The Plowman

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Gospel of John #49: an exposition of John 18:28-19:16. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, January 29, 2012.

Intro:
I don’t know why I did it.  It was a dumb thing to do.  It was in a weak, unthinking moment.  I actually said, “Oh go on Rheadon.  Why don’t you just get out of here?  I can handle things.  I’ll watch the baby.  I can handle it.”  She left and I said, “What do you want to do Zac?  Watch a little of the ball game – do some guy things?  It’s you and me pal.  Just the guys.”  I’m thinking how hard can this be?  He’s just a few weeks old; I’m a college graduate – a seminary man, no problem.  Things were going just fine and then all of a sudden – I noticed an odor.  What in the world?  Where is that coming from?  Suddenly I knew from whence cometh the smell.  Oh no!  I broke out in a cold sweat.  A crisis had arisen and I wasn’t sure I was up to the occasion.

Throughout the years various crises have arisen.  In each crisis I, as the husband and father, the rock, the stabilizing influence of the family, have proven my true character.  The rock of Gibraltar has consistently been reduced to a mound of Jell-O!  A crisis has a way of revealing our true nature.  In the midst of a crisis we find out what we are really made of.  We are exposed for what we are.  Not what we want to be.  Not what we want others to think we are – but what we in fact are.

Early in His ministry, the Lord Jesus angered the religious establishment.  It was clear He was not impressed by their ceremonial splendor or intimidated by their authority.  His teaching cut across the grain of their traditions.  The multitudes were flocking to Him and they saw their power base eroding.  It was in that house in Capernaum that we heard the first rumblings of the storm that would ultimately lead to Calvary.  The hour had come.  The moment set by the Father’s authority had now arrived.  God’s eternal plan of the ages was now unfolding.  The die had been cast.  Our Lord, knowing that He had already been betrayed, met with His disciples in that upper room to celebrate the Passover and to institute the new memorial meal.  He spoke with them about His coming death and His resurrection.  He told of the coming of the Holy Spirit.  He taught them about their need of abiding in Him.  He told them of the glorious place He was preparing for them and then He prayed for them.  He prayed for their protection and for unity.  Then they left the upper room, crossed the Kidron brook and into the Garden of Gethsemane.  Soon the quiet of the evening was shattered by the approaching, angry mob.  Temple police, Roman soldiers, and religious officials led by the betrayer approached Jesus and His frightened disciples.

Judas, the black-hearted disciple had sold the precious Lord of Glory for 30 pieces of silver.  The night would be a whirlwind of activity.  Shuttled from one place to another.  False accusations, lying witnesses and innumerable injustices would lead to the sentence of death.  There is that part of us that looks at the events of that evening and says, “Lord how could such a thing happen?  Where were you?  Why?”  But on the other hand we know that while each of those involved acted according to their own will, they were doing the bidding of the sovereign, eternal God.  The death of Jesus Christ was no accident.  It was the plan of the ages.  For He is, “The lamb slain before the foundation of the world.”

As we explore the events of that evening we learn a great deal about the character of those involved.  One thing is certain.  The character of the Lord Jesus stands in sharp contrast to those around Him.

Text: John 18:28-19:16

This is the most dramatic account of the trial of Jesus in the New Testament.  We are, in dealing with this section, on holy ground.  In the midst of all this uncertainty and confusion – the sovereign hand of the invisible God is very evident.  History was moving to a predetermined end.  I want to invite you to look closely at this section.  In particular I want you to contrast the Lord Jesus with the others mention in this text.  When you do, I am convinced that you will see that:

Thesis: The trial of Jesus serves to reveal His incomparable glory.

To read this section is almost laughable.

The very idea that these petty leaders thought that they were in control.

Look at John 18:12-13.

They “bound” Him?  They bound the eternal one?  The creator bound by His creation?  The one who spoke and the universe came into being.  The one who put the stars in place.  The one who spoke to the storm on the Sea of Galilee and said, “Hush, be still!”  This is the one they bound?  They did not bind Him.  Love bound Him.  Love for you.  Love for me.  Love for those for whom He came to redeem.  He gave himself.  He chose the way of the cross.

