Matthew 26-28 walks us through the last days of Jesus' life. The plot against Jesus begins with the high priests, two days before Passover. Judas Iscariot will then approach the chief priests and be paid thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus.
The Passover meal is prepared in the Upper Room, where Jesus will outline the upcoming events and announce he will be betrayed.
Jesus in prayer reminds us of the human side of the Human One as Jesus prayed "My Father, if it's possible, take this cup of suffering away from me. However - not what I want but what you want." (Matthew 26:39) Jesus is then arrested, brought before the council, and given the death sentence - Crucifixtion. Jesus suffered at death so that our sins may be forgiven.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to oby everything that I've commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.~~Matthew 28:19-20
Considering all that Jesus gave up for me, I believe the least I can do is obey this command.
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I have decided to use this blog as a teaching tool for myself...it works for me and helps me learn. Apologize to those who think the entries are too long. Anyway,
ReplyDeletetwo things stand out in these passages- doubt and human will.
Earlier in the reading it points out that during Jesus' crucifiction, the sky darkened, the curtain was torn, and spirits were raised from the dead. People finally declared that he was the Son of God. However, the doubt of the authorities was still so strong, that they declared a huge stone to block the grave so Jesus resurrection could not be staged by humans. Even after all of that, some doubted. Sounds much like our society today, and points out our great challenge as these signs are not as magnificent now. Or are they? Perhaps we are not just looking...and sharing.
#2 - As I reflect on this most powerful passage, it seems to reveal an obvious fault in human pursuits on earth - obeying this last command as Therese pointed out."Take this cup of suffering away from me. However - not what I want but what you want...".
How do we know, right here and now, that where we are is God's will? Are we doing what we want or what God wants? Will God be pleased if we ONLY joyfully obey his commandments wherever we are? At the risk of vulnerability, any thoughts out there, or is the answer obvious to all but me? ...moving on to Mark.
I believe that today's society is so wrapped up in looking for "a big sign", that we tend to overlook the small signs. We need to take time to stop and enjoy the small miracles in life - when was the last time you just stopped at 5:30 and watched the sunset, or got up early to watch it rise? These are daily miracles that we take for granted. I had a life changing experience almost two years ago - it wasn't earthshaking, but I sat in silence by a pond and watched the sun set over a cool autumn mountainside. Something about that experience, which I had seen before, made me more aware of God in my life and made me feel empowered to do more. My point here is to not reach for BIG, sometimes it is the everyday things that will make a BIG change in your heart.
ReplyDeleteAre we doing what God wants? Only God knows the answer to that. If my action causes any type of inner conflict, than I need to examine the action. To me, that "gut" feeling we get is God's way of calling to us.