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
