0:07 It's on this day that many churches are filled with an unusual amount of people as tradition calls for us to recollect and pay special attention to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, though churches may be filled with so many different individuals, they may have different motives in their attendance tonight. Some consider it an annual ritual to attend church where their presence is not known throughout the rest of the year, perhaps at Christmas time, where they celebrate or recognize the birth of the savior. Others come wanting to pay homage and honor, but they interpret this event as Jesus, as some kind of martyr of some sort for our faith. But then there are others, a remnant.
0:55 There are those who come because they truly understand what this night is all about. And not because they understood it through tradition or through even hearing truth, but because they've embraced it and been transformed by it. And this is not something that they do once a year, but something that they do on a daily basis. It's a perpetual practice of meditating reflecting upon the gospel of Jesus. And they realize that this night, focused on this event, was a source of their salvation.
1:27 And their only means for eternal life. And I pray that all of us in here are the latter. We've come to worship the Lord of glory because we've been changed by him already. But even if that's not you tonight, God in his providence has allowed you to be in this place to hear the message that has changed many in this room and can change you if you just have the ears to hear what the spirit has to say to you through his word. Now even those who understand the gospel, perhaps might not have the full comprehension of the events that led to the moment that he was nailed on the cross.
2:03 What I mean by that is that there are many people who understand Jesus dying as perhaps some kind of an idea where he was hesitant to do so. Or that he was double minded about the idea. Or perhaps that he was surrendered without him volunteering to do so and was reluctant. Gritting his teeth and wondering if this was really worth it. But I want you to know tonight, there's one point I want you to to sense from the word of God, is that Jesus Christ was not only willing, but he was totally in control of the events leading up to his crucifixion.
2:44 Jesus Christ, not only up to the cross but even while on the cross until he gave up his spirit was in complete charge of everything, of every moment, including the one that we just read. So let's examine tonight that truth. When Jesus had spoken these words, verse one tells us. What words? Well, the final words that we read from chapter 13 to chapter 17, Unique to the gospel of John, not found in the other accounts.
3:14 And Jesus shares these wonderful truths about who he is, about the Holy Spirit, about his work on the cross, about what is going to happen while he's away. And after teaching his own 12 that have surrendered their lives to follow him throughout his earthly ministry, we are then told that he now comes to a garden. Why is he going to a garden? Because we know from the other accounts that Jesus needed to pray even more. He needed to come before the father and seek the strength and the grace to endure something that none of us could even imagine enduring for a moment.
3:51 And he leads his disciples with him and we know from the other accounts that he he calls nine of them or eight of them at least to stay in place and three specific ones to come with him deeper into the garden, so that they can all pray and cry out to the father together. And that's what happens. They seek God. But what's interesting and to note is that Jesus, we are told here goes to a garden. This is not some random area.
4:19 We know the name of this place, Gethsemane. This is where Jesus, we are told, often went to. He would minister all day and then he would sneak away into this specific area and spend time alone. And that wasn't just a place of solitude, Jesus would also bring his disciples, sit them down in this area and and converse with them and teach them and lavish his wisdom upon them. But I love how it's a garden.
4:48 Does that ring a bell to you tonight? Because the commencement of Jesus' final mission on the earth was going to take place here and we all know that the origins of our fallenness as humanity started in a garden as well. This whole mess that we're in, this whole sin thing that we all have to deal with started in a garden and Jesus was going to deal with it in a garden. And we know that in that garden called Eden was our first father Adam who failed to submit to the will of God, failed to resist temptation and gave into his own will for his own pleasure and because of that we have all inherited condemnation. But here we see the last Adam, as Paul would like to name him.
5:38 Coming into his own garden and submitting perfectly to the will of God, to reverse everything that happened from our first father. Unlike Adam, Christ would submit to the will of God at any cost in order to restore what was lost. And what was the main thing that was lost in Eden? Perfect communion with God. That was fractured.
6:00 It was severed. It was damaged. And Jesus now comes to the place where he's willing to drink the very thing that Adam and all his descendants deserved so that we would be restored to our creator. And what's amazing is that Adam, Adam's disobedience was with an interaction with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because of his disobedience, Romans tells us we have now all inherited, as I said earlier, judgment.
