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Good morning, everyone. Welcome 
to Free Grace Baptist Church. Welcome to everyone who's normally 
here, and welcome to those who aren't normally here. Any visitors 
out there among us this morning, it's a joy to have you with us 
here at Free Grace Baptist Church, so we welcome you. Any questions 
after the service, please feel free to ask. Let's turn in our 
Bibles, and as we begin our worship, we can turn in our Bibles to 
Psalm 41, Psalm 41. Our call to worship this Lord's Day 
morning. Psalm 41, the word of God. To the chief musician, a 
Psalm of David. Blessed is he who considers the 
poor. The Lord will deliver him in 
time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and 
keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth. You will 
not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen 
him on his bed of illness. You will sustain him on his sickbed. I said, Lord, be merciful to 
me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you. My enemies 
speak evil of me. When will he die and his name 
perish? And if he comes to see me, he 
speaks lies. His heart gathers iniquity to 
itself. When he goes out, he tells it. 
All who hate me whisper together against me. Against me, they 
devise my hurt. An evil disease, they say, clings 
to him. And now that he lies down, he 
will rise up no more. Even my own familiar friend in 
whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against 
me. But you, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that 
I may repay them. By this I know that you are well 
pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. As 
for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me before your face forever. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, 
from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen. Well, let's stand 
and sing together. Our first hymn will be in your 
Red Trinity Psalter. We'll stand and sing Psalm 93 
to a familiar tune. That's Psalm 93. Let's stand 
together. Jehovah brings his foe, with 
majesty most high. Jehovah is a faithless strength, 
he murders himself with might. Established is the world, its 
steadfast place to hold, And thou, from everlasting art, fly 
through this place of old. The floods, O Lord, may come. The floods lift up their voice. The floods are lifting up their 
waves. They make a mighty noise. But get the Lord on high, for 
mighty far is he, and is the thunder of the waves, for breakers 
of the sea. Thy testimonies all in faithfulness 
excel, and holiness forever, Lord, Thy house be crowned with 
wealth. Amen. We'll have a time of prayer now, 
a number of things that we can pray for. We can rejoice in babies 
recently born. Just a reminder that it was last 
week, July 6th, that Andy and Priscilla, well Andy didn't give 
birth, Priscilla gave birth to twins, Isaiah and Levi, so we 
can rejoice along with Andy and Priscilla. They were born prematurely, 
so we can pray for their health and for the health of Priscilla 
as well. Katie is with us this morning, 
I think, out there. And Molly Rose was born to Katie 
and Josh. And we can praise God for another 
blessed gift given to the Butler family. And you can see her afterwards 
and the baby as well. So praise God for these gifts 
as well. Esther Maljars is with us. We can rejoice that God has spared 
their home and their land. If anybody has seen the photos, 
it's quite a miraculous thing. And we give praise to our God 
for preserving them. You see Esther afterwards, you 
can share in that praise and in those blessings from our great 
God. And we can continue in prayer 
now as we go to our God in prayer, we can pray for God's sovereign 
governance over those fires and that he would in his kind providence 
bring those to an end. Let us go to our God in prayer. 
Heavenly Father, we rejoice now as we gather together as the 
saints in Christ Jesus the Lord in this place to give you praise, 
to give you honor. We bring before you our prayers, 
our supplications, no doubt mingled with Thanksgiving. And we do 
pray, Lord God, that this day you would be hallowed, that on 
this day by these, your gathered saints, you would be hallowed, 
that your name would be praised. We pray once again that not only 
in this place, but around the world, in all of your gathered 
churches and in all of those places where the people of God 
gather together, we do pray that your name would be hallowed. 
the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would be praised, 
would be honored, and that your glories, your excellencies, and 
your riches would be sung. We do pray, Lord God, that you 
would help us now, having gathered, that we would worship you in 
spirit and in truth. We pray that you would help us 
in our frailty, in our weakness, that you would help us in our 
humanity and in our creaturehood to rightly praise you, to rightly 
give you honor, to rise up, above those common things and give 
you high praise, give you high honor. We do require the Spirit 
for this, Lord God, so we do pray for that measure of the 
Holy Spirit to arouse, to stir up our hearts unto that proper 
praise of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We do pray that you would 
gift us with that, that you would commune with your people here, 
that we would give you all honor and praise as it is most certainly 
your due, Lord God. We do pray that we would rejoice 
in the gospel of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. For we 
most certainly know that we have not been saved by deeds of righteousness 
which we have done, but much rather, according to your grace 
and according to your mercy, according to the perfection of 
your eternal lovingkindness, you have brought us forth from 
darkness of sin to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord. By 
grace we have been saved, and we know that our salvation rests 
solely and alone upon the perfect work of our Savior, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. And we rejoice in the biblical 
truth that our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world sinners 
to save, that in the fullness of the times you did send forth 
your Son, born of a woman and born under the law, that he might 
redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive adoption 
as sons. And we rejoice in this blessed 
truth and we pray that we would sing the praises of our Savior 
this morning. We thank you that he lived a 
perfect life of obedience unto your law in the stead of all 
those who believe in his name. We rejoice in the reality of 
the cross and Calvary's tree whereon our Lord Jesus Christ 
took upon himself the wrath of God. He bore in his own body 
our sins upon the tree that we having died to sin might live 
for righteousness. By his stripes we are healed. 
We thank you for the perfect cross work of our Lord Jesus 
Christ that By his shed blood, we have the forgiveness, the 
remission of sins. We rejoice in that most blessed 
truth. We thank you that he rose again 
the third day in power and in great victory, that he has ascended 
to your right hand where he does ever live to make intercession 
for his people. We thank you, Lord God, as well, 
that he rules and he reigns over his and our enemies, and that 
he subdues the hearts of his elect, bringing them forth, and 
you are appointed and accepted time from the darkness of sin 
to life in Christ. And we do pray, Lord God, that 
around the world today, your people would sing the praises 
of our risen and ascended King and would rehearse the riches 
and the excellencies of him, our Savior. We do pray, Lord 
God, that you would just be with those we just recently mentioned. We thank you for the birth of 
these twins to Andy and Priscilla. We rejoice in these good gifts 
you give to your people. We do pray that you'd watch over 
mother, that you would just cause father to rejoice and that you 
would be over these little ones and strengthen them and heal 
them and help them and just cause them to grow, Lord God, without 
issue. We do thank you for the recent birth of Molly Rose to 
Josh and Katie. We just rejoice in this good 
news. And we do just pray that you'd 
be over Molly, you'd strengthen her, that you would just day 
by day grow her and nourish her. And we do just pray that you'd 
cause father and mother to rejoice. And we do pray, Lord God, as 
we do pray for all these young ones that in due time you would 
bring them forth to a knowledge of our blessed Savior, that at 
a young age they would glory in their creator and bless the 
name of their Redeemer. We do pray, Lord God, that you 
would help us to remember in prayer the fires that are ongoing, 
not only in B.C., but elsewhere in California and in other places. 
We would pray that you'd watch over your people. We do pray, 
Lord God, that you would just bring safety to many who are 
possibly in peril or who face the danger of these fires spreading. 
And we just rejoice in the news with regards to the Maljauris 
family. We thank you that Esther can be with us. And we just pray 
that you would just cause them to reflect with great joy upon 
the preserving providence that you've brought into their lives 
with regards to protecting them from this fire. their property 
and their goods and all these things. And we do just pray that 
we'd hear many more of these stories, Lord God. We just pray 
ultimately that you would bring an end to this fire, that even 
though in the midst, Lord God, you would cause people to reflect 
upon the fact that there is a God in high heaven. There is a God 
who raises the stormy winds which lift up the waves of the sea. 
