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The Trial of Jesus
John 18:33-38
April 6, 2025

If you weren’t with us last week, we are taking a break from our study of Titus for a few weeks while we focus on what we have called a “Countdown To Easter”.

We have 3 preaching services left until Easter Sunday morning.
Having looked at The Arrest of Jesus last week.

This morning we turn to “The Trial of Jesus”

Next Sunday morning we’ll look at His crucifixion
And next Sunday night we’ll look at His burial.

LAST WEEK, as we examined THE ARREST
We noticed that by in large, all the gospel writers cover the same material, with a few differences.
• Especially the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are very similar
• With John giving us a bit more information.

That is NOT the case however regarding THE TRIAL of Jesus.

If you want the full picture of the trial of Jesus it is absolutely necessary to study all 4 gospel accounts, for they reveal different aspects.

• Perhaps Mark and Matthew have the most similarities,
• But Luke and John cover totally different aspects not seen in the others.

Allow me to give you the OVERALL TIMELINE (even as is seen in your bulletin)

After Jesus was arrested,
He was taken immediately to Caiaphas in the middle of the night.
• Caiaphas was the high priest
• He was planning to hold a trial for Jesus at his house.

It should be noted that such a trial would not have been legal under Jewish Law.

Jewish Law regarding trials:
• a trial could not be held at night.
• Nor could it be held in secret, it was a public affair
• Furthermore a trial could not be held during a feast
• A man could only be condemned upon the testimony of two credible witnesses.
• Furthermore if a man was condemned, the first person to strike the blow to the condemned had to be the person who first bore witness against him.
• Furthermore the accused could not be forced to testify against Himself. Even a detailed confession was not viewed as adequate evidence to condemn a man.
• If a man was condemned, the law required that he could not be sentenced until the morning of the third day.
• And even after sentencing as the man was going to his punishment, if on the way he or anyone else remembered evidence that might deliver him, immediately the execution was stayed and the trial was re-opened.
• And if a man was condemned his property could not be seized, it passed to his heirs, in order to keep a man from being condemned for his possessions.

Obviously the entire trial here is going to be illegal.
But Jesus was taken first to Caiaphas.

However, when they reached the courtyard of Caiaphas’ house Annas intercepted the arresting convoy and took the first shot at Jesus.

This was trial #1 and only John tells us about it.
• Annas quizzed the teaching of Jesus (they’re real problem with Him)
• Jesus stood strong and was struck in the face

After Annas took his shot at Jesus, Jesus was then taken into the house
Where Caiaphas and the rest of the leaders were waiting to put Jesus on trial.

This was trial #2 and it is the one you read about in Matthew and Mark.
• The Chief Priests had had enough of the public debates with Jesus.
• They needed a secret place to interrogate Jesus.
• This is where all the false witnesses were gathered.

This is where Jesus confessed to the Christ.
This is where Jesus declared Himself to be God’s anointed King.

Matthew 26:63-64 “But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”

Jesus quoted there from Psalms 110:1
Psalms 110:1 “The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

• Jesus there speaking of HIS DIVINE APPOINTMENT,
namely that it was God who had anointed Him King.
• Jesus also speaking of HIS AUTHORITATIVE POSITION
as One who will be seated at God’s right hand.

The other verse Jesus quoted was:
Daniel 7:13-14 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.”

• Jesus there referencing the fact of HIS IMMINENT REIGN

So in that second trial before Caiaphas
Jesus declared Himself to be God’s King, with God’s authority,
And soon to reign over all of God’s creation.

And you know the result of that trial.
Matthew 26:65-66 “Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”

They determined Jesus guilty of blasphemy and were ready to go public.

They would wait for morning to come
And then gather in their council chamber and reenact the entire scene.

This was Trial #3 at the council chamber and it is the trial you read about in Luke’s gospel.
• They DON’T waste time with false witnesses and all the mess that caused.
• NO more talk of “tearing down the temple and rebuilding it in three days”

Their only goal during this trial is to get Jesus to confess again
To being God’s King and declaring Him guilty of blasphemy.

So they get right at it.
Luke 22:66-71 “When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask a question, you will not answer. “But from now on THE SON OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD.” And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

Jesus totally submitted to their plan.
• He once again stated the confession from earlier in the night
• And this time even went further declaring Himself to be the Son of God.
• And now, the chief priests had all they needed to have Him killed.

At this point Judas feels remorse and tries to give the money back, and ends up hanging himself. Only Matthew’s gospel reveals that fact.

So they grab Jesus and make a beeline for Pilate.

When they get to the Praetorium they won’t go inside because they don’t want to be made unclean before the Passover, so Pilate comes out to them.

They are holding Jesus and accusing Him before Pilate.

Their main choice of accusation is that
Jesus made the claim to be a King, thus making Him an enemy of Rome.

Luke 23:2 “And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

• Pilate tries to dismiss them, telling them to take Him themselves and try Him,
• But the Jews pressure Pilate because they want a death sentence which only
Pilate can give.

So Pilate goes back into the Praetorium
And takes Jesus in to custody to stand before Him.

This is trial #4 and only John’s gospel reveals it.

• Pilate questions Jesus with regard to Him being a King and Jesus answers.

After examining Jesus, Pilate comes out with Jesus
And declares Him “NOT GUILTY”

But the Jews won’t stand for an acquittal,
They start throwing every accusation they can at Jesus in front of Pilate.

The one accusation that gets Pilate’s attention is what Luke reveals:

Luke 23:5-6 “But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.” When Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.”

• When Pilate figures out that Jesus is from Galilee
• Pilate sees his opportunity to escape the scene and sends Jesus to Herod.

This is trial #5 and only Luke’s gospel reveals it.
• Jesus stands before Herod, but won’t answer Herod at all.
• Herod spends some time making fun of Jesus,
• Herod isn’t interested in anything but a joke and sends Jesus back to Pilate.

So Jesus now, back with Pilate, and back before the Jews,
Pilate for a second time declares Jesus “NOT GUILTY”
And points out that Herod didn’t find any guilt either.

Luke 23:13-16 “Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. “No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. “Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”

But this is still not enough for the Jews.
They want Jesus executed, not merely punished.

At this point Pilate finds HIS NEXT PLAN to diffuse this situation.
• He remembers that he customarily releases a prisoner at the Passover and has the idea that it will be Jesus who gets released.
• But Pilate is shocked when the people say “No” and instead ask for the notorious murderer Barabbas to be released.

At the same time Pilate receives a message from his wife to leave Jesus alone because she suffered greatly in a dream about Him. (Only Matthew)

Pilate is losing control and he is becoming concerned
So he tries to go through with his original plan
To punish Jesus and then release Him.

The plan is to scourge Him severely enough that the Jews
Will be satisfied, and John’s gospel reveals, that is what they do.

• They beat and mock and scourge Jesus
• Pilate brings the bloodied Jesus back before the people. “Behold The Man!”
• And once again says, “NOT GUILTY”

The hope is that this will be enough.
But it isn’t.

John 19:6 “So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”

That is now the 4th time Pilate has declared Jesus “NOT GUILTY”
(5 if you count him giving Herod’s verdict as well)

BUT THE JEWS CONTINUE TO PRESS HIM.
They reveal that by their law Jesus deserves death because He claims to be the Son of God.

And now Pilate is even more afraid.
He takes Jesus one more time back into the praetorium.

This is trial #6 and only John reveals it.
• Pilate begins to ask Jesus for help in acquitting Him and Jesus refuses.
• Jesus isn’t asking Pilate to set Him free.
• Jesus is asking Pilate to confess Him as Lord and suffer with Him.

Pilate takes Jesus back out to the people one last time
And makes more efforts to try and release Jesus.

But the Jews pressure him even more.
John 19:12 “As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.”

The Jews will not have it.

In one final last ditch effort Pilate asks for a bowl of water.

Only Matthew’s gospel reveals this:
Matthew 27:24-25 “When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”

And with that Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified
And he sets Barabbas free.

Each Gospel writer is giving you a different aspect
To make a different point.

MATTHEW – Highlighting the submission of Jesus at His arrest
• Remember calling 72,000 angels…

Well Matthew is still revealing the submission of Jesus
Now during the trial.

Matthew’s main point is that
Everyone knew that what was going on here was wrong.
• Clearly the false witnesses at Caiaphas’ house were a sham.
• But Matthew also shows us that even Judas knew it was wrong.
• Matthew alone shows us that Pilate’s wife, watching from a distance, knew this was wrong.
• Matthew alone shows Pilate washing his hands, testifying again to the wrong.

Everyone knows this is a corrupt conviction and a corrupt trial.
The only person not protesting it is Jesus.
He is submissive to the Father’s plan that He might save His people.

MARK – highlighting the suffering of Jesus at His arrest.
• It was quick and brutal
• Everyone fled, even an unnamed young man who fled naked

At the trial Mark is still focused on
Jesus suffering under cruel and relentless attacks.

• Mark points out the inconsistency of all the testimony and the harsh
accusations against Jesus before Pilate.
• Mark points out that the crowd asked Pilate to release someone, but it was
the chief priests who maneuvered the crowd to ask for Jesus.

It is all unjust suffering in Mark’s gospel
And we are still reminded that saving sinners is a harsh job.

LUKE – Highlighting Jesus as substitute at His arrest
• Luke pointed out that Jesus was being “numbered with the transgressors”.
• He was mocked as a fraud, defended as a rebel, and arrested as a thief.
• He was identifying with us.

And the trial from Luke’s perspective follows that same them.
Luke focuses on Pilate publicly declaring Jesus innocent.
Luke shows us that Herod agreed.

Jesus had no sin,
But He was bearing our sin and being treated accordingly.

