It
was a dark and stormy night, but the storms on this night weren't in the
atmosphere, they were in his spirit. Jesus was there, in the garden, wrestling
in prayer for you and for me. The sin of all mankind had been laid upon him,
and he was exhausted.
His
friends were exhausted too, and they showed it by their inability to stay awake
in watch as their rabbi prayed in distress. So many storms.
As
he prayed his body trembled from the hematidrosis -- an exhausting condition
where the stress is so great that the capillaries in one's skin burst and the
blood mixes with sweat so that one literally "sweats blood". Why was he so
stressed? He had just taken on not just the sin, but the guilt of every sin
ever committed past, present, and future. He felt guilty for everything that
had ever been done and everything that would ever be done. It was crushing him,
and he was sweating blood as he cried in anguish and trepidation.
"Let
this cup pass from me" was his prayer. Why? Because the God of the universe was
about to make Jesus drink the cup of punishment that had been filled with the
sins of the masses. Jesus was about to die, and he knew it.
Even
though there was such a storm brewing in his spirit that night, it was clear
what the choice needed to be. "Not my will but Yours be done."
Soon
after there was the sound of heavy footsteps and the flash of the moon glinting
off metal. Soldiers were coming. A whole squad of soldiers and religious
leaders were coming armed with swords and clubs and spears. Here is Jesus,
unarmed and with a rag-tag bunch of nobodies. Why did they feel the need to come
at him so fully armed?
As
Jesus and the disciples heard the oncoming ruckus, they stood up with Jesus at
the forefront of the group. The leader of the army sent to arrest him? Judas --
one of Jesus' trusted twelve -- the traitor.
Jesus
calmly asked the group, "Who is it you are looking for?"
"Jesus
of Nazareth" was their reply.
What
happens next can only be explained in context of a previous conversation Jesus
had with the religious leaders of the day. They were trying to trap Jesus in
blasphemy, and Jesus was accusing them of always getting rid of the prophets.
Jesus was trying to get them to see that Abraham prophesied about Jesus, but
they wouldn't listen. Jesus, then, called them out.
He
told them they weren't children of Abraham. In fact, he went further to say
that they were children of the devil. Then, he said something even more
blasphemous: "Before Abraham was born, I Am." Their reaction was swift and
harsh as they picked up stones to kill Jesus because they remembered another
conversation many, many years before.
Moses
is watching his flock when he notices a bush on the mountain called Sinai. This
bush is burning, but there is no charring -- the bush never burns up. Moses
approaches and God proceeds to talk to him from the bush. As God calls Moses to
a major mission, Moses asks who he should say sent him. God replies, "I Am who
I Am. Tell them I Am sent you."
They
had said they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth.
"I
Am."
How
he said it is not as important as the implication of what was just said. Jesus
just used the same terminology as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus
just said He is God.
As
this statement sinks in quickly through the ranks of the soldiers they fall to
the ground -- stunned.
Jesus
had rendered the mob defenseless with two words, "I Am."
He
knew he was going to die. He knew he needed to die so that all those billions
of people who ever lived and ever would live could truly have life, but he was
going down on his terms.
Peter
got excited and took a swing with his sword but missed his mark. Instead, an
ear was cut off, but Jesus healed that too. It was then that Jesus explained
things to Peter. "This sword is not our way of doing things. If I wanted to
fight they would have no defense against the legions of angels at my disposal."
Previously,
Jesus had said (John 10) that no one would take His life from Him. Jesus had
the power to lay his life down, and he was going to raise it back up.
Judas,
the traitor finally came up and kissed Jesus on the cheek to signify the
betrayal. Judas had just earned his 30 pieces of silver. This betrayal was not
necessary. Jesus had already given himself over to them.
Jesus
was bound and tried and beaten, and beaten, and mocked, and beaten some more,
and eventually crucified. As he was hanging on that cross sin after sin was
being dealt with. The justice of God was being appeased through this one act.
When every sin had been taken care of Jesus cried out, "It is finished."
Isaiah
53:4-5
Surely he took up our infirmities and
carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and
afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his
wounds we are healed.
What
happened next is the power of Jesus. No one dies quickly on a cross. It could
take up to 48 hours for a person to die this way. Jesus gave up his spirit and
died voluntarily.
He
died for you and me -- on purpose -- of his own will.
Then,
that glorious Sunday morning so long ago, he rose from the dead to prove that
he really is God, your sins really are forgiven, and you really can have
eternal life through him. The one who laid down a mob with two words raised
from the dead. He is the glorious first fruits of those who raise from the dead
-- and that can include you and me.
This
is the good news of Easter. May you celebrate this Sunday and every day that
the God of the universe cares enough about you to give up everything to save
you. May you see where your life is disconnected from God and come back. Jesus
has already made the way for you.
