1 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,200 If you're able, would you please stand for the reading of God's 2 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:15,960 Word this evening? I'll be reading from two 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,960 different accounts in the Gospels, Matthew and then John 4 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:25,320 of the same event, Betrayal and the arrest of Jesus Christ. 5 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:33,760 First Gospel of Matthew chapter 26, beginning with verse 47. 6 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:41,240 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas came one of the 12, and 7 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,000 with him a great crowd with swords and clubs from the chief 8 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:46,760 priests and the elders of the people. 9 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,000 Now the betrayer had given them a sign saying, the one I will 10 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:56,120 kiss is the man sees him. And he came up to Jesus at once 11 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,720 and said, greetings Rabbi, and he kissed him. 12 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,280 Jesus said him, Friend, do what you came to do. 13 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,480 They came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 14 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,760 And behold, one of those who are with Jesus stretched out his 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,800 hand and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high 16 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:19,160 priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said him, put your 17 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,240 sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will 18 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,640 perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot 19 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,880 appeal to my Father, and He will at once send me more than 12 20 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,920 legions of angels? But how then should the 21 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,320 Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so? 22 00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:40,760 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out 23 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:45,200 against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me? 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,640 Day after day? I set the temple teaching. 25 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,680 You did not seize me. But all this has taken place, 26 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,480 that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. 27 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,880 Then all disciples left him and fled. 28 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:05,120 Now the Gospel of John, chapter 18, verse 10. 29 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:11,160 Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it and struck the high 30 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,000 priest servant and cut off his right ear. 31 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:19,840 The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, put your 32 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,800 sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup the 33 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,240 Father has given me? This is the word of the Lord. 34 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:39,160 You may be seated. Sometime around the year 20 AD, 35 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:46,360 just over a decade before Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross, a 36 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,440 young Jewish man named Yehohanan was crucified by the Roman 37 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,560 authorities in Jerusalem. While it's not known what he did 38 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,760 to deserve death, whatever crimes that he committed against 39 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,240 Rome was severe enough to warrant crucifixion. 40 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:11,920 In 1968, archaeologists discovered the skeletal remains 41 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:19,320 of this young man in a bone box in Jerusalem, including a heel 42 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:29,040 bone with a 7 inch iron nail pushed through the heel, a nail 43 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:33,480 driven right through it. The end of this nail was vent. 44 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:40,360 A theory is that it hit a knot in the wood because it was bent. 45 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,480 The relatives of this young man, when he's taken down off of the 46 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:51,320 cross, couldn't remove the nail. So much so that fragments and 47 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:57,640 pieces of all of wood we're still there attached to the nail 48 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:04,640 and fused the bone, this heel. At the time, this was a 49 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:09,920 monumental archaeological discovery because while there 50 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,960 are countless accounts of crucifixion throughout 51 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:19,839 antiquity, this was the first physical evidence that the 52 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:25,320 Romans executed criminals by nailing them to a wooden cross. 53 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:32,000 Now, the Romans did not invent crucifixion, but it's often said 54 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,120 by historians that they perfected it. 55 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,320 You can trace crucifixion back to the Assyrians, who are known 56 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:46,400 to impale their enemies on a stake and put them on display, a 57 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:53,360 picture of their power, their dominance, that no one should 58 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,200 miss with them. And then we know that 59 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:03,080 crucifixion was later developed by the Persians who crucified 60 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:07,040 their enemies as early as the 6th century BC. 61 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,840 Crucifixion was then developed by the Roman Empire become one 62 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:19,040 of the standard ways that criminals and slaves and rebels 63 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:24,960 and foreigners were executed. The accused would be publicly 64 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:31,840 flogged and stripped naked, hung on a wooden cross with nails 65 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:37,160 through their wrists and through their ankles so that as they 66 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:43,800 were hanging there exposed, they would struggle to breathe and 67 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:49,920 eventually they would suffocate. As a death, it was horrific. 