John 18:1-11 “The Last Man Standing”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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We're returning this morning to our study of John's Gospel, the account of the most

influential person in the history of the world, written by his most beloved friend.

It's been a while since we've been in John, longer break than usual.

So let me remind you John's purpose.

It's to focus our attention on Jesus, that we may see and come to believe that Jesus is

the Christ, the promised King, that we may find life in relationship with Him.

All of us who think we might find the meaning of life in our stuff, in our performances,

in our performance, in our self-determination by being who it is that we want to be, are

invited to find the meaning of life in Jesus.

For ourselves, for our friends and our neighbors who struggle like us and wonder which end is

in this crazy world.

What about Jesus?

What about Jesus?

What about Jesus?

Some pretty amazing claims about His identity from His own lips, including that He is the

only place that we will find our longings fully satisfied, our lives to be eternally purposeful,

our hearts deeply fulfilled, only in Him.

And throughout the story of Jesus' life, as we've followed it for 17 chapters so far, has

stood the specter of His death.

We've been told from the beginning that He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of

the world, even as He will be lifted up to draw all men to Himself.

And so often through the Gospel of John, we've read that His hour has not yet come, even when

people set out to kill Him, but it's not His hour.

But now His hour has come.

The cross is in view within even 24 hours.

Jesus has lived in an amazing way, certainly.

Unheard of miracles, astonishing claims, unusual company, challenging teaching.

But how will things go at the end?

John just spent five full chapters, our entire fall, on Thursday alone of Jesus' final week.

And He's going to zero in now as we head towards Friday and the steps leading to the death of

the one who promised to be life for all who believe in Him.

The crucified King and eventually the risen King.

Let's ask God to help us see Him clearly.

Father, You delight to show us Jesus.

We're so thankful.

It's our first commitment as a church to be Christ-centered.

And as simple as it sounds, it is so hard for us.

Fix our eyes even now upon Him.

Holy Spirit, shine the spotlight on Jesus.

Don't let us miss Him this morning or leave unchanged by Him.

We ask it in His name.

Amen.

Amen.

John chapter 18 at verse 1.

John 18 · chapter mention

The same night that Jesus has washed His disciples' feet,

has taught them in the upper room,

has shared the last supper with them,

has then prayed to His Father for them and for us,

He now moves toward the cross.

When Jesus had spoken these words,

He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley,

where there was a garden which He and His disciples entered.

Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place,

for Jesus often met there with His disciples.

So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees,

went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him,

came forward and said to them,

whom do you seek?

They answered Him,

Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus said to them,

I am He.

Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them.

When Jesus said to them,

I am He,

they drew back and they fell to the ground.

So He asked them again,

whom do you seek?

And they said,

Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus answered,

I told you that I am He.

So if you seek Me,

let these men go.

This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken.

Of those whom you gave Me,

I have lost not one.

Then Simon Peter,

having a sword,

drew it and struck the high priest's servant

and cut off his right ear.

The servant's name was Malchus.

So Jesus said to Peter,

put your sword into its sheath.

Shall I not drink the cup

that the Father has given Me?

Thus far God's holy word.

Those are tense,

powerful moments, aren't they?

right outside the crowded streets of Jerusalem,

the weekend of the big Passover feast.

I want you for a minute

to imagine yourself

as one of Jesus' followers that night.

Perhaps John himself,

peering out from behind a tree in the garden,

getting his eyewitness view.

Or maybe another disciple,

perhaps further off,

watching from a distance.

What you would see

if you're looking out from there

is a stark opposition

and a total mismatch.

You look up

and in one corner

is a group commentators agree

number several hundred men.

More than perhaps you imagined

when I read the story.

You'd forgotten, hadn't you,

how many soldiers

the Romans sent

to keep peace

during the busy feast week.

Judas,

you know him.

He's there

and he's surrounded

by these armed

and dangerous soldiers.

Hundreds of them.

As well as some key Jewish leaders.

You recognize even some of them

from the temple.

There they are,

a band of several hundred

stepping forward to meet them.

is Jesus.

A solitary figure

who's been praying

emotionally in the garden.

Now with just a handful

of followers behind him.

There you are looking.

Who you got?

Maybe better,

how fast can you disappear?

This is not going to end well,

is it?

You know it's not.

Now Jesus is pretty amazing.

I mean you've seen him

do lots of things.

You've seen him escape

the crowds before

when they came to make him

king by force

and he disappeared.

On another occasion

when they would have stoned him

and he slipped through.