And there is a God who calms those storms so that its waves 
are still. We pray that you would cause many to call upon the name 
of the Lord in the midst of tragedy, in the midst of affliction, in 
the midst of disaster, that they might know our Christ and that 
they might flee from sin. We do pray, Lord God, that you 
would just watch over all of your afflicted people. There 
are many in our midst, Lord God, that suffer with sickness and 
illness and disease and injury. And we do just pray that you 
would bless each and every one. We pray that you would uplift 
them in the midst of their affliction and that they would rejoice in 
their God. We pray for this upcoming surgery for Chris. We pray that 
you just watch over her, that you would guide the hands of 
surgeons and guide the hands of those in the medical profession 
that will be dealing with her. We do just pray that much good 
would come from this procedure and that both Chris and Steve 
would rejoice in you and be wholly resigned unto you, Lord God, 
in all things. We just pray that you'd be with the government, 
those who rule over us, Lord God. know, as Paul pleads with 
us or as Paul exhorts us, that we are to pray for kings and 
for those who are in authority, that we might live peaceable 
lives, that we might have the freedom and the opportunity and 
the high honor to proclaim richly the things of Jesus Christ to 
a dying race. We do pray, Lord God, that you 
would help us to be in prayer for them. And so we do now pray 
for them, that those who rule over us, Lord God, would turn 
from wickedness that they would turn from their injustice and 
their unrighteousness, that they would no longer propagate wickedness 
in the land, but that they would uphold virtue. And we do pray, 
Lord God, unto this end, that any who would seek to perpetuate 
wickedness in the ranks of government, that you would take them out 
of the way, that you would cause them to stumble like drunken 
men, that they may no longer pervert the nations. And we do 
long, Lord God, to see raised up those who would rule in righteousness 
and in justice and in equity. We do pray, Lord God, that you 
would watch over those who are persecuted, as we read in many 
accounts and as we pray many times for those who suffer under 
the tyranny and the opposition of godless governments and godless 
fellow citizens. We do just pray that you'd be 
with our brothers and sisters in Christ in these nations where 
there is much hatred and persecution, that you would protect them, 
that you would be near to them, that to them you would be the 
God of all comfort We would ask, Lord God, that in the midst of 
suffering you would just raise them up to high thoughts of their 
Christ and that they would be wholly resigned to the triune 
God in all things. And we would ask that you would 
deal with their persecutors, that you would save many, that 
you would turn many from the madness of their idolatry and 
their opposition to the people of God. You would turn them from 
those things to the Lord Jesus Christ, that by grace and for 
your glory's sake they would be found among those whom they 
formerly persecuted. And we know that there will be 
many who would remain in opposition unto their dying breath, who 
would remain persecuting your people and perpetuating the violence 
that comes upon them. We do pray that you would take 
them out of the way, that you would bring temporal judgment 
upon them, that they may no longer bring violence against your people. 
Be with us now then, Lord God, in worship, and we thank you 
that we have this freedom, this opportunity to worship you in 
this place, We thank you that we have the freedom and opportunity 
to hold full Bibles in our hands. As we know, throughout the world, 
there are many that do not have this freedom and this opportunity. 
And we do pray that you'd bless us as we worship, that you would 
strengthen saints, that you would save sinners. And Lord God, that 
you would bless Pastor Butler in the pulpit this morning. Help 
him to proclaim with great confidence and with great courage the things 
of your word. As we always pray, Lord, we know 
that the preacher does not rest upon human strength and ingenuity 
and intelligence, but rests solely and alone upon the triune God, 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And so do bring much aid to preacher 
and pulpit. Help him to proclaim greatly 
the things of your revelation to the sons of men. And might 
all that we do this morning, every aspect of worship that 
we engage in, all that we do, might it be unto the praise of 
your most high name. Might you be honored. Might you 
be glorified. Might the ascended Christ be exalted upon the praises 
of this gathered assembly. And we do pray that you would 
richly bless. And we pray in the name of our Savior, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, let's stand and sing again 
as a church. This time we're going to sing 
in the larger Trinity hymnal. We'll stand and sing 580 together. 
580. When peace by the river attendeth 
my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, 
Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my 
soul. It is well, it is well with my 
soul. Satan should love him, no trial 
should come. Let this blest assurance control 
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate. and hath shed his own 
blood for my soul, it is well. with my soul, it is well, it 
is well with my soul. I sing o'er the land. this glorious thought. I sin not in part, but the whole, 
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
O my soul. It is well, it is well with my 
soul. It is well, it is well with my 
soul. Oh Lord, it's a day. and the fates shall 
be signed. The clouds be rolled back as 
a scroll, the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend. Even so, it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my 
soul. You can turn in your Bibles to 
the Gospel of Mark. Every Lord's Day morning, we 
read consecutively through the New Testament, and this is where 
we're at now. We're at Mark chapter 9, beginning 
in verse 1, and we will read to verse 29. This is Mark 9, 
beginning in verse 1. Once again, the word of the living 
and true God. And he said to them, assuredly, 
I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste 
death till they see the kingdom of God present with power. Now, 
after six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up 
on a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before 
them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white like snow, 
such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared 
to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then 
Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be 
here. And let us make three tabernacles, 
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Because he did 
not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud 
came and overshadowed them. And a voice came out of the cloud 
saying, this is my beloved son, hear him. Suddenly, when they 
had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with 
themselves. Now, as they came down from the 
mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one the things 
they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 
So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from 
the dead meant. And they asked him, saying, what 
do the scribes say that Elijah, excuse me, why do the scribes 
say that Elijah must come first? Then he answered and told them, 
Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And 
how is it written concerning the son of man that he must suffer 
many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that 
Elijah has also come and they did to him whatever they wished, 
as it is written of him. And when he came to the disciples, 
he saw a great multitude around them and scribes disputing with 
them. Immediately when they saw him, 
all the people were greatly amazed. and running to him, greeted him. 
And he asked the scribes, what are you discussing with them? 
Then one of the crowd answered and said, teacher, I brought 
you my son who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it 
throws him down. He foams at the mouth, gnashes 
his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to your disciples 
that they should cast it out, but they could not. He answered 
him and said, oh, faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? 
How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me. Then they brought 
him to him. And when he saw him, immediately 
the spirit convulsed him and he fell on the ground and wallowed, 
foaming at the mouth. So he asked his father, how long 
has this been happening to him? And he said, from childhood. 
And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water 
to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have 
compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, if you can 
believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately, 
the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, 
I believe, help my unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people 
came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to 
it, deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter 
him no more. Then the spirit cried out, convulsed 
him greatly, and came out of him, and he excuse me, and he 
became as one dead so that many said he is dead. But Jesus took 
him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose. And when he 
had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, 
why could we not cast it out? So he said to them, this kind 
can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting. Amen. Well, just 
very briefly, there's a couple of occasions in one in a gospel, 
the Gospel of John, and one in second Peter's second epistle, 
no doubt there are others, but two come to mind where the apostles 
rehearse the fact that they beheld the glory of Christ. You know, 
Christ comes and he is by and large a man of sorrows acquainted 
with grief, having assumed our nature with all the essential 
properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin he appears 
as a man, he is a man, and he goes about as a man in his humanity, 
though he is truly God, as a man of sorrows and acquainted with 
grief. But there are occasions, and this one right here before 
us, where we have something of theophanic glory, where we have 
something of a manifestation of the glory of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. John rehearses in his gospel 
that we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 
full of grace and truth. Peter rehearses the the fact 
that they did not follow cunningly devised fables when they made 
known to them the power and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And here we have perhaps 
that historical reality in view where the apostles, John and 
Peter here being listed along with James, beheld the glory 
of Christ. And don't you love the language 
here in verse three? His clothes became shining, exceedingly 
white like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them." A 
wonderful picture of our glorious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 
And here we have something very interesting. We have the Apostle 
Peter here asks if he can make three tabernacles, one for Jesus, 
one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Now, the text does say, because 
he didn't know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. You 
know, Peter in fear is Rambling a little bit and asking if he 
can make these three tabernacles but notice the language that 
follows after in verse 7 and a cloud came and overshadowed 
them We are by Mark's aid here to hearken back to Exodus perhaps 
not exclusively or only but Exodus 40 perhaps Where there is this 
cloud that overshadows them and there is a tabernacle and the 
glory of the Lord appears in the tabernacle notice Here though, 
the difference, and a voice came out of the clouds saying, this 
is my beloved son, hear him. Suddenly, when they had looked 
around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. You see, in the Exodus event, 
in Exodus 40, there is a physical tabernacle and the glory of the 
Lord filling the tabernacle. Here, there is no physical tabernacle, 
and Peter was not to build a physical tabernacle. Why? because the 
tabernacle himself was there among him. The Lord of Glory 
himself, who is the tabernacle, was there with them. You can 
read Hebrews 9 11. Christ is the perfect tabernacle 
not made with human hands. We have this glorious picture 
of the glory, the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is 
here in the midst prior in the midst of Moses and Elijah speaking 
with them. But notice The account here, 
after we read the father saying, this is my beloved son, hear 
him, we read suddenly when they had looked around, they saw no 
one anymore but only Jesus with themselves. Not necessarily the 
whole idea, but one of the things we have here is the stuff of 
Hebrews 1.1, that in former times, in diverse and various ways, 
God spoke to the fathers through the prophets, but in these last 
days he has spoken by his son, his son only, whom he has appointed 
the heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who 
being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his 
person, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at 
the right hand of the majesty on high. We have this glorious 
truth here, that the glorious one is standing in their midst, 
and they are to hear him. In this day, as his people, you 
are to hear him, because he speaks in his churches. The Lord walks 
among his lampstands speaking to his people. You are to know 
for a truth that Christ is in the midst of his people this 
morning speaking to you. If you're here and you're an 
unbeliever, you need to know that the spirit of the risen 
and exalted Christ is here speaking to you. And will you hear? Do 
you hear the words of the father? This is my beloved son. Hear 
him today. Hear Christ. Know that God is 
holy. Know that you are a sinner standing 
rightly under His divine judgment and condemnation, but know for 
a truth that in Jesus Christ, if you believe in Him, you have 
the forgiveness of sins, everlasting life, a righteousness not your 
own that avails solely with the Father. Believe on Him, and you 
will know the bliss of everlasting life and the forgiveness of sins. 
