The sermon 'He Drank the Poison Cup' by Scott Brown explores John chapter 18, focusing on the trials of Jesus Christ and his resolve to face them. The speaker highlights four reasons to rejoice: Jesus' resolve to save, the power of his word, his protection, and his substitution. The sermon draws parallels between the biblical events and the current global scenario of quarantine and fear, emphasizing Jesus' control over all situations and his intentionality in orchestrating events, even his own arrest. It stresses that Jesus' arrest was not a moment of victimhood but a demonstration of his divine power and mercy, as he willingly steps forward to fulfill his mission. The 'poison cup' symbolizes the wrath and judgment Jesus took upon himself for humanity's redemption, setting a distinction between those who accept his sacrifice and those who face eternal judgment. The sermon encourages the faithful to remain steadfast, informed by the attributes of God, and to recognize the power and protection offered through faith in Jesus Christ.

Well, good morning. Welcome to a new day. What a strange Providence that we're experiencing right now. It really is a big downgrade. Although there are a few smiling faces here, which is a blessing.

Here's Here's one of the biggest downgrades. I hear no children gurgling. Oh no. Oh, I love to have the children here with us. It's such a blessing.

Well, here we are in John chapter 18. It's a very timely moment that we are in John 18. The incident records the beginning of the massive trials of the Lord Jesus Christ, leading to his death and his resurrection, and even beyond that, the disciples themselves are right at the beginning of the greatest trial that will last until their martyrdom, except John who will not be martyred. But in this passage of Scripture, it declares that the power of Jesus Christ over the forces of darkness. And in many ways, what we find here in this text is Jesus steps in front of his disciples, almost like he's stepping in front of the train that's about to mow them down, to lift them above the wave, to hold back the tornado that's coming.

That's what he's doing here in this passage. The title of this message is, He drank the poison cup. That's how our text ends. But from this passage, I want to point out four reasons to rejoice. And if you have an outline in front of you that I sent out earlier today, here they are.

First, Rejoice in Jesus' resolve to save. Second, rejoice in the power of Jesus' word. Third, rejoice in his protection. Fourth, rejoice in his substitution. That's the final verse in our text.

You know, the headline in the news yesterday reported that almost a billion people around the world are confined to their homes. In 35 countries as a result of some form of quarantine because of government imposed lockdowns. In America, seven states are in lockdown with over 100 million people, Almost one out of four people in the United States are living under these conditions at this very moment. Among the states here in the United States are the country's most populous states. California, New York, and Illinois travel has been banned from foreign countries, airlines are shut down, the government has shut down many businesses, fear is really everywhere, normal life is ground to a halt.

Everything changed just a few days ago, unless you're homeschooling. And life is just running like it always did. There's not a lot of disruption, really. The beauty of being able to educate your children at home is that life can go on in the midst of the calamities of the world. And there you are in your homes teaching your children about the beauties of the kingdom of heaven.

There you are giving them the knowledge of the way this world works. And so for our people, as I've spoken to many of you this week, there's really not much change for you. It really demonstrates the blessing and the strength of God's ways. And so I really rejoice that that is your experience here. Now, the following chapters in John demonstrate Jesus' greatest power during his darkest moment.

Jesus is orchestrating what on the surface looks like the greatest disaster of his life and the greatest disaster of the lives of his disciples. But before the foundation of the world, he appointed a betrayer, the son of perdition. He appointed his own time of arrest, his own time of suffering, his own time of resurrection. And many times, John affirms this by saying, his hour had not come. His hour had not come.

Because he is the one who appoints the content of every hour, including his own. Why? Because Jesus Christ is, I am, he is God. He is the son of God. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Nothing holds back his hand of control in the world. He is orchestrating everything in the world. He is omnipotent. He is omnipresent. He is omniscient.

And that should inform all of our thinking about this virus that's going around, the fact that he, in his attributes, possesses these powers, nobody needs to fear anything. If you get a virus, it will be because God gave it to you. If you look at the doctrine of plagues in the Bible, two things rise to the surface. Number one, God gives the plagues. Number two, God alone stops the plague.

That needs to be really clear in our minds. God is in control. I praise God for that. The church should be the most fearless among the populations of the earth. And I pray that's true of us as well, that we are now at this time filling our minds with the knowledge of God.

The best thing you can do at this time, as easy it is to just follow the news, and frankly I have been doing that, The best thing you can do is to review the attributes of God and to believe God for who He is. The best thing you can do is to fill your mind with the Scriptures, but particularly, Because we don't know the end of this controversy that's raging in our country, here's what we do know. God is God. God is good. And God is bringing many sons to glory.

