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May I turn in your Bibles to 
John 18, John chapter 18. John 18, we're going to look 
at the betrayal and arrest of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first 
11 verses in John's Gospel. I'll read beginning in verse 
1 at John 18. When Jesus had spoken these words, 
he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where 
there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. And 
Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often 
met there with his disciples. Then Judas, having received a 
detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, 
came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus, therefore, 
knowing all things that would come upon him, went forward and 
said to them, Whom are you seeking? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am. And Judas, who betrayed him, 
also stood with them. Now when he said to them, I am, 
they drew back and fell to the ground. Then he asked them again, 
whom are you seeking? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am, therefore if you seek 
me, let these go their way. That the saying might be fulfilled 
which he spoke, of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. 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. 
So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into the sheath. Shall 
I not drink the cup which my father has given me? Amen. Let us pray. Father, thank you 
for this, your word. We pray for the ministry now 
of the Holy Spirit. We pray that he would illumine 
our minds and our hearts and that you would guide us into 
all truth. Cause us to reflect upon passages 
such as these and cause us to worship our Savior. Cause us 
to adore Him and to glorify Him and to honor Him in all that 
we do, Lord God. How we thank you for His suffering 
on our behalf. How we thank you, Lord God, for 
His death on our behalf. How we thank you for His resurrection 
from the grave. and His current session at the 
right hand of the Majesty on High. How we praise You that 
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. 
And our Father, we pray that each and every one of us would 
be clothed in that righteousness of Christ, that each and every 
one of us would be prepared to meet Him on that day. To that 
end, Father, we pray for the ministry of Your Spirit, that 
He would work in hearts here, and we ask through Jesus Christ 
our Lord, Amen. Well, commentators have observed 
that the synoptic gospels, that's Matthew, Mark, Luke, those are 
very synonymous. They see from basically the same 
sort of perspective. They report on essentially the 
same ideas or the same themes. And then John is not a synoptic 
gospel, but some have recognized the synoptics highlight the Son 
of Man in his ministry and the suffering servant in his passion. John highlights the glory of 
the Son of God in his ministry and in his passion. A.W. Pink observes, that which is 
prominent in the closing scenes of the fourth gospel is not the 
sufferings of the Savior, but the lofty dignity and divine 
glory of the God-man. Again, this is a contradictory 
This isn't inconsistent, rather it is to view the same event 
from various aspects, to get various facets concerning the 
person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. You're familiar, 
I hope, with the context. Jesus has spoken to his disciples 
in the upper room in chapters 13 to 16, and in chapter 17 what 
we have is the high priestly prayer. And now Jesus moves into 
the passion narrative. Jesus moves into that time in 
His life wherein He will suffer on behalf of all those whom the 
Father had given Him. Royal notes this connection. 
He says, we now enter the closing scene of our Lord's ministry 
and pass at once from His intercession to His sacrifice. That's the 
two-fold function of a priest. He is to intercede, he is to 
pray, and then he is to make sacrifice. Well, of course, Jesus 
Christ, as our great high priest, prays in chapter 17. It is particular 
in its scope. John 17, 9, he says, I pray for 
them. I do not pray for the world, 
but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. He prays 
for the protection of his people. He prays for the sanctification 
of His people, He prays for the unity of His people, and He prays 
with the prospect of their entering into glory. So the priest prays 
specifically for those whom the Father had given Him, and now 
He goes into His sacrifice specifically for those whom the Father had 
given to Him. And of course, what we find in 
the first 11 verses in John 18, as I've already mentioned, is 
the betrayal and arrest of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we'll take 
this up under three considerations. The first is the betrayal by 
Judas, secondly the arrest by the officers, and thirdly the 
response of our Lord Jesus. When we compare the accounts 
in Matthew and Luke we see, with reference to Gethsemane, the 
details of the cup of God's wrath, or even more, in the forefront. 
