When you face difficult things, how do you respond? Sometimes we run, sometimes we blame others, sometimes we fight, sometimes we look for distractions. We do these things because we are afraid—afraid of what is to come, of dealing with our guilt, of facing God’s call, of life not working out. In this sermon on John 18:1–11, in which Jesus is betrayed and arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Pastor Luke Herche shows us that while our own temptation is to hide and blame and save ourselves, Jesus stepped up to protect his people by giving his life, which means we don’t have to be afraid. We can rest secure in Jesus, own our sin, and be bold to face hard things in life.

Part of a series on The Gospel of John.

From Sunday Worship, February 16, 2025.

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Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:

How does Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane compare to Adam in the garden of Eden? What is similar? What is different? What feels ironic?

What do you/people tend to do when faced with hard things? Why do you/people respond in that way?

How does Jesus’ work in the cross and resurrection free us and encourage us to face hard things (whether those hard things have to do with dealing with our own sin, facing trials, or stepping out into God’s call on our lives)?

Who do you know who needs to hear about Jesus’ work in facing the cross for us that we might be able to face the hard things that come our way? Take some time to pray that God would give you an opportunity to speak to that person about Jesus and his work.

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All Souls is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.