John 18: 28-38 (NASB)

²⁸ Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

²⁹ Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”

³⁰ They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.”

³¹ So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,”

³² to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

³³ Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.

Theme: Four crucial features of Jesus’ kingship you must understand so you will live as His loyal subjects.

The Setting v.28

Pilate’s Inquiry of the Jews vv.29-32

Pilate’s Interrogation of Jesus vv.33-35

Jesus’ Confession of being a King vv.36-37

1.It is not of this world v.36

2.It is His purpose for being born v.37a

3.It is characterized by truth v.37b

4.It is embraced by His subjects v.37

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(Due to an audio technical error, the first minute and a half had to be edited out. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

John 18: 15-18,25-27 (NASB)

¹⁵ Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest,

¹⁶ but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

¹⁷ Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

¹⁸ Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

²⁵ Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

²⁶ One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

²⁷ Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

Introduction:

Theme: Three important lessons learned from Peter’s denials of Christ so you will be prepared to confess Him in times of testing.

The Setting for the Denials: vv.15-16

The Record of the Denials: vv.17-18,25-27

The First Denial: vv.17-18

The Second Denial: v.25

The Third Denial: vv.25-27

Three Lessons Learned from the Denials

1.Who Denies Christ?
2.What are some ways people deny Christ?
3.What are some reasons why people deny Christ?

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John 18: 13-14; 19-24 (NASB)

¹² So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him,

¹³ and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

¹⁴ Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

¹⁹ The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.

²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.

²¹ Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

²² When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

²³ Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

²⁴ So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

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John 18:1-12 (NASB)

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples.

² Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

³ Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

⁴ So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”

⁵ They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.

⁶ So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷ Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,”

⁹ to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”

¹⁰ Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.

¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

¹² So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him,

The Setting:

1. The Arresting Place vv.1-2
2. The Arresting Party v.3

Theme: Six traits of Jesus displayed in His arrest so that you may marvel at His majesty.

The Six Traits:

1. The Omniscience of Jesus v.4a
2. The Initiation of Jesus v.4b
3. The Power of Jesus vv.5-6
4. The Protection of Jesus vv.7-9
5. The Will of Jesus vv.10-11
6. The Submission of Jesus v.12

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John 17:24-26 (NASB)

Theme: Four concluding pronouncements of Jesus’ prayer so that we may take comfort in a hopeful future.

1. Only Jesus can legitimately express the desire He prays – v.24
2. Only Jesus has known the Father correctly – v.25a
3. Only Jesus’ disciples have know Him correctly – v.25b
4. Only Jesus’ disciples have the Father’s name revealed to them – – v.26

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John 17:20-23

²⁰ “I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;

²¹ that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.

²² “And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just We are one;

²³ I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.”

Theme: Three indications that Christian unity is needed to maintain our evangelistic witness to the world.

1. Jesus prays for unity for all His followers – vv. 20-21
2. Jesus provides for unity for all His followers – v.22
3. Jesus projects perfected unity for all His followers – v. 23

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John 17:17-19 (NASB)

¹⁷ “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.

¹⁸ “As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

¹⁹ “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.”

Theme: Four features of the disciples’ sanctification so you can realize the priority of your own.

1. The prayer for their sanctification – v. 17a
2. The provision for their sanctification – v. 17b
3. The purpose for their sanctification – v. 18
4. The prerequisite for their sanctification – v. 19

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A Christian perspective on the 15th Anniversary of 9/11 & what it can teach us.

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Theme: Three reasons why Jesus prays for the disciples’ protection so we are reminded of the persistent dangers of living in the world.

John 17:13-16 (NASB)

¹³ “But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves.

¹⁴ “I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

¹⁵ “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

¹⁶“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Three Reminders:

1. First is where He is going – to the Father
2. Next is why He has spoken to them – His joy made full in them
3. Finally is what He has given them – God’s Word

I. The Hatred of the world – v. 14

II The necessity of remaining in the world – v. 15a

III The opposition of the evil one – v. 15b

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Introduction:

Theme: Three matters you must understand about the eleven disciples so you will be strengthened in your Christian faith.

John 17:6-12 (NASB)

⁶ “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

⁷ Now hey have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You;

⁸ for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

⁹ I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours;

¹⁰ and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

¹¹ I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.

¹² While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

1. The eleven disciples serve as a template for all believers in Christ v.6-10
2. The request for the eleven disciples is necessary for all believers in Christ v.11
3. The preservation of the eleven disciples is a comfort for all believers in Christ v.12

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