Agony in the Garden, Again… Eden, Gethsemani but God’s Plan Prevails!
Looks like we are on a one chapter a day pace for Matthew in the New Testament but with only two more chapters of Matthew’s Gospel we are getting towards the end of Jesus’ message to us.
Here we go again! God, our Father, patient, loving and persistent trying to get a point across to us—that life isn’t all about what we want but that we should want to be the part of God’s kingdom he has planned for us.
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden didn’t work out so well—sin was introduced into the world.
Now Jesus and His disciples are in the Garden of Gethsemani and things aren’t working out very well again—our devotion to Jesus is paper thin and quite lacking.
Signs ahead of time, fore-shadowing and fore-illuminating our lives.
But do we see the signs?
Is our life getting darker or brighter from the inside-out?
A focus on education, discipline and perseverance led me to a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.B.A. and a successful career.
Despite much love, many blessings, and sincere attempts by both people, there were earlier signs that my marriage would end in divorce.
There were earlier signs, reading the Scriptures in church, much prayer and turning to God in good and bad times throughout my life that He would lead me down this spiritual path to TROML and Splendid Spiritual Self.
What signs are there currently in your life?
Out of denial, justification, and rationalization into peace, joy and freedom, The Ultimate Love of God, self, and others in life.
“Why do you trouble the woman, Jesus asked? She has done me a good turn. For the poor you have always with you, but you do not always have me. For in putting this ointment on my body, she has done it for my burial. Amen I say to you, wherever in the whole world this gospel is preached, this also that she has done shall be told in memory of her.”
Using the term “my burial,” was a pretty good sign that Jesus was to die and not be the King of the World that his disciples knew.
Where are you on your path to dominate the world, to leave a lasting legacy?
Will it be a lasting legacy of love or a betrayal of God’s plan for you?
“What are you willing to give me for delivering Him to you, the Judas in all of us asked our Lord every day?”
Isn’t it God’s will for us to feel superior to His other lowly children?
Aren’t we blessed and special beyond everyone else?
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, Jesus confided to us.”
God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit know our routine before we come up with that good idea to put us first in the world. They have been through it literally a billion other times with the billion people who have lived on this earth before us.
“Is it I Lord?”
Of course it is, you are human just like me.
“The Son of Man indeed goes his way, as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It were better for that man if he had not been born.”
And Judas who betrayed him answered and said, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “Thou hast said it.”
“For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins.”
And after reciting a hymn, Jesus began to be saddened and exceedingly troubled. “My soul is sad, even unto death. Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; yet not as I will, but as thou willest.”
Jesus was human just like us except that he was not a sinner just like every one of us.
He felt deep emotions and did not over-drink, over-eat, or do any one of a million other human addictions to self-medicate Himself away from what God’s plan was for His life.
Three times he asked His Father to change the story, to have it not end the way he knew it had to end.
Jesus was taken away to Caiphas, the high priest and all the disciples left him and fled. Peter denied Him three times even though he promised not to.
We didn’t stand up for our friend and inspiration in life. We provided false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death.
But now knowing the facts, we can choose our own ending.
Yes, it is better for that man, who abandons Jesus, if he had not been born.”
But that and our lives, in of themselves, provide us an opportunity to admit our human death while still living on spiritually with Christ.
Don’t deny Jesus a fourth time, come home to the Lord and be at peace, feel joy and be free to live again accepting this sinful world as it is but not yourself as you appear.
Ask Jesus to come into your heart this very moment and your life will change forever and ever. Amen.
Day 28: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Agony in the Garden, Again… Eden, Gethsemani but God’s Plan Prevails!
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapter 26.
Bible Notes:
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was a Galilean by birth.
Tax Collector at Capharnaum
Christ called him to become a disciple, and later an Apostle
After the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles on Pentecost, Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea.
He wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament
Matthew Chapter 26: Passion foretold; The council; The anointing at Bethany; Jesus defends the woman; The betrayal; Preparation; The betrayer; The Holy Eucharist; Peter’s denials predicted; The agony in the garden; The sleeping disciples; Jesus arrested; Peter draws his sword; Jesus speaks; Jesus claims to be the Christ; Jesus charged with blasphemy; Peter’s denial.
“You know that after two days the Passover will be here; and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
In the court of the high priest Caiphas… and they took counsel together how they might seize Jesus by stealth and put him to death.
“Why do you trouble the woman? She has done me a good turn. For the poor you have always with you, but you do not always have me. For in putting this ointment on my body, she has done it for my burial. Amen I say to you, wherever in the whole world this gospel is preached, this also that she has done shall be told in memory of her.”
Using the term “my burial,” was a pretty good sign that Jesus was to die and not be the King of the World that his disciples knew.
“What are you willing to give me for delivering him to you?”
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
“Is it I Lord?”
“The Son of Man indeed goes his way, as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It were better for that man if he had not been born.”
And Judas who betrayed him answered and said, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “Thou hast said it.”
“For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins.”
And after reciting a hymn…
“Even though all shall be scandalized because of thee, I will never be scandalized.” Jesus said to him, “Amen I say to thee, this very night, before a cock crows, thou wilt deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I should have to die with thee, I will not deny thee!” And all the disciples said the same thing.
And he began to be saddened and exceedingly troubled…
“My soul is sad, even unto death.”
“Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; yet not as I will, but as thou willest.”
“Could you not, then, watch one hour with me? Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again a second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, thy will be done.”
And leaving them sleeping (a second time), he went back again, and prayed a third time, saying the same words over.
“Sleep on now and take your rest.”
“Whomever I kiss, that is he; lay hold of him.”
“Friend, for what purpose hast thou come?”
“Put back thy sword into its place; for those who take the sword will perish by the sword.”
“How then are the Scriptures to be fulfilled, that thus it must take place.”
“I sat daily in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on me.”
Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Now those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiphas, the high priest…
Were seeking false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death.
“This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it after three days.’”
“Thou hast said it. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming upon the clouds of heaven.”
“He has blasphemed, what further need have we of witnesses?”
“Thou also was with Jesus the Galilean.”
“This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
“Surely thou also art one of them, for even thy speech betrays thee.”
And at that moment a cock crowed… and he went out and wept bitterly.
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