John Chapter 18:1-14

We need to learn to sharpen our ability to hear from God. God wants to speak to us. He wants to speak to us about all these situations and everyday occurrences.

And He wants to lead us. But you have to develop an attitude, if you will, of listening. Listening to the Lord. We talk about prayer being a two-way conversation.

I don't mean you're going to hear audible voices, but the Holy Spirit will speak to you and prompt you and remind you of verses. And before Peter could become a great leader. Notice I said great leader. Peter was already a leader, I believe, but he was not a good leader. Why? Because he wanted to do his own thing.

And you can't serve God and do your own thing and be a leader. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David Magee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. I'm your host, Bob Bennett, and today we have in the studio D.A.

Brown. He's one of David Magee's associate pastors. Welcome to the program, brother. Bob, there's a lot of storms swirling, and we all need directions. Did you know that the Lord wants to give you directions right now, each moment, every day?

The trick is you have to let them. Today Pastor David helps us understand how we can let God work in our life as He continues in the Gospel of John chapter 18. So now here's David Magee with part two of his teaching, The Betrayal. John chapter 18, verse 1. When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden which He and His disciples entered. And Judas who betrayed Him also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples.

See, that tells us something else. Jesus often went to the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples to pray. And the Garden of Gethsemane is still there. There's olive trees. They say that one could be as old as 2,000 years old. Olive trees live a long, long time.

I don't know about that, but it's very, very old. And to be honest, you know, being among those olive trees for me was more impactful than going into the church there that is very ornate and has all this stuff. I mean, it's beautiful, but just looking at these olive trees, considering what happened on that ground and may have happened around that tree is incredible. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, whom are you seeking? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. That's who were seeking. Jesus said to them, I am He.

And Judas who betrayed Him also stood with them. Now, when He said to them, I am He, they drew back and fell to the ground. Then He asked them again, whom are you seeking? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. I can't help but think they said a little shyer the second time.

What do you think? I mean, after they all fell backwards, who are you seeking? Jesus of Nazareth. Don't knock us backwards again. And you know, but it shows something. Jesus was going by choice. Think about it. I mean, you know, if you got everybody in front of you knocked backwards and you're wanting to run, it's a good time to run while everybody is knocked over backwards. But He just stood there. And then they all get up again.

It's a little comedic if you think. Then they all get up and He asked me, who are you looking for? Now, there's a verse actually, Psalm 40 verse 14 that kind of speaks of this. It says, let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life. Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil.

It's a small picture of perhaps what was going on in the garden. Verse 8, Jesus answered and said, I've told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way.

This is so awesome. It's so awesome because at this point, Jesus isn't thinking of Himself. Jesus is thinking of others. And again, look at the control He's exercising.

If you're looking for Me, let these guys go. He's telling them what to do. And they do it. Have you ever thought about the fact that they didn't take the disciples in?

It's a statement. Because here's the rebel rousers that were hanging out with the revolutionary Jesus. Why didn't they take them all in? For questioning or for witnesses or whatever. But they didn't.

Why? They were obeying what Jesus said. Jesus said, let them go.

And they did. And again, He's not fearful. Verse 9, that the thing might be fulfilled which He spoke of, those whom you gave Me I have lost none.

And again, notice, and this is incredible if you think about it. Jesus is saying, I'm the one you're looking for. Let these other guys go. And the people that had spread the good news of Jesus been hanging out with Him that were disciples of Jesus, Jesus saying, don't even take these guys in. And they didn't. These guys didn't know the Bible. But Jesus, this was a fulfillment of prophecy that they weren't taken in. And you know what? Over the next few chapters, we're going to see a lot of people who didn't know prophecy, who didn't know the Bible that fulfilled prophecy.

And this is one of those things. Those whom you gave Me I have lost none. Verse 10, 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. Now the Galileans, Galilee area is the northern part of the country. It's kind of backwards in comparing it to America. In America, you know, us who live in the south are kind of seen as more rural people. Up north is a little different. Well, it's reversed there.

The people in the north are seen kind of as the country people. They were known to carry swords, and Peter carried a sword, obviously. Do you realize how we know it was Peter? Well, we're told here, but what's interesting, Matthew didn't tell us it was Peter. Mark didn't tell us it was Peter. Luke didn't tell us it was Peter. Only John tells us it was Peter. So we see the John and the Peter thing going on again. We'll get more into that when some of you are familiar with it.