JOHN – Highlighting the sovereignty of Jesus at His arrest.
• We saw the entire army bow when Jesus said, “I am He”
• We saw Jesus giving orders to release His followers.
• No one made Jesus go, out of love He chose to do it, but John revealed
Jesus in total control.

And the same can be seen from John’s gospel at the trial.

John showing us these conversations between Jesus and Pilate,
Where Pilate the governor is pleading with Jesus the prisoner for help.

Jesus could have stopped this.
But Jesus, out of love, was ordaining all of this.

So just like at the arrest, we turn to the trial and we once again marvel at
• The submission of Jesus,
• The suffering of Jesus,
• The substitution of Jesus,
• And the sovereignty of Jesus.

He is here enduring the pain and the scorn and the ridicule
Out of His own sovereign love for those He came to save.

And as we pointed out last week, HE IS DOING IT ALL ALONE.
• There is no one else on trial with Him.
• There is no other redeemer.
• He is the only one.

Jesus is on trial in order that He might save sinners.

Now, with the time we have left this morning, we turn to John’s gospel
I want to give you another truth to focus on for the upcoming week.

At His trial I want you to see WHO HE CAME TO REDEEM.

AS JESUS STOOD BEFORE PILATE,
He preached a message that He had been preaching throughout His ministry and throughout the book of John.

The message He proclaims reminds us who He is saving.

So let’s look at John 18:33-38

I think the easiest way to work through this small portion of Jesus’ trial
Is to focus on some of the questions Pilate asks.

Let me remind you where we are in the timeline of the trial…

1. Jesus has already been tried by Annas.
2. He has already been tried at the house of Caiaphas.
3. He has already been tried publicly before the council.
4. Now the Jews have brought Him to Pilate.
5. They stood outside the Praetorium and accused Jesus of being a King and thus a threat to Rome.

Luke 23:2 “And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

6. Because that is the type of threat Rome takes seriously, Pilate is now obligated to interrogate Jesus.
7. So Pilate took Jesus into custody and went back into the Praetorium to examine Jesus.

That is where we are in the timeline.

And Pilate has some questions for Jesus:

#1 ARE YOU THE KING OF THE JEWS?
John 18:33-34

You see the question immediately from Pilate.
• He must ascertain whether the accusations have any merit.

Pilate knows that the only reason the Jews would bring anyone to him is if it somehow benefited them to do so.

He knows the Jews have no concern for the stability of the Roman government.

Even later we will read:
Mark 15:10 “For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.”

But Pilate is obligated to ask.

So he “summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He is simply asking about the accusation he just received.

Now the answer Jesus gives
May read a little short or disrespectful but that is NOT the case.

(34) “Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”

Jesus is not being disrespectful,
But the question does not allow for a “yes or no” answer.

Jesus needs to understand what and why Pilate is asking this question.

Are you asking if I am the type of King they accused Me of being?
• Well then the answer would be “no”.

Are you asking Me if I am a King?
• Well then the answer would be “yes”.

So Jesus needs to know the motive.

That leads to Pilate’s second question.

#2 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
John 18:35-36

You can sense Pilate’s frustration.
• It reads as though he has better things to do this morning than get stuck in the middle of this Jewish feud.

“Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”

There is the real question.

Pilate simply points out that I was minding my own business
When this Jewish feud was brought to my door.

Let’s get to the point.
• What is Your crime?
• What are You guilty of?
• What did You do?
• Are you leading an insurrection?

So now Jesus answers the previous question.

(36) “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

Jesus’ answer is clear.
I am no threat to Rome.

• I am a King, but My Kingdom is a spiritual kingdom.
• I have no earthly army that is about to attack anyone.
• I am a ruler and My kingdom is legitimate, but it is not the type of kingdom that can be seen with physical eyes.

And you and I know exactly what Jesus is talking about.

• He is talking about “The Kingdom of Heaven”
• He is talking about His Lordship over the lives of His followers.
• He is talking about His reign over the hearts of men.

It is the kingdom He has been preaching since the beginning.
Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

• John the Baptist had come and said “The King is one His way!”
• Jesus showed up and said, “The King is here!”

And the call to the people was to submit their lives to the King.
They were to follow Jesus.

This was, and remains, the call to salvation.
Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

A person must submit their lives to the Lordship or Kingship of Christ.
They must bow the knee to Him.

Psalms 2:12 “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

And we are NOT looking for a superficial confession.
Don’t just call Him, “Lord, Lord” but actually do what He says.

That is Christ’s kingdom,
That was the only one He brought with His first coming.

His earthly kingdom will come with His second coming,
But when He came at first His only kingdom was spiritual,
Existing in the hearts of men.

So yes Pilate, I am a King, but I am no threat to Rome.

That leads to Pilate’s third question.
#3 SO YOU ARE A KING?
John 18:37

Pilate did not understand any of what Jesus just said,
But he did latch on to the king part,
And He asks Jesus to confirm what He just said.

“You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

And there is the statement I really want you to pay attention to
This morning.

Not only does Jesus confirm His reign over a spiritual kingdom,
He also reveals who the members of that kingdom are.

In short we get the answer to the question:
• Who is Jesus suffering for?
• Who is Jesus fighting for?
• Who is Jesus identifying with?
• Who is Jesus standing in substitution for?

THE ANSWER IS: For those in His kingdom.

WHO ARE THEY?

WELL LOOK AT WHAT JESUS SAYS.

FIRST you get a remarkable statement from Jesus
Regarding His nature and His purpose in coming.
1. First He confirms that He is a King.
2. Then He speaks of His mission.

“For this I have been born” – that is His humanity,
• Born of a virgin, born into the world like every other human.

“and for this I have come into the world” – that is His eternal deity,
• Having existed before birth, but choosing to come into the world.

And the mission was “to testify to the truth.”

In short, He is eternal God, born into the world as a man
Here to call men into His kingdom by preaching the truth to them.

And then He explains who is in His kingdom.
Jesus says, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

THERE YOU HAVE IT.

WHO IS IN CHRIST’S KINGDOM?
Those who hear His voice.

But that seems a little mystical.
You mean like audibly?

THIS IS NOT JESUS’ FIRST REFERENCE…
TURN TO: JOHN 5

• John 5 is where Jesus healed the man at the Bethesda pool on the Sabbath and put the Jews in an uproar.

• When they accused Him of breaking the Sabbath, He said, (17) “But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

• And that answer pushed the Jews over the top, (18) “For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”

So they want to kill Jesus (sound familiar?)
And they want to kill Him for claiming to be God (sound familiar?)

Jesus answers their anger.

(READ 5:19-23) – All of that is Jesus simply defending His deity.
• (19) He shares His Father’s Passions
• (20) He sees His Father’s Plan
• (21) He shows His Father’s Power
• (22) He shares His Father’s Praise

They told Jesus, “You think You are God!”
And Jesus said, “Well if the shoe fits…”

But look at what He says next.
(24) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Do you see the reference to “he who hears My word”?

Jesus says that hearing His word is the key
To entering the kingdom, to skipping judgment,
And to having eternal life.

And He goes on:
(READ 5:25-29)
• Simply put, to hear the Son is the key to having life from the dead.

So when Jesus tells Pilate, “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice”
That is hardly the first time He has mentioned it.

TURN TO: JOHN 8
• John 7 & 8 are when Jesus went to Jerusalem to the Feast of Booths and ended up in quite a debate with the religious elite.

(READ 8:31-32)
• You remember those famous verses.
• Jesus said that true believers “continue in My word”

That is a great definition of biblical hearing isn’t it?
When Jesus talks about hearing Him,
He is not just talking about awareness that He said something,
He is talking about obedience to what He said.

And He’ll prove that.
(READ 8:33-37)
• There you see lostness defined as “My word has no place in you”

(READ 8:38-43)
• Do you see the problem again? “you cannot hear My word”

(READ 8:44-47)
• And again, “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

What is the point to hearing?
IT IS OBEDIENCE.

THOSE WHO ARE IN THE KINGDOM
Are those who hear what Jesus says and obey Him.

THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE KINGDOM
Are those who do not obey what Jesus said.

Isn’t that what Jesus just said to Pilate?
“Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice”

TURN TO: JOHN 10
• You remember the famous chapter on the Good Shepherd and how He cares for His sheep.

And in that dialogue Jesus once again squared off with unbelievers.

(READ 10:22-28)

Did you catch it?
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW WHO IS IN CHRIST’S KINGDOM?
• Do you understand who He is on trial for?
• Do you understand who He is substituting for?
• Do you understand who He is redeeming?

All that He is doing is for His sheep who hear and obey His voice.
• He is purchasing their kingdom.
• He has allowed Himself to be arrested and He will very soon yield up His life
unto death, all for them.

If you want to benefit from this atoning work of Jesus
THEN YOU MUST ENTER HIS KINGDOM.

You must hear what He has said and submit to it.
• You must obey Him.
• You must continue in His word.
• You must follow Him.

That is who He is doing all of this for.

Now, one more question from Pilate.

#4 WHAT IS TRUTH?
John 18:38

What do we learn of Pilate by that question?
He had no intention of hearing or obeying or following Jesus.

You say, “But wait, Pilate does say, “I find no guilt in Him”

THAT’S TRUE.
But recognizing Jesus righteousness
Is not the same thing as submitting your life to Him.

MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHO PILATE IS.
• Pilate knows Jesus is a King (he’ll hang a sign on the cross)
• Pilate knows Jesus is righteous and innocent (declared over and over)
• Pilate has no beef with Jesus (tries to pass Him off several times and release
Him)
• Pilate would save Jesus if he could
• Pilate just wanted to not have to make a decision about Jesus.

And when neither the world nor Jesus would allow Pilate to escape without choosing, Pilate chose to crucify Jesus.

Knowing facts about Jesus is not a substitute for following.

