Ep. 4: The Arrest of Jesus | The Crucifixion of Jesus

After Judas sold him out, Jesus was arrested on Good Friday. Soldiers came to Him and we've all seen this story play out in the movies, right? It's this fight, it's the good guys versus the bad guys. There's a war that ensues and whoever comes out on top, they're the victor, they're the powerful one. Not in this case. See, in this case, Jesus is arrested, but it's clear through the story that He's the one in charge. He's the one calling the shots. He's the most powerful one. My friend Daniel is going to unlock this story for us right now. I find myself in the middle of these amazing woods and trees and greenery and nature. It feels so peaceful and serene. I'm sure you could imagine you've been in a place like this where you just kind of let go and feel like you can pray and rest or just take a nice stroll. It's hard for me to think that a place like this can go from peace and tranquility to chaos and violence. See, this is where Jesus finds Himself right now with His disciples. One of His own, Judas, has come and betrayed Him. The Scripture says that Judas came with a gang of religious people and priests and also some soldiers. They came to arrest Jesus at the end of the day. Jesus, after spending time with His disciples, eating together, teaching them, talking to them about what was to come, finds Himself now walking from a place of serenity to just violence. It says that the minute that Judas betrayed Him, the gang apprehended Jesus. And at this, one of Jesus' own, Peter, pulls out a sword

and slashes the ear of the servant of the priest. I can't imagine what everyone in this story is thinking, but let's walk through some of the things that could be happening in their mind. If you're the servant, you're thinking, what am I doing here? All of a sudden, his ear is getting chopped off and you think, ouch. What just happened? I'm just following my master. If you're Peter, you're thinking, I've been with Jesus all day. He's been talking about the things that are to come, but is this it? Is this my moment to step in and defend my teacher? What about the rest of the disciples? They were resting and now they're kind of confused. What's also important is, what about the mob? What about the soldiers? They're here to make an arrest. They're here armed with clubs and swords. And they're thinking, are we here to apprehend a dangerous man? Are we here to apprehend someone that's violent? And yet, in the middle of this chaos and with all of this different people thinking and processing things differently, Jesus steps to the center and he demonstrates. He leaves them in wonder about how he has been in control. See, Jesus has been in control before even Judas came in. And Jesus is in control now. Scripture tells us that he takes the ear of the man and he puts it back. He heals him. Wow. Amazing. One of his persecutors who came here to apprehend him, and Jesus is healing him. At the same time, he turns to Peter, one of his own, and says to him, this is not what my kingdom is about.

This is not what I've been talking to you about. And let's not miss this. He turns to the crowd and the soldiers, and he also addresses their motives for being there. They've seen him out in the courtyards, teaching, healing. He spent days in public. And yet they come in the middle of the night when it's so much easier to hide your face, to hide your motives, to apprehend you, to apprehend somebody. And Jesus has a conversation with them. And the conversation is important. You and I can relate to this conversation because what Jesus tells this gang, this mob, is you know me, you know who I am. And yet you choose to do this even when you see me healing somebody. Even when you see me heal one of your own. See, he wants them to reflect on the fact that we have our own motives. We want to take action. We want. take control of the situations, but the reality is Jesus is in control. Jesus is in control of that situation, Jesus is in control of our life, and it's so significant for him at this moment to make this point, and for Scripture to capture what's actually happening, that it's not behind the motive of the gang or the motive of Judas, but it's Jesus acknowledging that this is happening because it's the will of God, and so Jesus willingly, after getting them to confront the reality that they are doing something that's wrong, Jesus willingly leaves with them so Scripture can be fulfilled.