In my opinion one of the more interesting reality shows as of late is Undercover Boss. I?ve only seen one episode but it was very good and if I had the time I think I?d be a regular viewer. The plot on these shows goes like this: the boss of a company?usually a multi-millionaire?disguises himself as a new hire and works at the ?lower levels? of the company. I?m not sure how they hide the cameras?but none of the under-cover boss?s co-workers suspect his true identity. To them he?s just another worker. The episode I watched had two of these situations. One focused on the owner of a produce company. He worked?or rather TRIED to work?at packaging lettuce that had come in from the fields in huge bins. He wasn?t very good at things?and spilled most of the product, making it un-sellable. To all outward observations, he was a klutz with not much future in the company. The other undercover boss owned a shipping company and was given a job in the warehouse unloading trucks. Unfortunately his skills as a fork-lift driver were poor…and with his sloppy driving he caused work on the entire loading dock to come to a halt.
Now?the thing that makes this show entertaining is the fact that the viewer knows things aren?t as they seem. We chuckle as we watch real workers become frustrated by a new hire who isn?t very good at what they do…because we know he?s really the boss?a multi-millionaire…the head of the company. We know that it may not look like it but he?s actually in charge of everything.
I bring that up because there is a sense in which we see this ?undercover boss? principle in our text for this morning?John?s account of the arrest of Jesus Christ. Things aren?t as they seemed to the soldiers and temple officials who came to get our Lord that night. They thought they were dealing with just another trouble maker. They thought THEY were in control of the situation?but they were wrong. Take your Bibles and turn to John 18. Follow along as I read verses 1-14.
1 – When He had finished praying, Jesus left with His disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and He and His disciples went into it.
2 – Now Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
3 – So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 – Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, ?Who is it you want??
5 – ?Jesus of Nazareth,? they replied. ?I am He,? Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
6 – When Jesus said, ?I am He,? they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 – Again He asked them, ?Who is it you want?? And they said, ?Jesus of Nazareth.?
8 – ?I told you that I am He,? Jesus answered. ?If you are looking for Me, then let these men go.?
9 – This happened so that the words He had spoken would be fulfilled: ?I have not lost one of those You gave Me.?
10 – Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest?s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant?s name was Malchus.)
11 – Jesus commanded Peter, ?Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me??
12 – Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound Him
13 – and brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
14 – Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Now?some people who read this account Jesus? arrest think He was just another good guy beaten by the system. I?m reminded of Albert Schweitzer and his classic book, The Quest for the Historical Jesus. He wrote it way back in 1906 and in it he said that Jesus was a mere man who was consumed with the coming of the Kingdom of God and that His zeal for all this motivated Him to try and change the world…but the world just chewed Him up and spit Him out. To Schweitzer Jesus was no more than a mistaken idealist, caught and crushed like a rag doll in the wheels of history, a victim of the system Who died on the cross in confusion, despair, and rejection. And?unfortunately this line of thinking didn?t die out with Schweitzer. The followers of The Jesus Seminar still embrace His mind set. But, as I inferred a moment ago, anyone who takes the time to look closely at the Bible?and carefully studies this text will see that Jesus was NOT a helpless victim…because even on the night of His arrest he dramatically exhibited His lordship and control.
Listen friends?Jesus was God in the flesh?and God is always in control because He is always sovereign. Webster defines ?sovereignty? like this: ?above or superior to all others; chief, greatest, supreme…independent of all others.? In other words, when we say God is sovereign, we?re saying He?s the boss. He may work ?undercover? from time to time but He still calls the shots and has the authority. What He says goes. No one tells Him what to do. He is over and above ALL things?good and bad?because there is no such thing as PARTIAL sovereignty. To be sovereign is to be absolutely superior to everyone and everything. God?is always in control and our text here in John 18 provides us with a great example of this principle.
Before we go any further in our study let me give you a little background. The Passover meal and its teaching are over. Jesus? mini-sermon on His being the true vine is finished. The REAL Lord?s prayer has ended. It?s between midnight and 1:00AM. Jesus has led His disciples from the temple courtyard down the Temple steps toward Jerusalem?s eastern gate. There they left the city and traveled down the hillside where they crossed the Kidron Ravine. Their destination was their customary retreat, a walled garden on the Western slope of the Mount of Olives overlooking the Holy City. Since it was Passover there would have been a full moon…which meant there was enough light for Jesus and His followers to see the waters of this brook…waters that would have been stained crimson by the blood of the Passover lambs that had been slain in the temple above.
