John chapter 18. And quickly note, thank you so much for those who have been praying for me the last few weeks. I would not wish broke ribs on my worst enemy. It has been an ordeal for sure. All right, I am better. I'm not there, but I am better. John 18, 1 through 11, the sovereign submission of Jesus Christ, the sovereign submission of Jesus Christ. All right, here we've finished up the farewell discourse, which was John 15-17, and now things are going to progress rapidly to the cross. John 18, verse 1, when Jesus had spoken these words, and that's 15-17, those chapters, He went out with His disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden which He and His disciples entered. Now, Judas, The one who is inactive betraying Him also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers, some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns, torches, weapons." The Gospels say swords and clubs. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, whom do you seek? And they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am. Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, I am, they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, whom do you seek? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am. So if you seek me, let these men go. This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken. Of those whom you gave me, I have lost not one. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, and he drew it, struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink? The cup the Father has given me. It's a great text. I hope you'll be encouraged to look at Christ today in all of His glory and all of His beauty. I'll give you a couple of things in introduction just to set the stage, but it's interesting. You need to know something about the Valley of Kidron. It is significant in history, but basically it's a dry brook. There's no water that runs through it unless there's a heavy rain. It's located between Jerusalem's eastern wall and the Mount of Olives. It's basically dry all the time, but in winter they might have a large rain, and right after a large rain you'd have some water running through it. But other than that, actually they even called it a winter flower, like in the winter it might flow with water. Kidron itself means dark or turbid. I don't know, maybe there's a translation out there somewhere, but the word that you could use is wadi, W-A-D-Y. It's a brook that doesn't have water in it very often, a wadi. Now, let me give you just real briefly a history. It is, I think, somewhat significant because he names the place Kidron here in our text. I'll just give you this in introductory form. If you go back in the Old Testament, there was a king by the name of Asa. Asa reigned for like 41 years. Asa had this real wicked mother, and she was the queen. He removed her from her queenship, and she had constructed an idol. He cut her idol down. You know what he did with it? He burned it. in the brook of Kidron. So that is there in history. And then under the time of Reformation, under Josiah, the high priest, his name was Hilkiah, he was ordered to take out all these idols that were in the temple. We're going to remove all of that. We're going to purge and sanctify the temple. All these vessels that were made for Baal and for the Asherah and all these idols they had for the host of heaven, take them all and burn them. He burns them in the fields close to Jerusalem in the area of Kidron. And then also under Hezekiah, the Levites also carried the unclean things that were left in the temple by the former administration. They carried them and destroyed them in Kidron. But then lastly in history, there was another event you might be aware of. King David was running from his son Absalom, running from his son Absalom. And during that event, his rebellious son, he crossed the brook. That's what the text says in 2 Samuel 15, 23. He crossed the brook of Kidron and all the people passed on towards the wilderness. So you take those examples, then this is what we've basically learned. The brook of Kidron is a place where idols were burnt. We know that much. We know it's a place that was used to cleanse the temple. We also know from Jeremiah that it was a place where death and ashes were collected. Then we know that the model king, David, was sought for destruction as he went through that very valley. If I take those historical truths and apply them, I would say to you, idolatry is destroyed because Christ is seen as the preeminent one. I would say the temple is cleansed because Christ is the purifying one. I would say that death and ashes are no longer collected because He brings eternal life. And I would say that that King that was sought for destruction and died is no more, but our King lives forever. Jesus voluntarily, on purpose, made a decision to cross the brook Kidron in order to go towards Jerusalem and to ultimately the cross where he will substitute. Now, I hope some of that was helpful in some regard, but if you miss it, at least know this from the text. Whatever we see in this text, Jesus is doing it willingly. of his own volition, he's made a decision, I love Jesus. I'm tired of wimpy, yellow-streaked men. I love Jesus. Today, people say one thing, they do another. Not Christ. Whatever he says, that's what he's doing. He's a man. His yes is yes, his no is no, right