This sermon is auto-transcribed and may contain inaccuracies.
Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. Arise, let us go hence.
The Context and Significance of “Arise, Let Us Go Hence”
These are the words of the Lord Jesus, as you see, to his disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem. And some are of the view that it was at this point in the night of his betrayal that he did indeed arise and go from that upper room, and that the remaining part of the discourse which we usually associate with the upper room may have been given on the Jerusalem side of the brook, Kedron, before he passed over it, as we find in chapter 18, when he had said these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, and then at the end of his prayer in chapter 17 we’re told he went forth with his disciples over the brook, Kedron, where there was a garden. And whether that be the correct outline or interpretation of the events of that night, we can clearly see here his purpose to arise from this place of very sweet and precious and heavenly communion with his dear disciples, in which he’s comforting them and instructing them, and with desire, he said, if I desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. And the love which was in that company would seem to be greatly increased, and the enjoyment of it greatly increased by the departure of Judas, of which we read at the end of chapter 13, and the more intimate fellowship and communion which the Savior had with his disciples then, and his commanding to them, the love, his love, and their duty of love one to another.
Well arise, let us go hence, he said. He knew that his hour was come. There were many, there was many an occasion when there was a point of crisis, we might call it, when he escaped out of the hands of his enemies, and when he went and hid himself because his hour was not yet come. But now he says, hereafter I will not talk much with you. The time of his public ministry among them and preaching the gospel to them and having familiar communion and fellowship with them is now over. It had now come to an end, and this final discourse and prayer, glorious and precious as they are, are his last words to them in his public ministry on this world. As far as they were concerned, they ought to therefore have had so much more of an impression surely upon their hearts. The last words of a dear friend, a master, a lord and master, surely words that would be sealed upon their hearts and that they would bring to remembrance later. Oh, what consolations were here, as he was about to depart from them hereafter. I will not talk much with you, and that because, he says, the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. I have now work to do. I have now something to do as well as to say. I will now do what I have said I will do. What I told you I was going to do, and I will now do it. Arise, let us go hence. Let us go hence. You come with me. You disciples come and join me and see what I am doing. That was the scornful contempt, we might say, of others, even of his brethren, who said, go and go up to Jerusalem that thy brethren also may see what thou doest. Go up to this feast. It’s one thing to say, another thing to do. Go and show thyself to the world. Ah well, the time had not then come, but now it had come, and now he will show himself to his disciples and to the world.
Arise, let us go hence. A knowledge, an expectation clearly expressed that he was going to meet his great enemies. He was going into, he was going to go into their hands, and he was going to place himself in that very position where he would be found by his enemies. The very crossing of the Brook Kedron, purposefully, intentionally, because he knew that his hour was come. The hour and the power of darkness, and Judas told already, go and do what thou doest, do quickly. One of you, he said, shall betray me. And as they went from the upper room to the garden, one of the things he did say to them was, all ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. O arise, let us go hence. Let us go hence. Hereafter. Hereafter. There was a hereafter for Christ then, here. There was the here, and there was the after. And he is arising, he is in his purpose, no more delay, no more withdrawing, no more hiding himself until the hour come, the hour has come. And here is courage, and here is zeal, here is purpose, here is resolution. He was telling them that it was going to come, and he got a view of it. He got a view of it, perhaps, which we so little understand, when he saw the Greeks at the feast, and he said, now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto this hour. Now is my soul troubled. Can we not think that that same trouble was near? Can we not think that as he says, arise, let us go hence, he is saying as it were in the psalm, be not far off, for grief is near, and none to help is found. Bulls many compass me, strong bulls of Bashan me surround, yet arise, let us go hence.
Three Purposes for Christ’s Departure
Well, we can see in the immediate context of the words, arise, let us go hence, there are three things to which he was arising, to go hence, and it is these three that we would like to consider.
I. The Conflict with Satan
And the first was the conflict with Satan. There was to be a conflict with the prince of this world. I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. That firstly, and what light that sheds for us on the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us consider that firstly, let us arise and go hence, as it were in our meditation, in our thoughts, in our consideration of the word of God on that matter.