But this feels different.

Now you can tell

the forces of darkness

mean business.

Consider all of the opposition

that Jesus is facing

in this moment.

He's facing

personal betrayal

from a friend

like Judas.

That can feel overwhelming,

can't it?

Overwhelming enough

for any of us

to be broken.

Combine that

with the religious leaders

of his day.

Corrupt as some of them were.

They were in charge

and they were out

to get him.

How discouraging

must that be

for a man who himself

is seeking

to lead people to God

but all of God's people

are out to get him.

And lest any doubt

be left

as to the ability

of the group

to finish the job,

the greatest

political power

on the planet

comes with lanterns

and torches

and weapons

to extinguish

the so-called

light of the world.

Emotional

opposition,

spiritual

opposition,

physical

opposition.

Jesus

is way outmanned

it seems.

And yet

what unfolds

is utterly

unbelievable.

It's also

eternally hopeful.

I hope

that it fills you

with hope

this morning

because

we've faced

overwhelming

opposition too,

yes?

Even as we hide

behind the tree

and look on,

what's going to happen?

In the face

of overwhelming

opposition,

Jesus

stands out

and he shines

bright.

Don't take

your eyes

off Jesus

as we follow

this story,

okay?

Don't miss him.

It's really amazing.

First,

we're going to notice

his sovereign

control.

there may be

nothing more

striking in this

whole interaction

than the fact

that Jesus,

outnumbered

as he appears

to be,

is in charge

of the whole

encounter

with hundreds

of Jewish

and Roman

leaders.

Just as he said,

no one takes

his life

from him.

Right?

John wants us

to realize that.

Whatever the outcome

here,

whatever happens

to Jesus,

he is calling

the shots,

isn't he?

I mean,

notice,

wouldn't you expect

him to make

pretty quick work

of him,

numbers-wise?

He's certainly

not in a strong

position for

negotiation,

is he?

And yet,

he initiates

the conversation.

I can't say

for sure,

but even the fact

that he's asking

the questions

here makes

it sound to me

a little bit

like it must

have been,

whom do you

seek?

And the response,

well,

well,

sir,

I mean,

Jesus of

Nazareth?

Maybe?

In just a moment,

he will give

them directions,

demanding,

if you can

imagine it,

that they let

his followers

go.

And he

remains so

in control

of this whole

scene that

somehow,

can you imagine

this?

When Peter

cuts off the

ear of one

in their party,

they seem

frozen.

They seem

to look on

calmly while

Jesus handles

it.

He handles

the instigator,

Peter,

and the

injury.

There is

something about

this Jesus,

isn't there?

Something very

unusual.

In the moment

that he

appears to be

least in

control,

most powerless,

he absolutely

is in

control.

Maybe you

can trust him

too,

when you face

opposition.

Maybe he's

still in control

in your life

when it feels

like he's not.

God.

But then if

his first

question didn't

rattle their

helmets,

his next

words clearly

did.

Ego

a me,

I am.

And John

says,

as Jesus

others those

words,

Judas was

standing,

the several

hundred men

were standing,

standing,

and suddenly

Jesus alone

was standing.

They drew

back,

and they

fell to the

ground,

all of them

together.

That's a

sure sign of

defeat,

isn't it,

in any

encounter that

you would

have.

The lone

object of

their focus

just uttered

two words,

but there's

power in

this name,

isn't there?

Jesus has

repeatedly in

John finished

the sentence,

I am

the bread

of life,

the good

shepherd,

the light

of the world,

and so on,

all of which

may be in

view here,

but when he

says merely

ego a me,

Jewish minds

are running

much further

back than

Jesus

life.

As he said

just a few

chapters ago,

before Abraham

was,

I am.

And on

that occasion,

when they

heard those

words,

they picked

up stones

to kill

this blasphemer,

the one who

would claim

equality with

Yahweh,

the one

true God.

This,

as you know,

is the name,

the powerful

name by which

God identified

himself to

Moses,

first in a

burning bush,

and then to

his people in

Egypt.

You can even

go back to

creation because

John 1 tells

us this,

Jesus was in

the beginning

with God.

Now,

please understand,

we have to

understand,

this is different

from every

other religion,

okay?

Christianity,

Christianity,

this Jesus

standing before

overwhelming

opposition

cannot be

one among

many,

an option on

the buffet.

Every other

leader,

teacher,

guru,

influencer

says,

let me show

you the way.

Jesus says,

I am

the way.

every other

prophet says,

let me tell

you the truth.

