Let's come this evening to the Word of God, Matthew's Gospel, chapter 26, please. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 26. I want to thank your pastor, Pastor Anderson, for his kind words of welcome. It's good to be with you here in Belium. We look to the Lord. to bless not only tonight, but God willing, throughout the remainder of the week. Thank you for coming out tonight, and I'm encouraged to see you here tonight, and we trust that you'll continue to come along and encourage others in under the sound of the word of God. Matthew chapter 26, and we'll read from verse number one, please. Matthew 26, verse number one, and it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, You know that after two days is the feast of the Passover and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people onto the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him. But they said, not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. We're going to finish at verse number five, and we do trust the Lord will bless the reading of his own precious, infallible, unearned, and inspired word to our hearts. here this evening. I remember as a young Christian, some of you may remember this as well, there was a video going around at one time. It was a conversation between the late Dr. Ian Paisley and Pastor Willie Mullen. And I remember how they were sharing their experiences right through their Christian lives and some advice that they were given. Some advice they were given by other preachers. And I can't remember which one of them said it or who they were talking about. I'm not much of a storyteller, sure I'm not. Couldn't remember that, but one thing I remember, I think it was an old brethren preacher, and I think it was to Pastor Mullen, he said, by hook or by crook, get them to the cross. By hook or by crook, get them to the cross. Well, there's no hookery tonight and there's no crookery tonight, but we want to spend this week just getting to the cross. We just want to get to Calvary. I've been speaking in meetings recently. I was speaking on the importance of Israel. What an exciting subject. I've been speaking on Russian prophecy, and again, when you go to Ezekiel chapter 37 and 38, what wonderful teaching and how thrilling. Last night, I was looking at the power behind Putin, looking at those principalities and powers and the influence that the kingdom of darkness has on our world. What an exciting subject. When we come to Calvary, perhaps sometimes we could feel, well, is that not a bit flat? God forbid that we would ever think like that. God forbid that calvary would ever become normal to us. God forbid we'd ever lose the thrill of it, that we'd ever cease to get excited and thrilled that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loved me and gave me life. himself for me. Yesterday, a brother around the Lord's table, he spoke about Mephibosheth. You'll know the story and how he was invited by King David to the King's table. And what a picture of grace. And he said something I hadn't thought about before. He said, it's a wonderful picture, and yet it falls so far short. David wasn't the sinless one. David didn't leave the glories and splendors of heaven and come to this earth and take upon him human flesh. David didn't go to Calvary and die that someone might be saved. And in all the types and shadows, and we thank God for them that we find in the Old Testament, and yet they all fall short of that man of Calvary. And I just was thinking about Calvary. When I came to the Draven church yesterday afternoon, a brother spoke on when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary. Last night I reminded the people in spite of the power of Satan and the principalities in power, Christ spoiled them at Calvary. He made a show of them openly. And he beat the devil. And what a wonderful victory Calvary was. And all I want to do throughout this week is just take you to Calvary. I want to look at the last few hours of Christ's life on this earth. As he makes his way to Calvary, as he is arrested, we want to think about his capture tonight, and then we want to follow him through the civil trials, through the religious trials, and we want to follow him right up to Calvary. There the just is going to die for the unjust. There he's going to bear our sin on his own body on the tree. I've entitled it simply this week, Led as a Lamb. Christ was led as a lamb to the slaughter. I just want to take a broad sweep across the final few hours of our Savior's life before he dies on that center cross. An old preacher called Walter Wilson once wrote this, millions are spent on paint to keep wood from perishing. Millions are spent on medicine to keep the body from perishing. Millions are spent on sprays and chemicals to keep plants from perishing. Millions are spent on locks to keep our valuables from perishing. Millions are spent on insurance to keep our properties from perishing. He goes on and on. And then he says this, that God gave his only Son to keep us from perishing. Peter puts it best of all. for as much as you know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. How much do we appreciate Christ? How much do we really appreciate what it cost the Holy One to bear away our sin? I want to think tonight of the capture You know, I read somewhere that one of the