He's using this to mature us in different ways. These kinds of moments expose our idols, they expose the things that we rely on, the things that we appreciate that really don't help us at all, and they drive us back to God. So I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, as Paul so aptly said in Acts chapter 20. Well, here the disciples are with the Lord Jesus, And between 300 and a thousand troops are going to arrive to arrest Jesus. And these troops arrive and they think, we got him.

Not so. He got them. That's what's happening in the Garden of Gethsemane. The backdrop of every word in our text is Christ's passionate resolve to save sinners, to complete the work of sacrifice for sin, and to make an end of sin, and to pour out His Spirit on all flesh so that they would have the comforts and the directions of God in their lives every day, no matter where they walk, and that He would never leave them or forsake them. I'd like to read the Scripture here in a different way this morning.

The blended narratives that Matthew, Mark, and Luke bring add context to this, and I'm going to read a harmony of all the Gospel writers of this incident. The gospel writers report different things, and I thought it would be helpful to read the entire testimony to help us understand this passage in its context. John reports in verses one through 11 in John 18, the things that he deemed very, very important. And I want to read a blending of these narratives that John MacArthur put together, this in the New King James version of the Bible. And I want to just read it without marking any verses or anything like that, but you'll notice where the whole text of John chapter 18, 1 through 11 finds itself.

Let's begin. When Jesus had spoken these words, and he's speaking of the upper room discourse and the prayer, and when they had sung a hymn, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron to the Mount of Olives, as he was accustomed, and his disciples followed him. Then Jesus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.' Peter answered and said to him, Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.' Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.

But he spoke more vehemently, If I have to die with you, I will not deny you." And the disciples all said likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and there was a garden which he and his disciples entered. And he said to his disciples, sit here while I go and pray over there. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. And he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Then he said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch with me. Pray that you may not enter into temptation." He went a little further, withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down on the ground and fell on his face and prayed that if it were possible this hour might pass from him and he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. If it is your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done." Then an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When he rose up from prayer and had come to his disciples he found them sleeping from sorrow. Then he said to Peter, What? Simon, are you sleeping?

Could you not watch with me one hour? Why do you sleep? Rise, watch, and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again a second time, he went away and prayed, and spoke the same words, saying, "'O my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, unless I drink it, your will be done. And when he had returned, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

So he left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to his disciples the third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going.

See, my betrayer is at hand." And immediately, while he was still speaking, behold, a great multitude with swords and clubs came. And he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus. For Judas who betrayed him also knew the place. For Jesus often met there with his disciples. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests, and the scribes, and Pharisees, and elders of the people, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Now his betrayer had given them a signal, saying, Whomever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him and lead him away safely." As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "'Greetings, Rabbi, ' and kissed him. But Jesus said to him, Friend, why have you come? Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that would come upon him, went forward and said to them, "'Whom are you seeking?' they answered.

"'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, "'I am he.' And Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them. Now when he said to them, I am he, they drew back and fell to the ground. Then he asked them again, Who are you seeking? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he.

Therefore If you seek me, let these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled, which he spoke, of those whom you gave me. I have lost none." Then they came and laid their hands on Jesus and seized him. When those around him saw what was going to happen, they said to him, Lord, shall we strike with the sword? Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

Jesus answered and said, permit even this, and he touched his ear and healed him. Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword into the sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He will provide me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen thus, shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me?" In that hour, Jesus said to the multitudes, the chief priests and the captains of the temple and the elders who had come to him, Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to take me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not try to seize me.

But this is your hour and the power of darkness. All this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the detachment of troops and the captain of the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled. Now a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth around his naked body.

And the young man laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked." Let's pray. Father, we thank you for disclosing to us the greatness of your power and the orchestration of every moment. Amen. So Jesus has just finished speaking directly to the disciples in the upper room, what we call the upper room discourse, having completed His prayer, the high priestly prayer, And he's leaving these words that he has spoken with men who are standing at the greatest conflicts of their lives, right at the beginning of those conflicts. And they are facing a garrison of hundreds of men in just a few minutes.

They will be rejected by men. Their message that they will preach throughout the world will disrupt local economies based on immorality and the entertainments and the idolatries. The day, riots will break out in the cities. They travel to, plots will be formed against them. They'll be kicked out of cities.