Jesus says,

I am

the truth.

Every other

religion says,

let me point you

to life.

Jesus says,

I am

the life,

the one

true God

himself.

Did he really

mean this?

Some would ask.

Oh,

absolutely.

just ask one

of his few

followers

who could

have easily

saved their

own skins,

but instead

one after

another

give their

lives

to spread

this claim.

Just ask

one of his

opponents if

you prefer,

like Malchus

for example,

whose otherwise

not noteworthy

name is almost

certainly included

here because

this is how you

write ancient

history.

Ancient

history is

written with

eyewitnesses,

likely as

servant a

younger man

in the group,

likely then still

alive when John

circulates his

account and

likely if you

talk to Malchus

he's got quite

a story.

He can even

hear you.

But as much

as Christianity

is different from

every other

religion,

we have to

understand this

is also different

from irreligion

and naturalism

and humanism

of our day.

This Jesus

is unlike

any other

man.

He doesn't

bow to

power dynamics.

He doesn't

yield to

normal human

limitations.

He stands

out as an

otherworldly

presence in

this world.

Something most

in our culture

would have no

room to account

for.

We can't

explain him.

This is no

man to be

taken lightly.

When he speaks

his name,

I am.

No one else

is standing.

Have you

encountered

Jesus like

that?

And been

knocked off

your feet?

We need to.

That's what it

means to be

Christ-centered,

by the way.

God-man

is standing

in your own

strength,

but rather

from the ground

each day

to see Jesus

as the

strong one.

Yes,

he will pick

you up in

love,

but it starts

with hearing

him say,

I am,

and falling

on your face

before him.

He is the

last man

standing,

the unparalleled

God-man

before whom

no one

can stand.

He stands

out among

the most

powerful

of the

powerful.

No one

is his

equal.

No one

else

stands.

Except,

instead of

them all

just disappearing

as they've

fallen back,

Jesus instead,

invites them

back into

conversation.

It's a bit

comedic,

honestly.

It's as though

he's saying,

sorry,

could you tell

me again

who it was

you were

looking for?

Did you

forget why

you came?

Just notice

briefly the

power of

his word.

Something more

than intellectual

recognition was

going on when

he said,

ego,

a me,

because many

of those

Roman soldiers

wouldn't have

been familiar

with Yahweh,

and yet they

fall down

when he speaks.

That's

inexplicable

power.

It wouldn't

make sense.

And when

Jesus responds

to them this

time,

we're told in

verse 9

that his

order to let

these other

men go

was why?

To fulfill

the word

that he had

spoken.

In case you

don't recognize

it,

that's language

being applied

to the

words of

Jesus

that was

used for

all the

sacred

scriptures,

all the

holy prophets

when they

spoke.

When John

quotes them,

that's what

he says,

and now

he does it

with Jesus'

words.

Jesus'

word is

utterly

trustworthy.

Jesus

here is

in sovereign

control.

His very

presence,

his name,

his word,

are worth

trusting.

They can

flip any

power dynamic

you've ever

encountered,

any opposition

you've ever

faced.

I wonder

what he'll

use that

amazing power

for as he

turns the

tables on

them.

Can you

start to see

yourself getting

a little bit

fired up at

this point if

you're watching

Jesus and

you're one of

his followers?

I mean,

certainly,

clearly he's

going to use

it to get

away,

right?

But also

he's probably

going to humiliate

this band of

soldiers.

This is going

to be great

except not

exactly.

Verse 7,

he asked them

again,

whom do you

seek?

And they

said,

Jesus of

Nazareth.

Jesus answered,

I told you

that I am

he,

so if you

seek me,

let these

men go.

This was to

fulfill the

word that he

had spoken,

of those whom

you gave me,

I have lost

not one.

Jesus has

said this as

recently as

earlier tonight

in his

prayer in

John 17,

Father,

while I was

with them,

I kept

them in

your name

which you

have given

me.

I have

guarded

them and

not one

of them

has been

lost except

the son of

destruction

that the

scripture

might be

fulfilled.

I mean,

as his

followers,

you've got

to know,

their lives

were certainly

on the line,

right?

When you

come and

the leader's

going to be

taken out,

they would

be rounded

up with

the leader

typically.

But this

leader,

this good

shepherd,

is looking

out for

his sheep.

Don't miss

the wonder

of this

shepherding

protection.

Dear ones,

please don't

miss this.