6:31 But here now, the last Adam would come before a different tree. And because of his perfect obedience on it, we all inherit his righteousness and salvation forever. He comes to a garden to wage war and to overcome all things that we could not overcome. And as we read on, we see Judas, who betrayed him, knew this place. They were familiar with it.
7:02 It wasn't a secret hideout. Judas himself as a disciple knew where he could find Jesus at this time of the night. And so you know what I love? We know very well Jesus knowing all things and knowing his own disciples and knowing what Judas was going to do. I know this for certain, Jesus was not trying to hide.
7:22 He was not trying to escape. He was not trying to weather the storm. I believe according to this word and you should believe it based on the scriptures that Jesus went there intentionally to be found out. Why? Because look at verse four.
7:37 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him. He knew it. He knew what he was entering into. He knew who he was gonna encounter. He knew that Judas would find him here and sell him out.
7:52 He knew that the Jews would beg for his crucifixion. He knew that Pilate would give him up to torture. He knew that he would be abandoned by his own followers. And he knew that he would experience something that he's never experienced in eternity past. The face of the father turning away from him.
8:13 The Lord had full understanding and he did not try to divert it. He embraced it. And so then, why didn't he escape? If you had full knowledge of the events that were gonna take place like Jesus did, wouldn't you want to? Wouldn't you want to cringe at the thought alone?
8:33 He didn't because this is the reason why he came. This was his sole mission. This was the ultimate purpose of his entrance into our world, to drink the cup. And it's interesting to see how Judas came with a band of soldiers. It's believed that Judas himself came with perhaps hundreds of soldiers.
8:56 Evil wicked men, officers of the Pharisees. Those who had no sense of mercy when they dealt with prisoners and criminals. And why did they do this? Did they think that Jesus would escape? Did they think that the disciples would fight for their master?
9:13 Or did they fear what the Pharisees feared earlier that there would perhaps be an uproar and a riot because the general public loved this prophet? No matter what the reason was, Judas obviously, throughout those three years of hearing Jesus's sermons and lessons and teachings, did not really believe what the God man had to say about himself. Because if Judas really understood who Jesus was, he wouldn't have to go through all this trouble to try to trap the man. Can I tell you why? Because Jesus said in John ten seventeen, for this reason the father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
9:52 No one takes it from me. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from my father. You see, Judas thought he was gonna seize Christ by his own cunning.
10:13 You see, Pilate thought that he had the authority to crucify Christ or to set him free. You see, the Pharisees thought they caught him now and that they cornered him and that they would rid him of the earth. And even death itself realized that when Christ entered into its realm that it had no authority to keep him in the grave. Why? Because Christ had ultimate authority over every event, over every man, even death itself.
10:40 And this is what we see here now. Verse four, Jesus knew everything. And John himself witnessed, he witnessed something in this moment. As the lanterns and the torches lit up the faces of these wicked soldiers, says here in verse four, that knowing all that what happened to him came forward. I love that.
11:08 Jesus there talking to his disciples and we know him from other accounts saying, my betrayer is now here and hearing their footsteps. Knowing that they were coming to arrest them, he didn't whimper. He didn't screech. He didn't gasp. He didn't hide behind a tree.
11:24 He saw them perhaps even surrounding him from all ends and it says he steps forward. He came forward with majestic calmness, with dignity, with his shoulders rolled back and his chest out, but with a grace mixed with authority. And so much authority did Jesus possess in this moment that he initiates the interrogation. Whom do you seek? Who are you guys looking for?
11:52 This is a man who is in charge. He saw the crowd approaching him and he stepped forward with a courage and a serenity that can be felt in the atmosphere. And what we see here is that this is further proof that he was the one who is the master of all that was about to take place. And the crowd did not hesitate to answer him saying, Jesus of Nazareth. And as these men who have seen prisoners murdered, as they've tortured and whipped people, they had no nerve in their conscience, looked at Jesus.