Well, let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You 
for Your Word. We rejoice in Your revelation to us. We do 
pray that you'd cause us to reflect with great joy upon Jesus Christ, 
the perfection of his person, the glory of his majesty, and 
the fact that he took upon himself humanity, that he might bear 
iniquity and sin, that he might put an end to sin, that he might 
bring in everlasting righteousness. We do pray, Lord God, that by 
your grace and for your glory's sake, you would save sinners 
today, that you would be here, Lord God, and that you would 
save. We do pray that you'd strengthen saint, that you would save sinner, 
and once again, God, that you would be glorified in the midst 
of your people. We pray in Christ's name, amen. Our last hymn then 
before the preaching, if you'll stand with me, is 472. That's 
472. Let's stand and sing together. While our raging souls adore 
Thee, When the helpless sinners fear, By Thy mercy, O deliver 
us, good Lord. From the depth of nature's blindness, 
from the harming power of sin, from all malice and unkindness, 
The pride that lurks within. By thy mercy, O deliver us, good 
Lord. When temptation sorely presses 
In the day of Satan's power, In our times of deep distresses, 
In each dark and trying hour, By thy mercy, O deliver us, good 
Lord. Let the world around me smiling, 
♪ In the time of wealth and ease ♪ ♪ Earthly joys our hearts beguiling 
♪ ♪ In the day of health and peace ♪ ♪ By thy mercy, O deliver 
us, good Lord ♪ In our weary hours of sickness, in our times 
of grief and pain, when we feel our mortal weakness, when the 
creature's health is vain, by thy mercy, O deliver us. us, good Lord. In the solemn hour of dying, 
in the awful judgment day, may our souls not be relying, blindly 
still our drop can stay. By thy mercy, O deliver us. We'll turn with me in your Bibles 
to Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26. Our focus 
this morning is on the betrayal in the garden. The last couple 
of times in Matthew we have seen our Lord's prayer in the garden. 
I do want to begin at chapter 26, verse 36. Then Jesus came with them to 
a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, sit here 
while I go and pray over there. And he took with him Peter and 
the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and 
deeply distressed. Then he said to them, my soul 
is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch 
with me. He went a little farther and 
fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my father, if it is 
possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, 
but as you will. Then he came to the disciples 
and found them sleeping and said to Peter, what, could you not 
watch with me one hour? Watch and pray lest you enter 
into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, 
but the flesh is weak. Again a second time he went away 
and prayed, saying, oh my father, if this cup cannot pass away 
from me unless I drink it, your will be done. And he came and 
found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So he 
left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying 
the same words. Then he came to his disciples 
and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, 
the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed 
into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my 
betrayer is at hand. And while he was still speaking, 
behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude, with 
swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the 
people. Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying, Whomever 
I kiss, he is the one. Seize him. Immediately he went 
up to Jesus and said, Greetings, Rabbi, and kissed him. But Jesus 
said to him, Friend, why have you come? And they came and laid 
hands on Jesus and took him. And suddenly one of those who 
were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, 
struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 
But Jesus said to him, put your sword in its place, for all who 
take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that 
I cannot now pray to my father and he will provide me with more 
than 12 legions of angels? How then could the scriptures 
be fulfilled that it must happen thus? In that hour, Jesus said 
to the multitudes, have you come out as against a robber with 
swords and clubs to take me? I sat daily with you, teaching 
in the temple, and you did not seize me. But all this was done 
that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all 
the disciples forsook him and fled." Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, we thank you for the 
written word, and we thank you for the time that you've given 
us to gather together on this Sabbath day to worship you. We 
come to the Father through the mediation of the Son, by the 
power of the Holy Spirit, and we confess the triune God of 
heaven and earth. We confess your majesty, your 
glory, your excellence, your power, and we pray even now that 
you would help us to behold these things more really, more more 
earnestly in our own hearts and lives. As well, our Father, forgive 
us for our sins and our transgressions. We know when we come to Scripture, 
there is a darkening influence over our minds because of our 
own remaining corruption. So please wash us in the blood 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and please fill us with your Holy 
Spirit, and cause us, Lord God, to see in this section the glory 
of Christ manifested, displayed, demonstrated so powerfully, so 
vividly, so wonderfully. Help us to appreciate as well 
His obedience to the Father every step of the way and His willingness 
to save sinners. God bless us now, we pray through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, in this particular 
section, verses 47 to 56, there are four particulars. I mentioned 
that we'll look at the betrayal this morning. I didn't want to 
sort of try and cram a whole bunch of stuff in this morning, 
so our focus is going to be 47 to 50. But in this section, we 
see structurally the betrayal of Jesus in verses 47 to 50, 
secondly the defense of Jesus in verses 51 to 54, and then 
the assertion by Jesus in verses 55 and 56, and then finally the 
desertion of Jesus. Or we might say the kiss of Judas, 
the sword of Peter, the enmity of the mob, and the flight of 
the disciples." So that's what's happening in this section. We've 
been moving toward this section for several months now. It is 
indeed the Passion, and we are now crossing over into that time 
when Christ is delivered into the hands of His enemies. Well, 
look with me at verses 47 to 50. I want to do three things 
this morning. First, notice the significance 
of the betrayal. Secondly, the plan involved in 
the betrayal. And then thirdly, the execution 
of the betrayal. Remember that as we move through 
this particular section of Scripture, Christ is doing this not because 
He's guilty, not because He's a criminal, not because He's 
an offender, not because He's an insurrectionist, not because 
He Himself has done anything violating the law of God. In 
fact, that's the thrust of his statement there, specifically 
in verse 55. You've brought out clubs and 
swords in order to apprehend me, in order to arrest me? I have sat daily in your temple 
teaching you. He is essentially saying, I am 
not the criminal. And if we reflect upon the triumphal 
entry in Matthew 21, 13, The true criminals in Israel at this 
time are the religious leaders and the apostates within that 
nation itself that had refused and rejected the Messiah that 
had come from God. So our Lord Jesus, as He moves 
through the Passion here, we need to remember it was for us 
men and for our salvation. It is for us that He undergoes 
these things. It is for us that He is delivered 
into the hands of men, ultimately according to the plan of the 
Father, but by means of godless Judas, but by means of godless 
religious leaders, and by means of godless Roman soldiers. You 
see, oftentimes in the study of Scripture, or specifically 
with an emphasis upon Christianity, you'll hear a report from persons 
at times that say, well, the New Testament is very anti-Semitic. It is very anti-Jewish. In fact, they often highlight 
John's Gospel in particular because the Jews as a group do not come 
off looking too well in John's Gospel. Now, brethren, we need 
to remember that the men who wrote the Gospels, the men who 
were the disciples of our Lord Jesus, were Jews. So it's interesting 
that they would have been considered as anti-Semites. But in this 
passage before us, notice the truth of Romans 3. The apostle 
there tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the 
glory of God. There is none righteous. No, not one. And if you look 
at every people group represented here in Matthew 26, at the arrest 
of our Lord, certainly you have the Jews, the religious leaders. 
