Will you follow Jesus?

Matthew 26:47-56

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” ⁴⁹ Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁵⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

⁵¹ And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶ But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

In today's text from the daily reading in the One Year Bible(link on links page), we see much more being said and done to Jesus than what we see Jesus say or do. Jesus had just spent hours in prayer with His Father preparing Himself to walk through this next difficult but vital step in His mission. What was to come, His crucifixtion was after all the reason He came to live as a man. 

When you think about what the text tells us there is a revelation of the depths of the darkness that was behind the actions of those who were coming to arrest Jesus. Jesus was a man, by this time, of great reputation. In every city He had entered, He was recognized as a great teacher and a worker of miracles. People might not have fully understood who He was, but He was known and recognized. Yet we see in the text that the very ones who wanted to arrest and kill Jesus needed to have Him pointed out to them. They were so blinded by their fear and hatred of Jesus for coming against their tradition and postion that they wanted to kill Him without really even knowing who He was. It is no wonder they could not see Who Jesus was in the spiritual realm, they didn't even recognize Him in the physical realm, fear and hatred blinded them.  So too today can fear of what is not understood and hatred of the change that comes at the knowledge and recognition of who Christ is, blind people and keep them from knowing Him. Judas, one of Jesus inner circle of twelve closest disciples, one who knew Jesus well in the physical realm was the one who identified Him to the arresting crowd. We who have never seen Jesus in the physical realm, yet have the revelation of who He is by the spirit are called to reveal His identity to the world. Not to put Jesus back on the cross but rather so they can see and receive for themselves the finished work of the cross. 1 Peter 3:18 says:

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;  

After Judas has identified Jesus to the arresting crowd we see the last recorded healing miracle of Jesus before His resurrection. It's actually in Luke's account of the story. Luke 22:

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? ⁵³ While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” 

Jesus never asks us to do anything that He Himself would not do. Jesus teaches that we are to love even our enemies. In Matthew 5:43-48 He says:

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Jesus displays that kind of unconditional love for His enemies here by healing and restoring the ear of one who is coming against Him. He does it again when on the cross as He looks out over those who have betrayed, rejected and crucified Him and says "Father forgive them, they know not what they are doing"   We too are called to love and forgive our enemies, those who persecute us.   Proverbs 25:21-22 says If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.    Paul teaches this again in Romans 12:19-21   Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.  "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD."  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Let's understand what these burning coals that we heap on the heads of our enemies are. First, they are not to cause them pain, suffering or physical death. These burning coals are rather like those in Isaiah 6, when Isaiah saw the Lord and recognized his sinfulness.

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. ² Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called out to another and said,

⁴ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. ⁵ Then I said,

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. ⁷ He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

The burning coals we heap on the heads of our enemies are intended to cause death. Death to the sin nature in them. It is a burning coal from the altar of the sacrifice of our life to Christ. It is a burning of purification and cleansing. The love we show to those who hate and persecute us is for the Fathers purpose of the redemption of all, that they too might know that  your(their) iniquity is taken away and your(their) sin is forgiven. 

Jesus then says this about this physical encounter:  “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

We too have the authority to appeal to the Father and receive the help of legions of angels for our battles. But as it says in Ephesians 6:12  our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. We call on God for the angels help in fighting our spiritual battles. Spirit warring against spirit. In human relationships we become as Christ, seeking to love, forgive and restore even our enemies.

Thank You Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ our perfect example and Holy Spirit our guide. Thank You Jesus that You gave us not only Your Word for instruction, but that You are the Word made flesh and so You lived to show us the way. Thank You Holy Spirit, that You have come to be with us and in us, to lead us and empower us to follow  Christ and His example of loving, forgiving and restoring our enemies to the relationship the Father desires to have with them. Thank You Father that You reveal Yourself and Your will to us and allow us the privilege of joining You in Your work of redemption and restoration.  Amen