68 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:59,280 It was shameful, reserved for the worst of humanity. 69 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:07,760 And so for centuries, people have asked, why was a Carpenter 70 00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:11,840 from Nazareth named Jesus crucified? 71 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,960 Why was Jesus crucified? That's our question that we're 72 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,800 going to ask together this evening. 73 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,400 Why was Jesus crucified? There are three ways to answer 74 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,640 that question. The first is historical. 75 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,640 The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was a conspiracy involving the 76 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,560 worst of human depravity coalesced together for one 77 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,240 common sinful cause to put Jesus to death. 78 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,520 The plotting of chief priests and the elders. 79 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,360 The greed and the betrayal of Judas, one of Jesus's own 12 80 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,960 disciples. The brutality of the Roman 81 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,200 Empire and perfecting crucifixion. 82 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,920 The cold indifference of Pontius Pilate, The rejection of the 83 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:04,040 Jewish people, the conspiracy, all working together to put 84 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,560 Jesus to death. But the second way we could 85 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:11,120 answer the question, why was Jesus crucified is theological. 86 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:19,520 The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was because of God's sovereign 87 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:25,080 plan, a divine conspiracy. Apostle Paul put it this way in 88 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,200 the book of Ephesians chapter one, verse 7. 89 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,040 Paul writes in him we have redemption through his blood, 90 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,960 the forgiveness of our trespasses, according of to the 91 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:39,800 riches of his grace which he lavished upon us in all wisdom 92 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,160 and insight, making known to us the mystery of His will. 93 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:50,680 Listen to this according to His purpose, which He set forth in 94 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:55,600 Christ, and the fullness of time to unite all things in Him, 95 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,480 things in heaven and things on earth. 96 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,680 In other words, from before the foundation of the world, God had 97 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:07,760 a plan, a plan to rescue His people, to draw you and me to 98 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:16,000 Himself by sending His Son to be born, to take on our flesh, and 99 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:21,600 to die on a cross in our place that all who believe in him 100 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:27,320 would have life. Why did Jesus die on the cross? 101 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,880 Why was Jesus of Nazareth crucified? 102 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,400 Because God sent him there for our salvation. 103 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,760 But the third way we could answer that question, What I 104 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,320 want us to see tonight is deeply personal. 105 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:48,680 This Holy Week, we're looking at the events, death and 106 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:50,800 resurrection of Jesus through the eyes. 107 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:56,120 Who were there eyewitness accounts of those who were with 108 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,240 him? Who saw him in those last days? 109 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,720 And, and tonight we're going to focus on the crucifixion of 110 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:12,000 Jesus through the unlikely witness of a servant of the high 111 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:17,880 priest named Malchus. Through his eyes and through his 112 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,640 ear, we will see the answer underneath every answer to the 113 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,280 question, why was Jesus crucified? 114 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:33,160 Ultimately, is love love? Why was Jesus crucified? 115 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:39,640 Because of love? Because the love of God for the 116 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,880 foundation of the world, for his people, because of the love of 117 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,080 the Son, for his Father to be obedient to His will to the 118 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:53,720 point of death. Love of Jesus for his enemies, 119 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,320 enemies like you, enemies like me. 120 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,560 So first answer the question, why was Jesus crucified? 121 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:05,720 Jesus was crucified because of a conspiracy. 122 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,440 I want you to look with me. Matthew 26, verse 47. 123 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:09,920 You can find it there in your bulletin. 124 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:12,200 You can turn there in your Bible. 125 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,120 You can use the Blue Pew Bible in front of you. 126 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,320 Matthew tells us that while Jesus was still speaking to his 127 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:25,480 disciples, the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas came one of 128 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,200 the 12. And with him a great crowd with 129 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,600 swords and clubs from the chief priests, the elders of his 130 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,920 people. What you need to know as we pick 131 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:37,200 up in this part of the story, the Gospel of Matthew, is that 132 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,560 Jesus is in the garden, Gethsemane with his disciples. 133 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:42,520 He's been praying with 11 of them. 134 00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:45,840 That is all of them except for Judas. 