Jesus Submits Himself

Introduction

If there was one thing in the classroom that always gets me off guard and on my back-foot as a teacher, it’s people and students not taking serious situations seriously. In fact, I found this to be extremely common in middle school aged students, who would often when faced with a serious situation and instructions that were important for their success for the day, inevitably, someone would get the nervous giggles, which would lead to other people laughing, and as the adult in the room if you couldn’t squelch it quickly, you may have lost that class permanently. That, or you allow them to get the laughs out and roll with the punches. There were many times this past spring when I was teaching choir, that this would happen, and inevitably, what would happen to those people that couldn’t get themselves under wraps during singing warms ups would have themselves be woefully unprepared and sore during the class, which lead to them either disengaging or becoming a problem for me and for other students. They couldn’t take the situation seriously, for one reason or another, some innocent, some not. Believer, we need to take it very seriously, that our sin is part of the reason Jesus was arrested, beaten, tortured, and died on the cross. We need to understand that, accept it, and take ownership of it; not supposing any of ourselves above this fact, because the sooner we do, the sooner we accept the truth and can be quicker about God’s glory.

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. I ask these things for your glory and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

Today’s text, is a very serious text, with a very serious tone all through it. The time had been drawing near here in The Good News according to John. Jesus and His disciples had already celebrated the last supper together. The betrayer set out to gather his mob. Jesus and his disciples had been traveling for a few chapters now, to the garden of Gethsemane, and now in today's text, this is where we begin. The fateful hour of His arrest, which He had warned His followers about for so long, was now at hand. Many lessons had been taught and shared in those final hours together in order to strengthen the disciples faith, but now, here we are.

No doubt, they still didn’t fully understand, even though Jesus made it clear. Why would they deny such a clear truth? Probably for much the same reasons we do, because a lie is preferable, the hard truth is a hard pill to swallow, so we, like them, like to hold onto false hope and denial much longer than we should.

From all the events we have seen through John’s gospel. Great works of healing, people coming to faith, people reaching out to harm Jesus and followers, great miracles and signs that God was really at hand, one thing is clear. That Jesus was sent into the world on a mission, for a purpose, to die so that His blood would pay the penalty for our sin.

So then, what does this mean to them back then, and what does this mean to us today, it means that Believers should understand how their own sin led to Jesus’s death and not take it lightly. To take sin too lightly, in and of itself, is a sin; and it is a mockery of who Jesus and what He did for us. It says we trust God, and we believe that we know a better way; a sin that every human has been guilty of, all the way back to our earliest mothers and fathers back in the garden. So then, don’t suppose that you too, that I too, do not struggle with and will many times in our lives need a course correction. So, let’s jump in today and From the text, I want you to see and understand these truths about Jesus as He submitted Himself to pay our sin debt.

Message

The first truth to see and understand is that: Jesus willfully took our sin 1-11

18 After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas took a company of soldiers and some officials[a] from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. 6 When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 “I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?”

So, He and His disciples finally enter the garden of Gethsamene, a spot that was a well familiar meeting spot for them. Judas, knowing that this was probably where they go, sprung his evil trap. Along with him, he brought armed soldiers, and officials of the chief priests and the Pharisees (groups that were as you will recall very against Jesus because He threatened their cushy positions and influence). They came for Jesus, ready to take Him. Knowing what was about to happen, Jesus asks them. Who are you looking for? They say it, we are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus replies, I am He. In shock from the words they hear, they fall back, who know what they were expecting, but we can clearly see that they didn’t expect Jesus to come peacefully. Jesus charged them, took them but let these people go, which further proved His word and deity through prophecy. At this, Simon Peter, ever the hot head, having only just said He would not deny or abandon Jesus, took out His sword and sliced off the High priest's servant’s ear. Jesus, seeking to go to peace, ordered Peter Stop! I must go, put your sword away, this is what is supposed to happen, I am to drink this bitter and hard drink that The Father has given me. Jesus’ actions are clear, He will willfully go and pay for our sins.

