(Read John 18:1-10)
This week is commonly referred to as “Passion Week”. It is the week we celebrate the death and subsequent resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Christ. The resurrection of Jesus is the single most important event in history, as far as I’m concerned. So I will shift from our current series to teach on Jesus, what He did for us on the cross, and what it means to us today.
In John chapter 18 we find Jesus entering a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew the place well. Jesus frequented the grove with His disciples. Judas led a contingent of Roman Soldiers and Temple guards (armed with blazing torches and weapons), to the grove. Jesus knew what was going to happen, so He stepped forward to meet them and asked, “Who are you looking for?” “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. Jesus said, “I AM he” and as He said it, the Soldiers drew back and fell to the ground! I guess it had not dawned on them what they were doing. They were about to arrest the Son of God. When Jesus said “I AM” it was like the power of God was released. At that moment the Soldiers realized they were up against more than they bargained for.
Jesus asked a second time, “Who are you looking for?” And again the Soldiers replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus responded, “I told you that I AM he, and since I am the one you want, let these others go.” The Bible says that Jesus said this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.” But while Jesus knew what was going on, Peter did not. Peter was hot-tempered and he was not about to allow Jesus to be arrested without a fight. So Peter drew his sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, a servant of the High Priest. While Peter was zealous, Jesus knew this was not a flesh-and-blood fight. Peter was looking at the situation ‘in the natural’. Jesus was looking at the situation ‘in the Spirit’. Jesus was on assignment and He was ready to accept His fate. Jesus was ready to die for our sin BY GRACE. So Jesus told Peter to put his sword away and He put Malchus’ ear back on his head.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- Jesus knew Judas and the Roman Soldiers were coming for Him and He willingly allowed Himself to be arrested. He did this as an act of undeserved grace towards you.
- The Roman Soldiers fell to the ground as soon as they stood before Jesus. There is no way they could have arrested Jesus unless Jesus allowed it. Jesus accepted it and allowed it, because He was thinking of you.
- Peter cut Malchus’ ear off, because he ready for a physical fight. But Jesus put Malchus’ ear back, because He understood the fight was not carnal. Jesus was led of the Spirit. There will be times when the Holy Spirit leads you to do something that makes no sense in the natural, but if you have spiritual discernment, you will know why God is leading you to do it.
- Jesus accepted the cross because it was part of His assignment. The cross was not the end of Jesus, but He needed to go through it. We could never celebrate the resurrection if Jesus refused to accept the cross.
- There will be times when you have to overcome the pain associated with your path, on the road to your purpose. Don’t let the pain stop you. If you are facing it, you can take, and you will make it, by God’s grace. Just keep going, keep pressing, and keep pursuing your purpose. There is a promise waiting for you on the other side of the pain.
- The writer of Hebrews said, “We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him.” (Hebrews 12:2 ERV). While Jesus was dealing with the pain associated with His path to the cross, He looked past the pain and He saw YOU. You are the JOY He was able to see on the other side of the pain. Jesus looked down through the annals of time and He saw YOU. That’s why He went to the cross. He did it for YOU! Understanding that, you should live your life in honor of His death!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to die in my place. Jesus willingly accepted His fate and He voluntarily went to the cross for me. No man took Jesus’ life, because no man ever could. The Soldiers fell down when they realized they were standing before Jesus and He had to ALLOW them to arrest Him. Jesus did this as an act of undeserved grace. Jesus accepted the pain associated with the cross, because He was thinking of me, and because He knew there was a promise waiting for Him on the other side of the pain. Like Jesus, I press through challenging times, knowing there are precious promises waiting for me on the other side of the pain. The road to Jesus’ resurrection was not without pain and the road to my purpose will not be pain-free either. But I will not stop. No matter what I face along the way, I will face it knowing that You have given me the grace to come out on top every time. I am an overcomer and I am determined to COME OVER whatever stands in my way. Not in my strength, but in Your power. Not because I am so good, because only because of Your grace. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
