Friday, January 17, 2014

Gethsemane Speaks: Lessons from the Master (Part 1 of 2)

 
 

“In the garden of Gethsemane, you will experience Jesus and the many lessons that will equip you for your life.”— F. Lugo


In the garden we come to learn many things, and it is not too much to say, a lifetime could be spent in the garden learning from God and your life would not be a waste. With that being said, I now invite you into my HEART...


I rejoice to be shown this in reflection. I was thinking of an episode I saw on Law And Order: Criminal Intent, where an evangelist and an atheist are debating, and when the evangelist pushes an emotional button on the atheist, the atheist hits an emotional button with the audience when he blasphemes God’s name and the crowd, turned mob, went crazy! They were ready to kill this man or at the least severely injure him.

That is when the Spirit spoke and took me to the Garden. Where a certain disciple, upon seeing His Master get attacked by some soldiers, lunged at them with a sword and actually cut the ear off of one of the men. This disciple that was a moment ago in the audience of the scene that was taking place, in a moments notice, turned into the mob mentality and violence became him. Why did he do this? Someone he held in high esteem was disrespected, therefore, his logic was to attack!

“That which is esteemed highly if not in a lowly position, ought not to be esteemed at all!”— The Holy Spirit

Now the interesting thing here, is how Jesus responds to this certain disciples “protecting his [Jesus’] honor.” He looks to this disciple of His, and actually rebukes (corrects) him. Jesus said to him, “anyone who uses the sword, dies by the sword” and history has certainly proven that, as a certain king named Saul was always in hot pursuit after a certain young man named David who was destined to be king of all Israel. Armed with vengeance and fueled by jealousy, this present king of Israel could not see past his hate and his pride, that young David was a man of honor who was committed to serve his king with the utmost excellence. Despite Saul's own life being spared by David many times, he eventually reaped his own demise and took his own life as he plunged himself onto his very own sword! (Click here to read the unfolding events in Gethsemane and then Click here to read the events unfolding between prideful Saul and the honorable service of David to his king).

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Now if the Master of this certain disciple was quick to rebuke this reaction, though seemingly the right thing to do, misguided as it was, what are we to learn and take away from this?:

  • Our reactions say a lot about our character and reveal a whole lot of how much we are truly in need of direction and guidance from our Master.

  • Holding someone in high esteem is a dangerous thing to do. It can cause us to become something we were never intended to become.

  • A true Master would never hold himself in high esteem. He would take up a lowly position to serve all, and in that, a people will see how worthy He is to be followed.

  • What we sow is what we reap, however, heeding the word of Jesus, can cause us to turn away from any road leading to a certain doom, and towards a road of certain victory. Amen.

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