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Good morning and welcome to Gospel Light Christian Church, our online service this Sunday morning. So glad you can join us as we look into this sermon series called 48. This is about the last two days of the Lord's life before He will go to the cross.

So today we come to this scene by which Jesus will be apprehended. He will be arrested, He'll be seized by the soldiers, that He would soon be tried and then crucified on the cross.

So let's look at these verses before us. While He was still speaking, Judas came, now Judas will be the one will betray Jesus. And he brought along 'a great crowd, with swords and clubs, from the chief priest and the elders of the people.' [Mat 26:47] So Judas would now complete his betrayal project. He will bring all these men with weapons, so that Jesus would be arrested and he would be able to keep his loot.

Now, how many people did Judas bring? In John 18 and verse 3, we are told that he procured a band of soldiers. Now, a Roman band represents up to 600 soldiers. It's a 10th of a legion, which is 6,000. So Judas brought a lot of people along, I think he wanted to be very, very sure that Jesus would not be able to escape.

Not only that; we read in verse 48, the betrayer, that is, Judas, had given them a sign, saying the one I will kiss is the man, seize Him. So he came up with this secret code. He wouldn't identify Jesus from afar, he wouldn't say, Oh, that's Jesus, because he didn't want to run the risk again of Jesus, I think, escaping. So he want them to be as close as possible to Jesus and then betray Him with that kiss - what a disgusting plan this is.

And the Bible tells us in verse 49, 'he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings Rabbi!" And he kissed Him.' Now, it might seem like the same word, but actually, in the Greek, the kiss that we read of in the earlier verse and the kiss here is slightly different.

This is the word kataphileo. The original, the first word we saw was the word phileo. So the word kataphileo is intensified, it's stronger, made possible by the kata. So what this means here is that Judas did not just kiss Jesus once. He kissed Jesus over and over again. Again, he was really, if I may say this in Singaporean lingo, kiasu about it. He didn't want Jesus to escape at all, he didn't want anyone to have any shadow of doubt, He is the one they are after. So he kissed Jesus over and over again.

Now Jesus said to Judas, “Friend, do what you came to do.” [Mat 26:50] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. At this point, we are told by Luke in chapter 22 and verse 49, 'And when those were around saw Him - around Him - saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”' So the disciples said, shall we defend ourselves, should we retaliate?

'Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)' [John 18:10] 'Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."' [Mat 26:52] 'But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And He touched his ear and healed him.' [Luke 22:51]

So Luke tells us that Jesus would restore Malchus' ear. "Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than 12 legions of angels?" [Mat 26:53-54] So Jesus is saying to Peter, why did you do this? Don't you think I could have done something about it; I could have just cried out to God the Father, and He will send Me angels. How many? 12 legions.

How much is 12 legions? One legion is 6,000 soldiers in the Roman military. So 12 legions of angels would be 72,000, God would send more than 72,000 angels to wipe out everyone and by the way, one angel, according to the Old Testament, could have killed 185,000 people one night. So imagine this, 72,000 times 185,000 people, that's the killing power that Jesus could have brought on, but he didn't do that.

"But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?" 'At that hour, Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture Me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." then all the disciples left Him and fled.' [Mat 26:54-56]

So I have very quickly described to you along with the parallel passages in the Gospels, Jesus apprehension; how they seized Him, how they caught Him, how they apprehended Him, that's the story. But we're not here just to learn about the facts of the story. We are in a sermon whereby we want to learn spiritual lessons for ourselves.

So let me just give the title to this message. The Comprehension of Jesus’ Apprehension, alright, the Comprehension of Jesus’ Apprehension, we're going to learn spiritual lessons.

And today I want to share with you some Kingdom values, some principles about the Kingdom of God. I think that's what this passage teaches me, I want to share it with you. What are the Kingdom values? What are the Kingdom principles we can learn from a story of like this?

Number one, I'd like us to see Kingdom Providence. There is a way God works in His Kingdom, God's Kingdom and its providence. The word providence is a big word, just to describe the way God works. Alright, providence is the way God works. So how does God work in His Kingdom?

I see a principle here that is somewhat along these lines, "things are not always what they seem". You see to Peter, this is all doom and gloom. He must be very depressed, he must be very shocked. Now I know Peter has been warned before that Jesus would die, Jesus would die a terrible death.

But when it came to him now, that Jesus is apprehended, he is still shocked and depressed. He sees doom and gloom, and is particularly I think, disappointed that Jesus is not doing anything to defend Himself against the soldiers. He did not react in any way, He seemed so helpless, He seemed so hopeless.