Who is the Prince of this World?
Well, there is firstly then this, the prince of this world cometh, and why is he called the prince of this world? Not that he has any right and claim, not that he has a just right and claim to this world, and that’s what he would desire to have, that’s what his deceit and wickedness would claim to have, but ah, here is something that really identifies the corrupt, rebellious defection and apostasy of the world to him, who is the great enemy of the world, and the great enemy of souls, the great adversary of God, and the adversary of men, Satan, the adversary. That is who the prince of this world is, and men have given a willing subjection to him, and therefore he is their prince by choice. He is their prince by a decided and deliberate choice. They follow him, they obeyed him in the beginning in their first parents, and they have ever since adhered to his rebellion, and they have adhered to this prince, the prince of this world, therefore. They say they’re willing prince, they’re the chosen prince, the world’s chosen prince. What a fearful view of sin it represents, and a prince who is a tyrant, like the pharaoh of Egypt, a cruel bondage, bringing souls under that tyranny, and that oppression. He is the devil, the diabolus, the slanderer, the accuser, and it is under the power of his deceit, and guile, and wickedness, and yes, his lies, who is the father of lies, that he keeps souls under his tyranny, and under his power, as a pharaoh in Egypt did, a cruel bondage, an iron furnace. That’s who the prince of this world is.
Satan’s Confrontation: First Adam vs. Second Adam
Well, we’re told here, the prince of this world cometh, and he came into the garden in the beginning, as we know, and there he met the first Adam, and they assaulted him with such power of temptation, that he yielded to that temptation, and sin came into the world, and death by sin, in a garden, in a garden, in a garden of delights, in a garden of Eden. Every reason why Adam the first would resist and refuse the devil, the command of God, and the goodness of God, pressing upon him as reasons to refuse the lie of the devil, the prince of this world cometh, and now he’s coming again, to meet the second Adam in a garden. Now is the hour and the power of darkness. The prince of this world is coming again, and he’s going to try to overthrow the second Adam. He’s going to try to hinder the second Adam from the great work that he has been sent to do. The prince of this world cometh, to do conflict, to do battle, to engage with me, to overthrow my great work, my great calling, my great purpose, in coming into this world. The second Adam, the Lord from heaven, the prince of this world cometh to me. Ah, he knows me, he knows who I am. We know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? But are now all the forces and all the resources and all the instruments of the power and the hour of darkness concentrating on this one place, this garden, bulls many compass me, strong bulls of bash and me surround. And it’s the devil who opens their mouth. In the upper, in the hall of Caiaphas, it’s the devil who opens the mouth of the roaring lions, and the dogs that compassed him about. The prince of this world cometh, and so it was. And you remember he came before and the wilderness, and that was his purpose then too, to hinder and prevent this glorious person from arising to go hence to this conflict. He is, where he went out to try and prevent him. The devil knew what was coming. He knew where to meet him. He knew where to find him. He knew where to find him. He knew the trap to lay the betrayer. He entered into Judas. The prince of this world had come before because he would foil him. He would prevent him. He would hinder him. He would endeavor to wrestle out of his hand his kingdom and his seed and his children. But the prince of this world who came in the wilderness, they would say, had to depart from him for a season. The devil departed from him for a season, but now he’s returning. Now he’s come to do conflict, to do battle, a final battle. And the most momentous event in the history of the world is about to unfold. The power of darkness and him who is the glorious prince of the kings of the earth, who has come to do conflict with him. Now, he said, is the judgment of this world. Now is the crisis of this world, as the word means. Now is the point of the world’s crisis, the critical hour on which the whole deliverance, salvation, redemption of a lost, ruined, perishing world hinges and turns. This hour, this one hour. Now is the hour come. Now is the prince of this world coming. And here is the great answer to it. Here is no first Adam. Here is no son of Adam. Here is none, here are none of the mere sons of Adam, the children of men. But here is one who is the heaven, the son of man, the son of man whom the father visited. What is man that thou wert mindful of him? Or the son of man that thou visitest him? And that is what he said concerning his coming into this world and his humiliation. He has come for this great end to be the son of man, the second Adam. He is the second Adam, the son of man. And he’s come into this world to be and to do what Adam the first could not do, to carry the curse, to bear the curse of that broken coven, to live under it, and to meet with all the evidences of it in this fallen world where the devil had his princedom and had his dominion and ruled in the darkness of it, spiritual wickedness reigning and ruling in the hearts of multitudes, and evidencing itself in a way of fearful tyranny and the oppression even of the bodies of men, such that he who is the second Adam, the son of man, oh, what visitations of sorrow, what visitations of grief were visited on him when I look up unto the heavens which thine own fingers framed, and to the moon and to the stars which were by thee ordained, he said, then say I, what is man? What am I? Who am I among the sons of men? What has, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels, for a little time lower than the angels. He who is the lord of the angels, he who is the worship of the angels, he who is the god of the angels, he is made a little lower than the angels, brought down into the place of sorrow, into the place of the curse, into the land of the shadow of death, into the place where the devil ranges, walking up and down in it. Whither goest thou? Whither hast thou been? Walking up and down in this world with a boldness, an arrogance, a violence, a deceitfulness, blinding the minds of unbelieving men, lest the light of the knowledge of the glory of God should shine unto them.