They had some healthy competition. So, you know, John says it was Peter. Cut his ear off. And then he actually tells us the other guy's name is Malchus. He was a high priest servant.

And understand, there was a little competition. And then what's interesting, too, is John doesn't record that Jesus healed the guy's ear. He leaves the guy's ear on the ground. Luke tells us, Luke 2250 says, One of them struck the servant of the high priest. One of them, notice it's not Peter, one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus answered and said, Permit even this. And he touched his ear and he healed him. One amazing thing that our Savior at that moment, last act of healing was against an enemy of God.

Let me point out a couple things that are interesting about this. John records it was his right ear. It was his right ear.

I don't know if you've ever thought about this. Now, if I've got a sword, most people are right-handed, right? If I've got a sword and I cut off his ear, which ear am I going to hit? I'm going to hit his left ear.

Makes sense? If I'm right-handed, I'm going to hit his left ear. Peter was probably hitting him from behind. And I don't really understand how he got, I mean, Peter was probably a great fisherman. Evidently, the sword thing was not his thing because he was going for the neck and he got an ear.

Now, either Malchus was real good at this bob and weave thing or Peter was not real good with a sword. And then, I'm sorry, I've got a weird sense of looking at these things. Can you imagine?

Can you imagine? You know, the ear's off. It got cut off and then the guy's, you know, where's the ear, man?

Who's got, somebody got a torch or lantern? Is this, that's not it. Oh, here it is. And then Jesus takes the ear and smacks it on like Mr.

Potato Head or something, you know? There you go. Your ear is all better now. See, some of you are thinking, you spend too much time studying, pastor. You shouldn't be thinking things like that. Look what Jesus says in verse 11. So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into the sheath.

Shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me? I want you to notice some of the things that Jesus didn't say. And in case you're wondering why Peter, in case you're wondering why Peter did, I think Peter was mad. I think when he saw the Romans uniting with the Jewish people coming against Jesus, I think he was mad.

But also remember one other thing, because we're told this in Scripture. Peter had been sleeping in the garden. We're told he had been sleeping. So he wakes up, all these people are here.

He wakes up and starts swinging a sword. That's probably a word for some of you. If you wake up ornery or irritable, don't talk to anybody for a little while. Because you wake up ornery or irritable, start swinging the sword and then you wonder 30 minutes later why everybody's so mad at you. If you tend towards that, some people are not morning persons. I understand that. If you tend towards that, just don't say anything for a little while. Get your cup of coffee, sit down with your Bible, have your devotion, and then interact with people.

And if you don't think you have that problem, you may want to touch base with your spouse and say, is that a problem in our house? And if they go, yes. You know they're sharing the truth and love. But notice also what Jesus didn't say to Peter. He didn't say, Peter, sword, bad, bad sword. He didn't say that.

Why? Because the sword, he had told him before to carry a sword. In Luke 22, 36. Then he said to them, but now he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack. And he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.

For I say to you that that which is written must be accomplished in me. And he was numbered with the transgressors for the things concerning me have an end. Verse 38, so they said, look, Lord, look, here are two swords. And he said to them, it is enough. He wasn't saying two swords is enough to win the battle.

It was more like enough already. You know, this is kind of an analogy and be ready for persecution and stuff. But I think Peter kind of got a little confused about the direction here. And he started trying to hurt people.

I know that in my life I've done this. I've brought out the sword and I've hurt people when I shouldn't have. See, because we tend, like Peter, we tend to fight when we shouldn't.

And then we don't fight when we should. And we see Peter actually standing in opposition. Now it looks good, it looks noble, but what's he doing at this point? He is standing in the way, getting in between Jesus and the cross. Even as he told him several times, not so, Lord, let's not do this cross thing.

I don't want you to die. But Peter in his actions wasn't doing what God had told him to do. And like Peter, we need to learn to sharpen our ability to hear from God. Sharpen our ability to hear from God. God wants to speak to us. He wants to speak to us about all these situations and everyday occurrences.

And he wants to lead us. But you have to develop an attitude, if you will, of listening. Listening to the Lord. We talk about prayer being a two-way conversation.

That don't mean you're going to hear audible voices, but the Holy Spirit will speak to you and prompt you and remind you of verses. And before Peter could become a great leader, notice I said great leader. Peter was already a leader, I believe, but he was not a good leader. Why?

