John 18:8-11

John 18:8-11 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Jesus knew Peter willingly risked his life as he bravely drew his sword against unbeatable odds; yet He also knew the act was not the perfect will of the Holy Father. Therefore, Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Billy Graham at age of 93 said, "The Bible says that God has a reason for keeping us here; if He didn't, He would take us to Heaven far sooner." The question remains: Can each of us drink the cup God gives us? Do we willingly accept God's plans or do we react as Peter when Jesus foretold a traumatic end to his life? During the third time Christ appeared to his disciples after He arose from the dead, He asks Peter repeatedly: Do you love me? When Peter says he does, Jesus tells him to feed and care for his sheep. Peter was hurt because Jesus kept questioning him and says, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Ignoring Peter's hurt feelings, Jesus does not defend his questioning but simply says, Feed my sheep. Then He adds the heart of his message to Peter that day: I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. Understanding these words, Peter knows instantly Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which [he] would glorify God. The same Peter who moments earlier vehemently professed his undying love for Jesus now begins to count the cost, to question this calling. Seeing another disciple, Peter justifiably asks, What about him? But Jesus does not let Peter examine anyone else's life that day. He says don't look around you Peter; look at ME. If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to YOU? You must follow ME. Keep your eyes on me, your focus on me. Don't worry about John's life; you must drink the cup fully that God has prepared for you and you alone. (See John 21:15-23) Jesus knew that every one of his followers would have to choose to drink the cup.

Do we question God's plans by pointing to someone else, asking, Lord, what about him? What about John, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper? Is he going to experience pain in his later years? Is he going to be led to a place where he does not want to go? Will he walk up a lonely hill to hang upon a cross upside down as tradition tells us the Spirit-led Peter chose to do when he faced death because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as his precious Lord? One day James and John approached Jesus boldly requesting, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” Without hesitation, Jesus asked what they wanted. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. Jesus knew they did not have spiritual eyes to look ahead. They lacked complete comprehension of taking up the cross and following him, of dying to themselves and rising in newness of life with him. He says: “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” James and John said they could embrace the call of Christ on their lives. They looked forward by faith to a better day, a new and living way with Christ as their head and the Spirit within them. They may not have understood his words fully, but they would persevere and trust the One who said, Follow me. Later James surrendered his life as the first martyr. John lived into his nineties, longer than all the disciples, but he watched all those he loved face persecution and death. Banished to the penal island of Patmos, he wrote amazing letters of love; and while in the Spirit on the Lord's day, God gave him visions that touch, change, and enrich believers' lives to this day. Jesus lost none of those the Father gave him except Judas, as through the same power that raised Christ from the dead, they said, "Yes, Lord we will drink the cup you drink, follow you where you lead for the glory of the living God!"

When they came to arrest Jesus, Peter tried to do good by defending him from these malefactors. He would have died that day to protect his Lord, but his efforts ran counter to God's perfect will. Although Peter did not intend to circumvent the will of God by cutting off the ear of Malchus, the high priest's servant, Peter erred. Jesus rebuked him before healing the servant's ear to correct this mistake. How many times do we try to do what is best for us without stopping to seek the perfect will of God? How often do we make decisions on where to go, what to buy, how to live, what to say, and so on based on our human desires and inclinations, our own intellect and wisdom rather than taking time to seek the will of God. Oftentimes, we pridefully convince ourselves we do not need to seek God's will. Surely it is a good thing to be healthy and prosperous with strong relationships and a happy life with no problems. But when things begin to deteriorate or trials and tribulations come along, our human tendency is to try through natural means and fleshly efforts to fix things ourselves and to lean heavily upon logical answers that make sense to us without seeking counsel from the Holy Spirit--the Great Counselor who has all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. This usually leads to more complications and a cascade of increasingly more complicated and difficult situations until finally in desperation we fall before the Lord, crying out with the psalmist: O Lord, don't hold back your tender mercies from me! My only hope is in your faithfulness. Otherwise I perish, for problems far too big for me to solve are piled higher than my head. (Psalms 40:11-12a LB) Thankfully, God is slow to anger and quick to forgive.

Is everything bad or evil that happens to us God's plan or will? No, but He is in control; He knows everything: the beginning and the ending. We can trust him in all things, seek him at all times, thank him in all situations because He is Lord of ALL. Many verses in the Bible confirm this belief: we have shared them often in these breakfasts. Paul did not tell the church, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:18) because the Holy Spirit wants us to become masochistic martyrs who enjoy painful situations. No, we give thanks always because we have the victory through Christ our Lord who overcame everything for us through the cross. The cross was a painful, horrendous experience--not something we would wish on anyone--yet it was God's perfect redemption plan for humanity to send his only begotten Son to suffer and to die that all might live. The cross set us free through the efficacious blood of Jesus: free to live; free to dance, sing, and shout praises to our God for all eternity. Consequently, we trust God to see us through whatever comes our way on this earthly journey because we know when the road turns horribly rough and full of sharp curves or it seems we have fallen into a deep pit, He remains faithful--ready to lead and to guide. Through Christ and his finished work, we have power to walk the walk, to drink the cup. As we wait patiently upon him, listen to his voice, and learn of him; his truth and wisdom see us through anything and everything as He lifts us up out of the miry clay because He does not lose any of those the Father gives to him.

He comforts us, gives us what we need, and shows us the way when we walk in the Spirit instead of following the old ways of our selfish desires because the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

(James 3:17-18)

Bless you, beloved of God. Put away your swords. The victory is yours!