So we will look a little bit at those as well. But note first 
the betrayal by Judas. Remember back in our studies 
in Matthew chapter 10. It was already foreshadowed in 
chapter 10 verse 4. When Jesus selects the twelve, 
Judas is identified as the one who would betray the Lord Jesus 
Christ. This did not catch Christ unawares. He was not surprised by this 
whole ordeal. He was not taken off guard. In 
Luke chapter 22, it speaks specifically of what is going on in terms 
of the betrayal. Jesus knew that this was going 
to take place. It is Judas that is the agent 
with reference to this particular scheme. And here we find in chapter 
18 at verse 1, Jesus is at Gethsemane. He's over the brook Kidron, where 
there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. And 
Judas who betrayed him, also knew the place. Judas betrayed 
the Lord Christ. He knew that Christ would be 
in this location. It was a custom for Jesus and 
his disciples to go in there for prayer and for holy discourse. So Judas betrays him by bringing 
this detachment of troops to this particular place. Notice 
in verse 3, having received a detachment of troops, it was a time of a 
feast, probably there would be several hundred troops in that 
particular city at this particular time for crowd control and to 
make sure that if there was any sort of disturbance there would 
be troops on hand in order to squash this. Well here Judas, 
having received a detachment of troops and officers from the 
chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, 
and weapons. So we have the betrayer, Judas, 
we have this detachment, and we have these officers from the 
chief priests, probably like temple police or temple security 
guards that would be posted at this place, again, to make sure 
any disorderly conduct was taken care of, to make sure there was 
protection, to make sure that persons didn't enter into places 
where they weren't supposed to be. So you see the scene, Jesus 
with his disciples, he's offered up his high priestly prayer, 
he goes over the Bruch Kidron, he goes into the Garden of Gethsemane, 
and it's there that this transaction takes place. Judas is the betrayer. Notice secondly the arrest by 
the officers. Verse 4, Jesus therefore knowing 
all things that would come upon him, Again, we need to understand 
this, as Pastor Cam pointed out this morning. Christ is one person 
with two natures. He is God, He is man. And we 
see that display throughout His earthly ministry. We see things 
unique to the humanity of Christ. He wept, He suffered, He died. 
All of those sorts of things, but we see at times things unique 
to the divinity of Christ. And the reality was, is that 
he knew why he came into this world. It was before my time. I'm not quite as old as Cam seemed 
to allude to this morning, but I know that in the 60s, the 1960s, 
there was a book written and then subsequent to that, a Broadway 
musical called Jesus Christ Superstar. Again, I never saw it never read 
it, have absolutely no desire to whatsoever. But from what 
I understand, Jesus is put forth as a man who is confused, a man 
who really didn't understand his identity. He was sort of 
a hippie kind of a guy that just wandered around the countryside 
with long robes flowing and they'd break out in song and that sort 
of thing. Nothing could be further from 
the truth. The Son of God always knew the 
purpose for which He came. The Son of God did not come to 
let flowing robes and breaking out in song define who He was. 
He knew He came for this hour. He knew that He was going to 
drink the cup of God's wrath. We see that evidenced here. We 
see that fleshed out here, and we see that He's resigned to 
do that very thing. Isn't it intriguing to you that 
this detachment of troops doesn't have to search for Him? They 
don't have to look for Him. They don't have to look behind 
trees and rocks. Notice who's in control of this 
whole affair. Verse 4, Jesus therefore, knowing 
all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to 
them, Who's in control here? It's Christ. He goes, He initiates, 
He asks the question. Not because He doesn't know the 
answer, but probably because He wants Judas to face the nation 
or face the music. He wants these men to articulate 
the charge that is before them. And perhaps He wants to make 
a way of escape for His disciples. He wants to identify that it's 
Him and Him alone that is the guilty one, at least in their 
minds, so that his disciples can flee. We see that that's 
crucial in the narrative in verse 9, that the saying might be fulfilled 
which he spoke, of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. Now notice, in verse 5, they 
answered him, Jesus of Nazareth, This is the man whom we seek. 
This is the man whom we are after. In verses 20 and 21, he says, 
I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues 
and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret 
I have said nothing. Why do you ask me? Ask those 
who have heard me what I said to them. Indeed, they know what 
I said. I mean, think about it for a 
moment. Jesus of Nazareth, the man who 
grew up in Nazareth. We saw in our studies in Matthew 
last week, Nazareth was not a popular place. Nazareth, on the other 
hand, was a very unpopular place, and it was derision to be from 
that particular place. Here was a man who simply taught. 