But what seemed hopeless, what seemed like doom and gloom to Peter is not what it really is, Jesus knows better. Jesus knows the Kingdom providence that things are not always what they seem. You see, Jesus knew that even though He looked helpless and hopeless, it was exactly the way God would have it to be.

He said in John chapter 11 to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath, shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” Shall I not take of this portion, this providence, this will that God has given that I would take the wrath of sinners?" This is not accident, this is not because I'm weak, but this is the will of God. Things are not what it seems to be. It seems like I'm forsaken, seems like I'll be doomed. But hey, don't interpret the will of God based on circumstances alone; God is doing something even greater.

He went on to say in verse 9, 'This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken'. So Jesus knew that this was the Father's will. And again, in Matthew 26, we read how that 'all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.'

So Jesus knew, He knew about the plan of Judas. He said in John 18 and verse 4, Jesus knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" In Matthew 26 and verse 50, He said to Judas, remember, "Friend, do what you came to do." I'm not surprised, I know you'll betray Me, so, go ahead.

And in verse 6 of John 18 - this is interesting - Jesus said to them, "I am He," who do you seek? Jesus, they said. “I am He,” and 'they drew back and fell to the ground.' Now I, I'm not exactly sure why, maybe there is some miraculous power, in the authority of the voice of Jesus. I, I, I suppose that to be.

But this demonstrates that Jesus is not powerless. He is one invested with great power, He could have wiped them out. And especially when He said in verse 53, cannot I appeal to My Father and at once He will send Me more than 12 legions of angels? I mean, Jesus could have wiped them all out, but He did not.

Peter saw doom and gloom, Jesus saw hope and salvation and glory. You see, Jesus saw that the apprehension is key to His crucifixion and eventually His ascension. Peter saw tragedy, Jesus saw triumph. Jesus who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross and despised the shame. You see, this is the way God's kingdom works; things are not always what they seem.

Now we might say hah, Peter should have known better, Peter should not be so depressed. He should not be all caught up with doom and gloom. He should have trusted God but hey, don't you think that is very true for us as well? Because sometimes in our lives, the Jesus of our lives get apprehended. Something gets taken away from us, something precious is removed from our lives. And we immediately sink into doom and gloom and depression like Peter was.

Maybe your health is taken away from you, maybe your child is taken away from you. Maybe your job is taken away from you, maybe something important in your life, your marriage is taken away from you.

And it's so easy for us to sink into despair, into hopelessness, into moaning and groaning and we forget that things are not always what they seem, that perhaps God is using the apprehension for your ascension, He's going to turn your tragedy into triumph, and we need to trust God in that.

You see the Kingdom of God is higher than the kingdom of men. God's ways, God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts. That's what it said in Isaiah 55, "for My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither your ways, My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways."

We thought that the path to glory and to holiness, is a life of peace and ease, comfort and security, but God knows better. It might be through the apprehension, the removal of precious things in your life. You see, God moves in mysterious ways.

William Cooper, he wrote this poem, I show you some portions of it, “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform, He plants His footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.” Maybe again, you're going through the storm of life, but God is riding upon the storm. “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace, behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour, the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.”

My friends, God's ways are not our ways, what seems like depression, doom and gloom is really the path for growth and glory. Think about Paul; he must be so depressed, he has a thorn in the flesh. And so he prays, Lord, remove it from me, three times. But God says My ways are not your ways. It is better for you to have the thorn that you may know your weakness and that you may then rest in My power.

Job must be surprised, why did all these tragedies, calamities befall him. But if you read on to the end of Job, you'll see that God's ways are better than our ways. Think about Joseph, betrayed and sold by his brothers. But later on in his life, he could look back and say, you meant it for evil, but God turned it for good.

And then think about the Lord Jesus Christ. How His crucifixion was certainly seen as doom and gloom by all who followed Him. But three days later He rose, and today He is seated at the right hand of God, this is Kingdom providence, things are not always what they seem. You can trust God, when He says all things work together for good to them that love God, you can trust God because it will be all okay in the end. If it is not okay, it is not the end.

Billy Graham would say, “I read the last page of the Bible, Jesus wins.” It is true. And such is Kingdom providence. So today as you sail through the storms of life, as things are removed from your life, you are going through pain and disappointments. That's not the end of the story, God still in control, His will, will be done and we will all look back at the end of our lives and say truly, His will is best, His way is best.