YOU MUST SUBMIT TO JESUS.
• Pilate will try to pass Jesus off on Herod.
• Pilate will try to compromise by simply scourging Jesus.
• Pilate will try to substitute Jesus for Barabbas.
• Pilate will try to wash his hands of any guilt.
• Pilate will hang a sign on the cross.

But Pilate will never bow His knee to Christ and become His follower.

Let me spell it to you as clearly as possible church.
Jesus is here purchasing redemption for His followers.

• NOT FOR people who just know about Him.
• NOT FOR people who try to stay neutral about Him.
• NOT FOR people who try to dodge Him.
• NOT FOR people who try to bargain with Him.

JESUS IS REDEEMING HIS FOLLOWERS.
He is redeeming those who have heard His words,
And who have submitted their lives to following Him.

IS THAT YOU?
Then rejoice!
• Jesus is fighting this battle alone and He is fighting it to the end!
• He is standing strong amidst every attack.
• He is winning and He will win.

BUT IF IT IS NOT YOU,

Don’t deceive yourself and say you are follower
If in reality you are nothing more than a spectator.

Pilate tried to wash His hands.
Someone should have sang to Him, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Friend, get off the fence, and submit your life to the Kingship of Jesus.
Bow to Him, trust in Him.
“Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way. For His wrath my soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

And it is that refuge we are going to celebrate again here this morning.
As we come to the table of the Lord.

Follower of Christ, this is for you.
What Jesus did in His arrest and in His trial, He did for you.

He stood before the wrath of men that you might escape the wrath of God
Today we celebrate that as we again come to the Table of the Lord.
THE LORD’S SUPPER

• Deacons Come Forward

Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

• Give Bread To Deacons
• Deacon Prayer
• Deacons Pass Out Bread

1 Corinthians 11:23-24 “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

• Take Bread

John 12:23-26 “And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”

• Give Juice To Deacons
• Deacon Prayer
• Deacons Pass Out Juice

1 Corinthians 11:25-26 “In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

• Take Juice

• Deacon Prayer
• Parting Song

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The Arrest of Jesus
Mark 14:43-52
March 30, 2025

We are going to take a little break in our study of Titus.
• We’ve completed that first chapter and the discussion on elders.
• And with Easter just a few weeks away, we want to turn our attention toward that.

We’ve got 4 preaching services between now and Easter.
We’re going to use them to examine:
• The Arrest of Jesus
• The Trial of Jesus
• The Crucifixion of Jesus
• The Burial of Jesus

We’re also going to take the Lord’s Supper each Sunday morning
Leading up to Easter as we examine the suffering and death of Christ.

Next Sunday night is when we’ll actually have the “Messiah in the Passover” meal.

So leading up to Easter you’ll get four looks at His suffering
And four hands-on celebrations of that with the Lord’s Supper.

And then certainly we’ll gather Easter Sunday
To examine the Resurrection of Jesus.

And we’re going to give each of these events a sort of an
“ALL-ENCOMPASSING” LOOK.

You’ve certainly read the 4 gospel accounts,
• You know that they each have details that they share in common
• And then they each have their own unique details.

That is because each writer is giving more than just a historical account.
They are also making spiritual points through that story.

We’re going to look at a little of all of it.

As we discuss the Arrest of Jesus this morning
There are some details that are SHARED BY ALL 4 gospel writers.

The Betrayal of Judas – all 4 make sure you know about his role in the arrest.
The Army – all 4 are also quick to make sure you know about the enormous group of soldiers who came to arrest Jesus.
The Sword and the Ear – all 4 writers include the story of one of the disciples cutting off the ear of one of the soldiers.
• All but Mark will tell you that Jesus rebuked the disciple for it.
• Luke will tell you that Jesus healed the man’s ear.
• John will tell you that the disciple was Peter and the man was Malchus and that he was the high priest’s slave.

That Jesus was arrested – they all conclude the narrative with Jesus being led away.

So clearly the chief historical points of the story are shared by all of them.

1. Namely that Jesus Christ, who was very nature God, humbled Himself to the point of becoming a man.

2. He came to this world, His glory being veiled by human flesh, and in the form of a servant.

3. He spent His life in perfect holiness, fully obeying the Law of God and fulfilling all that God intended out of humanity.

4. During His public ministry, He rightly proclaimed the holiness of God, He demonstrated His power as the only Savior from sin, and He offered salvation to those who recognized their sinfulness and need for a Savior.

5. But as a result of His ministry of truth and salvation, He was hated by the Jews and they had worked a plot to arrest Him with the intent to execute Him.

WE CERTAINLY DON’T MISS THAT FACT.
JESUS WAS HATED

John 3:19-20 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

John 7:7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.”

John 15:24-25 “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’”

The hatred of Jesus is real.
• He is the Light of the World.
• He came to expose the sinfulness of man.
• He came to expose the faulty religion of Israel.
• He came to show the way of salvation.

But His ministry and His message were not routinely loved.
They sought to silence Him.

That is clearly seen by all 4 gospel writers
As they tell you of the night in which Jesus was betrayed and arrested.

That AFTER instituting the Lord’s Supper and taking the focus of the Passover away from the Exodus and rightly focusing it on His sacrifice,

1. Jesus eventually went with His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane.

2. It was there that He prayed in anguish as He contemplated the agony of bearing the full wrath of God on sin.

3. Sometime in the middle of the night, one of His own disciples, named Judas, arrived with an army of temple police and Roman soldiers.

4. He had devised a signal that He would kiss Jesus so as to betray Him.

5. Judas did this.

6. Jesus was apprehended by the Romans.

7. As He was being arrested one of His disciples tried to intervene and cut off the ear of one of the arresting officers, but Jesus rebuked the disciple and submitted to the arrest.

8. And this Jesus, who did nothing but good, was arrested as a criminal by the Chief priests and Roman government.

That is the story we SEE UNIVERSALLY in all 4 gospel accounts.

But there are also unique ways in which each gospel writer tells the story.
They give you differing perspectives
Both by additional facts that they include and by those they leave out.

FOR EXAMPLE:

While Matthew certainly gives the historical account of Jesus being arrested it is also clear that Matthew has a unique interest in revealing THE SUBMISSION OF JESUS.

When Peter takes off the man’s ear,
Matthew includes this response from Jesus.

Matthew 26:51-54 “And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

Now Luke and John are also going to reveal Jesus rebuking Peter for this impetuous attack, but Matthew gives the most detail.

Matthew’s gospel exposes the foolishness of Peter.

1) All Peter was going to accomplish was to make himself (and Jesus) an actual outlaw.

• One of the chief accusations the chief priests will bring before Pilate is that Jesus claims to be a King and is thus a threat to Rome.

• Peter’s behavior actually makes that look true.

2) Peter had failed to understand that if deliverance from arrest was the plan then Jesus had better allies available than Peter.

• Jesus could call 12 legions of angels (72,000).

• And since one angel in the Old Testament annihilated 185,000 Assyrians before Hezekiah I think the odds would have been in Jesus’ favor.

3) Peter had failed to understand that Scripture had ordained that Christ die on the cross, not by sword fight in the garden.

• What if Jesus and His disciples were all obscurely massacred in the garden in the middle of the night?

• There were well over 600 soldiers there to arrest Jesus, if a battle breaks out, it’s not going to end well for Jesus and the 11.

Peter’s rash behavior would only
Make Jesus look like the outlaw they claimed He was,
And would destroy the divine plan of the substitutionary
And prophetic death of Christ on the cross.

Peter represented human rashness.
Peter represented human foolishness.

Peter represented us in the way that we often think
We know better than God and thus try to take matters into our own hands.

But Jesus on that night was a model of SUBMISSION.
• He was submitting to the arrest.
• He was submitting to the prophetic word of God.

We marvel at His PASSIVE OBEDIENCE.

1 Peter 2:22-23 “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”

Jesus had the power not to be arrested.
Jesus had the power not to just take it.

You can certainly see that in John’s gospel when
Just the announcement of His name puts the entire army on their face.

Jesus willingly submitted to the arrest
Because that was the divine plan for the salvation of sinners.

As even John pointed out in his gospel.
John 18:11 “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

So as Matthew tells the story of His arrest,
Matthew really wants you to understand the submissive nature of Christ
To willingly submit to that which He had the power to prevent.

Mark on the other hand points us to THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST when we read his account.

When you read the arrest in Mark’s account is quick and brutal.
• The rebuke of Peter is not mentioned.
• Jesus questioning Judas is not mentioned.
• Jesus healing the servant is not mentioned.

You just have Judas arriving, kissing Jesus, them apprehending Jesus,
Jesus exposing the corruption in the arrest, and everyone fleeing.

It is quick and brutal.
It is a terrifying scene.

In Mark’s gospel account our mind is drawn to the suffering of Christ.

It was no small thing for Him to bear our punishment.
It was no insignificant cost He was forced to pay.
The hatred He felt by the world was real and serious.

This wasn’t ceremonial.
The people who arrested Jesus hated Him and wanted to see Him totally destroyed.

Matthew shows us His Submission
Mark shows us His Suffering

Luke gospel focuses on HIS SUBSTITUTION FOR SINNERS

Luke’s explanation of the arrest of Jesus
Really starts back in the upper room before they depart for the garden.

Jesus told the 11 there:
Luke 22:35-37 “And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.”

Jesus announced to the 11 that
• Any earthly benefit they had received for being associated with Jesus was about to be gone.
• He was about to be “numbered with transgressors”
• He was about to start taking the shame, humiliation, and suffering that we deserve.

When you read Luke’s account you feel that.

You see Jesus Mocked as a Fraud
When Judas comes up and gives Him that hypocritical kiss.

• It is Judas’ way of calling Jesus a “fake King”.
• Luke reveals Jesus asking Judas, “Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
• Judas is doing the same thing the soldiers will do later when they put a purple robe on Him and a crown of thorns and bow before Him.