is right, left is left, up is up, down is down. If he gives his word, that's the word. I'm going, you better come with me, this is where I'm going. But on top of all that, you're not going on vacation. You're not going to the Bahamas. You're not like Jeff and Lisa going on a cruise. He's going to be slaughtered, willingly, as a substitute for sinners. So the sovereignty of Christ in this passage and these first 11 verses is purposeful. Just one reference you'll have to turn to, I think. But if you'll just turn to Matthew just for one verse to set the stage. We finish up the Garden of Gethsemane. John doesn't record it. But if you look at Matthew at the end of the Garden of Gethsemane, right after that is when we get the scene of John 18. But I want you just to at least see the last verse. Matthew 26, verse 46. He sweat great drops of blood. The three disciples were there with him. They kept falling asleep. That whole event, not my will, your will be done. All of those things have happened. And notice what Jesus says at the end of the Garden of Gethsemane. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. I know what's coming. I know what's on the agenda. I shall not hide. I shall not run. I'm not scared. He's coming. Let's go meet him. Do you not find that ironic? When somebody chases you with a club, you run. When somebody runs at you with a sword, you get away. Jesus steps up. Let's go meet Him. He's our Savior. There's no fear in His eyes. purposeful. Jesus was clearly on his way to the cross. The whole point of why John tells us, you can go back to John 18, but the whole point of why John tells us he went out with his disciples across this brook of Kidron is to demonstrate his voluntary willingness to go this way. In chapter 18, verse 2 of John, he is not interested in escaping his enemies. I know it's plain. I know it's there. I know it's not very creative. I just want you to see that Jesus is not sappy. Jesus is not a sissy. He's not a weakling. Look, it's dark. You can hide behind a tree. You can hide under a bush. I just want you to understand Christ is not scared of anyone. And even though the enemies don't know it, this whole situation is under his control. In chapter 18, verse 4, Jesus was not caught by surprise. Look at 18.4. Jesus knowing. Not Jesus being surprised. Not Jesus going, oh no, what's happening here? But Jesus knowing exactly what is going to take place. I just want you to picture him there, this darkened night, in these trees, coming out of prayer. It's always a little bit more scary at night. And here comes this band of soldiers, Roman cohort, temple police, elders, Pharisees, Sadducees, some of the Sanhedrin, and all of them being led by a familiar friend. And here they all come, and there's Jesus knowing what's going to happen, and He steps out in the front. He doesn't hide in any regard. Look at Him between the enemy and His disciple. See Christ between you and the greatest threat. Now out of what, let me give you some phrases for whatever they're worth. Out of the garden gate, if there was a gate. Out of the grotto, some would say. Out of the house, perhaps there was a house there, a little small house they had taken refuge in. Or possibly just out from the trees in the grove. Whatever it was, he's in darkness and he steps out. No retreat, no hiding. Commentator William Hendrickson said, out of the relative darkness, he stepped into the light, into the open, striding forward until he stood right in front of the band. Right in front of them. So if Jack is the head of the Roman cohort, Jesus comes Who are you looking for? He comes right to their face. He steps right up in front of their presence. Whom do you seek? Let's make this clear what's going on this night. Whom do you seek? He asked the question twice. Maybe you've pondered why in the world he asked the question twice. Well, I can at least give you this. More than likely, they have received the authority from Pilate to arrest a man. What man? Jesus Christ. You get this paper. You have the authority in the right, according to Pilate, signed by my name to arrest Jesus Christ. Whom do you seek? One of the soldiers pulls out the paper. It says here we can arrest Jesus Christ. Of course, they back up and fall down once they recover themselves. Whom do you seek? They pull out the paper, they read it again. By their very own words, you got no business with these. He forced them to read what they had legal authority to do for the sparing of his disciples that they had no business touching. And it worked because they're able to be released. He's very wise in what he does. I love that Jesus answers straightforward. I hate obfuscation. I hate deception. I hate the forked tongues. I hate the country I live in in the sense that it is so hard to find anybody that can say something and do it. I know I've already said that in this sermon, but it's just the plague we live under. Where's the day? Where's the day? If I say something to Stephen over here, and I say, Stephen, I'll be there tomorrow at 2 o'clock. He shakes my hand. Look Him in the eye and I walk away. And at two o'clock tomorrow I'll be there. Where's that day at? This is Christ here. Christ steps up and He says, I am. I am. I am. No deception here. No mincing of words. No hiding. Look, you have to understand, a Roman cohort, temple police, bloodthirsty men that want