In fact, that?s how the brook got it?s name?for the word ?Kidron? means ?dusky, gloomy.? And that?s the way this brook was?especially at this time of year. You see a drain ran from the temple altar down to the Kidron ravine to serve as a runoff for the blood of sacrifices. During Passover more than 200,000 lambs were slain. So when Jesus and His band crossed the Kidron, it waters were certainly a deep red. It is important for us to remember that the sacrifice of the Passover lamb was God?s object lesson?His teaching that foretold the death of His only Son.
The Passover was to prepare the Jewish people for Jesus? coming. It was to help them understand His sacrifice on our behalf. And, as Jesus crossed this bloody brook I?m sure the thought of His coming death would have been vivid in His mind. He, the Lamb of God would soon shed His own blood as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. It was as if the object and the object lesson came together in a literal sense.
Well, as I said, Jesus? destination was a walled garden and it would have been filled with Olive trees. With the city crowded with Passover attenders Jesus would have needed to go outside the walls to find a private place like this. Once Jesus arrived at the garden, He left eight of the disciples at the entrance and asked Peter, James, and John to follow Him into the interior.
Now there?s a gap between verses 1 and 2 that John doesn?t fill in because the other Gospel writers have already done so. I?m referring to the fact that at this point Jesus was overcome with the unspeakable horror that was about to come. In his gospel Matthew tells us that as He entered the garden proper, Jesus said, ?My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.? (Matthew 26:37-8) Mark tells us that then He repeatedly fell to the ground ?…and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him.? (Mark 14:35). Luke the physician says, ?And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.? (Luke 22:44). Doctors tell us that the human body can in times of great stress break down to the point that blood can actually ooze through the skin. Well, no one has ever endured the stress that Jesus did that night?so it is no doubt that He did indeed sweat drops of blood as He thought of the sin that He Who knew no sin was about to bear. Jesus was about to have the cup of God?s wrath?a wrath we deserve?poured on Him. Well, after about three hours Jesus finished His prayer by saying, ?Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet, not as I will, but as You will.? (Matthew 26:39)
At this point?about three or four in the morning?Jesus heard the soldiers coming and I?m sure the disciples did as well because there were a lot of soldiers. The word in verse 3 that we translate ?detachment? means ?cohort? and a Roman cohort was a tenth of a legion or 600 men. Normally the Romans didn?t have a large garrison in Jerusalem but during the Passover, when hundreds of thousands of Jews from around the region flooded into the city the Roman authorities sent a detachment of troops to handle riot control and protect against any local insurrection. But that was not all. The second group?the ?officials??these were the temple police. You see, the Jewish religious leaders were allowed to have their own security force. So?in essence the arrest of Jesus was a rare joint operation between the Jews and the Romans. And, as I said, it was a big operation. Added together the group could have numbered near 1000.
They came carrying torches and lanterns?and they were armed with weapons: spears and swords. Some commentators suggest that a contingent of Roman cavalry would have been sent as well. In any case can you picture bringing all those soldiers to arrest one poor preacher? Perhaps rumors of Jesus? miracle-working power made them think it wise to send a force big enough that it could handle even someone reputed to raise the dead. Well, when they arrived, no doubt they surrounded the Garden of Gethsemane to prevent Jesus? escape. But?as I said?things were not as they appeared. This wasn?t just one poor preacher against hundreds of professional soldiers. This was God in the flesh?and He was not some helpless victim. This was the undercover Boss to end all undercover bosses. If we look closely we can see proof that He was in control the entire time.
(1) For example, we see it in His DECISION as to where to go that night.
You see, Jesus didn?t have to go to Gethsemane. He could have gone to a place where He would be sure they couldn?t find Him. I mean, Jesus knew that Judas knew about this place. Look at verse 2 again, ?Now Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. So Judas came to the grove…? With His decision to go to this particular ?grove,? Jesus showed His control by positioning Himself in a place where He was sure to be found by His former follower. Note that John does not specify where that former follower?s kiss of betrayal fits into the chain of events because John wants us to understand something much more important. He wants us to notice that Jesus was not caught off guard, not surprised by Judas? deception. And He wasn?t. Jesus was completely knowledgeable of what was happening and submitted Himself fully to the Father?s will?which is why when the crowd arrived He went out to meet them. Look at verse 4. ?Knowing all that was going to happen to Him, Jesus went out and asked them, ?Who is it you want?? So Jesus? life wasn?t taken from Him. No?He freely laid it down. He was in control. He went willingly to the cross because He loves you and He knew that this was the only way to save us. Do you remember His words back in John 10:17-18? He said, ?I lay down My life?only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.?
