Not So Easy Choice

TITLE: Not So Easy Choice
DATE: April 25, 2019
TEXT: Matthew 26: 50-54 -  ESV - Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant[g] of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

Most people try to escape making hard decisions.

That's the way it was in the year 1209. During the bloody Crusade against the Albigenses, a French army took the town of Beziers. Before they crashed through the walls, the soldiers wondered, 'How can we tell heretics from good Christians?'
One of the French leaders, Simon IV de Montfort came up with an easy solution to the problem. He said, "Kill them all, for the Lord will know his own." Because of that unbelievably cruel statement, tens of thousands of men, women and children were murdered. It was the easy way out.

In Gethsemane, Jesus had been confronted with the reality of the cross. Satan had worked on Him and the Redeemer knew that He had options….
….and He also knew what the consequence would be if He took those options,  

• The temptation was there to escape while the disciples were fighting for Him.  Jesus rejected this alternative because it would mean the sacrifice of some of His followers and the end of His mission of salvation.
• The second option for Jesus’ escape could have been brought about by a simple prayer to His heavenly Father. Jesus informs us that armies of angels would immediately have been dispatched to procure His release.

Yes, Jesus could have escaped. But if He had, He would not have been our Savior,

Seeing the cross and seeing Jesus' willing sacrifice we soon realize that the easy way out is not the best way. Not even for the Son of God.

In His love and by the Spirit's power, we can say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Seeing Jesus rejection of Satan’s temptation, we stand in awe of our Savior Who chose to embrace death, so that we might have life eternal.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You died to be my Savior. May I live as Your faithful disciple, drinking from the sweet or bitter cup that is given to me.  In Your Name I pray. Amen.

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html