Sunday 1st Service
Title / Scripture: Shall I Not Drink the Cup Which the Father Has Given Me? (John 18:1-14)
Speaker: Pastor Ryu Kwang-su
Date / Place: November 13, 2022, Immanuel Church (Seoul)
Summary
▷ When you come to church on Sunday, searching for what the best answer is, that is worship and prayer. In fact, you must hold onto the message every day and search. You must take this answer and method with you.
▣ Introduction_ Jesus, Who Is Arrested After Passing the Passover
1. You must first know the background of the text
1) Passing over the Kidron (John 18:1) – The Kidron is the place where the blood of the 246,000 lambs killed on Passover drains out of the temple and flows in. Judas Iscariot, who knew that Jesus was there at times, brought the soldiers and the officers of the Pharisees and came to arrest Him.
2) You must always look at the world’s difficulties with three eyes – naturalness, inevitability, absoluteness
▷ In the church there are people who are not saved and even pastors, and Judas Iscariot, according to his own benefit, brought soldiers to sell and arrest Jesus. What was naturally bound to come has come.
3) Jesus, who boldly revealed Himself to those who came to arrest Him with lanterns, torches, and weapons – The reason they came carrying torches was because they expected that Jesus would be hiding
4) Jesus, who at this time told Peter, who had cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant, to put his sword into its sheath, and said, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?”
2. The reason they took Jesus to Annas before handing Him over to Caiaphas
1) Annas – A successful person to the extent that there was no one among the Israelites who did not know him. As high priest, the person in charge of inspecting and selling the sheep in the courtyard of the Gentiles. A person whose economic power was so mighty that his sons and son-in-law guarded the treasury and the money. That is the place where Jesus swung the whip. That is why Annas told them to bring Jesus.
2) Afterwards, Jesus is handed over to Caiaphas – Caiaphas is the son-in-law of Annas
3. What should we do when we face something so unfair and hard? – Throw away all the bubbles and greed, and truly pray this prayer, “What is God’s absolute plan?”
1) When I faced great difficulty before starting the evangelism movement, I prayed until God’s certain plan was seen – At this time, all the records of certain world evangelization were done
2) When the construction of the Busan Immanuel sanctuary was not happening, the prayer “Why do You not give us a sanctuary?” – The absolute answer of 237, healing, and Summit came out: make a place where multi-ethnic people can come and do 24 (the courtyard of the Gentiles), a church where the sick can come and pray 24 (the courtyard of prayer), and a sanctuary where the future generations can come and properly learn life (the courtyard of children).
3) The prayer “Why here?” regarding Immanuel Seoul Church – Prepare for the three-day weekend age. Otherwise, all the future generations will die. Prepare what is in the Bible. This absolute plan was seen
▷ What is God’s absolute plan? You must pray a thousand times, ten thousand times. Now the future generations must not just listen to a 30-minute sermon. They must come to church and find something for their life.
▣ Main_ Jesus Found the Answer Regarding This Cup of Suffering, “Shall I Not Drink the Cup Which the Father Has Given Me?”
1. This cup of suffering was the beginning of the answer. – Our crisis is the beginning of the answer
1) This cup of suffering was a fact already prophesied in the Old Testament – That is why they kept killing lambs. This means it was promised that He would send Christ and resolve everything on the cross.
▷ If you just hold onto God’s absolute promise, from then on, the work happens.
2) What Jesus Himself said – He promised that He would resurrect in 3 days
3) If you hold onto the cup God gives, God’s thing, the answer begins.
2. This cup of suffering is the beginning of the fact that Jesus is the Christ being witnessed to the whole world. – If you know Christ properly, all the answers are seen.
1) How do we resolve our past? – Christ before eternity
2) What should we do about our current problems? – Christ who became incarnate
3) How do we pray in Jesus’ name? – The resurrected Christ
4) What do we do about our future? – Christ who sits on the throne ruling over us and will come as the Lord of the Second Coming
5) All humans will resurrect and go to heaven and hell! – Christ who will stand as the Lord of judgment
▷ He showed this evidence. It was prophesied in the Old Testament that He would resurrect from the cross, and He is showing that evidence. What all mankind needs is this—your suffering is the beginning of the answer. Your suffering is the beginning of witness.