He was taken first to Annas the former High Priest who was the power behind the scene.  He had served as High Priest from 6 – 15 A.D. before being removed from office by the Romans.  Four of his sons and his son-in-law Caiaphas all served as High Priest.  Annas was a corrupt man who made his fortune through corruption and graft in the Temple.  In fact the shops in the Temple where you could buy sacrificial animals were called the Bazaars of Annas.  The Jews themselves hated the household of Annas.  There is a passage in the Talmud that says:  “Woe to the house of Annas!  Woe to their serpent’s hiss!”  This is the man they brought Jesus to.  Annas served as Jesus’ first questioner.  Jesus showed nothing but contempt for Annas.

From there it was on to Caiaphas then to Pilate to Herod and then back to Pilate.

As we explore this passage I ask you to look first at the Jews.

1. The Jews: the face of intense hatred and hostility.
2. Pilate: the face of cowardice and compromise.
3. Jesus: the face of sovereign authority.

Conclusion:
This is our King.  This is the savior, the Son of God.  His kingdom is not of this world.  He came to reveal the truth and those who love truth come to Him.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  He is the great High Priest who willingly gave His life.  He chose the way of the cross.  He chose to give His life for His sheep, those, who believe, who trust in Him.

The trails serve to reveal His incomparable glory.

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Gospel of John #48: an exposition of John 18:12-27. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, January 22, 2012.

Intro:
Betrayal.  The word itself makes me mad.  Inherent in the word is the breaking of trust, the denial of relationship and the violation of confidence.  It is ugly, offensive and deserving of scorn.  Yet when you are betrayed by one you love the primary emotion is not hatred.  It is not anger.  It is hurt.  A deep, genuine sorrow caused by the loss of relationship.  That’s if you are the one betrayed.  When you are on the outside looking in well, that’s another matter.  I must admit when I read the text I get upset.  I just can’t believe what I’m reading.  How could he do it?  What kind of worthless degenerate are we dealing with?  How could you do that to Him after all He has done for you?  How could you be so calloused?  Have you no heart?  Have you no conscience?  Have you no decency?  After my initial burst of self-righteous indignation I then settle down and think it through.  It is then I get uncomfortable.  I start to realize that he is really no different than me.  Reflecting on the context I’m forced to consider how often I’ve been guilty of the same betrayal.  How often I’ve played the coward and practiced the fine art of denial.  Suddenly the tables are turned.  I’m no longer angry with him in fact I’m sympathetic.  I understand how difficult it must have been.  As I seek to justify his, and in turn my own, failure I am overcome with a since of shame.  Then I’m grateful, once again, for the Gospel.  I’m grateful for the love and grace of God that secured my redemption.  The grace that removes my sin and says, “You’re loved.  You’re accepted.  You’re Mine and forever will be.”  I’m grateful for the truths revealed through failure.  Our text this morning is found in John’s Gospel chapter 18 beginning with verse 12.

Text: John 18:12-27

We are marching toward the cross.
Judas has completed his treacherous work.
Our Lord is in the custody of the Jewish authorities.
Now begins the mockery of a trial that will lead, in hours, to His brutal death.
John, as he has done throughout his Gospel, provides us with another contrast.
This time the contrast of the strength of Jesus and weakness of Peter.

The fact that it is Peter who denies the Lord is part of what is so shocking about all this.  Had it been Nicodemus we would not be shocked.  He came at night and there seemed hesitancy on his part.  If he were to deny Jesus we’d  not be shocked.  If it had been the Rich Young Ruler we would not think much of it.  After all he loved the things of this world.  But Peter?  Earlier that evening Peter said, “Lord even if I must to die with you, I will never deny you!”

As we work our way through this text I want us to see that…

• Thesis: Peter’s monumental failure serves to teach us valuable truths about ourselves and our Savior.

Before we get to the lessons we can learn let’s set the scene.
Our Lord has been arrested and we begin with this mockery of a trial.

1. Peter and John (another disciple) followed the authorities and because of John’s connections were able to gain entrance to the courtyard (18:15-16).
2. Peter’s first denial – 18:17-18
3. Jesus before Annas – 18:18-24
4. Peter’s second and third denial – 18:25-27

What do we learn from this?

Peter’s failure reveals the depth of the perversion of the human heart and warns of the danger of an overconfident faith.

Peter’s failure serves to reveal the depth and the wonder of our Savior’s love.

Conclusion:
You must not walk away from this text without hearing Luke 22:31-32:
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

Following the resurrection Jesus said to Mary, “Go tell my disciples and Peter…” (Mark 16:7).
Then comes that passage in John 21:15 when our Lord commissions Peter, “…feed my sheep.”

