The Captive Saviour Freeing His People

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John 18:1-14

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden…

(see John 17:12). —

The captive Saviour freeing His people: —

I. THE INSTRUCTIONS. Note —

1. A sure proof of the willingness of our Lord Jesus Christ to give Himself to suffer for our sins. Christ did not seek a hiding-place in Jerusalem, or Bethany. If He had chosen to wait until the day, the fickle multitude would have protected Him. Instead of this, Jesus boldly advanced to the spot where Judas had planned to betray Him, as calmly as though He had made an appointment to meet a friend there, and would not be behindhand when he arrived. He said twice, "Whom seek ye?" He had to reveal Himself, or the lanterns and the torches would not have discovered Him. He went willingly, for since a single word made the captors fall to the ground, another would have sent them into the tomb. There was no power on earth that could have bound Him had He been unwilling. He who said, "Let these go their way," could have said the same of Himself. There were invisible cords that bound Him; bonds of covenant engagements, of His love to us. Let us take care, then, that our service of Christ is a cheerful and a willing one. Let us never come up to the place of worship merely because of custom, &c. Let us never contribute to the Master's cause as though a tax-gatherer were wringing from us what we could ill afford. Let our duty be our delight. His willing sacrifice ought to ensure ours.

2. Our Lord's care for His people in the hours of His greatest disturbance of mind. That word was intended —

(1) To be a preservation for His immediate attendants. It is singular that the Jews did not arrest that little band. If they had done so, where would have been the Christian Church? Why did not the soldiers capture John? He seems to have gone in and out of the palace without challenge. They were searching for witnesses, why did they not examine Peter under torture? The Jews did not lack will, for they were gratified when James was killed, and Peter was laid in prison — why were they suffered to go unharmed? Was it not because the Master had need of them?

(2) A royal passport to all Christ's people in the way of providence. Fear not, thou servant of Christ, thou art immortal till thy work is done. When thou art fit to suffer, or to die, Christ will not screen thee from so high an honour. It is wonderful in the lives of some of God's ministers how strikingly they have been preserved from imminent peril. We cannot read the life of Calvin without being surprised that he should have been permitted to die peaceably, an honoured man. It is not less remarkable that Luther should seem as if he had carried a safe conduct which permitted him to go anywhere. So with John Wickliffe. Many times his life was not worth a week's purchase. When he was brought up for trial, it was a very singular circumstance that John of Gaunt should stand at his side fully armed, proudly covering the godly man with the prestige of his rank and power. I know not that Gaunt knew the truth, but vultures, when God has willed it, have protected doves, and eagles have covered with their wings children whom God would save.

(3) Mystically understood the words have a far deeper meaning. The true seizure of Christ was not by Romans, but by our sins; and the true deliverance was not so much from Roman weapons as from the penalty of sin. The law of God comes out to seek us who have violated it, but Jesus puts Himself before the law, and He says, "Dost thou seek Me? Here I am; but let these, for whom I stood, go their way." But the text will have its grandest fulfilment at the last. When the destroying angel shall come, Christ shall stand forth in the front of all the blood-bought souls that came to trust in His mercy, and He will say to Justice, "Thou hast sought Me once, and thou hast found all thou canst ask of Me. Then let these go their way." Then shall the great manumission take place, because Christ was bound; then shall the deliverance come, because Christ slept in the prison-house of the tomb.

3. His saying concerning them.

(1) Verbally understood, it could only relate to the souls of God's people; but here it is taken as though it related to their bodies. From which I gather that we are never wrong in understanding promises in the largest possible sense. It is a rule of law that if a man should get a privilege from the king, that privilege is to be understood in the widest sense; whereas a punishment, or penalty, is always to be understood in the narrowest sense. Now when the great King gives a promise, you may encompass everything within its range which can possibly come under the promise, and we may be sure that the Lord will not run back from His word. The grant of eternal life includes such providential protections and provisions as shall be necessary on the road to heaven. The house is secured for the sake of the tenant, and the body because of the soul.

(2) It is not in the form of a promise at all. "Have I lost none." It relates to the past, but here it is used as a reason why none should be lost of the present. As Jesus has done in the past, so will He act in the future.

II. THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION.

1. Many seek Jesus, but do not know who He is. So that Christ says to them, "Whom seek ye?" Some here this morning are seeking rest, but they do not know that Jesus is the rest.

2. Those who seek Christ will find Him, but only because He reveals Himself to them. These men sought Christ to kill Him, yet He came and said, "I am He." So He said to the Samaritan woman. Whoever seeks Jesus, Jesus will show Himself to them. They did not find Christ with lanterns and torches. And you may come with a great many of your own inventions, but you will not so find Him. How could you expect to find the sun with a lantern?

3. When Jesus is found, there is always much to be given up. "If ye seek Me, let these go their way." There are always many things that you will have to let go if you have Christ, and this is very often the testing point. Men would like to go to heaven, but they must let go evil occupations, worldly pleasures, self-righteousness, &c.

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