3. Our standard of choice is to witness Christ and to let other people know Christ (John 18:9, 11).
▷ Christ being proven is the standard. Showing that God is with me is the standard. Remnants, do not listen to nonsense and hold onto the Word. So that, seeing us, they say, “Christ, the solver of all problems.
1) If we faced something unfair and held onto the covenant of Christ in order to become this witness, a 100-year answer
2) If we face hardship without any wrongdoing, a 1000-year answer
3) The unfairness that Jesus, who came as the Savior, suffered is an eternal answer
▣ Conclusion
1. When we look at it, it is a crisis, but when God looks at it, it is the best opportunity.
1) Joseph going as a slave was the best opportunity to go to Egypt, and going to prison was God opening the best way to go to the king
2) Moses’ 40 years in the Midian wilderness was God preparing the best thing
▷ Do not be deceived. It is finding God’s exact plan. This is prayer. How do you find it? If you just pray, it will come out. Once it becomes exact just once, it keeps coming out. If you find the exact path and go, it comes out.
3) David faced death 6 times, but that was the best timetable.
▷ When we look at it, it is crisis and impossibility, but if we find God’s absolute plan here, it is done.
4) All the persecution of the early church turned into the best opportunity.
2. The answer that comes when you know the word Christ
1) You must know the word Christ for everything to be seen and for the way to be seen (John 14:6).
2) The Triune God works.
3) The blessing of the throne comes.
4) You overcome all the powers of darkness.
3. The moment you know this word and hold onto the absolute plan, the answer and the work begin.
▷ For us, there is no “it works, it doesn’t work.” You must change your thinking. It is not “I can, I can’t.” All of that is a human standard. No matter how hard the cup God has given is, if you just discover the absolute plan, from then on, the work begins. Finding this is prayer. It is worship.
Transcript
When you come to church on Sunday, you must search for what the best answer is. That is worshipping, and that is prayer. Actually, you must search for it every day, right? You must hold onto today’s message and search during the six days. Today we must take that answer, that method, with us.
▣ Introduction_ Jesus, Who Is Arrested After Passing the Passover
Right now, after the Passover passes, Jesus is now going to be arrested, right now. You know this, right? Once He is arrested, He is then going to be executed. That scene has come up now today.
1. You must first know the background of the text
Now, first we need to take a little look at the Bible before we go on.
1) Passing over the Kidron (John 18:1)
In our verse 1, it says, “over the Kidron,” like this, right? “He went to Mt Olive, and again entered the temple, and the people came, and He sat down and taught them,” the explanation comes out like this all along. If you look at chapter 18. This Kidron is a brook. A place where water flows. On the day of Passover, they kill 246,000 lambs. Amazing, isn’t it? To keep the Passover, they kill about 246,000 lambs, and that blood would flow, right? So in the temple, there is a drain so that the blood can drain out. Where does this enormous amount of blood flow to? It flows into the Kidron brook. Now it is unneeded blood. Jesus is passing through there, right now. Because they knew the places Jesus usually went in that area, at this time, together with Judas Iscariot, the soldiers have now come to arrest Jesus. Together with the soldiers and the officers of the high priests and Pharisees, Judas Iscariot, since he knows where Jesus is, has come to arrest Him. A disciple has come to arrest Jesus now. There is no need to be flustered.
2) You must always look at the world’s difficulties with three eyes – naturalness, inevitability, absoluteness
Everyone, there are many difficult, dumbfounding things in the world, aren’t there? You must have the eyes to see them. You must always see with three eyes. It is natural, inevitable, absolute. Someone who is not saved can attend church, right? Someone who is not saved can even be a pastor. There are many people who are not saved. According to his own benefit, he has now brought the soldiers to that place to sell and arrest Jesus. It is a dumbfounding thing, right? It is inevitable. But there is an absolute plan there. You must always remember this. Otherwise, you will not receive answers. What was bound to come has come. Right? When Judas Iscariot died, what did the Bible record? “He went to his own place.” That is what it said. There is no need for you to look at people and be discouraged and such. What was naturally bound to come has come.
