Good Old Days

TITLE: Good Old Days
DATE: February 23, 2019
TEXT John 12:27-28 – ESV - “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”
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One of the most interesting prayers in the Bible is found in John 12: 27.

It was Holy Week and Jesus has had a glorious entry into Jerusalem. Crowds have welcomed Him as the Son of David and now even some Gentles who had heard about the raising of Lazarus have put in a request to meet Him. Jesus is at the top of His game. Yet His prayer does not reflect the victories of the week.

Instead of expressing joy, Jesus says, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.”

Truly, Jesus is troubled because He sees the betrayal and the travesty of His trials. He sees the slaps and the scourge; the spit and the suffering. He knows about the crown of thorns and the terrible taunts, which will be directed against Him. Little wonder He discloses, "Now my heart is troubled."

In a few days, in the Garden of Gethsemane, He would plead, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me" (Matthew 26:39). But this day, He only asks, "What shall I say, 'Father save Me from this hour?'"

If I had been Jesus, I would not have been so nice or noble.

I would have asked--no, I would have demanded--that the Father straighten things out and take me back to the good-old days.

• I would say: "This is not fair. This is not right. The innocent should not be punished for the guilty."
• I would say, "Heavenly Father, it might be OK if people would appreciate what I'm going to endure for them, but they won't."
• I would say, "Father, if I have to die for these sinners, then let it be a quick and merciful ending. Don't make me suffer this cruel and inhuman punishment."

But Jesus asks none of those questions.  He takes a different path, a divine Savior's path which separates Him from us. While we would try to avoid our terrible tomorrows by steadily gazing backward at the golden, good-old days of the past, Jesus looked forward.

Jesus answered His own question.

Jesus said, "No. I won't ask to be saved from this hour. I'm going to suffer. I'm going to die. I'm going to willingly endure inhuman hatred and unjust pain. I'm going to carry every sin committed by every man, every woman and every child in every century.". I am going to be led, without complaining, to the cross, so anyone and everyone who believes in Me as Savior, will be rescued.

 And then, Jesus concludes, "It is for this reason I was born."

To die so that you might live was Jesus' destiny. Jesus was born so you might never die. Jesus was murdered so your tomorrows might not be filled with terror.

Hold to this with all your heart. If you do, you can be assured that the good-old days are not all in the past. The best of days, the best of eternity, will be yours through Jesus' selfless sacrifice.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks that You looked forward while I like to look backwards. Because of what You have done for me, my future shall be blessed indeed. In Your Name I give thanks. Amen.

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann, one of my long-ago confirmands. He is singing with three brothers. This song comes from the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html