People pray for change but are often not ready for the change. This may be because in our mind we have an idea of the kind of change that we desire or expect. Hence, we reject change that comes in any other form except the way we have desired or imagined.
Scriptural scholars explain that the Jews / Israelites waited for a messiah. Even the Samaritan Woman mentioned it in her dialogue with Jesus in John chapter 4. For the Jews, they awaited for a political leader to save them from the hands of oppressive rule of foreign nations. If one would ask, how ready were they for this Messiah. I ask because the gospels account tells us that 3 Wise men journeyed from the East (Matthew 2) to acknowledge the birth of a king, an extra-ordinary person (as they were led by the star). The Jews did not take note or show importance to this event. On the contrary, the whole kingdom was in trouble because King Herod sought the death of this baby King. Consequently, the killing of babies was done in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16-18) in order/attempt to kill this promised king. So how ready were they for this King and Messiah that was promised them. King Herod was advised on the role of this promised King, this personality, this Messiah, whom the scriptures said was to come into the world, was he ready to accept Jesus.
Click below to read Psalm 36, one of our bible texts for our reflection.
21 Day Lighting Experience – Psalm 36 (GNT)
Human Wickedness
Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; they reject God and do not have reverence for him. 2 Because they think so highly of themselves, they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it. 3 Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good. 4 They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.
The Goodness of God
5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea. People and animals are in your care. 7 How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find[b] protection under the shadow of your wings. 8 We feast on the abundant food you provide; you let us drink from the river of your goodness. 9 You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light. 10 Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous. 11 Do not let proud people attack me or the wicked make me run away. 12 See where evil people have fallen. There they lie, unable to rise.
We have to look at our lives and ask the inevitable question. What does God want from us? Why did he create us? What is the essence of Jesus Christ or the story of Jesus? When we read the bible and learn from the account of various stories and revelations, we see that the only thing that God wants for us is our goodness. God would only rest when he sees our goodness. Psalm 36 teaches us that God has constant love for us and wants to pour out his goodness on us.
God does not only wish to pour out his goodness into our lives but also desires our goodness. God wants us to desist from evil and wicked ways and choose righteousness. God tries to show us that our pride makes it difficult for us to decipher between good and evil or choose good. This happens because pride worships self: then our selfishness and self-aggrandizement places self-interest before others and societal interest. This breeds unhealthy competition, envy, greed and unwanted challenges. So I’ll ask, If you were King Herod would you have sought the death of Jesus at birth? Even when you were told about the messianic things he was to achieve for the Israelites…
We would move to the gospel passage of today, John chapter 18. Click below to read the full text of the gospel chapter.
21 Day Lighting Experience – John Chapter 18
18 After Jesus had said this prayer, he left with his disciples and went across Kidron Brook. There was a garden in that place, and Jesus and his disciples went in. 2 Judas, the traitor, knew where it was, because many times Jesus had met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas went to the garden, taking with him a group of Roman soldiers, and some Temple guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees; they were armed and carried lanterns and torches. 4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward and asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” he said. Judas, the traitor, was standing there with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground. 7 Again Jesus asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 “I have already told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “If, then, you are looking for me, let these others go.” (9 He said this so that what he had said might come true: “Father, I have not lost even one of those you gave me.”) 10 Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the High Priest's slave, cutting off his right ear. The name of the slave was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place! Do you think that I will not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me?”
Jesus before Annas
12 Then the Roman soldiers with their commanding officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus, tied him up, 13 and took him first to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish authorities that it was better that one man should die for all the people.