In Busan, wasn’t it something that happened in a certain big church? One elder built the church, and it seems there was something a little wrong. With their construction. A dispute broke out in the church, and that elder reported the church, I’m telling you. Our church is a church with illegal things like this. He reported it, I’m telling you. The pastor, who didn’t know anything about the construction, kept being investigated, going there. Well, people in Busan will know. “How can that be?” said the people who heard it. “That’s crazy. How can that be?” It is natural. Right? A person who has nothing to do with salvation can attend church. It is a natural thing.
3) Jesus, who boldly revealed Himself to those who came to arrest Him with lanterns, torches, and weapons
What did they bring? They brought lanterns, brought torches, and brought weapons. Why did they bring torches? They expected, “Jesus is probably hiding.” It was a misunderstanding. Since He’d be hiding somewhere, we need fire to catch Him. That’s why they brought them. Jesus stepped forward boldly. He asked, “Whom do you seek?” When Jesus boldly came out and asked, “Whom do you seek?” they said, “We seek Jesus of Nazareth.” At that time, Judas was also standing with them. So Jesus said in verse 6, “I am He.” He said, “I am that person.” How much Jesus’ power was manifested at that time. It says those people fell to the ground. If you look at today’s text. Jesus asks again. “Whom do you seek?” “We seek Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. Jesus said in verse 8, “Since I am that person, take Me. And don’t touch everyone else,” He said, right? “Don’t touch the disciples and let them go.”
4) Jesus, who at this time told Peter, who had cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant, to put his sword into its sheath, and said, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?”
This is how Jesus was now arrested. At that time, Peter, who was watching from the side, swung his sword, right? An officer who had followed along, a person named “Malchus,” and his ear flew off. How did he make the ear fly off? Was it a miss, or did he hit it precisely? There’s no way to know. Anyway, he made the ear fly off. At that time, Jesus said, “Put up your sword,” and the words He spoke were, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?” That is what He said.
2. The reason they took Jesus to Annas before handing Him over to Caiaphas
1) Annas
They arrested Jesus and took Him to the high priest Annas. And they hand Him over to Caiaphas, but why did they take Him to Annas first, that is the thing. He must have told them to bring Him to Annas. There is no one in Israel who doesn’t know this man named Annas. He is a tremendously successful person. This person was the high priest, and what was he in charge of? He is the person responsible for inspecting and selling the sheep, the animals, in the courtyard of the Gentiles. His economic power is mighty. Just for the lambs, they kill 246,000, I’m telling you. His sons guard that treasury. So much money came in that the son-in-law handles the managing of it. The place where Jesus swung the whip is there. That’s why Annas told them to bring Him. There is a reason, right?
2) Afterwards, Jesus is handed over to Caiaphas
And then He is handed over to Caiaphas. Caiaphas is the son-in-law of Annas.
3. What should we do when we face something so unfair and hard? – Throw away all the bubbles and greed, and truly pray this prayer, “What is God’s absolute plan?”
1) When I faced great difficulty before starting the evangelism movement, I prayed until God’s certain plan was seen
Everyone, when you face something so unfair and hard, what should you do? Well, Jesus is the almighty God and the Son of God, so let’s say that’s that, but what should we do? Before I met you all, when I started the evangelism movement, it would have been about 40 years ago. I encountered a very great difficulty. It got to the point of “Ah, it has become impossible.” Other people thought so too. It wasn’t just me who thought so, other people thought so too. That was when. I truly prayed. I took out all the bubbles and truly prayed. I threw away all my greed and truly prayed. What is that key? “What is God’s absolute plan?” There’s no need to find it quickly either. I prayed until God gave it. At that time, so certainly, all the records about world evangelization, I did them all at that time. There’s no need to be discouraged. They said everything was dead, but it wasn’t. I found God’s absolute plan. It is important.
2) When the construction of the Busan Immanuel sanctuary was not happening, the prayer “Why do You not give us a sanctuary?”