To underscore this fact, I want to point out a very interesting comparison?one that I think John is intentionally making here so listen up. We are used to the phrase ?Garden of Gethsemane…? but this was not a common name for this place in John?s day. None of the other Gospel writers uses the word ?garden.? John apparently used it to make us think of it in light of another garden…the Garden of Eden. Arthur W. Pink refers to this and says, ?The entrance of Christ into the Garden at once reminds us of Eden. The contrasts between them are indeed most striking.
- In Eden, all was delightful; in Gethsemane, all was terrible.
- In Eden, Adam and Eve parleyed with Satan; in Gethsemane the last Adam sought the face of His Father.
- In Eden Adam sinned; in Gethsemane, the Savior suffered.
- In Eden, Adam fell; in Gethsemane, the Redeemer conquered.
- The conflict in Eden took place by day; the conflict in Gethsemane was waged at night.
- In the one, Adam fell before Satan, in the other the soldiers fell before Christ.
- In Eden the human race was lost, in Gethsemane Christ announced, ?…of them Whom Thou gavest Me have I lost none.?
- In Eden Adam took the fruit from Eve?s hand; in Gethsemane Christ received the cup from His Father?s hand.
- In Eden Adam hid himself ; in Gethsemane, Christ boldly showed Himself.
- In Eden, God sought Adam; in Gethsemane, the last Adam sought God.
- From Eden Adam was driven; from Gethsemane Christ was led.
Do you understand why John would set up this comparison? He wanted us to know that Jesus was intentionally laying down His life so that we could get back what Adam and Eve lost in that other garden. John wants us to know that Jesus willingly came to the ?Garden? of Gethsemane because it was the only way to have the sin that began in Eden washed away. This is why Jesus CHOSE to go to there that night. He wasn?t forced nor was He ?caught? unawares. No….this was part of His plan…the LOVING plan that would make it possible for us to come home to God.
(2) We also see Jesus? control in His DEMEANOR when they came.
John tells us that, instead of waiting to be found, Jesus went forward to meet the armed crowd. Think of it. With their torches and lanterns they came prepared to search for a HIDING Jesus. With their weapons they came to force a FLEEING Jesus to come with them. But neither the torches and lanterns nor the swords and spears were necessary. I mean, they didn?t find some ?Saddam Hussein type? hiding in a hole. No?Jesus went out boldly to meet them and then in response to their question, He openly identified Himself.
And please note their reaction at that point. They fell to the ground! John?s account helps us to see that this response was a miracle because they didn?t fall down when He asked what they wanted…but rather when He identified Himself. He said, ?I am He? but the word ?HE? is not in the Greek. So, literally He said, ?I AM.? That is to say He identified Himself as God did when Moses stood before the burning bush. In my mind, Jesus? response was the last exercise of the power of His voice?a voice He used to calm the seas, still the winds, and call the dead back to life. It is no wonder that they fell down! The enemies of God shrank back before the presence of the Almighty, foreshadowing their posture at the end of time. Do you remember Paul?s words about that in Philippians 2:10-11? ?At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!?
Think of it like this. For a moment there was a little rending of the veil of His flesh, and an emission of some flash of the brightness that always tabernacled within Him. Just as Moses could not look upon the face of God…only His back side…so here the one stray beam of God?s omnipotence even in that instant….was enough to force those soldiers and temple police to prostrate themselves on the ground. David prophesied this in Psalm 27:2 when he wrote: ?When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.?
So, there were TWO groups who were afraid that night?eleven disciples and a thousand soldiers…but at that moment, the soldiers were far more afraid. I mean, Schweitzer was wrong! Jesus wasn?t CAUGHT in the wheel of history?in fact as God in the flesh, sovereign over even His arrest that night?He is the AXIS of history. Let me put it this way. In a very real sense the cohort did not arrest Jesus. He arrested them! Jesus was not a nervous scared criminal who was finally caught. He was not a helpless victim of a lynch mob. He was the Lord of glory and King of Kings even in this most humbling of circumstances. His two identifying words were a gracious warning that they were in way over their heads. I mean, Christ could have called 10,000 angels but He did not. And I for one can?t help but wonder what was in Judas? mind as He struggled back to His feet.
(3) We also see our Lord?s control in His ability to protect the DISCIPLES.
