Lent 2021 - TURNING POINT

Sunday, March 14th

Put Away the Sword!
Luke 22:47-53 -Written by Jerry Ruff

 

47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him,  48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”  Luke 22:47-53

 

The events surrounding the Easter story were and still are explosive.  So much action packed into a brief time span.  The contrasts are stark!

In the Garden of Gethsemane today stands an olive tree that witnessed these ancient events.

They came to arrest Jesus!  This put the disciples into a severe quandary—do we surrender or do we fight; and not for themselves but for Jesus!

Down through the centuries Christians have faced this same dilemma.  When do we ‘fight’ and when do we surrender?  At the Garden it was time to surrender as Jesus commanded His disciples to put away their swords. Jesus then restored Malchus’ ear which Peter had cut off.   

As humans our first instinct is to fight.  As Christians our first response (and command) is to love, knowing that our God is in complete charge of our circumstances. 

Ultimately, we win!

 

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