Peter’s failure becomes a means for teaching us great truths about ourselves and about our Savior.  Apart from the grace of God there’s nothing we would not do – be warned.  Take heed less you fall.  Yet our Savior is a gracious merciful God whose love never fails.  That’s the Gospel.  Therein is our hope.

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Gospel of John #47: an exposition of John 18:1-12. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, January 8, 2012.

Intro:
It’s not hard to find people who “believe in Jesus.”  For the most part, people feel pretty good about Him.  The problem, of course, is believe in what Jesus? Or Which Jesus?  The Jesus who was a “spiritual man” with great insight?  The Jesus who was a revolutionary who consistently thought outside the box and was a threat to the establishment?  The Jesus of the Muslim faith, the Mormon Church or the Jehovah Witness?  Or the Jesus of their own making?  Just which Jesus are we talking about?  That is an important question because there are eternal consequences to the answer to that question.  The Jesus of most people’s thinking is very one dimensional.  To most he seems to be an innocuous figure who is a bit effeminate, mild-mannered and other-worldly.  For others he is the original radical bent on overthrowing the establishment.  I wish I could say these mischaracterizations all came from outside the church but they don’t.  Many within the church love and serve a Jesus of their own making who bears little or no resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible.  I know this because when you talk to people and ask them about Jesus the thing that seems constant is that there is a feeling that He is “safe.”  He is comfortable, like a favorite shirt, well worn.  But even a casual reading of the Scripture should make it clear that He is anything but safe.  Yes, He is the lamb of God but He is also the lion of Judah.  He is the Good Shepherd but He is also The Conquering King.  The Jesus of the Bible is complex and complicated.  He is fully God and yet fully man.  He is divine yet human.  Not half and half as the gods of mythology, rather He is fully both.  He is the creator of everything that exists yet He was born of a woman and became part of His creation.  He was the bread of life and yet He got hungry.  He had life in His being yet He became weary.  There is mystery here and unanswered questions.  We like things in neat packages.  Everything is always where it is supposed to be.  Our Lord doesn’t like boxes.  Try as you might you will not be able to fit Him in one.  Nowhere is the complicated, paradoxical nature of our Lord more fully on display than at the events surrounding His arrest.  Our text this morning is found in the 18th chapter of John’s Gospel.

Text: John 18:1-12

Albert Schweitzer published a book in 1906 entitled, The Quest for the Historical Jesus.  His goal was to discover the real Jesus as opposed to the Jesus of legend created by the church.  For Schweitzer the real Jesus was a mere man caught up in the delusional expectation of a coming kingdom of God.  His Jesus sought to force the issue by making wild claims and seeking to hasten the coming of the kingdom of God through political means.  Sadly Jesus was crushed by the wheel of history.  Schweitzer’s Jesus dies a mistaken idealist who was confused, despairing and rejected.  According to Schweitzer the historical Jesus’ great contribution to mankind was to rid us of the delusional hope of a coming kingdom!

Keep Schweitzer’s Jesus in mind as we read our text and you tell me if his Jesus bears any resemblance to the one set forth by John.

We, the church, are called to proclaim the message of Jesus.  Not the Jesus of our own imagination.  Not the Jesus of our own intellect or design but the Jesus revealed to us in the Scriptures.

Thesis: A biblical understanding of Jesus demands that we see in Him the strength and terror of divine majesty combined with the comfort and assurance of humble obedience and sacrificial devotion.

We seldom see these things in combination.  Sovereignty and humility generally do not go together.  In our world strength and humility are not compatible.  But in the person of the Lord Jesus it all fits.

When we see Him as He is – we cannot help but fall down before Him in worship.
It is the only logical response to His person.
Our natural response will be to pull back in fear while, at the same time, feeling drawn to Him.

There are two things I want us to note from our text.

1. Our Lord exercised sovereign control over the events of that fateful night.  (18:1-9)
2. Our Sovereign Lord lovingly and humbly chose the path of obedience.  (18:10-12)

Conclusion:
Gethsemane was no tragedy.  It was the triumph of divine majesty and humble obedience as our Lord began His march to the cross.  If you want to understand the Jesus of the Bible you must see both His terrifying majesty and His humble obedience.  You must stand in awe of His majestic power and His sacrificial devotion.

Ground on the wheel of history?  No, He is turning the wheel of history.  This is the Jesus we are called to proclaim and this is the Jesus before whom you must bow.