DON’T UNDERESTIMATE HIS POWER

John 18:1-14

Have you ever met a powerful person? • What impresses you?

– Strength?• Weight lifting, endurance

• Military, Leadership

– Influence?• Writer, Politician, Actor

• Martyr, Religious leader

– Affluence?• Money & assets

• Gross National Product

• Jesus is a Powerful Person!

In His Earthly ministry Jesus

• Calmed the storm

• Raised the dead• Fed the multitudes

with scarce resources• Healed lepers

• Restored sight to the blind

• Made a cripple walk• Allowed a healing

touch by a sick woman • Had children sit on

His lap

I. THE ABSURDITY OF HUMAN MIGHT

So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from

the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. – v

3.

• Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? – 1 Sam 17:26.

II. THE RESTRAINT OF DIVINE POWER

Who is it you want? “Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was

standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. – vs 4c-6.

All Jesus had to do was identify Himself

• I Sam 6:20 "Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?".

• Mal. 3:2 "But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?"

• Rev. 6:17 "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

Satan had quoted God’s Word:

• "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" – Mt 14:6.

But who of us hasn’t thought we could resist God?

III. THE DISAPPROVAL OF FORCE.

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter,

"Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" –vs 10-11.

That’s not the only time someone has taken up weapons to defend God.

Jesus had come to give His life a Ransom

• Jn 10:17-18 "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord."

• Jn 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..."

• Rom 8:32 "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

IV. A COOPERATION WITH SUBSTITUTIONARY JUSTICE.

Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if

one man died for the people. – vs 12-14.

Annas and his sons were so corrupt

• They had all, in turn, been deposed as High Priest.

• Caiphas, his son-in-law, now held the office.

We understand the Law of Substitution.

As We Think About It…

…do this in remembrance of me.