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(Read John 18:1-10)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by shifting gears. For the last few weeks we studied “Minimizing Your Humanity and Maximizing Your Divinity.” The Father has given me ‘release’ to end the mini-series within this series and He has also led me to start another mini-series. We are just a few weeks away from Resurrection Sunday (or Easter). If any act was truly an act of unearned and undeserved grace, it was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus willingly went to the cross for us and He did it by grace. For the next few weeks we will study Jesus’ final days on the earth, His death and His resurrection. I will call this mini-series “The Road to the Resurrection.”
In John chapter 18 we find Jesus entering a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew the place well, because Jesus had often gone there 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.” Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. While Peter was zealous, Jesus knew this was not a flesh-and-blood fight. Jesus was on assignment and He was ready to accept His fate and to die for us 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.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 being led of the Spirit. There will be times when the Holy Spirit leads you to do something that will not make sense in the natural, but if you have spiritual discernment, you will know why God is leading you to do it.
4. 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.
5. 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 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.
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.
