Friday, September 01, 2006

The Servant Messiah 24

Thy Will Be Done Luke 22:39-62
After the Last Supper Jesus took the disciples and went into the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives for prayer. He left the eleven waiting near the edge mostly for guarding purposes. He went deeper into the garden to engage in agonizing prayer. His human side of his being felt weak. He felt that he would break down under the load of the suffering. He felt that his compassion would not hold under these extreme circumstances. He would be without friends and among tormentors. "Father remove this cup from me"Messiah prayed long and when he returned to check on the eleven, he found them asleep. Messiah’s prayer was answered. He received spiritual support and divine confirmation. It was his greatest desire that the Father’s plan would be fully accomplished:"Not my will but they will be done".
He was fully fortified when he heard voices and the sound of metal. At a time when he might panic he was fully ready: "Judas, betrayest thou me with a kiss?" Even now he was not angry. He felt for his errant disciple. Judas, felt guilty also. Later on he threw the thirty pieces of silver at the priest’s feet. The other disciples were alarmed. One of them, naturally Peter, drew a sword from one of the soldeirs and cut off the High Priest’s ear. He was rebuked: "He that lives by the sword dies by the sword.." Messiah replaces the ear.
The disciples fled, but Peter followed at a distance. In order to forestall disorder and bloodshed, a master plan had been devised to arrest Messiah at night while the populace slept. A hasty trial was in order with the Sanhedron already assembled Witnesses differed in their testimony, but Messiah had to condemn himself when he was asked the crucial question: "Art thou the Son of God?" The angered priest envisioning Messiah’s desecration of the temple rent his garments: "Blasphemy! He deserves to die."
There was commotion on the porch: "Here is one of his followers." In the background a cock crowed as Peter exhonorated himself with a quick denial. Messiah turned his head with a compassionate and forgiving look at his frightened disciple. Peter went away weeping bitterly.

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