In ancient military battles, and really up until the first great war, there was what was called “the forlorn hope.” These were then and brigades that volunteered to be first to try to go up a fortified wall or into a fortified city. Doing this, was essentially death sentence, as it was almost impossible to survive. However, in the rare circumstance you did survive, their was usually a large reward waiting for them, such as a large promotion and money. Being the first over the top was always a terrible and dangerous business, but in every siege someone had to do it. These soldiers, in the forlorn hope, willfully made a sacrifice, knowing what would probably happen.

Jesus willfully made a sacrifice, knowing for sure what happen. Yes, He knew that He would die. And no, their wouldn’t be permanent promotion or gold or Jewls waiting for Him on the other side, BUT their would be something much more precious to Him. God would be glorified and Honored. He would be Glorified and Honored as now everyone who would take it could be permanently and forever redeemed for their sin, His blood would be spilled to pay the sacrifice for sin, so that now any man that chooses would be restored to perfect relationship with God. Believers should understand how their own sin led to Jesus’s death and not take it lightly. Here is the thing, that thing you did, the one that you are hiding, Jesus wilfully took the punishment for that, He willfully was arrested here for that. The perfect, sinless, spotless lamb, the Son of God, the perfect one, the righteous one. He died for that addiction you are holding. He died for that control you wont let go of. He died for that fear that’s informing you over Him. He died for that gossip you keep spreading. He died for that piece on you that keeps quityly saying that God is holding out on you. So then, don’t take that sin lightly. That very sin, led Jesus to the cross, drove nails through His hands, and caused Him to die. So then, repent from your sins, do them no more and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Repent from your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus.

The next truth to see and understand is that:Jesus was wrongly judged and betrayed 12-27

12 Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13 First they led him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people. 15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not,” he said. 18 Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself. 19 The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” 23 “If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence[b] about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.

Jesus is first led to the house of Annas. The Father in law of the high priest Caiaphas. Now, this gospel doesn’t doesn’t make it clear, but others do, but Annas had actually been high priest in the past. In their culture, the Jews saw the office of high priest as a lifetime appointment, however the Roman conquerors of their time would frequently appoint new leaders from time to time in order to keep the balance of power in their favor. So, Annas was a very important man and leader, some would have supposed the true high priest, and some theologians even go so far to say that he was the “power behind the throne” per say with Caiapahas as well as several other high priests of the time. Jesus is taken and has a sham trial before Annas, and Caiaphas, 2 sham trials, as in their law it was illegal to have a trail by night and also to have one with such little notice. It was clear by the proceedings, that they had already made up their minds before they got the rumors, gossip, lies, and evil of their tongues had spread far and wide about Jesus, who offered no defense of Himself. It was also a sham, as punishment was dealt to Jesus before any sentencing. They knew what they were doing. These people meant to do Him harm, and disguised it as doing good. Meanwhile, Peter and another unnamed disciple follow Jesus and get near Jesus, but in the end, Peter, who just moments before reached out his sword for Jesus, denied and betrayed Jesus 3 times before morning came, just as Jesus predicted. Even by Jesus’ closest friends, is betrayed and forsaken here, all out of fear. All the people around here, forsook Jesus, all because they wanted God to be something different or valued something over Him. Here in these verses, Jesus was wrongly judged and betrayed.

Let me ask you this. Have you ever had someone choose not to believe you? Worse yet, they chose not to believe you or even ask you a single question or make a single connection or realize that what is being asserted or accused against you is totally against your character? Maybe something was wrong with you, but it wasn’t what they expected at all. Maybe they had half the story, and chose to accept that half, made up their mind before they even got to you. When I worked in politics, I had a chance to go to a political activist leader camp, they taught us saying, “Whoever spins the story first, wins the story.”