Because he wanted to do his own thing. And you can't serve God and do your own thing and be a leader. Lord, I pray that you would fill them with the faith that they need to say yes to you. God, we pray that if anyone in these cities does not yet know you, if they've not put their trust in you, that today they would. Lord, we pray for the churches in the area that you give the pastors wisdom. Lord, I pray that people will get plugged into these churches and grow. And Lord, we pray for the city leaders, the mayor, the police chief, the fire department, the town council, everybody in leadership. Lord, that you give them wisdom and discernment, and we pray for unity amongst the government. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

Thank you, brother. And now, let's get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Before he could be a great leader, Peter had to understand it wasn't what he wanted, but what Jesus wanted. Hebrews chapter 5, verse 12 through 14 says this, you have been Christians a long time now and you ought to be teaching others.

Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. And a person who's living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right.

Solid food is for those who are mature who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right. You see, this is the development of character. It's the development of a skill that God wants to give us, but that needs to be developed. And what happens, a lot of times, we don't walk in the development of this character, but then we get in a situation, immediately we want to know what's right. And then we have to ask somebody else, why? Because we don't know.

Why? Because we've not been sharpening this attitude of listening. The life lesson here is the Lord wants to direct us in our daily situations. I believe God wants to direct you as far as your job, as far as your family, as far as your friends, as far as your household. He wants to lead you.

But in order to be led, you have to listen and you have to develop that attitude. Now, notice what else he didn't say. He didn't say, hey, hit somebody else. Swing the sword another time.

He didn't say that. Peter chopped off an ear when God had much bigger plans for him. I wonder if Peter sat back and thought, I got an ear. But Jesus is like, man, it's much more than that.

One ear? That's nothing, Peter. In a few weeks, there's going to be 3,000 people, each with two ears that not only will you cut their ear, you will cut their heart and that they will hear the truth. God had bigger plans. But Peter was caught up in the passion of the moment. Understand, listen to the Lord. God has big plans for you, has big plans for this church.

Let's not get caught up in the peripheral, the side tangents. The cup. Do you understand this cup that Jesus was drinking? It was our sins. Your sin. Everything you've ever done wrong. Everybody in this room, all their sins. Everybody in North Carolina, all their sins that they've ever committed.

The sins of the world. The sins of everyone that has ever lived was the cup that Jesus was willing to drink for us. You can drink the cup of your sins yourself. And if you reject Jesus, that is your decision. Do you really want to drink that cup? Here's Jesus that loves you so much and he's saying, you know what, I'll drink that cup for you. And some people say, no.

I'd rather drink it myself. And again, Jesus went willingly. Hebrews 12 2 tells us, looking under Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Says for the joy that was set before him. You know what joy that was? That wasn't the joy in the process.

He was thinking of you. And he knew there was no other way. There was no other way that people who were lost could be redeemed. There was no other way that people who were out of relationship with God could be placed into relationship with God, except he laid down his life. There's no other way to heaven, friend. That's not narrow minded.

That's the truth. If you think there's other ways to heaven, you've got a real problem about the character and the nature of God because Jesus in the garden said, Father, if there's any other way, take this cup from me. Now either the father didn't hear his prayer or he disregarded it.

And what's more, it would have been very calloused for God to allow his son to die to provide yet another way to heaven. It was the only way. Jesus saw the deal. Saw us. And he said, you know what? You need something. I'll be right back.

I'm going to get it for you. Verse 12, then the detachment of troops and the captain and officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. And they led him away to Annas first for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.

Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. Understand that by this time, the religious institution in Jerusalem had become fairly corrupt. Annas was high priest from 6 AD to 15 AD.

But he stayed in power there. Actually he had five sons who were high priest and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, was high priest. And this is interesting because what happened is to be high priest, you would bid to get the job from Rome.

Rome decided who would become high priest. It had gotten really twisted. And understand that at that time you could go onto the street and you could buy like a dove for sacrifice, 15 cents. But what happened is you would take that dove into the temple and they'd go, oh, and it had to be inspected. And the priest would go, oh, you're dove, man. You got bad dove. It's speckled. Well, you can't sacrifice that dove.

Oh, bummer. I don't see any color. Well, you don't have a trained eye. But that bird's not going to work.

But we have some birds over here, $15. That bird's speckled. It's speckled to your untrained eye. But this is a pure white bird.

Just looks a little black. And they were abusing the system. They were abusing the people.