A few years ago, I prayed that kind of prayer. “God, why do You not give us a sanctuary in Busan? We need it.” While praying that prayer, I found the absolute answer. Prepare a place where multi-ethnic people can come and do 24. It’s in the Bible, isn’t it, the courtyard of the Gentiles. Make it a church where the sick can come and pray 24 to their heart’s content, the courtyard of prayer. Make something where the future generations can properly learn life 24, the courtyard of children. That is 237, healing, Summit. Right? I held firmly onto that covenant. Now the permit came through. God will work.
3) The prayer “Why here?” regarding Immanuel Seoul Church
Do you know what I prayed when I came here? “Why should we come here?” The church that was here before, it became a mountain here, and people didn’t come, so they couldn’t run the church, I’m telling you. Right? I didn’t worry about that. Our members climb up a rope even if it’s a cliff, so that’s fine, but “Why here?” I got the answer early on. “Prepare for the three-day weekend age. If you do not prepare for that, all the future generations will die. Prepare what doesn’t exist in the world. Prepare what is in the Bible.” Right? There’s no need to do it with even a little bubble or with my greed. It is holding onto what God’s absolute plan is. Everyone, do it that way. There’s nothing to be in a hurry about. From then on, God’s work begins. I don’t really like people who work excessively hard. They have never succeeded. They succeed and then fail. Right? What is God’s absolute plan? Aren’t we children of God? Right? Then you must ask a thousand times, ten thousand times. “What is God’s absolute plan?” Now Pastor Kim Hyung-gil is going. I tell him to always ask that. Then it’ll work. The church members are not like that. If the pastor firmly holds onto God’s plan, the church members are bound to help. There’s no need for useless experience. Our, well, Pastor Lee Eun-joo, it seems they’re all going to the mother church, search. So that’s how the answer came out, “Ah, now the Remnants must not come to church for 30 minutes and listen to a sermon once a week.” Right? The Remnants must come to this church and find something. Right? They must find life, the exact thing. Won’t God give it? And now that I think about it, this is a perfectly fitting place. You must find the absolute answer.
▣ Main_ Jesus Found the Answer Regarding This Cup of Suffering, “Shall I Not Drink the Cup Which the Father Has Given Me?”
Jesus said, “Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?” He found the absolute answer. It is the cup of suffering. Right? But because it was certain, He said, “I will drink it.”
1. This cup of suffering was the beginning of the answer. – Our crisis is the beginning of the answer
It is the first. This cup of suffering was the beginning of the answer. Everyone, your crisis is the beginning of the answer. You must remember this.
1) This cup of suffering was a fact already prophesied in the Old Testament
This was already, already prophesied in the Old Testament. That is why they kept killing lambs. That means, “He will send Christ and resolve everything on the cross.” It was promised in the Old Testament. Everyone, there is nothing to do in a hurry. There is nothing to add either. Nothing to take away either. Just firmly hold onto only God’s absolute promise.
2) What Jesus Himself said
From then on, the work happens. Jesus Himself said, didn’t He? “I will be handed over into their hands and die. But I will resurrect within 3 days.” He said that, didn’t He? It was promised many times in the Bible too.
3) If you hold onto the cup God gives, God’s thing, the answer begins.
If you, in the midst of suffering, hold onto the cup God gives, God’s thing, it becomes the beginning of the answer, this is it.
2. This cup of suffering is the beginning of the fact that Jesus is the Christ being witnessed to the whole world. – If you know Christ properly, all the answers are seen.
It is the second. What cup is this cup? What answer is it? It is the beginning of the fact being witnessed that the Christ whom the whole world needs most is none other than Jesus. Everyone, if you know Christ properly, all the answers are seen.
1) How do we resolve our past? – Christ before eternity
How do we resolve all our past? Christ, who was there before eternity. He came wearing a human body.
2) What should we do about our current problems? – Christ who became incarnate
What do we do about our current problems? Christ who became incarnate.
3) How do we pray in Jesus’ name? – The resurrected Christ
Well, how should we pray in Jesus’ name? It works.
4) What do we do about our future? – Christ who sits on the throne ruling over us and will come as the Lord of the Second Coming
The resurrected Christ. What do we do about our future? Christ who sits on the throne ruling over us and will stand as the Lord of the Second Coming.
