Bible Text: John 18:2-23 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: John, Of Swords and Silence

Recap of 3/10/13 (John 18:2-23):
1.  In John 18:1-11, John recounts the arrest of Jesus in the Garden.  Judas leads the Roman soldiers (up to 600 of them, a cohort) and the Temple guard, to the spot very familiar to him and all the disciples.  The Garden of Gethsemane is where Jesus would typically stay in the evenings when He was in Jerusalem.  Jesus was “hiding-out” or trying to avoid capture.  He knew that His hour had come when He would become the sacrificial lamb, slain for our sin.
2.  Judas had prearranged a signal by which they would know who to arrest, a kiss.  Though John doesn’t mention this, we know it from the synoptic gospels.  Vance Havner soberingly writes: “Judas betrayed the Lord with a kiss, not a slap.  Our Lord is betrayed with a show of affection perhaps more often than in any other way.  We call Him Lord, Lord, and do not do what He says.  He who keeps His commands is the one who loves Him, not just he who sings ‘O, How I love Jesus.’”  Again it’s important that we live out what we say we believe.
3.  Though Jesus willingly gave Himself up to the soldiers, Peter mounted an anemic (as it turns out) attempt to prevent Him being taken.  He slices off the servant ear (“right ear” John tells us).  Jesus reattaches the ear and rebukes Peter for his action.  Jesus came from the Father for the express purpose of going to the cross.
4.  “The church has never made advances by physical warfare, and every time it has tried, the cause of Christ has been severely harmed.  There are no holy wars.  Every war fought in the name of Christ has been utterly unholy, contradicting and undermining everything His word teaches.  The kingdom of God does not advance with fleshly weapons or by fleshly strategy.  The battleground is spiritual, and it makes no sense to fight with physical weapons.” (MacArthur)