THE ARREST OF JESUS

Join your Calvary Chapel family tomorrow (Sunday, 3/9, 10:00 a.m.) in the main sanctuary or on our website (www.calvaryinv.com), Facebook, and YouTube (Calvary Inverness) as we continue our study in Matthew’s Gospel (26:47-56).

It was the final night of Jesus’ life. He had spent the evening celebrating Passover. After the meal, He rose from the table with the disciples and began His journey to the cross. Their walk included a steep climb up to the Mount of Olives. Upon arrival, He invited Peter, James, and John to continue with Him as He entered an olive grove aptly named Gethsemane.

After communing with His Father, Jesus found the three fast asleep. Peter later told Mark their sorrow was the reason for their exhaustion. They couldn’t comprehend the sudden and tragic end to their relationship with Jesus.

Jesus approached the three, and instead of rebuking them, He gently urged them to wake up, as His betrayal into the hands of His enemies was imminent. As He spoke, Judas led a group of Roman soldiers, Temple police, numerous priests, scribes, and elders, along with a great multitude, all armed.

Judas had informed Caiaphas, the High Priest, that the one he approached and kissed on the cheek would be their sign it was safe to arrest Him. He may have first led them to the upper room, as that was the last place he visited before leaving. When they did not find Jesus there, Judas quickly guided the multitude to the garden of Gethsemane, a place Jesus frequented.

Imagine Jesus's pain, knowing what awaited Judas. He had known him before he was conceived and had loved him from the beginning. Many times, He had attempted to dissuade Judas from proceeding with his betrayal. At the moment of decision, Jesus reached out to him again.

Judas, possessed by Satan, approached Jesus and kissed Him. When asked why he had come, Judas swiftly stepped aside and allowed the Temple police to arrest Jesus for the sin of blasphemy. He would face six trials, three before the Jews and three before the Romans, and then be led away to be crucified alongside two criminals.

Judas was chosen as one of the twelve original disciples Jesus ordained as Apostles. He was part of Jesus’ ministry, healing the blind, deaf, mute, and lame.

He witnessed Jesus raising Jairus’s twelve-year-old daughter, a widow’s only son, and Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus from the dead. He would have been one of the twelve commissioned to distribute the five loaves and two fishes to five thousand men, plus women and children, and on another occasion, four thousand men, plus women and children. He heard Jesus teach about the beatitudes and the last days leading to His triumphant return.

Yet, despite all Judas saw and heard, his heart had hardened. He would not allow his friendship with Jesus to prevent him from doing what he believed was best. This is a sad reminder that regardless of how much one knows about Jesus or how long one attends church if Jesus is not welcomed into one's heart, it will not matter when standing before God.

May Jesus’ teaching fill our hearts with the knowledge of His word, prepare us to receive Him, equip us to share the gospel with anyone who will listen, and keep our eyes and hearts open to His imminent return.

In His Strong Love,

Pastor