Peter Denies Jesus
15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was well known to the High Priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the High Priest's house, 16 while Peter stayed outside by the gate. Then the other disciple went back out, spoke to the girl at the gate, and brought Peter inside. 17 The girl at the gate said to Peter, “Aren't you also one of the disciples of that man?” “No, I am not,” answered Peter. 18 It was cold, so the servants and guards had built a charcoal fire and were standing around it, warming themselves. So Peter went over and stood with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 The High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have always spoken publicly to everyone; all my teaching was done in the synagogues and in the Temple, where all the people come together. I have never said anything in secret. 21 Why, then, do you question me? Question the people who heard me. Ask them what I told them—they know what I said.” 22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said, “How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!” 23 Jesus answered him, “If I have said anything wrong, tell everyone here what it was. But if I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?” 24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to Caiaphas the High Priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Again
25 Peter was still standing there keeping himself warm. So the others said to him, “Aren't you also one of the disciples of that man?” But Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said. 26 One of the High Priest's slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, spoke up. “Didn't I see you with him in the garden?” he asked. 27 Again Peter said “No”—and at once a rooster crowed.
Jesus before Pilate
28 Early in the morning Jesus was taken from Caiaphas' house to the governor's palace. The Jewish authorities did not go inside the palace, for they wanted to keep themselves ritually clean, in order to be able to eat the Passover meal. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and asked, “What do you accuse this man of?” 30 Their answer was, “We would not have brought him to you if he had not committed a crime.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Then you yourselves take him and try him according to your own law.” They replied, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death.” (32 This happened in order to make come true what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he would die.) 33 Pilate went back into the palace and called Jesus. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. 34 Jesus answered, “Does this question come from you or have others told you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “Do you think I am a Jew? It was your own people and the chief priests who handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world; if my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. No, my kingdom does not belong here!” 37 So Pilate asked him, “Are you a king, then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to me.” 38 “And what is truth?” Pilate asked.
Jesus Is Sentenced to Death
Then Pilate went back outside to the people and said to them, “I cannot find any reason to condemn him. 39 But according to the custom you have, I always set free a prisoner for you during the Passover. Do you want me to set free for you the king of the Jews?” 40 They answered him with a shout, “No, not him! We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a bandit.)
As usual, the Kingship of Jesus is a threat to the rulers of this world. It appears that the wicked men had finally caught up with Jesus. It appeared that the plan of the evil men had finally succeeded. Or do we say that God had abandoned Jesus. This is our usual comment when we are in tribulations and trials. People often feel that God has forsaken them. God never leaves his own. God ensures that his will be done and manifested in the life of his own.
In John Chapter 18 we read about the arrest of Jesus, the denial of Peter, and the inquisitions. Jesus prepares every Christian to a life that is not a bed of roses. A life where if you have chosen to live by the truth you should be ready for haters. Are you prepared for it?
Hard as it may sound, we must be ready for betrayals and denials from those we love, and those who love us or follow us. We must be ready for persecutions from those who envy us or hate us. We must be ready for criticism and challenges but in all, we must not lose our light. We must stand by the truth and defend it with calm and conviction. For those who hate the truth do not have conviction but intimidation. We should not be intimidated, the truth cannot be intimidated, the darker the night the brighter the light.
How ready were the Jews for this King and Messiah that was promised them?
How ready are you for a King that teaches you to love and demands the truth from you?
At the end, the gospel account tells us that Jesus is judged and sentenced to death. Jesus had been preparing his disciples for this moment, his death – he told them he was freely giving his life. Though it was the will of the Father – it became his will when he aligned his will to that of his Father. This sounds contradictory, but the point here is – anytime we allow the will of God to take full charge of our lives, God’s will becomes our will. That is to say, if we abide in God and God in us, his will becomes our will. Our will becomes guided by the spirit of God, hence becomes God’s will.
No matter how difficult God’s will may appear, his will is the best. God does not desire the death of a sinner (not to talk of a righteous person) but that the sinner repents. God’s will is for us to be saved and that is why Jesus came. How God perfects our salvation is still a mystery, even till today. Are you desirous of God making an impact in your life? Are you desirous of change, God’s kind of change and not man’s idea of change? Open your heart and will to God today, Let he that create you; perfect you. May the light of God shine upon our lives each day, that the darkness of the world cannot overcome it. Amen!
One last thing, do you accept the Kingship of Jesus? Does his kingship threaten or annoy you? Do you accept him as messiah? Who is Jesus to you?