You see, there can be little doubt that the soldiers had intended to arrest Jesus? entire band of followers. As a matter of fact, one had to escape naked. Mark 14:51-52 says, ?A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.? But Christ protected all His followers, as He had promised through His prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Jesus? method was obvious. He asked the cohort twice whom they were looking for, and twice they said, ?Jesus of Nazareth.? That narrowed their focus. Christ also punctuated His questions by sending the soldiers sprawling to the ground. The end result was to make a suggestion to let His disciples go…and in light of what had just happened, that seemed quite reasonable to the soldiers. The way Jesus protected His followers that night reminds us that God protects us. Several verses underscore this comforting truth. Hebrews 7:25 says, ?Therefore He is completely able to save those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.? Hebrews 2:18 says, ?Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.? Jude 24-25 says, ?To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy?to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord…? When we look at all these verses we see that in His power and grace Jesus does protect you and me. He intercedes for us in Heaven. He helps us resist temptation. He brings us Home to Heaven. He does this, as He did that night, by placing Himself between us and our enemies. Our boss still protects us?guards us!
(4) There is one final proof of His control that night and I?m referring to His DRAMATIC healing of Malchus? ear.
Remember? Peter, the ever impetuous, took out a sword, took a wild swing at one of those in the crowd, and cut off the man?s ear. Perhaps he intended to cleave the man?s skull in half?and misjudged his swing. I don?t know. But think of it?one fisherman with a sword against 600 professional fully-armed soldiers. John tells us the victim?s name: Malchus.
Now?think of the tension of that moment!
Malchus stood wide-eyed, blood pouring through his fingers, and hundreds of steel blades made scraping sounds as they were pulled from their scabbards. In fact, I think the greatest proof of Jesus? ability to protect is followers is that Peter did not end up like a pin cushion with dozens of Roman spears stuck through him! Jesus didn?t allow this In Luke 22:51 He said, ?No more of this!? and then in the last miracle before the crucifixion, He healed Malchus? ear.
Let me stop at this point and ask, have you ever been like Peter in that you tried to help Jesus in the wrong way?
And?do you remember Jesus? rebuke? He said, ?Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?? Well have you ever done something like that? Perhaps you gossiped to make sure the right people knew what was going on in some situation. Or maybe there was a time you angrily, hatefully, rebuked a brother because you felt he deserved to be reamed out for what he or she had done. Maybe you sent an anonymous note to someone criticizing them for something?even though, as we said last week, Jesus clearly taught that in these situations we are go face our brother. I mean, when you think about it, it?s amazing how much trouble is caused by people who ?pull a Peter? by trying to right a wrong in the wrong fashion. Well, friends we must remember?there is no RIGHT way to do a WRONG thing. Plus?Jesus doesn?t need you to ?save Him? today anymore than He needed Peters? help that night. Remember? He?s the BOSS. He?s in control.
And that brings something else to mind. In His act of healing Malchus? ear I think we see Jesus sovereignly reaching out in love to His enemies. Think about that with me for a moment. Do you know where Malchus went after the arrest? He went to see Caiaphas and Annas and report on the success of their venture. By the way Annas and Caiaphas were not good guys. Sure Annas had been high priest and Caiaphas WAS the current high priest…but the high priest in those days was nothing more than a collaborator with the Romans. In fact, usually the office went to the highest bidder. The family of Annas was immensely rich and one by one, they had intrigued and bribed their way into this office, while Annas remained the real power behind it. It was sort of like a religious mafia and Annas was the godfather. Remember it was his booths in the temple courts that Jesus? had overturned TWICE when He cleansed the temple. So these ?goodfellas? were bad guys. They wanted Jesus out of the way because His activities were a threat to their wealth and power. But Jesus healed Caiaphas? chief servant and I think it was more than compassion for Malchus himself. Let me describe what must have happened later that night and perhaps you?ll see my reasoning.