Disruptions will take place in the churches that they plant. There will be divisions and false teachings and discipline in those churches, and all of them will be killed except John. He'll die a natural death. They will be hated, they'll be stoned, and at one point the Apostle Paul will say, all abandon me. And this is the legacy of those disciples who have heard these words.

They're just right at the beginning of this life of bearing witness to the glory of Jesus Christ. And do you think the words that Jesus has just spoken to them in the upper room have prepared them for this moment? He has been preparing them for this moment throughout this discourse. Do you think they remembered the words when they were being rejected? Do you think they remembered him telling them, let not your heart be troubled?

Or how about this, Do you remember that when we went through it just a few weeks ago? Let not your heart be troubled. And is it guiding your whole life now, recognizing that God is absolutely in control? Well, the disciples were very blessed men to hear these words before the calamity would fall down upon them like this. And what you see here in this text is the glory of Jesus Christ displayed in his betrayal and in his arrest.

Notice his intentionality. Notice his control. Notice his love. Notice his humility. Even calling Judas his friend.

Amazing. The people in the narrative are Jesus, Judas, the disciples, Peter, Malchus, and the detachment. That's who's in this narrative. We find Jesus concerned about his own disciples because he knew his hour. He declares that he knew his hour in chapter 12 verse 23 and chapter 13 verse 1 and in chapter 17.

Jesus knowing that his hour had come. And then he says, your hour has come to those who are arresting him, because it's Jesus that appointed their hour as well. Now, I wanna give us four reasons to rejoice that are in this passage. The first is rejoice in Jesus' resolve to save. I don't want us to miss Jesus' resolve, verses one and two.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the Kidron, where there was a garden which he and disciples had entered. And Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. Jesus went forth boldly to his arrest with intentionality. Matthew Henry says, like a bold champion, he takes the field first. He takes the field first.

It's a moonlit night, it's at Passover, and Jesus' glory is shining as he goes boldly into the field of conflict. He stepped across the book, Kydron, which was probably black water running from the blood that came from the sacrifices from the altar, which dumped out into the book, Brook of Kydron. So historians tell us, Josephus just a few years later, 40 years later says that 250, 000 animals were slain during Passover. So the blood would run thick and Jesus steps over that brook of Kidron. The Mount of Olives is separated, or the brook of Kidron separates Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.

And one man I read said, and I'll paraphrase, David is a type of Christ, he stepped across, or David is the type of Christ, stepped across the blood which would not atone to shed blood that did atone. So this is, this brook Kidron appears in a number of places in the Bible. In 1 Kings chapter 2 verse 35, it marked the boundary of judgment against Shimei. But the first time it's mentioned, David crossed the brook when the people embraced Absalom. Absalom betrayed his father, David.

And when David was fleeing, he also crossed the Burke of Kidron. I don't know how much we can glean from all the mentions of the Burke of Kidron, but here's what we do know. Jesus crossed boldly the Burke of Kidron to meet his betrayer face to face and the detachment that came to him. He set his face like a flint to Jerusalem. He was not late for his appointment.

He orchestrated his appointment. The moment he announced what was going to happen, it happened. If you notice that in the narrative. You know, this is a garden, the Garden of Gethsemane. There's much to say.

The commentators speak a lot about the parallel between the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden of Eden. For example, in the Garden of Eden, man fell. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the restoration begins. The Lord is betrayed in the Garden of Eden. The Lord is betrayed in the Garden of Eden.

The Lord is betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Lord prophesied redemption in Eden, Genesis 3.15, and the Lord fulfilled that redemption beginning in the Garden of Eden. Well, Jesus was no victim. He goes to his arrest. He takes the field boldly.

He already said in John 16 and 17, no one takes my life, I let it down of myself. And so Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane. Now, of course, Jesus is controlling all this, But Jesus understands that Judas knew that he would go there regularly. He would go there over and over again. It was a place of prayer.

It was a place of communion. It was a place of fellowship with God. It was a sweet place. And Judas understood that he could find him there. And he did find him there.

But again, who made it plain to Judas that he could find him there? It was the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And Jesus, he steps forward, he steps onto the battlefield first, he pursues, he is seeking redemption, and this is all part of what Jesus is doing in really in his whole life. He is stepping in front of the disciples. It's like he's stepping in front of the oncoming train.

It's like he's holding back the tornado. It's like he's lifting them above the wave and he's protecting them. He's moving into the battlefield for them in their behalf and he's moving protectively. So, but the second thing we can rejoice in, I think we can rejoice in Jesus' bold taking of the field, but secondly, rejoice in the power of Jesus' word, verses three through six. This is the portion of the narrative where the detachment of troops shows up and Jesus, knowing all things that would come upon him, went forward and said to them, whom are you speaking?