Russian oligarchs has offered one million pounds if someone can capture Putin and bring him to him, dead or alive. And it wouldn't be easy to capture him. He lives a very exclusive life and he's very careful with his security and it'd be very difficult to capture. Christ didn't hide. Christ didn't try to evade this capture and this arrest. If anything, Christ made it easy for them. Because in all that we study this week, we'll discover over and over again that he willingly went to the cross because he loved you so much and he loved me so much. First thing I want to think about tonight, and it's just a little overview as we think of the capture this evening, I want to think of the sinfulness of man. Look at verse three in our reading this evening, Matthew chapter 26. Then assembled the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him. Matthew lists three groups here. These three groups make up the Sanhedrin. You have the chief priests, the religious people. You have the scribes, the teachers, and you have the elders, the civic leaders, and together they would constitute the Sanhedrin, and of all the people that should have welcomed Christ, it should have been them. Those who were charged to prepare the people for the coming Messiah. Those who would have known the Old Testament Scriptures, those who no doubt had taught from the Old Testament Scriptures, of all the people in the world, they should have welcomed Christ the Messiah with open arms. And so often we find those in high position in society have absolutely no time for Christ. We find it in governments as they seek to overturn and change any laws which have any biblical standing. And of course we find it often in church leaders as well. And here you have the leaders here. And it's as if the devil is trying to make sin look respectable. trying to make sin look respectable. Former Archbishop of Canterbury said the other day, Rowan Williams, some of you will remember his name, he said that the journey for transgender people is a sacred journey. What an awful thing for a man to say, who was the head of the Anglican Church for quite a number of years. and how the devil loves to use respectable people and give sin an air of respectability. And here we find that they have gathered in the palace of the high priest. Here we have the plotters in the palace. What a contrast to Christ who could say that the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head. And here we find these plotters and they've come together. They've already decided what they want to do with Christ. Look at verse three again. Then assembled together the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people onto the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas. And they consulted how they may take Jesus by subtlety. and kill him. They've already decided what they want to do with the Lord. The verdict already has been passed as far as they're concerned, and they're going to use subtlety, treachery, to try and trap Christ, to try and somehow kill the Lord Jesus Christ. The word for subtlety here was used of trying to trap a wild animal. They're gonna treat Christ like a hunted animal or a hounded animal. They want to take him. and they want to kill him. Now remember, these are the religious leaders, assigned by God to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, the one that they're supposed to announce they want to assassinate, and they want to remove from society. If you find yourself engaged in subtlety or trickery to get ahead, it hasn't come from the Lord. If you find yourself having to do things behind backs and sleight of hand, it's not of the Lord. And sometimes when I go through these passages and as we come night by night, occasionally I just stop to make the practical application. Because I have no doubt God has something to say to you as God has been speaking to me. in the preparation. Caiaphas, the high priest, had been a high priest for 23 years. That was unusual. In order to be the high priest, he had to have a great relationship with the Roman government. He must have been in good favor with them. His father-in-law, Annas, was still known as the high priest as well, and we'll meet him in a night yet to come. He was a sly manipulator. He had a method of expediency. He was the one that said in John 11, verse 50, now consider, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people that the whole nation perish not. He was a man who operated on the basis of manipulations, the basis of expediency. And this was the man, the high priest, who once in the year would go into the Holy of Holies and lay the blood of the atonement on the mercy seat. What a sad day for Israel. Now I'm just looking at the sinfulness of man to begin with. We could look at the Sanhedrin. Then we could think of the soldiers. Over in John's Gospel, chapter 18, this is what we read, John 18, verse one. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden into which he entered with his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus oft times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and pharisees, come hither with lanterns and torches and weapons." Now here are this band of soldiers. and they're coming to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ. We're told that it was a cohort, probably about 600 men, and they have been commanded to come and pick up this insurrectionist. who claimed to be some kind of a king. If you can imagine these people all coming, you would know that the people of God certainly here would have been in the minority. They had lights with them in order to identify Christ. They even had weapons, if you're still in Matthew 26, look down to verse 47. Matthew 26, verse 47. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the 12, came, and with him a great multitude. Look what they have with them, swords and staves. These staves would be clubs. The believers here were greatly outnumbered. They hadn't the same equipment, they hadn't the same resources, but you know they had Christ. And sometimes we're all into our resources and we're all into our numbers. And there are places that have plenty of numbers and plenty of resources, but I wonder, is Christ there? Because Christ was with them here. And with Christ in the vessel, we can smile at the storm. I'm simply just setting the scene here this evening as I think of the sinfulness of man. You have the Sanhedrin, and they're against Christ. You have the soldiers. and they're coming against Christ. But look again in Matthew 26 verse two. Here is perhaps the saddest of all. Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified. Christ knew he was going to be betrayed. We think of the identity of him. Look down the chapter to verse number 14. Then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot went on to The chief priests think about it, one of the 12. I know Judas is often preached on, isn't he? We often think of Judas and to think that he was one of the 12, what a privileged position. What a privileged place to be when you think of his identity. We could talk about his indwelling. Luke tells us in Luke 22, verse three, then entered Satan into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the 12. When you see Christ being betrayed, you always know who's behind it. Satan is behind it. When you think of Judas, you can think of his identity, you can think of his indwelling. Think of the income, look at verse 15. and said unto them, what will ye give me that and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenant with him for 30 pieces of silver. What a lousy price to sell the Lord for. What a miserable thing to put a value on the Lord Jesus Christ and here he's going to be sold or going to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. You know, this goes back to Zechariah chapter 11. Just go back to Zechariah 11 just for a moment, because it's a wonderful chapter in the penultimate book of the Old Testament. Penultimate's the only big word I know, and if I get a chance to use penultimate, I like to use it. It makes me sound smart. So Zechariah chapter 11, and this chapter is really about a shepherd who was rejected and a shepherd who's going to be received. And when you read down the chapter, look at verse number four in Zechariah chapter 11. I'm not gonna spend long in this this evening. Then said the Lord my God, feed the flock of the slaughter. And the good shepherd has been charged with feeding the flock of the slaughter. They were in danger. And the Lord is the good shepherd would come, and he would offer to be their savior. Look at verse number seven. And I will fleed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took with me two staves, the one called Beauty, the other called Bands. These two staves, one called Beauty. Beauty means favor or grace. Bands means unity or harmony. And through grace, He would offer that they could become part of the flock, part of the fold. And here is the good shepherd, and the good shepherd has come, and he's offering them grace and beauty and unity and harmony and all that the shepherd might offer, but look at verse 10. And I took my staff, even beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. He was rejected. They didn't want the good shepherd. You know, if you look down the chapter, you'll see a shepherd that they're going to accept. Look at verse 15. And the Lord said unto me, take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. And it talks also about the idle shepherd. That word foolish means evil. The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. And Zechariah is telling us that the good shepherd would be rejected and the evil shepherd, Antichrist, one day will be received. What a sad picture that is. Right in the middle of this prophecy, then we have this little verse. Look at verse number 12. And I said unto them, if ye think good, give me my price, and if not, forbear. So the wed for my price, 30 pieces of silver. What an amazing book we have. Hundreds of years before Christ was born, we're told that he was going to be rejected. We're told that he would be betrayed. And we're told that he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. And so Judas says, give me my price. I wonder tonight, What value do we put on Christ? As Sam has said in Psalm 116, verse 12, what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? What's 30 pieces of silver? What would it have bought you? In Old Testament times, we're told in Exodus 21, verse 32, if the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant, he shall give unto their master 30 shackles of silver. It was the price of a dead slave. It was the compensation for