The Courage of Christ

The Courage of Christ

Sermon #1

July 29, 2025

John 18:1-11

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Inspirational people are amazing to see in their element. Over the course of human history, there have been charismatic leaders who have inspired people to do incredible things. I am thinking of some who I would consider to be my heroes but one in particular stand out.

In 1995, a movie came out that was an instant hit! It created it’s own little subculture of followers. It was called “Braveheart” and is not fitting for younger viewers. The main character (played by Mel Gibson) was the historical character of William Wallace, a Scottish rebel who fought against England for freedom from the oppression of the king of England.

The movie is not 100% accurate to history but there was one scene that I will never forget. In the movie, the Scots met on the field of battle and they were hopelessly outnumbered. The men on both sides assumed that the leaders would meet in the middle of the field and England would pay the corrupt Scottish leader and everyone would go home. England basically would pay the leaders of the Scots off so that they could continue to abuse the people of Scotland.

All of the sudden when things could not get any worse for the Scottish people, William Wallace shows up with a painted face and steal look. As the negotiations about to start, Wallace’s men ride up on their horses and join the frightened and outnumbered countrymen.

The scotts were petrified and some started to leave. They were outnumbered 10 to 1 against a professional army. Armed with pitchforks and homemade weapons, they were not likely to live. As the ranks were starting to break and some wanted to run, Wallace came to the center of the frightened army and gives one of the most motivational speeches I have ever heard.

“I am William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in defiance of tyranny! You have come to fight as free men. And free men you are! What will you do without freedom? Fight, and you may die. Run and you’ll live…at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”

It was a chilling scene. People watching the movie comfortably on their couches wanted to jump up and grab a sword, and join the fight. It was a true testimony of fearless leadership, self-sacrifice and a willingness to face adversity with courage and confidence.

Over the next sermon series, there is a recurring theme that we will see. John is recording the historical account of Christ’s trial and conviction to death. But, as the trials unfold, we will see his courageous act of enduring the undeserved wrath of man and God poured out on Him who did not deserve it. Today, we will see Him courageously controlling every aspect of the plan of salvation given Him by the Father.

We will learn that we must not respond in fear to trials and suffering in light of the courage Jesus shows us. As I begin, let me ask, where do you find your source of courage in trials? Do you lean into Jesus, or do you try to gut it up on your own? Our Lord must be our source of courage if we are in Him. His plan to protect us is one that has been perfectly put into place and perfectly executed.

1.            Protection of the plan.

Vs 1When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.[1]

Our Lord just finished praying and led His followers on the path through the Kidron valley.

This is interesting because in 2 Sam 15:23-31 King David was running from his trusted advisor who had just betrayed him to the revolt from Absalom. Nothing is lost in the Word of God. As Jesus was getting ready to be betrayed by one of His closest followers, Jesus took the same path to the place where the betrayal was to happen.

Vs 2 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.[2]

This garden is not small. It’s a walled garden without any city lights. It would be very easy to hide and not be found. Thus, the importance of having a man inside (Judas) to betray Jesus. We read this verse and say What is a ‘band of soldiers '?” Other translations read “cohort”. This is anywhere between 480-600 soldiers against 11 fishermen with one little sword. Why the overkill?

It was likely that the soldiers needed to surround the garden so that no one would escape. They would have created a containment area to prevent Jesus’s escape. Remember, in the past, when they had attempted to arrest Him, He evaded them. This was not overkill, but rather smart in their minds.

Understanding this event comes from understanding the author’s purpose for giving us these details. John’s entire reason of his gospel is so that you know that Jesus is the second member of the Triune God. He wants you to know Jesus as the Son of God and 100% God in flesh and all knowing. He never turns His deity off while here on Earth, but He did set aside His glory for His ministry on earth.

In His deity, Jesus controls everything. From man’s viewpoint, the arrest, trial and crucifixion was done TO Him. But, when we read this right, you will see that nothing was done TO Him, rather it was done by Him. He controls the details, location, time, betrayal and coming trials. He controls the narrative.

Vs 4 “4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.[3]

When he asks, “who do you seek?” Jesus is getting them to admit and confirm that they are NOT looking for the 11, but rather just Him. He doesn’t just ask it once, but 2 times getting them to see that the 11 are not what they want. Even in His time of greatest trial, He still protects His called!