“Hath Nothing In Me” – Christ’s Sinless Victory
But now he’s come to meet one, and it’s said here, he hath nothing in me, he hath nothing in me. This prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience, among whom we all had our conversation in time past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, who are by nature children of wrath even as others, here he is finding one he’s never met the like before. He never saw such a man, he never met such a man. What is man? What is man that thou wert mindful of him, the one who made him a little lower than the angels? What did he see in him? What did he find in the son of man, this son of man, whom thou hast made strong for thyself, whom thou hast raised up, one chosen from the people, whom thou hast anointed and appointed to this great office, to be the son of man, to carry the curse, to come into the law place of the guilty? Oh, what art thou finding in the son of man? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, and thou crownest him with glory and honour, and did set him over the works of thine hands. And we see not yet here all things but under him, but we see Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, the man who went about doing good, the man in whom no evil was to be found, the man in whom there was nothing but this, the love of God and the love to his neighbour, the man in whom, hey, the father delighted, the man of whom it was said, this, this man, this son of man, this one, this one whom you know, this one whom you see, this one who is among you, this one who is going in and out among you, this man, this one, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased, this man who is my fellow, this glorious person, this is the son of man, made strong to stand, and the prince of this world cometh, and he finds nothing in me, nothing of sin, nothing of iniquity, nothing of evil, nothing of corruption, nothing of Adam’s corruption, nothing of Adam’s guilt, nothing of Adam’s sin, the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me.
Oh, arise, arise in the knowledge of it, arise, let us go hence into this conflict with that sure and certain knowledge, arise, let us go hence to meet this prince of the power of the air, arise, let us go hence to do this glorious conflict, to engage in this glorious activity of conflict, warfare, to destroy the works of the devil, for this cause is the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil, to destroy principalities and powers, to make a show of them openly, to triumph over them, to do conflict with them, to engage on behalf of his people, to destroy him that has the power of death, to rob him of his victory, to rob him of his armor wherein he trusted, to divide the spoil, to make his glorious conquest complete by wrestling out of the hand of his enemies, those whom he has a purpose to redeem, those whom he is going to deliver, to deliver them who through fear of death are all their lifetime subject to bondage, to destroy him that has the power of death, that’s his purpose, that’s what he’s engaging now to do, that’s what he’s saying he’s going to do, he’s telling them, come and watch me, come and observe me, come and look at the valiant soldier, the great captain of your salvation, arise let us go hence, follow me, observe what I am doing, take note, take consideration of this, the glorious weapons of my warfare, the glorious resources of my glorious power by which I am going to overcome the wicked one, what are they? We wrestle not against flesh and blood, he told his disciples or the apostle did in his name, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places, and what weapons did he give his disciples, what resources did he give to them? Ah yes, those resources which he has himself, his own glorious resources, he has nothing in me, he has nothing in me, a holy, harmless, undefiled, perfect, sinless humanity, that say what the faith of God’s people is to rest upon in every conflict with the devil, they are to know that the prince whom they are following, the captain of their salvation, was made perfect through sufferings, and so became the author of eternal salvation, made perfect, made perfect through sufferings, tested and tried and tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin, nothing, nothing in me, the sinless one, the sinless one, that’s the one chosen to do conflict with the devil, to answer all his lies and all his accusations, to meet him in all in the very place where he thinks his greatest strength is, and where is that?