You see Jesus Defended as a Rebel.
• That’s what Peter is doing when he pulls the sword.
• He is making Jesus look like the rebel leader they are about to accuse Him of being.
• But Jesus says, “Stop, no more of this.” And heals the servant.

You see Jesus Arrested as a Thief.
• He had preached in the temple day after day and no one arrested Him, but here they are with swords and clubs to treat Him like one now.
• Jesus asks, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber?”

A FRAUD, A REBEL, A THIEF?
Jesus was none of those things, but we are all of them.

Luke saw Jesus with the sinners He is about to atone for.

Isaiah 53:3-4 “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.”

You see Jesus substitutionary saving heart
Come to the forefront.

Luke’s gospel also reads the softest.
• Only Luke mentions Jesus healing the servant.
• Luke is the only one who doesn’t rat out the disciples for fleeing.
• Luke doesn’t even lay blame at the feet of those who are arresting Jesus.
• Just like only Luke reveals Jesus saying, “Father forgive them…”

Instead Luke reveals the words of Jesus:
Luke 22:53 “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”

Luke credits all of the evil of that night to Satan
And “the power of darkness”.

Luke shows very little disdain
Even for those making the most grievous mistakes.
He sees Jesus as the savior of sinners
And their substitute as He identifies with them.

Matthew shows Submission
Mark shows Suffering
Luke shows Substitution

John certainly shows us SOVEREIGNTY

We get this account from John:
John 18:3-9 “Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”

What you have Jesus doing there is a sovereign move to perfectly and totally defend His own.
• He asks twice for the name on the warrant.
• He is pointing out clearly that His name alone is there.
• He is making the point that this army has no right to arrest His followers.

But in that we see a remarkable scene
For when Jesus utters the phrase “I am” they all fall back and bow down.

It is an unmistakable visual revealing who is really in control.
If Jesus doesn’t want to go, He’s not going.
They have no power over Him.

That is scene again when He gives orders that His followers go free, and those orders are obeyed.

While Jesus does get arrested, one hardly reads John’s gospel
And sees Him as without any choice in the matter.

And what a blessing that is for us.

As the old song goes:
“No one took His life, with love He gave it. He was crucified on a tree that He created.”

And that is really one of John’s chief themes: LOVE

John spent 5 chapters prior to this event
Documenting all that Jesus said to His disciples in the upper room.

There the word “Love” or “Loved” or “Loves” is used 34 times!

Perhaps the most famous:
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

And that is what Jesus is doing.
John 13:1 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”

So I just want you to take sort of an overall look at the arrest of Jesus and
Realize all the magnificent truths you learn of Christ in just that one event.

DO YOU SEE HIS SUBMISSION?
His passive obedience to fulfill all the Father intended

DO YOU SEE HIS SUFFERING?
All that Christ endured in order to save you

DO YOU SEE HIS SUBSTITUTION?
That Christ was treated as you deserve

DO YOU SEE HIS SOVEREIGNTY?
He could do whatever He wanted, but in love He chose to lay down His life for you.

There are so many ways you can examine the arrest of Jesus.
IT IS MORE than just a historical event
Where Jesus was taken into custody by those who hated Him.

Everything that occurs there is an expression of who He is.
He is the faithful, loving, obedient, sovereign Savior of sinners.

But THIS MORNING as we examine the arrest of Jesus,
I want us to take our closest look at Mark’s gospel.

• Mark was the first gospel account written.
• Matthew, Luke, and John all had his account in hand when they wrote theirs.
• Mark’s, as we said, is quick and brutal and shocking and seems to highlight for us the suffering of Jesus.

But there is certainly even more than that to be gained here.

4 things Mark makes clear in his account of the arrest of Jesus.

#1 BETRAYAL
Mark 14:43-45

IT REALLY IS A PITIFUL SCENE.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all include the exact same despicable phrase:
“Judas, one of the twelve…”

• How could it be that a man who had spent that much intimate time with Jesus could do such a thing?
• How could a man who had seen the compassion of Jesus, heard the preaching of Jesus, seen the conviction of Jesus…be willing to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver?

Of all the scorn Jesus will face over the next 12 to 15 hours
It is likely that none will sting like this one.

Psalms 55:12-15 “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend; We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng. Let death come deceitfully upon them; Let them go down alive to Sheol, For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.”

Such was Judas.

And if that were not bad enough,
The way in which Judas betrays Jesus is just as repulsive.

(44) “Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard.”

Why wouldn’t Judas just lead them to the garden, point Jesus out, and hide back in the trees while the Romans did their thing?
• Why lead the men straight to Him?
• Why go in with so intimate a sign as a kiss?

Can I remind you that you cannot be neutral with Jesus?

Jesus said it:
Luke 11:23 “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.”

Judas went in with a kiss because He hated Jesus.
All darkness hates the light.

It is the audacity of a man who wants to make sure that
In His dying moment Jesus knows exactly who is responsible.

It is the ultimate hatred and slap in the face.

BUT IT IS ALSO A MOCKERY.
Do you remember Psalms 2?

The Psalm that speaks of the world’s rebellion against the LORD’S Christ
Psalms 2:1-3 “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”

It also contains God’s announcement that He has seated Christ on the throne and no one can do anything about it?
Psalms 2:4-6 “He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

And it is the Psalm that ends with God calling all nations to submit to the Son.
Psalms 2:12 “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

That phrase “Do homage to the Son” is literally “kiss the Son”
It is a sign of respect.

Judas is doing that, only in a mocking way.
No different than when the soldiers will put a purple robe on Him
And mockingly bow before Him.

This is Judas showing his contempt for Jesus.

And not just that.
Some Greek manuscripts indicate that in verse 45
Judas approached Jesus and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!”
Or as the KJV translates it “Master! Master!”

And that is quite interesting.
That double stating is intended to be an announcement of affection.

“Martha, Martha you are bothered by so many things…”

But from Judas it is total hypocrisy.
It reminds us of:

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

And certainly Judas would fall into that category.

AND WHAT A WARNING.
Can I point out to you that not a single person in this room was more personally acquainted with Jesus than Judas was.

But Judas’ confession was phony.
Judas’ reverence was a mockery.

And Judas ends up in hell because of it.
Not only does the book of Acts indicate that Judas “went to his own place”

But even the prophecies given concerning him indicate this was true.
Psalms 69:22-28 “May their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, may it become a trap. May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, And make their loins shake continually. Pour out Your indignation on them, And may Your burning anger overtake them. May their camp be desolate; May none dwell in their tents. For they have persecuted him whom You Yourself have smitten, And they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded. Add iniquity to their iniquity, And may they not come into Your righteousness. May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous.”

Psalms 109:6-8 “Appoint a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him come forth guilty, And let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; Let another take his office.”

Both of those were quoted in reference to Judas by Peter in Acts 1:20.

Judas knew Jesus better than almost anyone and still went to hell.
It’s not what you know about Jesus, It’s if He knows you.
It’s whether or not you have trusted Him.

Judas knew Christ and hated Him.
What is your response to Him?

That is the first point – Betrayal

#2 INJUSTICE
Mark 14:46-47

When those soldiers grab Jesus,
• Everyone in the crowd knows it is a sham.
• Everyone there knows this is a corrupt arrest.

Peter is so convinced about the injustice of this event
That he feels totally justified to pursue violence.

He takes a sword and goes for the head of one of the soldiers.
No doubt the man ducks and Peter ends up with an ear,
But Peter is convinced this is unjust.

Even Jesus is quick to expose the corruption in the event.

He’ll say in verse 48 “Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me…”

• Jesus knows that they were afraid of the people.
• Jesus knows that they’ve got nothing on Him.
• Jesus knows that any arrest would have to be in the middle of the night and in the middle of the sticks.

This is bogus from the word go.
Luke 22:53 “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”

This is nothing short of evil hating good.
This is darkness hating light.

John 3:20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

But there is a reason why it’s happening.

Betrayal, Injustice

#3 FULFILLMENT
Mark 14:48-49

Jesus analyzes the scene.

The men have “come out with swords and clubs to arrest [Jesus], as [they] would against a robber”

They are treating Him like a criminal, even though He is clearly not one.

And Jesus knows why.
“but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures.”

I suppose you could include many Old Testament passages about the suffering and death of the Christ here for a reference as all of them begin their fulfillment here.

But Luke’s gospel has given the indicator
That most understand to be the focus of this statement.

Luke 22:35-38 “And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

In the upper room Jesus addressed the coming arrest and said it would fulfill the statement “And He was numbered with transgressors”

That is:
Isaiah 53:12 “Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.”

Nothing that was occurring here was an accident.
While it was wrong on a legal level and a moral level,
Everything was going exactly according to plan.
• Jesus came to this garden to be betrayed.
• Jesus came to this garden to identify with sinners.
• Jesus came to this garden to be arrested.

Mark shows it all.

But there is one other point Mark makes.
Only he and Matthew mention it, but Mark adds details that none of the others give.

#4 ABANDONMENT
Mark 14:50-52

Verse 50 is another fulfillment.

(50) “And they all left Him and fled.”

Earlier in Mark’s gospel Jesus had said:
Mark 14:27 “And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’”

And certainly they did.
• Everyone ran.
• Everyone abandoned Him.

There are even these strange 2 verses at the end of the narrative
about this young man who was wearing a linen sheet
And who ended up fleeing naked.

There is lots of speculation on this, but I think the most logical is that this is Mark, and he is including this as evidence that he is an eye-witness.

• It is quite likely that the upper room that Jesus used for the Passover, that the disciples will soon return to, and that they will meet in again at Pentecost was owned by Mark’s family.

• Mark would have been wealthy as evidenced by the linen sheet he was wearing, as only the rich had such undergarments.