135 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:52,680 He's asked them to keep watch. They keep falling asleep and 136 00:10:52,680 --> 00:10:55,160 admit sentence while he's still speaking to them. 137 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,400 All of a sudden, here comes Judas. 138 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:02,240 Where has he been? And he comes with a band, 139 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:07,880 soldiers. Can you imagine the scene, what 140 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:12,760 it must have been like for one of Jesus's disciples? 141 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:17,400 There they had been, gathered together with Jesus in the upper 142 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,480 room, sharing the Passover meal. There they had been with Jesus, 143 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,280 the guard of Gethsemane, praying. 144 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,520 You wonder, did they notice that Judas was missing? 145 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:35,600 Surely they did. And all of a sudden, while Jesus 146 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:37,680 is still speaking, there's Judas. 147 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:40,960 He doesn't have a smile on his face. 148 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,320 He wasn't saying, hey, wait up, guys want to pray with you? 149 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:55,560 No, he is leading a band of soldiers carrying weapons, 150 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,560 swords and clubs. And here they are coming to 151 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:05,880 Jesus. Here he is with this mob of 152 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,440 people sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees. 153 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,400 You see, they had been plotting to put Jesus to death. 154 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,960 Matthew tells us earlier in chapter 26 that under the 155 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,760 leadership of Caiaphas, they were plotting together. 156 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,640 Now is the time. They had been waiting for the 157 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:29,120 right moment, and now is their opportunity. 158 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:36,640 Jesus must die, we're told as the the story unfolds in Matthew 159 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:42,000 26 that Judas, one of Jesus's own disciples, comes to them and 160 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:48,480 he conspires against Jesus. He agrees to betray Jesus for 30 161 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:54,520 pieces of silver. And here in verse 48, Matthew 162 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,720 tells us this conspiracy even included a signal. 163 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,480 Look with me, we're told now the betrayer had given them a sign 164 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,080 saying the one I will kiss is the man. 165 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:11,920 The signal was a kiss of all things, verse 49, and he came up 166 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,200 to Jesus at once and said, greetings, Rabbi, and he kissed 167 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:22,160 him. Comes up to Jesus 2 faced a 168 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:28,600 liar, a betrayer. He says greetings, it's agreed 169 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,400 to give joy, literally means rejoice. 170 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,080 He calls him rabbi, which you need to know. 171 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:39,120 And I think it's noteworthy than the Gospel of Matthew at least 172 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,560 none of the disciples call Jesus rabbi. 173 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:47,160 They always call him Lord, except for Judas, which means 174 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,080 teacher. Could it be that he had a thin 175 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:54,360 view of Jesus and then that wasn't enough? 176 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:59,080 He kisses him, then just point him out. 177 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,440 Then just say, hey, over here sees this guy. 178 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:11,320 No, he uses a sign of affection and intimacy, a symbol of the 179 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,880 years that Judas spent with Jesus, walking with him, 180 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,600 listening to him, hearing him teach, seeing him perform 181 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:25,240 miracles. And yet in this moment, greed 182 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:28,800 consumed him and he betrayed him with a kiss. 183 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,080 Before in your heart and mind you condemn Judas. 184 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,040 We must ask ourselves, are we any different? 185 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:50,000 So many of us, years spent with Jesus, following him, listening 186 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:55,080 to him, reading about him, walking with him, and yet how 187 00:14:55,080 --> 00:15:02,640 often do we betray him to verse 50? 188 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:10,200 Jesus's response to Judas should stop all of us in our tracks. 189 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:17,760 Jesus says to Judas, friend, friend, do what you came to do. 190 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,640 In other words, Jesus knows what Judas has come to do. 191 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,440 Jesus has always known what Judas was coming to do. 192 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,720 Jesus knew when he chose Judas to be one of his 12 disciples 193 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:37,040 what he would eventually do. He knew that he would betray 194 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,160 him. Why? 195 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,160 Because Jesus was willing to be betrayed. 196 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:49,000 He was willing to be betrayed. He was willing to be arrested. 197 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,960 He was willing to be beaten and tried. 198 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:56,040 He was willing to go to the cross. 199 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,680 We see this and what Jesus prayed right before this in the 200 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,520 Gospel of Matthew. He said, my father, if you'd be 201 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,120 possible, let this cup pass from me. 202 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:12,280 Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. 203 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:20,040 Jesus was willing to be crucified because he knew that 204 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:25,320 that was the Father's will. That's the second reason. 