But I will argue that there was a Roman detachment with them 
when they came to arrest Jesus. I won't argue that. That is precisely 
what John says. You've got Jew, Gentile, and 
lo and behold, you even got disciples. Yes, one who professed and apostatized 
and betrayed, but all the others forsook him and fled. None of 
us come off well in this passage. None of us come off well when 
we consider the various groups of mankind. The only one who 
comes off well here and throughout the entirety of the Bible is 
the Lord Christ. You see, the Bible is not a record 
of man's achievements or man's accomplishments or man's virtue. The Bible is a demonstration 
of the glory of God and the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
There is one man of virtue, one man of accomplishment, one hero 
and champion that the Bible sets forth, and it ain't the Jews, 
it ain't the Gentiles, and it ain't the disciples. It is the 
Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. So let's look at the significance. Notice this fulfills Christ's 
word. Since they have left for Jerusalem, 
Christ has announced why he is going to Jerusalem. He is going 
to die. He is going to be betrayed. He 
is going to be delivered up into evil hands. He is going to be 
crucified, and he is going to be raised the third day. He has 
made this announcement in chapter 17, chapter 20, and then here 
in chapter 26 at verse 2, and then again at the Passover in 
verses 21 to 24. As well, when Matthew introduces 
us to the apostles in Matthew chapter 10, he calls Judas the 
betrayer. Now, what this signifies specifically 
is the arrival of the cup. Remember, back in 22 at verse 
39, Christ is praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He says, 
oh my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, 
not as I will, but as you will. We saw there what the cup represents. What the cup symbolizes, what 
the cup demonstrates, it is the wrath and fury and judgment of 
God. You can see this in Psalm 11, 
you can see it in Psalm 75, and you see it scattered throughout 
the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. God's cup is the 
infliction of His wrath and fury, justice, punishment, and righteousness 
upon, say for instance in the prophets, Babylon, who had offended 
God. So God pours out the cup of His 
wrath and judgment upon that nation. Well, here specifically 
Christ realizes what lay before Him. You see, Christ's sufferings 
here and Christ's crucifixion is not in the first place exemplary. In other words, it's not just 
an example for us to imitate. This is unique in the history 
of the world. There has been one among us, 
even our Lord Jesus, who had the sins of the elect heaped 
upon him and then felt the full weight and punishment of God's 
judgment. He knew what that cup contained. And so the arrival of the cup 
had come, and notice as well the arrival of the hour. Notice 
in verse 45, he says, are you still sleeping? And resting, 
behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed 
into the hands of sinners. So while Jesus announces this 
in verse 46, rise, let us be going, see my betrayer is at 
hand. It is at that time, verse 47, while he was still speaking, 
behold, Judas, one of the 12 of the great multitude with swords 
and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 
In John 18.11, we see this signified as well. The same sort of report is given 
there in John's Gospel. We'll reflect on that in just 
a few moments. There are some differences in 
John's Gospel. We're not to interpret that as 
contradictory. We're to interpret that as eyewitness 
accounts seen from different vantage points, the various facets 
of a diamond. You hold it up in the light and 
it shines, sparkles, and glimmers in different ways. That's how 
we interpret the differences in the gospel narratives. They're 
not contradictions, but they are the same story. They can, 
in fact, and are harmonized, but they simply display more 
of the glory of our Lord Jesus. But in John 18, 11, after he 
deals with Peter for having lopped off Malchus's ear, Jesus said 
to Peter, put your sword into the sheath, shall I not drink 
the cup which my father has given me? You see, he's a man on a 
mission. We say that sometimes. He's a 
man on a mission. He's going to go to Walmart and 
he's going to find that pair of shoes. She's a woman on a 
mission. She's going to find that recipe, 
and I know that sounds sexist, but sorry, and she's going to 
bake the best cake she's ever baked. You talk about a man on 
a mission, he set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem and 
nothing would deter him, not even the prospect of the cup 
of God's fury and wrath. I mean, that's how we see him 
there in verse 39, according to his humanity. Oh, my father, 
if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. That is natural 
in light of the sufferings that he is going to undergo. We would 
expect a man to say such a thing, but immediately following that, 
he resigns himself. He resolves to do the will of 
the Father. Nevertheless, not as I will, 
but as you will. He is focused. He is single-minded. He is going to drink the cup 
of God's wrath to its dregs. J.C. Ryle says, with reference 
to this section, we see in these verses the cup of our Lord Jesus 
Christ's sufferings beginning to be filled. We see him betrayed 
by one of his disciples, forsaken by the rest, and taken prisoner 
by his deadly enemies. That's exactly what we're dealing 
with in this section. Now notice, secondly, the plan 
involved in the betrayal, verses 47 and 48. But before we actually 
jump into verses 47 and 48, let's just look at a little bit of 
a contrast here. How do we leave the disciples 
earlier in Gethsemane? Jesus reproves them, He rebukes 
them, He chides them for having slept. They couldn't watch with 
him for one hour. They couldn't pray with him for 
one hour. Christ reproves the sluggishness 
of the disciples. Brethren, we need to watch and 
pray. We need to take seriously our 
Lord's words, because rest assured, while we're sleeping, the enemy 
isn't. You hear that sometimes in sports. 
You know, lift that weight because your competitor in the other 
part of town is lifting it right now. Practice that backhand, 
because your competitor is practicing that backhand. You see, we sleep. We're sluggish. We do not watch 
and pray. But notice what Judas is doing 
while the sluggishness of the disciples is on full display 
here in the Garden of Gethsemane. They're asleep, not watching 
with the Lord of Glory. And Judas, at night, is indeed 
engaged in this act of rebellion. Brethren, never forget the diabolical 
nature and the zeal of the enemies of Jesus Christ. Now, I'm not 
suggesting stay up 24-7. Some of the best way you can 
serve God is to learn how to get proper sleep. So one of the 
best ways you can serve God is to learn how to get proper rest. 
You see this with our Lord. Come apart and rest a while. 
You see this with our Lord, asleep in the boat, on a pillow, according 
to Mark's gospel. There's nothing wrong with sleep. 
Christ isn't reproving them for sleep in general in the Garden 
of Gethsemane. He is reproving them because 
they were not watching and praying. And while they were not watching 
and praying, the enemies of Christ are on the move. They are on 
the march. They are going to seize the Savior 
right before their eyes. Notice the parties involved in 
this betrayal. We have Judas, one of the twelve. He knew the place, according 
to John's Gospel in 18.2, because Jesus often met there with His 
disciples. Now, the reference to Judas here 
in verse 47 as one of the twelve is not given to identify him. 
We already know Judas, don't we? Matthew 10, 4, Judas the 
betrayer. Matthew 17, the announcement 
of betrayal in general. Matthew 20, the announcement 
of betrayal in general. Matthew 26, 2, the announcement 
of betrayal in general. And then Matthew 26, about 21 
to 24, the announcement of betrayal by a disciple specifically. There 
is no surprise here when it indicates that Judas is one of the twelve. 
I think Matthew's purpose here is to underscore the gravity 
of the wickedness involved. One of the twelve actually engaged 
in this. If you haven't followed this 
up to this point, let it sink into you. This man was a disciple 
one day and a traitor the next. Perhaps Matthew is warning subsequent 
generations to watch and pray. You think Judas, when he got 
called into service by Christ, thought, I'm going to betray 
him, I'm going to go down in history as the single most wicked 
human on the face of the earth? Face it, whenever anybody has 
betrayed us, it hurts, it's bad, it's difficult. But we're not 
wholly harmless and sinless. We are not a spotless, innocent 
people. Brethren, He was. And Judas betrayed 
him. Judas didn't wake up, you know, 
the first day of his call to Christ and say, well, yeah, I'm 
going to be the one that betrays him. I'm going to engage in these 
sorts of machinations against him. The reference 1 of the 12 
is not to identify the betrayer, but to highlight his wickedness. 