• It is likely that Judas first led the troops by Mark’s house since that is where Jesus was when Judas left Him, and then went on to the garden.

• It is also likely that Mark was either intrigued and intending to warn Jesus, and did not have time to get fully dressed before he runs out there.

But in the chaos and brutality Mark also joins them as one who must flee.

NO ONE WAS COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO STAY WITH JESUS
Everyone who was with Jesus has now abandoned Him.

And here is the point I want to leave you with this week.

HE IS OFF TO FIGHT THE BATTLE!
He is fighting it for you.
He is fighting it ALONE.

He is going to face the Chief Priests and then the Sanhedrin
And then Pilate and then Herod and then the mob and then the soldiers
And then the cross and then the very wrath of God,
AND HE WILL FACE EVERY BIT OF IT ALONE.

As Tom Pennington put it:
“There are no co-redeemers with Him.”

The Catholic church likes to call Mary the co-redemptrix, but even she is no where to be found.
• She’ll stand at watch at the foot of the cross, but she will not join Jesus to Annas or Caiaphas or Pilate or Herod or the Mob.
• And when Jesus is nailed to the cross she won’t hang next to Him.
• When Jesus bears the full wrath of God, she won’t share the load.

What Jesus is off to do He is off to do totally by Himself.
He is the sole and only Savior.

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Even in the garden just an hour prior to this arrest we heard Jesus say:
Mark 14:36 “And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

Is there any other way to save them?
• And the answer is no.

Jesus alone is fighting the battle for the salvation of sinners.

As we start counting down to Easter we do it with one Man on our minds.

As we take the Lord’s Supper this morning,
It is to focus on His sacrifice and His alone.

• He alone stood in the gap for you.
• He alone was clothed in your sin.
• He alone was arrested, tried, mocked, and crucified.
• He alone bore God’s wrath for you.

What He submitted to in the garden He did for you.
What He is about to face He will face for you.

AND HE WILL BE VICTORIOUS!

THIS MORNING
• We honor Him for that.
• We praise Him for that.
• And we submit our lives to Him for that.

And all of that is bound up here as we partake of the Lord’s Supper.

This cracker represents His body.
• The body in which He first fulfilled the Law and earned a righteous standing.
• That is the righteousness He will impute to you by faith.
• It is also the body that was arrested and beaten and mocked and crucified.

This juice represents His blood.
• It is His life for the life is in the blood.
• The wages of sin is death and it His blood that will satisfy that debt for you.
• He will be pierced for our sin and His flood will flow for our forgiveness.

And this morning we will eat it in remembrance.
• We will claim ownership of the sacrifice made on our behalf.
• We will identify with Him as He identified with us.

If you do not trust Him, do not partake of this.
But if He is yours and you are His, then partake and rejoice again
That what He did, He did for you.

We’ll have a time of preparation and then approach the table of the Lord.

LORD’S SUPPER

• Deacons come forward

Isaiah 59:16 “And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.”

• Give cracker to deacons
• Deacon prayer
• Deacons pass out cracker

Matthew 26:26 “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

• Take cracker

Isaiah 53:10-12 “But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.”

• Give juice to deacons
• Deacon prayer
• Deacons pass out juice

Matthew 26:27-28 “And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”

• Take juice

• Deacon prayer
• Parting Hymn

download here

Why Elders Must Be Appointed – part 2
Titus 1:10-16
March 23, 2025

We started looking at this text this morning.

Basically we are giving Paul’s explanation to Titus
As to why he must appoint elders in every city.
• This is NOT preference issue.
• This is NOT a tradition issue.
• This IS a protection issue.

The church needs elders because the threat to her is real and great.

The church has enemies.
• Satan who prowls around like a roaring lion.
• And the savage or ravenous wolves he appoints to attack the flock.

Both of these enemies seek to deceive, destroy, and devour the church.

Therefore the elder must be a man (9) holds “fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

And what we began to look at this morning and continue looking at tonight is THE REALITY OF THE THREAT.

In the 7 verses we read here the overwhelming focus is on the reality of the danger the church faces.

• We see words like “rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers”
• We see words like “upsetting whole families”
• We see words like “liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons”
• We see words like “defiled and unbelieving”
• We see words like “detestable and disobedient and worthless”

And perhaps the scariest word of all is the word in verse 10, “many”.

The first line of defense are the elders who are appointed
To silence them, rebuke them, and even to correct them.

And this is Paul’s reasoning to Titus why he must (5) “appoint elders in every city as I directed you.”

We have broken this text down into 3 main points, and we are currently looking at the first one.

#1 THE WOLF
Titus 1:10-12, 15-16

The church needs to understand the danger that she faces.
If you want to know why you need shepherds,
It becomes much clearer when you see the wolves.

In our text Paul has given us 5 characteristics of the wolf to help us know the degree of danger we face there.

1) DECEPTIVE MESSAGE (10)

“For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,”

• They are liars.
• They give you bad doctrine.
• Paul told Timothy that they are ear ticklers.

To expound just a little on what we saw this morning:

They are the men who sought to HOOD-WINK the Galatians.
Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?”

“bewitched” is BOSS-KY-NO
It means “to charm”

It’s like snake oil salesman who captivated you with their charm
In order to deceive you in regard to the will of God.

Specifically telling the Galatians that
• Faith in Christ was insufficient
• Salvation hinged upon a total keeping of God’s Law
• All this began with circumcision.

They made it sound right.
They made it sound good.
But it was a doctrine that would send them to hell.

They are the men who sought take the Colossians CAPTIVE.
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”

“takes you captive” is SOO-LOG-O-GAY-O
It means “to carry off the booty”

These false messengers
• Sought to replace Christ as the means of salvation
• They denied His deity with human logic
• They denied His necessity
• The replaced it with human wisdom

These men are spiritual pirates
Who capture you and end up plundering you.

They are the men who EXPLOITED those Peter wrote to.
2 Peter 2:3 “and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

“exploit” is EM-PAR-OOH-O-MY
It’s where we get our word “emporium”
They “make merchandise of you”

They are slick talking liars
Whose only goal is to capture you and profit off of you.

And Paul said there are “many” of them like this in the world.

• These are wolves, but they wear sheep’s clothing.
• These are dangerous men, but they come to you as pastors.
• They are numerous, they are relentless,

The church needs elders to spot them and silence them.

An example of how numerous and how an elder spots them.
TURN TO: 2 TIMOTHY

This was a church founded by Paul, pastored by Timothy, and even the apostle John, and look at the danger in their midst.

• (1:15)
• (2:16-18)
• (3:1-8)
• (4:9-10)
• (4:14)

Do you see the threat?
Paul pointed them out to Timothy because he had to protect the flock from them.

They are men with a DECEPTIVE MESSAGE

2) DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE (11)

“they are upsetting whole families, teaching things the should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

• Like Hymenaeus and Philetus, they upset whole families saying the resurrection already came.
• Like the men at Corinth who said the resurrection didn’t exist.
• Like the men who contacted the Thessalonians telling them they were experiencing the wrath of the day of the Lord.

Wolves only desire to destroy the flock.
Like their father the devil they come only to “steal, kill, and destroy”.

The church needs shepherds to spot them and stop them.

3) DEPRAVED NATURE (12-13a)

“One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true.”

• Paul quoted a Cretan poet named Epimenides who was believed to be a religious prophet.
• Paul speaks here of their nature.
• In fact it became known that “to Cretanize” was a figure of speech for lying.
(macarthur, John [The macarthur New Testament Commentary: Titus; Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 1996] pg. 61)

A wolf is a natural born enemy of the sheep.
There is no friendship

The church needs to be protected from them.

4) DEFILED CONSCIENCE (15)

(15) “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.”

These guys are not pure, and nothing is pure to them.
That is a way of saying nothing is sacred.

I remember watching a Harrison Ford movie years ago where he was the president and terrorists grabbed his daughter and were threatening to hurt her.

He looked at the terrorists and said, “Have you no horror?”

And the answer here is, “NO, they don’t”.

They are “defiled and unbelieving” and “nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.”

• A wolf will eat a sheep and give absolutely no thought to the pain the sheep is feeling.

• The enemies of the church will destroy your faith for a buck and give no thought to the judgment you will experience as a result.

These are dangerous enemies and the church must be protected.

That is what we covered the morning, but I wanted to cover it again
Because, to a degree, I want you to be horrified.

I want you to understand the horrible danger you face.
I want you to understand why the church must appoint elders.

There is one more characteristic of the wolf we need to see tonight before we move on.

5) DETESTABLE PRESENCE (16)

(16) “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”

First we notice that these men are TERRIBLE HYPOCRITES.
“They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him”

• They claim Christianity but they are not Christian.
• They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
• They are false apostles masquerading as angels of light.

2 Peter 2:17-22 “These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

That is them, they are frauds!
• They are hypocrites who make their followers twice as much as son of hell as themselves.
• They are blind men that lead other blind men into a pit.
• They are dogs who return to their vomit.
• They are pigs who return to the mud.
• They are dried up springs, they are powerless mists, they are slaves of corruption who can bring freedom to no one.

They are “detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”

The Greek word for “detestable” here is only used here in the New Testament.
It’s only used one time in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) too.

Proverbs 17:15 “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.”

There it is translated “abomination” and it is in reference to
A man who will justify the wicked and condemn the righteous.

What use is a judge who acquits the wicked?
What use is a judge who condemns the innocent?

He is of no use at all.
He is in fact “detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed”

False prophets in the Old Testament are described in terms just like this.

TURN TO: EZEKIEL 13:17-23

• There you see female false prophets are most certainly for sale.
• They’ll say anything you want for “handfuls of barley and fragments of
Bread”.
• They will “put to death some who should not die and keep others alive
Who should not live”

They are detestable.

