JESUS IS ARRESTED (The Fourth Cup & Lamb of God)

The cup is not going to pass. So He allows Himself to be arrested. See on your handout, “Jesus is Arrested.” I think it ought to say that “Jesus Lets Himself be Arrested.” There are several recordings in Matthew, Mark and Luke on the arrest of Jesus, but I found that John’s recording on Jesus’ arrest is so interesting. Many times earlier when Jesus was preaching and teaching, they were following Jesus trying to arrest Him, and He would just walked right through the crowds, right from their midst. They couldn’t catch Him. He could escape anytime He wanted to; He’s God.

Well at this time Judas got a band of soldiers and guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they went there with lanterns and torches and weapons, implying that it was nighttime. And Jesus knew that this was going to happen to Him. This time He didn’t even resist. I think I’ve been watching too many police movies. I watch these arrests where the police are chasing this guy in a car. And they go through town and finally the car wrecks, and the guy gets out and runs. They track him down, and finally they finally get and they catch him and handcuff him. And there’s a lot of screaming and a lot of yelling. These arrests are a horrible scene. And I see Jesus’ arrest is really different.

They go to Jesus and He doesn’t even run from them. He goes out to them and says, "Whom are you looking for?" And “They answered him, "Jesus the Nazorean”. He said to them, "I AM." Circle that, “I AM,” right here. Jesus is saying I AM God. This is a complete statement. Do you remember when we circled this? The first word we circled was Moses when he was at the burning bush talking to God. Yahweh identifies Himself as, “I AM”? Jesus uses this same, “I AM” here to identify Himself to the people coming to arrest Him. So “Judas his betrayer was also with them. When he said to them, "I AM," they turned away and fell to the ground.” (John 18:4-6) They couldn’t even stand up when Jesus defines Himself as God. But He didn’t try to escape.

So he again asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus the Nazorean." Jesus answered, "I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go”. He’s referring to His disciples, and “This was to fulfill what he had said, "I have not lost any of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?" (John 18:7-11) Circle, “drink the cup.” He knows He has another cup to drink. He knows it’s coming. Then Jesus says to Peter put your sword away. You can’t win this fight. Not tonight. We will not fight. He allows Himself to be arrested. Jesus is arrested and is carried away to Pilate. They have a few mock trials, and Jesus is eventually condemned to death.

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