The Devil’s Power and Christ’s Answer
Where does the devil get his power over death? Did you ever ask that question, sinner? Do you know, sinner, where the power of death in the devil’s hand lies? He has no absolute power, he has no power himself, but that which God permits him to have, so why then does the apostle say, him that has the power of death, that is the devil? That is the devil. Where is the devil’s power over death reside? It resides in the declaration of the God of heaven, in his holy, perfect, pure, just law, that the soul that sinneth, it shall die. That’s where the devil’s claim on sinners is. That’s where he seeks to defend his ground and hold his captives in bondage. That’s where the lawful captives are kept under chains, the condemnation of the law of God, the pronouncement of heaven, of a wall, and a condemnation of death, as the wages of sin, and the devil knows it, and the devil argues and claims and defends his interest in these captives, in these lawful captives, the prey of the mighty, and the lawful captives. But here is one who’s coming to take from him his armor in which he trusts, to take from him the very place, the very thing that he claims an interest and a right to these sinners. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me.
Oh, arise, let us go hence and see what the captain of salvation is going to do, what he’s been doing, what he’s been doing all along, in working out and learning obedience by the things which he suffered, and to be made perfect and to be made the author of the eternal salvation, he must, in his obedience, go further. He must fulfill the father’s commandment. He must obey his father’s commandment by doing this, by entering into the very lists with Satan, even unto death, even unto death. Nothing in me the cause of my death, nothing of sin in me the cause of death. The devil could not touch him with death, no divine justice itself could not touch him with death on account of any sin found in him. Here is the precious cornerstone that is the tried stone, tested, the strength of it tested. His obedience until this hour is perfect. His satisfying of the claims of the law is perfect. Which of you convinces me of sin? Nothing in me. But now he must enter into the very citadel and destroy him that has the power of death, that is the devil, so as to deliver them who, through fear of death, are all their lifetime subject to bondage. Is that what makes you afraid of death, your sin? That’s what ought to make you fear death, friend. If you know not the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, death is a fearful reality and terror that is awaiting you. You’re on your way to death, every one of us is, but your death who are still in that kingdom of darkness, under the reign of the prince of darkness, and a child of wrath even as others on account of your sin, if you have not been delivered from that fearful pit, that mighty clay, if you have not been delivered from that house of bondage, that captivity, that iron furnace of Egypt, if you are still under that power, under that fear, under that terror, all your death is fearful. As the wages of sin it is eternal. Death will pursue you down into a lost, undone, never-ending, black, dark eternity, where the worm will not die and the fire will not be quenched. But ah, here is one, arise, let us go hence, the captain of salvation. He is going to be made perfect. He is going to perfect this work. He is going to complete this glorious triumph. He is going to spoil principalities and powers. He is going to make a show of them openly and he is going to triumph over them in his death. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. The son of God in our nature is that holy, immaculate, sinless, impeccable, impossibility of sin. No sin but no possibility of sin. Proof against every fiery dart, metal against every sword and snare and device of Satan. Get thee hence, thou art an offense unto me.