The end result is that they “disheartened the righteous with falsehood”
And they “encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way”

What horrible enemies to the people of God.

TURN TO: JEREMIAH 23

First look at verses 1-2.
• There is the danger.
• It is men who scatter God’s flock.

See how detestable they are, look at verses 16-17
• Like the false prophets in Ezekiel they encourage the wicked.

And we see God’s estimation of them in verses 30-32

They provide no benefit for the people.

AND TO THAT WE ASK:
Is there any benefit to having a wolf amongst your flock of sheep?

• It IS NOT a desirable presence.
• It IS NOT a beneficial presence.
• It IS a detestable presence.
• It IS a worthless presence.

Someone has to be able to spot the wolf
And keep him away from the flock.

God’s remedy?
Elders

“appoint elders in every city as I directed you”

I hope you see the imminent danger.
I hope you understand the threat.

For it is the threat of the wolf
That leads the flock to see the importance of the shepherd.

Well that is the bulk of the passage: THE WOLF
But that is not all that is contained.

#2 THE FLOCK
Titus 1:11b

The flock only shows up here in one small reference,
Though undoubtedly they are the chief focus of God.

We see the flock in Paul’s statement “they are upsetting whole families”

No doubt this is what matters to God.

God would not care about the presence of the wolf
If He did not value the sheep.

• It should grieve your heart when you see a whole family upset in the faith.
• It should grieve your heart to see one deceived and led astray.

No one should see a lamb being devoured by a wolf and say,
• “No big deal, i’ve got more.”
• Or “No big deal, I didn’t really like that lamb anyway.”

The entire motivational force of the passage is that
The church needs elders because God loves the church.

TURN TO: JOHN 17

I just want to read part of this high priestly prayer of Jesus which He prayed in the upper room on the night before He was crucified.

Look at verses 6-15

Do you feel the love of Christ for the flock in those verses?
• Do you feel Him praying (11) “Holy Father, keep them in Your name”
• Do you feel it when He prays (15) “keep them form the evil one.”

You have Jesus, hours from crucifixion,
And the thrust of His prayer is that His Father will hold on to His flock.

Do you see how much He values her?
Do you see His love for her?

SOON HE WILL BE LEAVING.
What is His plan for her protection?

• Well certainly He is praying for her here.
• Certainly He still intercedes for her continually before the throne.
• But that is NOT ALL His plan consists of.

TURN TO: JOHN 21

• After Jesus again appeared to the men while they were fishing and they joined Him on the shore.

Read verses 15-17

Do you see His plan implemented for the protection of His sheep?
• He is appointing Peter to take care of His church.
• He is appointing Peter to shepherd and feed His sheep.

How much do they matter to Him?

And what did Peter end up teaching us?
1 Peter 5:1-4 “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Peter shared the task didn’t he?
Peter called on other elders to “shepherd the flock of God among you”
• He knew the value of Christ’s flock.
• He knew how much they mean to Christ.
• He knew Christ’s desire that men rise up and protect her.

Certainly Paul understood this as well.
We have cited it often in this study, but listen as he speaks to those Ephesian elders.

Acts 20:28-32 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

He wanted those men to take care of Christ’s flock.
The flock that Christ purchased them with His own blood.

And that is precisely the motivation here
As well when Paul writes to Titus.

Titus, the flock of God is on the island of Crete.
They live on an island saturated with wolves.

“Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons”

Some of these liars “are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

Titus you have to go and “appoint elders in every city as I directed you”

Someone has to go and defend Christ’s flock.
Someone has to go and shepherd Christ’s sheep.

Do you understand the love God has for His flock?
Do you understand the love Christ has for His bride?

You must understand the danger the church faces.
You must understand how valuable she is to God.
Then you will understand why the church must appoint elders.

We cannot allow the faith of the flock to be upset by liars.
The flock must be protected.

The Wolf, The Flock
#3 THE SHEPHERD
Titus 1:11a, 13b-14

Here we see the role of the shepherd.
Here is THE SOLUTION Paul gives to the presence of the wolf.

Here is why Titus must appoint elders in every city.

(11) “who must be silenced”

(13b-14) “For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.”

“silenced” is EPI-STA-MID-ZO

“EPI” = over
“STO-MA” = mouth

It means to put something over the mouth,
Or to bridal the mouth, or to silence the mouth.

There is an AUTHORITATIVE INTERVENTION that is occurring here.

You have a man teaching something they should not teach,
Someone has to have the authority and the backbone
To stop them from teaching.

• Someone has to remove them.
• Someone has to silence them.
• Someone has to make sure that they do not spread their lies any more.

In our world that is not a popular position.
But someone has to do it.
You can’t just let it continue.

AND THEN once you silence them and stop them from spreading their lies.

According to verse 13 someone must “reprove them severely”

“reprove” is ELENGCHO

It is the same word used in:
Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”

There it is translated “show him his fault”

But you’ll notice that Paul doesn’t just stop at “reprove”.
Paul says “reprove them severely”
• That word means “abruptly; severely; sharply”

In other words, make sure he knows that this is not acceptable.
Leave no doubt that such teaching is not tolerated.

PERHAPS WE SHOULD PUT IT THIS WAY.

How would you talk to a wolf that was trying to attack one of your lambs?

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
This is no laughing matter.
It is not tolerable.

Someone must be willing to approach the false teacher,
And in no uncertain terms let them know
That such teaching will not be tolerated.

1 Timothy 1:3-4 “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.”

CORRECT THEM.

Do you want to see some examples?

Matthew 3:7-10 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Luke 11:37-52 “Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table. When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. “You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? “But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. “Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the market places. “Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it.” One of the lawyers said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.” But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers. “Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them. “So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their tombs. “For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some they will persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.’ “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.”

Acts 8:18-23 “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

Acts 13:6-11 “When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.”

Do you get the point?
This is non-negotiable and no room can be given.

And incidentally, this isn’t only for wolves.
This is also for solid teachers who accidentally stray from the truth.

When Peter misrepresented the gospel what does Paul say?
Galatians 2:11-13 “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.”

Peter was a genuine shepherd, but he got it wrong there,
And we are thankful that there was another shepherd to correct him publicly.

Why would Paul do that?
• Why would they be so direct?
• Why would they be so severe?

BECAUSE THE FLOCK MATTERS AND THE FLOCK NEEDS TRUTH.

Would you rebuke someone for putting poison in the watering trough where your sheep water?

Would you make sure the sheep knew not to drink from it?

Would you be emphatic in your instruction?

Of course you would!
It must be done.

Now, what we also love about this passage
Is the PROPENSITY FOR REDEMPTION.

For Paul says we severely reprove those men, “so that they may be sound in faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.”

We reprove them so that they will get it right.

We will rejoice if they repent and change their teaching
And become of use to the church.

I always love the story John Macarthur tells about when he was asked to preach in one of his seminary classes.

The dean of the seminary I attended was Dr. Charles Feinberg, one of the most brilliant and respected men I have ever known. He was Jewish, and after studying for 14 years to be a rabbi, he was converted to Christ. He knew more than thirty languages. He even told me once that he taught himself Dutch because he wanted to read Dutch Reformed theology. He also read through the Bible four times every year. Needless to say, he was exceptional and intense. We were all rightfully in awe of him, and I loved him at the same time.

In those days, every seminary student had to preach in chapel. When my turn came, I was assigned to preach on 2 Samuel 7, the great text on the Davidic Covenant. My sermon was probably a fine example of structural craftsmanship. It had a zinger for a beginning and a zapper at the end. It would have been a great success, too—if it hadn’t been for my lack of biblical content in the middle section. I preached a “practical” message that was only superficially related to the biblical text. In that passage, Nathan encourages David to build a house for the Lord. And God says, “Wait a minute, you didn’t check in. That’s not the plan.” So I preached about how important it is to not to presume on God.

When I finished, I felt pretty good. The chapel audience seemed to have followed with interest, and I even thought I heard some murmurs of approval. But I really only cared about the opinion of one man—my mentor, Dr. Feinberg. The faculty sat behind us when we preached in chapel, and they had legal-sized criticism sheets, which they filled out during the student’s sermon. After we were done preaching, we would stand at the door, and the faculty would hand us their sheets as they left the room. I just wanted Dr. Feinberg’s.

He was at the end of the line, and I could see that he had folded his sheet up very small and very tightly. When he handed it to me, he did not even look up at me. He kept his eyes straight down and walked firmly past. That was not a good sign. So at my first opportunity, I unrolled his paper. I was eager to read his feedback, hoping desperately that he would be impressed with my sermon.

To be sure, I expected some constructive criticism. But the few bold red words that stared back at me were much worse than anything I had prepared myself for. He had completely ignored all the suggested categories and scoring helps that were printed on the sheet. Instead, he wrote across the page in bold red letters a one-line critique that hit me like a hard punch to the solar plexus: “ You missed the whole point of the passage .”

That is the worst possible mistake any preacher could make—but especially in front of someone like Dr. Feinberg.

Like many young preachers, I had naively concerned myself with just about everything except getting the meaning of the text right. My preparation was focused on delivery, gestures, anecdotes, the right mix of humor and illustrative material, and the alliteration of my main points. I had actually approached the biblical passage itself almost as an afterthought.

Later that day, I received a message instructing me to go to Dr. Feinberg’s office. When I got there, he was sitting at his desk, shaking his head in disappointment. “How could you? How could you? That passage presents the Davidic Covenant culminating in the Messiah and His glorious kingdom—and you talked about ‘not presuming on God’ in our personal day-to-day choices. That would have been a fine admonition to preach from Numbers 15:30-31 or Psalm 19:13, but you can’t reduce 2 Samuel 7 to that ! You missed the entire point of the passage, and it’s one of the greatest of all Old Testament passages. Don’t ever do that again.”