12:26 Jesus did not blink an eye as he stared back into their souls. And when he stared back at this band of men, he gave an answer to his identity that would be much deeper than him just being Jesus of Nazareth. Because when he answered he said, in verse five, I am he. I am he. Now depending on your version in your bibles tonight, you would notice that the word he is italicized.
12:55 And the reason why it is italicized is because in the original Greek, he is not mentioned. The the original wording would render Jesus's answers as this, I am. I am. Now if you know your old testament well, you know exactly what Jesus is trying to state here. I am.
13:18 Moses back in Exodus when he was commissioned by God to be the deliverer for the nation of Israel from Egypt was wondering as he was contemplating answering this call, what if what if the people ask me what your name is, the name of the God of their fathers? What shall I tell them? And God who was manifesting himself through that burning bush answered Moses says, tell him I am sent you to them. I am the personal name of God, the exclusive, the exalted majestic identity that he alone possesses and claims is the very same name that Jesus utters on his own lips about himself. The same I am that unveiled his identity to Moses so that he could give confidence to his people that they would be delivered is the same I am who approached humanity in human flesh to bring about a greater deliverance.
14:15 Often people criticize our faith in saying that Jesus never defended himself or proclaimed that he was God. And I argue, you're right. He did something much more serious and much more powerful. He took God's personal name and applied it to himself. This would have been more shocking.
14:35 This would have been more powerful than him saying, I am God in the general sense. I am? We know he said it back in John eight, now he's saying it again. And so he wants to make sure that as these men are prepared to arrest him, that they're dealing with the divine. They're dealing with the very same God who created them in the first place.
15:01 And so there they are now hearing this and what's amazing is that the truth claims of that statement alone should cause us to shutter in a holy way, but just to add more power to this event. The moment he uttered those two words, I am, it was assisted with an unseen invisible force that radiated from him in such a way that it lifted up these soldiers from their feet and pushed them to the ground. And what are we told here? We're told here in verse five by John, Judas in the second part who betrayed him was standing with them. It's as though John wants to remind us, hey, do you realize what's about to happen?
15:41 Judas was standing right there. Don't forget that the betrayer was the one himself who experienced what's about to transpire. I am. Judas who betrayed him was standing with him and Jesus said to them, I am he. They drew back and fell to the ground sheer power.
16:00 Glory and majesty that literally threw them to the ground like they were nothing. And I couldn't help but reading this thinking to myself, imagine with me tonight, if this is the power that Christ possessed in his humiliation as a human humble servant, what kind of power is going to come forth from him when he returns in glory? What's gonna happen to sinners? What's gonna happen when he comes in full majesty? Not to save men from sin but to condemn men who are in sin.
16:31 What's going to take place if this is him in his saving mission radiating such glory and majesty and holiness, it threw them to the ground. It's amazing how people try to explain this text. Well, they were startled. He came out of the bushes. Really?
16:53 No. It's teaching us something. It's not only teaching us something about the depths of the power of Christ. You ready for this? It's teaching us something about the depths of man's depravity.
17:04 Do you know why? Because he says, I am he and they are thrusted to the ground. Now if you were Judas or one of those soldiers, how would you respond as you get up and dust yourself off? Would you dare resume the mission that you were even hired for? Would you would you continue the plot of arresting and crucifying an innocent man?
17:29 Would you reconsider? Would you understand that not only as a Jew do I understand what you mean when you say I am, you've demonstrated it with power just from your word alone. Surely, we should reconsider. No. He asked them again and they say, we're here for you.
17:50 We want your blood. We want you to be nailed on a tree. You know what's amazing? Someone else had a very similar experience to Judas here. And he was a man that wrote 70% of the New Testament.
18:06 When Paul gave his testimony in Acts 22 about his experience and encounter with Christ, let me just read it and hear what he said. In Acts 22 verse six, Paul says, as I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shown around me. Verse seven, and I fell to the ground. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Two men, both experienced very similar encounters with Christ, both gave two different responses to the glory that they experienced.
18:45 Because when Judas got back up after tasting something of the tangible glory of God, he was still set on selling his master and his lord for 30 pieces of silver. And when Paul, the one who would in a different sense try to destroy the body of Christ, experienced the divine majesty of Jesus. He was pushed to the ground. But in verse eight, this was his response, and I answered, who are you Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth.