to kill you, everything of the flesh says hide. Jesus said, I am. Right here. Right here. Don't look any further. Here I am, right now, in front of your very eyes. It's very, very powerful. Our Savior is bold and strong. Look to Christ. Understand His boldness, His strength. If you want to contrast him with Peter in just a few short hours, Peter will say, I don't know the man. I've never been with the man. I don't know. No, I've never seen him. That's what Peter says in all his zeal and passion. He folds up like a coward. Christ says, I am. I love Jesus. Powerful. Now think of the scene again, if you will, a little more precisely. Permission granted by Pilate to Judas to obtain Roman soldiers, a cohort of 600 men, whether he got the whole cohort or not, we have to say there was a lot of people, at least a good group. Because not only did you have the cohort of Romans, then you've got the temple police, the chief priests, the elders, Pharisees, and some Sadducees. And according to Luke, you even have members of the Sanhedrin. I don't know a number. I just know it's a really large group. If you take all four Gospels, put all the players together, this is a massive crowd coming in the night with what? Lanterns, torches, swords, and clubs. They're all coming to arrest Christ, a very powerful committee, if you will. You remember a word back in John 7, this is another time earlier, they're going to arrest Jesus. They go out to arrest Him in John 7, and they come back, and they don't have Jesus. I told you to arrest Him. Where is He? Do you know what they said? Well, you see, here's the problem. He had a machine gun, an atomic bomb. No, no, no. Think about the Roman soldier saying this to his captain. Well, sir, captain, sir, nobody ever talked like this guy. Your problem is, you didn't arrest him because of the way he talks. Yeah, you don't understand. You just have to be there. He couldn't arrest him because of the way he talks. Now, here Jesus steps up and says, I am. They all back up and fall down on the ground. Is that astounding? If any of you in here are military, have any workings with the military, could you imagine a group of 600 hardly tested and trained Marines, and I step in the room and they all fall down because they're scared? You're like, that doesn't work. It's what's happening in this passage. Jesus' presence and word has the power to cast down any enemy. Make note of this. Wake up. Pay attention. Christ's presence, two words, I am, had the power to throw a whole crowd on the ground in fear. This is Jesus in His incarnation. Now friend, ask yourself, know this to be true, and one day you're going to stand before Christ in all of His glory. He's under the judgment seat of the thrice holy God. All these people say, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say. What do these guys say? Nothing. All of the power and the majesty of Christ showed men their utter weakness. And all of us must one day stand before this Lord. Calvin, one quote by Calvin. How dreadful and alarming to the wicked the voice of Christ will be, when he shall ascend his throne to judge the world. At that time, here in John 18, he stood as a lamb ready to be sacrificed. His majesty, so far as outward appearance was concerned, was utterly gone. Yet, when he utters but a single word, his armed, courageous enemies fall down. Friend, you'll have to stand before this Savior. You'll have to stand before this judge. Don't judge me. He will judge you whether you like it or not. He judges you, He will judge you, and His Word will be final. Let me give you a couple of other texts more powerful than Calvin. I'll give you the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 11 verse 4 says this, But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, He'll decide with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall strike the earth with what? With the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips, he will kill the wicked. 2 Thessalonians, if you want a new testimony, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 8, then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. Have you learned anything so far this morning? Christ willingly chose to walk this path, and on this path, He's fully in control, holding all power within His own hands. No matter what this scene looks like, Christ is in control. You got the camera off to the side and you're filming, it looks like he's losing. They lead him away arrested. John talked about this on Wednesday nights, what it looks like to be arrested and carried off. You're the loser, you're the bad guy. As he's being carried off, he's being carried off in victory. So you have his purpose, you have his power, and then church, please hear, you have his protection. Here's the two-fold effect of this scene here. Jesus advances to the cross, and the disciples are protected in their weakest hour. Now look, I know what ends up at Acts, and I know how this thing turns out. But right now, they're not strong. Right now in their life, in John 18, they're not ready to be martyrs. They're not that strong yet. They're really fickle right here. Jesus knows that. And so He does what He does for their protection. He loves them. Look, friend, make note of this. He knows where you are. He knows what you can handle. He knows what you cannot handle. And so He is there protecting