This story also teaches me a second Kingdom reality, and that is Kingdom power, real power. You see, we are so caught up with DC and Marvel Comics and movies, that we think power is when you unleash all your fury and wrath upon your enemies. We think real power is when you exterminate all those who oppose you. But you know something? Real power in the Kingdom of God does not always look like that.

Now Peter wanted to show his power. Peter wanted to show who's the boss, so he took his sword and wanted to chop Malchus and show and teach the people there, the soldiers there a lesson. Now Jesus could have done that, Jesus could have done more than that, Jesus could have, I think with a snap of a finger, just eliminate all of them, but he didn't.

In fact, the Bible tells us, instead of wrath, which, which Peter showed, He showed love, He healed the ear of Malchus. Instead of killing, Jesus went about healing. And you know what, I think real power is this, knowing just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Real power is not throwing it all around, but knowing when to reveal it, and when to restrain it. Real power is controlled, real power here is meekness.

The word meekness, what a misunderstood word. You know, in this passage, I see Jesus demonstrate tremendous meekness. He had great power, He had great strength, but He brought it all under control. And meekness is strength under control. Meekness, the word praus in the Greek, really refers - or is used - to describe a horse, a powerful horse that is tamed. And Jesus has that great power brought under control.

He was gentle, He was not harsh, and that's what we learned. You know, the word meekness, may, may conjure images of weakness, but it really is not. Psalms 37, from which we get a lot of understanding about this meekness, says the meek shall inherit the earth, or the land.

And Jesus later on, referred to this in the Beatitudes Himself in Matthew chapter 5. So this is the promise for those who are self-controlled, those who are controlled by God, that they will ultimately inherit the land and have all that God has promised.

And if you look at this, this is verse 11. And I probably will not do that, but if you could, yourself, go back to look at Psalms 37 verses 1 to 10, because I just posted it all here, the description of this meek man; he will not fret, he's not envious. He trusts in the Lord, he does good, he delights in the Lord, he commits his way to God, he trusts in Him, is still before the Lord. He waits patiently for Him, he refrains from anger, he forsakes wrath. You see something about the meek person - he's not weak, but he's trusting, he's surrendered to God and he trusts his God that ultimately good will come forth.

So I suggest to you, meekness is gentleness; it's being calm, it's being patient, it's being able to forbear, meekness is gentleness as a result of your surrender to and your trust in God.

Jesus was not weak, but He was surrendered to the Father's will, He trusts in the Father's will. He for the joy that was set before Him was able to endure all this. He had all power, but He brought it all under control. Meekness is not weakness, it's great power and strength.

So Thayer, who gives us Thayer's Lexicon and so on, he says, “Meekness towards God is that disposition of spirit, in which we accept His dealings with us as good.” We trust His providence, it flows when you understand Kingdom providence, you will have Kingdom power because you're able to trust God and not fly into a rage of fury.

“In the Old Testament, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice.” We are not self-vindictive, you, you're not defending yourself all the time - you don't have to. “Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all.”

What a beautiful, what a beautiful trait this is, what a beautiful character this is, that we can trust God and not be self-assertive. So meekness is gentleness. And it is because of our surrender to, and trust in God. So let me emphasize this, it is no weakness at all, in fact, it is tremendous power.

We see that in Proverbs 16, 'Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.' Real power, is meekness is strength under control.

So let me share with you again Martyn Lloyd Jones and his understanding of meekness. He says “meekness is not weakness, but meekness does not use its power for its own defense or selfish purposes. Meekness is controlled strength or power completely surrendered to God's control. It is an attitude of the heart, in which all energies are brought into the perfect control of the Holy Spirit.”

“The meek man is not a human mouse”, this is from A W Tozer, “afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather, he may be in his moral life, as bold as a lion, and as strong as Samson. But he has stopped being fooled about himself, he has accepted God's estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In himself nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto.”

And Jesus, His meekness, His strength under control, His trust in God ultimately enabled Him to go to the cross. 1 Peter tells us, Jesus kept entrusting Himself to Him, that is God who judges righteously. You see, that is trust, that is surrender. And though He has all power to destroy His enemies, He did not, for He is meek.

Now, I've shared all that, because I think this is not just a fact, a trait that we should learn about. But this is something that we are all called to. Do you realize, that real Kingdom power is not being able to cast out demons and so on, real Kingdom power is seen in the way we live our lives, as a people called to meekness.

