Communion: The power at Jesus' arrest
This week as I have been thinking about communion my mind kept on
returning the arrest of Jesus before His trial and crucifixion. This can
be found in both John 18 and the parallel passed in Luke 22. As I read I
saw some examples of Jesus’ power when He was arrested.
1. The power when He declared
John 18:3-6 - The leading
priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and
Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and
weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. 4 Jesus fully realized all
that was going to happen to Him, so He stepped forward to meet them.
"Who are you looking for?" He asked. 5 "Jesus the Nazarene," they
replied. "I AM He," Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing
with them.) 6 As Jesus said, "I AM He," they all drew back and fell to
the ground!
Verse 6 tells us that at His words those around Him
fell backwards to the ground. The power of His declaration knocked them
over.
2. The power when He healed the servant
Luke 22:49-51 - When the other disciples saw what was about to
happen, they exclaimed, "Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!"
50 And one of them struck at the high priest's slave, slashing off his
right ear. 51 But Jesus said, "No more of this." And He touched the
man's ear and healed him.
The next display of His power is in the
healing of the servant’s ear. Peter tried to stop the soldiers arresting
Jesus by striking the servant with a sword and cutting off His ear.
Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man’s ear (Luke 22:51).
3. The power of His love
Luke 22:41-44 - He
walked away, about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42
"Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from
Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine." 43 Then an angel from
heaven appeared and strengthened Him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and
He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like
great drops of blood.
The final display is the incredible love of
Jesus. Moments before His arrest He was praying and drops of blood
sweated from His forehead (Luke 22:41-44). He knew what was coming and
His love kept Him on task – from arrest, to trial, to crucifixion.
Jesus displayed great power at His arrest and immediately
afterwards. By His words of declaration, by His healing of the servant
and by His great love for you and I – we see His great power.
By Dave Quinn
Founder of PASSIONAustralia.org
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