you from yourself, from the world, from circumstances that are too large for you. He knows your frame. He formed you. You're intricately made that He made you, and He knows exactly what you can deal with. Whatever you're going through, it's not more than you can handle. The Lord will see to that. As Calvin and Luther and Stalker and Evans and Linsky and others have said, he had the disciples at this time been captured by the soldiers and the temple guards. It would have been too severe a test for their faith. They were not ready for this extreme ordeal. They're not ready for this torture. Jesus knew this, so he made sure they were not arrested at this time. A shepherd, shepherd is the word pastor, he cares for his sheep and he made sure at this hour they were not arrested. Application, just two points. Value your shepherd, Jesus, to the highest degree by trusting him with your life. I'm in his hands and I know he will protect me. Secondly, never doubt his ability to protect you, nor his ability to conquer every foe. Whatever the opposition is, whether it's politics, whether it's money, whether it's rebellious children, whether it's a difficult marriage, whatever the opposition is, whatever it is, it is not more powerful than your shepherd. He is sufficient. Number two, the stupidity of pagans. We saw the purpose of Christ, now we see the stupidity, or we saw the sovereign submission of Christ, but now we see the stupidity of pagans. I know I shouldn't use the word stupid, but I did, and it's in the Bible, at least in the ESV anyways. All right, here we go, the stupidity of pagans. Now, back to this scene. Fully armed soldiers coming with lanterns, torches, swords, and clubs. The other Gospels give us those four elements. And so the Puritans said, and so make note of the Puritans. I mean, I don't know how I can't think like them. I wish I could. But here's what the Puritans would say, something like this. Funny, is it not? Now, they didn't say funny, is it not? This is what they said. They brought lanterns and torches to find the light of the world. Ironic, is it not? I need a lantern and a torch to find the light of the world. On top of that, they would go on to say they brought swords and clubs to subdue the Prince of Peace. Kind of stupid, isn't it all? These pagans. They actually think they are in control and have all power. They expect to apprehend what? A fleeing Christ! Catch him! Hurry! He's going to run from us! They expect to catch a fleeing Christ, but he steps up front and center and it just shakes their whole world. How dreadful is their stupidity? I'll give it to you from Calvin, and then I'll give you a revised version of my own. But he said it like this, oxen and asses, if they fall, are touched with some sort of feeling. But those men, after having had an open display of the divine power of Christ, proceed as fearlessly as if they had not perceived in him even the shadow of a man." What does that mean? Let me give it to you in my language. If you have a dog in your neighborhood you don't like, And every time you see it, you kick it and throw sticks and rocks at it. It's affected by your power and by your actions. And so what happens is, I used to jog a lot and this happens, I'd pick up rocks because I knew where the dogs were and throw rocks at them. And so then what happens, the next time you run by and the dog comes, you just raise your hand up and the dog cowers back. These men are so stupid that after the power of Christ is displayed, they're not even struck with feeling. They get up, get this, they get up off the ground and proceed to arrest him. That's how blind lost people are. A mighty demonstration of the power of God and they say, let's handcuff God. That's how blind they are. Wicked men who are reprobates, Romans 128, are not afraid to rush headfirst, think of it, they're not afraid to rush headfirst into a full-on attack of the Son of God. You know anything about the Son of God? He spoke everything into existence out of nothing. He parted the Red Sea. He walks on the water. He raises the dead, gives sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf. That guy, let's go and attack him. Look, I'm not real good at fighting, but if I'm going to choose my fights, I'm not fighting him. I'm going to fight Lydia. Take her. Not today, maybe next week or so. Judas, the one betraying Him. Think. Think about this, church. Judas sitting under the divine shepherd for three years and remaining corrupt in his heart. Doing ministry? Praying with the great intercessor, fellowshiping with the redeemed, carrying the money bag for missions, if you will, but devoid of a new heart. Friend, take note. Judas, under perfect pastoral care with a devoid, unregenerate heart. Do not assume in this room that because you come to a Reformed church that preaches verse by verse through the Bible that somehow you've inherited a Reformed, a regenerate heart. You've not. You must be born again. And to my Presbyterian friends, even if you sprinkled your baby or was sprinkled as a baby, you, my friend, will not get into heaven by the works of men. You must be born again. And Judas was not. Not all who are around the church are a part of the church. Not everyone in the game is on the team. Even though we all wear the same jersey, it does not mean you're on the team. Even if you wear Dallas Cowboy boots to this