He went about doing good. And Judas brings this detachment 
of troops with their torches, with their weaponry, with all 
of these things, to crush this man, Jesus of Nazareth. But notice, 
again, He is in control of this whole thing. Verse 5, Jesus said 
to them, I am. You'll notice I'm leaving out 
the He here, because the He is supplied. Believe this is referenced 
to the name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3.14. I am who 
I am. Several times in John's Gospel, 
Jesus uses I am with a predicate. That means a word that identifies 
further the I am. You'll know that Jesus says, 
I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. 
I am the good shepherd. I am the vine. I am the door 
of the sheepfold. I am, and then he gives something 
specifically. But there are several instances 
in John's Gospel where he just says, I am. And it's not just 
Exodus 3.14 that serves as the backdrop for this. Probably also 
very prominent is Isaiah the prophet. Several times in the 
prophet Isaiah, Yahweh identifies himself to the people as I am. Let's just look at a sampling 
of these texts in John's Gospel. Notice in John 6 at verse 20. John 6 at verse 20. What at least 
incorrectly translated in the New King James. This is when 
Jesus is walking on the water, and in verse 20 He said to them, 
It is I. Do not be afraid. Then they willingly 
received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the 
land where they were going. Literally, it's I am. Imagine 
the significance of such a statement. If you or I say, I am, it probably 
isn't very impressive. But if we were walking on the 
water, if we were defying nature itself, if we were able to do 
this, and then we make this statement that I am, these disciples are 
not fools. They know the prophet Isaiah. 
They know the burning bush account. They know the divine name Yahweh. 
And so when Jesus says, I am, as he's walking on the water, 
Certainly, this would underscore to them something of His being, 
something of His nature, something of His identity, something of 
His unity with the Father. Notice in John 8, verse 24, an 
extremely terrifying passage for anyone who denies the Lordship 
and the Deity of our Savior. Notice in John 8.23, you are 
from beneath, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not 
of this world. Therefore I said to you that 
you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that 
I am, you will die in your sins. Who but God could make such a 
statement? Who but divinity could express 
such a reality? Who but the Lord of glory Himself 
could attach everlasting life to belief in His holy name? Unless 
you believe that I am, unless you believe that Christ is God 
Almighty, unless you understand who He is as the Bible sets Him 
forth, you will die in your sins. May I suggest this is a wondrous 
text when you're dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses. This is 
a wonderful text when you're dealing with Mormons. A wonderful 
text when you're dealing with modalists, or you're dealing 
with people that deny the glory and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 
Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. Notice 
in John 8, 28. John 8, 28. Then Jesus said to them, when 
you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and 
that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I 
speak these things." Do you think it's an accident when the centurion 
says, truly, this was the Son of God? When He's lifted up, 
when He fulfills the Scripture, when He does what He says He'll 
do, this ascribes to Him the deity and the glory and the majesty 
that is His by nature. Notice in John 8 verse 57, He's 
disputing with the unbelieving religious leaders. John 8, 57, 
Then the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, 
and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, 
I say to you, Before Abraham was, here it is again, I am. Now, lest you think I am forcing 
this particular interpretation, lest you think that I am making 
a connection to the prophet Isaiah and to the book of Exodus that 
is not warranted, see how these Jewish people who knew the prophet 
Isaiah and who knew the burning bush passage in Exodus 3, how 
they responded when the Lord Jesus Christ says to them, I 
am. It says in verse 59, Then they 
took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went 
out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed 
by. They understood the claim, they 
understood the inscription, they understood the connection, and 
it caused them to take up stones to throw against him, to kill 
him, for what they perceived was the sin or crime of blasphemy. Again, in John 13 in the upper 
room. John 13 at verse 19. Now, I tell you before it comes 
that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am. And what does He want to highlight 
here? What does He want His disciples 
to know? Sinclair Ferguson has made this 
observation, that in John's Gospel, in chapters 13 to 16, as Jesus 
is preparing uniquely His disciples for His own death, His own passing 
into glory, what bears upon the Savior's heart, and what He instructs 
His disciples in, is the nature of the triune God. He speaks 
to them of Father, He speaks to them of Son, and He speaks 
to them as of Holy Spirit. Pastor Porter mentioned this 
morning, we need to know the Trinity. There's too much of 
a laziness with Western Christianity. If we can say Jesus, well, we're 