Who are you seeking? And he answered Jesus of Nazareth and he said to them, I am he. And then they fell back. The detachment is coming as a result of the plot of the devil to destroy the Messiah, to stop the Messiah before the atonement takes place. This is a foiled, failed, frustrated effort to kill the Messiah, to kill the seed, to finally bruise and kill him.

It will not happen because Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Jesus was not caught off guard. He said, John said, knowing all things that would come upon him. So Jesus was not caught off guard. They were.

And you need to recognize that about every situation in life. God is not caught off guard by anything. And as we recognize that, we'll have more confidence, more joy in all the fires that we walk through, all the storms we find ourselves in the midst of, all the waters we're wading through in life. Who knows what waters there are to wade through? Here's what I know for sure.

God will give you strength. He'll give you wisdom. He'll take care of you. It may get really ugly in the American economy. I expect it will.

Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it for a second. God is in control. He's orchestrating all these things. Jesus says that he could call down legions of angels if he wanted to, he didn't.

But understand that this is the power that God has for all of his children. He's betrayed with a kiss by Judas. Very interesting. Judas comes and treats him like a friend and kisses him like a friend. But he was no friend at all.

Judas is a sermon for the church. Judas preaches a message to the church. And here's the message. Insiders who go to church, who are part of the group, who do remarkable things, who even take responsibility in the church, have a profession and an association with the church. And they may like it in particular ways, but they are betrayers, and they don't love him, and they don't know him.

Judas is a sermon to all the professors in the church who do lots of good things for the church. Even keep the money belt like Judas did, taking care of the finances. Every person in a church should recognize that they ought to ask whether they are really Judas inside. You know, we have a time right now where churches have suspended meeting publicly and they're listening to live streams and things like that. Here's a great danger and an opportunity.

If you're the kind of person who's kind of glad you don't have to go to church today, it's just so much nicer to sit home in your socks. Let that be a warning to you. If you don't love the meetings of the church, that means something about your soul. When the apostle who is writing the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 10, He makes the command, you know, do not forsake the meeting of yourselves. He's talking about the people who don't love the meetings, who don't want the meetings, and they'd rather do something else.

They'd rather be fishing. They'd rather be watching something. They'd rather be just doing something else and having a nice time doing the things that they like. But the reason is they don't delight in the Sabbath. They don't delight in the Lord.

The people of God are not pleasing to their soul. The Word of God is not the most pleasing thing to them. They'd rather just be somewhere else. And so this, I believe, can be a defining time for many people when they realize they don't really love the church and they're just kind of glad it's live streamed and they can maybe pick up part of it and do what everybody else when they're watching a live stream, they drop off after about eight minutes because they don't really care. So it's an interesting thing to consider Judas because he does preach a message to the church, the church that doesn't really love to gather, and the church that doesn't really love to be together.

And by the way, that's what the church does. The church meets together. And it's very difficult to just gather the very small group of people like I am here now. But I so look forward to the time when we're all together. It'll be so much fun.

I hope it's even more fun as a result of our being apart. Now what did Jesus say? He said, I am who I am, ego a me, the tetragrammaton, I am God, I am Messiah, I am the everlasting, omnipotent, omniscient God. When Jesus proclaimed, I am, he's proclaiming his divinity and his omnipotence. What's really interesting to me is that you have this crowd that came, and first of all, why did they bring so many?

Most people think that it was a crowd of somewhere between 300 and a thousand people. The temple police themselves and and perhaps those who are with them would easily comprise 300 people. A Roman cohort was 600. So it's quite possible you're talking about hundreds and hundreds, maybe even a thousand people. But why would they bring such a massive force against one Jewish teacher unarmed with just 12 men?

Of course, one of them was armed. We know that. We'll talk about that in a minute. But why would they take such drastic measures against such a small person and a small force. Well, I think we need to remember that just earlier in the week, Jesus walked into the temple where there were thousands, probably tens of thousands of worshipers, and without using any weapons except a cord in his hand, he drove everybody out of the temple.

And believe me, there were temple police, and no one touched him. And they all left. This is the one who stopped the waves of the sea. This is the one who could feed 20, 000 people. This was with almost nothing.

This was the person who healed the sick, and he raised the dead, and he cast out demons, and when he wanted to pay his taxes, a fish swam up and coughed it up. So this is who they're dealing with. I think they knew who they were dealing with. So they bring a thousand men with them to deal with him. And they weren't just taken back by being in the presence of Jesus, they were blown back.