Gil says, and lo, that's literally how we should translate this, 
and lo. One of these betrayed him, an 
apostle, and yet a devil. One of the twelve, one of his 
own select company, and bosom friends, and yet a traitor. So let's not, you know, delude 
ourselves that we could never fall. Let him who thinks he stands 
take heed lest he fall. I don't want to scare everybody 
and make you think you're a potential Judas waiting to happen. But 
brethren, live in light of the reality of Matthew 26 prior. Watch and pray. I don't think 
that could be repeated enough. I asked one of my sons about 
the sermon last week. He said, well, there was a lot 
of repetition. So that's too bad, no preacher wants to hear 
that. But he says, that's what was in the text. Okay, that was 
nice of him, but watch and pray. How many times can that be said 
to us? It's easy to forget it, isn't it? It's easy to lose sight 
of that hymn that we just sang in 472. Did you focus on the 
words there? Do you see what's vying for your 
attention in the Christian life? Do you see what enemies you face 
in the Christian life? Yeah, there's the devil who roams 
about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Yes, there's 
the godless world, but you got an enemy within. You got remaining 
corruption. I've often said, the devil may 
be harassing someone else and leave you alone for a day. You 
may go live on a deserted island and avoid and escape the world, 
but you've always got you. You've always got that sort of 
on-board resistance. You've got that GPS in your soul 
that always finds wickedness. It always finds evil. It always 
finds those things you shouldn't find. You probably have that 
feature, at least on the older GPSes. Wherever you are in the 
world, you hit home, and it takes you home. That's how our souls 
are, isn't it? There's that GPS that just naturally 
finds evil. You say, let me, pastor. Good. 
Pray for the rest of us, because a lot of us have this on board 
sort of dimension in our hearts. We need to watch and pray. Notice. the great multitude. They came 
with Judas, but notice who they come from. They come from the 
religious leaders. And while he was still speaking, 
behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude, with 
swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the 
people. The parallel in John 18.3 indicates 
that Roman troops were also present. Now, detachment is mentioned 
by John, and that's a large number of troops, 200. I'm not sure 
how to take that because their task is to be stealthy in this 
particular context. Remember, this is why they've 
gone at night. This is why they've engaged in 
this particular activity. They don't want to cause an uproar 
among the other disciples. So was it a full detachment? 
It was certainly some Roman troops. Now, Roman troops were on hand 
during feast time to put down any uprisings or uproars. It's 
kind of like, you know, in our own day. You have a big carnival 
or a big festival. What do you typically expect 
to happen? Everybody just to get along well together? Yeah, 
you'd like to see that happen, but people fight over, you know, 
whose corndog it was or You know, in this particular context, people 
get upset when they're in these feast times. So these Roman troops 
were present in mass in Jerusalem at the time of feasts. It was 
Passover. And so they would be necessary 
to put down or to crush any resistance or opposition to the crown. So 
Judas comes armed with these people. But again, they come 
from the chief priests and elders. Now, we see the priest's plot, 
verses 1 to 5. Turn back there for just a moment. 
Matthew 26 at verse 3. The chief priests, the scribes, 
26-3, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the 
high priest who was called Caiaphas and plotted to take Jesus by 
trickery and kill him. But they said, not during the 
feast, lest there be an uproar among the people. dropped down 
to verse 14. Then one of the twelve, called 
Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, what are you 
willing to give me if I deliver him to you? And they counted 
out to him 30 pieces of silver. So from that time, he sought 
opportunity to betray him. You see how the plan of the religious 
leaders and how the betrayal of Judas now converge. It's all 
under the sovereignty of God. And Jesus will remind us of that 
in verses 54 and 56. Christ operates according to 
the scripture. We even appreciate under this passage or in this 
passage that even the wicked acts of men are included in the 
providence of God. Even the betrayal of our Lord 
Jesus Christ was according to the Scriptures? Yes. That's to 
cheer and encourage the hearts of God's people. We are never 
suffering in this world in a manner that is neutral. We're never 
suffering in this world apart from God's purpose and plan in 
it. You say, well, what kind of a 
God is that that has suffering and difficulty and trial for 
His people? A good heavenly Father. As any 
earthly parent knows, if you continually spoil your kids, 
they're going to be a wreck. What do you do as an earthly 
parent? You discipline your kid. You do what is necessary to restrain 
those passions. You do what is necessary to restrain 
that wickedness, and God, our heavenly Father, chastens whom 
He loveth. That's what kind of a father 
does this with reference to his children. Do you see how the 
plan has converged now? The weapons certainly indicate 
that they fear Christ poses a great threat, or at least His disciples 
do. Verse 51, Peter takes out his 
sword and lops off Malchus' ear. Again, that's kind of the focus 
of the section. I didn't want to just kind of 
skim by. Some teach that pacifism is the way to live with reference 
to the Christian life because of verse 52. It is intriguing. 
Put your sword in its place. I think Jesus implies the sword 
has a place. Jesus, the author of the Old 
Testament, certainly affirms the place of the sword with reference 
to the civil magistrate, with reference to self-defense. We 
want to tease that out, God willing, next Sunday so that we are proper 
in our understanding. But nevertheless, notice what 
is happening here. They come out with swords and 
clubs. They're expecting some resistance 
here. They're expecting to have some 
trouble here. They're expecting to have some 
difficulty. Now, notice the sign that Judas 
gives them. Verse 48, his betrayer had given 
them a sign saying, whomever I kiss, he is the one that sees 
him. Now, the mob certainly would 
be difficult to recognize Jesus because it was dark. Well, you 
know, that's kind of a... Bad explanation. It's true. It's 
hard to see people during the dark. They didn't have streetlights 
in Gethsemane. There weren't floodlights in 
Gethsemane. This was, you know, before there was all those sort 
of accoutrements in society. But as well, the mob did not 
all know Jesus. It was important for Judas to 
indeed make it known who Jesus was so they'd arrest the right 
person. In the parallel in John 18, 4 
and 5, Jesus asks them, whom are you seeking? And they answer, 
Jesus of Nazareth. They don't say, you, because 
they didn't know it was him. So the sign was necessary from 
Judas in order to alert these guys who the guilty offender 
was. Now we know he wasn't guilty, 
but so they would arrest the proper person. But notice the 
hypocrisy of Judas. It says that he will, whomever 
I kiss. It's not a terrible way to betray 
somebody. I mean, come on, think about 
it. Your wife's gonna leave you, but she gives you a big kiss 
before she goes. Your husband's gonna leave you, but he's gonna 
give you a big kiss before you go. That would be terrible. I 
don't want that kiss. Take it back. You know, this 
would be one of those instances where you wipe it off and throw 
it down. One commentator says, Judas twists 
a greeting of friendship into a death sign. Now notice, thirdly 
and finally, the execution of the betrayal. Verse 49, immediately 
he went up to Jesus and said, greetings, rabbi, and kissed 
him. There's a whole host of hypocrisy here. The greeting 
is hypocritical. The word where he says greetings, 
it means essentially be glad, rejoice. But it was a typical 
greeting at this particular time. But the word used in the Greek 
translation of the Old Testament often translates the word shalom. 
You know what the meaning of shalom is. We say that, shalom, 
or some people say that, Jews say that, and it means peace. 
Is that Judas' intention with Christ? Peace? I mean, talk about 
hypocrisy in this particular situation. He went up to Jesus, 
greetings Rabbi, and now notice the kiss is hypocritical. Intriguingly, 
in Matthew's Gospel, the only ones that call Jesus Rabbi are 
his enemies. The disciples, the true disciples, 
call him Lord. Now, it's not the same in Mark, 
for instance, but in Matthew's it's consistent. The only ones 
that call Jesus Rabbi are his enemies. And the same thing is 
true here. We see it in verse 25. Judas, betraying him, answered 
and said, Rabbi, is it I? But here specifically, he gives 
him that kiss. Listen to Davies and Allison. 
It was typically explaining the significance of the kiss. There's 
some sort of debate about that, how common was kissing in this 
situation. Not husband and wife, not conjugal 
relationship, not that sort of thing, but in terms of greeting. 