19:22 Same answer. I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting. And you read on and then Paul says, what shall I do Lord? Those are the two questions that every person who claims to have met Christ should definitely ask if they've been changed by Christ. You wanna know who he is and you wanna serve him at any cost.
19:42 Who are you? What shall I do? If you've met Jesus, Christian, professing Christian, you've asked those questions and you continue to ask those questions. You wanna know who he is and you wanna know what he wants from you all the days of your life. You know, I've heard different people say, if only more people had a Damascus Road experience like Paul did, surely we would have more Christians in this generation.
20:06 Oh really? Here's one, Judas and arguably hundreds of other soldiers in the same place. And there's not one recorded verse that tells us that they turned to Christ. Unless the Holy Spirit comes in and convicts you and shows you your sin and breaks you where you confess Christ, you're beyond hope and so am I. So let men see miracles.
20:33 Let men see the glory of Jesus Christ in the same manner. You have the will to receive him or reject him. And I would say this, a message can come forth like tonight with power, with conviction, by the grace of God, And every single person in this place can respond differently. Some like Judas will get up from this place and dust themselves off like nothing happened. Like they didn't hear about the gospel.
20:56 They didn't hear God extending grace and mercy. They know that they are sinners. They know that they don't have eternal life apart from his righteousness but you'll waltz right out of here and continue on your own mission like Judas did. But then perhaps there are some like Paul, who even in their pursuit of rebelling against God and Christ would be touched. And you would say, I surrender to him.
21:21 I surrender to him. And so what happens, what we see here that they get back up and they resume. Jesus in verse seven says this, so he asked them again, whom do you seek? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Now the reason why he's asking again is not because he wants to display power once more.
21:46 He did that. He's asking again because he wants to reinforce that this whole business of them coming and surrounding and ambushing him and his friends, his disciples, was not about the others but between the betrayer and the Christ. So Jesus here wants to make sure that they're not coming after his sheep. Because he says here in verse eight, I told you that I am he so if you seek me let these men go. You and I just got a taste of the divine power of God but you and I are about to sample on his divine love.
22:23 I want you to think about this for a moment. In this discourse, in this engagement, in this dialogue rather, Jesus, although he has a mission to fulfill, was concerned about his disciples. And he wanted to make sure that none of them would be arrested, none of them would be taken, none of them would be whipped, none of them would be put to death. He steps in a defense for them and he looks at these men in their eyes and says, this is between you and me. His protecting, preserving care even when he's the object now of assassination and assault.
23:01 And what I find amazing here is that the same shield that Jesus illuminates with his loving care from his enemy and their enemies, is the same Jesus that will preserve you and me throughout the rest of our lives. The same holding power, the same protective care that he had for these men in this moment is the same kind of attention and guard he will provide over your souls. And it doesn't matter if an army from hell comes and demands for you, he will not give you up. He will not let you go. You can you can guarantee that because it says here in verse nine, of those who you gave me I have not lost one.
23:44 That was in John 17 when he was praying to the father. Every single one that have come to me, I've made it my holy obligation to make sure that not one would be lost. Not one would be ransacked. Not one would be taken from my hand. If I started a work in you, I'm gonna bring it to completion.
24:06 And I will bring you safely to the shores of glory. No matter how much you are buffeted or bullied by Satan and his realm down here on earth, Christ will not lose one of us. He will not forfeit us. He will not abandon us. He will hold on to us.
24:25 And I love the words here of Jesus when he says, I told you that I am he, so if you seek me let these men go. You can almost interpret that as Jesus's words, not just toward Judas, but towards the justice of God. Do you know what I mean by that? You can almost take these words and apply them to his finished work on the cross. And what Jesus says here on behalf of his disciples, the cross says on behalf of you and me, if you seek me, if this is the body that you prepared for sacrifice, let these men go.