205 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,520 Answer the question, why was Jesus crucified? 206 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,040 Well, the second answer was Jesus was crucified because of 207 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:34,880 the will of God. It wasn't just a human 208 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:38,680 conspiracy, Caiaphas in the high priests in Judas. 209 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:45,320 It was a divine conspiracy, the sovereign plan of God. 210 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,880 Verse 51, we're told that behold, one of those who with 211 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:53,760 Jesus stretched out his hand and drew a sword, and he struck the 212 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,120 servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 213 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,720 Now I want you to put yourself in the shoes of disciples once 214 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,640 more. Again, you've just been with 215 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:08,079 Jesus in the upper room. You had your feet washed by him. 216 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:11,040 You've celebrated the Passover meal with him. 217 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,560 You took the bread and the wine that Jesus said. 218 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,319 This is my body and my blood given for you. 219 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:20,440 You were just praying with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. 220 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,440 Now, out of nowhere, here comes Judas. 221 00:17:24,319 --> 00:17:29,520 You see him kiss Jesus, and now all of a sudden he is surrounded 222 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:34,120 by this mob. They're seizing Jesus. 223 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:37,280 What would you do? How would you have responded? 224 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:44,840 The disciples must have been confused, bewildered, looking at 225 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:50,600 Judas and then looking at Jesus, and they must have been afraid 226 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:56,320 and so very angry. And so we see, according to 227 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:02,360 Matthew, that one of them draws a sword and he swings it at the 228 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:04,720 head of the servant of the high priest. 229 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:12,920 We don't know whether he had great aim or terribly, but he 230 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:19,760 hits the servant's ear and Matthew tells us that it's cut 231 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,320 off. Can you imagine the scene, the 232 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:29,640 shouts, the sounds, and now the sight of blood? 233 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:37,760 Here is the servant holding his head and where the Gospel of 234 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,240 Matthew gives us great detail about everything that is 235 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,720 unfolding here. The Gospel of John that gives us 236 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,680 names. Once you look with me, John 18, 237 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,760 verse 10, you'll find it there in your bulletin. 238 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,120 John tells us that. Then Simon Peter, having a 239 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:57,680 sword, drew it and struck the high priest servant and cut off 240 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,240 his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 241 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,560 The Gospel of John tells us the name of the servant whose ear 242 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,680 was cut off was Malchus. And the specificity of this name 243 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:12,520 is important, especially because of what's about to happen to 244 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,040 Malchus. So when a name is listed, people 245 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,040 could go back and they could ask him about it, they could find 246 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:27,760 him another eyewitness, somebody who was there who saw Jesus, saw 247 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:32,080 his disciples, saw his betrayal and his arrest first hand, and 248 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,880 lived to tell about it. But not only were you told that 249 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,280 the servant's name was Malchus, we're we're told which disciple 250 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:43,320 it was that drew the sword and cut off his ear, it was Simon 251 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,160 Peter. And if you're familiar with the 252 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:51,880 New Testament, if you're familiar at all with Peter, this 253 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,240 should not be surprising to you at all. 254 00:19:55,800 --> 00:20:01,440 You see, Peter's the passionate one, filled with zeal, always 255 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:07,520 acting 1st and thinking second. He doesn't want Jesus to be 256 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,520 arrested. He thinks he's doing something 257 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:14,200 noble. Protecting Jesus from this mob. 258 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,840 And so he draws a sword. He is ready to go to war. 259 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:26,160 Peter's always been doing this, always been acting this way. 260 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,400 Earlier in the Gospel of Matthew, in chapter 16, Peter 261 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,600 has a stunning interaction with Jesus. 262 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,040 In the beginning, Peter is confessing that Jesus is the 263 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:40,720 Christ. That means Messiah. 264 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,640 Jesus says I believe or Peter says I believe Jesus, that you 265 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:49,120 are the Christ, you are the Son of the living God, You are the 266 00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:52,880 long-awaited Savior, King, the Messiah who's come for us. 267 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:57,240 And Jesus looks at Peter and he says bless it are you Peter? 