a dead slave. That's how Christ was valued. Isn't it interesting that Judas was upset when the alabaster box of ointment was broken on Christ and how he would have loved to have had the value of it for himself and yet he only valued Christ. at 30 pieces of silver. What sort of value would you put on your savior? What would you sell him for? Maybe you've betrayed him. And maybe God just wants to speak into your heart tonight. What was it so valuable that you were willing to turn your back on Christ? I say maybe God has a message for someone this evening. Over in Zechariah 11, verse 13, if you're still there, look at it. The Lord said unto me, cast it unto the potter a goodly price, that I was prized out of them. And I took the 30 pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. And of course, that was fulfilled. The potter was considered a low profession. It was God's way of saying, this is just worthless. It was worthless. You see the identity, Judas Iscariot. You see the indwelling and the income. You see the importance here as well. You know, Luke tells us, and I'm just thinking of Judas for a moment, while he yet spake, behold, a multitude and he that was called Judas, one of the 12, went before them and threw them onto Jesus to kiss him. Here's Judas Iscariot, he has betrayed Christ. And now he's the leader of the pack. He has gained this promotion. John tells us in John 18 verse 5, Then answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. This is the same incident. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. Stood with them. Who have you been standing with recently? I read some, I'm not getting into politics, believe you me, there's an election coming up on the 5th of May and you can just vote the way you want. But I did read that something that the anti-abortion people had sent out recently. They'd written out and they'd said, there's an MLA, he professes to be a Christian. He's an office bearer in an evangelical church. At the moment, there's 29 MLAs. who are ready to sign a petition of concern, which will stop this pro-abortion bill going through Stormont. And they said, we want you to put pressure on this one man, and I'm not gonna name him to see what he'll do. Would he stand for Christ? Or would he stand with the enemies of Christ? Sadly, he wasn't willing. is to stand with Christ. But now what about you tonight? What about me? You remember what the Lord Jesus said, be it far from me, for them that honor me, I will honor. Where have you been standing? You see the identity as we think of the saddest of all tonight. You see the indwelling. You see the income. You see the importance. Judas is the leader of the pack. Here comes the insult. Let's go back to Matthew 26. Matthew 26. I'm not sharing anything new with you this evening. But we're just going to Calvary. We're making our way to Calvary. And sometimes we don't want to rush Calvary. Sometimes on the Lord's Day morning, isn't it difficult sometimes to get people just to wait behind to remember the Lord? Just to take a few moments to remember the Lord. And so we're gonna take our time this week and we're gonna concentrate on Calvary. Look at Matthew 26 verse 48. You would think surely Judas has done enough. He has sold the Lord, he has betrayed the Lord. He has brought these soldiers to where he knows the Lord is. Surely he can stoop no lower. Look at verse 48. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same as he, hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Hail, Master, and kissed him. Hail means rejoice. Master is a term of respect. He kissed him eagerly. unaffectionately. Jesus said in Luke 22 verse 48, but Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? We've often preached it and no doubt you've heard it here as well. He kissed the door of heaven and went to hell. Imagine betraying the Lord Jesus Christ with a kiss. In the mid-1800s in Texas, there was a rancher called Samuel Augustus Maverick. It was the day in which they were told to brand their cattle. Maverick says, I'm not branding my cattle. There's always one, isn't there? I'm not following the rules. And so when anyone found an animal with no brand on it, they said it was a Maverick. And that's where the word comes from. And that word maverick has stuck down through the ages, and a maverick is still someone who's independent and refuses to conform to what everybody else is doing. The name Judas is a name that we never attach to our children. I've got a Matthew and I've got a Caleb. I've also got an Abigail, but I would never think of calling a child Judas. That name forever has been tarnished because of the betrayal of Christ. What a name to have. You remember what Solomon said, a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. Again in Ecclesiastes 7 verse 1, a good name is better than precious ointment. What sort of a name do you have? You know, as we make our way to Calvary, God's going to challenge us, isn't he? Because we can condemn Judas, and yet perhaps we have sold the Lord. We can condemn Judas, but maybe we have stood with the enemies of Christ and haven't taken our stand. There was an opportunity to witness, we didn't take it. There was an opportunity to defend the name of Christ, but we didn't take it. And maybe in some ways we're no better than Judas. Maybe our name is not what it