The
Bottom-Line
John 18:1 “When Jesus had spoken these
words, he went forth with his disciples over the
brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he
entered, and his disciples.
2
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place:
for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his
disciples.
3 Judas then, having
received a band of men and officers from the chief
priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns
and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus
therefore, knowing all things that should come upon
him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of
Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas
also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto
them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the
ground.
7 Then asked he them
again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of
Nazareth.
8 Jesus answered, I
have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me,
let these go their way:
9 That
the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of
them which thou gavest me have I lost none.”
1. The Beauty Of The Garden
2. The
Devil Knows The Place
3. Whom Seek Ye?
4.
I Am He
1. The Beauty Of The Garden
Verse one: “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.”
So the LORD Jesus Christ enters into a garden, [a familiar garden] and the disciples enter into this garden with HIM, too.
The garden in our text here [in verse two] was a primary meeting place for Jesus and His disciples. The place is called Gethsemane [see Matthew 26:36]. They all “knew the place” for they “ofttimes resorted thither.”
Now, gardens attract all who know the beauty of a garden.
This is because there is vestigial remembrance in all of us [mankind] of the original GARDEN. This is the Garden of Eden. “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” [Genesis 2:8]
This GARDEN was our birthplace!
Do you remember the story of Brer Rabbit? Of how he pleaded with Brer Bear and Brer Fox, saying “just please, don’t throw me into that der brier patch.”
Now, you also, may remember that Brer Rabbit was born in that very briar patch. That of course was the very place where Brer Rabbit wanted to go.
Now, the Garden of Eden was most certainly a very beautiful place, and there is something else. We can with certainty say it was beautiful because the BOOK itself identifies the Garden of Eden as the base-line reference point for with which to compare the future millennial KINGDOM of HEAVEN.
We see this very comparison in Isaiah chapter fifty-one in verse three.
Look at it for yourself. “For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” [Isaiah 51:3]
By this we can see, that not only was the Garden of Eden beautiful place, but it was a place of “joy and gladness” and a place of “thanksgiving” having in it “the voice of melody.”
Come into the garden, my friend. See this garden with me in Isaiah chapter sixty-one, verse eleven: “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” [Isaiah 61:11]
Oh, to be in this garden!
We certainly [if we are in our right mind] would like to go to this garden. But before we can go, it will necessary for someone else to go through a different garden. I am talking about the Garden of Gethsemane, which is at hand. I am talking about Jesus Christ needing to go through the Garden of Gethsemane for us.
Now, I can imagine the scene of this garden. Like the Garden of Eden, I believe the Garden of Gethsemane was beautiful place also. Why? For it being the oft meeting place of the LORD and HIS saints … they were attracted to it. It was a garden in similitude to what is described centuries earlier in the Bible.
Look with me in the Song of Solomon. [This speaks of Jesus Christ and of the Church … the Body of Christ.] “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.” [Song of Solomon 4:16]
“I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” [Song of Solomon 5:1]
“My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.” [Song of Solomon 6:2]
2. The Devil Knows The Place
Verse two: “And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.”
Now, I said that gardens are attractive to all. I am stressing the word: ALL.
Why? In Ezekiel chapter twenty-eight we find someone else who was attracted to a garden.
Who is he? Let me read verse thirteen to you. “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the Beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.” [Ezekiel 28:13]
This is nothing other but SATAN. He was “in Eden the garden of God.”
We can say: The DEVIL was attracted to the GARDEN.
Everybody meets in the garden! GOD [that is, Jesus Christ], mankind and the Devil met in the garden!
It is a truth that not all the meetings in the garden bode well.
3. Whom Seek Ye?
Verse four: “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?”
Now, verse seven: “Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.”
This whole crowd was seeking Jesus with only one motive in mind, and it was this. It was to get HIM lynched. They were not seeking HIM; they were seeking to get HIM, to do HIM in.
Here is the bottom-line; WE all come into this world seeking anyone … and anything … but Jesus.
Isn’t that true? I know it was true for me, and if you are real honest with me, you would give me this very same testimony about yourself. Come on now!!!
“Whom seek ye?”
Ever since Adam decided to sin against GOD [by disobeying GOD] the sin nature became engrafted within us. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” [Ephesians 2:2]
“Whom seek ye?”
As a child of disobedience THIS BOOK testifies against YOU.
YOU are not seeking for Jesus Christ … end of argument.
Now, the LORD knew want was ahead for HIM. The immediate future for HIM was dark. The looming trial of the CROSS was just ahead of HIM. There on the CROSS of CALVARY, HE would be made SIN for us.
Look at it with me for a little in the BOOK [Second Corinthians chapter five]: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” [2 Corinthians 5:21]
Did you catch that thing? Jesus endured such a contradiction of sinners [the SIN PROBLEM]. He, as GOD, Who knew no sin … was made to be sin for us, which thing is the BIG TIME CONTRADICTION.
Consider this real well, my friend. I beg you. “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” [Hebrews 12:3]
“Whom seek ye?”
If you consider Jesus Christ and what HE did for you, maybe you will SEEK HIM!
4. I Am He
Verse five: “They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.”
Verse eight: “Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.”
The bottom-line truth revealed here is that the SON of GOD “stepped up to the plate” and was willing to endure “such contradiction of sinners against himself.”
So HE says to the crowd, “I am he.”
We need to see greater than what they said though. They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus was a whole lot more than just someone from Nazareth. “Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he.”
Turn with me to Exodus chapter three, verse fourteen: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” [Exodus 3:14]
Jesus Christ is “I AM.” The crowd was wrong that day! What about you?
“Whom seek ye?”
Now, for the last thing, look at that GOLD NUGGET in verse nine:”Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.”
Come into the garden with HIM.
You will never be lost again!