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Faith Seventh Day Adventist Church

Eric Walsh

Prophecy not Politics

And the scripture says, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.

But holy men of God speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Our message this Sabbath is entitled Prophecy, not politics.

Father God, we thank you for this opportunity to study your word.

Lord, once again I ask that you just make me a nail upon the wall, a rusty, sorry nail, Lord.

But upon that nail, Lord, I ask that you hang a portrait of Jesus Christ.

Story of not just Christ, but also of the disciples.

The disciples are expecting that Jesus is about to reveal himself as king.

They have been lining up to see which 1 of them would be the vice president in Jesus' new kingdom.

They thought for sure everything was going to go well.

And Christ took them now to bring them to a place that they often retreated to called the Garden of Gethsemane.

In John 18 and Verse 1, the Bible says, when Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the book Kedron, where was a garden into the which he entered and his disciples.

Verse 2 says, and Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus oftentimes resorted thither with his disciples.

Judas then having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees cometh thither with lanterns, watch this church, with lanterns and torches and what?

When they decided that they were going to finally go and arrest Jesus, they came strapped.

Judas knew where Jesus would go and pray, and here they come running towards him, and they're geared up like an army going after an enemy.

Verse 4, the Bible says, Jesus, therefore knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and said unto them, whom seek ye?

And Judas also which betrayed him stood with them." When they got there, Jesus looks at them and say, who are you looking for?

They respond, in fact, we have a warrant for the arrest of Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus is not shy, he is not afraid, he says, I'm him.

Judas is watching this whole exchange the Bible tells us.

And in verse 6, the Bible says, As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, watch this church, the Bible says they went backward and fell to the ground.

In fact, the spirit of prophecy tells us that they fell down like dead men.

The spirit of God, the power of the angel threw back a small army coming for Jesus.

To show you that they were under demonic influence, you've got to go to verse 7, because after they hit the ground—if it was me, And I asked, you know, somebody asked me, who are you looking for?

And the guy said his name, and after he said his name, we all went flying back.

I'd have probably left everybody else and went home.

I said, yeah, I'm not looking for this brother, I'm going home.

But verse 7 says, then asked he them again, whom seek ye?

That tells you that they were under demonic influence, that even the supernatural manifestation of them being thrown back was not enough to make them realize what they were doing.

Verse 8, Jesus answered, I have told you that I am He, if you therefore, if therefore you seek me, let these go their way.

He wanted them to let go of his disciples, that their saying might be fulfilled which he spake, of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." Jesus was trying to protect his disciples even in this dark hour.

Something interesting happens in the story of the arrest of Jesus.

In John 18, 10, the Bible says, then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear.

It's the only time the word is in the Bible.

Some say it means king, but he was the high priest's servant.

And don't think of it like he was his servant, like he carried his water around.

This was the high priest's Right-hand man.

He was the 1 probably leading this expedition for the high priest to find Jesus.

And when Peter sees him, this is why he's the 1 attacked, Peter draws out his sword and swings.

And what's interesting is, Jesus, if you go back to Luke 22, 36 and 38, Jesus had asked the disciples if they had a sword.

They said they had 2 and Jesus said it was enough.

So Peter mistook what that meant, drew out his sword, and cut off the man's ear.

Look at Luke 22, 49, we're going to try and make this picture, triangulate this picture, this story using the 4 Gospels.

Here it is, Luke 22, 49 says, when they which were about him saw that what would follow, they said unto him, Lord shall we smite with the sword.

In fact, Peter is probably the 1 who says first, Lord Jesus, should I fight them with my sword?

Verse 50, and 1 of them smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

It says, and Jesus answered and said, suffer ye thus far, and he touched his ear and did what?

In fact, as some of you know, it never stops growing.

Peter, obviously, I don't know if Peter wasn't trying to kill him or if he just wasn't very good with a sword, but he misses and cuts off Can you imagine this air falls off?

Can you imagine in the torchlight as this piece of cartilage hits the ground and because of its Rubberous tissue can you imagine as it bounces in the dark of night?

Peter thought it was time to start the fight, it was time to liberate, it was time to establish Jesus's kingdom on earth, but instead Jesus reaches out, touches the air, and church, the air is made whole.

We're gonna focus on what Jesus teaches Peter in this moment.

It is a lesson for us in the current political climate.

The chaos that you're feeling in America right now, the discord, the division, Spiritually we've got to keep these things into the proper perspective.

In fact John 18 and verse 11, Then said Jesus unto Peter, put up your sword into the sheath.

The cup which my father has given me, watch this church, shall I not drink it?

Do you remember a little earlier Jesus pleading as He cried, as blood, sweat, bloody sweat ran down His face?

Jesus said to His Father, if it's His will, would He take this cup from Him?

Jesus in that moment of temptation responds and says, not my will, but thy will be done.

It's that cup that He's talking about here.

From the book, the story of Jesus, page 110, Spirit of Prophecy says this, Christ did not refuse the traitor's kiss, that's Judas.

In this, he gave us an example of forbearance, love and pity.

If we are his disciples, we must treat our enemies as he treated Judas.

Christianity, true Bible-based Christianity, is separated from almost every other religion in the world because of the edict that even your enemy is worth saving.

I want to ask you what you think it would have been like for Malchus after he came to get Jesus and Peter cut off his ear.

How do you think Malchus would have experienced the rest of the crucifixion story?

How could Malchus believe that this man was a traitor, a danger, someone who needed to be put to death, when in fact Jesus stopped what he was doing to heal the man.

The disciples did not think that Christ would allow himself to be taken.

They knew that the power which could strike down the mob as dead men could keep them helpless till Christ and his companions should escape.

There are times before where Jesus miraculously escaped.

They thought that once again Jesus would miraculously escape.

In fact, Judas thought he was doing Jesus a favor by betraying him.

He thought he was going to pressure Jesus into accepting the role of king.

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Prophecy not Politics

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