John 18:1-14
Today's Passage: John 18:1-14
In John 18:1-14, we witness a powerful display of both humanity's weakness and Christ's divine strength. This passage captures the moment when Jesus, fully aware of His impending arrest, embraces His mission with unwavering surrender and compassion. As we delve into this narrative, we find valuable lessons on embracing God's will in the face of adversity.
Knowing that his time had come, Jesus withdrew into a garden. This was a place that he and his disciples knew well. Jesus would often come here to pray and talk with his Father, but tonight the garden would be the place where Jesus embraced the Father’s will - which meant arrest, torture, crucifixion, and death.
There are two contrasting reactions to Jesus’ arrest. The disciples drew swords and fought back against His arrest and against God’s plan to save the world. Jesus, on the other hand, would step forward with humility and compassion. Jesus is surrendering to the Father’s perfect plan and submitting to his God’s will. Jesus was willing to obey God, no matter what it cost him.
How often do we fight back against God’s will for our lives at the first sight of discomfort? All the time. Jesus is showing us what a heart surrendered to God looks like. He knew that this plan would cost him his life, but he obeyed because it was what God had called him to do.
What about us? What about you? What is God calling you to do? That can be answered differently by everyone, but we do share a common mission. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples and to teach them to obey God's word. That is a good place for us to start as a church. Are we surrendered to that mission? We should step forward with humility and confidence to embrace God’s will for us as a church and live a lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship - even in the face of adversity.
Written By: Joe Weaver
In John 18:1-14, we witness a powerful display of both humanity's weakness and Christ's divine strength. This passage captures the moment when Jesus, fully aware of His impending arrest, embraces His mission with unwavering surrender and compassion. As we delve into this narrative, we find valuable lessons on embracing God's will in the face of adversity.
Knowing that his time had come, Jesus withdrew into a garden. This was a place that he and his disciples knew well. Jesus would often come here to pray and talk with his Father, but tonight the garden would be the place where Jesus embraced the Father’s will - which meant arrest, torture, crucifixion, and death.
There are two contrasting reactions to Jesus’ arrest. The disciples drew swords and fought back against His arrest and against God’s plan to save the world. Jesus, on the other hand, would step forward with humility and compassion. Jesus is surrendering to the Father’s perfect plan and submitting to his God’s will. Jesus was willing to obey God, no matter what it cost him.
How often do we fight back against God’s will for our lives at the first sight of discomfort? All the time. Jesus is showing us what a heart surrendered to God looks like. He knew that this plan would cost him his life, but he obeyed because it was what God had called him to do.
What about us? What about you? What is God calling you to do? That can be answered differently by everyone, but we do share a common mission. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples and to teach them to obey God's word. That is a good place for us to start as a church. Are we surrendered to that mission? We should step forward with humility and confidence to embrace God’s will for us as a church and live a lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship - even in the face of adversity.
Written By: Joe Weaver
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