The shekel was the only clean money for the temple. So in order to give, you had to exchange your money. Well, then they introduced all these high exchange rates. And the people who were actually seeking after God who wanted to be real were being turned off through the money changing and what they saw going on with the doves.

It's hard for us to say a lot about that, isn't it? See the same thing going on today. See people getting confused, thinking that money is the primary thing that the church is about. God doesn't want your money. God desires your obedience. He wants you to give away your selfishness and your materialism. We'll pass a plate.

We've got boxes in the back. I think people should give. But I don't want that to get in the way of somebody hearing that Jesus loves them and cares about them. But you understand this is going on in the world today? The world comes to the church for answers. And then they see the hypocrisy. They see the religiousness. They see the tradition. And they go, you guys don't have any answers.

I'm going somewhere else. The analogy is if you ever put money into a soda machine and push the button to get the soda out and it didn't come out, that can rile you up, huh? That's what the world's doing to a certain degree with church. They invest their time. They come and say, okay, you guys got the answers.

Give me some answers. They hit the button and nothing comes out. And they go, what's up with this? That's why after 9-11 church attendance spiked and fell off. People were looking for answers.

Awesome opportunity for us, but they didn't find the answers. The life lesson here? Religion and hypocrisy get in the way of people knowing God. Religion and hypocrisy get in the way of people knowing God. James tells us in 1-22, it says, but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Romans 2-13 says, not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. You have to make that transition from hearing to doing. I want to encourage you. That's part of why I talk about serving.

I want you to go from hearing to doing. Why? Because if you don't, you become a hypocrite. See, when I teach, I'm not just looking for you to agree with me. Oh yeah, that's a good point.

That's great. Yeah, I agree with you on that. I want you to begin to do these things. Because see, if you just sit and listen for long enough, you can become jaded and calloused and think that you don't need to do any of this stuff.

It's not why Jesus died for you. We should be doers. Because if we're not doers, we'll wind up like Annas and Caiaphas. Oh, you know, they probably didn't plan on being where they were later in life, but that's where they wound up.

Why? Because they kept hearing and not doing. Hearing and not doing.

Hearing and not doing. The phrase that it speaks of here, Caiaphas, John 11 49, says, And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish. Now this he did not say on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he would prophesy that Jesus would die for the nation. Not for the nation only, but also that he would gather together in one, the children of God who were scattered abroad. That's why Jesus came. Jesus came to die for you and for me. To give us life.

To give us the abundant life that we might be able to be forgiven. That we could do these things. See, because as disciples were chosen by rabbis, the rabbis were communicating to them, You can do this. You can follow me. They made the decision, You are able to follow me.

So when Jesus looks at us and says, Follow me, you understand what he's saying? You can do these things. I've given you the power to do these things. Not just to hear these things, but to do these things. To love people. To reach out to the lost. To get involved in relationships with one another that are going to be productive for the kingdom of God. And not be a mere spectator, because spectators lead to hypocrites.

And just like I don't want anybody here to suffer from hypocrisy, I don't want to see you going through life as a spectator in your Christian journey. Jesus died for us. He died for you. He died for me. That we can be forgiven of our sins.

Not that we can be good enough or long enough. Not that if we get a membership for long enough and do the right things that God will approve us. Know that in an instant this morning you can come to God and say, God please forgive me. I don't deserve to be forgiven, but you made it possible through your death on the cross. Jesus forgive me of the things I've done, because I've been like Peter and I wanted to do what I wanted to do. And Jesus, I don't want to do that anymore. I want to follow you. The Lord is outstretched in His hand this morning saying, You know what?

Come to me. And I've done wrong things. I have sinned.

And I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus name.

Amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer, according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. Jesus said He would not turn anybody away who comes to Him.

And He came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness, those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we'd love to hear from you. You can visit crossthebridge.com to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to Cross the Bridge at P.O. Box 12515, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27117, and share how God is working in your life. You know, the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood, through radio, through the internet, and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use. So if you'd like to support this ministry, please go to crossthebridge.com, click on the donate button, and ask God how much he would have you give, either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's Word continues to go out through Cross the Bridge.

Thank you so much. Well, DA, before we go, what are some ways that we can bless our listeners? Each day you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David through the Word of God with his email devotional, life lessons to consider, a daily reading plan, and a thought to meditate on throughout your day from the heart of David McGee. Those are terrific, and it's easy and it's free. So folks, sign up today at crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening, and join us next time as David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John.