And so arise, let us go hence, let us see him, let us watch him, let us follow him into the citadel, to the hall of Caiaphas, to the judgment hall of Pilate, where the dogs are compassing him about, where the wicked that did meet in their assembly him enclose, where they will pierce his hands and feet, where they will condemn him, where he will be numbered among the transgressors, where he will be reviled and mocked and scorned and put to open shame, where all the resources of hell will be arrayed against him to bring him down, to bring him into sin, to cause him to do that which would be offensive to the God of heaven, to break one of the least of these commandments, to come short of this great calling, to overthrow this glorious triumph in the very moment of victory. That’s the scheme, that’s Satan’s purpose. The prince of this world cometh, but arise, let us, let us go hence. Who is this? Oh, who is this king of glory? Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra, this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, there it is again, sinless, holy obedience and service in the life of perfect obedience, magnifying the law and make it honorable. There’s the glorious captain of salvation, made perfect through all his sufferings. And so, becoming the author of eternal salvation in this, coming from Edom into Edom, Bosra, the capital city, going down into the very heart of the enemy’s country, the territory of the very enemy, to destroy him in the place of his power, traveling in the greatness of his strength. I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save, wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fat. I have trodden the winepress alone, of the people there were none with me, none could follow me. Where did I go, thou canst not follow me now. Oh, I will follow thee to prison and to death, said Peter. No, Peter, the devil will trip you up before you reach that. He will catch you by a maid to deny me. The cock shall not crow, but you’ll deny me thrice. That’s how weak your strength is. But arise, let us go hence. Follow me, follow me. Thou shalt follow me afterwards, to prison, to death, to suffering, to persecution, but not now. I must tread the winepress alone, of the people there are none with me.
II. Obedience to the Father’s Commandment
Because only he could do what the Father sent him to do. Only he was entrusted with the great work of doing his Father’s commandment, as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.
Christ’s Resolve for Obedience
For this cause came I into the world. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. And there came a voice from heaven, which said, I have both glorified it. Oh, I have glorified my name, and the obedience already rendered and given to my holy law. By the one who said, to do thy will I take delight. O thou, my God, that art. Yea, that most holy law of thine I have within my heart. That commandment of the moral law, that commandment of the law of the Jews, fulfilling it all perfectly, completely, all righteousness, doing the Father’s will from the heart. No sacrifice nor offering didst thou at all desire. It wasn’t the blood of bulls, it wasn’t the sprinkling of the blood of the water on the unclean that would sanctify. It was nothing of that ceremonial religion, nothing of all the holy worship of the Old Testament. It would have no avail to achieve this glorious end of delivering souls from the power and the reign and the corruption of that prince of the world and that condemnation due to them by the holy law of God pronouncing against them. But here is one whose obedience, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. Mine ear hast thou opened. Thou hast opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither did I turn away back. But now I must go the full length of obedience, the full length of obedience. Behold, my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth, I have put my spirit upon him. You were reading this morning at the prayer meeting, I understand, from the words of the prophet. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. And his visage was more marred than that of any man, and his form more than the sons of men. Not till then would he sprinkle many nations. Not till then would kings shut their mouths at him. Oh, that which they had not seen shall they hear. That which they had not heard shall they consider. Behold, my servant, behold, my servant whom I uphold for this end, for this purpose. I uphold him in life. I save him in it for this purpose, so that he would make this satisfaction of divine justice in the obedience that he renders even unto death. That’s what he is saying here, that they are to do, he is to do, as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence, to meet the devil, yes, but to meet, to meet the sword of divine justice. It is written, smite the shepherd. That’s what he said on his way to the garden. He knew the sword would meet him there, a process of justice in the hands of men that was a perversion of justice and equity, but a parallel process going on in the arrangement of heaven, the judge sitting upon the throne, calling for the criminal. Yes, the one on whom iniquity was laid, the one on whom all the iniquity of his people was laid, in whom there was no sin found, but who was bearing the load and the burden of guilt that belonged to his people, and the justice of God sending out for him to be taken, for him to be taken into a justice, under the hand of justice, to be taken from prison and from judgment. Look at him.