25:06 The wrath of God cannot touch you or me. Not one single drop of God's condemnation for any sin that you've committed, if you're hidden in Christ, will not touch you. The eternal bondage that all of us deserve to be shackled by will not clamp our ankles or our wrist because he was arrested on our behalf. And on our defense, he stood in our place. So between now to the moment where we stand before him, we are free.
25:36 Jesus declared it on the cross and it speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Let these men go. I will take their punishment. I will take their wrath. I will take your judgment.
25:50 This is the hope that you and I have. And what's incredible is after all of this, I mean, in this garden, this dark cold area, warmed only by the lanterns of betrayal, but now being interrupted by the aroma of divine power and divine love, all for a sudden now is about to be interrupted by an act of the flesh. Because as Jesus is displaying such glory and wonder and splendor, All for a sudden, would you know it, here he is again, Simon Peter. Verse 10. Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest and cut off his right ear, the high priest servant.
26:39 The servant's name was Malchus. So here's Jesus doing things and saying things that are clearly overwhelming. And you know who's not getting any of it? The same one who wasn't getting it throughout his ministry, Peter. Here he is realizing that there's a moment, an opportunity to defend his master and he pulls out a sword and he comes up and he tries to strike a man perhaps aiming for his head and cuts off his right ear.
27:13 I mean, did you just not witness Jesus saying two words and bulldozing all these men at once? What was he showing there that at any moment throughout this whole trial, throughout the torture process, throughout you even trying to nail my hands on the cross, I can change the direction of all of this. And all he had to say was two words, even one word and he could have pushed them all back again and he could have walked over all of them and headed home for a good night sleep. Peter didn't get it. Peter didn't see it.
27:42 Peter didn't understand it. He couldn't register that. And so, perhaps in wanting to showcase what he had told Christ, I will I will go to the end with you. He steps on, pulls out a sword, cuts a man's ear off. And what Jesus is about to do is take the mess that Peter made with Malchus' ear and turn it into a message.
28:10 He rebukes Peter. And Peter needed to understand, unlike different expressions of faith, we don't use the sword. The only sword that you're allowed to use Christian is the sword of the spirit. And that's the word of God. My kingdom is not of this world.
28:30 You don't need to defend me, Peter. You don't need to step in and do this. Your zeal is is is wonderful but it's expressed in the wrong way. And so he tells him to put away his sword. But you know what's amazing is that in John's version, we don't see what Luke said.
28:45 And Luke said Listen to what Luke said about the same event in chapter 22 verse 51. But Jesus said no more of this. That's what he told Peter, enough. Stop it. But he doesn't end there.
28:58 And he touched his, Malchus' ear and healed him. Do you realize that Malchus' hearing being restored was the final healing miracle that Jesus performed before his death and resurrection. Nothing after that. So if you wanna know when was Jesus' last miracle taken place, right here. He could have not done it.
29:34 You know, if there was anyone who deserved to be deformed and deaf on one side of his head for the rest of his life, It was anyone that stood on the side of Judas in this moment. But imagine that scene. Imagine the adrenaline. Imagine the tension in the air. Imagine the confusion on some parts.
29:53 Imagine the disciples bewildered as they're wiping their eyes after falling asleep so many times during a time of prayer. And people are falling and Jesus is saying profound things and Judas is is there ready to still perform what he wanted to do against his Lord. And Peter now cuts off a man's ear and all for a sudden, all of this is quenched again by Christ's love. I don't know how he did it. Did he stoop down to Malchus?
30:24 Was Malchus agonizing in pain as his ear just got ripped off his head and blood was gushing forth? Were other soldiers ready to now come and kill the other disciples? Whatever took place, Jesus wanted to declare a message through this miracle. I'm gonna do something to you, Melchus, that you don't deserve. And even as you're here to arrest me and have a contribution into my death, I'll give you mercy.
30:58 And he lays his hand on his head, and it's quite possible he recreated a whole new ear. Malchus is a picture of a lot of people today. You're not standing on the side of Christ, you're standing against Christ. And I've met these kind of people that have experienced God's compassion even in their state of rebellion. Even in the posture of disobedience.
