Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley
to where there was a garden,
into which he and his disciples entered.
The beginning of the hour of our redemption was in a garden, just as had been the place of our fall. Where Adam was disobedient and chose himself rather than God, Jesus would demonstrate complete obedience. Adam would wickedly stretch out his hand to take food from a tree. Jesus would stretch out his hands on the tree of the cross to demonstrate his love and his mercy.
When he said to them, “I AM, “
they turned away and fell to the ground.
Jesus told us that his name is the name of God, the name that even the high priest could pronounce only once a year. It was because he shared this name, with his Father, and with the Spirit, that his self-offering had sufficient value to merit our salvation. No ordinary man could offer to God even the price of his own soul. He found himself already in an unpayable debt himself before he might hope to offer anything for another. And he would have nothing to offer save that which he first received. Nothing he could give would accrue to him because it was only his on loan as a steward.
Truly no man can ransom himself,
or give to God the price of his life (see Psalm 49:7).
When Jesus proclaims his divine name let our knees bow willingly before him. His name has the power to compel obedience, and before him one day every knee will bow (see Philippians 2:10-11). But let us recognize that the greatest treasure, as the song says, belongs to those of us who gladly choose him now.
there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him,
nor appearance that would attract us to him.
He was spurned and avoided by people,
a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity,
one of those from whom people hide their faces,
spurned, and we held him in no esteem.
Though he was divine, Jesus emptied himself. Though he was Beauty, Truth, and Goodness, incarnate, he did not force himself on anyone. In fact, he handed himself over to those who forced themselves on him. It was, from a human perspective, tragic. And for anyone other than the Son of God it might have remained a tragedy. But even all of the sorrow and hardship that Jesus endured was foreknown to him. He was not bested, but handed himself over deliberately. His enemies had one plan constrained by the narrow horizon of their perspective. But he had another plan, that of his Father, a plan that would result in salvation for all mankind. If he had been trying to establish an earthly kingdom he could have summoned armies of angels to enforce his will. But his was a heavenly Kingdom, predicated on truth and not on violence.
You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.
May we recognize the truth in the voice of Jesus. This is not always easy when the hour is dark and things look hopeless. But circumstances can only be truly hopeless if we abandon Jesus and do not return. Even Peter was unable to trust Jesus during his hour. This was the man who he received the revelation of Jesus' divine identity from the heavenly Father, and who had witnessed his glory on the mount of Transfiguration. Maybe what he did was not as heinous as selling Jesus for silver. But he had been given more than Judas and more was therefore expected of him. But even for Peter such a betrayal did not mean he was a lost cause. Jesus knew in advance not only his sufferings but also how all of his friends (at the time, and throughout history) would fail to live up to such a wondrous gift. And yet he gave it anyway. He gave it knowing that only such a gift could ultimately heal wounded souls like that of Peter and give them power to live as they were meant to, in fidelity to Jesus.
Rather than criticizing God for showing weakness let us stand before the cross with Mary, his mother and our mother, in awe of the love he demonstrated for us. Let us not lose ourselves in sadness, for even Jesus himself did not view these events as a tragedy. To be sure, he experienced crushing sorrow, not only from physical pain, or mockery from his enemies, but especially from the infidelity of his friends. But he had set his face like flint, and endured it all for the joy set before him (see Hebrews 12:2). Jesus did not get stuck in sorrow, but pressed on to joy. Because he did so we need not shrink back out of fear of reprisal for our own infidelity to him. Rather, as the book of Hebrews, we can trust him because he knows and sympathizes with our weakness. We can have confidence.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
Bethel Music - Goodness of God
Brian Doerksen Featuring Wendy Whitehead - Come, Now Is The Time To Worship
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