counted a believer. We're given all the rights and 
entitlement and privileges to church membership. Now, it is 
by faith alone. It is belief in the Gospel alone, 
for sure. But as Christians, we ought to 
understand what it is we believe. We ought to understand what the 
Scriptures reveal concerning our triune God. There is but 
one only, the living and true God. In how many persons does 
this one God exist? There are three persons in the 
Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three 
are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. You 
ought to know that. You ought to be able to go to 
the text of Scripture. You ought to know that John teaches 
these things very conspicuously and very clearly. Now let's go 
back to our passage in John 18. Having, as it were, set the stage 
with all of these iambs, with the predicates, and all of these 
iambs on their own, when we get to John 18, specifically at verse 
6, we ought not to be like the liberal commentators who say, 
well, there must have been a slope and the detachment of troops 
were standing upon it, and when Jesus said, I am, they stumbled 
and they tripped and they rolled down that slope. Look at what happens. Who's in 
control of this situation? Verse 5, They answered him, Jesus 
of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am. And 
Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them. Now, when he 
had said to them, I am, they drew back and fell to the ground. Now I've got to tell you, my 
beloved brethren, if I was being arrested for crimes I did not 
commit and my captors were on a sloping hill and they happened 
to fall down, I certainly wouldn't stand there and wait for them 
to get up so they could slap the handcuffs upon me. When Jesus 
expresses who He is, when Jesus claims deity, when Jesus takes 
the Exodus 3.14 and Isaiah 40-55 name, I AM, and He expresses 
it to Judas and to these pagans, to these heathens, to these godless 
men who would rather bow to idols, when He uses that ineffable name, 
these men fall down. He doesn't escape. He doesn't 
run off. He doesn't say, well, you're 
in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is, as it were, Him 
stripping away and showing us something of His divinity, of 
His glory, of His majesty. Again, as Pink said, that which 
is prominent in the closing scenes of the fourth gospel is not the 
sufferings of the Savior, though that's not absent. He says, "...but 
the lofty dignity and divine glory of the God-man." This is 
consistent with biblical revelation. What happens when Ezekiel sees 
the divine nature? What happens when Ezekiel is 
given a view of the glory of God? What does he do? He falls 
down as a dead man. What happens on the road to Damascus 
when the Apostle Paul, or Saul of Tarsus rather, sees the glorified 
Christ? He falls down as a dead man. What happens when John is on 
the island of Patmos for the Word of God and the testimony 
of Jesus Christ? When he sees the glorified Christ, 
you know what he does? He falls down as a dead man. 
Do you see a constant theme in this? A constant idea in this 
theme of texts. When we see the glory of God, 
when we behold the majesty of deity, when we see Christ as 
He is, He isn't simply our buddy. He isn't simply our friend. He 
is God Most High. He is the lofty One, the Holy 
One, the One who inhabits eternity, the One who by God's grace and 
for His glory came into this world's centers to save. There 
ought to be a reverence if these pagan men fall down before the 
presence of the Lord Christ. How ought we to be in His presence? This doesn't diminish joy. There's 
this idea that if we fear God, we can't be joyful. I would argue 
that the only way we can be joyful is with a proper fear of God, 
reverence and trembling. This is what ought to typify 
the believer. This is what ought to infest 
itself in our hearts. We ought to be a people that 
if these pagans and this betrayer falls down when he says, I am, 
how is it with us? Do we show reverence to our Lord? The father Augustine said, what 
shall he do when he comes to judge? Who did this when about 
to be judged? What shall be his might when 
he comes to reign? Who had this might when he was 
at the point to die? In other words, if in this time 
of betrayal and arrest, He expresses this dignity, this power and 
this glory, what is it going to be like when He comes again 
in the glory of His Father, with all of His holy angels, taking 
vengeance on them who knew not God, and on them who do not obey 
the gospel? Christ shows the dignity. Christ shows His deity. Christ 
shows His majesty to these men. And they drew back and fell to 
the ground. He then asks again, whom are 
you seeking? They said, verse 7, Jesus of 
Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you 
that I am. Therefore, if you seek me, let 
these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled, which 
he spoke, of those whom you gave me, I have lost none. Isn't that 
glorious? To the very end, he loves his 
own. To the very end, he protects his own. To the very end, he 
secures his own. To the very end, he makes sure 
they're safe. He wants to make sure that they're 
not caught up in this. He wants to make sure that they 
are free to go and move about. Of those whom you gave me, I 
have lost none. Notice what Peter does. 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." 