He never said another word about it to me, but that incident hit me like a sledgehammer. In fact, it was the deepest single impression I ever received in seminary. Never miss the point of the passage. To this day, when I come to the text each week and begin to study its richness and depth, I can still hear Dr. Feinberg’s heartfelt admonition ringing in my ears. If you don’t have the meaning of Scripture, you do not have the Word of God at all. If you miss the true sense of what God has said, you are not actually preaching God’s Word! That reality has compelled me for nearly 40 years of preaching.
Https://www.gty.org/library/Articles/A274/The-Day-I-Missed-the-Point

That is what we are talking about here.
A direct, even intense rebuke,
• Because God’s word deserves it and God’s flock deserves it.

But one also meant to redeem.
• So that the man be useful to the flock in the future.

And all of this culminates as Paul’s explanation to Titus
As to why he must appoint elders in every city.

The church needs these men.

• They need qualified men who will love the bride of Christ like they love their own wife.
• They need qualified men who will manage the household of God like they manage their own household.
• They need mature men who will love and serve the church like Christ desires.
• They need faithful and consistent men with a reputation for being genuine both inside and outside the church.

• And they need bold and courageous men who will face the wolves that threaten the flock.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

The church needs men who will take that seriously
And enforce it for the benefit of the flock.

This really isn’t something that can be overlooked.

If the church is to be cared for the way God intended,
Then she must appoint elders to oversee and give an example
And shepherd and protect her.

The job of Titus was to go and make sure she had them.

download here

Why Elders Must Be Appointed – part 1
Titus 1:10-16
March 23, 2025

AS YOU’RE WELL-AWARE,
We’ve spent the last few weeks discussing the qualifications of an elder.

• We looked at his home life,
• His maturity,
• Even his reputation among those outside the church.

Certainly every word of that is important for a congregation to know
When it comes time for them to recognize and ordain their leaders.

This morning we are going to move FROM THE WHAT TO THE WHY.

We see what an elder is supposed to be,
This morning we are going to examine why we need them.

The command to Titus was very clear back in verse 5.
Titus 1:5 “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,”

We certainly don’t forget what Titus was left on the island to do.
• He was to travel from city to city all over the island.
• First he was to “set in order what remains”
• And secondly he was to “appoint elders in every city as I directed you”

This wasn’t a suggestion from Paul, this was a command.
And Paul went directly into explaining exactly
What to look for in a potential elder.

But up to this point, Paul has yet to answer the question of “WHY?”
• WHY did Titus need to appoint elders in every city?
• WHY was this so important?

Couldn’t Titus just go and teach all of the congregations
And then move on and allow them to just sort of “self-govern”?

What was Paul’s reasoning behind this?

Well, that is the question Paul answers now beginning in verse 10.

I do remind you what we learned last Sunday night in verse 9:
Titus 1:9 “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

We talked about the ability of an elder
And how he must be able to exhort and to refute.

After that Paul goes directly into why we need such men.

(10) “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially of the circumcision, who must be silenced…”

With that statement Paul is revealing to us why elders must be appointed.
• There is a predator that threatens the flock of God.
• There are deceivers who threaten to do tremendous harm to God’s flock.

God’s design is to appoint elders who will do the job
Of protecting the flock from those destructive attackers.

And this is an important point to grasp from Paul.

When talking about why the church needs elders,
It is not about tradition, nor is it about preference.
The church needs elders because of the dangers she faces.

And that is what we want to discuss this morning.

We’re going to divide this text up into 3 main points and hopefully by the time we are finished we will all see why the church needs elders.

We’re going to begin by taking a detailed look at the threat.

#1 THE WOLF
Titus 1:10-12, 15-16

Jesus said:
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

In Acts 20 Paul warned the Ephesian elders:
Acts 20:29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;”

Those “savage wolves” are clearly on Paul’s mind here.

When you read these 7 verses,
There is no doubt where the main focus is.
• Paul is focused on the threat to the church.
• He is describing the wolves.

The description of the threat dominates the text.

In verse 10 he calls them:
• “rebellious men”
• “empty talkers”
• “deceivers”

In verse 12 he calls them:
• “a prophet of their own”

In verse 15 he calls them:
• “defiled”
• “unbelieving”

In verse 16 he calls them:
• “detestable”
• “disobedient”
• “worthless”

It’s not hard to see where the focus of the passage is.

As Paul reveals the importance of appointing elders in every city,
The chief reason is the threat that faces the flock.

Before a congregation will ever understand her need for leadership,
She must first understand the danger she faces.

THE CHURCH HAS ENEMIES

1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

We know about the roaring lion.
• We’ve certainly all read the story of Job and how Satan attacked him.
• We certainly remember the way Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
• We remember Satan’s attempt to sift Peter like wheat.
• We remember Satan entering Judas to coerce him to betray Jesus.

But we should also know about
His numerous servants whom he sends to wreak havoc in the church.
• Jesus called them “ravenous wolves”
• Paul called them “savage wolves”

Ultimately they are false teachers and false preachers in the church.

2 Peter 2:1-2 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;”

You see
• The warning of false teachers who will secretly introduce destructive heresies.
• How they succeed in leading many away from the truth through their sensuality.

These are dangerous men and even women who threaten the church.

Later in the same chapter:
2 Peter 2:17-19 “These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.”

Jude warned of them as well:
Jude 12-13 “These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”

They are a dangerous threat to the flock of God.

Now, if we were talking about a literal flock and a literal wolf,
And were trying to explain to the flock how dangerous a wolf is,
HOW WOULD WE DO IT?

If you had a sheep who had never seen a wolf, but you wanted to explain to that sheep how dangerous they are, what sort of things would you tell that sheep?
• Perhaps you’d mention their teeth or their claws.
• Perhaps you’d mention their size or their speed.
• Perhaps you’d mention how they run in packs.
• Perhaps you’d mention their brutality and lethality.
• Perhaps you’d mention their natural instinct.

THE POINT IS, you’d want that naïve sheep to understand that,
• Even though you may not see them this very moment, they are out there.
• That wolves are not to be messed with.
• Who is set to protect them from those wolves.

Well, that is what Paul is doing here.
He is explaining why the spiritual wolves are so dangerous.
• It’s not about their teeth or claws or anything like,
• It’s their deception that is their threat,
• But they are lethal and brutal none the less.

So church, listen as Paul explains to Titus
About these wolves that threaten the flock.

1) DECEPTIVE MESSAGE (10)

“For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,”

The first aspect of the wolf that Paul reminds Titus of…

The reason the church needs elders is because
“there are many rebellious men”

The word “rebellious” there is the same word used earlier in verse 6
When Paul spoke of the overseer’s children not being “accused of rebellion”.

It is simply a life void of submission to authority.
It is just someone who yields to no one.

And Paul points out that there are “many” of them.
• It is a bigger problem than you know.

These are men who do not subject themselves to the truth of God
Or any authority that God hands down.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers and deceivers”
And the word really needs no further explanation.

They talk and they teach and they preach,
But they don’t say anything of any value.

There is no weight to their words.
There is certainly nothing true about what they have to say.

Paul warned Timothy about such men too:
1 Timothy 6:20-21 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.”

That would be these guys here too.
• Just men who give “what is falsely called “knowledge”
• But it’s nothing of value and it’s nothing of truth.

In reality they have rejected the truth.
In reality they have rebelled against God’s revealed word.

Perhaps that is why Paul goes on to say, “especially those of the circumcision”.

We think about the Jews of Paul’s day
We understand them to have been men just like this.

Romans 10:3 “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”

And while Paul does not get specific about the message the preach,
The rest of the New Testament certainly gives us some ideas.

Later in verse 14 Paul will say,
“not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.”

And that gives great insight to us.

Paul warned Timothy:
1 Timothy 1:3-4 “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.”

In Judaism you are aware that
• They certainly have the Mosaic Law or the Torah,
• But of more interest to them than that is the Talmud which is the writings of rulings of Rabbi’s throughout the centuries.

They were oral traditions and rabbinic explanations
That really grew to govern Jewish life.

And in many cases “myths” is just the word.

I was reading part of it this past week regarding Sabbath laws,
Specifically carrying a load on the Sabbath,
Even more specific than that, how a man is forbidden to take a load from inside to outside or outside to inside on the Sabbath.

And it is quite extensive.
• If a man outside reaches in and sets his load inside, he is guilty.
• If a man inside reaches out and takes the load from another and brings it in, he
is guilty.
• If a man inside takes a load and sits it down, he is guilty.
• If a man outside reaches inside and takes a load, he is guilty.

BUT…
• If a man outside reaches his load inside and it is taken by a man inside and sat
down, neither is guilty because they each only broke half of the command.

And I mean, it is endless nonsense like that.
It is utter stupidity.

And you see referenced in Scripture
How such “myths” threatened the church.

Think about the Colossians.
Colossians 2:16-23 “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”

• Some Jewish zealot no doubt was convincing the Colossian believers
• That to be pleasing to God they had to adhere to all of these ordinances of their self-made religion.

The Colossians needed someone to expose all of that nonsense.

Or we think about the Galatians, who were being compelled to be circumcised.
Galatians 3:1-3 “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

I remember years ago at Crawford
Getting into a pretty strong disagreement with the man leading the youth
Because he decided to take all the youth through “Lent”.

They were going to give up something for lent
In order that they might grow closer to God.

But that is not how you grow closer to God.
“Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

Paul told the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 8:8 “But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.”

AND WE COULD GO ON AND ON,

But what you have there are wolves coming into the church
And seeking to destroy the faith of the congregation
By subtly leading them away from their dependance on Christ
And by pushing them toward dependance on their own works.

Those types of myths are dangerous.

AND ANOTHER PROBLEM
Is that people seem to gravitate toward such nonsense.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

• As Paul told the Colossians those types of myths certainly have the
appearance of godliness and the flock is deceived.