should be. You see the sinfulness of man tonight. We're still in Matthew 26. I want you to see the sovereignty of the master tonight. We're just coming to the arrest of Christ this evening. Look at Matthew 26, verses one and two again. Matthew 26, verses one and two. And it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified. John tells us in John 18 verse four, Jesus therefore knowing that all things should come upon him, went forth and said unto them, whom seek you? You know what this tells me? The Lord knew what was not just going to happen tomorrow, He knew what was going to happen the day after. I remember sitting in Coke Baptist Church as a young Christian, and I remember I had an appointment on the Monday morning, and I remember being really concerned about it. I wasn't looking forward, I was terrified of it. I remember a brother speaking at the Lord's table, and he just came upon the word tomorrow. He says, are you worried about tomorrow? He says, the Lord knows all about it. And here, the Lord told him what was gonna happen two days from now. He not only knows about tomorrow, he knows about the day after. I wonder, are you worried about tomorrow? Are you concerned about what is around the corner? What if someone knew what was around the corner and they have promised to stay with you and stick with you and be with you every step of the way? What a difference that would make, wouldn't it? Jesus knows all about our struggles. He will guide till the day is done. There's not a friend like the Lord Jesus. No, not one. No, not one. He was aware of everything that was happening. Look at his authority as well in verse number one and two. You see, Christ knew he would be betrayed and he knew he would be crucified at Passover. Now look at verse four. And remember, these are the Sanhedrin, and consulted that they may take Jesus by subtlety and kill him. But they said, not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. They wanted to avoid the Passover. Josephus tells us that 256,500 lambs could be sacrificed any Passover. And it's reckoned that every lamb would be for 10 people. There'd be over two million people. in Jerusalem at the Passover. And so they wanted to avoid the Passover. They feared there might be a riot. They feared there might be trouble. And so they had it all worked out. They were going to kill the Lord Jesus Christ and they were going to avoid the Passover. But you know, God had a different plan because our God's on the throne tonight. They had it all worked out when they were going to do it. No doubt they had even a plan on how they were going to do it, but Christ, our Passover, was going to die at the time that Christ said he was going to die. Someone mentioned in the prayer meeting this evening about how that indeed John the Baptist said, behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Christ was the Passover. And I just want to say tonight, in spite of their plans, God overruled and our God's on the throne. And surely over this past couple of years, if there ever was a time when we needed to know that our God was on the throne, during the pandemic, But when things were upside down here in our own province, and indeed in most countries throughout the world, there was never any panic in paradise. There was never any problem in paradise. God didn't lose control of the situation. God hadn't let go. In all things and at all times, God is still on the throne. He's our sovereign God this evening. They wanted to kill Christ in their time, but God had ordained that he would die as the Passover lamb. Here's what we read in Acts 2 verse 23. Him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Yes, they had their plans, but our God was still on the throne. And thank God he's still on the throne this evening. In John chapter 18, when they come to arrest him, Here's what it said, John 18, verse three. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and pharisees, cometh hither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing that all things should come upon him, went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. He is the great I am. He's the sovereign God tonight. And he has the situation under control tonight. Are you panicking? I remember speaking to a lady and she'd come through some heartbreak. And she said, if I didn't believe that a sovereign God had a plan, I couldn't cope. I couldn't cope. Now that's not something that I can force you to accept. But I believe if you get alone with the Lord, God reveals to you that he is in charge of everything and that God's on the throne that can become a great source of comfort. It's not haphazard. It didn't happen by chance. God's in control of the situation. You see the sinfulness of man. You see the sovereignty of the master. And then you see the submission of the Messiah. We're coming over to John 18 now. Come over to John 18. Jesus said in John 10, let me just read this to you while you're finding John chapter 18. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, I have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father. The Lord Jesus said in John 10 that he would willingly die. And when we come to John 18, here is the arrest of Christ. Look at verse number four, the capture of Christ. Jesus, therefore, knowing All things that should come upon him went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? Do you see the courage of Christ here? He went forth. Notice he knew all things that should come upon him and yet he went forth. Why? He knew he was going to be beaten. He was going to be battered. He knew he was going to be scourged. He knew they were going to spit on him. They were going to slap his face. He knew they'd pluck the hairs of his face. He knew his back would be like a ploughed field. He knew they were going to take him up to Calvary and nail his hands and feet and cross. He knew he'd be lifted up between heaven and earth. He knew he was going to die such a horrible, hellish death and yet he went forth. Could we ever understand how much he loved us? Could we ever grasp the love that Christ had for us this evening? Do you see his courage? Do you see his capability here? Look at verse five. Then answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. And as soon as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground. 600 men fell on the broad of their backs. All Christ had to do was speak. He says, I am. and they fall on the broad of their backs. You know, he could have called 12 legions of angels. He had all the help in the world and they had all their weapons and yet they're lying on the broad of their back. You know what that reminds me tonight of God before us who can be against us. If God be for us tonight, who can ever be against us? I was speaking recently, we're knocking down our old church at the moment, we have to build a new church, and there's always some who are nervous about it. There's always some who have that wee bit of concern about it, and on the last Sunday in the church, I preached on Goliath. And I said, when David come, David didn't see the giant, David saw God. And I asked the question, do you see the giant or do you see God? All he had to do was speak and these men fell on the broad of their back. Look at the company, look at verse 10 and 11, John 18, and Simon Peter having a sword drew it and smote. my high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, put up thy sword into thy sheep, the cup which my father gave me, shall I not drink it? Here's Peter's foolishness. In Matthew's gospel, here's what the Lord said. Put up again thy sword into his place, for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou not that I could pray to my father, and he will presently give me more than 12 legions of angels, 72,000 angels? All he had to do was ask. But Christ stood there willingly on his own. Do you see his courage? Do you see his capability? Do you see the company? He could have called 12,000 angels. Look at the cords, look down to verse number 12. Then the band and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him. I wonder why they bound him. If ever they wasted a piece of rope, because Christ was being led as a lamb to the slaughter. Christ was willingly going to Calvary, Acts 8 verse 32, the place of the scripture which he read was this, he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb done before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth. He is bound here like a sacrifice, like Isaac. When Abraham went up the mountain, and remember, Isaac is on the altar and he's bound on the altar. Isaac was a young man, probably 20 years of age. I have a son, 19. I wouldn't like to try and put him on an altar. Isaac willingly climbed up onto the altar and let himself be bound. It's a wonderful picture of Christ. And here Christ let them bind him. as he's been led away by these cohort of soldiers. I think, again, we can see how much he loved this. You see the sinfulness of man and the sovereignty of the master and the submission of the Messiah. And then you see that the saints were on his mind. Stay in John. But over in Matthew 26, verse 56, this is what we read. But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled, they scattered. Think of the timing then. From a human perspective, when Christ would have needed them most then. Look at the totality then. All of them forsook him and fled. The one who never would let them down. And they've ran away from the Lord. And sometimes people let us down. Do you remember what Paul said? At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. And sometimes men can let us down, but Christ will never let us down. You see, they forsook him and fled. They were obviously terrified. Faith had been replaced by fear. You see the scattering, but look at the sanctification. Look at John 18. Then, verse 10, then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, put up thy sword into the sheaf, the cup which my father hath given me. Shall not I drink it? Here's Peter, and here in this moment of carnality, It chops off the ear of the servant's high priest. We read in Luke 22 verse 51, Jesus answered and said, suffer you thus far, and he touched his ear and healed him. Now I want you to look at John 18 carefully just for a moment. If we had no other portion of scripture, only John 18, we can learn so much about Christ. We can learn from verse five something of the capability of Christ. He is the great I am. That's his immutability, he never changes. That's his eternality. That's his proximity. I am with you. No matter where you are, who you're with, I'm there. That's his sufficiency. I am the bread of life to the hungry. I am