When the

pressure rises

for Jesus,

he doesn't

forget us

in a race

to save

his own

skin,

to rescue

himself.

He hasn't

forgotten

you,

no matter

the level

of opposition

that you

are feeling,

he hasn't.

Other than

Judas the

betrayer and

the fulfillment

of the

scripture,

he doesn't

lose a one

of his

twelve

disciples,

does he?

And perhaps

more to the

point for you

and me,

Jesus

doesn't

lose a

one of

us who

have

believed

in him.

When Jesus

tells us

back in

chapter 6

that he

is the

bread of

life,

and he

speaks not

merely of

the twelve,

but of

whoever

comes to

me,

whoever

believes

in me,

Jesus

ensures

us,

it is

his

father's

will that

he lose

none of

those,

none of

those who

come and

believe,

that he

will raise

us up

on the

last day.

Do you

hear his

words

speaking that

not just

to the

twelve in

the garden

that night,

but to

you and

me,

as you've

come to

believe in

him,

he's got

you.

What a

comfort

that should

be to

the ears

of those

facing all

sorts of

opposition,

from the

mouth of

the one

who has

overcome

the forces

of

darkness,

and in

the darkest

hour,

has not

forgotten

us.

In fact,

he has so

stood for

us that

we don't

have to

fight for

ourselves.

Maybe you're

like Peter,

I am,

and it takes

you a while

to learn that

lesson.

As the other

disciples presumably

begin to slip

away, let's

imagine we're

with them,

right?

Slipping

away,

Peter slips

out his

sword.

Aha,

a great idea

at a great

time.

He decides

to take

his last

stand beside

his Messiah

King until

the king

stops him.

We learn

elsewhere,

heals the

ear.

Again,

somehow,

staves off

a response

from the

armed soldiers.

I don't

know how

Peter's not

killed here.

Jesus is

in control,

and he

allows Peter

to exit

stage left,

if you will,

except graciously.

not shamefully.

If, like

me, you

have ever

forgotten

that your

king is in

control,

I don't

know, maybe

there's somebody

in here who's

had that

experience.

If you've

forgotten that

you can trust

him and you've

started flailing,

if you will,

with your

sword to

maintain

control,

to protect

yourself,

to advance

his cause

your own

way,

if that's

ever been

you like

it has

me,

I want

you to

treasure

this calm

but clear

gospel

reminder,

gospel truth

from Jesus.

Not a

shaming of

you for

that.

Out of

love for

Peter,

what does

he say?

Not giving

up on

him.

Not,

as you

might imagine,

oh,

second thought,

take that

crazy guy.

Go ahead

and take

him.

I could

lose

one.

No.

put your

sword away.

Shall I

not drink

the cup

the Father

has given

me?

The cup

Jesus is

referring to

is the

cup of

God's

wrath.

The death

due to

sinful

men.

We know

from the

other gospel

accounts that

Jesus has

just been

wrestling in

this very

garden

moments

before

with the

wretched

poison

of that

cup.

The longing

to avoid

it as he

submits his

spirit to

his Father's

will and

he turns

to meet

the oncoming

opposition.

But listen,

friends,

don't miss

this.

With

literally

hundreds

standing

before him

to take

him to

his

death,

what enemy

is most

prominent

in Jesus'

mind?

Political

power?

Seems scary.

Religious

corruption?

Personal

betrayal?

The cup

of God's

wrath.

That's what

he's facing.

That cup

compared to

which we

all should

think,

what can

man do

to me?

This is

what should

really make

sinners

like us

tremble

and shrink

back and

fall to

the ground.

We can't

meet our

own standards,

much less

stand before

God's

judgment seat.

Can you

imagine?

But see,

this,

Jesus,

it's different

from moralistic

Christianity.

This is very

different.

Where I stand

before God

on my own

merits and I

hope to

measure up

and I

hope to

appease

his wrath.

No,

no.

See,

Jesus

stands

and says

to all

of us,

don't

dare

face

that

enemy,

that

opposition

without

me.

He sends

all his

followers

away.

away.

So that

he,

the last

man standing,

can drain

the cup

to its

dregs.

This

Jesus,

who has

on more

than one

occasion

before a

crowd,

humbly

refused

the crown,

now willingly

receives the

cross.

cross.

He goes

willingly.

He knows,

we're told,

all that

is coming

crashing

down

upon him

and he

steps

forward

to embrace

it.

Do you

see that

suffering

substitution?

the king

who's in

total

control

takes on

to protect

his sheep

once

and for

all.