Colossians 3 says, 'Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness.' God wants you to be a meek person. Now, let me say this again, not a weak person, but a meek person, that though you have the right maybe, to blow your top at someone, though you are in a higher position than another, you do not abuse those powers, but you're gentle. You're helpful, you're kind, you're surrendered to do God's will.

'With all humility,' Ephesians 4 [:1-3], 'and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.' You know, if you want a church united, if we want to live out a united life, then it requires gentleness, that's the same word for meekness. Meekness is essential for unity.

Now, I know this weeks, we are in election season. And politics is I think, a particularly inflammatory subject; many people can talk and eventually argue and even fight over politics. Now, I'm not saying that as a church, we should all have the same political views. It's fine if we have different political views.

But I hope today you realize, that even though you have different political views, you don't have to insist that you are right. Even if you think you're right, we can be meek, we can be gentle. We don't have to be contentious. I hope that as a church, as people bought with the blood of Jesus, we realize that the Gospel is more important than politics. Politics is important, but the blood of Jesus is even more important.

Again, we read in 2 Timothy [2:24.25], 'And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.' Do you realize this, that even when you are right, it doesn't give you the right to be harsh with other people? Even if you think that this is a very important cause, it doesn't give you the right to be arrogant, obnoxious and to speak down at people. You are not to be quarrelsome, you are to treat one another, correct even your opponents with gentleness.

It is so sad that just because people think they are right, they think they then have the right to scold and to abuse. I think, real godliness is seen, real strength is seen in meekness, how you bring all that under control, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle. So don't be contentious, learn that you don't have to be right on every point. Don't feel like you have to die on every mountain of discussion or debate. I think it's okay to know your position, it's okay to think that you're right. But it's even more important to show grace and humility and meekness, even in disagreements.

For the wife, I remind you that the Bible speaks about your quality. 'Let your adoring be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.' [1 Pet 3:4] This doesn't mean that as wives you turn out to be weak. But this tells you, you should be meek, that though you have strong views, though you are a strong person, a strong leader, even in your workplace, this attitude of meekness before your husband and before God indeed, is something that God desires.

So, this is what the Spirit of God bears in our lives, meekness, gentleness and I pray that will be true for you because this is what the kingdom is about. Real power is not doing what I want, real power is knowing just because I can, doesn't mean I should. I should be surrendered to God and use that power to glorify Him.

Finally, let's come to the third point, knowing God's providence, then helps us live up Kingdom power of meekness. And then finally, I give you the Kingdom principle that Jesus talks about. You see, this principle is very important, Peter didn't understand it.

Peter, when he saw Jesus, being apprehended, wanted to take things into his own hands. So the Bible tells us that he wanted to eliminate I think, or at least deter Jesus' enemies. But this is the principle we need to learn: God's kingdom is not served by worldly weapons. God's kingdom is not served by worldly weapons.

Peter wielded a sword, he went after Malchus. Now I think, he did not aim for Malchus' ear, I don't think he's that great a marksman, I don't think he's that great a swordsman, he probably aimed for Malchus’ head. But when Malchus siam [dialect for 'evade'], or avoided or evaded, it went to his ear and chopped off his ear.

So Peter, I think wanted to kill! He wanted to take things into his own hands. He wanted to use his own worldly methods. But remember this Kingdom principle, God's kingdom is not advanced by worldly weapons. So Jesus said to him, put your sword back into its place. Why, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

So Jesus is saying God's kingdom is not served by worldly methods, because if you do things based on worldly means and worldly methods, it will bite back, it will come back to you, it will come back to haunt you.

And I think this is such an important principle because if the Church of Jesus Christ is to advance by worldly means, worldly philosophies, worldly methods, this church will become worldly. '[They] who take the sword will perish by the sword.' [Matthew 26:52]

You know, one of the great delights I have in my pastoral ministry here all these years, I say this over and over again, must be the way God led us in this Punggol building project. There is so much pressure to, to raise the money, I mean $44 million. We don't have that money, at least in my opinion. It's, it's not in our offering bags, we hardly have any reserves and when payments are due, there is always that pressure to raise funds.

Now I realize in my life, my job is never to raise funds. My job is to pastor, my job is to inform, God is the one who provides. So I never felt that I should be raising funds and, and I never felt that as a church, we are pressured to raise funds, if I may say it that way, using worldly methods.

I checked around, as I shared with you, with pastors, with leaders elsewhere, how people have been able to raise funds in time past. And you know, I'm thankful for many who simply believed in preaching and praying and informing the church. But I'm also somewhat discouraged that there are those who resort to worldly means - golf tournaments, dinners, auctioning off items, and now, or maybe even naming rooms in a building or naming bricks on the walls after donors.