268 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,600 Bless it are you? He blesses him. 269 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:06,560 And then Jesus begins to tell his disciples that he must be 270 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:11,920 arrested, that he must be put on trial by the high priests and 271 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:16,080 the scribes, that he must be beaten and suffer many things, 272 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,640 that he must die. On the third day, he must rise 273 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:22,160 again. And on hearing all of this, 274 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,080 Peter pulls Jesus aside and he rebukes him. 275 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:32,560 He says, don't do it, Lord. This isn't what the Messiah 276 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:35,880 should do. The Messiah shouldn't come to 277 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:40,040 die. Messiah should come to lead us 278 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:47,480 to victory. And Jesus, in response, rebukes 279 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,720 Peter. And this is what he says. 280 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,880 Get behind me, Satan. You're a hindrance to me. 281 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,080 For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but 282 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:04,080 on the things of man. And so here is Peter again, now 283 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:09,520 in the Garden of Gethsemane, and once again he's setting his mind 284 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:15,080 on the things of men. He doesn't understand what Jesus 285 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,320 has truly come to do. In his heart of hearts, he knows 286 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,240 he's the Christ. He knows he's the Messiah, the 287 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,360 Son of living God. But in his mind, the Son of the 288 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:26,400 living God would never be arrested. 289 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:36,720 He doesn't want Jesus to suffer. He doesn't want Jesus to die. 290 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:41,480 And so Jesus tells him once again, verse 52, look with me, 291 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,760 put your sword back in its place. 292 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,560 For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 293 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,800 In other words, the Kingdom of God, according to Jesus, will 294 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:58,680 not be established by the sword, will not be taken by human 295 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:03,480 strength or might or power. No, the Kingdom of God will be 296 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:09,320 established through the cross. And so Jesus says, Peter, put 297 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,600 away your sword. I think so many of us need to 298 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:20,640 hear those words, especially our current cultural moment once 299 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:25,160 again, as it has been so many generations before we see Jesus, 300 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,080 his identity, what he's come to do, put on trial. 301 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:36,240 And just like Peter, we want to take up the sword, use our own 302 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:42,080 human intellect and power and cunning and strength, when all 303 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,040 the while Christ has called us to put away the sword and take 304 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:49,880 up the cross. It is through the cross that 305 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:54,320 Jesus established the Kingdom. So he tells Peter to put away 306 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:55,520 the sword. But he didn't stop there. 307 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,360 Verse 53 he says, do you think that I cannot appeal to my 308 00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:02,840 Father, that He will at once send me more than 12 legions of 309 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,680 angels? In other words, Peter, do you 310 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,840 really think the Son of God needs your help? 311 00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:11,280 Do you really think I need your sword? 312 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:17,960 Don't you realize, Peter, that everything that is happening to 313 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,200 me is happening because I am willing it to happen? 314 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,760 That everything is going according to plan. 315 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,880 He goes on verse 54 about how then should the scriptures be 316 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:35,160 fulfilled. That it must be so. 317 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:44,440 So that it was very much the sinful conspiracy of Judas and 318 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:50,800 Caiaphas and the high priest. The Lord and his sovereignty 319 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:59,080 worked all of this together and one divine conspiracy to send 320 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:05,280 Jesus to the cross. Jesus put it this way, The 321 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:10,280 Gospel of John, he said no one takes it from me, but I lay my 322 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:15,160 life down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down 323 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,320 and I have authority to take it up again. 324 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:26,000 This charge I have received from my Father, Jesus, from the 325 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,280 beginning of his ministry knew that he had received a calling, 326 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:34,240 a calling to lay down his life for his people. 327 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:41,600 And now, according to the will of God, he's being arrested 328 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:49,560 because of the betrayal of Judas in the guard of Gethsemane so 329 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,920 that he could go to the cross to die for you and for me. 330 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,400 That brings us to the third and final reason. 331 00:25:57,360 --> 00:26:03,320 Why was Jesus Christ crucified? Jesus was crucified because of 332 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,600 love. This is the answer underneath 333 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,880 every other answer. Because of love. 334 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:15,160 That is why Jesus died. The story of Peter cutting off 335 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,400 the ear of Malchus is recorded in three of the four gospels, 336 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:23,160 and Matthew, Luke and John. And while all three accounts are 337 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,920 similar in a way, they also are all different. 338 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:27,480 They give a different vantage point. 