Ryle has this beautiful section or a beautiful observation, but 
I'm not sure it's legit, but I quite like it. He says, look 
how familiar Jesus was with his disciples. Judas wanted to come 
and give him a kiss, he could come and give him a kiss. That's 
how approachable our Savior is. I love the sentiment, but I'm 
not sure that that's what is going on here specifically. But 
this idea of the kiss, it's been, you know, it's at least in my 
study, it's sort of bandied about. How common was it? This much 
we know, and I think that Davies and Allison are right. It was 
typically a token of respect and reconciliation. So even if 
Judas's kiss is not effusive, that means sort of generous and 
loving and kind, it is certainly hypocritical. He says, Judas 
brings not affection but violence. And he makes this intriguing 
parallel back in Matthew's gospel. He says, like Herod who spoke 
to the magi of worship when his intention was murder, so Judas 
conceals his evil intentions behind a greeting and a kiss, 
he says, deceit is the handmaiden of evil." That's true, isn't 
it? 2 Samuel chapter 20, how does 
Joab receive the news that King David has a new military commander? Does Joab rejoice? Does he call 
for a party and a celebration? No, he greets Amasa as brother, 
grabs him by the beard in order to give him a kiss, and all the 
while takes his sword out and plunges it in him. Proverbs 27, 
verse 6 tells us, faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the 
kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Certainly fleshed out here in 
the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we see the betrayer's kiss. 
Notice the Savior's response in verse 50. Jesus said to him, 
friend, why have you come? It's another intriguing statement. 
Friend? Jesus knows what Judas is doing. Jesus knows the nature of Judas's 
opposition. Jesus knows the situation as 
he has prophesied concerning it. He's identified one of the 
disciples specifically at the Passover dinner, and now here 
he calls him friend. Again, this is discussed much 
in the commentaries, you know. How does he say it? I think we're 
supposed to hear Psalm 41.9. I really believe that we're supposed 
to hear Psalm 41.9 here. In the psalm, speaking concerning 
the Lord Jesus, it says, even my own familiar friend in whom 
I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against 
me. I think the allusion is in Matthew 
26.23. It is conspicuous. It is quoted in John 13.18. You 
see, all along the way, and again, we'll be reminded in 54 and 56, 
that everything that is transpiring transpires according to the scripture. 
In fact, we might say that Christ lived his life according to the 
scripture. I know that's a bit of an odd statement, because 
of course we would all agree to that, but it's true. How did Jesus, according to his 
humanity, know the things that were going to fall out in his 
future? It was through his study of the Word. He would read the 
prophet Isaiah chapter 53, knowing that it's speaking of himself. 
You see, there was a growing messianic consciousness in the 
son of man, according to his humanity. There's instances in 
Luke's gospel where it tells us, a specific instance, where 
he continued to grow in stature and in wisdom. Well, that's according 
to his humanity. As man, Christ was a man committed 
to the scriptures. When he does battle with the 
devil in the wilderness, how does he do battle? Is it self-help? Is it some therapy? He appeals 
to Scripture. Every step of the way, Christ 
does what Scripture says. Now, brethren, if we are to draw 
some example out of this particular passage, let us do likewise. I don't know that we'll ever 
appreciate fully how important God's Word is. You've probably 
heard me say that at least in some form or variant a hundred 
times over the last 20 years. The longer I live, the more I 
believe it. I do not think for a moment that we will ever appreciate 
how important God's word is to us. What gets us through trials? Friends are helpful, prayers 
of others are helpful, but it's the truth of God's word. What 
gets us through sorrows? Something terrible happens in 
your life. What is it that's going to ultimately 
pick you up? It's the truth. You see, brethren, 
the emphasis upon the truth is something that was enforced upon 
the church from its inception. What does Paul say to Timothy 
in 1 Timothy? So that you may know how you 
ought to conduct yourself in the church of God, which is the 
house of the living God, the pillar and the ground of what? 
Feel goodery? Programs designed to make you 
achieve a higher state? It is the pillar and the ground 
of the truth. Read the brothers we always invoke 
and love God that He sent into this world, Puritans and Reformers 
and before them fathers and guys along the way in the medieval 
period that were good. What is it that distinguished them among 
others with reference to their value in the church? It's their 
commitment to the truth. Every step of the way, our Lord 
Jesus is about the truth. I believe we're supposed to hear 
Psalm 41.9 in his statement, friend. Now notice the Savior's 
glory. Intriguing that in the scripture 
reading, Pastor Cam pointed out there were at least two instances 
where Christ sort of peeled back the veil and showed forth his 
glory. Pastor Cam mentioned Peter in 
the second epistle, and then, of course, the transfiguration. 
Do you realize that this is one of those instances as well? Look 
at the parallel in John's gospel, John chapter 18. The Savior's 
glory Notice in verse 4, we're at the same sort of a scene, 
the mob has come with Judas, having come from the priests 
or having come from the religious leaders. Verse 4 records some 
dialogue, doesn't have the kiss. So someone said, well, it's contradictory. 
Are we to suppose that there couldn't have been dialogue and 
kiss? Are we to suppose that Judas just silently kissed him? 
They didn't say anything to anybody else? No. John is fleshing out 
or showing us some other things that took place in this meeting. 
Notice in verse 4, Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that would 
come upon him, went forward and said to them, whom are you seeking? 
Now, again, he knows everything that's transpiring. John just 
told us that. Knowing all things that would 
come upon him, went forward and said to them, whom are you seeking? 
Almost sounds paradoxical. Almost sounds a bit contradictory. 
He knows all things, and yet he asks, whom are you seeking? 
I think the Savior's purpose here is specifically verse 8. 
He wants to make sure that none of the disciples are harmed. 
He wants to make sure that none of the 11 are harmed. And that's 
what John tells us. Notice in verse 8, I have told 
you that I am He. 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. 
So it was a means by which he was protecting the disciples. 
Notice as well. The betrayer. Look at verse 5. Jesus said to them, I am. And Judas, who betrayed him, 
note the theology of this next clause, also stood with them. I don't think that's just a spatial 
reference. I don't think John's point is 
to try to have us, in our mind's eye, sort of see, okay, there's 
Judas and the mob, and here's Jesus and his friends. It is 
theological in nature. It is an admission or a confession 
or a revelation of what has happened in this man's heart. And Judas 
stood with them. Listen to Matthew Henry. He says, 
he that used to stand with those that followed Christ now stood 
with those that fought against him. This describes an apostate. He is one that changes sides. 
He herds himself with those with whom his heart always was and 
with whom he shall have his lot in the judgment day. It's a terrifying 
statement. Again, I don't want you to go 
home and say, I'm the new Judas, but brethren, be careful to watch 
and pray. Do you realize that Judas had 
been called by the Lord and had been gifted by the Lord? Matthew 
10, 1, it indicates the name of the 12 apostles. Judas is 
mentioned last, but in Matthew 10, 1, Jesus gave them authority. to cast out demons, and to heal 
people that were sick, and to preach the gospel of the kingdom. 
Judas received that. No doubt Judas did that, and 
no doubt Judas experienced some degree of success in having done 
that. So he is a follower of Christ, 
again, externally. He's not saved and he loses it. 
He is an outward professor, but nevertheless he stands with Christ, 
and now he stands with the godless mob. I think that's theology. I don't think it's, hey, I want 
you to know where everybody was standing. Notice as well, Whom 
are you seeking? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am." Here's 
the revelation of Christ's glory. The use of I am is prevalent 
in John's gospel. I am with what's called a predicate. A predicate, kids and adults 
who have forgot your grammar, is something that we say about 
a subject. So when Jesus says, I am the 
way, the truth, and the life. That's an I am with a predicate. 
When Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life, that's an I am 
statement with a predicate. When Jesus says, I am the good 
shepherd, that is an I am statement with a predicate. You get this, 
right? Do I need to go through all seven of them? You understand 
there's an I am with a predicate. But there are several times in 
John's gospel where I am stands alone. Now, you've got to think 
here for a moment biblically, that means theologically, and 
take into consideration the Old Testament. At the bush, or at 
the burning bush, God's revelation of himself to Moses was, I am. In the prophet, Isaiah specifically, 
in chapters 41 and in chapter 43, God, Yahweh, the Majestic, 
the Lofty One, the Holy One of Israel, reveals Himself as I 
Am. There are instances and times 
in John's Gospel where Jesus does this. He says, I Am, and 
this is one of them. But turn back to John 13, just 
to see this I Am without a predicate. John 13, verse 18, I do not speak 
concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but 
that the scripture may be fulfilled. Here's Psalm 41.9, by the way, 
he who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me. 
