Easter
is coming – that glorious day, the
day we celebrate Christ’s
resurrection.
But today I’d like to talk about the time before that day. This was the time of confusion, pain, suffering and sadness.
But today I’d like to talk about the time before that day. This was the time of confusion, pain, suffering and sadness.
Like
so many times in our lives, before joy,
there is pain. And
sometimes, before joy, there is a
decision that must be made and a stand that must be taken.
This
is the way it was for Jesus.
The
steps that led Jesus, the Messiah, to Calvary began in the dawn of time when a
beautiful angel decided he wanted to be God.
That angel, Lucifer, was so puffed up with pride that he no longer
deserved to be in God’s presence. He
took others with him and a war began – the war between good and evil, between
God and Satan.
That
fallen star, Lucifer, convinced God’s children, His perfect creation, to
sin. Just as Lucifer took other angels
with him when he left God, so he took Adam and Eve with him into the darkness of sin.
But
God loved His children and designed a way to bring them back into the
light. That way was the road to Calvary
- the dark, sad road that would, at last, lead to everlasting light – to
salvation – to eternity.
This
week we remember the final steps that Jesus took on that pitiful road. We remember His entry into Jerusalem – Palm
branches strewn on the road – people singing at the top of their lungs of the
Messiah that they believed Jesus to be.
Luke
19:37 tells us,
“ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples
began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in
the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
. . . As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city,
he wept over it, and said, “If you, even you, had only known
on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
Jesus
felt sadness and deep sorrow for the city that was known as the “City of God,”
sorrow for the people who expected a military king to rescue them from the
clutches of Herod, instead of a heavenly King who would rescue them from the
clutches of Satan.
During
that week Jesus would gather His disciples together for the Passover meal and
at that gathering He would give them instructions on how to love, not only each
other, but all of the children of His Father. And Jesus
would wash their feet to show them an example of what a servant should be like.
Jesus
would give them a supper to help them always remember what He was going to do
for them very soon. We celebrate that
supper even today – it is what Christians call, “The Lord’s Supper.”
And
after the meal was over, Jesus and His disciples walked to a garden.
This
would be a garden of prayer and the garden of sorrow. In that place the disciples would struggle
with Satan. Jesus asked them to watch
and pray with Him, but Satan wanted them to sleep. The evil one didn’t want them to see their
suffering Savior. Satan won that
struggle and the disciples slept while Jesus sweat drops of blood, knowing what
was in store for Him. He prayed
earnestly to His Father for Himself, for those disciples and for each one of us.
John
records the words of Jesus, Jesus was praying for His disciples and He said to
His Father,
“I pray for those you
have given me. They are yours. I will remain in the world no longer, but
they are still in the world. I’m coming
to you, Holy Father, so please protect them by the power of your name. . . My prayer is not that you take them out
of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. . .”
Then Jesus goes on to say,
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe
in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me
and I am in you. . . . Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you
have loved me.”
Think of that - He was suffering, knowing what was going to happen to Him, and He loved us so much that He took that time to pray to His Father for you and for me.
Then Jesus rose, woke His disciples, and went to the place that He knew He would
meet the minion of Satan – Judas, who would betray Him.
The
most amazing thing happened there – We read about it in Matthew 28
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.
With him was a large crowd armed with swords
and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. . . . Going at once to Jesus, Judas
said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men in the crowd stepped forward,
seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’
companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the
servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
“Put your sword back in its
place,” Jesus said, . . . “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and
he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the
Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
. . . Jesus
said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come
out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts
teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place
that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” At that point all the disciples deserted him
and fled.
And
now on His road to Calvary. Jesus would
be tried - unfairly. He would suffer
great physical agony. He would suffer
the agony of separation from His Father, and He would die on that cross.
Fortunately
that was not the end of the story. In a way, it was only the
beginning.
My
words cannot express the suffering of our Savior, so I won’t try. But my words can try to express the gratitude
that I feel that He was willing to suffer for our sake, for yours and for
mine.
I
tried to put my poet’s mind on what Jesus might have written about that road –
the road to Calvary, and I wrote;
The night that Satan
thought he had me,
the night he’d
planned his victory,
the night his servant
Judas kissed me,
began the road to
Calvary.
Rough arms came,
reached out, and seized me.
My dear friend drew
his sword to fight.
“Put back your sword,”
I said to Peter,
“It has to be this
way tonight.”
Oh don't you think I
could withstand them
without your help if
I should try.
Oh don't you know ten
thousand angels would be at hand
with just a cry.
And then I asked of
those who seized me,
Why did you come with
clubs and swords
while every day I sat
among you
teaching in the
temple courts?
And on those days did
you arrest me?
No, now you come in
evening’s hour.
For Satan's way is
always darkness
and you - by hating, give him power
Oh don't you think I
could withstand you
at any time if I
should try.
Oh don't you know ten
thousand angels would be at hand
with just a cry.
But lead me on the
way to Calvary.
We'll take the road
together now.
I'll walk along - no
need to drag me
for I won't use my
heavenly power.
Oh I could call ten
thousand angels
if I wanted to be
free.
But my love for you
will keep me silent,
until I die upon that
tree.
My love for you is
what will hold me
upon that cursed
redemption tree.
Diane
All quotes from the New International
Version of the Bible. Poem by Diane
Gruchow © 1997