339 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,080 And some of you might be asking, well, why is that? 340 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:36,600 Which one must be correct? Well, the answer is all of them. 341 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:40,440 And this is the beauty of the four gospels. 342 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:46,080 Each one of them is an eyewitness, like different 343 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:50,400 witnesses to the same event. Taken together, they give a 344 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,800 fuller picture of what actually happened and a much clearer 345 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:58,480 portrait of who Jesus is and what he has come to do for you 346 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,640 and for me. So Matthew, Luke and John all 347 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,000 looking at the same event, Jesus's betrayal and arrest in 348 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:09,520 the Garden of Gethsemane. They're telling one story, but 349 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,800 each of them including different details. 350 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:18,600 And though Matthew describes what happened after Peter pulled 351 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:24,640 the sword, Luke and John include two key details that show us the 352 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,880 love of Jesus Christ. The 1st is found the Gospel of 353 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:31,760 Luke. And Luke begins as gospel, 354 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,600 making it clear that he's writing it to be an orderly 355 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:36,480 account and eyewitness testimony. 356 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,880 Everything that he's writing we know is true. 357 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:44,360 And in his orderly account of Jesus arrest, every detail 358 00:27:44,360 --> 00:27:47,400 matches Matthews except for one key point. 359 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,240 This is Luke 22 verse 50. You don't have to turn there, 360 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,760 just listen. Luke tells us that one of them 361 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,600 struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right 362 00:27:56,600 --> 00:28:00,160 ear. But Jesus said no more of this 363 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:03,600 and then he touched his ear and healed him. 364 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:10,280 Did you hear it? Luke goes on to tell us that not 365 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:15,760 only did he tell Peter to put a stop to what he was doing, but 366 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:21,600 then he walked over to Malchus, he put his hand on his right 367 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:28,360 ear, and he healed him. Now, this is significant for at 368 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:32,760 least two reasons. The first is because of what's 369 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:39,240 just happened, the chaos that Jesus in this moment is being 370 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:42,040 arrested. Can you imagine? 371 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,920 Everybody is about, I mean, if a sword is drawn, you better 372 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:47,560 believe other swords are drawn too. 373 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:52,480 Things could have gotten much, much worse. 374 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:59,400 And yet, out of love, Jesus puts a stop to it, not just with his 375 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,280 words, but by his actions. And he heals Malchus. 376 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,840 But it's also significant because throughout the Gospels, 377 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:11,840 the people that Jesus healed are so often those who believe in 378 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:17,920 him, those who want to follow him, those who are beginning to 379 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,480 trust in him. That's why they're going to him. 380 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,120 And that here is this man Malchus. 381 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:27,600 We don't know anything about his spiritual condition. 382 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,360 All we do know is that he's been with the mob. 383 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:38,360 He's shown up to arrest Jesus. That would tell us that Malchus 384 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:42,000 is an enemy of Jesus. And yet here is Jesus healing 385 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:48,760 him, a display of God's love for his enemies. 386 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:54,400 And this is good news for you and for me tonight, because that 387 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:58,760 is exactly who we are. You and I are Malchus. 388 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:05,560 Because of our sin, because of our betrayal, because of our 389 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:09,480 rebellion against God, We are God's enemies. 390 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,440 We have committed treason against the king and His 391 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:17,760 Kingdom, yet God loved us anyways. 392 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:20,560 Apostle Paul put it this way, Romans 5 verse 8. 393 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,080 God shows His love for us and that while we were still 394 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:26,520 sinners, Christ died for us. He goes on and says, But if 395 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,560 while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death 396 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:33,920 of his Son, much more now that we are reconciled to be saved by 397 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:39,520 His life. We are Malchus, We are enemies 398 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:44,560 of God, enemies of Jesus. And yet while we were still 399 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:48,000 sinners, God shows his love for us. 400 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:57,320 In this Christ died for us, He died for his enemies, and here 401 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:02,040 he is healing his enemy, all because of love. 402 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:08,160 Love for his enemies, but also love for you and love for me. 403 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:15,440 Because in healing Malchus's ear, he's saying it is my desire 404 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:20,360 to be arrested. It is my desire to be put on 405 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:24,800 trial, it is my desire to go to the cross. 