Now, I seriously doubt that Peter was going for an ear shot. Peter probably wanted to lop 
off a head. Peter was functioning the way 
Benaiah functioned for King David of Israel. Peter takes out his 
sword and he swings. Note the sovereignty of God there. Dr. Beeke pointed out the other 
night in a sermon. One thing that is consistent 
with soldiers is that they'll protect their own. Right? How did Peter, A, get this swing 
off, and B, not get an equal swing immediately? God restrained 
that. Now the parallel accounts tell 
us that Jesus picked up the ear and put it back on Malchus's 
head. That probably helped to keep Peter out of the jail and 
out of the death chamber. But just see the scene. Peter 
takes out his sword, swings it at Malchus. Instead of a headshot, 
he cuts off the ear. This was legit in the theocracy 
when King David ruled over Israel. Benaiah's actions are not frowned 
upon. Benaiah is a hero. Benaiah is 
a mighty man of Israel. Benaiah is a servant of God Most 
High, functioning in a particular capacity. What Jesus is instructing 
Peter is that with the Kingdom of God Most High, with its inauguration, 
and with its advancement, and with its presence among us now, 
the way of advance is not through carnal weaponry. It is not through 
the sword, it is not through guns, it is not through blowing 
people up, but rather it is through the proclamation of the truth 
of the Gospel itself. It is through truth that the 
advancement of the kingdom happens. So what we have here is Peter 
taking this swing, and what we have here is Jesus reproving 
him for it, and that brings us to the last observation, the 
response of Jesus. Verse 11. So Jesus said to Peter, 
put your sword into the sheath. Put the sword away. Carnal weaponry 
does not advance the kingdom. Again, I think I've made the 
distinction before. A man is free to join the military 
as an individual citizen of a body politic. What is discouraged 
and what is sinful is when the church takes up arms, when the 
church seeks to advance the holy kingdom of God with carnal weaponry. So on the one hand, you can be 
a member of a church in good standing and be a member in the 
military services. I don't want to get into all 
of the ins and outs and legitimate war and all that sort of thing. 
The Bible is not a pacifistic document. The Bible does not 
discourage men from pursuing such activities. But realize 
that if you pursue such activities and you're serving in that capacity, 
it is not to advance the Kingdom of God. We do not take up carnal 
weapons to advance Christ's holy kingdom. This is the emphasis. Put your sword into the sheath. And probably as well, because 
Jesus doesn't discourage self-defense. Jesus assumes, Jesus presupposes, 
Jesus realizes that it's a part of being image bearers of God, 
that we will defend ourselves, we will defend our households. 
Somebody comes in and does a home invasion robbery, you don't say, 
hey, my wife is in the other room, my jewelry and my goods 
are in this room. No, you stop him! Jesus assumes 
that, Jesus presupposes that. But in this instance, Jesus knows 
what His task is. And that brings us to 11b. Shall I not drink the cup which 
my Father has given me? Shall I not drink the cup which 
my Father has given me? I just want to make three quick 
observations here. First, the cup is the will of 
God. This is it. This is the point. 
This is what it's about. Ridderbos says it this way, Jesus 
is not departing as the victim of Judas' betrayal and the superior 
might of his enemies. He has the power to lay down 
his life before taking it up again, and no one takes it from 
him, John 10, 18. What he does and suffers, he 
does and suffers out of love for and obedience to the Father. That's what's going on. Yes, 
Judas is the human agent of betrayal. Yes, the detachment of troops 
executes the orders from above and they put the shackles upon 
the Lord Christ and they haul him off to engage in the trial. 
