John 18:4 – “So
Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth.”
This is when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. Judas
was coming up to Him leading a Roman cohort to take Jesus into custody, and He
went forth. What struck me about this is that it says He knew all the things
that were coming upon Him, and still He went forth. Jesus was about to be
betrayed, beaten, killed, and He knew it, and yet He went forth. Jesus knew
that He was going to be betrayed, He knew that He was going to be arrested, He
knew that He would be tried, He knew that He would have false testimonies
brought against Him. He knew that He would be bound. He new that He would be
judged. He knew that He would be punched, and slapped, and mocked, and
blindfolded, and stripped of His clothes. He knew that He would be whipped. He
knew that the flesh would be torn off of His bones. He knew that He would have
a crown of thorns thrust into His head. He knew that He would be condemned to
death. He knew that He would be scourged. He knew that He would struggle under
the weight of the cross as He was forced to carry it out of the city. He knew
that He would have nails driven into His hands and feet. And He knew that He
would be forsaken by His Father.
He knew all this down to the slightest detail while He was still in the garden, and yet, “He went forth.” Why? Knowing that all this was going to happen, why would He go forth? He did it for us. Because He loved us. He endured the cross, despising the shame, for you and for me. That's the reason He came. God the Father sent Him into the world to die, and out of His love for us, He went forth. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us, 'who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.' He was obedient to the point of death. Why doesn't that say He was loving to the point of death? Maybe obedience and love are tied together. God sent Jesus to die, and Jesus was obedient unto death as the demonstration of His love. Jesus said ,"If you love Me, keep My commandments." The demonstration of our love for Christ is our obedience to Him.
Jesus said, "Just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." Just as the Father sent the Son, the Son has sent us. Jesus was sent to die, and His love was so great that He was obedient unto death. He went forth. Jesus sent us. Do we love Him enough to die for Him? Knowing that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, are we willing to go forth? Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth.
Ephesians 3:17-19 - 'that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.'
He knew all this down to the slightest detail while He was still in the garden, and yet, “He went forth.” Why? Knowing that all this was going to happen, why would He go forth? He did it for us. Because He loved us. He endured the cross, despising the shame, for you and for me. That's the reason He came. God the Father sent Him into the world to die, and out of His love for us, He went forth. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us, 'who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.' He was obedient to the point of death. Why doesn't that say He was loving to the point of death? Maybe obedience and love are tied together. God sent Jesus to die, and Jesus was obedient unto death as the demonstration of His love. Jesus said ,"If you love Me, keep My commandments." The demonstration of our love for Christ is our obedience to Him.
Jesus said, "Just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." Just as the Father sent the Son, the Son has sent us. Jesus was sent to die, and His love was so great that He was obedient unto death. He went forth. Jesus sent us. Do we love Him enough to die for Him? Knowing that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, are we willing to go forth? Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth.
Ephesians 3:17-19 - 'that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.'
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