Read:
When a king is announced, men bow and women curtsey. When a judge enters the courtroom, everyone stands. These show we recognize the person’s power and rank.
When Judas led the soldiers and some religious officials to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, they brought torches and lanterns, and the soldiers wore their usual uniform, which included a sword. Were they expecting a fight? We don’t know. What they weren’t expecting was Jesus to declare himself. They wanted Jesus of Nazareth. “I am he.”
We’ve already seen that this Greek word points back to Exodus, when God said, “I am that I AM.” Jesus angered the officials in John 8. He used the word repeatedly to describe himself as the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, and the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “I am he.” At this, the soldiers and the officials, and Judas, too, fell back. They didn’t just find Jesus; they recognized they were in the presence of God.
But that didn’t stop them from arresting, beating, and crucifying Jesus. Nothing could have stopped it. Those men might have thought they were in control of the situation, but it was God’s plan all along to send a Savior who would die for the sins of many. There was a plan, predicted again and again, and Jesus fulfilled every prediction. God’s justice demanded payment for sin; God’s love paid our debt.
If you’ve ever wondered if you’re too far gone—too bad, too broken, too unloveable for God to forgive you—know this: God’s love can’t be stopped. He loves you, and he wants to have a relationship with you. If you still have questions about God’s love for you, reach out. We’d love to talk about it with you.
Pray: Dear God, what unbelievable love is this, that you would die for my sake? Your love can’t be stopped. I don’t understand it, but I believe it. I am changed because of your love for me. Amen.