5) All humans will resurrect and go to heaven and hell! – Christ who will stand as the Lord of judgment
Later, the timetable comes when all humans resurrect and are raptured to hell, to heaven, right? Christ who will stand as the Lord of judgment. He is now showing this proof. It’s true that it was very hard, but Jesus is not afraid of suffering. He stepped forward boldly. Well, a person dying and coming back to life in 3 days is a miracle too, isn’t it? But Jesus said it beforehand, I’m telling you. Even more amazing, it was prophesied in the Old Testament. It is the evidence that He is Christ. Because what our mankind needs is Christ, He is now showing that evidence.
Your suffering is the beginning of the answer. Make it certain. Your suffering is the beginning of witness. Jesus already witnessed it. This place.
3. Our standard of choice is to witness Christ and to let other people know Christ (John 18:9, 11).
Lastly, the third. It’s about what our standard of choice is. The standard of choice is none other than witnessing Christ and making other people know Christ, that is the standard. It is verse 9. “This was to fulfill that the Father would not lose even one.” That’s what it said, right? Also, what does it say in verse 11? “Put up your sword. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given Me?” This is our standard. Isn’t it? Christ being proven is the standard. Showing that God is with you is the standard. Especially our Remnants, never miss this. I’m telling you not to listen to nonsense. Hold onto God’s Word. You must make them see you and say, “Wow! Christ is the solver of all problems.” “Ah! That person receives God’s blessing.” It is that witness. Today Jesus is now explaining this, right?
1) If we faced something unfair and held onto the covenant of Christ in order to become this witness, a 100-year answer
If you faced something unfair and hold onto the covenant of Christ in order to become this witness, a 100-year answer comes. Right?
2) If we face hardship without any wrongdoing, a 1000-year answer
Especially if you face hardship without any wrongdoing, a thousand-year answer comes.
3) The unfairness that Jesus, who came as the Savior, suffered is an eternal answer
The unfairness that Jesus, who came as the Savior, suffered, an eternal answer came, that’s what I mean.
▣ Conclusion
1. When we look at it, it is a crisis, but when God looks at it, it is the best opportunity.
Crisis, when we look at it, it’s a crisis. Right? But when God looks at it, it is the best opportunity.
1) Joseph going as a slave was the best opportunity to go to Egypt, and going to prison was God opening the best way to go to the king
Let me give an example. Joseph going as a slave became the best opportunity to go to Egypt. Right? Joseph going to prison was God making the best opportunity for him to go to the king.
2) Moses’ 40 years in the Midian wilderness was God preparing the best thing
Moses was chased out and lived like a dead person in the Midian wilderness for 40 years. God was preparing the best thing. Do not be deceived. It is finding God’s exact plan. That is prayer. How do you find it? Just try praying. It is bound to come out. Once this becomes exact just once, it keeps coming out. Right? When we walk a road, if we go the wrong way once, we keep going wrong, don’t we? But if you find the exact path and go a little, it keeps coming out. You must hold onto this.
3) David faced death 6 times, but that was the best timetable.
David faced death as many as six times, didn’t he? Right? That was the best timetable. When we look at it, it’s a crisis. When we look at it, it’s impossible. But if you find God’s absolute plan, that ends it. Even unbelievers search for the will of heaven, but aren’t we children of God? Never miss this.
4) All the persecution of the early church turned into the best opportunity.
All the persecution that happened in the early church after Jesus’ resurrection turned into the best opportunities. Today, here, you must now firmly hold onto this as covenant.
2. The answer that comes when you know the word Christ
1) You must know the word Christ for everything to be seen and for the way to be seen (John 14:6).
Knowing Christ rightly means that later everything will all be seen. You must know this word Christ for the way to be seen, and “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” He said, didn’t He? You must know the word Christ
2) The Triune God works.
The Triune God works.
3) The blessing of the throne comes.
I’m telling you, you must know that word for the blessing of the throne to come.
4) You overcome all the powers of darkness.
You must know that word for all the powers of darkness to collapse.
When I meet Buddhist monks, I tell them. You need Christ. Aren’t your spiritual problems too hard? You need Christ. Who is Christ? What does Christ mean? It’s a tremendous story.
