LUKE 22:47-71
YOUR HOUR In my mind's journey to the Mount of Olives where we first came upon eight sleeping men and then further into the Garden of Gethsemane another group of three sleeping men - I am sensing not the calm of a normal night, but the tension of expectancy even in the restless sleeping men. They had prayed, slept, been awakened, prayed and slept again. Beyond those that last hundred feet or more, the Lord Jesus Christ lay on the ground praying. But there I must stop because the holy ground ahead is for Divine Persons only. The Spirit of God has given us some of what was spoken there that affects us. "This cup" is nothing like the other cups the Lord shared with His disciples. In that personal cup was that which He alone could partake of and of which He alone could feel the effects. "Not My will" again defies my ability to discern the fullness of its meaning. He came to seek and save the lost - we know that because He said so. He came to fulfill all righteousness. He was going to be lifted up and draw all men unto Himself. So "Not my will" is something very personal between the Father and the Son. I can imagine perhaps in a little sense what it is to be estranged from someone because of perceived wrongs that may or may not be true. But knowing this could never happen between Divine Persons, it would have to mean something else. The divisions of responsibility in their working is to a certain extent, revealed in the scripture. For the Lord Jesus to be "the Savior of the world," He had to be "he Lamb of God which taketh (beareth) away the sin of the world." In order for Him to do this, it had to be done by Him alone, while the righteous justice of God had to be carried out to its fullest. This He had to do alone. This cup was what the Father sent Him for and was the will of a Righteous God.
The kiss of betrayal of Judas prompted the quick action of Peter's sword although he obviously did not know how to handle a sword. The Lord Jesus must have picked that ear up off the ground when He healed the severed ear and said, No more of this." Then turning His attention to the leaders of the arresting group, He challenged their illegal action - but told them this dark hour of human history was theirs. Darkness reigned, not only the natural darkness of that night, but the moral and spiritual darkness when Satan controlled the actions of men. In the course of our remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Garden of the presses, we are caused to pause and remember the "Dark night the Lord passed through, e'er He found the sheep that was lost." We are out of our realm of thought and experience if we try to go beyond the words of the scripture. There are times in our fellowship and communion with God when we have to stay where we are and worship at the fountain of the truth we know, lest we speculate and go where our finite minds would fumble about in areas of truth and experience that are limited only to those who are infinite.
I can understand Peter's action with the sword. To see the betrayer, kiss the One he betrayed, and to see the crowd of armed men gathered to take your best Friend and Master away in bonds, stirs the blood to boil in passion against such injustice. But then to hear the Lord tell them, "This is your hour," and surrender to them without any attempt to justify Himself in words, or take action using infinite and divine power - would cause one to think, "We are done. It's all over. The kingdom is not coming. The King has surrendered." disappointment in the outcome of events in the garden would be intense. And yet Peter followed afar off. Perhaps he remembered vaguely some of what he had been told and was waiting for the Lord to take action later. We cannot determine how and what God is going to do in His own will and time. But we can be loyal to Him and trust His word to be accomplished. Our faith is not to be placed in the outcome of events but in the One who brings everything to pass according to His will and in His own time.
The denial of Peter cuts very close when I call to mind all the of my own life. A quick denial of association with the Lord Jesus Christ may happen because of embarrassment at being associated with One who is bound, condemned and standing before a council of leaders. One denial leads to another that is more emphatic when each challenge comes quickly after another. But as time passes and one gets more comfortable with his surroundings and seems to be accepted by the crowd, and the trial of your friend goes on and on - and He doesn't seem any closer to freedom than at the beginning, then you have a tendency to let your guard down. Satan had desired to sift Peter as wheat and make him out to be only chaff, and it seemed like it was working.
In the normal course of life there are not a lot of challenges against our faith. But when you cut a man's ear off and it was healed, you can become a person of note before you know it. When those challenges come it is much easier to deny an accusation than to stand up and be counted for what is right, when everyone else is united against what is right. From there it is not far to go before denial has a tight grip on us. The effects of denial increase the farther it is allowed to go. One thing about Peter though - he was still looking at the Lord and when the Lord turned to look at him, their eyes met. He may have failed in his courage but he did not fail in his love and faith. Our hope and courage may fail, but because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, tears of repentance will turn our hearts again to the God of our salvation.
The Lord Jesus knew well from previous experience what was behind those who asked the question as to Him being the Christ, the Messiah of Israel. He refused to give them a specific answer and told them the reason why He would not answer their question. They wouldn't believe Him because He would give them an honest answer, and because they were dishonest, they wouldn't answer Him at all. The answer He gave to their second question, "Art Thou the Son of God?" He answered clearly and simply, "What you say is true. That is who I am." They had answered their own question. "These things are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." That is who He is, who He was, and who He always will be. The Son of the Living God is who we worship and serve.
To venture into Gethsemane even in my thoughts and mind, Seems to be too intrusive as to what in that place I would find. Some places are too sacred to define the meaning of what happened there. The Father and His unique Son had things only they could share.
I can identify with the tired disciples who were weary in the service of the Lord. They had gone back and forth to the city and heard new things in His words. By the time the Passover was done and the Lord Supper introduced to them - It was hard for them to stay awake and watch and pray with Him.
We give in to our perceived limitations far too often and use as an excuse The pressures on us are so great we really have to pick and choose As to what is most important, and often communion with God is what suffers. There is a very real tendency to pray less and pay attention to others.
Peter was not the only one who was embarrassed by his identification With the One who was despised and rejected of men, and the cost of separation Unto Christ and away from the world whose attraction to our flesh appeals. Denial is one of the avenues open when our commitment to him we conceal.
When the pressure is on to join the crowd and blend in with what is accepted. Wise is the person who walks away at the first even though by the rest he's rejected. Far better to be rejected and despised than to join those going to down to hell. By God's grace we will be preserved from failing faith and given His story to tell.
In faith let us step forward and be counted as those who have counted the cost. Refuse to associate with the short hour darkness reigns or join with those who are lost. Our Savior and Lord is the promised Christ no matter what others may say. He is the Almighty Son of God and by His side let us loyally stay.
"Our Father in heaven, the challenge of each new day brings new pressures to conform to the world. Please grant to Thy servant this day the wisdom to stay away from that which is of the world, and gladly submit to Thy call and Thy guidance. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."