The Nature of Christ’s Obedience: Sacrifice and Satisfaction
Arise, let us go hence. And he’s going to do his Father’s commandment in this, that he’s going to take the responsibility of paying the price before the law and justice of God, of the full weight and the full measure, the price due to the sins of his people, the Lord laying on him the iniquity of them all. For this cause he came into the world, to pay this price, to pay this ransom, and so the death of Christ is described in that way in the Bible, a satisfaction of justice, a sacrifice for sin, a payment of a ransom, a great ransom to redeem. It is a propitiation for sin, to appease, to turn away the anger of God. It is that by which sinners are to be reconciled. It is the reconciliation for iniquity. It is to make an end of sin. It is to bring in an everlasting righteousness, to finish transgression. So this one man’s obedience answers all the disobedience of the children whom he came to redeem, to save. This one man’s obedience is unto death, who was in the form of God, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God. He made himself of no reputation, and he took upon him the form of a servant, and he was made in the likeness of men. He was found in fashion as a man, and he humbled himself. And he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, the death that none could die, the death that was an eternal death due to sin, everlasting woe. None but he who is Emmanuel, none but he who is the Son of Man and the Son of God, they could bear, incarnate God alone could bear it. And he bore it in his own body on the tree and to the tree. The Bible tells us he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. A satisfaction for sin to the full measure, he bore all incarnate God could bear, with strength enough but none to spare. My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. O arise, let us go hence. See the countenance of the Son of God, O arise, let us go hence. See the captain of your salvation is made perfect. Peter, James, and John, come, come see, come and see. Come see the place where I will dwell. Come see the place where I dwell in the hour and the power of darkness. Come see the place where my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Arise, let us go hence to Gethsemane, to the olive press, where the dreadful fierceness of God’s wrath quite over me doth go, where his terrors great have cut me off, and they did pursue me so. Let us go, come and see where I dwell, where he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground, where he says, if it be possible, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. To do thy will, I take delight. Thy will be done. As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.
The Shepherd’s Sacrifice
That sums up the entire religion of the people of God, the entire confidence that they have. All their salvation is there. All their salvation for time and for eternity is bound up in that. What he did in obedience to his Father’s commandment. Therefore, doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me. I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it again. This commandment is mine. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it again. What commandment have I received of my Father? I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. In obedience to the Father’s commandment, those entrusted to the Shepherd, those given to the Shepherd to save and to redeem from the wolf, from the roaring lion, from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, those he is entrusted with. My Father which gave them me, I am entrusted with them. And this commandment have I received of my Father, to lay down my life for them. I love my Father. I love my sheep. I love my Father’s commandment. I love all that belongs to this, the purpose, the will, the pleasure of my Father’s commandment. And I will lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold. He sees them all, and his love to them all is one love. It’s one glorious love. He’s going to lay down his life for his sheep. He’s going to bring in an everlasting righteousness for his sheep. And that’s what’s going to answer the devil’s claim on them. That’s the one thing that the devil That’s the one thing that the devil cannot answer, cannot oppose. It’s the one thing that breaks his power to destroy his works and to deliver them who through fear of death are all their lifetime subject to bondage, to destroy the works of the devil. It’s the obedience unto death, the payment of the ransom by the shepherd of the sheep, by the surety of the covenant, by the substitute, by the great sacrifice that he offered. He’s going to break the devil’s claim upon them through death. He destroys him that has the power of death through death. The pains of hell got hold on him. He grief and trouble found. He is entering into the very citadel. He’s going down into death to destroy death, to make an end of sin, to satisfy justice in the room and place of the guilty, the hell deserving. That, friend, is what the death of Christ has accomplished. That is what he endured. Nothing less than the hell of his people and divine justice is satisfied so that he rose again triumphant over death and the grave. It is finished, he said, and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. And they arise, let us go hence to that too then. Let us go hence to prison. Let us go hence to Caiaphas. Let us go hence beyond Gethsemane to the very hall of judgment of Pilate. Let us go hence, let us go hence to the cross of Calvary. Let us go hence to be numbered among the transgressors, to bear the open shame. But I will go before you into Galilee. There shall you see me. Lo, I have told you, you will see me again and your heart shall rejoice. A little while and you shall not see me. And again a little while and you shall see me. And I will go to my Father. I will go and arise triumphant over death and the grave. And I will arise on the third day spoiling principalities and powers, making a show of them openly, triumphing over them in my death. And I will arise and sit at the right hand of the majesty on high.
III. Manifesting Love for the Father
To what end? To what end? That the world may know that I love the Father.