3. The moment you know this word and hold onto the absolute plan, the answer and the work begin.
Everyone, if you just know this word, from the moment you hold onto God’s absolute plan, the answer begins to come. There is no reason to be discouraged and no reason to give up. There’s no reason to force yourself to cheer up either. Does it work just because you cheer up? Isn’t that so? Does the impossible become possible? It doesn’t. From the moment you discover God’s absolute plan, God’s work definitely begins. It is a witness. There is nothing to teach you and nothing to boast about. It is a witness.
It was the last church I was at as an associate pastor, and that church fought a lot. But there was a couple, a custodian deacon and his wife, who worked at that church. These people always had smiling faces. Well, it was hard, and since they fought, the church members tormented them so much. That custodian deacon couple. Even though they tormented them, these people were so joyful. They said they loved doing the Lord’s work so much. There was one rather wicked elder, and he would just ignore them and torment them and do things like this. But these people always, with smiling faces, were thankful and such. When I saw it, I thought, “Wow! That’s amazing.” They had three sons. I don’t know about the youngest, but the oldest son at that time passed the very difficult civil service exam and became a high-ranking government official. The second son was a friend who studied really well, and this friend had a mission, so he went to seminary, studied, and became a pastor. He does ministry well. The third son, I don’t know well how he turned out. Because I saw them back when I was young. I heard words from this couple that I couldn’t even hear in sermons, I’m telling you. They said they are so thankful that they get to do church work like this. Ah, couldn’t we go somewhere else and work? But in the church, in the house of the Lord, I work and pray, and it’s so good, they said. But that thing, I’m telling you, why, but that thing, I’m telling you, I could feel it sincerely, you know? It’s not a lie. It’s sincere. “Wow!” When you’re like that, God’s work can’t help but happen.
What is God’s absolute plan for you? “Shall I not drink the cup the Lord gave today, the cup the Father has given Me?” He said. No matter how hard it is.
Isn’t it a story from a long time ago? It was even on KBS and such, a father and son live together, they live in a semi-basement like this. It’s hard, right? There’s no mother either. But the son and the father ordered food, like this. But they ordered the food, and this kid doesn’t come, you know? So when they called the restaurant, they said he left. He came after a long while. When he came, he said he was so sorry. And then this kid couldn’t walk properly and was limping. So this father and son (父子), you know, asked “Why are you like that? Did you get hurt?” and he’d had an accident on the way. But he said he was sorry, that he should have kept his promise but he was late, he was so sorry. But they told him to come in, and since he could barely walk, he came in and they helped him a bit and such, and they heard his story, the kid’s story.
This kid needed to study, but he had no parents and no one to help him, this kid. Back then, there were still many who had little, but he was working at a Chinese restaurant. This kid was delivering jjajangmyeon and doing things like that. But suddenly the father pulled out money he had hidden somewhere and gave it to the kid. Telling him to go to school. The son was so surprised. Our father is poor right now, how did he have this? He gave it, telling him to study. A very long time passed. But this father got old and faced great hardship. After almost several decades they appeared and met, and this delivery kid had become a judge. Back in the old days, well, now it’s easy to find people, everyone has a cell phone, but in the old days that was hard. There were even times when family lived in the same neighborhood but couldn’t meet for decades, right? That can happen. So this kid who became a judge, you know, said he’d always been searching, didn’t he. Where these people were. So this elderly man was so thankful, “I don’t need to receive help from you. Just that you became like this, I’m so thankful. Truly, I thank God.”
For us, there is no “it works, it doesn’t work.” Today you must change your thinking. It is not “I can, I can’t.” That is all a human standard. No matter how hard the cup God has given is, if you just discover the absolute plan, from that moment on the work begins, this is it. Finding this is prayer. Finding this is worship. I bless you in the name of the Lord Jesus that from now on your life will begin within this blessing. I hope it becomes a day of receiving grace all day long. Let us pray.
Prayer
We give thanks to God. Let today be an important day in my life. If there is anyone who is in suffering or sick, let it be a day of covenant where they find God’s absolute plan. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.