31:26 Undeniably experiencing an extension of the healing touch of Jesus Christ, whether it's a physical miracle or spiritual touch, whatever the case may be. But you know what's amazing? You never hear of Malchus again. I wonder what happened with this man. I wonder the the stunning look on his face.
31:47 I wonder if he went home that night and didn't even go to the trial and just sat there across the table with his wife and try to explain what just occurred, as there was dry blood on his cheek, but a brand new ear. Wondering, we were there to go arrest him. And one of his own cut my ear off and he looked at me. And when he looked at me, he extended his hand and I can hear again. I wonder if Malchus will be in heaven.
32:19 I wonder if he'll be in hell. It's possible for Jesus to touch somebody so undeniably that their souls have experienced his fingerprint yet still not make a decision? Maybe that's you. I've talked to enough people who have had near death experiences. Car accidents that flipped over and they said God protected me, and even some angelic encounters apparently, and they're still on the side of Judas, selling Jesus for some pieces of silver.
32:53 And so Christ here is doing what a man did not deserve. It's performing an act of love that should not have been extended to him. And that's who Jesus is. That's who Christ is. Can you imagine the sight?
33:11 Can you imagine as John is recording this incident later on in his life? As you're about to arrest me, in other words, Judas before you take me, I wanna I wanna heal Malchus. I wanna make sure that Malchus goes home with both his ears tonight. That's the love of Christ. That's the mercy of our Lord.
33:33 And again, at the same time adding more judgment to these men because they've witnessed yet another divine miracle. Making the case even more undeniable, we are indeed going to betray the I am. And then he looks at Peter in verse 11. So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into its sheath. You and I up to this point have seen Christ's love shared from all angles.
34:05 He displayed his love, his preserving love for his disciples. I will not lose one of them. He extended that mercy to his enemies. He is displaying and about to continue to demonstrate his love to the father. And now he's about to make a statement to prove his love for you and me.
34:23 Put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that the father has given me? Peter, you can't interrupt what this is all about. You don't have to fear. You need to defend me because I have the authority to raise up my life again.
34:41 And this is about more than Judas betraying me, betraying you, betraying the mission. This is more about this is less about Rome and less about the Pharisees. This is about a divine plan between me and the father. There's a cup that I have to drink. What was the cup?
35:05 The cup was divine judgment. The cup of the wine of the wrath of God. And that cup is so large, it's so deep. It has the name of every single human since Adam and Eve engraved on it for every single one of us to drink. You wanna know how deep this cup is?
35:28 It could run and overflow and be poured out for all eternity. And what's happening here? The very cup of divine wrath that is supposed to be poured out over on our heads. Christ said, father, I'm willing for you to take what every single person and their name inscribed on that cup deserves. For my name to be replaced on that cup and for me to drink it to the very last drop.
36:00 Why? Is God a sadistic God? Does God find pleasure in in in humans being in pain and suffering for all eternity? No. It's because he's holy and he's just and he's a judge that judges perfectly and we have all fallen short of the glory of God.
36:22 Every single one of us in this place have fallen short of the standard of God's perfect law. And because of that, like any good judge would, it demands for us to make a payment. But the issue is we've sinned against a perfect God. And in order to enter into his presence forever, it demands perfection and none of us can claim that unless we've lost our minds or we're deceiving ourselves. And that cup that was supposed to be drinking by you and me at the end of our lives, Christ said, I will take it and I will drink it to make sure that the only cup that will be extended by the father towards you and me is the cup of his fellowship.
37:07 So Jesus went to the cross, not reluctantly, not fearfully, not intimidation, not whimpering, not hunched over, but with joy. And even when more than one occasion has given him the opportunity to escape or given him a way out so that he can experience temporary comfort as a human, he continually rejected every single open door. No, Peter. I'm going to the cross. And more than the nails, more than the scourging, more than the flogging, what awaits me is something that is invisible to the eyes of men.
37:53 A cup that will be poured on me. And what's going to take place in a few hours will erase eternal consequences for those who would believe what Jesus did for them. Let me remind you that this is what this night is about and this is what Christianity is all about. Jesus drank a cup for you. And he drank a cup for you so that you can drink another cup.