He's not

merely in

powerful

control

of the

whole

situation.

He is

so

completely

humbly

self-sacrificing.

The last

man standing

does

what?

Lays

himself

down

so that

we can

stand

in him

so that

we don't

face the

death

we

certainly

deserve.

Do you

see him

in this

passage?

Can you

see him

tonight

standing

out

as the

one

above

all the

others

in that

garden?

Shining

bright

as the

light of

the world,

the light

of life.

Won't

you run

to him?

Won't

you marvel

at him?

Won't

you,

as you

gaze

at him,

praise him

for his

greatness?

Trust

to fight

your

enemies?

Won't

you spend

your life

with him

wherever it

is he calls

you to

follow him,

to praise

his name,

to advance

his kingdom?

Won't

you see

yourself

with

Jesus?

As you

wander out

of the

garden,

can you

even take

your eyes

off Jesus

standing

there?

As he

exits with

the crowd

that came

for you,

are you

starting to

connect some

of the

dots

from this

overwhelming

otherworldly

night you've

been experiencing?

In a

sacrifice,

an act of

suffering,

substitution

that has

been retold

in countless

stories,

movies,

tales of

heroes and

heroines

throughout the

ages,

you can think

of one right

now,

Jesus says,

let them

go.

Take me.

centuries

before,

Moses told

Pharaoh that

Yahweh,

the true

God,

the I

Am,

says,

let my

people

go.

And for

that to

happen,

the first

Passover

came,

where the

lives of

all of the

firstborn

sons were

on the

line until

a Passover

lamb was

taken.

And killed

instead.

And its

blood placed

on the

doorposts

of the

home so

that the

firstborn

would live

and be

let go

to be

with God.

That's the

story that

was echoing

that night

through the

streets of

Jerusalem.

That very

night, it

did in the

upper room,

right?

Jesus told

it over

again with

his disciples.

Jesus had

just explained

that the

broken bread

would be

his body

and that

the blood

that would

cover the

sins of

those deserving

to die and

facing certain

death would

be his

own blood.

Now what

he said is

making more

sense.

Horribly,

yet wonderfully,

you see it.

The very

I am

in the

flesh

doesn't get

taken as a

helpless

victim,

but as a

powerful

shepherd,

yet willing

lamb,

he steps

forward

to lay

down his

life,

saying,

let them

go.

Take me.

Take me.

It was that

very night

that he was

betrayed,

that Jesus

had taken

bread

and broke

it,

gave it to

his disciples

as I'm

ministering in

his name.

Give this

bread to

you.

And he

said,

take and

eat.

This is

my body

given for

you.

Do this

in remembrance

of me.

And in the

same way,

after the

supper,

he took the

cup and

said,

this cup

is the

new covenant

in my

blood.

Shed for

many for

the forgiveness

of sins.

Drink from

it all

of you.

See,

the Father

gave Jesus

the cup

of his

wrath,

which Jesus

willingly drank

so that God

could put in

your hands

this morning

the other

cup the

Bible talks

about.

The cup

of blessing,

the cup

of redemption,

the cup

of salvation

that you

will taste

here in a

moment.

If you

trust that

Jesus drank

that cup

of God's

wrath for

you,

paid for

your sin,

made you

one of his

own that he

will never

lose,

then you

come and

eat and

drink and

trust him

again and

wonder at that

again and

thank him

again and

praise him and

live with him

even right

now.

If that's

not your

hope,

if you've

come to

church for

years perhaps

but you've

never trusted

Jesus to

die in

your place,

to defeat

all your

enemies,

maybe you're

still fighting

them to be

good enough,

trusted him

to bring you

home forever,

if that's not

something you've

done, would

you consider

trusting him

today?

In his name

I offer you

not bread

and wine,

they're signs

like the

baptism to

point you to

Jesus.

I offer you

life today,

life with

eternal

purpose,

life eternal

with Jesus

who is

the life.

Feel free

to come

forward and

ask us to

pray with you,

ask to talk

with us,

we'd love to

talk with you

about him,

the Lamb of

God who

takes away

the sin of

the world.

Let's pray

and we'll eat

together.

Father, thank

you for this

great gift.

Another sign

to point us

to the one

who meets

our needs.

Guilty,

vile,

and helpless

we,

spotless

Lamb of

God

was he.

Full

atonement,

can it be,

hallelujah,

what a

Savior.

Might we

meet him

here.

We ask

in his

name,

amen.

For more

information,

visit us

online at

southwood.org.

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