406 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:31,280 In addition to Luke's account, John also gives us one other key 407 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:37,600 detail. Along with Matthew and Luke 408 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:42,960 telling us what Jesus said, John includes one other statement, 409 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:45,960 John 18 verse 11. Look with me, it's there in your 410 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:51,720 bulletin. So Jesus said to Peter, put your 411 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:59,000 sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that 412 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:05,120 the Father has given me, the cup that Jesus is talking about here 413 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:10,200 as the cup the Old Testament describes as the cup of God's 414 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:14,000 wrath. Psalm 75, verse 8. 415 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:18,800 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine 416 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:21,800 well mixed, and he pours out from it. 417 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,960 And all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the 418 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:29,400 dregs. The Bible says that every single 419 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:33,360 one of us, all people, all of humanity have gone astray. 420 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,080 Every one of us is a rebel. Every one of us is a betrayer, 421 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:40,360 just like Judas. Every one of us is an enemy just 422 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:46,920 like Malchus, an enemy of God. And God and his sovereign power 423 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,960 and justice must execute his righteous judgment. 424 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:59,080 Every one of us tonight is a Sinner, and every one of us 425 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:02,480 deserves the wrath of God tonight. 426 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:10,400 If you say that sounds harsh, I want you to consider the act of 427 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:16,280 treason that each of us truly commit when we turn our back on 428 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:22,920 God and go our own way. And yet it is this cup, the cup 429 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:27,280 of wrath, that you and I deserve, that in this moment 430 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:31,480 Jesus says, shall I not drink the cup that the Father has 431 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:36,480 given me? This is the cup, the cup that 432 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:42,080 Jesus knows he must drink on the cross, the cup of God's wrath 433 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:45,480 that was reserved for you and for me and for everyone who has 434 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:50,720 sinned. And Jesus knows that he must now 435 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:56,000 go to the cross in order to drink the cup down to the dregs. 436 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:01,280 Why? Why would Jesus do that for you 437 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:02,960 and for me? Why would he do that for his 438 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:05,960 enemies? Why would he do that for a bunch 439 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:10,159 of betrayers like us? Because of love. 440 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:16,760 Because he loves you out of love. 441 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:23,679 Jesus chose Judas to be one of the 12 disciples. 442 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:32,960 Out of love, Jesus went with his disciples into the upper room. 443 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:35,920 He celebrated the Passover with them. 444 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:42,080 Out of love, Jesus took the bread and he blessed it and he 445 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:44,320 said, this is my body given for you. 446 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:50,840 Out of love, Jesus took a cup. And when he given thanks, he 447 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:56,000 said, This is my blood, the blood of the covenant given for 448 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:01,720 you. Out of love, Jesus went to the 449 00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:05,600 guard of Gethsemane to pray, knowing that he would be 450 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:11,920 arrested. Out of love, Jesus told Peter to 451 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:17,160 put away his sword. Out of love, he healed the ear 452 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:21,040 of Malchus. And he said, shall I not drink 453 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,440 the cup that the Father has given me? 454 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:30,360 And out of love, Jesus drank the cup of wrath so that in its 455 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:34,800 place you and I could drink the cup of salvation with him. 456 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:40,640 And tonight that is the very cup that we've invited to now come 457 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:46,880 and to drink. Receive the love of Jesus 458 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:51,280 Christ, love of Jesus Christ for sinners. 459 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:59,320 Out of love, Christ died on the cross for you and for me. 460 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,720 He died in our place for our sin. 461 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:10,920 He bore God's wrath that everyone who believes in him 462 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:15,360 would be saved. Believe on Him tonight and 463 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:22,800 receive his love and come to this feast and drink the cup of 464 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:29,480 salvation, because out of love Christ drank the cup of wrath 465 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:34,040 for you and for me. Let's pray. 466 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:41,320 Father in Heaven, may we now respond to your great love for 467 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:48,360 us as we come now to this table. We pray that you prepare our 468 00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:55,200 hearts to receive this love, love that is unfathomable to us. 469 00:36:56,440 --> 00:37:02,600 O Lord, help us to see it more clearly in the crucifixion of 470 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:07,360 your Son Jesus. And O Lord, may we see that our 471 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:12,560 sin has been nailed to his body in the tree, that He's drunk the 472 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:18,640 cup of wrath for us, so that now in love we might respond and 473 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:22,720 drink this cup of salvation. Looking forward to the day when 474 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:27,960 we drink the final cup with Him. When he returns we ask this in 475 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:29,280 Jesus name, Amen.