That's the language that is here. The language indicates a violent falling back. Imagine just for a minute if you could somehow transport yourself in a moonlit night with 300 or a thousand people and you see them just blown back violently to the ground. How about that? All of them at one time.

This is the scene that's here. Jesus' power is not of this world, it's spiritual power and perhaps they recognized his power but God always operates in power and he by his power he spoke words and the world was made. The Bible says that he scatters his enemies by his word. Jesus is not a victim here. He is being arrested, but his word is sharper than any two-edged sword.

Isaiah 11, 4, I think possibly prophesies this moment, he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips, he shall slay the wicked. And he blows them back and blows them down in that garden. But it's a very interesting demonstration of power, isn't it? It's a demonstration of power on the one hand and then mercy on the other. It's as if Jesus holds out his vanquishing, irresistible power on the one hand, and then in the other hand, he extends his mercy.

He blows them down and then says, arrest me. One of his men cuts off an ear and he says, now I will heal you. It's such a remarkable juxtaposition of power and love and mercy, faith, humility, power, love, and sound mind all working in full bore here. The troops are not in control of the situation. Troops are never in control of any situation.

Viruses are never in control of any situation. God is in control of every situation. And Jesus here is, he's proving his intentionality, his control, his authority over every person in the world. And it's as if he is stepping in front of his disciples and stopping the train and letting them know that he is the ruler of the kings of the earth. The third thing to rejoice in, rejoice in His protection.

Verses 7-10. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am He, therefore if you seek Me, let these go their way, that the saying might be fulfilled which he spoke, of those whom you gave me, I have lost none." So Jesus is telling these troops, let my disciples go away, I'm protecting them. He already has said, I've kept them in my name. He's already told them that he will never let them go and no one can snatch them out of his hand. And he is fulfilling this prophecy of those whom you gave me, I have lost none.

He has already declared that. He will keep his own to the end. Nothing can separate them from the love of God. No one can snatch one of God's children out of the arms of Jesus. And here Jesus is protecting them, fulfilling scripture, fulfilling His own word.

His word is true and it will always come to pass. God will always keep his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. I will never leave you or forsake you, " he said. And I can't think of a more helpful and relevant message for the world today. Believe in Jesus Christ, be born again, turn from your sins, and you will find yourself in the arms of the one who will never leave you or forsake you." But Peter had a protection plan.

Jesus had his, Peter had his. Verse 10, Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Peter seems to think that he's smarter than Jesus. Peter is the head of the security team, and he's the protector, he will take care of this.

And so he lops off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Now Peter is either a very precise shot or a very bad shot. And Did he move with surgical perfection and take off the exact point that he wanted with that ear? He was either very precise or very bad, but Whatever the security team needs to shoot straight with surgical precision. But Jesus healed Malchus' ear.

Interestingly enough, Malchus is a name that means king. And he is the servant of the high priest. And yet the great high priest heals him. Now This is the last miracle of the Lord before his resurrection. Jesus is proclaiming himself as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess.

He's always victorious. And then finally, rejoice in his substitution. Verse 11. So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into his into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which my father has given me?

And here we find Jesus' zeal, willingness, eagerness to drink the cup. He is experiencing this dread poison cup. He's going to drink it so that his disciples won't drink it. And this is all because of his desire to redeem. The drinking of the cup is so helpful to understand the gospel.

He drank the cup of wrath that we deserved. In Psalm 75, verses seven and eight, we read this, for in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine well mixed and he pours it out and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs." There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who will drink the poison cup and drink it down and it will destroy them and poison them for all eternity. And there are those for whom Jesus drank that cup. In Ezekiel chapter 23 verses 31 to 35, while we read about a nation that followed the ways of the Gentiles and they adopted their harlotries.

And God declares that he will judge them by making them drink the poison cup. If you've not been born again, if you don't love Jesus Christ, if you don't love the meetings of the saints and you're just really happy to be in your socks today, recognize God judges the wicked who do not love him and do not obey him by giving them this drink of poison. And they will drink in the wrath of God which will expand and overtake them for all eternity. You will drink one cup or the other in this world. You will drink the poison cup or you will drink the fruit of the vine and eat the bread of life.

If you drink the cup of blessing that the Apostle Paul speaks of, then you will find it just expand for all eternity and everlasting joy, and discovery of all of God's greatnesses. But if you drink that poison cup, then it will expand and it will be the most terrifying thing that's ever been experienced. Ezekiel uses terrifying language. You shall drink your sister's cup that is deep and large. You shall be laughed at and held in derision.