The first time that they respond, “Jesus of Nazareth” my opinion is that I bet that they probably seemed pretty tough. After all, 500 soldiers verses 11 fishermen, yea, we are in charge.

But John captures an interesting detail. “When Jesus said to them “I AM HE, they drew back.” There is two HUGE points here. He did not say, “Guys, I am Jesus just take me.” No, that is not what the Greek reads. He did not say I am he, instead it reads “I’AM”. Think back at that burning bush when Moses asks who shall I say who sent me and God said “I AM”, it was that statement! It is no wonder that they “drew back”.

aperchomai); vb. to go away, go out. Refers literally to physically leaving or going away.[4]

We want to say that they fell to the ground. That is not quite how the Greek reads. It means that they stepped backwards, retreated and physically moved away. Pat reminded me in prep that God’s people fall forward to His feet while God’s enemies always fall back. But, I wonder, after the first time of hearing the LORD of the universe say “I AM”, if when He asks the second time “who do you seek” if their response was a little less assertive, maybe more like “um…Jesus of Nazareth….”

Our Lord’s arrest is found in all four Gospels. The synoptic Gospels of M, M, L give us each extra detail. But, remember that John is focusing us on the “I AM”. John is giving you and I that detail for this very reason, He is THE IAM! John falls at His feet, Peter falls at His feet the woman who washes His feet with her tears fell at His feet. God’s people never fall back, they only fall towards His feet! My question, where are you falling?

There is a reason to fall at His feet. Most importantly, because He is LORD, second because He saves His children from their sin. But another reason, His protection!

2.            Protection of His saints

Vs 8 ” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”[5]

If you read this passage from start to finish, you see who is controlling the conversation and the situation. Judas may have the numbers, swords, clubs and the popular opinion, but it is our LORD who shows just how little the world controls. He does not suggest or beg that they release the 11, instead, He says, “I told you that I am, so…let these men go.”

Oh please see this, He loves each of these 11 so well, that He guards their escape. All believers are weak and vulnerable if not for the protection of the Good Shepherd. We are no different than the 11. He is constantly and still guarding, protecting and shepherding His sheep. The attack comes for the shepherd and the lambs go free.

He will never allow them to be destroyed. We know these things to be true as He says in 1 Cor 10:13

“13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.[6]”

Our Lord guards us more than we give Him credit for! He protects us in ways that we do not see and in ways we can not comprehend. Here, He protects them physically. After His resurrection, He is still protecting them and all of us who are IN HIM. It is a promise for those who are His children, born into the relationship with Him that is sealed by His blood.

Jesus even protects the impulsive ones who don’t fully understand what is about to happen. I thank God for Peter, He is my kind of guy. Jesus is in trouble, let’s fight! He is the only one with a sword and in His fear thinks of the only logical thing to do. Let’s take our little sword and kill one of the 500 men. That’ll show them!

Vs 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)[7]

Now, I am joking at Peter’s expense. But, Peter is either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave. For his benefit, I’ll give bravery. Maybe he thought it is all lost anyway, might as well go out with a bang. No matter the intent, he struck the ear off of Malchus the servant of the high priest.

There is a time and place to fight, but Jesus quickly addresses the action. Even if Peter’s aim had been spot on and killed Malchus, Jesus clearly is teaching that this was not the plan. He heals the priest and the rebuke to Peter is quick and clear. “11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” [8]

The rebuke probably struck Peter harder than he had just struck Malchus. It should sound very familiar.

Matt 16:22-23 Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” [9]

Thank the Lord, even when we don’t see the plan or when we do not understand what He is about to do, we can take courage that He will not just protect His child, but will fix our impulsive and often wrong interpretations of what is happening. Thank the LORD that He is putting ears on when we slay them. Thank the LORD that He is walking before us and walking behind us, fixing our failures. We can take comfort and courage from this!

3.             Take courage in the LORD.

This will be a running theme during the next several weeks. When we look closely at this passage, it screams the courage of the Lord and the courage we can take from His action. Let’s look back at verse 11.

