What He Knows

Transcript

Alright, thank you very much. And hello again, dear radio friend. How in the world are you? You doing alright today? Well, I trust so, bless your heart. This is your good friend Bob Cook, and we’re back together again, thank God, for a few precious moments around the Word of God. I am so grateful for this ministry, I consider it a holy, beautiful, privilege to share God’s Word with you from day-to-day. I get so blessed with my own preaching. [chuckle] I guess that’s alright, isn’t it? If you get blessed with what you’re giving out?

Well, we are finished with John 17 although we could have lingered on some of these passages for weeks actually, but the time goes by. And I’m looking at John chapter 18. “When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden into which He entered with His disciples, Judas also, which betrayed Him.” That’s a tragic phrase. Everywhere, you have Judas mentioned, it says, “Which betrayed Him.” “He knew the place, for Jesus off times resorted there with His disciples.”

“Judas then having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon Him went forth, and said onto them, “Whom seek ye?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus saith unto him, “I am He.” And Judas also, which betrayed Him stood with them. As soon then as He had said unto them, “I am He,” they went backward and fell to the ground.

Then asking them again, “Whom seek ye?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way.” He’s speaking about the disciples, so they wouldn’t get arrested with Him. “That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake of them, which Thou gavest Me, have I lost none.” “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and smote the High Priest’s servant, and cut of his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.” “Then said Jesus unto Peter, “Put up thy sword into the sheath. The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Stop here long enough to remark that only Dr. Luke (because I guess he was a doctor) mentions the fact that the Lord Jesus healed this severed ear. I turn to Luke 22 verse 50. “One of them smote the servant of the High Priest, and cut off his right ear, and Jesus answered, and said, “Suffer ye thus far. Let me do this.” In other words. “And He touched his ear and healed him.” Put that severed ear back on and healed it even in the moment before He was about to be interrogated, and scourged, and then crucified. He took the time tenderly to minister to those who were about to take Him prisoner.

Well, back to John 18, then it says in verse 12, “The band, and the captain, and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him and led him away to Annas first, for He was the father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the High Priest, that year.” Caiaphas was the one who gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. Then comes the story of what happened to Simon Peter. “Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple that would be John. That disciple was known unto the High Priest’s and went in with Jesus into the palace of the High Priest but Peter stood at the door outside.”

“Then went out that other disciple which was known unto the High Priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. And the damsel that kept the door, said onto Peter, ‘Aren’t thou not also one of this Man’s disciples?’ He said, ‘I’m not.’ And the servants and officers stood there who had made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. The High Priest then asked Jesus of His disciples and of His doctrine.”

Small thought here: When you stand with the world, you’ll always raise a question about whether your beliefs are any good. Peter stood with them, that’s the world’s crowd, the crowd that was after the Lord Jesus. “Peter stood with them and the High Priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.” Your life of dedication to the Lord Jesus is not lost upon the unsaved. And when, in the effort, to curry favor with the world, you stand with them, that is to say, you bring yourself to the level of the unsaved in order for them to accept you, they then question whether your beliefs are real. You wanna think about that the next time you’re tempted to compromise in some matter?

Alright. Jesus answered, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort in secret, have I said nothing. Why asketh thou Me? Ask them which heard me of what I said unto them: Behold, they know what I said.” “Then one of the officers that stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, ‘Answereth, thou the High Priest.’ So Jesus answered, ‘If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil. But if well, why smitest thou Me?'”

Now in verse 25, Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, “Art not thou also on one of His disciples?” He denied it, and said, “I’m not.” One of the servants of the High Priest being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Didn’t I see thee in the garden with Him?” “Peter then denied again and immediately the cock crew.” Now, this word for all of us really because we’ve all failed God from time-to-time, but I think there’s particular help here for somebody who with the best of intentions has really blown it as we say, time and time again. Simon Peter said to our Lord Jesus as recorded in John 13, “Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?”

“I will lay down my life for Thy sake. I am willing to die for you.” That’s what he said and Jesus answered, “Wilt thou indeed lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow till thou has denied Me thrice. Three times you will have denied that you even know Me, before the rooster has a chance to crow tomorrow morning.” But what follows? He says, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Don’t worry. You can’t trust yourself and I know that I can’t depend upon what you say even with the best of intentions, but you can trust Me. “Ye believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Would you mark that down in the notebook of your mind? I can’t trust myself and my own motives, but I can always trust Jesus. He knows and He can guide and the blessed indwelling Holy Spirit can control. Learn to mistrust your own motives, learn to trust what God whispers to you by His Holy Spirit and through His Word. Good idea? Jesus said, “You are gonna deny Me before the… Deny that you even know Me. Not that you don’t belong with Me. Before the rooster has a chance to crow. But don’t worry you can trust Me. You believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Jesus knows how you have failed, and frankly, how you will fail. We’re human beings, and we make mistakes, and we have shortcomings, and oftentimes foolishly we do and say things that we have to repent of afterwards, and say, “Oh God, forgive me.” Jesus knows that. He knows that, He knows the past, He knows the present, He knows the future. He looked at Peter, who with the best of intentions was saying, “I’m willing to die for you.” He said, “I know what’s coming. You’re gonna deny that you know Me. Don’t worry, you can depend on Me.”

Second, Jesus looks forward to the time when you come through victorious. There’s a passage in Luke 22 that says, “Satan hath desired to have you that he might sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” “Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” He wants to shake you up. “But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. And when.” Not if. “But when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

So Jesus knows all about me, but He looks forward because He knows the future, to the time when, through faith, I’m depending on the Holy Spirit, and victory is mine. Would you nail that concept down in your heart? Jesus knows the future and He knows that there will be a time when you, through faith, are victorious. Now, that time can be today if you start trusting Him. You don’t have to fail. John the beloved Apostle says in his first epistle, “My little children, these things right I unto you that you sin not.” You don’t have to fail. It is not a demanded qualification of being a human being that you have to fail. Why? Because this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Jesus said, “I prayed for thee that thy faith,” not your will power, “thy faith, fail not.” And you can trust your Savior to keep you every step of the way, keep you when you are under pressure, keep when you are discouraged, and might go off on a tangent, seeking some solace for your weary spirit. Jesus is able to keep you. “You, who are kept.” says Peter, “By the power of God through faith unto salvation.”

And so you don’t have to fail. You may fail, and John says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And He’s the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You may fail and there is a remedy, and there is forgiveness, and there is cleansing, but you don’t have to.

Now, Jesus said, “When.” Not if. “When thou art converted.” When you turned again, that really means, turned again, back to the element of trust and commitment, then He says, “You can strengthen others.” How does this work? Well, it’s as simple as turning the controls of an airplane or a vehicle over to the expert, but driver or pilot. Let Jesus start to give the orders, let Him take the responsibility. As the little girl said, “Send Jesus to the door of your heart when Satan knocks.”

The key to it is faith. Do you believe that Jesus is Who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do, and that He can keep you? If you do, trust Him this minute, not next week, but right now when you’re under pressure. Trust the Lord Jesus. He will keep you.

Dear Father, thank you for knowing what we are, and what we’re going to do, and planning for us through Jesus. Hallelujah. Amen.

Till I meet you once again by way of radio, walk with the King today and be a blessing!