But it is God the Lord who has predetermined this. It is God 
the Lord who has predestined this. It is God the Lord who 
has decreed this from before the foundation of the world as 
the means by which He will save His people from their sins. Christ 
doesn't shrink back. Christ doesn't resist. Christ 
doesn't reject. Christ doesn't say, no, I don't 
want to do this after all. What we find in this passage 
is what we find later in the book of Hebrews. He is the surety 
of a better covenant. He is the mediator of the new 
covenant. And as that mediator, as that 
surety, there are certain obligations placed upon Him that He has to 
fulfill. He's lived the life of perfect 
righteousness. He has fulfilled the law of God. 
Now it is time to die for the sins of all those whom the Father 
has given Him. The cup is the will of God. Notice 
secondly, the cup refers to the wrath of God. It is the will 
of God that Jesus suffered the wrath of God. If you've ever 
done a study on this cup in the Old Testament and in the New, 
you will see that it deals with that very thing. Psalm 11, verse 
6, "...upon the wicked he will rain coals, fire and brimstone, 
and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup." Psalm 
75, verse 8, "...for in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and 
the wine is red. It is fully mixed, and he pours 
it out. Surely its dregs shall all the 
wicked of the earth." drink and drain down. Isaiah 51, 17 and 
22. Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, 
you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury. 
You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling and drained 
it out. Thus says your Lord, the Lord and your God, who pleads 
the cause of His people. See, I have taken it out of your 
hand, the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My fury. 
You shall no longer drink it. You see the constant theme? When 
Jesus says in verse 11b, shall I not drink the cup which my 
father has given me? This is his resignation to take 
the punishment due for our sins. Pastor Cam mentioned satisfaction 
this morning. It's not a C. An A is here and 
F is here. Satisfaction. Jesus satisfies 
divine justice. That's the very heart of atonement. 
Atonement is an example. Atonement isn't moral influence. 
Atonement is Christ satisfying divine justice by His sufferings 
and death. That's what the cup is. It's 
decreed by God. It is the wrath of God for His 
beloved Son, the prophet Jeremiah 25, 15, and 16. For thus says 
the Lord God of Israel to me, take this wine cup of fury from 
my hand and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. 
And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword 
that I will send among them. Ezekiel 23, 31 to 34. Revelation 
14, 10. He himself also shall drink of 
the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength 
into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire 
and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the 
presence of the Lamb. Revelation 16, 19. Now the great 
city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations 
fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God to give her the cup 
of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Why all those passages? So you can see what's in this 
cup. You see why Jesus says this. The Lord God decreed that it 
would be so. The Lord Jesus Christ does not 
shrink back. He resigns Himself. He states 
the inevitability of His coming death, His willingness to do 
the Father's will, and His commitment to do that will as well. A third 
observation on the cup. The synoptics flesh out in a 
bit more detail what this cup looks like. In Matthew's Gospel 
26-38, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. You know, it's typical for us 
to come to the suffering narratives and see ourselves there. to see us in our sufferings, 
to see us bearing our crosses, to see us undergoing our trials, 
and to see us undergoing our difficulties. There's other passages 
for that. The passion narratives are not 
about us. They're about Christ, the God-man. I want to make sure I'm understood 
here. Not saying we cannot look to the example of Jesus and find 
a great shot in the arm in terms of our trials, in terms of our 
suffering, in terms of our crosses. But make no mistake about this. 
Your betrayals by your friends are not the same as this. Your 
sufferings in this world are not the same as drinking the 
cup of God's wrath. Your stress, your pressure, Your 
difficulties have not caused you to fall prostrate on the 
ground and bleed through your pores." Isn't that what Luke 
tells us? And being in agony, he prayed 
more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great 
drops of blood falling down to the ground. That's not our trials. That's not our suffering. That's 
not what we undergo. Again, go to the epistles. Go 
to other narratives. Find the exemplar in the Lord 
Jesus Christ. That is legit. That is consistent. That is biblical Christianity. 