the light of the world to those in darkness. I am the way, the truth, and the life to those who are lost. I am the resurrection and the life to those who are dead. He is our sufficiency. You see the capability of Christ. You see the care of Christ. Look at verse number eight. When they come to arrest him, look what he said. He said, let these go their way. He didn't want the disciples to be harmed. And here he is at the moment he's about to be arrested. He's more concerned about them than he is about himself. What a selfless savior we have this evening. Do you see his capability? Do you see his care? Do you see his compassion? In verse four, we've already mentioned this. He went forth. And surely that's the message we want to get to the world. We want the world to see how capable our Savior is. He's able to save. We want the world to know how much He cares. You trust the Lord tonight and He'll be with you every step of the way. We want them to know how compassionate He is, how much He loved this world that's lost and ruined by the fall. But here's the thing, that whole message could be lost by one carnal believer, Peter. One act of carnality. And that whole message is lost. And it took a miracle to undo the damage that Peter had done. And sometimes within our assemblies, such is the carnality of some of God's people, only a miracle will ever sort it out. I was telling you our church is being knocked down at the moment. I wasn't around when they built the little church. I was a child somewhere in Coke. Wasn't even know where Refriland was. But I'm sure it took them months and months to get it up. And there are photographs of the men who put their shoulder to the wheel and through sacrifice and toil and sweat, they built the little church and it took month after month after month. Listen, we'll have it wrecked in about a week. Can I use a good Ulster word? It'll be kowt this week. In a day or two, you can wreck it, but it took months to build it. And what you can build over a lifetime can be lost in a moment of carnality. And a reputation a church can build over a lifetime could be lost over carnality. and it'll take a miracle from God to undo it. Thank God he's the God of miracles. And he has to undo what Peter has done here. You see the scattering, you see the sanctification, and then you see the safety here. Look at verse eight and nine. I've already mentioned this. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he, if you therefore seek me, let these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled which you speak. Of them which thou givest me, I have lost none. You know, what a contrast to those who forsook him and fled. Christ wants to protect them. Christ wants to protect them. I haven't been in Argentina, but I have been in Chile. On the border between Chile and Argentina, there's a statue of Christ. Now, I'm not into statues. Hear me out before you write me off. There's a statue, I think it's called Christ of the Andes. And it was built to commemorate peace between Argentina and Chile. It was way in 1904, something like that. But there was a wee problem. The Chileans weren't happy. Because when they put the statue up, Christ was looking into Argentina and his back was towards Chile. And the Chileans were a wee bit upset. It was as if the Lord had turned his back on them. And then someone in Chile come up with an answer to try and keep the peace. They said, maybe the Argentinians are that bad, Christ has to keep a closer eye on them. But here's the thing, Christ will never turn his back on you. He'll never turn his back on you. And I've said from the pulpit, and I've had families go through some awful times, I told a story that a former pastor of mine told about his pastor, and he once said from the pulpit, some of you young people get yourselves into trouble, don't come to my door. And one young man did get himself into trouble and wouldn't go to the pastor's door and nearly lost his life. And I always say to him, I don't care what you've done. My door's always open. But I'll tell you even better than that. Christ will never turn his back on you. I wonder Is there someone here and you've turned your back on Christ? Maybe someone watching from home. And all I want you to see tonight is how much the Lord loves you. How much he cares for you. And I want God's people tonight to have that feeling of gratitude tonight. William Arthur Ward said, feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. I'll be married. 30-something years in June. I can't remember. I'm 32. If the wife was here, she'd scold me for not remembering. But I remember a cousin of my mom said to me, I have a present for you, and it's in the house. It's still in the house. 30-some-odd years ago, it has never made it from the house to me. If it's money, I hope you put it in the bank. It might be worth a lot more now. Can you imagine wrapping a present and not giving it? Christ likes to hear you say, thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. You don't want to be the nine lepers that when God had blessed them, they went away and forgot about the Lord. You want to be coming and falling at the feet of the Lord and just saying, thank you, Lord. And if all the Lord uses me for this week is to encourage you to thank the Lord for what he has done for you, then my time won't be wasted.