We live in a world where some deny and some believe. Some try to work salvation down on their knees. There is nothing better in knowing that we are redeemed.
When Jesus speaks BIG things happen to some of us who choose to listen.

The stories on the arrest of Jesus in, Matthew 26: 45-56---Mark 14: 41-52—Luke 22: 46-53--- and John 18: 1-11, must have been very important to God to tell us each personal detail, written by what each of them experienced.

First they were told by Jesus to stay awake and pray. Well, they fell asleep… Judas betrays Jesus… Peter puts up a fight to defend Jesus and cuts the ear off a soldier named Malchus…. Jesus stops the fighting and heals the ear of Malchus….. Jesus speaks, showing His love and compassion, yet still showing His authority and some fall to their knees.

Re reading these stories again this Easter season, they each spoke to me in so many different ways. First of all, I always thought it was the Roman soldiers who went to arrest Jesus. But it wasn’t, it was the High Priest orders, the religious leaders. They sent their servant Malchus, leading an army of police and soldiers.
I had several different thoughts that I’m sure many of us can relate to at least one of them. First let’s take Malchus. He was the one who had his ear cut off by Peter, one of Jesus’s disciples. Malchus, who came to arrest Jesus, saw, heard, and felt the compassion and power of Jesus. Here he was, there to arrest Him, gets his ear cut off, and Jesus, instead of defending Peter, stops the fight and heals Malchus’s ear. He certainly didn’t make himself deserving if that, or even ask for it. In his least deserving moment Jesus still showed His love for those who hated Him, those who are lost and in need. WOW, as many times as I read and heard this story, that just jumped out at me!

Now Peter, the disciple of Jesus, can you imagine how he felt? Here he was trying to defend Jesus, and of course thinking Jesus had his back, he takes a bold step forward in front of a large army and cuts Malchus’s ear off. That could have started a riot, but Jesus tells him to put his sword away.  Sometimes I get this kind of anger inside of me when I am trying to defend Jesus and all He is to me. Once you’ve tasted and seen what only Jesus can do, you get so mad when people don’t believe.  A mistake I think a lot of us make. Then Jesus will speak to my heart and say, “ Just pray, and do all things in love, show compassion.” We can’t force anyone to believe or see their need for a relationship with Jesus. We have to trust God’s plan with family members and all whom we are praying for.

Of all the books that spoke about this scene, I love how John shows the power of Jesus when he speaks in verse 4, “Who is it you want? Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. I AM HE, they drew back and fell to the ground.” Can you imagine that!! Just maybe they were overcome by His obvious POWER and AUTHORITY. This is what we have to trust when we pray for people. Instead of wanting to cut someone’s ear off, pray and let Jesus speak to them. When they hear for themselves “I AM HE” just maybe they will fall to their knees.

Trust God in all things. He has a plan and He will complete it.

So just keep carrying your cross and follow Jesus. Show love and compassion never being afraid to speak the truth when prompted by the Holy Spirit.
NEVER cease praying God’s will in this world and our lives, and the lives of our loved ones. “ Your will be done God, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Jesus will speak and show His power. He brought us to our knees, He will one day bring them.

To the very end, before they took Jesus to be judged and executed, He still showed us He came to heal and save the lost, look at Malchus.

What do you think happened to Malchus, or anyone else in the garden that night? I think they will NEVER forget what they heard and saw Jesus say and do. I think some of them came to believe that night, especially Malchus.

PS.. If you haven’t seen “God’s not dead” GO SEE IT!!!! Great movie.


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Kim