Now I think there's a fine line, I'm not saying everything is bad, but I think it's easy to cross those fine lines sometimes. And I need to check our hearts and I'm thankful that as a church, we did nothing like those that have mentioned; we simply preached, we simply prayed, we simply informed and you know what, I think up till today, all of us could only say, God is the One who provided for all our needs, all glory goes to Him.

I think about worldly methods in increasing church attendance. I think that is a very strong pressure in many, many corners, in many, many churches, people like to see more people come to church. I mean, that's what we all want. We want people to hear the Gospel, and it might be a very good motivation. But if we do it, if we draw people in with worldly methods, it is said, what you draw people with is what you will draw people to.

So if you draw people in with worldly methods, you're only drawing them to the world. And you know what will happen to this church? If we depend on dry ice, smoke, fancy lights, simple messages that meet self needs and boost human ego, maybe we can get a few more people in but you know what will happen to this church? We will perish, we will become a people who will be killed by worldliness. You see, the Kingdom of God is not advanced by worldly weapons, fleshly weapons. It can't, it will never be.

I think someone said this real well, "when Peter moved in the power of the world, he only cut off ears. But when he was filled with the Spirit, using the Word of God, Peter pierced hearts." During this pandemic, or if I may say, for the rest of the course of the history of Gospel Light, there will be challenges. And there will always be pressures, temptations, to do something more, to try something fancy.

Now, I certainly believe we should be innovative, should be all things to all men. We should try many methods, but I think you should be careful to depend on innovations and methods instead. Whilst we can use innovative ways, we should always bring people back to the Gospel, through the ministry of the Word and prayer, through your lives.

So let's not try, let's not try to do church growth, using worldly methods. For thousands of years, this is the way God has ordained it to be, that we should go and make disciples by teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you, trusting, praying, depending on the Spirit who is with us always, even unto the end of the age. So I pray Gospel Light, we will not use worldly methods for Kingdom work.

Spurgeon, he says, “It would have been far better if Peters hands have been clasped in prayer.” I totally agree with him. But it's hard, I know. When you're under pressure, it's easy to resort to worldly methods; when you have money, bills or money problems, when you have bills to pay, it's so easy to trust in human methods. It's so easy to compromise in your business, so easy to cheat a little in your dealings. It's so easy to settle your problem of loneliness by compromising and just being with someone of a different faith. But remember this, you will not advance the Kingdom of God with your compromises.

See, Paul tells us 'For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.' [2 Cor 10:3-4]

Maybe today you are facing some difficulties and you're tempted to compromise. Maybe to falsify accounts, maybe to be with this girl even though you know she's not of the same faith. Maybe to teach your husband a lesson by committing some sin because he first wronged you and you want to take things into your own hand and do it right or get that right. My friends remember this, Kingdom principle is that God's kingdom is never advanced with our own fleshly worldly methods.

So I hope this story which seemingly is so straightforward, is actually allowing us to peel behind and see the kingdom values, to see that things are not always what they seem - God's providence; His ways are higher than our ways.

To see what real power is all about, not that because we can, that's why we should, but that knowing just because we can, doesn't mean we should. It's bringing our, all our powers, our rights, under the control of God - that's real power.

And finally, God's principle in the kingdom is that we should always advance in divine grace and not based on worldly methodologies.

I hope these will provide some food for thought, I think they will; chew upon this for the rest of the week. And may God help us to be more and more a people who live in this spiritual realm for His glory.

Let's pray. Father, we are thankful today that Jesus your Son, lived a spiritual life, for He had a spiritual mindset. He understood Your will, He understood Your way. He was surrendered to Your control, and He never resorted to worldly methods.

Thank You that as He went to the cross, though He looks so weak, that was the demonstration of real power, laying down one's life for the sake of the souls of many more to come. So Father, we pray that you'll bless your church, that we may follow Jesus, to trust in Your providence, to yield the control of our lives to You and to be a people of word and prayer, a people of obedience, as we face the many trials and difficulties of life.

We also want to pray for friends who, who are here, who may not know Jesus as yet; please open their eyes, that they may see Jesus, not as a weak victim, but as the all-powerful Conqueror of sin, laying down His life, because of great love.

So turn their eyes to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, that they might be saved today. Thank You. We pray all this in Jesus Name, Amen. God bless.

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