November 1 - John 18:1-2, Mark 14:32-42,  Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46, Mark 14:43-52, Matthew 26:47-56, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:3-24

Good morning everyone,

Can you believe it is already November and we are only sixty posts away from going completely through the Bible. That is so awesome! And while I don’t know if I will be posting again next year, I sure do look forward to revisiting all the same pages I visited this year with fond memories and new learning opportunities. God is so good!

As we begin our text today, Jesus has completed his last supper and the time has come for him to prepare for his inevitable death. He took Peter, James and John along with him and went to a garden on the side of Mount of Olives called Gethsemane where He would pray, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” The book of Luke tells us that his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

It is important for us all to realize and understand that Jesus was not rebelling against his Father’s will by asking that the cup of suffering be taken from him. He in fact plainly stated that God’s will be done, not that of his own. Right? The agony Jesus was suffering was not for the tortuous pain and death He would soon know but rather for the separation from God he would experience when he paid the price for all sin. The sinless, one and only, Son of God took our sins upon himself to save you, to save me, to save anyone who accepts the free gift of life from suffering and separation in eternity.

We’re told, “An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Jesus was in extreme agony and yet he did not give up or give in. He went ahead with the mission for which he had come. His level of commitment, obedience, discipline and not least of all love, serves as an amazing ideal and standard for us all. 

I personally like Matthew’s account of what happened next. He says that upon entering the garden, Judas, went at once to Jesus and after giving the prearranged signal of the kiss said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have to do.” There was no hostility with this lying traitor. I believe He loved him even knowing what he had done. Classic case of loving the sinner while hating the sin. Make sense?

Everyone there, though, was a little over amped and it didn’t help that Peter started wielding his sword about. Jesus, to neutralize the situation tells him to put the sword away. Then He said, and I love this, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” I am certain they didn’t take Him seriously then, but I do and I would have loved to seen the looks on their faces when even one legion of angels crashed the party in Jesus’ defense. 

Jesus goes on to tell them that, “this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Again they have yet to understand what Jesus is talking about but what happens next totally amazes me. All the disciples deserted him. They fled so quickly in fact, one even left his garment behind running off naked. Friends, these are men who but a few hours earlier had said they would rather die than desert their Lord. Instead they let their fear direct their actions and Jesus was left alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. He would not resist the soldiers or go unwillingly rather He would allow himself to be taken off to Caiaphas, much like a lamb being take to the slaughter.

It begs the question; Where do you let your fear take you? Do you run? For years, before I knew Christ, that’s what I would do. I would rabbit. Every time I was scared or threatened I would boogie on out of there. When I came to know Jesus, really know Him, was when I stopped running or handling. It was a learned behavior to trust, to drop all my fears and worries at the foot of the cross then walk away and even to this day I will sometimes forget. Not often but sometimes and it is only when I get so like, anxious, kind of dizzy, dazed in my head with being in an arena no longer familiar to me that I will stop and realize what I am doing then drop, whatever the problem like a hot potato, and let my Abba deal. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all you worries and cared to God, because He cares for you.” Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all…..