John tells us that Jesus is taken first to Annas which leaves Caiaphas wondering what happened, waiting for his servant Malchus to come back and tell him whether they got Jesus or not. Finally Malchus and a few others do come in and with urgency in his voice Caiaphas asks, ?Well, how did it go?? One of them says, ?It went well. We got Him.? And Caiaphas says, ?Well, speak up man. Did you have any trouble?? Still shocked a bit by all that had just happened in the garden they all mumble, ?Not really…just a little.? Caiaphas impatiently asks, ?Well how much is a little. What do you mean?? Everyone turns and looks at Malchus and says, ?Well Malchus had a little problem.? Caiaphas says, ?Malchus tell me about it. What was the problem?? Malchus looks up and with a shocked look on his face says, ?One of His servants pulled his sword and cut my ear off.? Caiaphas says, ?That can?t be. It?s on now. You must be mistaken. I see some blood on your clothes but you obviously have no wounds and your ear is fine.? Malchus explains, ?Well that?s because of that Man you sent us after. He reached down and took my ear out of the dust and put it back and restored it and there it is. It?s perfectly well. There was pain?incredible pain?but when He touched me it stopped instantly. I reached up and touched my wound and my ear?it was healed.? I don?t know whether Malchus said what must have been on his mind at this point but surely he was saying between the lines, ?Sir, do you really think we arrested the right man??
And, do you know what really intrigues me? Caiaphas pushed on that night through all the various trials of Jesus. Our Lord was crucified the next day. But every day for the rest of his life Caiaphas had too look down and there in front of him stood his servant Malchus with that right ear healed?as good as new. Surely Caiaphas heard the reports of Jesus? resurrection.
He saw the church born and begin to grow. So, I think every time he looked at the ear of his servant, he was reminded of Jesus and His message of love. In fact, I think the reason the Bible tells us Malchus? name is so we will know how much God cares about even wicked, malicious, vicious men?gangsters like Caiaphas. God does things like that. He reaches out to people in every way thinkable…through Gideon Bibles in hotel rooms and through Gospel tracts left on benches in bus stations. God loves all people…He is not willing that any should perish.
Now?I hope you have realized that the main point of this message..is that Gethsemane was not a tragedy…which tells us that neither are our ?Gethsemanes.? Behind human tragedy is the benevolent and wise purpose of the Lord of human history?your history and mine. Life my be bleak at times, tragedy may come, and the nightly news may make us think the whole world is falling apart. But this is not the end. God is sovereign and faithful. He will always work for our good…even in our Gethsemanes so we don?t ever have to be afraid in life. We can REST in the knowledge that our Sovereign God?THE BOSS?is in control?that He is always lovingly working in all things for our good and His glory. In response to his understanding of God?s sovereignty Oswald Chambers decided to adopt the following foundational principle. He said, no matter what happens in life: ?Absolutely refuse to worry.? We should embrace a trust in God that leads us to do the same. Your retirement going down the drain? Keep working but absolutely refuse to worry. Marriage falling apart? Pray, seek counseling, but absolutely refuse to worry. A loved one lying in ICU?get a good doctor but absolutely refuse to worry. No matter what happens BELIEVE that God?our ?undercover boss??is doing things that you don’t understand, things that are deeper and better and more wonderful than you can imagine?absolutely refuse to worry. Stop trying to manipulate situations. Stop trying to figure out how to make them work out because you know Who is in control. Rest in His sovereign goodness and wisdom and power. Memorize and live by the words of Paul in Romans 8:31 ?If God is for us who can be against us?? No one?because God is the BOSS. He is in control! So absolutely refuse to worry.
Bill Hybels has a great story to illustrate this vital principle. He says,
When I was first learning how to sail my dad’s sailboat out on Lake Michigan, he would often say to me, ?Go ahead and take the boat out, but take a friend with you.? Now, a 42-foot sailboat on a body of water the size of Lake Michigan is a big responsibility. But, always up for a challenge, I?d find a junior high friend to accompany me and we’d sail past the breakwater, hoist the sails, and head out to open water. But as soon as I?d see any cloud formation coming our way or the wind piping up, I?d head back toward shore, take the sails down, and regain my normal breathing pattern, only when we were safely tied up to the slip. Most of the time, it was fun having a friend along, but in a storm, I knew this kid wouldn?t be much help. Other times, though, my dad would come home from work and we?d go out together. When I was sailing with my dad, I?d actually look for cloud formations and hope for heavy air. I loved the feel of strong winds and huge waves with my dad at the helm! You see, my dad had sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. He had endured five days of sailing through a hurricane. He was a veteran and I was confident that he would be able to handle anything Lake Michigan could throw at us. Every thing changed when my dad was aboard.
Well everything changes for us in life, when we understand that our sovereign Heavenly Father is on board?and at the helm. When we understand that God is absolutely sovereign we?ll develop a supernatural confidence even during the storms of life, because we know He can handle anything that the world throws at us. We learn that, as Tozer reminds us, ?Whoever is on the Lord’s side is on the winning side, and cannot lose; whoever is on the other side is on the losing side and cannot win.?
LET US PRAY