You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, a cup of horror and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria, you shall drink it and drain it out and gnaw its shards and tear your breasts. This cup of poison is full of jagged sharp things that will tear you up inside. Ezekiel says, for I have spoken declares the Lord, therefore thus says the Lord God, because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and your whoring. If you want to study this further, look at Jeremiah 25 verses 15 through 29, a very clear declaration of this. So the Lord Jesus Christ in the drinking of the cup, He separates humanity, those who will drink the cup of poison and those who will drink the cup of blessing.

Isaac Ambrose tells us of six ingredients in Jesus' cup. Number one, the great pain that he must endure. Number two, The great shame that he must undergo. 3. The neglect of men.

4. The guilt of sin which he was now to undergo. 5. The power and malice of Satan. 6.

The wrath of God himself. Jesus drank that cup so that his people would not experience the great pain, so that they would not experience the shame, so that they would not experience the neglect, so that they would not experience the guilt of sin and the power of the malice of Satan and the wrath of God. That's why Jesus drank the cup. And he boldly steps in front of the train to hold it back, to hold back the tornado so that they wouldn't experience it. And God is in total control.

And with that knowledge, we need to keep our heads about us in this time of many insecurities. Don't forget Peter, we can't make God's plan happen man's way. We wield the sword of the Lord, the word of God. In this time, it's really important that we think biblically about how the church functions, think biblically about how disease functions, Think Biblically about what quarantine ought to be like because the Bible gives us the all the principles we need to navigate this time in terms of quarantine and not make it up on our own. And recognize that what God ordains is always good and his will is just and holy.

The world today is obsessed with health, But the most dangerous virus there is is the virus of original sin. And we have a virus in humanity that will destroy us forever. And the only antidote is the blood of Jesus Christ. And people are panicking now at the prospect of catching this COVID-19 novel virus, but they're not panicked about catching the suffering from sin. You know, the message in the news today is, flee the viruses coming.

But people yawn if you tell them Jesus is coming. If people were as concerned about their sin, right now in this land, in their virus, we would have a revival. And the sweetness and the happiness of God would flow over this culture. But people would rather deal with their virus that in almost every case will not kill them, and they will not deal with their sin, which will kill them. This is the blindness of the world today.

Well, there's much that we should do while we're in this season. I just encourage all of us to keep our routines of spiritual life. Don't just hang around during this time. Walk according to wisdom. And this moment offers us enormous opportunities in our own families and with our neighbors and people that we talk to.

I know you're already seeing these opportunities here. Fill your mind with the knowledge of God. When you speak to people in the world, tell them about God, the God who created the heavens and the earth, the God who is omnipotent, the God who is omniscient, the God who actually has ordered the world so that viruses are passed, and you don't know if you're with someone who is passing them or not. But you should love all people and not be put away by a false view of sickness and viruses and things like that. And so the people of God should not be people of fear.

Jesus took the field of battle to demonstrate to his disciples that he was in front of them and he would protect them through all their ways in the world. I just want to close by reading actually from a very delightful book called The I Will's, The I Will's. And I'm going to read some of the I wills of the Psalms and close with that. Psalm 3 verse 6, For I will not be afraid of ten thousand people that have set themselves against me round about. Psalm 4, 6.

I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, O Lord, makes me dwell in safety. Psalm 23, 4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 44, 6, for I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me." Psalm 55 16, as for me, I will call upon God and the Lord will save me. Psalm 56 3, when I am afraid, I will trust in you.

Psalm 57.1, be merciful to me, O God. O God, be merciful to me for my soul trusts in you. In the shadow of your wings, I will make my refuge until these calamities be overpassed. Psalm 61, 4, I will abide in your tabernacle forever. I will trust you in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 86, 7, in the day of my trouble I will call upon you, for you answer me. And finally, I will say to the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I will trust. Would you pray with me? Lord, we can say with all of our hearts, with David, the Lord is on my side. I will not fear.

What can man do to me? Lord, we will praise you with our whole hearts on this day of delight. We will speak of your marvelous works. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will sing praises to your name.

We will talk of how good you are. We will explain how wonderful is this salvation that you've given to us. Lord, I pray that you would give all our people here today truly a day of delight and that you would bind us together in love. Lord, until we meet again, we cannot wait until we meet again. And we praise you that you're sustaining us on this day and every day.

Amen.