Now, I tell you before it comes to pass that when it does come 
to pass, you may believe that I am. Go to John 8. John chapter 
8 is working backwards in John's gospel. John chapter 8. Notice in verse 24, this is the 
most important one, for any and all here that do not know the 
Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. As I've said before, we all differ 
on a whole host of things in Christianity. If I were to ask 
you to explain your view of the last times, there'd probably 
be as many explanations in this room as there are people. I mean, 
someone might say, well, I agree with him. Okay, we can rub those 
out. We can have differences of opinion 
in the Christian life on some non-essential matters. Baptist 
church polity, that's what we do. It's not a condemnation of 
the reformed churches in town at all. I understand why they 
do what they do. Hey, whatever floats your boat 
ecclesiastically. You cannot be wrong on Christ. You're here this morning and 
you don't know Christ, that's everything. You're here this 
morning and you don't know this I am, you will die in your sins." 
And that is precisely what Jesus says. Notice in 824, 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. Now you might be 
saying, well it says he there. That's supply to make sense to 
English readers. Leaving it out, though, suggests 
theologically, biblically, that Exodus 3.14, Isaiah 41 to 43, 
sort of a connection. But notice that. If you do not 
believe that I am, you will die in your sins. Again, in 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. And then notice in John 8, 58, 
one of the ways we know that this interpretation is absolutely 
correct, because even his enemies understood it. Notice in John 
8, 58, Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I 
am. 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. One more, John 6. John 6. Now, another way to translate 
this particular two-word phrase is with, it is I. And I think 
that's accurate here in John 620, Jesus walking on the water, 
but He said to them, it is I, do not be afraid. That's a legit 
translation, but in keeping with this theology of the I am, I 
think I am works better there in John 620. Because Yahweh has 
supremacy over the waves. Yahweh has supremacy over the 
waters. Yahweh has supremacy over everything. And that is demonstrated when 
the ruler of the waves walks upon them. It is certainly the 
case that I am in the language of Christ. But back to John 18. 
Notice, they ask him and he says, I am. This is a revelation of His divine 
majesty. This is a revelation of His divine 
power, and it's again a manifestation of His voluntary surrender unto 
them. If He is indeed, I am. He has 
the power to crush these people. In fact, it's going to be one 
of the ways he mitigates Peter's outbreak of zeal, but it was 
a zeal that wasn't according to knowledge. It's one of the 
ways that he mitigates that. He says, don't you think I could 
ask the Father and he'd send more than 12 legions of angels? 
I don't need 12 apostles. I've got 12 legions of angels 
more than that at my disposal. The problem in this arrest is 
not that Christ cannot stop it. The glory of this arrest is that 
he will not stop it. He must go! He must suffer! He must die! Because if Yahweh 
does not crush the Son, we are dead in our trespasses and sins. So you see, this reveals His 
power, it reveals His majesty, and it reveals His voluntary 
surrender to these people. Now notice what the text goes 
on to demonstrate. 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 or when 
he said to them, I am, they drew back and fell to the ground." 
You ever read that and gone, wow. This wasn't a church gathered 
for worship. This wasn't the people of God. This wasn't the disciples. This 
was Judas and the mob. And they hear the words, I am, 
and they draw back and they fall to the ground. Why? Because it's 
a revelation of his majesty. It's a revelation of his power. 
It's a revelation of his glory. There's a demonstration, much 
as the Mount of Transfiguration is, where Christ shines forth. And the disciples see this and 
they're blown away, brethren, because as Pastor Porter said, 
he was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. identical with us 
and all the essential properties and common infirmities that we 
have, yet without sin. When you looked upon him, as 
the prophet says, there was no comeliness, there was no beauty, 
his visage wasn't something that we'd say, wow, look at that guy. 
You know, those sorts of pictures that you see of Jesus, you get 
one of two depictions. You get the meek, weak, sickly-looking 
effeminate man, or you get bodybuilder Jesus. Big guns, glowing face, 
beautiful looks, all that sort of thing. There's a reason we're 
not supposed to picture the Savior. There's a reason why the Second 
Commandment forbids such things. This isn't to suggest that He 
only appeared, but we weren't there. How do we capture on a 
canvas the glory of the Son of God? It is a fool's errand to 
try and attempt such thing. How did they see this? How did 
they know this? Was it divine revelation that 
opened their ears to behold and understand just the effect and 
the impact of this I Am? I mean, persons today don't recognize 
Christ as the I Am, and they are members of churches. Perhaps 
there are pastors preaching today that don't recognize this I Am. 
But this mob, along with the betrayer, hears these words and 
they fall to the ground. This is typical when men are 
faced with the glory of God. What does Ezekiel do when he 
sees this vision of Yahweh? He says, so when I saw it, I 
fell on my face. There is a casualness and a flippancy 
that we imbibe today. This idea that we're just buddies 
with God, doesn't matter what we do, doesn't matter how we 
function, in the church of God we can sip our whatever, we can 
do our what, we are in the presence of the high and holy God of heaven 
and earth. And if these wretches withdrew 
and fell to the ground, they weren't even Christians, they 
weren't even believers, but that manifestation of the glory of 
Christ brought them to their knees. What does Acts 9 tell 
us? When Paul is confronted on the 
road to Damascus with the risen Christ, then he fell to the ground. It's an old story. I think I 
heard it from John MacArthur, somebody that loves John MacArthur, 
about a particular popular preacher in Southern California, charismatic 
fellow who said that, you know, one time he was in his bathroom 
and he was shaving and Jesus appeared to him. MacArthur says, 
so what happened? Well, I talked to Jesus. What 
was MacArthur's point? You should have fell to the ground. 
You're in the presence of the one who inhabits eternity, the 
one who has made this world and all things in it. Brethren, we 
could learn from this mob. At least they withdrew and fell 
to the ground. We're the champions of Reformed 
theology and it doesn't move us to reverence, fear, honor, 
praise, adoration. Revelation 117, when John gets 
a vision of the glorified Christ, when he's on the island of Patmos, 
John on the island of Patmos, he says, and when I saw him, 
I fell at his feet as dead. Augustine makes this very perceptive 
statement in view of what we find in this passage. He says, 
what will he do when he comes as a judge? Who did this when 
giving himself up to be judged? Think about this. Unbeliever. 
You're going to meet this Christ. He does this at a moment in his 
life of great suffering, trial, and woe. He is being betrayed 
into the hands of sinners. This has come to fruition. Judas, 
who at one time was gifted for the ministry of the word, now 
actually brings Jesus the cup of God's wrath. Augustine says, 
what will he do when he comes as judge who did this when giving 
himself up to be judged? What will be his power when he 
comes to reign who had this power when he came to die? Something 
to think about, something to consider, something hopefully 
to take home with us and to roll about in our heads and hearts 
and minds, if a demonstration of Christ's glory in this garden, 
when he is being betrayed, resulted in these men drawing back and 
falling to the ground, what's it going to be like when he comes 
in the glory of his Father with all of his holy angels, as the 
Apostle Paul says, taking vengeance on them who know not God and 
on those who do not obey the gospel? What's it going to be 
like for me on that day if I am not clothed in the righteousness 
of another? That's the question you ought to take from this demonstration 
of the glory of the Savior. Well, brethren, in conclusion, 
a couple of thoughts, and then we'll go. In the first place, 
I think the contrast in this betrayal is obvious, the wickedness 
of men and the glory of the Savior. See, we're not supposed to jump 
into the text and say, I've been betrayed. That's too bad, and 
I'm sorry, but your betrayal is not like this betrayal. Whatever 
you've been betrayed in, as bad as it may be, and I don't want 
to minimize it, I know it sounds like I'm minimizing it, actually 
not, because I don't even know it, but this is significant. You know, we'll read or we'll 
see next week, unholy hands are laid on the holy, harmless, and 
undefiled one. These wretched men put their 
filthy hands on Jesus Christ to take him away. Again, it's 
according to the scripture. He willingly submits to this. 