Proclaiming God’s Love to the World
That this glorious purpose of love in my coming, this glorious love of the Father towards ruined sinners of mankind, that is expressed and manifested in his giving and sending his Son into the world and giving him to death and to suffering and to the pains of hell. That I love the Father and that I love that Father’s purpose, that purpose of the Father. I love the Father’s commandment because I love my wife, I love my master, I love my children, I love their salvation, I love my sheep, I love my people and other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice. That the world may know that I love the Father. That this glorious gospel of peace might be published in all the world. That I might make known thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the great congregation. That I might sing praise unto thee. Arise let us go hence to Galilee and beyond to the utmost parts of the Gentiles. That the isles would hear it. That the old world and the new world together might rejoice in this glorious salvation. That unto you the word of this salvation would be sent. That through this man would be preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. So that all who believe in him are justified from all things by which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. That he might spoil the devil of his power in the case of each and every one of those given to him. That the strong man armed would lose his power and his grip off them. That he who is stronger than he would come and take from him his armor in which he trusted and divide the spoils. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great. He shall divide the spoil with the strong. Why? Because he’s poured out his soul unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors. He bared the sin of many. He made intercession for the transgressors. Because that the world may know, that you sinner may know, that he loves the Father. That he loves the Father’s commandment and he loves the salvation of his people. He loves their redemption. Oh it became him. It becomes him. Yes it becomes the Father. It becomes the Father who is the the guardian of justice, the upholder of the claims of law. It became him. It is most sweetly, most gloriously, most solemnly, most perfectly consistent with the immaculate pure holy nature of God. It becomes him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. The one who made the stars and the heavens. The Lord Jesus spent all night in prayer to him. Did he not often look up into the heavens which his fingers framed, to the moon and to the stars which were by thee ordained? Did he not often say what is man? That thou wert mindful of him. Oh what am I but the son of man whom thou didst visit, whom thou didst make a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. How excellent in all the earth. Lord our Lord is thy name, who has thy glory far advanced above the starry frame. Oh let us hear it. Arise let us go hence to hear from infants and from suckling’s mouth. Thou didst strength ordain for thy foe’s cause. That so thou might the avenging foe restrain. Oh how excellent is the father’s love. How excellent is the son’s love. And how excellent is the holy spirit’s love. To make known the love of God. To commend it in the preaching of the gospel. To commend it irresistibly, invincibly, effectually, powerfully in the hearts of sinners. To set them free from fear. To set them free from bondage. To set them free from the devil and his power and his stratagems and his deceit and his guile and his wickedness and his tyranny and his oppression and his iron furnace of Egypt. To set them free with their liberty. How excellent in all the earth wherever the gospel goes, wherever the word is preached for the obedience of faith among all nations. Oh arise let us go hence to see it. Let us go and admire it. Let us go and praise him. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation. My vows before them that him fear shall be performed by me. I will do what I said. I will do my father’s commandment so that the world may know that I love the father. And as the father gave me commandment even so I do.
Conclusion and Call to Action
Arise let us go hence. Oh would you not come today sinner under the the mighty hand of the captain of salvation. Would you not be submissive to this glorious prince who are under the prince of this world today. Oh would you not be set free from the god of this world by the mighty prince messiah the prince. The prince of the kings of the earth who loved his people and washed them from their sins in his own blood. Who makes them kings and priests to God. Arise. Oh arise from sloth. Arise from indifference. Arise from unbelief. Arise from rebellion. Arise from refusing him. Arise from the blindness and hardness of your heart. Arise let us go hence and see him. See him in his sufferings. See him in his victory. See him in his glory. The glory that follows. Angels desire to look into it. Would you not arise and look into it. Would you not desire to see it. That I the beauty of the lord behold may admire and that I in his holy place may reverently inquire. Hereafter I will not talk much with you. For the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me but that the world may know. That sinners all over the world may know. That I love the father and as the father gave me commandment even so I do. Arise. Let us go hence. May the lord bless his word to us. Let us pray.
Speaker: Rev David Campbell
Congregation Santa Fe
Text: John 14:30
Date: 8 June 2025
Series: Texas Communion June 2025