But we believers are not to be so gullible, we are to ask questions with an open mind, and realize that all of us has flaws and have something to do with it, and odds are if rumors and lies are abounding, just as they were with Jesus, then Satan is afoot. The thing is here, we are all fallen humans and do make mistakes and all need God’s forgiveness, but this. This, what was happening, was happening to the perfect and sinless one, Jesus Christ the righteous, who never did anything and never will do anything wrong or evil or fallen or corrupt. He is sinless and spotless, but He was about to take on all of our spots. Believers should understand how their own sin led to Jesus’ death and not take it lightly. Don’t count yourself as to Holy and all seeing, even the people in the world with the most insight into who Jesus (His disciples, His closest students and friends) betrayed and abandoned Him. How much more then, must we all be diligent against our own sin? Quite a lot, No matter how old, young, big, or small you are, you too have sinned and will sin that caused Jesus to go to the cross. So, don’t take it too lightly. For even by the wisest and closest Jesus was wrongly Judged and betrayed.

Another truth to see and understand is that:Rebellion was preferred over Jesus 28-40

28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal,[c] we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.” “It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. 32 They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die. 33 Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?” 35 “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is,[d] my kingdom is not from here.” 37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 “What is truth?” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him. 39 You have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” 40 They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

From here, they took Jesus to the governor, Pontus Pilate in the early morning. Not able to go into the house for ritualistic reasons, Pilate came to them and asked what charges they have against this man, noticing they didn’t have any, they just said he was a criminal. Pilate wondered why they didn’t deal with Jesus themselves then, but they said they were not allowed to put someone to death. Pilate questioned Him, so this guy is some kind of king, let me ask Him. But, Jesus’ answers all showed that He was no threat to Roman rule and law, and indeed Jesus even said His kingdom wasn’t even of this world, so in Pilate’s eyes, no threat, He was not a usurper as they claimed. So, Pilate went to the Jews and told them that He has found nothing in this man worthy of the death punishment, wishing to have Him freed. On this day, as a token of good favor, The Roman Governor typically released one Jewish prisoner back to them. He gave them an option, Jesus, who is called king of the Jews. Or Barabbas, and rebellious and notorious murder. The crowd, spurred on by the religious leaders called for Barabbas to spared, these people preferred rebellion and evil over the Righteous God and their rightful king.

This story has such familiar tones doesn’t it? We see it all throughout the bible, but perhaps no better example exists then in the first few chapters. In the first chapters in Genesis, where Adam and Eve chose the become rebels against God, believeing He was holding on them in some way, so they took the forbidden fruit that they were commanded not to it. They took it, it opened their eyes, and lo they were not only aware of sin, but the did the first one of mankind, which doomed the entire earth to fallen world and estate that we all live in and deal with today. Good things happening to bad people; bad things happening to good people, death, destruction, decay, disease; evil; corruption. All because of rebellion against God.

Believer, the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. In the text today, Rebellion is preferred over Jesus. But I wonder, do you really realize how often each and every one of us (myself included) prefer Rebellion over Jesus as well. Every time we lie, cheat, steal, gossip, give into drunkness and addiction of any kind, let the fear of man keep us from moving when God says move, pursue our own wants and comforts over God’s will and His mission on Earth. I could go on and on and on, the sins are many, yes, but Praise God, His mercy is more! Even though we don’t deserve, Jesus chose to die for us. So then, Believers should understand how their own sin led to Jesus and not take it lightly. Let us all endeavor to sin no more. Let us all try to be more Holy and Christ like, choosing God over anything else. And be warned, just as these people were, we can think we are serving God, but we can easily be serving and worshiping something else and much more sinister. Yes, Rebellion is often chosen over Jesus, but it’s each and every one of our duty to make it less and less for ourselves.

Conclusion

Beloved, here the serious time has come. The tap has been laid and set and now it has sprung. Here, Satan and evil thought it had the upper hand and was going to win, but as you well know, it did not and does not. This is true, but that doesn’t mean the evil and sin in each of us gets a free pass and gets to be ignored. Believers should understand how their own sin led to Jesus death and not take it lightly. You should understand how your own sin led to Jesus’ death and not take it lightly. From this, remember these truths and the implications that have in each and every one of our lives, Jesus willfully took our sin 1-11, Jesus was wrongly judged and betrayed 12-27, Rebellion was preferred over Jesus 28-40; and don’t be too quick to suppose that you are too far off from them.

With all of that being said, I would be remiss if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God, though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do is accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.