church, it doesn't make you on the Dallas Cowboy team. I'm saying it don't. You can support them, but you're not on it. You want it in a different way? It's just like having ham and eggs for breakfast, is it not? You say, what does that have to do with anything? The chicken is involved. The pig was committed. There's a big difference. Some of us are involved in church, but some of us are committed, meaning what? We have died to self. There's a big difference between the two. Some of us think that attendance was somehow, it's so sad. I was talking to my mother about this and for years it's like church attendance was seen as making you Christian. It's worse now. How so? Now you can just claim the attendance you had a decade ago. I had a conversation, this was last month with a man, right before Christmas, because I was trying to get him to come to church here. He says to me, do you not know that I have a pen, one of those lapel pens that you can get a little thing. They used to give these away in the Southern Baptist Church. He had this lapel pen for 10 years of perfect attendance. Ten years of perfect attendance a decade ago does not make you a part of the Christian family. You must be born again. And I cannot, but for Judas, I cannot help but to think, I can't help but to think of what? Psalms 1, blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. I see Judas walking. I see Judas standing. I see Judas sitting. And I see the result that he is blown away like the shaft and he has no place with the congregation of the righteous. It's sad. Think about Judas for one more moment. He's hanging there from that tree. Not high enough to make it to heaven. And not low enough for the earth to receive him. Heaven didn't want him and earth wouldn't take him. And the Scripture said, he went to his own place. Hell, hell, hell is where Judas went. And all of those outside of Christ go to an eternal hell. Hell rings up, they go to hell for what? Money, drugs, sexual relationships. They go to hell for materialism. They go to hell for pride. They go to hell for selfishness. Why? Because they're unwilling to give their life to Christ. I don't know how to make it more blunt. Don't be a stupid pagan. I don't know how to apply it any more clearly. Leave stupidity and just bow yourself in humility and say, I believe Christ. You remember the power and the presence of the word of Christ in this narrative and know that one day, friend, you are going to stand before this Christ in all of his glory unmitigated. and saints know that just as Jesus stood in defense of these 11 disciples, you can be assured He will defend you. He will defend you. Remember what Jesus said, I have lost, not one, and He won't lose you either. In John 10, I give them eternal life. They will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. Not a Roman cohort, not the temple police, not the Pharisees, not the Sadducees, or the Sanhedrin can take you out of the rims of glory. You are bought by the precious blood of Christ. You're a child of the King. You're identified as a part of the family of God. And when you die, you'll spend eternity in the kingdom of God. And no one can change that. Not all of hell, not the captain of hell, not all the enemies of the world, not Democrats, not Republicans, not anybody can change that status. Jesus defends you every single day. He's got you. He's holding you. He's leading you. He's disciplining you. He's correcting you. But He's going to make sure you make it to the end. Why? Because He who begins a good work will complete it. There is no failure. There's no abortion in this process. You're going to make it because Jesus is your pastor. Be encouraged by that. Even as we deal in this passage, with the superficiality of disciples. Anybody in the room superficial? One day zealous, ready to go, and the next moment some little girl says something, you go, I don't know Jesus. Right? Superficial, right? Well, let's look at them very briefly, these disciples. They had good intentions, especially Peter's the leader. He kind of represents the rest in so many different scenes. Good intentions can go already very quickly. Peter thought, here's an interesting thought, I need to defend Jesus. Now think that one through, as if Jesus can't defend himself. I need to step up to the plate. That's where a lot of bad theology has come from, because we're afraid to say the things that the Bible says about God, because it might make him look bad. We've got to defend him. I think he's fine. He can defend himself. Peter's zeal for Jesus caused a reaction in the flesh. Let me say something else about this. I appreciate Peter's zeal. Look, I know zeal can get you to do weird things. This guy's grabbing out a sword and he's whacking off somebody's ear. I get it. I know this is not what he's supposed to be doing, but at least you've got to love the guy because he loved Christ. We live in a world of apathy, a world of unresolved, undisciplined, uncommitted men about anything. At least Peter is going all out in his effort. I note him for that. You want to say it this way, Peter was armed and dangerous. Makes me afraid of people carrying guns. Never know what they'll do. Alright. I'm just saying, you don't know. Jack might shoot me before this sermon's over. Alright. But a great rebuke. I don't think it's harsh. I don't think it's mean. I think