But in these passion narratives, the spotlight is not on what 
we can take away in terms of some practical life tips. The 
emphasis of the passage is that Christ our Lord took the cup 
of God's fury and God's wrath and He drank it down to its final 
dregs. Isn't the blessing of the Gospel 
simply this? We're not in Gethsemane. We're 
not in Gabbatha. And we're not at Golgotha because 
of our Savior. That's the emphasis in the passage. It ought to disturb us when we 
look at texts like these and have to call out five practical 
pieces of information on how I can have a better life. Do 
you know what's practical at times in Bible study? Stand and 
marvel. Better yet, fall and worship. We have to take something and 
internalize it and be a better Christian. Again, I'm not against 
internalizing truth. I'm not against being better 
Christians, but I'm against this idea that sees our sufferings 
on the par with, on the level of our saviors. No. I don't care what you've been 
through. I don't care what I've been through. None of us have 
sweat drops of blood being in agony. Consider the Christ of 
God. He knew what wrath and fury was 
like. Do you realize that we don't? 
We read these portions of scripture, we've gone through the parables 
of the dragnet and the tares, and we see our Lord Jesus describe 
that place as outer darkness. We hear him describe it as a 
place of wailing and gnashing of teeth. You know, it's hard 
to sort of imagine what that will be like. Christ knew exactly 
what the wrath and fury of God is. Christ knew exactly what 
that cup was. Christ knew exactly what filled 
it to the brim. And Christ knew the pains and 
the sufferings that would be involved. And interestingly enough, 
on the cross, it's not the physical pain that causes Christ to cry 
out. It is the cry of dereliction, 
my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The physical pain 
was high, the physical pain was tough, the physical pain was 
torturous, the physical pain was excruciating. But it was when the Father, as 
it were, turned his back upon the Son, that the Son then cries 
out, Why have you forsaken me? See, we don't understand that. 
Because the worst man on the face of this earth enjoys the 
goodness of God. The worst beast on the face of 
this earth gets to eat good food once in a while. The worst sinner, 
the worst criminal, the worst malefactor, in fact, a man on 
death row, prior to them pulling the lever on the electric chair, 
injecting him with that lethal cocktail, what does he get? He 
gets a last meal of his own choice. See, we don't understand what 
the deprivation of the goodness of God actually looks like. Because 
we've always benefited from it. Even when we were dead in our 
trespasses and sins, we were not in hell where we belong. 
Christ knew the wrath. Christ knew the cup. Christ understood 
the implication. That's why Christ prayed, My 
Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass. That is an expression 
of the humanity of our Lord Jesus. When we know there is danger 
ahead of us, we cry out to God, if there's another way, Father, 
please spare me from this suffering. This expresses His humanity, 
but we see His resignation, because He says, not my will, but thine 
be done. You see, when we come to narratives 
like this, it is perfectly consistent and perfectly legitimate to just 
worship. I read a study that was done 
on narcissists, people who take selfies that are narcissists. Now, if you don't know what those 
words mean, let me try to explain this. Some of you older brethren 
may not know what a selfie is. A selfie is when just about everybody 
who occupies Earth who has a camera on their phone takes a picture 
of themselves. Can you imagine that a study actually revealed 
that people who take selfies have a problem with narcissism? 
I know that's surprising. Narcissism is when you love yourself. 
Now, do not leave here tonight and say, oh, Pastor Butler said 
I'm a narcissist because I've taken selfies. I've taken selfies. I've got troubles with narcissism, 
though. I'll confess it. There's a narcissistic tendency 
when we come to the Bible. What's in it for me? Sometimes 
churches are measured that way. What's in it for me? I've had 
people call me before. Hello, Free Grace Baptist Church. 
Yeah, what do you offer there? Well, we meet for worship on 
Sunday morning and evening. And we have a Wednesday night 
Bible study. I like to slip in. We're going 
through Matthew, 1st Timothy, and Judges. What else do you 
have? What else do you want? I want 
things for me. I want things for my kids. I want there to be a smorgasbord 
of things that please my soul. One man has referred to this 
type of exegesis as a narcegesis. We mine out truths of Scripture 
and just see how they relate to me. That's the generation 
in which we live. How many times have you heard, 
well, that preaching was good, but it was doctrinal, and he 
really didn't give me anything to use at home. See there the 
Son of Man suffering on your behalf and worship." There's 
nothing better you can get out of that text. There's nothing 
more appropriate than to learn to fall at the feet of the great 
I AM. There is nothing more in line 
with narrative passages like these as coming away to be a 
worshipper of the Lord God Most High. In this passage, in summary, 
we see the glory of Christ manifested. The voice of the I Am caused 
the soldiers and Judas to fall to the ground. Secondly, the 
sovereignty of Christ in keeping His own. Thirdly, and primarily, 
the obedience of Christ to His Father, to the bitter end, to 
fulfill the demands of the covenant made between those divine persons 
fleshed out in history. The Lord Christ fulfilled. The 
Lord Christ did. The Lord Christ obeyed. The Lord 
Christ secured the salvation of His people by functioning 
as a surety, by functioning as the mediator of the New Covenant. Throughout John's Gospel, the 
obedience of Christ to His Father is vividly demonstrated. John 
chapters 4 and 5, John 6, John 7, John 8, John 12, John 18. 