• Other members of the flock actually like it, for legalism is very self-gratifying,
and they gravitate toward such teachers.

THIS IS WHY THE CHURCH NEEDS ELDERS.
That is why Timothy was called to faithfully preach the word to them.

But “myths” aren’t the only deviation from the truth that threaten the flock.

Paul also mentioned “commandments of men who turn away from the truth”

We think of Jesus conversation with the Pharisees.
Matthew 15:1-9 “Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? “For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ “But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”

• It was all of this nonsense about whether or not the disciples washed their hands.

It had no bearing on the heart.

Jesus would say later:
Matthew 15:17-20 “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

YOU SEE THE POINT.
We are talking about men who attack the church
By introducing subtle yet destructive heresies.

• They are legalistic myths
• They are ceremonial traditions
• They are subtle but they are destructive

And the ultimate threat is that they “turn away from the truth”

WE SEE SUCH MYTHS AND TRADITIONS TODAY

• Listen to Catholicism discuss Purgatory
• What about liberal theologians who promote universalism
• What about legalistic denominations that deny SOLA FIDE and insist upon
works to secure salvation.

• Baptists were always notorious for not being able to dance.
• I had a great-grandmother who was convinced if you played cards you were
a heretic.

Over the years we’ve heard people elevate things like instruments in the church, or dress codes to salvation level behavior.

There are an endless number of ways in which the flock of God
Can be attacked by the deceptive message of savage wolves.

There are no shortage of myths or traditions that can lead men astray.

Colossians 2:4 “I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.”

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”

You get the idea.
The wolves the church faces today
Are those who are “rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers”

And the church needs elders to spot those dangers.

There must be men who are (9) “holding fast the faithful word in accordance with the teaching”

Who are “able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

A church that thinks they don’t need elders
Is like a flock of sheep who thinks they don’t need a shepherd
To spot the dangers around them.

We are dealing with wolves who have A DECEPTIVE MESSAGE.

2) DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE (11)

“who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

We’ll get to the “silenced” part later

But look again at the threat of these spiritual wolves.

“they are upsetting whole families”

Paul wrote to Timothy about Hymenaeus and Alexander:
2 Timothy 2:16-18 “But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.”

That would certainly be an “upsetting” message.

Telling believes that the resurrection has already occurred.
• Talk about robbing a congregation of their hope.
• Talk about taking away the motivation of eternal reward.

Or what about the people at Corinth?
1 Corinthians 15:12 “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?”

• At Corinth they didn’t say it already occurred, they just said it wasn’t real.
• What a message to preach to the church.

Or how about the wolves that wrote that letter to the Thessalonians and turned their world upside down?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.”

• The Thessalonians were suffering extreme persecution at the hands of the
Jewish zealots in their region.
• Apparently someone wrote to them and told them that the reason they were
suffering so much is because they had offended God and were
experiencing the day of the Lord judgment.

They were obeying God and suffering as a result
And some wolf told them God was punishing them.

It is certainly deception, but it is deception with a purpose.
The goal is to destroy faith.

THAT IS THE DANGER WE FACE IN THIS WORLD.

They are wolves dressed up in sheep’s clothing.
And they come to destroy the sheep.

• Wolves have no interest in playing with sheep.
• Wolves don’t enjoy the company of the sheep.
• Wolves are only here for one purpose and that is destruction.

They come to ruin the faith of believers.
They come to turn your confidence upside down and inside out.

THINK OF THE GALATIANS,
Just as happy as could be, having been told of Christ
• Until some Judaizers came in and convinced them that until they were circumcised they really weren’t pleasing at all.

Here were the Colossians,
Happy in Christ,
• Until the Jews came and told them that if they weren’t self-mutilating they would never be holy before God.

Here were the Ephesians,
Trusting in Christ,
• Until Hymenaeus and Alexander told them they’d missed the resurrection.

YOU GET THE POINT.
They were ruining people’s faith by distorting the gospel.

These wolves were:
“teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

We think of Yohan Tetzel

• In the days of Martin Luther showing up at Wittenburg
• Telling those crowds that their parents were burning in Purgatory
• And “every time a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from Purgatory springs”.

Give Tetzel money and your mom and dad can get out of Purgatory.
What a lie!

Just as disastrous as the prosperity preacher on television
• Who tells the person with cancer to sow a faith seed gift of however much money and God will heal them.
• And then when God doesn’t, the preacher blames it on their faith.
• And before long that person has no use for God or faith.

Wolves are out to destroy the flock.
That’s what they do.
The church must have elders to spot and silence such deception.

Deceptive Message, Destructive Influence
There’s a third aspect we see about these wolves

3) DEPRAVED NATURE (12-13a)

“One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true.”

What was Paul’s point here?

• You can give a wolf a bath, and put a suit on him.
• You can teach a wolf to eat with a fork and a spoon.
• You can house break a wolf and teach him to be civilized.

But deep down you know what he is? A WOLF.

Just because you put him in sheep’s clothing doesn’t change who he is.

Paul said even their own prophets know that.
“Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons”

LET ME ASK YOU.

What motivates a wolf to go after sheep?

HUNGER
• A wolf has no problem deceiving a sheep, trapping a sheep, or eating a sheep,
because that is what a wolf does.

THAT IS ITS INSTINCT.

Church, do you understand that you have such an enemy.
Wolves that will infiltrate the church for exactly the same reason.
They do not care about you. It is their instinct to destroy you.

Peter described them:
2 Peter 2:12-15 “But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;”

Wolves are not ashamed of being wolves.
• They are proud to be wolves.
• They love being wolves.

The church cannot be naïve about this.

There are many of these wolves.
Jesus said it, Paul said, Peter said it.

They come in with a deceptive message
That is meant to destroy your faith
So that they can devour you.

Their only use for you is to satisfy their own belly.
They will tell you whatever they need to tell you so long as it benefits them.
• They don’t care if you end up in sin or judgment or hell.
• They don’t care if your marriage falls apart.
• They don’t care if your children rebel.
• They don’t care if you end up denying the faith.

They just want to satisfy their own flesh at your expense.
IT’S WHO THEY ARE.

Let me give you one more:
Deceptive Message, Destructive Influence, Depraved Nature

4) DEFILED CONSCIENCE (15)

“To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.”

What does that mean?
“To the pure, all things are pure”

Basically this.
That a man who has morals and integrity,
He will want those morals and integrity to govern his entire life.

There are things that a pure man won’t do because his conscience will bother him.
• He has character, he has integrity, he has morals.
• He will be true and pure to himself if nothing else.

But these wolves are not like that.
They are “defiled and unbelieving”

To them, “nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.”

You do realize that a wolf will eat a baby sheep right in front of its mother.

There is no compassion there.
Wolves have no conscience.

That wolf isn’t going to go home, look at its own cubs
And feel remorse for robbing some poor sheep mother of her lamb.

It’s a wolf.
It will be back tomorrow to eat the rest of her lambs and then her.

And that is true of the false teachers that infiltrate the church.
Church we are dealing with a terrible enemy.

• They don’t care.
• They aren’t worried about your soul.
• They aren’t concerned about your relationship with God.

They have no conscience at all.
1 Timothy 4:1-6 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.”

Some of the examples Paul gave are things like “forbidding marriage”
Or advocating “abstaining from foods”

The idea is that they are going to try to get you to trust in yourself for salvation instead of the work of Christ.

They try to get you to entrust your soul to your own piety.
How much can you do without? (beneficial when they want you to give)

They tell you that the way to go to heaven is to abstain from certain foods
• (Hello Seventh Day Adventist)

They tell you that the way to go to heaven is to stay celibate and never marry
• (Catholics have done this with priests and nuns)

And the problem is NOT
That you might miss out on some special food or the joy of marriage.

The problem is that you might think God owes you eternal life
Because of the earthly sacrifice you made,
And won’t you be shocked on the day you stand before him.

But on that day, when Jesus Christ says, “I never knew you!”
• And you are saying, “But I never ate pork, and I never got married”
• And He still says “depart from Me!”

ON THAT DAY, that false teacher who convinced you to earn your way to heaven won’t care at all.

• He has no conscience.
• It does not bother him that he lied to you.
• It does not bother him that he misled you.

Like a wolf eating a sheep, he doesn’t care how much it hurts the sheep.

CHURCH THE WARNINGS ARE CLEAR.

THERE ARE SAVAGE WOLVES.
There is an enemy prowling around to destroy you.
• They will come and deceive you with empty words.
• They will come and upset your faith.
• They will come and lead you to believe something false.
• They will come and condemn you and not think twice.

They are crafty and cunning and smooth talking.
They are deceptive to the core and good at what they do.

But God has accounted for this threat.

GOD’S SOLUTION IS THIS.
(5) “appoint elders in every city as I directed you.”

God’s solution is to appoint qualified elders to shepherd his flock.
• They must be men who know the truth and who can teach the truth.
• They must be men who can spot error.
• They must be men who know a wolf when they see one.
• They must be men who are devoted to facing the wolves.
• They must be men who keep watch over your souls.

CHURCH, GOD LOVES HIS FLOCK.
CHRIST LOVES HIS BRIDE.

And in that love He has ordained that elders be ordained to protect them.
• Godly men who manage their families well.
• Godly men who are mature and gentle.
• Godly men who are faithful and consistent.
• Godly men who know the truth and can preach it and use it.

And God’s plan is to appoint them over the church
For her leadership and protection.

And certainly more than one, for if a flock only has one elder and he is a wolf, who is going to deal with him?

THERE IS MORE TO DISCUSS ABOUT THIS TONIGHT,

• But see here God’s desire that His flock be protected from savage wolves,
• See His love for the flock,
• And see God’s plan to protect it.