The Calm Earlier than the Cross

The Calm Before the Cross

When a crowd led by Judas got here to the backyard of Gethsemane to arrest Him, Jesus—not like His disciples—didn’t lose His composure. As an alternative, in each phrase and deed, He revealed Himself to be at peace and in management. What was the premise for Jesus’ startling serenity within the face of betrayal? In his sermon “‘The Hour Has Come,’” Alistair Begg considers the reply:

“Then Jesus mentioned to the chief monks and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out towards him”—it is a query by Jesus for the spiritual opponents—“‘Have you ever come out as towards a robber, with swords and golf equipment?’” Nicely, the reply is that they have.

Now, the tone by which that query was given we don’t know, as a result of we solely have it written down. I ponder if it wasn’t merely Jesus says, “You’ve acquired to be kidding me. You’ve actually come out right here tonight, all arrange like this, with all of your swords and your golf equipment and all the pieces, to take me beneath the quilt of darkness? Why did you not come for me once I was out within the temple? I used to be preaching freely. Everyone may see me and so forth. How futile it’s!”

What have been these individuals pondering? Have been they afraid of Jesus, so that they got here in numbers? Did they suppose that in the event that they got here in numbers, they may intimidate Jesus? Nicely, clearly, in the event that they thought that, they found in a short time that they couldn’t. As a result of even within the second, even on this second, when he can be regarded from a distance as each the sufferer and the captive, it’s clear that he’s neither the sufferer nor the captive—that there’s a serenity about Jesus. There may be an absolute calmness and peace within the circumstances, a peace that isn’t loved by Peter and the remainder of them. We all know that. We’ve seen that.

And what’s the foundation of the serenity of Christ? It’s that he understands that what he’s doing and the place he’s going is in response to the Father’s will —all that has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets have mentioned is perhaps fulfilled. Jesus knew that he was going to die. You say, “Nicely, everyone is aware of they’re going to die.” No, he knew that he was going to die in a means that nobody else is aware of they’re going to die. As a result of Jesus knew that absence from his presence on the earth was the explanation that he had entered into the world. Jesus knew that he would die a violent loss of life. Jesus knew that he would die a purposeful loss of life. Jesus knew that he would die a vicarious loss of life—i.e., that his loss of life was not a show of affection that individuals ought to admire and say, “Whoa, that’s a dreadful factor to occur to such a pleasant particular person.” No! His loss of life on the cross was rather than sinners. He dies purposefully.