He is not... Relinquishing his role as mediator, 
he drinks the cup of the Father's wrath to the bitter end, so that 
he may glorify his Father, so that he may secure the salvation 
of the elect. In the language of our confession, 
this office, mediator and surety, the Lord Jesus did most willingly 
undertake. which, that he might discharge, 
he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it, and 
underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne 
and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us, enduring 
most grievous sorrows in his soul and most painful sufferings 
in his body, was crucified and died and remained in the state 
of the dead, Yet saw no corruption. On the third day He arose from 
the dead with the same body in which He suffered, with which 
He also ascended into heaven. And there sits at the right hand 
of His Father, making intercession, and shall return to judgment 
and angels at the end of the world." And as I said, the practical 
import of this section, just so I'm not misunderstood, Jesus 
is an example for us. Jesus ought to be one to whom 
we look in terms of our trials, in terms of our sufferings, in 
terms of our difficulties, in terms of those who betray us. 
We should look at Jesus. We should see Him in that reality. 
But we also ought to realize when we come to passages like 
these, the primary emphasis isn't so that you'll go out and be 
a better person. The Bible teaches that you do 
that. The primary emphasis is upon the doing and the dying 
of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep you from drinking that cup of 
God's wrath. I praise God that Jesus went 
through this so that we don't have to. I praise God that Jesus 
went through Gethsemane. Jesus went to the cross. Jesus 
stood in our place. Don't you praise God for the 
doctrine of substitution? The doctrine of vicarious atonement? That means He stood in our place. Jesus paid it all. Jesus took the wrath and fury 
of God on our behalf. I like the way the Geneva Bible 
says it. Christ goes of his own accord 
into a garden, which his betrayer knew to be taken, that by his 
obedience he might take away the sin that entered into the 
world by one man's rebellion. And that, in a garden! You see, the Geneva Bible notes 
writers saw the connection. Adam falls in a garden, Jesus 
wins in a garden. Our confession again talks about 
the ground of our salvation. Those whom God affectionately 
calls, He also freely justifies, not by infusing righteousness 
into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting 
their persons as righteous, not for anything wrought in them 
or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone, not by imputing faith 
itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience 
to them, as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's active 
obedience unto the whole law and passive obedience in His 
death for their whole and sole righteousness. That is the ground 
upon which we stand. Jesus' life, Jesus' death, Jesus' 
resurrection. Shall I not drink the cup which 
my Father has given me? Praise God that Christ did this 
on our behalf. So please do not go from this 
place saying, Butler says we can't look at Jesus as an example. 
Most certainly look at Jesus as an example. He is an example. When we come to these passion 
narratives, see Jesus on His own. Jesus securing the salvation 
of His people. Jesus bringing glory to the Father. And instead of five ways to go 
out and be a better you, bow and worship Jesus. That is practical 
application, I think, at its very finest. Well, let us pray. 
Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the life 
and ministry of our Lord Jesus. Truly, it is amazing to read 
these accounts, to read what our Savior went through on our 
behalf. How we thank you, Lord God, for his obedience to the 
divine decree, his obedience to the divine will, his His function 
as a covenant surety and mediator, and all those things the Bible 
tells us. God, how we praise You that You made Him who knew 
no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness 
of God in Him. I pray now that as we look to 
Your word as we look to this table, our hearts would be stirred, 
our love would be drawn out, and we would worship the triune 
God of heaven and earth. For certainly you are worthy, 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And we pray through Christ our 
Lord. Amen.