it's just right on spot because it's Jesus. Put your sword back up. I got this. I'm in control here. Nobody else is in control. Put your sword back in its sheath. Jesus has taught them clearly for three years, but they still don't understand the road to redemption. Note to the pastor, I think you ought to know more things. I think you ought to be doing more things. I think you ought to make more progress than you've made. But at the same time, even these disciples hadn't made a lot of progress, and they're under a perfect teacher. It teaches me what? Patience. Kindness, longevity. I just want to keep hanging with you. One day we'll get there. None of us where we need to be, but let's keep progressing the right way. I'll also say about Jesus rebuking Peter, circumstances have a way of clouding eternal realities, and sometimes the present keeps us from seeing the bigger picture. But the bottom line for Peter is he was at variance with the plan of Christ. Remember back in Matthew chapter 26, he says, but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so? This is the way it must be. Peter, put your sword up and back up. I've been trying to tell you I'm walking this way on purpose. It is here in the person of Peter that Christ, note, rebukes everything that men attempt out of their own strength. Let us be wise and submit to Christ and ask for his help. Don't try to do Christianity in your own strength or you're gonna end up like the Galatians we talk about on Sunday night. Gethsemane is over. I know there's a whole sermon here, but I'm not even going to come close to that. Gethsemane is over. The cup must be, I can't do it, drunk, drank, whatever. I get confused. I don't know the proper English term. Put your sword into the sheath, shall I not drink the cup? You see that, right? Shall I not drink the cup?" The implication is, hello, it must be drank, drunk, drinked. Yeah, whatever. What is this cup? Death? The kind of death? The contents of the cup? What's being drunk and drank it? What it is, is the wrath of Almighty God. And I'm going to drink the dregs of the wrath of God. Look, I know martyrs went to martyrdom singing. I know that martyrs went to martyrdom with joy in their heart. I know martyrs stood in the flames and said, don't tie me up. I'm not going nowhere. I understand that. But what Jesus is facing is a whole different ballgame. Jesus is having to deal with his father, and his father is dealing with him as if he was me. And so the unmitigated wrath of God bubbling over in a cup, Jesus is taking that cup and He's drinking it to the last drop. Now the cup's empty and I don't have to drink. Do you see the great mistake here? Anybody in the room, do you see it? Judas would rather drink his own cup than have Christ drink it for him. Don't make that mistake, friend. Look, just come with your sinfulness and your depraved heart and say, Lord Jesus, I believe you. Would you drink the cup for me? The enemy should not be put to flight. It is time for the good shepherd, as we learned in John 10, to lay down his life. Jesus must voluntarily substitute himself. Well, in closing, I ask you the question that's asked in my text. Whom do you seek? It's a good question. Judas and his friends sought for a troublemaker, a rebel rouser, for a man who posed a problem for the nation. Ultimately, they found a man who was much more than what they first imagined. The disciples sought for a man who would set up a new kingdom, make the world a better place. They truly believed Him. They truly loved Him. They were willing to follow Him. Certainly, along the way, they had some things that were wrong, and they had their dark moments, and they were fickle and superficial at times. But I think this is true. They sincerely sought Christ. What about you? You, in this room this morning. Are you seeking? What are you seeking? What about you? Are you seeking just to gratify your own flesh? Are you seeking the world? Are you seeking money? Are you seeking materialism? Are you seeking social media? Are you seeking relationships? You're going to seek that to fulfill your life? You honestly think that getting some more money is going to satisfy your life? That's what you're looking for? You think homosexuality is going to satisfy your life? You think sexual immorality is going to satisfy your life? You think pornography is the ticket? You think some type of reputation is the ticket? You're seeking those things? None of those things are going to work to fulfill your life. All you're accomplishing is fulfilling the cup with wrath. Every day you put wrath on wrath upon wrath upon wrath. Read Romans 1. Given over, given over, given over. Reprobate, reprobate, reprobate. All of these things accomplish nothing for you. Or, seek Christ. For who He is? Shepherd, mercy. Are you seeking Him because He alone is worthy, wonderful, and beautiful beyond description? If so, you will find Him if you seek Him with your whole heart. Let us pray as Brother Jeff comes to sing. Father, thank you for this word. Would you, Holy Spirit, convict everyone in this room, their need for Christ. Would you convict Christians this day, the beauty and the glory and the majesty of their Savior, that they would love Him all the more. But Lord, anyone that is to leave this place today, may they leave contemplating Christ and all of His glory. In Jesus' name we pray.