38:26 The cup of the new covenant. That you and I now can come knowing that this symbolizing his blood gives us perfect entrance into the presence of God forever. Now you and I in that place will know nothing but his pleasure and his goodness and his mercy all the days of our lives. Hallelujah. I want you to know something.
38:51 This is how good the good news is. Nobody can deny the perfection of Jesus Christ. And it goes beyond the fact of him not sinning with his lips or his hands. It goes down deep into his motives, his emotions and his thoughts. You wanna really find a man stuck in his self righteous proclamation?
39:14 Go down to his thoughts and ask them if in their thoughts they've been perfect. And none of us in here would dare volunteer to have our thoughts projected on that screen in the last few hours unless we would do so while crawling out of this place in shame. But Jesus, not even in his thoughts. He perfectly loved the father. Perfectly with his whole mind, with his whole soul, with every ounce of his strength, everything.
39:45 There was not one moment where even in his imaginations, in his dreams, in his walk from one town to another, there was not one moment where even in his mind that he sinned against God. And when Christ steps into this world from the moment he gave his first breath to the moment where he gave up his spirit, all of that perfection now is transferred to your account. Now it's as though you have never sinned against God with your thoughts or with your words or with your deeds, your imaginations. You're nothing perfect in the sight of God. How?
40:23 By faith. By receiving that truth. By believing that what Christ done is for you and you accept it. Now what? Well, by experiencing that grace, it so transforms you from the inside out that you want to live holy and you want to live in obedience to his will.
40:45 This is the Christian life. This is the simplicity of our faith that from that place of acceptance now you walk out living for him joyfully. I heard a man give this example. Hopefully I can execute it right. Where he said, imagine I came up to my wife, for my wife to be.
41:07 She wasn't my wife at the time. And I said, I will marry you on the basis of you taking these 40 recipes, memorizing them, and executing them perfectly, and only then will I marry you. So he here's these recipes, you cook them, and let's try it out and see if this is gonna work out. Is that a real relationship? No, I hope not.
41:31 I hope none of your engagement stories sounds like that. But a relationship is you accepting that person for who they are, loving them, embracing them, not on the basis of anything that they can do for you. And then from that place, out of love, they're willing to serve you. They're willing to do anything for you from the place of relationship, not for it. This is what it means to follow Jesus.
42:02 He does not look at us and say, obey all these things and then I will embrace you. He embraces you. And then from that place, you want to live for him. It's as simple as that. Don't make this complicated tonight, sir, with your sacraments.
42:17 Don't make this complicated, madam, with your ideas of how you should please God. Look to Jesus. He fulfilled it on your behalf. And now only is it a grievance for you to not receive that, it's an insult to the very mission that he accomplished on your behalf. And so I call you today to repentance and faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
42:42 That if you've not received this Lord, if you do not know with full confidence in your soul that Christ drank this cup for you, that you would receive it tonight. Stop running from him, Malchus. What do you need? Do you need Jesus to push you over again for you to experience the great power of the I am? Christ has ordained it for you to hear the gospel and the simplicity of the message to receive saving faith.
43:08 And now we are about to break bread and drink together. But let me say this first, if you are not a born again Christian, if you are not someone who has truly placed their faith in Christ and has been born of the spirit through the gospel, you cannot partake of this ordinance. It is only reserved for those who are children of God. Christ has made it clear. The Apostle Paul has made it clear.
43:32 I am doing my duty to tell you that anybody who does this in an unworthy manner drinks judgment upon himself. And so I call you today to humble yourself if you're not sure of your salvation, to save yourself from much heartache and discipline by just not partaking of this. Okay? But if you were truly saved, this is your right. This is something that you can partake in.
43:53 And what is it? This is a this is a time of celebration. This is a time of reflection. Realizing that as you taste this juice, as you taste this bread, you are being reminded through your senses that this is my source of salvation. What Christ has done with his body and blood.
44:12 And so as Jesus and his disciples on that time, at that time where they have initiated Christ initiated that ordinance, they sang a hymn. And so in this moment, as you have these elements in your hand, we're gonna sing a hymn and I'm gonna come back and lead us through the breaking of bread together.