The resolution of his soul is evident. But this passage demonstrates 
the general truthfulness of Romans 3, 19. And all the world may 
become guilty before God. Jews, Gentiles and even disciples 
come out bad in this text. The specific wickedness of Judas 
and the mob ought to be displayed. First, the betrayer had at one 
time sided with Jesus Now he stood with them. I think there's a lesson here 
for all of us. Position doesn't necessarily 
evidence saving grace. Just being in proximity to the 
Savior doesn't necessarily mean that you're saved. You see an 
instance in this in Luke chapter 10. The disciples come back from 
a preaching tour and they're just rejoicing in the Lord, in 
the power that they've had. We cast out demons, we healed 
sickness, and we preached. And Jesus said, I saw the devil 
like lightning fall from heaven. But then he says to them, nevertheless, 
do not rejoice in this, the gifts that you've engaged in, but rather 
rejoice that your names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, or 
your names are written in heaven. See, we have this tendency to 
say, well, you know, it's my position in the church. It's 
my position near Jesus. It's my giftedness to do for 
Jesus. Persons do that. They hide behind 
their activity. Brethren, we need to hide behind 
Jesus. That's the only place we need 
to be hiding. If you're trusting in your works or your external 
profession or your external position or your external provision, proximity 
to Jesus, you're trusting in the wrong thing. Judas had a 
great amount of privilege, but he was unsaved. As well, the 
betrayer, or the mob, think about them for a moment. What did they 
witness here? I'm just collectively calling 
them the mob. I don't mean, you know, to suggest 
the mafia or something like that, but it's a mob of individuals 
with malice in their heads. What do they witness in this 
account? They witness I am. They understood at least enough 
to draw back and fall to the ground. But they also witnessed 
what Luke records concerning Malchus. Matthew doesn't tell 
us that it was Peter that swung the sword, that it was Malchus 
who had the ear lopped off. Guess what, brethren? Peter was 
going for a head shot. Some suggest that he was cutting 
off the ear because he was the servant of the high priest and 
it would have rendered him ceremonially unclean. No, Peter was trying 
to cut his head off and missed. I can't blame Peter. He's an 
apostle. He was a fisherman, not a trained 
swordsman. But what does Luke tell us? Jesus 
picks the ear up and puts it back on Malchus's head, probably 
so that Peter wouldn't get arrested. Remember, Jesus is uniquely concerned 
to make sure that none of those whom the Father had given him 
are lost. But this crowd hears I am. This crowd witnesses his 
power in attaching this man's ear. And yet they continue to 
arrest him. They continue to march him off 
before the Jewish Sanhedrin and then the Roman procurator. They 
continue rebellious. See, that is the hardness of 
man's heart. That's why if you're not praying 
every Sunday morning and every time the scriptures are open 
for the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit, that's a 
fool's errand. We cannot persuade men to save 
themselves. We cannot persuade men to give 
their hearts to the Lord. We present the data of the gospel. Christ lived, he died, he rose, 
and we trust in sovereign grace. Sovereign power. These guys saw 
a display of the glory of Christ. They saw Him heal Malchus, and 
nevertheless, they continue in penitent. As well, the wickedness 
of man, we see the glory of Christ, His resolve. Verse 39 is demonstrated 
full force here. His voluntary surrender in verse 
50b manifests His resolve to do the Father's will. You don't 
think Jesus could have escaped? He says, I am. They draw back 
and they fall to the ground. He could have ran off, could 
have walked off. Could have called those more 
than 12 legions to destroy every breathing human being in the 
vicinity. But he doesn't do that. He submits 
himself to the Father. He goes about according to the 
Scriptures, and he does indeed win our salvation. The parallel 
account in John's gospel highlights his resolve to do the Father's 
will. He goes forward to address them. You knew somebody was coming 
to arrest you when you kind of, you know, meander to the back 
of the crowd. He goes forward to meet them. He identifies himself 
to the soldiers. He instructs Peter to put up 
the sword. He tells Peter, I'm not going 
to call upon my father for these troops because all that is happening 
is according to scripture. It is the plan of my father. 
And Peter, if you're going to go to heaven, I have to do this. You understand that Jesus is 
saving these men here? I mean, they're saved in terms 
of looking forward to the crucifixion and all that. But if Jesus doesn't 
do what Jesus does here, Peter's not going to go to heaven. If 
Jesus doesn't do what Jesus does here, James and John aren't going 
to go to heaven. We're not going to go to heaven. 
Christ's resolve is evident. He willingly drinks the cup, 
John 18, 11. The Geneva Bible has it this way, Christ goeth 
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. They say elsewhere, Christ is 
taken that we might be delivered. Isn't that beautiful? Christ 
is taken that we might be delivered. Now in conclusion completely, 
we see here the obedience of Christ, see the willingness of 
Christ. See, sometimes sinners say, well, 
I don't know if I go to Christ, maybe he won't receive me. Everything 
in this section demonstrates to us that Christ is a willing 
savior. We saw a glimpse of the grace 
of God and God's dealings with Ahab in 1 Kings chapter 21 at 
verse 29. And it's an incredible chapter 
of governmental abuse and tyranny and oppression and all manner 
of evil and lawlessness. Ahab and Jezebel up the ante. They're no longer just Baal worshiping 
idolaters, but they're gonna murder Naboth to take his vineyard 
so that Ahab can have a bigger vegetable garden. And then after 
all this, God sends the Tishbite, the Tishbite rebukes him, and 
then Ahab is affected. It's an incredible scene in verses 
27 and 28. Ahab actually humbles himself 
before God. Now, he doesn't actually repent, 
he's not actually believing on the Lord Jesus, he doesn't go 
destroy the bales, he doesn't give back the land, and he doesn't 
repent publicly. But there is a remorse there. 
You know what God says to Elijah? God says, did you see that? Did you see what Ahab did? He 
humbled himself. God sees so little of such on 
the earth that when he actually sees it, wow, did you see that? Can't believe it. He doesn't 
remove the judgment from Ahab's house, but he postpones it. I submit that we can preach the 
grace of God from 1 Kings 21-29, because God looks upon the humility 
of a wretch called Ahab and postpones a judgment that is to come. Now, 
jump into Gethsemane. You see willingness on the part 
of the Savior here? Do you see willingness on the 
part of the Savior? Yes. He does this not because he's 
a criminal. He does this not because that 
word or that idea of criminal or robber, it could also have 
the connotation of insurrectionist, terrorist, He doesn't do these 
things, or he's not arrested here because of that, because 
he is a terrorist. He's arrested because this was 
the plan of God in order to save his people from their sins. If 
you have ever doubted the willingness of Christ to save your wretched 
soul, behold Christ as he is revealed in Scripture. He is 
truly the Christ of John 6.37, who says, all that the Father 
gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will 
certainly not cast out. Why would he go through this 
betrayal and this arrest and these trials and this suffering 
and this death and ultimately this resurrection if it wasn't, 
in the language of Matthew 121, to save his people from their 
sins? Why would we ever read Matthew 
20, 28 if Christ is an unwilling savior for sinners? The last 
recorded statement he makes before they head down to Jerusalem is 
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to 
give his life a ransom for many. If you're an unbeliever here 
this morning, you probably think you get picked on at our church. 
Let me tell you something, every single one of us was an unbeliever. 
But by the grace of God, we have been saved. And that grace of 
God is available to unbelievers today. In other words, we're 
not going to heaven because we're wiser, smarter, or sharper than 
anyone else. We're going to heaven because 
of what Christ did. He died, He rose, and He reigns. and all who come to him will 
be saved. Don't go home and say, yeah, 
that's just so much hogwash, that's so much this, that's so 
much that. You're gonna meet this I am on the day of judgment. 
It's gonna be a little bit more involved than drawing back and 
falling to the ground. It's gonna be hearing, away with 
you, depart from me, I never knew you. Don't pursue that path. Pursue Christ, look to Christ, 
believe on Christ. Again, I can't make you, I can't 
fix you, I can't change your heart, but God in heaven can 
take this and screw it right in there. And that I rejoice 
in. So take it home, think about 
it. Look at who is in this scripture. Look at who is revealed as the 
great I am. He is the suffering servant of 
Yahweh that God was pleased to bruise, laying upon him the chastisement 
for our sins. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for your word. We thank you for the willingness 
of the Savior to go through such lengths to deliver us from our 
sins. I pray that you'd open hearts 
and eyes and minds to these things, and that today would indeed be 
the day of salvation. And strengthen us as your people 
to behold the glory of the Savior, even in such a difficult situation 
or station in his life. And may we respond with worship 
and love and praise and adoration. Go with us now, we pray, through 
Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. We'll close with a brief 
time of meditation and then be dismissed.