Vs 11 “11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” [10]

It seems like there are a lot of Peters in this room. When we get into trouble spiritually or even physically, we are so quick to show our strength (or lack of it) by drawing out our little pocket knives and start hacking away at our problems. We may even say to the Lord, see God, I have this one! It is easy Lord, I have this.

You may be saying that you have never said those words, but our actions tell a different story. We are so quick to attack the problem head on and at full steam without taking time to pray and consult the He who is able. The evil one always tempts us by saying, “you don’t have time to wait on the Lord…”. But is that the right approach? How has that gone the way you thought it would go?

The funniest meme on the net in my opinion is that “did that go the way you thought it would” meme. Go look it up. It’s hilarious. Usually we see how it couldturn out and we charge head long into the issue only to find the quick failure at the end, the hurt that we have caused and the trial that we now must endure. Most of our issues start with our impulses rather than how they should, on our knees.

Here is how to handle our problems and troubles:

a.             Understand that our LORD is walking before you and guarding you in it! That is the starting point! He is not expecting you to walk this walk on your own authority or power!

b.             Understand that He is protecting you from evil in every trial. He will not allow you to be destroyed spiritually. Your soul means more to Him than it does to you. After all, He died for it, you are just enjoying it. He will never allow what He died for to be destroyed when He promised in verse 9 “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”

c.              Understand that He uses suffering for your good. Yes, I just said YOUR good:

Romans 5:3 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us[11]

Suffering produces perseverance, character, hope, patience, endurance and strength in Him.

Church, I know that many of us are in a time of extreme suffering and I want to be very sensitive to this. I want you to hear me, I know that some sufferings are beyond your ability to shoulder. I get that. But these trials that are too big for you are not too big for Him. Christ will never put you through anything that He is not willing to walk you through Himself personally.

When we are in pain, we are more in tune with His presence than at any other time. Maybe you would say that He doesn’t feel like He is with you. Well that is because of two possibilities:

1, You are not His child. Listen to me closely. God may be using this trial to call you to Him. Jesus Christ, being a perfect payment for the sin debt that you have built in a life of rebellion, came to pay for your debt. That sin that you have committed has separated you from this Loving God. God, being merciful from the creation of time knew that man could not pay this debt. So, at this time that we are reading about, sent Christ to “drink the cup that the Father has given” Him. Meaning, Christ is drinking your debt on the cross. He took the justified wrath/hatred for sin in your life and made His Son drink it instead of you. Maybe that is why the suffering.

2. You don’t feel God near during your trial because you are trying to fight through your suffering on your own with your own version of a sword. Look at the rebuke Jesus said. Shall I not drink from this cup? Listen please, many of us fit into this category, drop your stupid sword and drop to your knees. There is courage on your knees when you allow Christ to handle your suffering! Does that mean it all goes away? NO! But there is courage at His feet! There is a third category of people. These are the ones who are saved, in Christ and He in them. They are physically and spiritually resting at His feet. These I will point to and say Church, there are those in this church who suffer well. Those who suffer well know that what we think in our lives so important are nothing compared to being at the feet of Christ.

These are the ones who know that in their suffering, although painful, would not trade it for all the world. They see their savior walking with them and would never dream of missing the opportunity to walk side by side with their savior through this trial. They do it with joy in their hearts and courage in their spirit because they know the source of this courage, HIM!

With what time they have, those who suffer and endure are showing the glory of God. While the world looks on and dismisses them as crazy, we who are in Christ look on as those who suffer do it well are inspirations. They are using their time, talents and treasures at their max because they know that it is worth it. They know that this courage is worth it. This Savior who is walking with them is worth it.

Going back to my introduction, Wallace rallies the soldiers. They go on to fight many battles, not just because of a few words from a charismatic man on a horse. You know why they followed him? Because he led them into the battle, from the front. In the end, Wallace is captured and executed. But, in the final scene, when all hope is lost, his replacement says, “you bleed with Wallace, now bleed with me.” The Scots charged, half-naked and starving, into battle and secured their freedom.

Church, our fight is not like this. Our courageous Savior fought the fight on His own. We just need to take courage that He has already overcome the war. There is nothing left but to rest in what He has done. Take courage, dear saints! He has won the battle!