked, hung on a cross, and would die in order to pay the price of forgiveness for sin.

There was no other way.

John tells us.

John 3:16 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Paul tells us.

Philippians 2:6–8 CSB

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

Romans 5:6–8 CSB

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus’s obedience is the most amazing and fantastic display of God’s goodness and love ever! Period!

Every promise God ever made was sealed and satisfied in Jesus.

Jesus gave Himself over to the mission and purpose of God to make a way for us.

There is no greater display of love and goodness.

And for that reason we can find great comfort in the everlasting goodness of God, even in the most difficult and painful moments of life.

HE IS GOOD, HE IS GREAT, and HE LOVES US.

3) The unquestionable TRUSTWORTHINESS of God.

This passage ends horribly...

Matthew 26:56 “Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.”

We shouldn’t be too hard on them, Jesus had already told Peter not to fight.

What else could they have done?

But I think Matthew’s choice of words is important.

They didn’t just leave the place, they left Jesus, they fled the danger...they deserted Him in order to save themselves.

Matthew was one of them, he remembered the fear, the confusion, and the hopelessness of the situation.

He didn’t see God’s sovereign hand working all things according to His will

He didn’t see God working all things together for good in what was happening.

But Matthew has the gift of hindsight as he was writing.

And he sees that in every moment of those hours leading up to Jesus’s death on the cross were guided by God to accomplish the most amazing victory ever accomplished.

Hindsight allows Matthew to see that, in the darkest, hardest, and hopeless moments, God has a plan, He isn’t surprise, caught of guard, or fumbling for a solution.

Matthew sees the sovereign goodness of God and he now knows that he can trust Him unquestionably.

And that is what Matthew wants us to know too.

As hard as it might be for you right know, Matthew wants you to know that you can trust Jesus.

You can trust Him when is doesn’t make sense why someone so young would die so unexpectedly.

You can trust Him, when the doctors give you really awful news that you had been praying would never come.

You can trust Him when someone who you thought you could trust, who you thought would never disappoint you, hurts you in a way you are not sure you can heal from.

You can trust Him because He is sovereign and He is good.